Zemo, who was apparently a Baron, had lead us onto an airplane tarmac, antagonizing the three of us with comments and dangling mine and Bucky's secrets in front of us like some demented prize to be won.

"Where are we going?" Sam questioned, breaking the uncomfortable staring contest that had begun between Bucky and Zemo.

The man had just referenced Bucky's past, he couldn't look more smug, only revealing enough to make me curious, although Sam didn't seem surprised at anything Zemo was hinting at. I sat at the edge of my seat, should Bucky lunge for Zemo. I needed to keep my past away from my brother figure just as much as he seemed to want to keep his from me.

Sam had been glancing between the three of us for a good five minutes, most likely trying to discern if he should intervene.

Zemo finally answered after giving me a satisfied smirk. "Mandripoor, it's an island in the Indonesian archipelago"

"Why are we going there?" I raised an eyebrow.

Instead of Zemo answering, Bucky did. "It was a lawless safe haven for pirates back in the nineteenth century."

"It is much the same as it was back then. We will find any information we need on how these 'flag smashers' got their serums" Zemo explained, narrowing his eyes at the end of his sentence and clenching his fists.

"You seem like you have a vendetta" I commented, watching as everyone in the cabin shifted slightly.

"The avengers killed my family. The world has no need of super powered beings claiming their cause." Zemo shot a glare at Sam and Bucky.

"Wasn't there a battle recently that needed the avengers?" I quirked an eyebrow. "From what Sam and Bucky told me, they've been trying to save the world"

The two boys shifted again, Sam picking up a drink offered to him by the butler on the plane.

Zemo's jaw clenched. "In order to blend in to Mandripoor we will need to take on different personas. James you will have to become someone you swore was gone, Sam you will be a man named the Smiling Tiger." He then turned his gaze on me. "And you will be play Sam's newest lover. His persona is famous for the many women he has dated" Sam choked on his drink while Bucky shot a glare at Zemo.

"I'm sorry what?" I leaned against the arm rest.

"I do not see the problem" Zemo looked between the three of us, the smug smirk once again on his lips. "You are friends, yes?"

"It's fine, just a little awkward" Sam wiped his mouth, setting his cup down in the holder beside him. "You good with that?" Sam directed his question to me and I nodded carefully.

"I assume you have some way for us all to look the part?" I looked at Zemo expectantly.

"Actually yes" Zemo gestured to his butler who walked toward the back of the plane, opening a door. "I should have something to suit each of you"

c[]xxxxx[]::::::::::::::> <::::::::::::::[]xxxxx[]o

Sam and I walked between Zemo and Bucky, each of us dressed in some sort of costume. Bucky was apparently an assassin, ironic given my past. Sam was dressed in a maroon suit and Zemo had dawned a jacket with fur on the top.

I was in a shorter dress, a little too short for my liking and heels. They were maroon and blue to match Sam, which sort of creeped my out that Zemo just had this sitting on his airplane.

The baron lead us into some sort of club, people were packed in like sardines. I wrapped my arm around Sam's after he'd offered it out to me when he saw the crowd.

Zemo pushed his way toward the bar, exchanging a few words with the man behind it who was drying a glass.

When the bartender caught sight of Sam he immediately started making some sort of drink, shocking our little group when he cut open a snake to take out its heart, dropping it in the cup before sliding it over to Sam.

"Ah, the favorite drink of the smiling tiger" Zemo commented pointedly as he sipped his own drink.

Sam huffed through his nose before separating from me and grabbing the glass off the counter. The bartender watched with rapt attention as Sam steeled himself to drink the nasty liquid.

I leaned against the bar, wincing in sympathy as Sam threw it back, downing it in one go. He coughed slightly before nodding at the bar tender with a muttered 'that's good'. Seemingly satisfied, the man behind the bar walked away to serve other patrons.

"That was so gross" Sam wrinkled his nose as he spoke quietly.

"Why would anyone want that" I gagged at the snake carcass that was just in view.

"Apparently the smiling tiger does" Zemo drawled. Bucky just stared resolutely at our surroundings. The sight was familiar and I wracked my brains trying to figure out what it was.

"Uh excuse me" a man tapped on my shoulder. I turned, his smile turned into a predatory grin and he extended his hand. "Want to get out of here sweetheart. I bet I can treat you much better than this bozo, maybe back at my place"

Sam moved between us, pushing me behind him slightly. "Why don't you back off"

"She doesn't belong to you" the creep, obviously drunk, protested. I glanced at Bucky who was watching the situation closely, his jaw clenched. "Let her tell me herself"

The three men in my group looked to me and I gave them a small nod. Sam stepped out of the way, although hovered slightly. "I'm here with him" I jerked my thumb in the direction of Sam. "I'm not interested in you"

"Why you cold hearted bi -" before he could finish, Zemo stepped forward, glancing at Bucky and speaking in Russian.

"Take him down"

Not one to break character. Bucky threw a punch at the man, who was too drunk to dodge, and he fell to the floor in one fell swoop.

"Alright alright that's enough" the bartender called our attention. "Get 'em out of here Luis"

Another man approached, cracking his knuckles and puffing out his chest. Zemo turned to the bartender, never batting an eye at the security guard. "Not until we see Selby"

When the bartender didn't move, Zemo nodded at Bucky who approached the security guard, and grabbed his throat ruthlessly with his metal arm.

Suddenly a memory of the same man fighting flashed in my mind, his long hair hiding his face. A silver metal arm did the same to a target, choking him until he was dead.

