A/N: This is it. The end of my first MCU story. It's not my last either. But this was my first attempted in that Universe. I hope you liked it or enjoyed it at least. If these every get proof read I'll update them with the changes of course.

But if you're reading this I just want to say thank you. I've written in a lot of different fandoms but this was the trickiest one I've ever attempted. I loved writing it and the others that have come since. And I hope you enjoyed it a little bit.

Bucky POV:

Her entire body sagged in my arms and her head fell forward. Lily tried to catch her but Steve was faster. I let her go and he gently guided her to the ground.

I quickly checked her pulse and it was strong, steady and there.

"She's okay Bucky," Lily whispered and I pulled Cora into my arms.

"Are you okay?" I asked, noticing the slight bruise around her neck.

"I fucked up. I shouldn't have tried to control her. I thought it might work but she saw right through it."

"I wanted to kill her." Steve said and I nodded.

"I kinda wanted to hit her in that moment too."

"How did you hit her?" Lily asked and I laughed.

"She told me she could see my every decision before I made it so I didn't make one."

Lily laughed and stood up.

"You fought her. I'm proud of you."

"Well you did tell me you would make me."

She laughed as Steve pulled her into his arms.

I stood up with Cora as we made our way to the car.

"Hey I didn't kick her too hard did I?" Sam asked and I shook my head.

"You did you part perfect, even if it was hard she needed it. I don't think talking alone was going to get through to her."

"Yeah, seems her programming is a little more intense than yours."

"Maybe, they did start so young, but to see it so active after not being used for sixteen years you'd think it would have decreased."

"Maybe this is the decrease." I stopped walking and looked at Sam, "What?"

"You might not be wrong." I said before we started walking again. I made a vow right there to get Cora to Wakanda as soon as possible.

Cora POV:

"Where am I?" I muttered as I looked around the room. It was dark, the shades were drawn and the lights were off. I looked around and noticed the bed was empty beside me. I was home. How did I get home? I closed my eyes and suddenly all the memories of what I'd done came flooding back. I clutched my head and gasped. "Lily," I whispered and tried to get up, but my legs wouldn't move. I lifted the blankets and found my ankles handcuffed together. "What the hell?" I said as the door opened. I looked up and was met with Sam.

"Hey Tyson how ya doing?"

I looked at him and sighed. "I'm okay. What's with the handcuffs?"

"The guys are on a little mission and we were not sure what was going to wake up."

"Oh," I whispered before falling back on to the bed.

"It's nothing personal but I mean you did try to kill us."

"No I tried to kill Bucky there's a difference." I said as I glared at him.

He laughed and walked over to me. "So it's really you in there."

"Yep just me and all this guilt." He laughed before he started digging in a drawer.

"If I let you out, you gotta promise not to punch me."

"Why are you afraid I'll retaliate for kicking me in the back?"

He looked up from the drawer and I smiled. "Don't worry we're good."

He nodded and moved to unlock my ankles. Once they were free I rubbed the soreness out of them before attempting to stand up.

"How long was I out?"

"A couple days, Lily was this close to getting a doctor here, but between Banner and Strange they both agreed that more than a week would probably be an issue."

I nodded and he sighed. "Are you okay?"

"I think so. I don't know. It's still so real but not at the same time. I know I did those things, said those things, but it wasn't me. It was like someone hijacked my body and I couldn't control it."

He nodded then started leaving the room, "I made breakfast if you're into that sort of thing."

I laughed and followed him out the door. I made it as far as the frame before I was attacked by a blonde screaming monster.

"Cora!"

I wrapped my arms around Lily and she hugged me tightly against her.

"Whoa hey ease up don't crush junior there." I said and she laughed.

"I missed you so much."

I smiled at her and noticed the light bruising against her neck, I gasped.

"I'm sorry. I did-," My hand coming up towards her neck. She brushed it away and shook her head.

"Don't, I made a mistake. I shouldn't have tried to control you."

"I shouldn't have tried to kill you. Fuck Lily why, why were you there I could have hurt both of you," I whispered my hand dropping to her stomach.

"But you didn't. You barely squeezed and when you did it was out of warning. I knew the difference. I was fine."

"Because Steve stopped me. I would have hurt you Lily. I wasn't in control and you were denying me. I would have hurt you."

She stared at me before nodding. "We need to talk about all that by the way."

I nodded and she took my arm. "But first we need to eat."

"Of course you have junior there to think about."

