Disclaimer: never did and never will own it. Marvel does.
Spoilers: canon until Captain America: Civil War (and the post-credit scenes of Black Panther).
Timeline: supposedly happens between Avengers Infinity War and Avengers 4.

Steve had a reminiscing of Bucharest, when he had to make sure that Bucky's careless fighting would not kill anyone – even though he had promised he wouldn't. Then he frowned. He didn't have to care about the damages Bucky was causing to the people they were currently fighting. They were not policemen or Special Forces, they were sent by Summer's employer.

"Summer, didn't they try to kill you?"

"Thanks for reminding me. I know. Guess they decided I was no more useful. No, you don't go that way!"

"Tony, where are you?"

"Coming back as fast as we can. FRIDAY says there are all kinds of officials making their way toward New Avengers Facility."

"Hurry faster or there won't be a New Avengers Facility to come to. Bucky is on full destroying mode and..."

There was an angry shout behind them, as Summer got between a gunman and LeAnn, shooting him in the process. Bucky growled savagely.

"And I think it's just gotten worse," Steve concluded. "Summer, report?"

"I'm fine. He didn't hit me or anyone. They don't know how to shoot!"

"Cap, are you helping Barnes or just looking at him?"

"Looking, actually. It reminds me of the times Thor hit my shield with his hammer. People fly out of Bucky's path exactly the same way. Pretty impressive. Summer, where did that gunman come from?"

"Uh? Oh, the ceiling."

"FRIDAY, is it possible to secure the ceilings?"

"Immediately, Captain."

Bucky turned around. "Where are the other people? Normally, there are people everywhere in here. Did everyone go in hiding? How did those guys know where to find Dr Cho and Dr Daniels?"

LeAnn wanted badly to accuse Summer, but she had just witnessed her risking her life to protect her, so she didn't say anything. Summer seemed to know what she thought.

"Not me. I'm trying to prove him I'm trustworthy, that wouldn't be smart to betray you."

"Steve, we need to check the whole building."

"FRIDAY, any sighting of unwanted people?"

"In the apartments' aisle, armed people. In the working aisle, they were all around the labs."

"Why is there nobody in the labs?"

"Uh... Mr. Barnes, it's late. People have stopped working," Maria Hill said.

"Oh, right. So they're all in the apartments' aisle?"

"No, Bucky, they went home."

"It's not safe outside!"

"Something like two hours ago. By the main entrance."

Bucky looked lost for a moment and Steve could almost see him run the plans of the compound in his head.

"Oh. The main entrance. Right. Let's go securing the rest."

"We're almost here," Tony announced. "Can anyone welcome the officials?"

"Send the Iron Legion. Perimeter is not secure and we're not risking lives," Steve replied.

"Secretary Ross is going to love that!"

"We can let them shoot him if he prefers."

"By the way, FRIDAY informed me that she found whoever was spying on you from the outside. She's having him dispatched right now."

-o-o-

While following Bucky – at a more leisurely pace, since the four women could not run as fast – Steve wondered if he preferred this version of Bucky or the one he had fought with against the Red Skull. He had not felt comfortable leading Bucky, though his friend had never said anything. Bucky had always protected him and suddenly, because of a bottle as would say Tony, he was ordering him around? It had felt wrong. But, now, though they had shared some missions together or in groups, Bucky obviously felt better on his own. Summer put her hand on his arm and Steve started.

"He was the best. Nobody could keep up with him, so he was often alone." Then she had a wry smile. "That's what they told us, but they weren't really forthright."

"Yeah. He has been a long time alone."

"But it's getting better. He's getting better."

"You think?"

"How much time elapsed between the helicarriers and Bucharest?"

"Two years."

"What was the last thing he had done?"

"Saving my life. Probably going to the Smithsonian, he said he had read about me in a museum."

"Why didn't he come to you in two years?"

"Because he thought he couldn't trust me."

"Yeah, right. You must have said something to him on the helicarrier that awakened his memories, something telling him that you still cared for him. So why didn't he come to you?"

Steve realised where she was leading him. "Because he felt guilty. He wasn't sure I would really forgive him, because he can't forgive himself."

"Now, he knows."

"Did they teach you that?"

"Of course not. If he stayed in hiding, it was because he knew not whom to report to." She smirked. "That's stupid. But worse, I believed them!"

They heard some shouts, some shots and then the sound of bodies falling down. Steve almost ran forward before looking at the four women. Swallowing back a sigh, he remained put.

"Why don't you go help him?" LeAnn asked.

Summer rolled her eyes. "Hello! Dangerous zone here, and little spy around. Can't trust her and can't let Ms Hill defend the three of you on her own."

"Didn't say anything about not trusting you," Steve said.

"You are a horrible liar."

"Had you wanted it, you could have shot one or several of us yet, though probably at the cost of your life. With Bucky this far gone..."

"Playing test the spy? You know as well as I that he's not 'this far gone'. He's probably ready to throw that shield back if needed."

"Maybe not throw the shield, but come get you," Bucky said. "What are you doing? We still have several floors to check."

If Steve thought that Summer's smile was a little infatuated, he didn't say anything.

