Snow

The four of them headed next towards Riga, on their way to meet Zemo’s associate. As they were heading towards the meeting spot, Bucky spotted America’s Mascot and his partner heading their way.

“Ah ! How’d you find us now ?” Bucky yelled out to them. “Come on. You think three Avengers and a fugitive can walk around Latvia without drawing attention ?” said Walker’s partner.

“No more keeping us in the dark. You could start by telling us why you broke him out of prison.” began Walker while rectifying his position to make sure he looked dominant. Aspen refrained herself from commenting on his posture and instead opted for “Just because you carry that shield it doesn’t mean you’re Captain America”, Bucky and Sam couldn't hold back their laughter as John's face fell. “That’s what I already told him, Snow.” Bucky said, gently stroking Aspen's shoulder.

“I read the file that the Government has on you, I know very well what you did so don't start with me. It's a warning” John said while pointing his index finger toward Aspen. She stared at him with a chilling look before answering him, “I know very well what has been done, I don’t need you to lecture me”.

“Maybe a second trip to the raft prison would do you good, clearly you're more of a threat to this society than any other Avengers except for that other witch”.

Aspen opened her mouth in daze and her eyes were already glowing when Bucky stepped in, “Watch it John. You don’t wanna mess with her and surely not with me either.” he said protectively whereas John shrugged.

“If I may, I know where Karli is.” imposed Zemo as Walker gave an expectant look, “well, where ?” John asked while Aspen took Bucky aside.

“I don’t want this- whatever he represents to the U.S Government- to work with us.” she said, annoyed. Bucky took her hand and stroked her palm, "I know Snowflake, neither do I. Unfortunately, I don't feel like we’re going to have a choice," he said, glancing at the rest of the group who were standing a little further.

“I’m sure it will all come to an agreeable conclusion. My associate is just up ahead.”

After following a little girl and having to put up with the all mighty Captain America, “Karli’s in there.” confirmed Zemo. 

Walker roughly shoved Zemo against the metal door like an object and handcuffed him to a small metal bar and called out to Sam, “Hey. You got ten minutes.” Zemo looked over his shoulder at Walker, “Really ?” 

Walker ignored him and continued yelling at Sam, “Then we’re doing things my way.” 

Zemo looked over at Walker who was in the middle of the room, “Aggressive, ” he tilted his head, “but I get it.”

It hadn’t even been five minutes and Walker couldn’t stay put. Bucky was leaning against the door Sam had walked through and Aspen wasn't far from him, her arms were crossed and she was looking with annoyance at John. She still couldn't believe how the U.S government could make such a choice regarding the succession of the shield as well as the title of Captain America and what Steve had built.  A choice she totally disapproved of. 

Her emotions were so strong that her eyes began to glow a brilliant ice blue.

“No, no, no. This is a bad idea.” Walker muttered as he paced. “It hasn’t been ten minutes, John. Just sit tight.” Bucky stated in annoyance. Walker spun around to face Bucky. “Don’t do that. Don’t patronize me.” He spat.

“Sam’s trained for this. He knows what he’s doing,” said Aspen, blocking the door to Walker trying to get through her and Bucky.

“This is all really easy for you, isn’t it ? All those things running through your veins.” Both Bucky and her tensed at his words, he definitely hit a nerve and he took advantage of it to push past both of them. 

“John ! Stop, let Sam talk to Karli.” she said, trying to hold him by the arm. Walker turned around and used the shield on his forearm to push her out of his way. Bucky was attempting to get past Hoskins, who was trying to halt his attempts. 

Walker strode into the room, followed by Aspen, Bucky and Hoskins following soon after still fighting. 

“Karli Morgenthau, you’re under arrest.” Karli tensed up and turned to Sam, “So, this is what that was ?” Karli said, betrayed, “Tricking me till your backup arrived.” 

Sam attempted to calm her; hands raised in a surrendering motion, “No, Karli, wait !”. Walker raised his arm up shoving Aspen away from him as Bucky fought with Hoskins in the background, both men shoving at each other. 

“I think you had enough time to talk.” 

Karli threw both Walker and Sam into a table and ran off, Bucky overpowered Hoskins and gave chase as he followed Karli. Aspen went back to join Zemo who had been forgotten in the chaos that had just erupted. Karli used her super soldier’s abilities to jump up a flight of stairs, and Bucky did the same using the handrail as leverage. 