She rolled her eyes and dragged me to the kitchen.

"Now Cora I need you to tell me if you can still feel what other people are thinking?"

I rolled my eyes as I looked at Doctor Strange. His thoughts invaded my mind and I laughed at the many choices he had. "Jesus Doc are you kidding me with some of these? You can not portal me to the moon."

He rolled his eyes and looked at Sam. "She's fine, but her powers are intact. It's rather interesting. Maybe we can see if Banner can figure out what they manifested from."

I went back over to Lily as Strange talked with Sam about different tests before finally biding us a farewell and portaling back to the Sanctuary.

"Okay I got the test, now what." I asked and they looked at each other.

"Well we don't have to do anything else till the guys get back." Lily said and I sighed.

"When is that?"

"A day or two. We haven't told them you woke up yet and the docs promised not to either." Sam said and I stared at him.

"Why?" I asked and Lily sighed.

"Cora, Bucky was pretty wrecked after what happened."

I stood up and nodded. "No I get it. No one wants to be with a messed up girl who tried to kill them. Makes perfect sense."

"Cora, no that's not what is going on."

"Lily, I don't want to talk right now, okay. Just honestly I want to sleep. If Bucky is done I have to accept that and right now I just want to sleep."

She gave me a sad smile and Sam nodded. "Go rest. If they come back we'll let you know." He said as I walked back into my room and shut the door.

I made my way to the bed, taking my clothes off as I went. Tears were streaming down my face as my heart shattered in my chest. I climbed into bed in only my panties and bra, clinging to the pillow beside me. It smelled like Bucky which broke my heart even more. I needed him so badly and I didn't know how to fix what I had broken.

Lily POV:

"Sam," I whispered as the door closed.

"What?"

"She thinks Bucky wants to dump her. Why didn't you tell her he doesn't?"

"Why didn't you princess?" He asked, getting up and taking his plate to the kitchen.

"Because I'm not the one he talked to about all of this, you are."

"And we didn't talk about that."

I rolled my eyes and turned on the television.

"When are they getting back for real?" I asked as he sat down next to me.

"Tonight at some point. Banner said they had things wrapped up pretty well and it wouldn't be too much longer."

"Good. I'm glad they went but I kind of want them to come back already."

"Getting tired of me as your babysitter?"

I glared at him and he laughed. "I'm ready to not need a babysitter mister."

"You think she's good?"

I nodded. "Yeah I do. The guilt will probably be the hardest thing for her to get past but she'll be fine. Once Bucky gets back, she will be fine."

He shook his head and I looked at him.

"Don't get me wrong I think they're going to be fine, but I don't see him being the cure all for that."

"What do you see being the cure?" I asked.

"She needs to talk about it. She needs to embrace what happened and let it go. Or own it if she has to. Right now she's just dodging and the longer she does that the worse it'll get."

"You're not wrong. You're not totally right but you're not wrong."

"You can never just agree with someone can you?" He asked and I laughed.

"Nope it just isn't in my nature."

I woke a few hours later and Sam was sleeping in the arm chair, snoring louder than the television. I groaned and got up to get some tea from the kitchen. Not being able to have coffee was almost literally killing me and while I loved my little peanut I could not wait till they were finally out and I could drink coffee again.

"Is your back bothering you?"

I turned and saw Steve sitting at the kitchen table.

"Honey you're home!" He wrapped his arms around me and I buried my face in his chest.

"We've been home for a little bit, I didn't have the heart to wake you, especially since you were sleeping through Sam's snoring."

"Yeah, I'm not sure how I was doing that."

"He's a terrible babysitter, sleeping on the job." Steve said and I laughed.

"Don't worry Cap he did a good job. He deserves some rest."

"Everything okay?" He asked and I nodded.

"We called Strange as soon as she woke up and he gave his all good."

"Wait Cora woke up?"

I looked at him and nodded. "I assumed Bucky told you."

"No, he went to take a shower, I don't even know if he checked on her."

I sat down in the chair next to his and sighed. "He's dumping her isn't he?" I asked and he looked at me.

"What?"

"He's leaving her. What happened was too much isn't it?"

"No Lily, no he's not. I promise he's not."

"Then why isn't he with her? Why didn't he fight to stay here with us?"

Steve looked down then back up at me. "Our mission was in Wakanda. We owed Shuri a favor and in turn she agreed to make time to help you both. He didn't fight it because it was his idea."

