Present

Two weeks later I was up and moving on my own. My wound was still healing and sore but it was good enough for Sam and Bucky to stop mothering me.

Sharon had gone to run some errands and the three boys were talking in the living room. I double checked that no one was around before gently lifting the hem of my shirt to check the newest scar.

My torso was already littered with them after my time in Hydra, this one was as long as the knife was wide, the person who'd stabbed me only managed to push the weapon into my stomach before he was knocked out, the knife falling with him.

It matched several other old wounds, many from the doctors or guards, some from missions, and there was one or two from the winter soldier.

Mindlessly tracing a particularly nasty one, a crudely carved word just under where my waistband sat. 'Hydra' was the word, a reminder of who I belonged to after an early escape attempt. Sam must have seen them, when he was stitching me up, how could he have not thought me useless? After all most of the scars I have are because I couldn't follow through on an order.

The guards would've mocked me, told me how I deserved every one, many told me that they hoped I'd die from the experiments.

My skin began to itch and no matter how I scratched, it wouldn't go away. Angry track marks began crossing the scars. Then I felt it in the back of my head, a tingling sensation that refused to settle.

"Did you think you could escape?!" The head of the guards, Fronz demanded, brandishing his baton. "Do you know what happened to the men who were on watch? They died, executed"

Fronz stormed closer and I could only press myself further into the corner, curling my legs to my chest to protect it from further harm, as well as making myself as small as possible. I could already feel the blood starting to pour down my sides.

Something wasn't right.

"I'm gonna make you pay for what happened" Fronz raised his arm, poised to strike-

"Hey! Laura! You're not there. Come back to me." The shattered memory began to fade and I found myself in the bathroom once again. Now however I was curled in the corner, just like in the flashback. Sam was kneeling down in front of me, his hands placed on either side of my face. "I need to you breathe for me, take some deep breaths"

"Sam" my voice sounded foreign to me, he gently wiped at my cheeks, drying the tears I didn't know were there while he nodded, repeating his earlier instructions. I did my best to copy his actions, grabbing hold of his hands.

"There she is" Sam smiled softly. "Do you want to talk about it?" He took his hands off me, retreating until he was far enough away to alleviate the claustrophobia but close enough for me to touch him if I needed to.

Dropping my gaze to my knees, I wrapped my arms around them. "No" I replied, my voice quieter than I thought it would be.

"Okay, do you want me to stay? I could go get Bucky" Sam offered.

"No!" My eyes snapped to his, panic starting to bubble again. Pausing, I took another breath before calmly replying. "I mean, don't leave and don't get Bucky"

He simply nodded again, leaning back against the cabinets behind him. "What's your favorite color?"

Taken aback by the question, I didn't answer for a moment. "Blue"

"Mine's red" Sam stated. "Kinda grew up in a town where fishing was everything. My parents had a boat with red accents and I always thought it was the coolest color." He smiled, his eyes further away in his own memories.

A comfortable silence fell between us, a light drip from the bathtub faucet the only thing to disturb it.

"How did you know what to do?" I asked quietly.

Sam considered the question, stretching his legs out before he spoke. "I was a part of a paramilitary operation. We saw a lot of death and destruction. I was sent home after my friend died. From there I taught classes on how to deal with PTSD to veterans like myself." Sam stared down at his lap. Hesitantly, I reached out and grabbed his hands with my own, his gaze immediately snapped to mine.

"I'm sorry"

"Not your fault" he sighed.

Biting my lip nervously, I worked up the courage to bring up an earlier conversation with Sam. "Can I ask you something?" He nodded. "Why hasn't Hydra come for Bucky and me yet?"

"Hydra was destroyed years ago, your brother and I made sure of that. Anyone who was dusted and worked for them was caught within months of everyone returning. Before that Bucky was in the most protected country with the best scientists in the entire world. He was safe, that and we've been almost untraceable the entire time you've been with us."

"Dusted? That was when the five year gap happened right?"

Sam nodded again. "It was because of a man named Thanos."

"Sam what happened to Steve?"

"We told you" his eyebrow quirked.

I pulled my hand from his, wrapping my arms around my legs once again. "Even as an old man, as you say, Steve would have come running the minute he heard about me. It's what I would have done."

"It's been a long ten years"

"That doesn't answer my question"

Sighing, he leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling. "We don't know where he is. We thought we did, but we don't. The original Avengers that are alive, have all gone into hiding. They've retired and as far as the world is concerned, most of them are dead. The war with Thanos took a lot out of them and time hasn't been kind."

"Is that why you gave up being Captain America?" I put my chin on my knees, watching Same as he shifted, his body language closing off as he folded his arms.

"No. It's a lot more complicated than that"

"Really? Because from what Bucky and you have told me, being Captain America is a responsibility that you're avoiding. Steve never would have passed that off unless he believed in you."

