Rebecca Barnes: Another Winter Soldier

Chapter 16: Silent Sorrow

The gas was slowly clearing out of the small room that Rebecca and the others were located, but hadn't completely dissipated yet. Willow had a curious expression on her face, hoping that the gas would work. That hope got crushed, however, when a pair of wings ascended from the bright red mist. A chilling aura filled the air, the tension building steadily. Before Willow could do anything else, the familiar sharp, black claws came swiping at her violently.

Instinctively, Willow ducked before the claws could do any damage. It was becoming easier to see now, which would grant an advantage.

"What the hell did you do?!" Bucky growled at Zemo.

"I didn't do anything, it was an accident! I swear!" Zemo said.

"You never do anything on accident!"

"Guys. Help." Willow stated, continuously dodging attacks.

Bucky activated his White Wolf form, and kicked Rebecca out into the hallway.

"Rebecca, please stop. I that know a part of you is still in there somewhere." Bucky said in a pleading tone.

All he got in return was an angry growl from Rebecca, as she lunged towards him. Managing to knock him over, she scratched up his armour, trying to find a weak spot.

"What's with all the noise-" Sam began to say, but was met by a cold glare from Rebecca.

Bucky then threw Becky off of himself, and before Rebecca could get back up, Willow used an electric baton to zap her so she couldn't. Willow attached a pair of handcuffs onto Becky's arms and legs while she was immobilized. Becky attempted to break free of the handcuffs, but that just gave her a more intense zap.

"Willow, stop. You don't need to electrocute her anymore." Bucky stated, as his suit disappeared back into his metal arm.

"Fine, but she's still going in a cage. Where she belongs." Willow replied in a bitter tone.

They made their way to where the cages were located, on the bottom floor. They all took the stairs, however, so Rebecca couldn't get close enough to the others to kick them or something. Willow was dragging Rebecca down the stairs like an object. She could've picked her up, as Rebecca was very light from probably not eating much for a few decades, but Willow wasn't very fond of her, which was pretty obvious. Once they reached their destination, Rebecca had fully recovered from the electrocutions. Black energy suddenly started to surround her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Willow grumbled, but was startled by what came after.

The ground shook slightly beneath them, and the handcuffs exploded into tiny fragments.

Rebecca then pulled out a katana that she had hidden in her pant leg.

"Rebecca... don't." Bucky said, looking into the eyes of the woman that looked like she was going to kill someone, because she probably was.

"Guys, the ground was shaking! What's going on?"Steve asked, entering the room at what was definitely the wrong time.

"Steve! Get out of here, now-" Sam shouted worriedly, but it was too late.

Rebecca started walking towards the old man, whom she was trying to kill in the first place, due to her programming.

Everyone lunged for her, but she pushed them all away with her fearsome black energy waves. They were all stuck in place, they couldn't move.

"REBECCA, NO!" Bucky yelled.

For the first time in forever, he felt a feeling that he thought he had tucked deep down inside years ago: Fear.

Rebecca continued walking towards Steve Rogers, blade in hand. Her soulless eyes stared straight into his ocean blue ones.

Steve attempted to kick her in the stomach, but Becky just caught his leg and made a sickening snapping motion, breaking Steve's leg. He yelled for a short moment in pain. Bucky and everyone except Zemo had a look of horror on their faces, forced to watch this atrocity.

Rebecca threw Steve down onto the floor. Time seemed to slow at this point, nobody was prepared for what was about to happen.

Becky held the katana over Steve's old, frail body that had been through so much over the years. She then violently dug the katana into Steve's heart, as he screamed one final ear-piercing scream, that would haunt everyone's mind forever. The crimson-coloured liquid splattered everywhere, the air filling with the bitter scent of the blood of a national hero.

"STEVE!" Sam yelled, not wanting to register what just happened.

Bucky was completely speechless at this point. He tried to say something, but he just couldn't bring himself to form any words.

The moment that Rebecca pulled out the blood-stained katana from the limp body, something clicked in her. She collapsed to the ground, letting down her energy barriers that were holding the others back. All of a sudden, memories came flooding back into her mind like a tidal wave. She saw all the people she's killed over the years, felt all the pain she's felt over the years. She remembered all of the old memories from before WW2, who Bucky was, how much he meant to her. She let of a scream of agony, finally realizing what she has become. She gasped heavily, it was like she couldn't breathe.

Bucky came bolting over to Steve's body, and so did everyone else. Zemo was just leaned up against a wall, watching the drama unfold.

"No... no... Steve..." Bucky said in a choked-up voice.

"GRANDPA!" Willow shouted, and came running over.

"He- he's gone..." Bucky whispered quietly.

"B-Bucky... I- I remember... everything...." Rebecca squeaked out, sort of nervous to face him after killing his best friend, but had a little bit of hope that he would maybe, just maybe, understand that she wasn't in control of herself. He had been in her place once, right?

Bucky looked up at his little sister, with a look of disgust, disappointment, and anger in his eyes.

"Seriously? Now of all times you remember?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU JUST DID!?" Bucky snapped, the venom noticeable in his voice.

"I-I'm sorry..." Rebecca said softly, knowing how much Steve meant to him.

"Oh, you're sorry? YOU THINK BEING SORRY IS GONNA CHANGE ANYTHING?!" Bucky replied angrily.

Rebecca didn't know what else to do but apologize. She wasn't really that good with feelings.

"Look at this little bitch! This is literally the definition of pathetic!" Willow growled.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" Bucky yelled very loudly.

"B-but I'm still your sister, aren't I...? Now, always, forever..?"

"You're not my sister. Not anymore." Bucky spat, close to tears.

"I'll do the honours of disposing of this trash myself." Willow said, picking up Rebecca by the collar of her shirt.

Willow quickly took the elevator up to the exit. Outside, there was a raging blizzard and it was colder than it's been all winter. Willow threw Rebecca into the deep snow, the coldness of the white substance bitter against her skin. Rebecca was well-adapted to the cold, however, so she didn't really notice it.

"Get out of here. Fly away to wherever monsters live, and don't come back." Willow stated, with very little patience. "I SAID GO!"

Rebecca then obeyed, flapping her large wings which lifted her saddened figure off the ground. She soared up into the cloudy sky, and was gone within an instant. It was like she wasn't even there. It was sort of hard to fly, due to the blizzard, but Rebecca just ignored it. She probably wouldn't have even cared if she crashed right now, she was too lost in her thoughts. Without realizing it, a singular tear ran down her face for the first time in who knows how long. She knew that she would never be the person she was before, the one that cared about everyone and would do literally anything to help out. She knew that she was on her own now, left to fend for herself like always. But most of all, she knew that she would never forgive herself for what she had done.