"Oh," I said and he nodded, "But Cora thinks he's going to-"

"Then he needs to set Cora straight."

"Yeah he does."

"Hey," He reached over and put his hand over mine, "It's going to work out. I promise."

"I'm so glad you're home."

"Me too Honey." He leaned over and kissed me gently, "Now how about some tea?"

Bucky POV:

I wrapped the towel tightly around my waist as I closed the bathroom door behind me.

"You had better not be in my hallway in only a towel Barnes." Lily called from the living room.

"Then I suggest you don't come out here Lily."

"Damn it Bucky other people live here too."

"Well not all of us have the master bedroom like some people do."

"Stop walking around in a towel Bucky. No one wants to see that little soldier you're working with."

I laughed, "Sound like you do Princess."

"Bucky," Steve growled and Sam started cracking up.

Lily poked her head around the corner and rolled her eyes. "Seriously Bucky no more."

"Okay okay fine." I held up one hand in defeat and she covered her eyes.

"BOTH HANDS ON THE TOWEL BOTH HANDS!" She ran away and we all laughed at her.

I closed my bedroom door softly behind me and sighed.

The room was dark and the only sound was Cora's soft breathing from the bed. I started walking towards my bags when I stepped on something softer than the carpet. I bent down, recognizing it immediately as the top I had put on Cora the night we brought her home. I looked across the room and saw the sweatpants I'd also dressed her in laying on the ground near the bed. I got up and walked towards her, my heart racing when I noticed the change in her position. She was no longer laying on her back like she'd been when we left. She was curled, facing me with a pillow clutched tightly against her chest. I quickly dropped my towel, not even bothering to get dressed, and climbed to the other side behind her. I slowly moved closer to her lightly pulling her towards me and groaned when I realized how little she was actually wearing. 'Woman is going to be the death of me' I thought as I curled up against her.

Cora POV:

I opened my eyes, sighing as light kisses and warm breath went up and down my neck. My back was against something hard and warm, and a cold arm was wrapped tightly around my middle.

"Cora," he whispered and I gasped.

I quickly rolled over as he pulled back slightly.

"Bucky you're home."

He put his hand against my cheek and smiled.

"And you're awake."

"I woke up this morning, but you weren't here."

"I'm sorry, I thought we'd be back before you woke up." He sighed and put his head against mine, "I missed you doll."

"We spend more time missing each other than we do being together." I said as he sighed.

"I know."

I took his hand off my face and stared into his blue eyes.

"I am so sorry," tears started falling from my eyes, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me."

"Yes I did. I know I did. I could hear your thoughts Bucky. I hurt you and you were trying so hard to figure out how to stop me without actually hurting me."

He ran his hand against my nose and sighed. "But I hurt you too."

"Not like I hurt you. You were trying to save me. You were trying to love me and I threw that back at you."

"You weren't yourself."

"But I was, kinda. I mean I was still in there, it was still me."

"Cora," He said as he rolled me onto my back and leaned over me, "I know first hand what that feels like, to have no control over anything, but to have to pick up the pieces of what you've done after. I went decades doing things I wish I hadn't and now I have to live with everything I have done. I have to fight with the guilt of every single thing I did. It's not easy, but I do it because I want a life with you. I want my life to have meaning and a purpose. Doll you can do this, and I'll be there every step of the way."

I smiled and he leaned down to kiss me gently.

"You still want me?" I asked as he pulled back.

"Why would you think I didn't?"

"Because you weren't here when I woke up. Because of what happened." I said as I looked away from him.

He turned my head back to look at him and stared down at me. "I am not going anywhere. You've got me Cora. It's you and me to the end."

He leaned down and kissed me roughly. I sighed into the kiss and wrapped my arms around his neck.

His tongue invaded my mouth as a moan escaped me. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me flush against him. We kissed until I felt like I was about to pass out and he moved down to my neck.

"You're killing me right now Cora."

"What?" I asked and he laughed.

"The last thing I expected to find when I came in here was you, like this." He said as he looked down at my chest.

I'd completely forgot I was only in a lace bra and little panties. "Oh, I was upset and I just didn't want to deal with clothes."

He took my hand and moved it down his body. "That makes two of us." He smiled when I realized he was completely naked and hard.

I wrapped my hand around his hardness and he moaned before falling down against my neck.

"Is this all for me?" I asked and he nodded.

"Don't start something you can't finish, doll."

I moved my hand up and down, teasing him as he groaned again against me.

