A companion piece to my fic "Personal Business", but can be read as one shot as well.

Sokovia was reborn three years ago with Helmut Zemo as its Baron-King. All thanks to his connections, cunning, determination and code words, which allowed him to control a certain Winter Soldier.

Bucky had no choice, but to accept his role in the Baron's plan and became his guard dog. And now, the third anniversary of Ultron's attack was coming.

ooo

The sun was slowly setting down and with all work done, Bucky hoped for a quiet evening for the rest of day. However the man managed only to sit on the bed, when a text from his 'employer' came, requesting James to join him as soon as possible. With a depressed sigh, Barnes left his room and quickly found himself in the grand dining chamber, which was presently occupied by the Baron-King of Neo-Sokovia and his elderly butler, Oeznik.

To his surprise, on the long table, except of delicious looking and expensive food, were also put two sets of plates. Bucky briefly wondered if another guest was being awaited. Did Zemo plan to show off by presenting the Winter Soldier to the unknown person? James thought that they were already beyond such 'events', but he wasn't so sure now.

Oeznik straightened stiffly, when he noticed him, then glared at the soldier with a pure resentment, while he was leaving the baroque room. Barnes should have got used to it months ago, but the guy somehow always managed to get under his skin and he was trying to avoid the servant whenever possible.

"Where are your bodyguards?" James asked.

"Outside," Baron-King answered from his place at the head of table. "as you are here, I don't think that their presence is necessary. Also, I hoped for a more private moment with you."

Barnes looked around, checking every detail in the chamber. Zemo was acting as his usual cool self, however he could also be pretending, for instance: as an assassin could already be inside. (It did happened a few times in the past.) But no, all seemed fine. Anyway, Baron would have used special code words then and soldiers, who James could see through huge windows, were still guarding the room from the palace's garden.

"Would you like to dine with me?" Sokovian asked in a pleasant tone.

"Is it an order?" Barnes didn't reciprocate it.

"No, just a humble request from my side."

"Thank you, but no."

"I insist."

"Typical", Barnes thought.

"I'm not hungry."

"I doubt that you have already eaten, James."

"I have work to do." the man tried one last time, but he already foresaw the outcome.

"Please sit down, Soldat."

Bucky forced himself to not roll his eyes, when he took the place on the right side of the Baron.

"You could indulge me at least in this matter." Zemo complained with a bored voice. "If you so desire the work, there will be a lot tomorrow and on next days, as the anniversary is in three weeks. This is probably the last free evening, which we both will have until then."

The soldier only stared at the painting in front of him, not even touching the food.

"You may speak, Soldat." Baron said, while correcting his napkin.

"You should take me with yourself on the ceremony."

"No."

This time James did rolled his eyes. He understood why Zemo didn't want any of super humans during the anniversary of Ultron's attack, including Bucky. According to the Baron-King, they were responsible for the whole destruction and just paying the honour to the dead wasn't enough to smooth all the pain.

"It will be a third time, when I won't be present." Barnes put all subtle anger into his glare, which he had, wishing that the man would understand, what it meant. "No Winter Soldier, the same place, the same day and a huge crowd of people to hide in. Even an idiot would realise this creates a perfect scenario to kill you."

"I'm touched by your worry." Zemo put the meat into his mouth and smiled a little. ("It's delicious. I will have to send my compliments to the chef. You should really try it.")

"I worry about the guy, who would get your bullet."

"Duly noted." Baron inspected the bottle, which was brought for the supper.

"It is serious." Bucky suddenly had a strong need to thrown all dishes away. "During the war, we took such occasions, whenever they came. Thanks to that we were winning."

"Don't forget that I was a soldier too. I know the risk." Zemo drank his wine and it seemed that the conversation was over, but something had to change his mind, as he started observing Barnes curiously. "By the way, you have never told me why you joined the army."

James returned to eyeing the painting again. Yes, whoever made it, really managed to catch the beauty of the sunset.

