They'd reached about halfway to Siberia when Bucky finally broke the heavy silence.
"What's going to happen to your friends?" Bucky asked quietly, and Arianna glanced at him while Steve just pursed his lips, his eyes still facing forward, before he let out a deep sigh.
"Whatever it is," he answered firmly, "I'll deal with it."
There was another brief silence as Arianna turned her eyes to Steve, watching him sadly, before glancing at Bucky once more as the man admitted softly: "I don't know if I'm worth all this, Steve."
He meant more than just the fighting- both Arianna and Steve could hear it in his voice. He was feeling guilty not just about leaving their side behind, but also driving a deeper wedge between the Avengers. A wedge that had caused a fissure that they all knew might never be reconnected again.
Steve finally glanced back, eyeing his friend briefly before he said slowly but sternly: "What you did all those years... It wasn't you. You didn't have a choice."
"I know." Bucky answered, turning his head and averting his eyes briefly. "But I did it."
He looked straight back at Steve, daring the other man to argue, and Steve knew he couldn't. It was the truth, there was no denying it. Bucky saw that, and he nodded once before turning his head away once more. Steve sighed quietly before glancing at Arianna. She had been watching him, but as soon as their eyes met, she averted her eyes too.
Steve sighed again, this time more audibly, before switching the quinjet to autopilot and getting up. Bucky glanced over before turning again, keeping his face turned away in an effort to afford the other two occupants some privacy as Steve headed over to Arianna. She glanced over at his approach and turned back towards him as he sat down beside her.
"You all right?" He asked softly, and she nodded curtly.
"As best as I can be." She answered quietly.
He nodded as she eyed him, before she asked gently: "Are you all right?"
Steve sighed before he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a close hug. She returned the embrace, hugging his waist with one hand and keeping her other on her stomach as he laid his head against hers and folded his hand over hers over the baby bump just beginning to show.
"As best as I can be." He repeated back to her, and she nodded.
They were silent once again, before Steve began with a sigh: "Ria-"
"I know." She muttered, but he wasn't going to give up easily.
"Ria, I asked you to stay away and keep safe." He chided. "Why did you come there, and why did you follow me here?"
"What, you wanted me to stay behind and get arrested with everyone else?" Arianna joked half-heartedly, and Steve just gave her a look.
She sighed, before admitting softly: "I never really planned on following- I just wanted to stay and make sure you got away safely. Besides," she gave him a look, "I never said I'd run and hide- I only said I knew you wanted me to. There's a difference."
Steve sighed as he muttered: "You know I hate it when you use loopholes against me."
"And you know I hate sitting helplessly on the side." Arianna returned. "I'm a field agent for a reason."
"You're on maternity leave." Steve countered, and Arianna shot back: "Who goes on maternity leave when they're five months pregnant?"
"When your job involves strenuous movement-" He began and she cut in: "There is no leave, maternity or otherwise, when the world needs saving."
"I know." Steve replied quietly. "But you are as important as the rest of the world to me."
Arianna's face softened, and she pulled back to look Steve right in the eye. She placed her hands on either side of his face as she told him softly: "I know. But the goes for me, Steve. You're my world too, and that's the difference."
Steve sighed, nodding his head as she said gently: "I can't sit there and wait for it to be okay. I need to see you're okay with my own eyes, and if I see you aren't, I'm going in."
"I doubt you'll be as willing in four months." Steve muttered before he paused.
"Actually, I really hope you won't be as willing in four months." He added, and she chuckled softly.
"Don't worry." She answered dryly. "I won't be quite so 'reckless', as you think I am," he grinned slightly, "again. But don't ever expect me to be a helpless housewife waiting for her husband to come home safe."
"I know." He chuckled. "And I wouldn't have it any other way really. Just…" he stared at her with serious blue eyes, "please, promise me you'll be careful."
"I promise." She replied as she leant in and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. "And promise me, you will too."
"I promise." Steve repeated as he returned the gesture, stopping himself from deepening their kiss. He was aware that Bucky was still there behind them, even if his best friend was trying to give them their small moment in peace, and he didn't want to make things any more awkward than they were. Arianna grinned as he pulled away reluctantly, clearly amused, but she let him go as he stood back up.
