Family Reunion
"Have you opened it?" Bucky asked, joining her where she was sitting on the edge of the motel bed, her leg bobbing up and down.
She shook her head, shoulders rigid with tension, something akin to fear stopping her from moving a muscle. As soon as she had picked up the folder he had offered, Grant Ward had run without a word. It was a trap. It had to be. The man was Hydra, and none of them could be trusted. Her eyes flickered to the note scribbled on the folder, a few words at the top had been crossed out.
I should have helped you sooner. I'm sorry.
"You knew him? Before Hydra fell?" Bucky inquired.
"We had three missions together. He had been hiding in S.H.I.E.L.D for years, just like Rumlow. I think they were recruited around the same time" Katy explained, as Bucky pursed his lips.
"Old buddies, huh?" Bucky spat out, his tone full of hatred.
"...He gave me a sandwich once. Rumlow was angry, said it would make me sick. I don't think I ever saw him again after that" Katy went on, frowning as she tried to wade through her jumbled memories.
"You know whatever is inside that folder are probably lies. What reason does someone like that have to help you?" Bucky pointed out.
"Did you ever meet John Garrett?" Katy inquired, as Bucky shook his head.
"He was one of Hydra's top agents. I never met him either, but he was Grant Ward's mentor. They were close. A little too close. Rumlow used to say..." Katy trailed off, not wanting to think about her own ex-mentor anymore.
Making her mind up, she reached out to open the folder, only for Bucky's flesh hand to touch her wrist, making her come to a halt. He had an apprehensive expression on his face when she turned to look at him, knowing she might be about to make a mistake.
"Some things are better not knowing" Bucky warned.
"I just want to know who I was. I need to know that I was...someone once" Katy insisted, as he pulled his hand away.
Before he had a chance to reply, she opened the folder, her eyes widening when she found familiar blue eyes staring back at her. She picked up the photograph, mouth going slack as she surveyed the image of herself. She looked to be around nine or ten, in a school uniform, the collar of her shirt fraying at the edges. She had a big grin on her face, colourful scrunchies in her hair, not looking like she had a care in the world. She turned the photo around, seeing that it had 2005 printed on the back.
"How could I have changed so much in ten years?" She mumbled to herself.
Bucky stayed silent, as they scanned over the documents. All the basic information was there, date of birth, where she grew up, parent's names. Rachel and Paul. They seemed so normal, so unfamiliar. She thought she would feel something, but there weren't even pictures. She still had no idea what her parents looked like. She was soon distracted when she flipped over the page, seeing a word she didn't expect.
Brother.
"...I don't remember...how could I not remember having a brother?" Katy questioned, looking to Bucky with sad eyes.
"I'm only just starting to remember about my own family. Maybe it'll come back" Bucky offered, making her forehead wrinkle.
"I hope so" She murmured, flicking over to the next page.
There were reports on the experiments that were done to her, what drugs she was given, what injuries she sustained. She began to regret her words, thinking she was glad she didn't remember much from that time of her life. She realised then that there had been no comment on her name. Her original name. She supposed Hydra hadn't deemed it necessary to document.
12/02/2007: Experiment K-80 has reacted well to initial CNS graft. Secondary anti-rejection medication administered with nil side effects. Experiment K-80 appears to have maintained memories before Hydra. Remains un-compliant despite deterrents. Unaware of mother's death in 2006.
Katy's mouth went slack as she re-read the last sentence, not being able to understand what was written. Her chest became almost unbearably tight, as if someone was crushing her heart in a vice, the pain getting worse with every second. Her mother was dead? All this time...
"She can't be. She's supposed to be alive. Nine...nine years. I would know, right? If my mother was dead, I'm supposed to know, to feel that?" Katy stuttered over her words.
"I'm sorry" Bucky replied, not sure what else he could say.
"But she never knew what happened to me. It's not right...it's not right" Katy shook her head, feeling her bottom lip wobble.
Her face crumbled as she suddenly threw the folder to the ground, her hands shaking as she did so. Photos had fallen from the brown folder, and now littered the floor. Bile rose in her throat as she realised, they were pictures of the metal that covered her body, dates showing how more and more of her had become machine over the years.