"How would you know?" Sam defended. "People change and you've been in ice for decades. You have no idea what it's like living in this time because you've been sheltered by Bucky and I. The situation is a lot m-"

"Don't you dare say complicated Sam." I huffed, in the back of my mind I knew that I shouldn't be snapping at him, that he'd come in to help me and now we were arguing. "I need some air."

I stood, rushing out the door toward the exit of the apartment, ignoring Bucky as he called for me to stay. I just wanted out.

The air was slightly chilly and night had fallen in the small alleyway I had discovered. It felt like the energy had drained from my body and I practically collapsed against the dirty brickwork, sliding down until I was seated on the concrete.

Sam's words hurt even if they were true and I knew that mine hurt him too. It wasn't fair to him and I didn't know everything. Sam and Bucky weren't telling me everything. They're trying to protect me from something and I don't want it.

Why did they feel the need to hide that they didn't know what really happened to Steve? Why did Steve have to leave?

"Hey" Sharon's voice startled me, I opened my mouth to tell her to leave me alone, but when I looked up, I realized that she wasn't speaking to me, she was just on the phone. From where I was sitting, she wouldn't be able to see me, not under the darkness of night. "I thought I told you not to call me. It's hard enough hiding who I am from my guests." She paused for a moment, allowing whoever was on the other side to answer. "Yes, of course they're gonna be ready for pick up. I've got two surprises that's gonna make our boss very happy. I just have to get rid of Sam Wilson before the drop."

My heart stopped. Was she talking about us?

"Yes, make it look real. We need the attack to be believable if we don't want to have a bunch of superheroes on our -" Stupidly, I brought my legs back, trying to ensure I wouldn't be seen all it did was cause a scuffing noise that echoed through the ally. Sharon trailed off, trying to see through the darkness. "I've got to go, make it here in twenty minutes, I'll stall for time"

She glanced around again, unable to make out much of anything in the shadows. Then she went back inside.

I waited for a few minutes before following her up to the apartment. She was seated on the couch as if nothing has ever happened. "Hey Buck, I need to talk to you for a minute" I asked nervously.

He shrugged, sending a wary look at leaving Zemo with Sharon, but walked in my direction anyway. As soon as we were out of their eye line, I grabbed Bucky's hand, dragging him to the guest bedroom quickly, locking the door behind us and then immediately pulled him into the closet, shutting that door as well.

"Peaches.." Bucky looked around the small space then at me. "What's going on?"

"Keep your voice down" I whispered. "Sharon is about to stage an ambush so she can turn us and Zemo over to her boss"

"What? She's been helping us this whole time. Why would she betray us now?"

"I don't know Buck, but I overheard her talking on the phone, she said that she has to get rid of Sam and that whoever is coming is gonna be here in a few minutes"

Sighing, Bucky nodded, "follow my lead"

"Always"

Bucky lead the two of us out, cautiously moving down the hall toward the place where we'd last seen the traitor.

When we got there, Zemo was out cold on the floor, a spilled drink held loosely in his grip. Bucky and I fell into an all too familiar rhythm as we searched for weapons as well as Sam.

A gunshot coming from the other side of the apartment made Bucky and I glance at each other before we approached it. The room was a mess, Sam and Sharon fighting for the weapon that'd gone off in the struggle.

Bucky and I jumped into the fray, I went for the gun while Bucky went for Sharon, catching her in a headlock while I pointed the gun at her.

"Who's coming for us?" I demanded, cocking the weapon. Sam stood behind me, looking a little confused, but otherwise unharmed.

Sharon let loose a laugh that made us all a little unsettled. "You know when Hydra approached me, I resisted them at first, but I needed resources and my government was actively hunting me. Imagine my surprise when their only price was to get them their weapon back. Then Laura and Zemo practically fall into my lap."

I stiffened at the mention of Hydra, my trigger finger itched to just end her.

"You're lying." Sam snapped.

"Am I? You should know by now. Cut one head off and two more shall grow in its place" Sharon smirked, she didn't struggle against Bucky, jus-

Realization dawned on me, cutting off any other thought. "She's stalling. We need to get out of here" I realized. Anxiety churned in my stomach, Hydra was alive.

Sam put a hand on my shoulder. "How could you betray us like that? Stev-"

"Steve?" She laughed again. "You mean the man my aunt wouldn't shut up about? He was a self absorbed man out of time who thought he could 'change the world'. I resented him for as long as I can remember, leaving Peggy like that, but then I realized he had to be a martyr. He had to be the one to save everyone" she spat bitterly.

"Be careful with your words Sharon. I'm the one with a gun trained on you" I warned. "And I've got a twitchy finger"

"Time's up, we need to go now" Sam pushed on my back gently, coaxing me out of the room. Bucky delivered a swift punch to Sharon's head, effectively knocking her out.

We ran toward the living room, Sam and Bucky working to pick Zemo up, throwing one of his arms over each of their shoulders, they supported the unconscious man as we rushed out the apartment door, me grabbing our bags on the way.