She blinked in surprise, however, when he held out his hand to her, but accepted quickly, letting him pull her up as well. The pair headed back into the cockpit, Steve taking the pilot seat once more while Arianna settled into the co-pilot seat opposite Bucky. She was ignoring him- partly because she was still a little peeved at him and partly because she honestly wasn't sure how to interact with him – when Bucky spoke once more.
"Sorry."
Both Arianna and Steve glanced at the man in surprise, but Bucky had his face still turned away as he elaborated: "For your neck… and for shooting you that time, a couple years ago. There's no excuse, but… I just wanted to apologize."
Steve blinked, a little shocked that Bucky remembered, while Arianna answered slowly: "I'm not sure if I accept that apology… but thank you, anyway."
"And I guess, belated congratulations on your marriage." Bucky added, making the other two blink in surprise once more. "I saw it in the papers."
He finally turned to glance at Arianna and then at Steve, before looking away again in almost embarrassment. Arianna raised a brow, a wry smile appearing on her face, while Steve allowed a soft smile to spread across his face. They weren't friends yet, or anything close, but it made Steve a little happier to see the two people he cared about most in the world taking a step closer to understanding each other.
Tony P.O.V.
Tony rubbed his head in his hands, frustrated. The only good news of the day was that Rhodey was still alive; everything else just seemed to turn the situation from bad to worse.
First, Rhodey was facing at least some form of paralysis after this. Second, it had been Vision's fault, something that stunned all of them, most of all the android himself. But no-one could even really blame him because he'd caused the accident while being distracted with worry… for Wanda, of all people. Third, apparently Arianna had been at the battle to help and then escape with Steve. Fourth, he knew this because Nat had told him after she had betrayed them, and the Russian was now on the run as well.
Except, it turned out she hadn't betrayed them because she was right- Steve was right. That was number five: Steve was right. He'd been right to question how conveniently the blame had been placed all on Bucky right when it was needed, and to question the 'UN doctor'.
"Zemo…" Tony growled. FRIDAY had identified the 'doctor' they'd seen in Berlin as ex-Colonel Helmut Zemo, a Sokovian intelligence agent. Berlin police had found the original psychiatrist the UN had hired to interrogate Bucky, dead in a hotel bathroom, along with a wig and facial prosthesis that approximated the appearance… of Bucky Barnes.
Tony rubbed his face again, sighing deeply. They had been entirely set up, and Tony had taken the bait completely, disregarding Steve as he did. He'd had ripped the team apart and caused a rift in his friendship with both Steve and Arianna… for nothing. And not only was Tony only now starting to see just how very wrong he had been, but he had no idea where Steve – or Arianna – were. It left him unable to help his friends, all while Ross continued to bug him about Steve's escape. The only reason Tony was even putting up with Ross was because of the aforementioned problem- he didn't know where Steve was. But he was going to find out if it was the last thing he did.
"This is the Raft prison control." A voice called over his helicopter communications and Tony finally lifted his head out of his hand, grimly adjusting the arm brace on his other arm. "You are clear for landing, Mr. Stark."
Tony watched as the prison rose up out of the sea below, rumbling as it broke through the choppy water surface. FRIDAY flew the chopper down onto the landing pad, battling the strong wind and heavy sea spray as the helicopter landed perfectly on the waiting landing pad. As soon as they were on, the landing pad detracted back inside the heavily guarded prison, while the facility itself sank back into the watery depths.
Tony climbed out of his helicopter as Ross walked out to meet him, and the billionaire demanded impatiently: "So? Did you get the files? Let's reroute the satellites, and start facial scanning for this Zemo guy."
"You seriously think I'm gonna listen to you even after that fiasco in Leipzig?" Ross asked flatly as he looked at Tony with a raised brow.
"You're luck you're not in one of these cells." He hissed, making Tony raise his own brow. Ross led the way inside, Tony following quietly as they headed towards the deepest part of the prison. Tony's eyes widened as he walked through the security room, spotting his former friends each sitting in the highest security cells, complete with prison garb… and an entire straightjacket for Wanda.