"She wouldn't even recognise me anymore, would she?" Katy mumbled, as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Bucky was quick to kneel on the floor and grab the discarded pictures, pulling his eyes away from the photos as he did so. His own metal arm seemed heavier for a moment, his fingers flexing unconsciously. Were the pictures like that out there of him?
"Do you want to keep reading?" Bucky asked, as she quickly shook her head.
"...We could go there. Where you grew up. Maybe it'd help you remember?" Bucky suggested.
"Rumlow said all my memories were deleted" Katy pointed out.
"It wouldn't be the first time that son of a bitch lied" Bucky stated, as she mulled over his words.
"Do you think...do you think my father might still be alive?" Katy asked, a tone that she didn't recognise leaving her lips.
Hope. That was the emotion. It was a strange one. She knew how dangerous hope could be.
"I could keep reading from here, if you wanted. It might have more information on him" Bucky explained, as Katy slowly nodded, but noted the apprehension on his face.
"What's wrong?" Katy questioned.
"It's nothing, stupid even…" Bucky trailed off, running a hand over his growing stubble.
"Buck" She insisted, in a softer tone.
"If you meet your father, if he is still alive…you're not gonna' need me anymore. Just like Steve" Bucky shrugged, eyes downcast.
"I'll always need you. Who else would put up with me?" Katy grinned, as Bucky pushed himself to his feet, a small smile growing on his lips.
He reached out to wipe away a stray tear that had stained her cheek, before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. His lips lingered longer than they should have, as Katy pulled back a little, their eyes connecting, causing them both to go still. Her heart beat increased when he's eyes dropped down to her lips for a second, before he blinked and seemed to realise what he was doing. He was quick to stand up straight, muttering about doing a lap of the motel complex to search from Ward again. Even when he had left the room, Katy could still feel her heart thudding away in her chest. It was a nice feeling.
She had never said it aloud, but ever since they had started tracking down the experimented children, a part of her had always hoped she would find out more of her own past. Her family. It was comforting having someone like Bucky caring about her, and the thought that there could be other people out there who felt the same...the hope only grew more in her chest.
"Does anything look familiar?" Bucky questioned, as they walked along the beach.
It hadn't taken long for them to travel to Katy's birthplace, a gloomy sea town called Eastbourne. The waves leading out to sea were calm, unlike the inside of her head. She desperately tried to push any memory she could to the forefront of her mind but there was just...nothing.
"Do you think anyone would recognise me round here?" Katy asked, after shaking her head.
"Maybe" Bucky replied, but he looked doubtful.
There had been no information online about this disappearance of her parent's daughter. Bucky wasn't sure she had ever even been reported missing. It put a bad taste in his mouth. According to the internet, her father still lived in the same town and it hadn't taken long to find his address. There was no mention of any other children. If she ever did have a brother, it seemed he hadn't lived in the town for a long time.
"I want to see him" Katy announced, all of a sudden.
"We can't. You know that" Bucky pointed out, as she pursed her lips.
"I know I can't talk to him but...if I could just see him, know that he's alive, that Hydra hasn't...I need this" Katy went on, as Bucky's eyes softened.
"It's too dangerous" Bucky stated, when Katy reached out to clutch his arm, looking up at him with a pleading expression.
"Please, Buck. I need to know" Katy insisted, as he let out a long sigh.
"...We don't get too close-" Bucky was cut off, as Katy suddenly sprung into his arms, hugging him tightly.
Bucky couldn't stop the smile that spread over his lips, as he wrapped his own arms around her waist, shutting his eyes contently. His hands lingered for longer than they should have, enjoying the feel of having her so close. As he reluctantly pulled back, his smile only grew wider when he saw the look of happiness on her face. At that second, there was little he wouldn't have agreed to.
Less than twenty minutes later, the pair found themselves staring across the road at a decrepit bungalow, the paint peeling on the door, and the garden overgrown. She wouldn't have even thought anyone was living there if it wasn't for the overflowing bin at the front of the property. Listening closely, she could make out the sound of a television from inside the bungalow, but apart from that it was silent.
"Anything?" Bucky asked, as she shook her head, with a frown.