"Well, except of that the reason had to be the uniform, in which every man was looking quite handsome." Sokovian joked. "or was it that everyone was doing it, so logically you should have as well?"

Involuntary, Bucky's fists tightened on the furniture.

"Rather strange, as America has always been so proud of promoting a one's individuality."

"I would have known," the Winter Soldier snarled. "if somebody hadn't decided to attach strings to my hands and legs."

Then the arm of chair, on which Barnes was sitting, ended on the floor.

"Tell me that it wasn't any ancient and priceless furniture, which I've just broken." shocked James quickly requested, fearing that he might be right.

"Don't worry," Zemo assured him with the same astonished look. "my great-great-grandfather is long dead and he won't mind."

"Damn." Bucky slumped down. It was supposed to be a no-headache-day, but the migraine had to like him too much to give him any free time.

"Really, James, it's nothing."

"Repeat it to Oeznik."

"Oh, I see." he stated and bursted laughing. "You must forgive him, he feels very territorial, when the family's heritage is considered."

"I've noticed." he groaned, then added. "Pour me that wine."

Barnes was hoping that by some kind of miracle, it would make him drunk and forget that the butler would kill him in the morning. Of course, he stayed sober for the whole evening. The biggest disadvantage of super serum (according to him and Steve) was that any alcoholic drink had the same effect as a simple water. But Baron-King... that was a different story.

"And THAT party of THAT ambassador?"

"I'm afraid that you have to be more specific, we have been on many parties." Zemo said, while trying to take a hold of his glass. "I may not remember."

"Oh sure, you may not." Bucky replied smugly. "That exotic dancer sitting on your lap was so easy to forget."

"Well..." Sokovian became very stiff and certainly wished to erase the event from his memory.

"The ball was boring as hell, especially when I'm constantly play your bodyguard, but your face... it was worth it!"

"Let's change the topic, shall we?" the man proposed quickly.

Barnes shrugged, Baron probably suffered enough and James had one question, which appeared in his head only because Zemo mentioned it before. He wasn't sure if it was safe, as Baron-King proved quite often that even in a weak state (currently, due to a huge amount of wine) he shouldn't have been underestimated, but Bucky asked anyway:

"Why did you join the army?"

"Oh..." Zemo looked stunned for a bit, but then he sat more comfortably in his chair, as if he hadn't drunk anything in last hours. "I'm afraid that it isn't so mysterious as you may presume. I come from a dynasty of Sokovian Barons, it was my duty to protect my country, not only as a diplomat, but also as the soldier." he stilled for a moment looking at nothing in particular. "However, it's only an official answer... As you had to realise, Sokovia has always been in constant turmoil, where only the toughest survive. I saw the army as the meaning to become strong, to protect my family and everyone, who needed it..."

Baron wasn't lying of that James was certain and he felt compelled to return the favour.

"Me, too." he added quietly.

"... it hardly achieved its purpose..." Zemo drank his glass up in one go.

There wasn't anything what could ease the situation and Bucky became sorry of asking about it. The difference was that when Barnes was fighting the Nazi, he knew at least that his parents, siblings and friends were safe at home. It gave him some kind of peace during those days.

"James, if you could change only one moment in your life, what would it be?"

"Umm..."

"Forgive me, I may be too blunt right now (too much wine), but please humour me and tell me one thing." he leaned on the table, closer to Bucky with a smug smile. "It doesn't have to be the most important."

"And if I don't?" the man raised an eyebrow.

"Well, in that case, let's see... we finished four bottles together." Zemo pointed the fifth one, which was still full. "That was made in my winery, you would regret of never tasting it. I must add that in this year, they are all marvellous."

"If you say so, then..." he looked at the ceiling, musing for a while. "I would have never tried to date Dot, that really was a waste of time... and money."

"Ugh, James, you disappoint me."

"The deal is the deal." With a slight reservation, Baron poured him the Sokovian wine. "Yeah, it's really great."

"Then, I must insist of you to think about a more extraordinary example."