"Who said I couldn't finish." He growled before moving to crash his mouth against mine.

"Okay so you guys know I remember everything." I said as Lily held my hand at the table and the guys sat across from us.

"Cora," Bucky started but I shook my head.

"I'm sorry for everything. I know what I did and I own it. I know I hurt Lily, pissed you off Steve and hurt you Bucky. I know it and I own it. Even if I was under it was still me." I looked down and sighed. "My mind had one goal, get Lilja to safety. It's all my mind was saying over and over. I beat the shit out of my captors because they didn't have her and had no idea where she was. They're probably still locked up down there."

"What?" Steve asked and I nodded.

"They were not the brightest bulbs. I got my book back from them pretty quick and it's gone, turned to ash. No one will control me ever again." I looked at Bucky and he nodded.

"Okay doll, so you own it or whatever. But I'm fine, and it's okay."

"Bucky, there's more," He cocked his head to the side and I turned to Lily, "The night we ran away, do you remember any of it?"

Lily closed her eyes and I watched as she tried to find the pieces before she shook her head.

"We had just turned 18, legal adults and Hydra had plans. See when the orphans who survived the trials became adults they started a new round of...tests. We weren't put together for fun Lily. We were put together because our powers worked either together or against each other. Our test was to fight each other, push the other one further until one of us…" I stopped and she shook her head.

"Till one of us died?" She asked and I nodded.

"Or were taken away," I turned to Bucky, "You were the dark shadow they casted upon us. The doctors told us that night if we refused then you would come for both of us."

He stared at me and I closed my eyes. "We turned 18 in 2007 Bucky, I don't know if you were really awake or whatever but you were the threat."

I opened my eyes and he was staring at me.

"Cora," Lily said and I turned to her, "How did we get out?"

"We were both activated that night. They left us to make the decision, there was some kind of problem and they didn't latch the door entirely. I didn't want to fight you, so I begged you to leave with me. But you refused. You hit me and I fell against the wall, hard enough that my head started throbbing so hard. You crouched down in front me, you were so fast I barely saw you, and you started making a choice. You were going to make me fight you and I could see it. I could see your choice plain as day in my head. So I made a choice, I grabbed you, flipped you around and knocked the wind out of you. You were fighting me so badly that I knew I couldn't get you out of there like that. So I deactivated you."

"What?" She asked and I nodded.

"I memorized your phrases. We heard them so often that it was easy to practice it over and over. I got pretty good at it and that night while you were trying to get your wits about you I deactivated you."

"Cora," her hand grabbed mine and I took a deep shuttered breath.

"I was still strong and you were unconscious so I picked you up and I snuck us out. We went out the back alleyway and I managed to get us four blocks away before I couldn't carry you anymore. I started crying, holding you in the middle of that dark, disgusting alleyway, hoping that someone would help us." I took her hand in mine again and I sighed. "I don't remember anything after that. Just waking up against the wall with you calling my name. I don't know how I got deactivated and I don't know how they did not find us. But that's how we got out Lily. I couldn't let Hydra do that to you because I knew if we fought I would have killed you. I didn't want to kill you Lily. I couldn't kill you." I cried as she pulled me against her.

"So someone knew enough to deactivate you that night." Steve said as he got up and started pacing.

"Someone who didn't want to hurt us." Lily said as she stroked my hair.

"Yeah but that means someone out there knows about you too and they might have the ability to do this again." Steve said as he looked down at us.

"But this was sixteen years ago Steve, who's to say this person is even still alive."

"Lily we have-"

"He is." Bucky said and I looked up at him.

"You know who deactivated me?"

He stared right at me and nodded. "In 2007, I was awake," He stood up and walked over to me, "I was awake because they were using me to try to recruit kids for the orphanage project. I don't remember any of it, but I've found notes. When we were looking for you I found an entire file on my refusal to take kids. Even under all that pain and control I still refused." He crouched down and I turned to face him. "Your face," He touched my cheek and I leaned into his hand, "I couldn't place it, but I felt like I'd seen you before. Long before I ever stepped in that diner. And I think I know why. I think I'm the one who found you Cora. Your phrases both of them were so easy just rolled off the tongue like I'd said them before."

"Bucky? You saved them?" Steve asked and he nodded.

"It makes sense. I refused to watch kids be hurt even as the soldier. They would have sent me to find them and I would have refused to bring them back."

