Attn: I do no own any of the Marvel Universe Characters.

As they all trudged along the sidewalk as they headed downtown, Bucky looked into the night sky. One would normally expect to see stars but instead you get bright neon and electronic billboards that brighten the night sky so not even a twinkling of a star can show its light down on them. The head lights of a car driving down the road towards them blinds him, and as it passes them he tilts his head down facing the pavement, his jaw clamped shut and lips pulled down in a frown.

"I never was a big fan of New York city", Sam stated to no one specific while fixing the hood of his jacket, "Just something about the constant noise. All the time, man". He just shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh as they kept walking past mostly empty buildings that had seen better days.

The brick had long taken on several layers of dirt and grime as well as having several areas indiscriminately covered in graffiti. The sidewalks were littered with paper that the late night breeze blew past them and various pieces of refuse.

"Is that why they call it the city that never sleeps? Man, I always wondered about that", Clint replied sarcastically as he glanced over his shoulder at the pair walking behind him.

Steve sighed as he looked around grimly, "A lot of these neighborhoods have changed since Bucky and I were kids. Sometimes the change is a good one, you know? But the closer you get to Hell's Kitchen, the people just seem a little less nice".

The cool night air caressed Bucky's face as they walked briskly down the dimly lit sidewalk in Manhattan. Their faces slightly obscured as the four of them made their way to their destination. There weren't many people out except a few loitering at the curb and shops that were closing. Which wasn't surprising at this hour, but no matter what Sam said, this place felt familiar. The way the dark sky loomed over them as well as the scent of food, gas, and just generally people in the air. He could distantly hear car horns and sirens and it all was oddly comforting to him. There were a few cars parked randomly on the street, mostly taxi cabs hoping to get some fares. As they passed a small cluster of people conversing on the sidewalk near a corner, a few of the pedestrians looked at them with no small amount of fear in their eyes. Bucky pulled his hat lower over his face with his right hand and Steve pointedly looked at the ground with his hands shoved into the pockets of his hoodie. Steve glanced up and directed them to go to the cross walk. As they waited, Sam noticed that the small cluster of people eyed them all nervously and attempted to discreetly move away from them.

"Where do we need to go again? This is getting a little too close to a part of town I don't normally like to be if I can help it", Clint muttered and looked around, ever vigilant for threats.

"Yeah, and we kind of look like a group of muggers," Sam observed, realizing that they probably should have thought their disguises through a bit more.

"We are getting close to the area", Steve replied, as he checked the small prepaid flip phone in his pocket, "I hope the contact is there already".

The light changed for the crosswalk and Bucky kept up with Steve's long strides but he felt strangely off balance without the heaviness of his metal arm. He'd had the remains of his arm that Ironman has destroyed removed before he volunteered for cryostasis. It felt strange since he'd spent more of his life with his bionic arm than he had with his natural one. The kept walking down the road and Bucky noticed that they were getting close to a neighborhood of warehouses and the streetlamps were mostly unlit. A lot of the warehouses had for sale signs posted next to the roll up doors and there were quite a few broken windows. Upon nearing a row of unmarked warehouses, they slowed their pace as Steve looked around trying to spy in the dark where they were supposed to go and Bucky let his mind wander.

He didn't know how long he'd been frozen for when he woke up at the compound in Wakanda. When he opened his eyes, squinting as he looked around, he was lying in a medical bed in the recovery wing in what looked to be a standard patient room. One bed, which he was occupying, with a few chairs beside the bed. The room small, the door was to his left and not far from there was another door, slightly ajar, most likely the restroom. The air felt light and dry and the sun was shining softly through the sheer white curtains over the windows to his right, casting a warm glow in the room. Outside of the window, he could faintly see blue skies and exotic trees. It was all quite breathtaking but in reality it wasn't somewhere that felt familiar or like home. Everything about the place outside too warm, overgrown, and so humid that the air felt thick, like he was suffocating.

Not like the places his handlers from Hydra had kept him but in some ways the same. He was always kept confined or frozen when he was not on missions or he was observed while he trained other soldiers. Someone always watching, waiting to see if he would show just a glimmer of humanity. And if he did...God, how he hated that chair and the people who just looked at him like he was some kind of weapon. Not a person but a tool to use in the destruction of others. He couldn't even remember how many people he'd been responsible for killing. He hated that when he returned from missions, they'd chain him and cruelly hose him down with ice cold water to clean him so that he could be checked for any needed repairs. God, how he hated them.

Movement in his peripheral caught his attention and he turned his head to see Steve lingering in the doorway, holding a glass. He gave Bucky a small smile as he came into the room and sat in the chair next to his bed. Bucky observed him quietly for a moment, slightly confused as to why he was awake.

"How are you feeling?", Steve looked at him for a moment, "Thirsty?".

"Sure", Bucky blinked at him, and lifted his right arm to take the glass, "How long have I been under?"

"A little over four months", Steve replied cautiously, nervousness clear in his eyes, "I had T'Challa's people wake you so I could speak with you".

Bucky looked thoughtful for a moment, eyebrows drawn together before looking at Steve with the question apparently on his face.

Steve looked down at the floor before taking a deep breath, "I was contacted by someone who said that they could possibly help with the damage that Hydra did to you. While this came from someone I wouldn't say is a...close friend, I trust him"

As Bucky sat there listening to Steve, a stunned look bloomed on his face, "What?". He gripped the blanket covering him in his hand and looked away. Could this be actually be real? Is it even possible? No. He shut the idea down in his mind. They've already seen that no one can get away from HYDRA. Not really.

