"Out of the Dead Land"

["illustrations for Out Of The Dead Land by @emilyenrose"

by nevenne-creates]

Can the recovering Winter Soldier be trusted?

Out of the Dead Land by emilyonrose is a very well written, three chapter fanfic that is largely action oriented, although during the course of it, the Winter Soldier comes to realize that he is attracted to Steve. 

Author's Summary: Someone is building machines that look and act like people. Meanwhile, the Winter Soldier tries to be Bucky Barnes.

Excerpt [Chapter 1]:

"What's going on?" Steve said, dropping into the chair opposite her.

"I need to talk to you about the Winter Soldier," said Natasha calmly.

Steve frowned. "Don't call him that."

"If you're referring to the man currently living in your apartment and sleeping on your couch, there's nothing else to call him."

"He's—"

"He's not Bucky Barnes," said the Black Widow.

"Natasha, you don't understand," said Steve.

"Steve, listen to me. That man is not who he's claiming to be."

"Do you think I don't know him?" said the Steve. "I know him better than anyone, Natasha. I know who he is. He's the one who came to me. He still doesn't remember everything, but—"

"He said it in exactly those words, didn't he?" said the Widow. "He came to you and said, I don't remember everything."

"What?"

"He doesn't remember anything, Steve. He won't have told you any direct lies. I doubt he's capable. But he's playing Bucky Barnes because you want Bucky Barnes. There's plenty of information out there on both of you—I've done successful deep cover operations based on less intel than you'd find at the Smithsonian exhibit alone. The Winter Soldier is a highly skilled covert operative and he knows how to play a role."

"No," said Steve after a moment. "It's not like that. He remembers things—he knows things he couldn't know—"

"—unless he was there? Or unless he had a reliable source who was there?”

Steve said nothing.

“You, Steve.” She was, the soldier thought, trying to be gentle. Like Sam, before. “He's taking his cues from you."

"No," said Steve. "Listen, just this morning he remembered—"

"—an incident in Central Park," said the Black Widow. "Which is a story you told me and which I fed to him when I last saw you."

Steve fell abruptly silent.

"And a few days ago he 'remembered' the Cyclone, which is another one I gave him. He generally leaves at least three days between getting something out of you and feeding it back to you as his own memory. He hasn't mentioned a single thing about his experiences as the Winter Soldier in the last few days—or in the entire time he's been with you. Am I wrong?"

She waited for a moment, but Steve still stayed quiet. It was a terrible silence.