-o-o-

When the two Quinjets landed, the officials were surrounded by several Iron Legion robots, all repeating, "This area is not safe. Please do not move, we are here to help."

"Tony! What does it mean?"

"Secretary Ross! It means what they say. The Facility has been under attack for the past hours, as you can see."

"What I can see is that the Winter Soldier was seen in here and I told you to keep him for me and–"

"And I told you I wasn't there so I couldn't. Which also explains why I couldn't welcome you. I have a life. I don't spend all my time in the compound."

"Are you implying you didn't know James Buchanan Barnes was here?"

"What? Of course, I knew. I wouldn't have left if not for Barnes and then, we would have had a grave crisis to manage. Fortunately, he was there, so crisis averted and everybody at home for dinner. Uh, late dinner."

"Where is he?"

"Securing the perimeter, I think. We have an intrusion in the aisle where people live and he's making sure they don't intrude anymore and that my people are safe. The usual. Ah, here he is! Barnes, Secretary Ross was becoming impatient!"

The look Bucky turned toward the Secretary was none too amiable. "Was he? Some people over there were also. They didn't like the outcome."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Considering where you want to send me, I prefer to have a good reason to end up there."

"You don't consider have killed countless people a good reason?"

"No. It wasn't me. I even have several reports from eminent scientists confirming that none of this is my fault. I still have to see the report confirming that the Hulk and the Abomination are none of your fault as well as your behaviour after that."

Secretary Ross turned purple and managed to say, "Bucharest."

"Didn't kill anyone and yes, Steve, some of them are still alive thanks to you because I misjudged my strength when pushing them back and it ended up with them above the railing."

"Berlin."

"Under mind control. I get tired of justifying myself for things I couldn't fight. Why didn't anyone question you after you forced Banner to create the Hulk? Why are you given responsibilities about managing the Avengers when you only know to fight fire with fire?"

He took a deep breath. "I have no problem with facing justice for what I did, if it's what you want. But I will not be accountable to you for them and I will not be held accountable for the crimes I committed under mind control. Before you protest that I lie and nobody can prove I was under mind control, since most of those who knew are dead and the others not in a hurry to testify, just look it over the Internet. Zemo found it here, so you should be able to. As for the other people I killed... During the Second World War, as a sniper, I killed quite a few German soldiers, though nobody found fault with that. Lately, now that I'm free from HYDRA, I've been trying to make up for all those lives I stole despite myself. If I killed an innocent during this time, then yes, I am accountable for it."

"May I present you the intelligence behind the operations of today, which avoided a large conflict?" T'Challa interrupted. "Namely one James Buchanan Barnes."

Everett Ross stepped from behind Secretary Ross. "Hello, T'Challa. What operations?"

A tiny gasp was heard from behind Bucky.

"Father?"

-o-o-

"LeAnn! What are you doing here?"

"Ah... Uh, they called me about a victim of HYDRA, someone brainwashed. Then, there has been this attack..."

Everett Ross's eyes went to Summer, who still had Bucky's gun in her hand. She had a little wave. "Brainwashed victim here, sir."

"Is it common to hand over weapons to brainwashed people?"

"We brainwashed people understand each other."

Everett suddenly realised something and turned toward T'Challa.

"She said 'another broken white guy'. You cured Barnes while I was Wakanda!"

T'Challa had a pleased smile. "Show him your true colours, Bucky."

Said Bucky glared at him. "You had to ask."

He removed his left sleeve and right glove, then put his bare right hand on the top of his bionic arm. For a moment, nothing happened, then a faint buzzing sound was heard. When Bucky removed his hand, where on his previous arm there had been the red star, now were a black panther's head and a white wolf's head.

"May I present you White Wolf, the head of my intelligence service? The data I've given you lately all came from him."

Bucky winced. "From the team," he mumbled.

"You understood the whole picture from bits and pieces."

"True, old man, give yourself some credits," Tony said, clapping his shoulder. "The last two you told us about...?"

"FBI should have received their file by now. Romanoff, I had one of them sent to you."

But Everett was not really listening. "Are you telling me you left my daughter in the care of this madman?"

"First of all, we didn't know she was your daughter..." Tony began.

"Then I remained with her during this attack, considering she might trust me a little more," Steve continued.

"Bucky is a dear and I feel absolutely safe with him!" LeAnn affirmed.

"Am I under arrest or what?"

Secretary Ross opened his mouth, looked an instant in the direction of Everett Ross for support, then closed his mouth. Everett was obviously still digesting his daughter's words.

"No," he said grudgingly.

"Good. White Wolf, would you come back with me to Wakanda?"

Bucky hesitated and looked at Steve. His friend had a smile. "Keep in touch."

"Go, go," Tony said. "We'll smooth things over with Cap. Send us some data from time to time and come back running when we call you. You can take the Quinjet, so that you can come back faster."

Bucky had a sheepish smile.

-o-o-

Steve came to hug him.

"Stay safe."

"You too. Sorry for your nose." He turned to Sam. "Keep an eye on him for me."

Sam had a laugh. "I will, when he's not in Wakanda to visit you!"

