STEVE

I stroll with Tori and Sharon into her hotel. We have chatted the entire time to each other, all three of us, but I can sense the raging aura between the two ladies. I didn't know until now about Tori's past with Sharon. Apparently she hates her very, very much, but it seems like she's at least trying to warm up to her.

"My mom tried to talk me out of enlisting, but, um, not Aunt Peggy," Sharon informs us. "She bought me my first thigh holster."

"Oh yeah! The one with all of the pink sparkles all over it," Tori exclaims, a beaming smile plastering her lips.

"Hey, you got an actual gun when you were fourteen," Sharon points out.

"True."

"Very practical," I say, laughing at Tori's enthusiasm.

"And most definitely stylish," Tori adds, grinning at Sharon.

"I would've killed for that gun, Tori," she replies.

"Well, you didn't have it to do so."

They both break into a fit of laughter. Sharon presses the elevator button, turning back to face us.

"The CIA has you stationed over here now?" Tori asks her, placing a hand on her hip.

"Oh, Berlin," she corrects. "Joint Terrorism Task Force."

"Right," she says, glancing down at the tile floor.

"Sounds fun," I add, smiling a little to Tori's sudden shyness.

"I know right," Sharon says, her eyes wandering back and forth from Tori and me.

I take in a deep breath. "I've been meaning to ask you, when you were spying on me from across the hall—"

"You mean when I was doing my job," Sharon corrects me now.

"Wait, what?" Tori asks. "When was this?"

"When you were in Asgard," I answer. "In the DC house."

"You lived across from one of the temporary houses?" she asks Sharon, her wide eyes flashing with an orange tint from the lights.

"Yes, for a short time because of my job," Sharon replies.

Tori nods in response.

"D-Did Peggy know?" I ask Sharon, returning back to my original point.

Sharon sighs. "She kept so many secrets. I didn't want her to have one from you guys." I nod. The elevator rings, and Sharon turns around. "Thanks for walking me back, guys."

"Anything for a friend," Tori smiles.

"Tori, Steve, there's something you two gotta see," Sam informs us, popping from the other part of the hotel, his voice low with distraught.

•••

We sit in stand in front of the television, listening deeply to the news anchor. I stand with my hands in my pockets. Tori bites her nails, completely in shock. Sam just stands there emotionless. Sharon walks back and forth behind the row of the three of us, frantically jabbering on her phone.

The United Nations Complex where the signing is taking place has been bombed, killing at least twelve people, including King T'Chaka of Wakanda. "Officials have released a video of a suspect, who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier. The infamous HYDRA agent linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations," the announcer says.

My stomach drops. Bucky is alive. He's still out there. All eyes are on me now, and they are filled with horror. Tori gives me a look that I've never seen before. Her teary eyes show, I don't know...pain, worry, maybe even a little bit of emotional hurt?

Sharon joins our row, now that she's off the phone. "I have to go to work."

•••

"You alright?" I ask Natasha over the phone. I scan the crowd with my aviators, baseball cap, and leather jacket on. Tori is next to me, a scarf wrapped tightly around her hair and a pair of sunglasses covering her eyes. Her red lipstick makes her seem unrecognizable.

"Uh, yeah, thanks. I got lucky," Natasha replies on the other end of the line. She pauses for a moment, sighing and preparing for her speech. "I know how much Barnes means to you. I really do. Stay home. You'll only make this worse. For all of us. Please."

I clench my jaw. Tori narrows her eyes, looking over the by-passers for anyone who looks suspicious. "You're saying you'll arrest me?" She glances up at me with pursed lips, and I don't even have to hear her speak for me to know that she's telling me to not ask anymore questions like that.

"No," Nat says. "But someone will if you interfere. That's how it works now."

"If he's this far gone now, Nat, I should be the one to bring him in."

"Why?"

"Because I'm most likely the one to die trying." I hang up the phone and signal for Tori to follow me. At first I don't hear footsteps. I turn around to face her again. She gives me that same distraught look of pure agony. I quickly break eye contact, squinting my eyes shut to get rid of the picture of her that upset.

She slowly takes a step towards me, gently setting her hand on my arm. I gaze back up at her, staring at her small frown.

"It's going to be okay," she whispers to me. "I can at least promise you that."

She tugs a bit at my arm, bringing me to her side to walk along the sidewalk.

We eventually make it to the coffee shop and stand right next to Sam. "She tell you to stay out of it?" he asks. "Might have a point."

"He'd do it for me," I snap.

"It's not that easy, Steve," Tori spits, glancing behind her shoulder. I give her a long look, not exactly sure of what she meant.

"1945, maybe," Sam suggests. "I just want to make sure that we consider all our options. But people who shoot at you usually wind up shooting at me."

"Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public," Sharon informs us, coming up next to Tori. "Everybody thinks that the Winter Soldier goes to their gym. Most of it's noise, except for this." She slides a file over to Tori, who hands it to me. "My boss expects briefing pretty much now, so that's all the head start you're gonna get."

I briefly thank her, watching Tori quickly slip the file into her purse.

"You're gonna have to hurry. We have orders to shoot on sight," Sharon says. I feel Tori tense up beside me, probably picturing the scene. Sharon then disappears as quickly as she came.