Chapter 12:

Unbroken

Bucky woke up to blurry vision, screaming and pain. Everything on his left side hurt. Like a lot. It was hard to focus on anything but the moment he opened his eyes he wildly searched his surroundings to find himself strapped to a cot with a figure being forced down a bit away from him and as his vision cleared he realized that it was Stark. He instinctively reached out but his right arm was restrained and his left refused to listen.

"S-Stark," Bucky croaked out but his unused voice was drowned out by Stark's pain-filled screams. After a few moments, Bucky grew frustrated and wanted so badly to help. To save Stark from whatever they were doing to him.

Bucky thrashed one more time before looking to his left arm...or where his left arm was supposed to be. A panic began to build in his mind as he tried to search for his missing limb. There was no way. No way. No way. His arm could not be gone. It must be the pain. He has to be hallucinating.

"You have to stop moving," a voice said and Bucky turned to look at a man who seemed to be of Afghani origins.

"What?" Bucky asked still a bit dazed as he tried to move towards the man.

"Stop moving," the voice ordered softly, "I am trying to save 's life. Just be patient. I have already closed your wounds and bandaged you up."

"S-Stark, Stark, Star…k," and Bucky's world went black.

The next time Bucky awoke he could still feel the pain but it had dulled to a background hum in his mind. He prepared himself for what he was about to see but, unlike last time, the room was silent except for a low buzz of electricity and quiet murmuring nearby. Bucky's eyes shot open looking for Stark in desperation. He needed to know that he was fine. That his partner was alive and okay. This whole situation was his whole fucking fault. If he had just listened to Stark they would not be here now, if there was still a we.

"I see you are up," a familiar voice spoke up looking up from his book that he was reading. Bucky could see that it was not in English but either Afghani or Arabic. He studied the man as he tried, and successfully, sat up on his cot trying to take in his surroundings while looking for Stark at the same time. He found the other man laying in a cot next to him with wires coming out of his chest that connected to a car battery. He reached out to touch the unconscious man in an attempt to validate that he was still alive. His hand spread over Stark's chest and let out a breath he did not know he was holding. As he felt Stark's chest rise and fall he noticed that there was something embedded in Stark's chest. He furrowed his eyebrows looking at the other man in the room in confusion.

"It's an electromagnet. It's keeping the shrapnel from entering his chest," The man said while putting the book he was reading down.

"What's 'at?" Bucky asked looking at the bandaged chest.

"I would rather wait until the patient woke up to explain," the man replied, "Ho Yensin."

"...James," Bucky answered taking the man's hand to shake.

"I know," he said giving Bucky a firm shake before sitting back in his chair. Bucky placed his hand back on Stark's chest. The man's breathing calmed him a bit.

After a few minutes of sitting in silence, Stark woke up gasping and coughing looking around in fear. Bucky moved back putting distance between him and the other man. He refused to allow Stark to know that he was worried about him.

Bucky just watched as Stark felt the wires on his chest and saw the panic color the man's face. He stayed silent just watching as Stark ripped at the bandages in a panic. He wanted to grab his hands to calm him but he held back his urge. Instead, Yensin moved slowly into Stark's space to talk him out of his panic. The doctor, or the assumed doctor, began to explain to Stark what happened. Turns out a water tank had exploded and some parts of the metal had entered his body but he could not extract them all so he had to install his own tech into Stark's chest to protect him from the remaining shrapnel.

Stark finally cleared the bandages and there sat a large cylindrical object sitting in the center of his chest. It was ugly, clunky and heavy looking. Bucky studied it a bit before looking at Stark's face. The man looked pained and calculating. He seemed to be trying to decide whether or not to rip it off or not. A sinister thought passed through his mind that Stark deserves this. The thought sent a wave of nausea through him because no one. No one Deserves this. Not even the egomaniac.

"It's hideous," Were the first words out of Stark's mouth as he gingerly placed his hand on it.

"It's keeping you alive," Yensin looked unfettered by Stark's comment.

"I-" Stark started when the door slammed open and in marched militants wearing heavily guarded gear as if they were in an active war zone. They had guns and were raising them towards them. Bucky shot up instinctively and pulled Stark behind him putting him in front of the danger.

"Welcome," a figure walked in behind the crazed group with more grace and an air of calmness that sent a shiver down his spine.

"Listen here fuck-" Bucky elbowed Stark before he could finish that statement.

