An Answer
It had been a very long night. Ophelia tried to be as open as possible. It was difficult, considering Bucky was in the room staring at her as if he had seen a ghost. Wanda had explained to her about Bucky's past. How he was the Winter Solider and how he sometimes still had moments of confusion. He had moved past the mind control aspect of it all but it still weighed on him heavily. And he didn't remember every single person he may have hurt while under the spell of HYDRA. Ophelia and Wanda could share their minds freely with one another because they held the same magic within them. So they grew close very fast. Wanda was able to clearly see why Ophelia felt anxious around Bucky. But it wasn't up to her to reveal Ophelia's secrets. Ophelia had to be the one to be honest about her past.
When the sun began to creep across the sky the next morning the group was still in the living area talking. They hadn't noticed they had been talking all night. There were many answered questions about the Scarlet Witches and Loki's reappearance. Which brought some clarity to those who needed it.
"Looks like morning. We had better get Peter home to his aunt before she wakes up. Don't want May to worry." Happy said standing up and stretching. Peter nodded in agreement. He was an adult now but he still lived at home for the time being. So May still worried about him, especially since he was an Avenger now. Everyone else agreed and began saying their goodbyes to either go to their rooms or leave for their perspective homes. Bucky hung back as Ophelia hugged Wanda goodbye. Ophelia caught his eye and sighed.
"You go on, I need to talk to him." Ophelia said to Loki.
"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Loki asked with worry in his eyes. He could tell this was something Ophelia needed to do but he wanted to be there for her if she allowed him.
"No. I need to do this alone." Ophelia said and Loki nodded. He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before walking out of the room. Leaving Bucky and Ophelia completely alone. They stood on opposite sides of the room in silence for a moment. The tension thick in the air between them.
"Have we met? Before this, I mean." Bucky finally said after the silence had gotten too awkward to bear any longer.
"Yes." Ophelia said softly. Bucky raised an eyebrow. He then started pacing the room with his hands in his pockets wracking his brain for answers. "You weren't you." Ophelia spoke up. Bucky's head snapped up from looking at his feet while he paced.
"When?" Is all he asked.
"I don't remember exactly. But it was before the blip. Your arm... it looked different." Ophelia said pointing to Bucky's metal arm, the metal darker than it had been in his days as the Winter Solider. Bucky looked down at his metal hand and made a fist.
"Did I hurt you?" He asked.
"Not physically." Ophelia replied. Bucky's eyes found hers and he gave her a confused expression. "You were at a HYDRA facility that I was being held captive in. You saw I needed help and you just..." Ophelia said but then trailed off. It was getting harder for her to recount the memory. Too painful. Bucky sensed this.
"I left you there." Bucky stated. Ophelia nodded. "Sorry." Bucky muttered. And he was. He was frustrated with himself. He thought he had made amends with everyone he had on his list. He had no idea Ophelia had even existed. How many more people had he hurt without realizing it?
"Like I said. You weren't you." Ophelia replied. And she was right. He wasn't himself. He was under the control of HYDRA. Ophelia sat down on one of the sofas. She placed her head in her hands and took a few deep breaths. "Listen. I don't blame you. Since starting my new life in New York I have had many feelings of distain for the Avengers, especially you. And I'll be honest, when I saw you at the gala I panicked." Ophelia admitted.
"You don't have to be afraid of me anymore." Bucky said.
"When I found Wanda. Literally a few hours ago, everything changed. Our minds are one. We can share our thoughts, feelings, and memories willingly at any time. At any distance. She showed me your story. Not all the details of course, but the gist. I didn't know about your past with HYDRA. If you really think about it. You and I have a lot in common." Ophelia replied. And she was right. They did have a lot in common. Both captured by an organization designed to control the minds of its captures. They both could understand their struggles. For the first time Ophelia didn't feel afraid. She could feel a sense of safety around the Avengers. Thanks to Wanda. Her sister. "So much has happened in the last few months. My life has changed. I really don't know where I go from here." Ophelia continued. Bucky now sensing that she was no longer afraid of him came closer and sat next to her, still being careful to not get too close.
"Go home. Get some sleep. And when you wake up. You'll know what your next step is." Bucky said assuringly. Maybe it was that easy. Ophelia wasn't sure. Decisions going forward had to be made regarding Ophelia's life. She had family again. A sister she never knew existed. And a deceased brother she would never know. And she had Loki, formally known as Levi. Everything was changing and so fast.
"I will. Thank you." Ophelia said with a soft smile.
And she did. She said her last goodbyes and went home. She crawled into her bed with Loki at her side as the sun continued to rise. She closed her eyes and she slept. And through her slumber she dreamt of a life she had so wished for. One filled with a purpose. With family. So when her body had finally had enough rest, Ophelia awoke with the answer she needed the most. And if they would have her.
It was time to join the Avengers.