Aspen broke the handcuffs with her powers and got Zemo out of them.

Karli made her way to the basement, where she was confronted by Zemo and Aspen. He pulled out a gun he had pinched somewhere and started shooting at Karli while Aspen yelled at Zemo asking him to stop, pushing him so that he missed his target.

“Really ? Where do you keep finding guns !”

As Karli rushes to escape, Zemo shoots Karli in the stomach revealing the vials and in her escape, drops it. Immediately realizing what they were, Zemo put his gun away and began to smash the serum with Aspen's help; no one should have access to such abilities, she told herself. On this point, they were both on the same wavelength. 

Because they both had seen all too often what it could do once it fell into the wrong hands. 

Karli managed to escape thanks to the help of a member of the Flagsmashers while the vials were being destroyed. As Zemo continues to destroy the serum, John barges in and sees before his eyes the vials being destroyed. Mad with rage, he uses the shield and throws it directly at Zemo who falls unconscious before bouncing off on Aspen’s ribs who lets out a cry of pain.

She fought back and pushed John to the ground with flying ice, scratching him in the process. Intrusive thoughts wanted him to end up completely crushed by the ice.

On the ground and assessing the damage, Walker noticed a vial still intact not far from him and hastened to take it and put it in his pocket without being spotted.

Bucky came across the room that Karli had been hiding in, finding Walker on the ground along with crushed vials of what he guessed to be the serum, an unconscious Zemo and Aspen on her knees, holding her sides. He raced over to her, checking her state before going to check Zemo’s pulse, he sighed when he realized that he was breathing. 

Looking over at Walker and seeing the way he had shouldered the shield, Bucky guessed he had used it to knock out Zemo and hurt Aspen. Sam entered shortly after and both him and Bucky lifted Zemo between them with Aspen following behind on the way to their hideout.

After a good shower and care from Bucky, there shouldn't even be the appearance of a bruise on her stomach. On the other hand Zemo was awake but had not received the same luck as Aspen, he had at least a concussion, he was laying on the couch with a tumbler of bourbon and a damp cloth on his head.

Aspen came to sit next to Sam to help him with his research while Bucky had gone scouting. She looked over at Zemo examining from afar his state before her attention went back to Sam.

"Last time you told me you were glad that I was here, and of course I am too. I really regret going so far away."

Sam shrugged slightly, “I didn't realize how hard it was for you and all that you were going through.” hearing his words, she lowered her head. Desperate to change the subject, Sam asked “Things with Bucky seemed to go back to how they were, isn’t it right ?”

Not looking up at Sam, she smiled slightly and was glad that he changed the subject, “You know very well that my feelings for him never left. I was simply overwhelmed with my emotions after Tony's and Natasha’s deaths… I needed time to find myself, regain control over my powers at all costs and that, Bucky understood it very well and did not hold it against me”

“Thanks to his therapist, he sees his emotions and feelings more clearly. It helped him a lot, you know… Have you ever told him yet ?”

She looked up at Sam, confused, “Tell him what ?” Sam gave a teasing smile, “Your feeling for him, silly.” 

She remembered the warmth of the sun pushed onto her skin when he would lay with her outside. The annoying strands that would stick to her skin after going to their favorite place, the river. And the hugs she would get late into the night when she was sad or home sick, the feeling of all her pain washing away immediately as she relaxed. His eyes that followed her and the body that protected her when needed. She remembered him walking beside her on their walks and the view of each sunset. She remembered the roughness of his hands when she would run her thumb over them. The softness of his hair and the smile he had when he was happy.  

“Not yet. Haven’t really got the time with everything going on lately.” she admitted while playing with her necklace, “I should’ve told him a long time ago, back in Wakanda when I realized it but… he was in the process of healing his mind and I didn’t want to ruin it. I was scared too.” 

Sam's eyes widened as he noticed what Aspen had around her neck, “Are those-”, she cut him off and answered his question before he could even ask it “His dog tags, yes it is. I have never taken them off since the day he gave them to me.”, she said smiling to herself, “They mean everything to me. I had never been entrusted with such a precious thing and I myself have never possessed such a thing. He must have forgotten that he had entrusted them to me”.

“Nonsense, maybe he just didn't dare to ask, fearing your answer.” Sam said kindly, “And what if it isn’t reciprocal ?” 

“Come on, give yourself more credit. He misses you a lot” She hugged Sam and moved back to the couch. 