"My my what they say about the Stark mouth is very true," the man smiled but it looked wrong to Bucky, "you should be lucky that I am in a merciful mood or I would have your tongue cut out."

He stiffened and he could feel Stark freeze a bit. It seems to have dawned on the man that this was not a typical kidnapping. Bucky needed Stark to stay quiet. He could not save them if he decided to act up.

"It finally seems to dawn on you that I am not like any other kidnapper," the man said in a slow almost. Prefer tone, "you are here for reason. Though do not think for a second that I won't and can't kill you. If you do what I ask this experience will be almost painless but if not I can make this a living hell for you."

"Yeah," Stark growled behind Bucky, "you aren't the first to demand I do work for you nor will you be the last. What makes you different?"

Bucky really wanted to punch Stark in the face, "I guess you will see." With that, the man turned and left the room but the militants stayed behind. Bucky just knew something bad was going to happen. He prepared himself to fight looking behind him to see Stark looking around determinedly. It never crossed Bucky's mind that this man was too calm for this to be the first time being kidnapped. It should not be anyone's normal but it seemed for this man it was. He looked for too long because the next moment he was doubled over in pain as someone hit him on his left shoulder hard. The wound was not fully healed and having it being hot at full thrust hurt.

While he was incapacitated, two goons grappled Stark and pulled him from his protection and dragged him to the opening the door and Bucky was scared that they were going to separate them. Well, he was until another set of arms grabbed him forcing his hand behind his back and forcing him forward.

He was being dragged but he did not make exactly easy for them by dragging his feet and forcing them to take on most of his weight. It was a small gesture but a gesture nonetheless.

They took them both to a room that looked to be filled with unpleasant instruments that seemed to have seen a lot of blood and pain over the years. It was dirty and crowded but Bucky could recognize enough of the items to know that this was going to a horrible experience.

"Well you haven't even asked me for my safe word yet boys," Stark snarked before being slapped hard enough to drop him and his car battery to the floor. Bucky struggled a bit in his guards hold but damn they knew how to restrain pretty well.

The men yelled at Stark in a language Bucky didn't know but it sounded German he was not really paying attention. He just watched Stark throw more snarky comments their way and Bucky wanted to yell at him to just shut up. Bucky felt something lock in his legs and one arm before he felt a tug forcing him, too, onto his knees.

Then there was nothing for a few moments but heavy breathing but Stark just turned his head slightly to look at Bucky his eyes shined something he could not understand before he turned back to look at the man and said, "well jackass are you as tough as you would like to pretend to be or is it really all show?" Another punch before one of them dragged Stark by the hair forward to a large bowl that seemed to be filled with some kind of liquid. Bucky opened his mouth to shout but a cloth was shoved into his opened mouth stopping him from speaking but it could not stop him from making muffled shouts of protest. He fought the restraints forcing himself forward falling hard onto the rough cement floor. He knew it was useless but he was cursing himself for not fighting harder.

Now all he can do is watch as the dunk Stark's head into the bowl and sparks flying off to the side as the device in his chest met the liquid that Bucky guessed was water. He kept trying to break out and shout at them. Pick me. Use me. I'm trained for this. Please. But they completely ignored his existence. Still, he forced himself to watch. To watch as they pulled Stark's head out just long enough to breathe in some air before being forced back into the water. Stop. It's my fault. Attack me. Stark isn't built for this.

They kept at it ignoring his silent pleas. He watched as it got harder and harder for Stark to catch his breath. After for what felt like an eternity they finally stopped throwing Stark onto the floor near Bucky's head. The man landed hard causing him to lose the little air he was able to breathe in. Bucky let out a muffled cry just watching Stark breathe in gulps of air so hard they were audible harsh gasps. It was hard to see but Bucky shifted to attempt to get closer to the man who was suffocating on air.

Bucky watched as Stark finally regained his control of his lungs he looked over and gave Bucky a weak smile. Stark just whispered, "I guess we better buckle up for the long haul. Don't worry sourplum...I've...been through...worse." And Bucky saw Stark's world fade than black.

How was this man still not broken? How can he still smile? How was this man real? He didn't need him feigning strength. He didn't need Stark to be the strong one. He needed Stark to come out okay.

A/N: I tend to forget to update this website so you guys get two chapters for the price of one! So sorry for the delay! Hope you like it! Let me know what you think!