But...even against his better judgement, he felt a tiny bit of hope spark in his chest.

"I wanted to talk to you before we pursued this possibility. I don't even really know what it is. But it comes from a trustworthy source and if it gets you help, then I can look into it for you", Steve elaborated, leaning forward in his chair, "but only if you want me to".

Bucky kept his eyes down and focused on his lap. Steve had always believed in him. Saw the good in everyone, even if they sometimes didn't deserve it. Bucky didn't think he could ever make up for all of the horrible things he'd done, whether he was responsible or not.

"What do you think?", Bucky asked quietly, voice low and heavy with emotion.

Steve looked at him with sadness in his eyes. Bucky looked so broken and lost, like he was barely hanging on. But he'd always be there for him. "I think I've missed out on enough time with my best friend. I don't want to lose time with anyone else, especially you".

Bucky looked up with haunted but hopeful eyes to this man who seemed to have unending faith in him. He was slowly regaining his memories and he could remember how close they used to be. How they would always defend and trust each other no matter what.

Maybe it's time he returned a little bit of that faith, even if he didn't deserve it.

They kept walking down the road but had slowed their pace while Steve and Clint looked around. A light mist has started to fall and had slicked the sidewalks and road making it easier to hear any cars that were in the area.

"Over there", Clint said, nodding across the road.

There was an alley between two empty rundown buildings that was dark and looked uninhabited, save for some dumpsters and trash bags strewn about the space. There was a rusty blue mailbox on the sidewalk directly in front of the dark alley by a tree. On the mailbox was a spray painted silver and red star and the tree had a black ribbon tied around the trunk.

"Is that it?", Sam asked as he turned to Steve, "Looks kind of shady".

"That's the marker I was told to look for", Steve said with raised eyebrows, checking the text on his phone again, "Yeah, that's it. Let's go".

Crouching atop one of the empty warehouse buildings that was slick with the beginnings of a light rain in the night was the slender form of a woman that waited for her intended targets to come into view. She then observed them as they walked down the darkened street, quickly recognizing Captain Rogers as well as Sergeant Barnes. She kept herself low, obscuring herself from their sharp eyes, watched them and she noted with a little amusement that they were actually a little early and smirked under her helmet. As she tracked them her visual interface zoomed in and also noted that Agent Barton and Sam Wilson were with them as well and this made her smile since she had anticipated this as well. As close as the Captain and the Sergeant were, Rogers had developed a strong friendship with Wilson and it was apparent that Sam was there to support his friend even though he was doubtful if Sergeant Barnes could even get help for his mental state.

Adaline Brannigan tilted her head slightly to the left and stated in a soft voice, "Alpha, package inbound to your location". She studied the smooth unburdened way that they all walked, confident but unhindered and looking very noticeable in their attempt to look inconspicuous. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and hoped that the Devil of Hell's Kitchen would be occupied elsewhere tonight. She then lifted her left arm and touched the small touch pad built into the bracer of her armor that activated a different setting for her vision interface as she scanned them. "No weapons present, but use caution".

"Copy, Omega", a smooth voice answered, "In position and standing by. The secretary will have his people enroute to intercept shortly".

"Acknowledged", Ada responded before returning her attention fully back to them and adding with a smirk, "I was right that it would be more than just the Captain and the Sergeant".

"Yeah yeah. Rub it in", Flynn replied dryly, "I'd feel better about this whole thing if Theta and Rho here too".

Ada gave a grunt of acknowledgement at that since she agreed with her cousin but Nick had pulled Rho for another assignment. Theta had recently taken time away to help her grandmother as she had fallen and sustained a broken wrist. She studied the man that she'd briefly caught a glimpse of before, who was feared worldwide as one of the deadliest assassins in recent history and had one of the most tragic stories that could break even the stoniest of hearts. When the S.H.I.E.L.D. files were leaked it was revealed that the Winter Soldier was in fact the childhood best friend of Steve Rogers, James Buchanan Barnes. Everyone knew who he was and his history, his service record, and especially his connection to the Howling Commandos and Captain America. It was heartbreaking to learn of the countless horrors and misery that he must have endured at the hands of Hydra and she admitted guiltily to herself that she should have fought for him. Ada knew of Steve Rogers and Clint from her time with S.H.I.E.L.D. and she knew that the Captain was always inwardly tortured about the death of his best friend and it had in turn spurred him to fight harder against the evil that was Hydra. She didn't personally know Sam Wilson but Fury had given her dossiers on all of them, which she and Flynn studied from front to back, and Sam seemed to be a strong ally of Steve and Clint.

Ada zoomed her vision in farther and watched as the Sergeant walked fractionally slower than the others and seemed to have been lost in thought. She wished she could be closer to him to study his face because he looked exceptionally uncomfortable, which she understood. She would be if she were him so she couldn't blame that silently annoyed look that had pulled his darkened face into a scowl which made her chuckle. She noticed them approaching the alley and she surveyed the area around the buildings and she scanned the area once more for other subjects. As she noticed nothing abnormal from the run of the mill activity of civilians who were sparse in the area, she stood and turned to walk to the fire escape. Ada descended the first two flights down before jumping over the railing and falling the remainder of the distance, landing lightly on her feet before rolling into a crouch. She looked around the area quickly before standing and silently walked out of the alleyway.

A/N: This is my first time ever writing something but I've been rolling this around in my head for a while and decided to give it a go!
any thoughts, suggestions, or feedback would be welcome! And maybe a couple of folks to bounce ideas off of? HMU in my inbox or leave a review!

Thanks for reading! :)