A bit later Bucky came back and entered the room, ripping his jacket off as he did so, “Something’s not right about Walker.” he said heading  into the kitchen, “You don’t say.” Sam told him as Bucky passed by him. 

“Well, I know a crazy when I see one. Because I am crazy.” Bucky told the room as he reached into a cabinet for a tumbler.

“Can’t argue with that.” Zemo groaned as he took the washcloth of his face, he spoke addressing himself to Sam, “Sam, you can’t hold out hope for Karli. No matter what you saw in her, she’s gone. And we cannot allow that she and her acolytes become yet another faction of gods amongst real people. Super Soldiers cannot be allowed to exist.” Sam twisted in his seat, “Isn’t that how gods talk ? And if that’s how you feel, what about Bucky or Aspen ? Blood isn’t always the solution.” 

As if he wanted to make the situation even worse Bucky spoke, referring to Walker, “Shouldn’t have given him the shield.” 

Sam defended himself, “I didn’t give him the shield.” Bucky took a drink from the glass he had poured himself. “Well, Steve definitely didn’t.” Aspen glared at Bucky, who rolled his eyes at her.

“I’m sure he wouldn’t have donated the shield if he knew who it was going to be given to…” Said Aspen calmly, trying to ease everyone, while moving towards Sam, “Of course not” confirmed Sam.

Suddenly, the two large doors of the entrance opened abruptly,  “All right. That’s it. Let’s go. I’m now ordering you to turn him over.” said John Walker, barging into the room like a conqueror with a group of armed men. “Hey, slow your roll. Shield or no shield, the only thing you’re runnin’ in here is your mouth. Now, I had Karli and you overstepped. He’s actually proven himself useful today. We’ll need all hands on deck for whatever’s comin’ next.” said Sam while John continued to advance towards Zemo but was quickly interrupted by Aspen who imposed herself in front of him.

“Out of my way witch, you shouldn’t even be allowed to live”

“Don’t worry I already got ahead of you a long time ago but you can imagine that Hydra stopped me.” 

Sam's face hardened as he thought of all the pain his friends had endured. Aspen had no idea how much her words had unsettled Bucky and Sam. 

She would never have the audacity to attempt suicide again. Aspen raised her hand in defense before he grabbed her firmly by the wrist. 

“You're stubborn aren't you ? Do you really think that's the worst I can do…”

Without giving him time to finish his sentence, Aspen slapped him hard and firm in the face. Automatically provoked, John's gaze turned cold and he immediately reached out to grab her by the throat before pressing her against the pillar, while he stared at her sharply.

Tears began to stream from Aspen's eyes as John's grip tightened more and more. She couldn't believe it was the same man Steve's shield had been entrusted to.

At that moment, Aspen remained silent while Bucky suddenly raised his hand and threw his glass of alcohol against the door; the glass shattered into a thousand pieces. He couldn't help but get carried away when he saw John putting his hand on Aspen.

Conversation in the room died out automatically, everyone slowly turned to look at the cold, hard expression etched on Bucky's face. He stood still, fuming in silence for a while. "Touch her again and I'll kill you. Get the hell out of here." John immediately released her and took a step back. 

All the military forces that accompanied the new Captain America come out one after another. Only leaving John facing Bucky, Sam and Aspen and Zemo by the bar and Lemmar at the entrance.

John took a step towards Bucky. But before he could say anything, Bucky shot him a warning look that silenced him on the spot. 

When suddenly a spear came flying narrowly missing him and performing a protective barrier between Walker and Aspen. Everybody flinched, once the spear had embedded itself into the column, the Dora Milaje walked in through all available exits. 

“Release him to us now.” spoke Ayo, John turned to face Ayo who was behind him, “Hi. John Walker. Captain America. Well, let’s, uh, put down the pointy sticks and we can talk this through, huh ?”

Bucky went to join Aspen, gently dragging her back after John insulted the Doras. Sam attempted to calm the situation, “You should think twice before you tangle with the Dora Milaje.” 

“The Dora Milaje don’t have jurisdiction here.”, Walker sounded confident when he turned back to face Ayo, “neither do you, we’re in Latvia.” Ayo spoke, “The Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be.” Walker nodded his head slightly and raised his arm, “I think we got off on the wrong foot.” he clapped Ayo on the shoulder. 

Ayo used her vibranium spear to strike John’s arm off her before slamming it into his knee and then his face, she then kicked him into the spear that was still in the pillar behind him. Lemar took on another Dora while Walker fought with Ayo. 