It should have been the property she grew up in, so how could she not remember it? The road name wasn't even familiar to her. Maybe Rumlow had been telling the truth, maybe her memories were gone for good-
Katy's head shot up as the front door opened, and Bucky was quick to grab her arm and pull her behind a nearby wall. The pair watched with bated breath as a man all but stumbled out of the property, making a beeline for the bin, a beer bottle in his hand. He looked to be around sixty, his hair balding and grey, face pinched in a scowl. He was lanky and a few inches below the average height of a man, but the intensity in his eyes still made him look intimidating somehow. Bucky realised a few seconds later why they seemed so familiar to him. They were the exact same shade of blue as Katy's own eyes. He turned to where she had gone still, to the point he wasn't sure she was even still breathing. All of a sudden, she sucked in a deep breath, the most genuine smile he had ever seen growing on her lips.
"Dad" She mumbled, in a soft tone.
In the blink of an eye, she was suddenly racing forward, as if her legs had a mind of their own. She came to a sharp halt when the balding man's eyes connected with hers, leaving her stranded in the middle of the road. Neither of them moved for a moment, as she felt as if time completely stopped all around her. A second later, the man was letting out a shout, and rushing forward to grab her arm, pulling her onto the kerb, just as a car came whizzing past and would have hit her if he hadn't pulled her out of the way. Katy gulped as he turned his attention to her, a frown on his face.
"You alright, love?" He questioned, as Katy opened her mouth to reply, but found no words would come out.
Instead, she gave a sharp nod, stumbling back a step, not understanding why tears were welling in her eyes. As she blinked, a memory quickly came to the surface, from an time long ago. She was on the pavement where she stood, a bike to her side and her knees bleeding. The man in front of her, far younger had rushed up to her and said the same words.
Her dad. She remembered him.
"Katy!" Bucky hissed, rushing towards the pair, the tension clear in his voice.
Glass smashed against the concrete underneath their feet a second later, as her father dropped his beer bottle. His mouth went slack, eyes going impossibly wide, the frown instantly disappearing from his face. Katy gulped when she saw the same emotion on his features she was feeling. Hope.
"Kat?" He questioned, eyes narrowing as if that could make him see her clearer.
She found herself nodding instinctively, the word sounding so right leaving his lips. A laugh of disbelief quickly followed, as he reached out to grip her shoulders, as if not believing she was really in front of him.
"You're...you're really here..." He trailed off, clutching at her shoulders.
"Hi, Dad" She replied, making him grin.
Katy fidgeted nervously, pulling at the fraying fabric of her trousers as she sat opposite her father, with Bucky right beside her. The bungalow was small, the smell of damp clear in the air, peeling wallpaper on all sides of the room but it felt...not quite familiar, but comfortable. It felt right. Her father shook his head, leaning back in his armchair, looking almost as nervous as her.
"I remember when your feet couldn't even reach the floor sitting on that sofa" He grinned, as she clasped her hands out in front of her, trying to still her movements.
"I...I grew up here?" She questioned, wanting to make sure.
"From day one. We used to have your crib in that corner over there, Kat" He explained.
"And that's my name? Kat? The name you gave me?" She asked, watching a frown slowly appear on his face.
"Katherine. Well, that's what was on your birth certificate, but it was always a bit of a mouthful, huh?" Her father stated, before his eyes widened.
"Hang on a minute...it should be around here..." He trailed off, rushing off into another room, leaving Katy to dwell on the new information.
Katherine. Kat.
It was strange the name she had chosen for herself was so similar. Maybe she had remembered more than she realised. Maybe Bucky had too, was that why he had called her that in the first place? Had Hydra told him? She opened her mouth to ask, when her father arrived back in the room, carrying a wooden board with the words 'Katherine's Room' etched into it.
"Your brother made that when you were first born, offered up his bedroom and everything" Her father shook his head, with a fond expression.
"What's his name?" Katy pushed.
"...You really don't remember much, do you?" He murmured, as guilt flashed over her face.
"Hey, I didn't mean it like that. It's not your fault, kiddo. His name's Ken. Mine's Paul and your mum...she was called Rachel" He told her, the smile falling from his face.
"And she's...gone?" Katy exclaimed, as Paul ran a hand over his face.
"Long time ago now. After you went missing, she gave it a year but, in the end, she couldn't keep going. It ate away at her" Paul sighed, as something pulled painfully in Katy's chest.