Tony's face turned grim and his fist clenched briefly in anger, but he quickly readopted his neutral posture as he walked on, heading towards the cells themselves. The heavy doors slid aside, and Tony walked into the circular room, looking at each of the cells that lined the round walls of the prison. He glanced up, noting the position of the cameras quickly, before his attention was pulled as Clint called loudly: "The futurist, gentlemen!"
Tony bowed his head, slightly annoyed but mostly guilty as he turned towards the archer. Hawkeye didn't even look over as he sat on his hunches, continuing sarcastically: "The futurist is here! He sees all! He knows what's best for you, whether you like it or not."
"Give me a break, Barton." Tony muttered as he walked over to stand before Clint's cell, staring through the bars and plexiglass that separated them. "I had no idea they'd put you in here, come on."
Clint's answer was to spit on the floor before he growled: "Yeah, well, you knew they'd put us somewhere, Tony."
He looked up at Tony at last, his expression dark, and Tony protested: "Yeah, but, not some super max floating ocean pokey. You know, this place is for maniacs. This is a place for..."
He trailed off, trying to find the word, which Clint supplied.
"Criminals?" Clint bit out as he finally stood and faced Tony directly. "Criminals, Tony. I think that's the word you're looking for. Right? It ain't used to mean me, or Sam, or Wanda. But, here we are."
"'Cause you broke the law." Tony pointed out sternly, and Clint sighed: "Yeah."
"I didn't make you." Tony continued, and Clint turned to walk away around his cell, muttering: "The law. Blah blah blah."
"You read it," Tony went on, "you broke it."
"Blah blah blah." Clint continued to mutter as he turned his back on Tony, and Tony snapped: "Alright, you're a grown up. You've got a wife and kids. I don't understand. Why didn't you think about them before you chose the wrong side?"
Clint's shoulders tensed in anger, and Tony turned away. But as he walked way, Clint called after him darkly: "You better watch your back on this guy."
He slammed his hands on the plexiglass as he shouted angrily after Tony: "Chance is he's going to break it."
Tony almost paused, glancing back, but he walked on, passing by Scott Lang's cell as the man said darkly: "Hank Pym always said you never can trust a Stark."
"Who are you?" Tony shot back as he simply walked passed, making the man gape incredulously before muttering in exasperation: "Come on, man."
Tony walked on, coming to the next cell and his target cell.
"How's Rhodes?" Sam asked, not even turning around from where he was facing the sealed doors at the back of the cell, opposite the barred plexiglass front.
"We're flying him to Columbia Medical tomorrow." Tony replied quietly. "So... Fingers cross. What do you need? They feed you yet?"
Sam turned to him incredulously, asking with a sarcastic smirk: "You're the good cop now?"
"I'm just a guy who needs to know where Steve went." Tony answered, and Sam snarled: "Well, you better go get a bad cop," Tony covertly lifted his wrist right wrist before his chest, "because you would have to go Mark 'Terminal' on my ass to get information out of me."
Tony simply pressed some buttons on the watch he'd been wearing, and Sam frowned as he watched before his eyes widened in surprise as Tony informed him: "Oh, I just knocked the 'A' out of their 'AV'. We got about 30 seconds before they realized it's not their equipment."
Sam glanced around, noting the cameras placed around the prison cells and realizing Tony was out of the camera's sight where he stood. Sam narrowed his eyes as he turned back to Tony as the billionaire said: "Just look."
Tony pressed another button on his watch, showing Sam an image of the dead psychiatrist as he explained: "Because that is the fellow who is suppose to interrogate Barnes. Clearly, I made a mistake. Sam, I was wrong."
"That's a first." Sam muttered darkly as he glared at Tony shrewdly, and Tony pleaded: "Cap is definitely off the reservation and he's about to need all the help he can get. Arianna can't, not in her condition."
Sam was eyeing him, as though sizing him up, and Tony sighed as he admitted: "We don't know each other very well. You don't have to-"
"Hey. It's alright." Sam sighed, holding up a hand to stop Tony. Tony paused, while Sam pursed his lips, before he sighed.
"Look," he said at last, "I will tell you. But you have to go alone," he looked Tony dead in the eye, "and as a friend."
"Easy." Tony shrugged.