Zemo, who was standing over at the bar area, calmly took a sip, Sam had moved backwards towards Aspen and Bucky who stood crossing his arms. 

“We should do something.” Sam told both of them but none of them seemed in a rush for the fight to end; he had asked for it, thought Aspen, while Bucky regretted not being in Ayo's place, beating the great Captain America himself. “Looking strong, John.” Bucky called out, as he wrapped his flesh arm around Aspen, “I'm not going to interfere, Sam, unless it's to take Ayo's place. You saw like me what he did to Aspen.”

Sam looked exasperated when he glared at both of them and Bucky sighed before interfering between Ayo and Walker.

“Ayo,” Bucky said grunting, “Ayo. Let’s talk about this.” while Sam reached behind another Dora and grasped her spear to stop her from beating Hoskins and took a few hits from one Dora and was promptly beaten; she then threw her spear, so it slipped through the small gap between Walker’s arm and the shield’s straps pinning it and him to the table.

Walker was humiliated by how outclassed he was, going against women who weren’t even Super Soldiers, while Bucky was in disbelief that Ayo was able to easily pop off his Wakandan Vibranium arm.  Ayo muttered, “Bast damn you, James.” as they discovered that Zemo had used the fight to his advantage to flee.

The Dora who had pinned Walker’s shield removed her spear allowing it to clatter to the ground. She stamped her foot on it, spinning it up and caught it on her forearm, “He is gone. Leave it.” She dropped the shield at Walker’s feet and left alongside the other Doras. 

John therefore had no choice but to retreat as well. He still dared to address Bucky, Aspen and Sam before leaving, threatening them : "It's not over, you'll see".

Afterwards, John turned and walked away without saying another word. 

Aspen was as shocked as Bucky to see his metal arm on the ground, neither of them aware that the Dora could disable it with a simple wave of their hand. She went to him and watched as he put it back and spinned it around on his shoulder. As Sam moved to the bathroom and remarked that Zemo had pulled an El Chapo to escape, Bucky came closer to Aspen and looked at her face. Without saying a word and looking only at her eyes who shone with brightness, he replaced strands of her hair and stayed motionless with his hand against her head for a moment before asking : “You okay ?”

Unable to formulate a coherent sentence or even get single words out of her mouth she just nodded. Both Bucky and her went to sit back on the couch as she curled herself against Bucky who didn’t seem to mind at all, once she was settled against him, Bucky placed his arm over her and looked at her.

Aspen was lost in her own thoughts, thinking back at what Walker told her, at how she shouldn’t be here, it made her think of a lot of things and as Bucky was stroking her hair, she closed her eyes and got lost in her own head.

2009 - Hydra's Siberian Facility

Considering her suicide attempt, Aspen was punished by being tortured with even more severity than before. Old scars carved into the skin gave way every day to new wounds; they didn't seem to stop appearing at all.

Very quickly, Aspen became desensitized to almost everything. She no longer tried at all to resist her jailers. She simply allowed herself to be exploited and abused, at the complete mercy of her captors.

She was totally and completely drained. It was so bad that she couldn't remember what it was like to be alive. Her pride and her dignity had completely disappeared and had been for a long time.

However, she hung on, hoping that her hurt and pain would one day end.

Unlike the Winter Soldier, who was no longer in this base for a while and probably moved to another one, she didn't need to be cryogenized to last longer, the ice in her veins were already taking care of slowing her aging down enough. That way, she was simply kept in a deep trance state through the most horrific torture for her; the heat. Mixed with sophisticated electrified chains, it kept her in a stationary state where she was unconscious.

Aspen continued to live, or rather survive, that way until one night.

One thing changed everything for her though; the weather. 

That night, a storm had erupted and by the greatest of luck, a big blackout happened. Luckily, the emergency generators could not withstand the electrical power of the chains that held her and the cryo chambers of the winter soldiers so the generators exploded, the chains becoming like the most common of them, simple pieces of metal. Quickly, her powers took over and her chains started to freeze in a couple of seconds and broke once completely frozen.

She was finally freed from her chains. For the number of years she had been chained, burn marks were on her wrists and ankles and they never went away, no matter how many times she tried to ease the pain, which could reappear from time to time, with her powers, she had never really managed to suppress this unpleasant feeling.