"She killed herself?" Katy asked, bluntly.
"She had her problems even before that, but when she thought you were...Jesus, Kat. We all thought you were dead. All of us" Paul muttered.
"I'm sorry. If it wasn't for me, she'd still be alive" Katy realised, as Bucky's hand quickly shot out, landing on her knee.
"Don't say that. Don't even think that" Bucky insisted, the movement catching her father's eye.
"...He's right. Like I said...she had her problems" Paul stated, reaching out to take a sip of his newly opened beer.
Katy looked away from him for a moment, the guilt still gnawing away at her, when her eyes landed on something atop a set of drawers. A cup. It had clearly been made by a child, the handle broken and part of it missing. She pushed herself to her feet, walking over to the object and picking it up, frowning when she could hear a far off crying sound.
"I made this. For you?" She questioned, bringing the smile back to Paul's lips.
"Father's Day 2003. You dropped it on the way home, made a big fuss out of it. I said it gave it more character" He shrugged, making her laugh.
A sound that very few people had managed to get out of her. A picture close to the mug caught her eye a moment later, mouth going slack when another memory hit her. It was a photo of her and her brother, not long before she had been taken.
"Paintballing. He...Ken took me. I was too young, and he lied about my age…it took days to wash all the paint from my hair" She exclaimed, eyes wide as the memory came in thick and fast.
"If there was one thing your brother was good at it was getting in trouble, that's for sure" Paul mumbled, taking a longer swig from his beer.
Katy picked up another photo, her fingers tracing over the woman in the picture. Her mother. She had to have been around the age Katy was, in a lavish white dress. Her wedding day. May 4th.
"Star Wars Day! You...you got married on Star Wars Day, and you moaned about it every year. You swore you'd never watch a single movie...what is Star Wars?" Katy questioned, making her father laugh.
"Spoken like a true Dixon" He chuckled, making her grin.
"Katherine Dixon. My name. My real name" Katy murmured, coming to sit back beside Bucky, looking elated.
It was only then that she noticed the tension in Bucky's shoulders, and the way he had barely spoken a word. She knew him well enough to know something was troubling him. She gave him a questioning look, as he pursed his lips before finally speaking up.
"Does he live around here? Her brother?" Bucky inquired, watching the older man's jaw clench.
"He moved out not long before..." Paul trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.
"He doesn't look much older than Katy in that picture" Bucky stated, nodding towards the photo.
"He was sixteen. Old enough to make his own mistakes" Paul huffed.
"Can I speak to him?" Katy asked, with a hopeful tone.
"We ain't talked in years" Paul retorted, scratching at his arm.
"He didn't approve of your lifestyle?" Bucky guessed, catching a glimpse of the needle marks on Paul's arm.
"What the fuck does that mean? You looking down on me? Who the fuck are you, anyway?" Paul exclaimed, his tone changing in an instant.
"He's my friend" Katy responded, sternly.
"You hang around with a lot of eighteen-year-olds?" Paul scoffed, making Bucky frown.
"Nineteen" Bucky snapped.
"Huh?" Paul murmured, watching as Bucky grit his teeth.
"Katy's nineteen. You do remember her birthday, right?" Bucky goaded, as Paul leant forward in his chair, lips pulled back in a snarl.
"You got something you want to say to me, prick?" Paul said, as Katy's eyes darted between the pair.
"You haven't asked one thing about her. Where she's been, what happened, not one thing" Bucky muttered, anger laced into his words.
How could her father have such little interest in her? It should have been the best day of the man's life…that's how it had felt the first day Bucky met her at least, he realised. Not that he'd ever tell Katy that. She was too young, too innocent to be corrupted by him. Shaking the thoughts away, he brought himself back to his current situation, sending a death glare to Paul.
"Well, I didn't want to bring up any bad shit, alright? I care. She's my fucking daughter. Of course, I care!" He insisted, glaring at Bucky.
"He's not saying that, dad" Katy all but whispered, eyes downcast.
"Look, honey. Whatever Hydra made you do, it's alright, yeah? I mean, I've done my fair share of bad things-" Paul began, but Katy was quick to cut him off.
"I never mentioned Hydra" She frowned, eyes narrowed.
"Well...I mean, I read online...there were pictures and...and I..." Paul stuttered over his words, as Bucky went still beside her.