"Oh, come on." Bucky tried to steal the bottle, but it was moved away quickly.

"The drink is worth it, as you have said." he teased him with a familiar manipulative smirk.

"I would like the super serum, with which they injected me, to have never worked." Barnes suddenly said and was asking himself if he really wasn't drunk.

Zemo stopped in a half-move and the wine was almost split on a white tablecloth.

"They probably would have made more experiments on me, but I wouldn't mind, even if they were painful. Steve would have came for me anyway."

"And you would have died in Austria or sooner." Sokovian mentioned gently.

"It sounds better than killing hundreds of people." he replied, when getting his glass at last. The alcohol didn't taste so good as a second ago.

"But if not you, then they could have used another man or even had more such test subjects." Baron continued. "I know that it's a weak consolation, but you spared them the suffering at least."

Bucky didn't point that there would probably be more super soldiers on the run and they could only guess what they would have done, but he couldn't deny that Zemo's theory had its value.

"James, now that you mention it, have you ever wondered why you survived then?"

"What is there to think about?" Another glass of wine. Unfortunately, he was still sober. Why did he have to open his stupid mouth up? "No one could have known how it would end. Including me."

"Believe me or not, but I think that there was more to it."

"What do you mean?" his drink was suddenly forgotten.

"HYDRA was experimenting on many, however you were the only, who came alive. The Russian super soldiers were locked away, because they were unpredictable. The original formula was gone and the created serum wasn't so perfect as everyone thought, even deadly, I must add, but somehow you are still here."

Bucky was confused.

"The question is why." Zemo continued. "It could have been a mistake during the production or something that only your organism has or other coincidence... or maybe I'm overdramatizing the whole situation... but what I want to say it that Steve Rogers was exceptional, but it seems so were you."

Baron gently took hold of his palm. Barnes didn't feel it at first, but when he noticed it, he stood up fast.

"I must go." Bucky went to the door...

"Don't move, Soldat."

... and frozed a few steps away it.

James cursed mentally. The escape was right there, but he COULDN'T do anything.

"It's already late, Zemo."

"We still have some time until the midnight." he heard as Sokovian also stood up and was slowly creeping closer behind him.

"You said yourself that we would have a lot of work tomorrow, it's better if we retire now." his voice was calm, but inside the soldier was wondering if it was a right moment to panic.

"Stay." Bucky flinched, when Baron slipped his hands around him and rested his head between his shoulder blades.

"You're drunk."

Sokovian snuggled even closer, so much that James felt as Zemo's lower parts were awaking slowly, then he tried not to gag. One word and he would kneel in front of Baron and... Barnes preferred not to think about it. He couldn't trust Zemo in such situations and he hardly have much options or ideas to stop him or defend himself... only one actually, a dangerous idea. However, there were many disadvantages, like: Bucky wasn't a great manipulator; he had only one chance, then all bridges would be burnt out; he already tried it in the past and results were semi-satisfactory. Moreover, Baron was intoxicated, therefore - unpredictable, he could become even more vengeful than last time.

"James, please, stay." there was a half-shy kiss near his ear and all doubts, which Bucky had, vanished.

"And what would you change in your life?" Winter Soldier asked aloud.

"What?"

"Would you like Ultron to never exist?"

The effect was immediate and with relief, Barnes registered as Zemo moved away from his body. Now, he was waiting for the worst part.

"Do you still wear your dog tags?" Baron-King's voice was cold.

"Yes."

Of course, he did. It was the only remnant of whom, Bucky was and the only thing, which was truly his. It was priceless. Sokovian demanded them to be taken away on few occasions, each time James thought that he would never see them again and presently, he was sure of it.

"Give them to me, Soldat." Zemo ordered.

He did and didn't turn back. It was better to not see the bastard's gleeful face.

"Thank you, that will be all. You may leave now."

Barnes practically ran to his room.

ooo

On the day of anniversary, Zemo with all his citizens came to pay the honour to the dead and Bucky's fears became true.