Family - What If...?

Part 1

"Want some milk?" Alexander Pierce asked rhetorically.

You kept your mouth shut, knowing better than to speak, especially to him.

"Two targets, level six," he started as he walked toward the table where you sat. "I want confirmed death in ten hours."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Pierce," you heard coming from down the hallway. You froze, trying to find a way for you to escape before she saw you with Pierce. "I forgot my-" Too late, she's spotted you. "Phone."

"Oh, Ranata," Pierce started as he picked up the handgun you left on the table, "I wish you would've knocked."

You silently closed your eyes as Pierce shot his housekeeper. You always hated the extra, seemingly needless casualties that would occur simply because they were in your presence.

You were sent back to base to get ready for your mission. You had help to put on your all-black outfit that was missing it's left sleeve so your shining metal arm could be seen. They told you it was so your targets would fear you more. Soon after you were dressed, you and your team set out on your mission.

Usually you weren't so showy when it came to taking out your targets. You'd rather it be quick and simple. But you were told that these targets might be too much for you to handle alone. So here you were, speeding down a highway ready to ram them with the SUV you were sitting on.

Turned out they were right. These targets were putting up one heck of a fight. You knew the woman would be a difficult one for the rest of your team to handle given her past training, so you decided to track her yourself and let everyone else deal with the other two. After finally tracking her down and shooting her in the shoulder, the one with the shield got to you before you could finish her off. His friend quickly joined him in his effort against you. You were able to fight them both off, but you lost your mask in the process. Your handlers had told you to try to keep it on for this mission so you didn't know how they'd react to this. You turned to face your opponents but stopped when you saw their faces go white. They recognized you. Now you knew why your handlers wanted you to keep your mask on. These people must have known who you were.

"Y/n?" the one with the shield asked.

You stopped. Something familiar was tugging at the back of your mind but you couldn't figure out what is was or why.

The one with darker hair started slowly walking toward you. You watched him, your eyes wide and alert. He held his hands up to show you he meant you no harm, so you allowed him to come closer, but you stayed alert. As he got closer, you could see his eyes welling up with tears as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"It really is you," he breathed as he stopped in front of you.

"What are you talking about?" you choked out. "Who are you people?" Your heart began to race in your chest and nothing you could do would stop it. You didn't like not being in control of your emotions.

His smile left his face and was quickly replaced with worry and confusion. "You don't remember us, do you?" he asked.

You shook your head.

"Oh, y/n," he sighed, searching your eyes for any sign of recognition. "It's me, Bucky. Your brother," he said gesturing to himself. "And Steve," he pointed back at the one with the shield, "our best friend."

He kept his eyes locked with yours, waiting for a response, hoping you were in there somewhere. Something in you wanted to tell him you remembered him, but you couldn't.

You suddenly remembered the plan and realized that they would be here any minute to grab the targets. There was no way after what had just happened that you were going to be the one to take them out. You looked at Bucky, the urgency in your eyes. "You need to run," you said, barely above a whisper because that's all your throat would allow right now.

Alarm crossed his face. "Go now! They'll be here any second!" you warned.

"Come with us," Steve pleaded, stepping next to Bucky.

"No, I'll just put you in more danger."

"Y/n, please," your brother begged.

"We just want to help you," Steve said.

"I can't lose you again," Bucky choked.

Tears began to well up in your eyes. No one had ever said anything like that to you as far as you could remember. These people seemed to genuinely care about you, and you knew you couldn't lose that.

"Fine," you agreed. "But we've gotta move, now."