Aspen wondered what would happen if she ran away. In any case, everything led her to believe that there was no escape. So, unfazed by her fate, Aspen relented and stood up.

The power cut having plunged the entire base into pitch blackness worked in her favor and she took the opportunity to flee.

Aspen rose from the floor, numb. She heaved her exhausted body out of the cell, preparing to receive blows and scathing insults. However, she realized that everything was plunged into darkness and that all the agents had to be busy dealing with the frozen soldiers before escaping from the base.

She wasn't carrying much on her, and what little she had was quickly soaked by the pouring rain outside due to the storm.

Aspen felt the rain pouring over her body as soon as she walked through the doors of the base that imprisoned her. She looked up at the black sky and the rain fell on her like needles. 

She hated the rain, and yet she was happy to finally be able to set foot outside.

Her brain associated the rain with a positive memory and plunged her into a moment shared with Bucky in Wakanda. 

They had stopped in the middle of the forest and laid down their heads on tree trunks while watching the sky pouring. The downfall fell slowly and the smell of wet earth was everywhere, she loved that smell. 

She looked at him, his eyes closed, his hair soaked, he looked so peaceful. They had learned earlier that afternoon that he was free of the soldier's trigger words. 

She stared at the low and rise of his chest, the curve of his neck, the high cheek bones and the straight nose. He was beautiful and she couldn't take her eyes off him. He looked like a sort of Greek god, Apollo would despise him and Aphrodite would send after him. 

As she was caught up in her disheveled thoughts he opened his eyes to meet her gaze and she immediately felt the blood rushing to her cheeks. "It's calming isn't it ? I wish we could come here more often."

Her pleasant thoughts were cut short when her mind wandered to far less pleasant times. Thinking back to all the harm she caused because of Hydra.

For many years and without any success, they tried to replicate their mistake which had led them to the creation of the powers of Aspen in order to create soldiers with different and varied abilities. 

She had been assigned to one mission and only one. To catch a very large number of children so they could serve as lab rats in the same way as she had been. Also forcing her to get rid of those who proved to be useless.

She awoke with a start from her short nap when the look of the poor children before their death came to her mind. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Bucky hadn't moved, he was still there, against her, his hand in her hair when he asked her : “Nightmare ?”

She parted slightly and moved back into a seated position, “Rather memories, some good and a lot of bad.”

“I get a lot of them too,” he said while taking her hand, “I’m here if you want to talk about them”.

She thought about his words and decided to ask “Do you know what my missions were ?”. He cleared his throat and answered “Mostly, yeah. You were helping them create new types of soldiers. Strength like mine and powers like yours combined.” he said a bit lost. 

Aspen nodded and her gaze went blank, “It is partially true, indeed I was helping them. By providing them with test subjects, children. Lots of children. Which I had to kill when they weren’t good enough…” 

She didn't even dare to look at him anymore, for fear of seeing disgust on his face, but there wasn’t. He didn't judge her in the least.

With him next to her, it felt like she was able to get through anything. She tries to hold back her tears and utterly fails. Bucky notices the tears on her cheeks and carefully strokes her cheek and wipes away her tears while she buries her face in his chest; he smells like pine she thought. It was hard but it felt good to finally let the truth out and tell it to someone as she never dared to talk about it to anyone.

After a while, Aspen looked up at Bucky; her eyes still filled with tears. They stared at each other intently, moving closer to each other slowly until they were inches apart. She could feel his hot breath on her face.

“If I could give you one thing...” he paused, “I would give you the ability to see yourself through my eyes so that you understand how perfect you are to me”

She wanted to kiss him more than anything. To be able to taste his lips again. Their noses almost touched. Bucky was going to approach slowly until closing the gap between them.

“She said what ? Right. Hold on, hold on. I know, I know. Listen, pack an overnight bag and take the boys.” Said Sam while walking back into the room, interrupting them.

When they heard Sam's voice enter the room, they moved away from each other. Aspen wiped her eyes while Bucky cleared his throat when Sam looked up from his phone. He eyed them both suspiciously before returning his attention to his phone.

“What happened ?” Bucky asked.

“Karli called Sarah. She threatened my nephews.” he said to Bucky and Aspen and went back to talk to Sarah “Okay. Go somewhere safe. Only pay cash. All right ? Tell me when you arrive. I know. Look, I love you. I’ll never let anything happen to you and the boys. Okay. Bye.” His attention went back to Bucky and Aspen “Karli wants to meet. She left a contact number.”