"You couldn't know that. How...dad, how do you know that?" Katy insisted, as her father dropped his head into his hands.
"...I needed the money. You don't know what it's like, I...I just needed another fix-" Paul began, as Katy and Bucky were on their feet in an instant.
"Who gave you money?" Katy pushed, as Bucky was already trying to figure out their best exit.
"They promised they ain't gonna' hurt you, love. I mean, you used to work with them, right? Mr Rumlow said he just needs to talk to you" Paul explained, as all the colour drained from her face.
"H-he was here?" Katy asked, eyes wide, as she felt Bucky grab her arm, already pulling her towards the door.
"Don't run. I told them you wouldn't run" Paul insisted, as Katy thought for a moment she was going to vomit.
"C'mon, we need to—ah!" Bucky's words were cut off as an ear-splitting screeching sound came out of nowhere.
Katy let out a cry as the piercing sound got stronger, desperately trying to cover her hands with her ears. Her visions started to blur, as she felt something dripping down from her ears, blinking rapidly to see blood was now covering the palms of her hands. Bucky was still pulling her towards the door but she could barely hear him now. He seemed less affected by the awful sound deafening them, the soundwaves clearly effecting part of her central nervous system. She was in agony by the time they reached the door, when it suddenly swung open, causing them to come to a halt. Any fight left her the second her eyes connected with the man who had been filling her nightmares for the last year. The grin that spread over Rumlow's lips sent a shiver down her spine, as Bucky pushed her protectively behind him. Without a second's hesitation, he was lunging at the man, metal arm raised up to snap his neck, but it never reached his target. Two sharp bangs echoed through the air, as Bucky fell to his knees, two bullets now slicing through his thighs. Katy whipped around to see two men dressed in all black making their way through the back door, guns raised in the air, silencers on. Still, bullets seemed to do little to damper the anger Bucky felt at that instant. Despite the way his legs were bleeding, he managed to push himself to his feet, his metal arm now wrapping around Rumlow's neck. The other man muttered a phrase that Katy couldn't hear, making Bucky freeze, clearly affecting him. Before he had the chance to make his next move, another bullet whizzed through the air, hitting him in the neck this time, as Katy let out a cry. Blood spurted out from the wound, as Bucky stumbled back a pace, clutching at his neck. Katy was quick to rip off her jacket, reaching out to press it against his neck, stemming the blood flow. She could only pray his advanced healing would kick in before he bled out. A sharp laugh caught her attention, as Rumlow approached them, something dark in his eyes. He kicked out with his leg, hitting Bucky directly in the chest, as he stumbled to the ground. The screeching sound had only grown louder over the last few seconds, as Katy's head snapped up, able to pinpoint where it was coming from now. One of the men dressed in black had a large device strapped to his hip, the source of the deafening sound. Instinctively, Katy raised her hand out, as electricity crackled through her palm. Rumlow had the sense to jump back as the electricity shot out from her hand, hitting the other man in the chest, sending him flying back against the wall, smoke wafting from the wound, and the device destroyed. Katy almost stumbled to the floor, her heart beating dangerously fast as her gaze lay on the man motionless on the floor. Dead.
"Well, aren't you full of surprises, Rookie" Rumlow exclaimed, as her eyes snapped to him.
"S-stay back!" She stuttered, holding her hand out in front of her, as her vision began to clear.
"Don't you know better than to give me orders by now?" Rumlow huffed, noting the shock on her face as she got a better look at him.
His left eye was bloodshot, a scar protruding from one end to the other, as she wondered how much sight he had left. She had done that. Her eyes darted over the other smaller scars on his face from their last fight, unsure how to feel about it. She could never be sure how she really felt about Rumlow. Whether any of his influence still affected her judgment.
"I think I look pretty good, all things considered" Rumlow stated, as if he could read her mind.
"What do you want?" Katy hissed, backing away, almost tripping over Bucky.
"What I've always wanted. You back at my side" Rumlow grinned, reaching out to touch her, his hand skimming against her cheek.
She flinched back violently, biting her inner cheek to stop the cry that threatened to leave her lips. Her feet were begging her to run, to get as far away from him as possible. She couldn't go through it again. She wouldn't.