The others gave him more or less formal departure wishes while Wanda ran to him and hugged him fiercely.

"You sweet, sweet man."

"What did I do?"

"Enough."

"Breathe, man!" Sam yelled.

"What did I say?" Wanda exclaimed.

"Old dialog, back after Berlin. He had had a Winter Soldier episode."

"Oh! Bucky, it's all right. You did nothing wrong. I'm sorry. I just wanted to thank you for steering Vis in the right direction."

"Uh, Vis? Oh! Oh, okay. Glad for you, little sister. Do I have to give him the speech 'don't hurt my sister or I disembowel you'?"

"It should be okay." Wanda laughed.

"Be careful. If I don't, Thanos will."

"We'll work on that."

Bucky actually smiled at LeAnn when he took his leave from her – not caring one iota for Everett's glare. She hugged him tightly and even kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you for everything. Thanks to you, I'll be fine now. I'll be my own therapist, but I'll deal with it."

T'Challa returned inside the Quinjet. Bucky started to follow him then turned around, his eyes in Summer's.

"Want to come?"

She gaped.

"I could offer you a job," he continued. "Skills like yours would be useful. Not the assassinations on orders. The spy thing."

She looked at him, surprised, then had a sad smile. "I have no loyalty to Wakanda. My only loyalty would be to you."

He shrugged carelessly. "Need to start somewhere. The question would be: how strong?"

"Body, mind, heart and soul," she replied seriously.

"Might do. Hop on!"

He took the place of the pilot, settled in and started the Quinjet.

"Nakia?"

"Yes, White Wolf?"

"Have someone probe into the past and present of one Thaddeus Ross. He irks me."

"At once, White Wolf."

Next to him, T'Challa was sporting a definitive smug smile.

-o-o-

A few weeks later, Doctor LeAnn Daniels, still at New Avengers Facility, received an enormous crate. Curious, Doctor Helen Cho, who was working just next door, came to investigate. She found her reading a thick letter, bemused, all the while looking at expensive-looking high-tech equipment.

"What's all that?"

"It's from Bucky."

Helen couldn't resist a little jab. "Bucky, huh?"

LeAnn didn't answer. It wasn't as if it was the first time. After all, only days after his departure, he had sent some Shuri-selected equipment to deal with her traumatic memories of Summer's tortures, along with the word that Shuri had dealt personally with Summer's mind. "He's given me the entire file on Dr Banner, plus he says that the equipment here, selected by Shuri, should help us."

"Help us what? Why us?"

"Separate Dr Banner from the Hulk. Or maybe simply allowing Dr Banner to control the Hulk. Not yet very clear."

"Any news about Secretary Ross?"

"Yes. It was found by some committee that he should answer for some things he did earlier, so he retired from public life."

"And your father?"

"Officially retired." She laughed. "We'll hear from him sooner or later. Idleness doesn't sit well with him."

"How are the nightmares going?" Helen asked softly.

"Better. I have one per week, something like that. Tolerable."

Helen didn't ask how she coped. She knew she had a message on her voicemail, one Bucky had left the very day he had left. LeAnn still didn't know how he had reached her voicemail since she was sure she had been next to her phone at that moment. Helen knew LeAnn played this message after each nightmare. Once, Everett had caught her doing that and he had told her about Zemo doing the same. It had not deterred her.

"Any news on Thor?" LeAnn asked innocently.

"Not since he lost his eye."

"We're hopeless as for men, though mine is not a god, so more accessible."

Helen threw her a side glance. "But there's Summer by his side all the time. Still, he thinks of you, which is more than I can tell about Thor, who doesn't even know I exist." She sighed and elbowed LeAnn. "Come, do tell, what else did Bucky say?"

LeAnn snickered. "Shuri sent a video."

"Oh, let's see!"

-o-o-

It was a footage of T'Challa announcing to Bucky that Summer had been accepted among the Dora Milaje. Bucky seemed happy for that part of the news. He didn't appreciate the following one.

"And she's named your personal bodyguard."

"What? Are you out of your mind? I am the Winter Soldier, I don't need a bodyguard!" His outrage was hilarious.

"I have also."

"You're the king! Protocol and such. For me, it's undignified!"

"You're the second most important man of the country, White Wolf."

"No, I'm not. Shuri is."

"I said 'man'. We agree that Shuri and my mother are the most important women of the country." He caught Nakia's elbow before she would jab him.

"Still. People will wonder."

"People are already wondering, my friend."

Bucky protested some more, then caught Shuri recording the whole thing and started after her. She threw her phone to someone else and the last image of the video was Bucky tackling her down while she was laughing. There was a smile on his face too and Helen didn't comment when LeAnn paused the video just there.

Another few weeks later, Bucky received a single word from Natasha. "Thanks." He grinned and showed the message to Steve and Summer.

"White Wolf! Training time!" Nakia called.

"Come on, puppies, we are awaited."

As Bucky flung his arm around Summer's shoulders, Steve smiled at seeing his friend finally at peace. Well, for the time it would last... The last message from Thor seemed to indicate that Thanos was on the move again.