Ten minutes later, Tony strolled back towards his helicopter, Ross finally calling after him: "Stark, did he give you anything on Rogers?"
"No, he told me to go to hell." Tony tossed back over his shoulder, climbing casually into his chopper as he added snarkily: "I'm going back to the compound instead. But, you can call me anytime. I'll put you on hold, I like to watch the line blink."
Tony grinned with fake enthusiasm at Ross, enjoying as the man grit his teeth in annoyance, before his helicopter door slid shut and he took off into the air once more. The second he was out of sight of the prison, Tony's face turned grim once more and he took off the brace on his arm, steeling himself for what lay ahead.
He pressed a button on the chopper controls, laying back as the seat collapsed beneath him while the Iron Man suit unfolded itself and attached onto him. The seat fell away, a hole appearing in the helicopter floor and Tony fell out in free fall before he switched on his flight engines and shot off into the sky, taking off for Siberia. Unaware of the stealth jet that followed him as he flew off into the distance.
Early April 24, 2016
Steve P.O.V.
They reached the facility that Bucky had told them about, and Steve switched positions with Arianna so that he could get ready to move out while she landed them. Bucky joined Steve, the pair quickly adjusting their suits and readying their weapons as Arianna gently landed the quinjet right outside the hidden facility doors, sending up a small flurry of snow as she did.
She glanced back, her eyes filled with worry as she watched Steve lower the ramp and get ready to leave. Steve was glancing at Bucky, who was incredibly tense as he stared out at the snowy plains.
"You remember that time," Steve said to his best friend suddenly, "we had to ride back from Rockaway Beach in the back of that freezer truck?"
Bucky paused, glancing at his friend in some surprise before his face turned thoughtful.
"Was that the time we used our train money to buy hot dogs?" He asked, a smile breaking out across his face as Steve nodded with a small chuckle.
"You blew three bucks," Steve accused jokingly, "trying to win that stuffed bear for a redhead."
Arianna grinned as Bucky also chuckled, before he asked thoughtfully: "What was her name again?"
"Dolores." Steve replied and Arianna's brow rose before she snorted as Steve added: "You called her 'Da'."
Steve glanced back at her, his eyes twinkling before he turned back to his best friend as Bucky commented: "She's got to be a hundred years old by now."
"So are we, pal." Steve pointed out, reaching out to pat Bucky's shoulder as he gave him a humorous grin. Bucky smiled back at his friend, his grin becoming a little wry as he stared at his friend.
"So." Arianna called and the pair broke eye contact to glance back at the amused woman as she walked over. "When you two are done staring lovingly at one another," Steve chuckled, "there's a criminal to catch."
She nodded out into the snow as Steve released Bucky's shoulder and reached out to hug his wife.
"We'll be back soon." He promised, and she teased lightly: "Well, you'd better hope those old joints can hold you to that promise, grandpa."
"I'll show you 'old joints'." Steve murmured, making her grin widen while Bucky made a face.
"Okay, maybe save that for when we get back and I'm not here." Bucky commented dryly, making the other two grin. But their faces quickly turned serious once more as Steve pulled on his helmet, and Arianna adjusted it for him.
"Be careful." She warned, and Steve nodded.
"I promised." He reminded her, kissing her lightly and touching her stomach before he nodded at Bucky and the pair headed out into the Siberian winter. Arianna watched them disappear, her heart heavy with worry as she prayed for their safe return, one hand clutching her stomach tightly.
Steve and Bucky made their way warily towards the base as the quinjet took off behind them, Arianna taking it away to a safer hidden location. The pair arrived cautiously before the doors to the Soviet base, and Steve frowned to see them already partially hauled open.
"He can't have been here more than a few hours." Steve commented as he analyzed the opening and the surrounding area, and Bucky pointed out grimly: "Long enough to wake them up."
They slowly made their way inside, Steve leading the way with his shield held tightly in his right hand as Bucky kept his gun raised and ready. They reached the rickety old elevator, speaking of days long gone by, and Steve carefully checked the whole contraption before they entered it and slammed the metal grate shut behind them.
"Ria, we're going down." Steve murmured into the comms, and she replied: "Okay, Steve, be-"
She was cut off and Steve frowned as his earpiece filled with static.