"I tried to kill you" She pointed out, hands balled at her sides.
"Well, all relationships have their problems, right?" Rumlow smirked, making her grimace.
"You used me-" She began, but he was quick to cut her off, holding his finger up in the air.
"I was always good to you. Better than you deserved" Rumlow insisted.
"You...you deluded...son of a bitch" Bucky choked, as Rumlow glared down at him, before backhanding Bucky across the cheek, making Katy grimace.
"Is that what you think, huh? When did I ever hurt you?" Rumlow pushed, causing her eyes to narrow.
"You shot me" Katy muttered, holding his gaze.
"After you pushed me off a fucking railing. Tried to fucking blind me. Who's really the villain here?" Rumlow went on, crowding into Katy's personal space, when she gave him a look of disbelief.
"I remember. I remember the times you used to take me off base. To your apartment. You...you made me do things-" She stuttered, but he soon stopped her.
"Bullshit. I didn't make you do anything you didn't want to do" Rumlow argued, more to himself than her.
"I was seventeen!" Katy exclaimed, sharply.
"...I thought you were my friend" Katy murmured, with an angry shake of her head.
"I was. I am. We had good times too, right? You remember that?" Rumlow insisted, as she kept her gaze firmly on the ground.
"Right?" Rumlow muttered, grabbing a fistful of her hair, pulling her close to him.
Bucky opened his mouth, but little more than a cry left his lips, blood from his neck wound having poured into his mouth. Another voice suddenly spoke up, as Bucky turned to see Katy's father taking a step forward, a horrified expression on his face. Despite his weakened state, he knew if Paul could just keep Rumlow distracted for long enough, he could grab Katy and make a run for it. Her father be damned.
"You said you just wanted to talk to her, you bastard! What the fuck is all this?" Paul shouted, not seeming to realise the danger he was in.
"Don't you think it's a bit late for you to act like you care now, asshole? You already sold your daughter out, remember?" Rumlow accused, making her father all but snarl.
Before anyone could stop him, he had grabbed a nearby beer bottle, lunged forward and smashed Rumlow over the head with the glass. It was clear Rumlow hadn't seen this coming, stumbling forward, falling to his knees beside Bucky. Paul opened his mouth, eyes darting to Katy when a loud gunshot rung out and blood splattered over his face. Katy gaped as she saw him clutch at his shoulder, a bullet having whizzed through his skin, skimming just past her. She rushed forward to grab him, hand pressing against the bleeding from his shoulder, as his blood dropped down her fingers.
"Your old man's got some balls" Rumlow muttered, slowly pushing himself to his feet.
In the blink of an eye, he had pulled his gun from it's holster and hit Paul across the face, throwing him to the ground. Katy's eyes widened when she saw him take aim at her father's head, knowing that Rumlow would have no problem pulling the trigger.
"No!" She screeched, pushing herself in front of her father, a look of desperation on her face.
"Don't! Please, Brock…" Katy cried, reaching out to grab the lapels of his jacket.
"He's nothing—" Rumlow began, but Katy cut him off.
"Exactly! I'll…I'll go with you. Just leave him. Please" Katy all but begged, as Rumlow's eyes softened.
She tried not to flinch as he reached out a grabbed her by the nape of her neck, forcing her to lean towards him, his eyes dropping down to her lips. Katy wasn't sure what she would have done if he had tried to kiss her, but luckily he seemed content to just have her close to him once again.
"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Rumlow grinned, as she shook her head from side to side.
"I'll just tie up one last loose end and then we'll be on our way" Rumlow exclaimed, raising his gun in Bucky's direction this time, who glared up at him.
"What are you doing?" Katy gaped, pulling away from Rumlow's grip.
"He's a rabid dog, Rookie…and there's only one thing to do with a rabid dog…" Rumlow spat out, taking the safety off his hand gun.
"No, you can't—" Katy all but screamed, as Rumlow suddenly grabbed her by the throat.
"I think it's time you were re-programmed" Rumlow mustered, as Katy scrunched her eyes shut in fear.
"N-no…" She sobbed, as his grip tightened on her neck.
"Don't worry, Rookie. This time, I'll make sure you don't have any memories left at all. Nothing but me" Rumlow grinned, as she cowered away from him.
Then the gun went off.