Sam went to stop Bucky but I grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him back to me. "He's the real Winter Soldier?" My eyebrows furrowed. A grimace formed on the man's face as he winced, glancing at Zemo.

He paused, confusion lining his features. "How do you know about the winter soldier?"

Before I could answer, a fight broke out as more people in the crowd got involved, Sam was dragged away and I positioned myself near Zemo. Bucky and I protected the man from harm. I quickly tied my hair back, one less thing to worry about.

The dress I wore was constricting, but I managed to disarm someone with a knife, cutting a slit that allowed more movement. Bucky and I moved in unison, both using a knife as we fought.

It was so familiar that we fell into it, almost like we were dancing, anticipating the other's moves as easily as breathing. A lady charged at me, her weapon held high. I kicked her in the gut, followed by a head slam to my knee and she was on the floor, unconscious. Next was a man who had a broken bottle. I grabbed it out of his hands, stabbing his arm which unfortunately made me lose my knife.

"Hey" Bucky yelled, tossing me his own weapon while he began using his fists. I caught it, swiping at the nearest assailant.

Soon enough, the fight ended, the only ones standing were Sam, Bucky, Zemo, and I. The bartender peeked over the bar, pointing shakily behind him. "She'll see you now"

As the adrenaline began to wear off, there was a sudden stabbing pain in my side. Confused I pressed a hand to the pain, drawing it back when I felt a wet spot.

"Buck" I looked up, my hand covered in dark red blood. Zemo subtlety threw his hand out in front of my friend, shaking his head slightly.

Sam rushed to my side, immediately taking my hand and pressing it against the wound. "I'll help her, you guys go."

I started to feel lightheaded, beginning to lean against Sam. Bucky hesitated, looking torn. I gave him a small nod before allowing Sam to guide me to the door.

Just as we were about to leave I shot a glance over my shoulder, making eye contact with Bucky who had a resolute expression as he slipped back into character.

Sam lead me through the streets, doing our best to keep our heads down. Sam pressed his hand steadily over mine, trying to stem the blood flow as we walked.

"You let me know if it gets too hard to breathe, okay?" Sam directed me toward the car Zemo had parked there, his butler waiting just inside.

Sam opened the back seat, carefully laying me down and taking off his jacket to bunch against the wound. He then climbed into the car, positioning most of his weight in the footwell.

"Can you drive us back? We need first aid" Sam directed toward the butler, who nodded.

"Where is the Baron?" The butler questioned as he drove through the streets to the airplane.

"He needed to talk to some lady, although she got stabbed, so we had to separate" Sam placed his hand against his jacket, applying more pressure.

I started to see dark dots floating around my vision. Vaguely, I registered that there was more blood than I'd originally thought, I could feel it starting to stain the seat beneath me.

"Hey Sam" I weakly turned my head toward him. "Why do the black spots dance?" I questioned, my head starting to feel fuzzy.

"Laura I need you to stay awake" Sam gently pat my cheek. "Have to open those eyes for me"
Confused, I forced my eyes open. When did they close?

"You're really pretty, you know that" I mumbled.

Sam grinned "not so bad yourself there Rogers"

Blush warmed my cheeks as I turned my head to look away. My head felt like it was filled with cotton as I looked down at the now much darker blood soaked jacket. "You'd think with the amount of times I've been stabbed, I'd react better"

"That's not something you get used to Laura" Sam replied with a concerned expression. "How many times have you been stabbed?"

I waved the question off, choosing instead to stare at the roof of the car as I tried to concentrate on not dying.

Somewhere in my disoriented mind I knew what to do, I had years of training and doctors who stitched me up enough times that my body had scarring all over.

Before I knew it, I was lying on the small couch situated on the airplane, an IV sticking in my arm. I followed the plastic tube that was attached to a bag halfway full of blood.

"Hey, look who returned to the land of the living" Sam's face hovered into view. I groaned, rubbing at my face as I tried to sit up. "Woah, gotta stay down, you just had a blood transfusion and you'll be woozy for a few days. Bucky and Zemo arrived just after we did, apparently Zemo had a personal stash of blood, how he got them I don't even want to know. Kind weird he knew your type though"

I grunted as I shifted, wincing at my wound, my mind still not all that clear yet. "Hydra used to make Bucky an' me share blood when we got hurt" I closed my eyes tightly as the blinding lights became too much. "Where's he now?" I questioned.

"I'm sorry, Hydra? That's who had you? That was the big secret?" Sam asked instead.

"Yep" I replied lazily, feeling lightheaded and drowsy. Laying back and throwing an arm over my eyes, I tried to alleviate some of the sensitivity. It was also partially so I didn't have to see Sam's face now that he knew I was a monster.

"Did you think we were gonna judge you?"

"It's not that simple" I huffed as my mind began to clear and the severity of the situation dawned on me, now grateful that my arm was covering the tears. "Bucky is never gonna want to see me again"

The loss of yet another brother broke my heart, Bucky would hate me forever. The things I did in Hydra just to survive. My mind was assaulted by memories. Bucky had triggered them all.

"Why? Because you were an assassin? I know at least two others who had a horrible past just like yours. So what, you worked for Hydra. Bucky did, which I guess you knew about. They messed with his mind and I'm betting they messed with yours too."

Finally I removed my arm, looking Sam in the eye. "You don't understand. I was the one to make Bucky the Winter Soldier."