"Ria?" He called, but there was no response as their earcomms were rendered useless in the secured base. His face set in a grim expression as Bucky glanced at him.
Neither said a word, just facing each other in silence as the elevator arrived in the basement with an ominous clang, and the doors opened to reveal a dim corridor, leading into the facility. Steve glanced out the doors, moving his hand to the manual guardrails and pulling them up.
Bucky moved to lead the way this time, his gun raised as he made his way carefully down the corridor and towards where he remembered the labs to be. Steve had his back, keeping his shield raised and ready to protect them in the event they came under attack, while the elevator doors slid shut behind them.
Bucky slowly made his way up the stairs at the end of the corridor, when suddenly a noise in the elevator had them both spinning on their heels. Steve lifted his shield to cover them both as Bucky held his gun over Steve's shoulder, cocking it as he aimed at the doors.
There was another loud creak from inside the elevator, and Steve asked quietly: "You ready?"
"Yeah." Bucky replied determinedly, his eyes never leaving his target range as they both waited for the hostiles to show themselves. The doors creaked again, as they were hauled open and Steve blinked in surprise as he stared at the metal-clad figure inside, the familiar blue-ish reactor shining at them through the dimly lit corridor.
Steve lowered his shield fractionally as the Iron Man mask folded back, revealing Tony's face as the billionaire walked closer, his eyes also darting around warily as he checked for danger.
"You seem a little defensive." Tony called as he slowly made his way over towards the pair.
Steve also stepped cautiously closer, his shield still lifted while Bucky kept his gun trained on Tony, as Steve said carefully: "It's been a long day."
Tony glanced up at Bucky, calling flatly: "At ease, soldier. I'm not currently after you."
"Then why are you here?" Steve bit out, his blue eyes watching Tony suspiciously and Tony sighed, turning his eyes back on the Captain.
"Maybe, your story is not so crazy." Tony replied seriously. "Maybe."
Steve raised a brow as Tony admitted: "Ross has no idea I'm here, I'd like to keep it that way."
He leaned against a nearby pillar, joking although his tone was still too grim for it be as cocky as his usual cracks: "Otherwise, I gotta arrest myself."
"Well, that sounds like a lot of paper work." Steve replied monotonously, and Tony snorted while Steve finally lowered his shield.
"It's good to see you, Tony." Steve offered, and Tony answered softly: "You too, Cap."
Tony then glanced up at Bucky, who was still pointing his gun at Tony, and he called sarcastically: "Manchurian candidate, you're killing me. There's a truce here, you can drop it."
Steve glanced back, gesturing to Bucky that it was all right, and the man slowly lowered his gun although his dark eyes never left Tony. Steve turned back to Tony, who seemed to be hesitating, before he asked quickly and quietly: "And Ria? She okay?"
"She's fine, Tony." Steve replied with a brief nod. "She's safe… for now, at least."
"Good." Tony replied shortly as he moved to take the lead, his mask folding back over his face to protect him. "I'd like to be able to apologize, in person."
"Well, maybe you won't want her to be fine, then." Steve joked half-heartedly as he and Bucky made to follow Tony into the facility. "She'll probably throw a knife at you, since she can't kick you."
"Touché." Tony admitted, but the air had quickly become too grim as they moved deeper inside, and any attempt at lightheartedness ended as Tony carefully led the way towards the deepest part of the labs. Steve and Bucky followed, glancing around continuously as they kept eyes and ears open for any signs of danger. Unaware of Black Panther stalking them carefully from a large distance as the Wakandan Prince keeping to the shadows and watching for the opportune moment.
Tony had just reached the doorway to the dark lab when he paused, frowning inside his suit as he warned: "I got heat signatures."
"How many?" Steve asked immediately, both he and Bucky coiling tightly in preparation, when Tony answered in a puzzled tone: "Uh, one."
Steve frowned as Tony slowly walked into the lab with his hand raised cautiously, ready to fire when necessary. Bucky and Steve followed, their own weapons at the ready as they stepped inside when the lights inside the cryogenic tanks lining the lab flickered on, and Steve's eyes widened.