I stared at him and he smiled slightly at me. "I wish I remembered." I whispered and he sighed.

"You might some day, and it might not have been me. But I like to think maybe it was."

I laughed and he pulled me towards him. I kneeled before him and he cupped my face in his hands.

"You are stronger than you ever knew Cora. I'm sorry this happened to both of you, but I will make sure it never happens again."

I nodded before he pulled me into his arms and we fell to the floor in each other's arms.

"So Wakanda?" I asked as we made dinner later.

"Yeah? I went to help Shuri and she agreed to see you as soon as you're able."

"Okay," I nodded and turned to him, "Just maybe it should wait until Lily has the baby. I kind of want to be here for that."

He nodded, "Of course doll." He leaned over and kissed my forehead before going back to his task.

"So if Wakanda is on hold then what do you want to do now? Other than your mandatory therapy that is."

"Well I was kind of thinking we could do that whole getting hitched thing."

I turned and found him kneeling down in front of me. "Bucky?"

"Cora I know we've had a weird start, but I know what I want and that's you. You've been the one thing in this world that has kept me going. Not even my friendship with Steve has gotten me out of half the things my love for you has. And I know this is sudden and out of the blue, but I don't see the point in waiting."

I kneeled down across from him and smiled. "We haven't been together that long."

"So you don't count all the little gifts and notes as us being together?" He asked, his eyebrow cocked.

"James, you know better than that. You know exactly what I mean."

He laughed and shook his head. "I do, but I count it Cora. I count every second as time with you because ever since that diner I've been yours. The second you called me out on my lack of ability to hide in plain sight I have been yours."

"Bucky, of course I'll marry you. It was never going to be anything other than yes."

He pulled me to him and crashed his lips against mine. I wrapped my arms around him and we fell back to the floor, our lips never parting.

"If you two do it in the kitchen I'm burning it to the ground." Lily said as she walked into the room.

We both turned to look at her and she smiled. "So I'm maid of honor right?"

"You knew didn't you?" I asked once we stood back up.

"Of course I knew. Jeez I knew before he did."

"Excuse me?" Bucky said, staring at her curiously.

"I knew you were going to marry her someday and I knew you were going to ask her soon. You had that look about you."

I started laughing and they both looked at me. "Oh I know that look. You're so done Lily."

She glared at me before huffing out of the room.

"What did you mean by that?"

I walked closer to him and leaned up near his ear, "Steve has had a ring since before we disappeared. He's had this look for a while Bucky." I leaned back and winked at him.

He rolled his eyes and pushed me back. "Go finish that."

I stuck my tongue out at him before going back to the stove.

All my life I wondered if Lily and I would ever be able to achieve the happiness that we saw so many other people get. I wondered if we were going to be on the run for the rest of our lives, never knowing who or what we were. But then fate stepped in and put a man who needed someone to guide him in my path. When I found Bucky it was like my entire world snapped into focus and suddenly I had reason to keep living. Loving him is far from easy and while that should scare me to my very core, it doesn't. It keeps me going and gives me fire. For the first time in my life I'm no longer that scared little girl who craves silence and a dirty countertop to clean. I'm finally the person I was always meant to be.

"Are you ready for all of this?" Lily asked as I helped her put the tiara on her long blonde curls.

"Oh I already did this, you're the main attraction today, Mrs. Captain America."

"Oh ha ha very funny." She said as she glared at me.

"Are you okay?" I asked as she peered over the bassinet.

"I'm better than okay Lily," She looked up at me and smiled, "I have my son, I have Steve and I have you. Oh and I guess Soldier grumpy pants too."

I laughed as the baby stirred in his sleep, crying slightly.

"Here let me take Bradley."

I gently pulled the sleepy baby from the bassinet and cradled him in my arms.

"It's crazy to think that if things had not ended up the way they did he wouldn't be here right now."

I looked at her and nodded. "All three of us wouldn't be."

"Cora, I love you. Not just because we were stuck together or because we were friends. I love you because you're my sister in more ways that I can express and because without you I would have none of this. I can't put into words how grateful I am for your bravery and your strength."

I felt the tears coming to my eyes and glared at her. "Stop it, we don't have time to redo makeup."

"No you both really don't."

We both smiled as Wanda walked into the room. "Let me take him so you guys can get ready."

I handed the baby to Wanda who smiled down at him then looked at Lily, "You look so beautiful Lily. Steve is going to lose it."

She laughed and Wanda smiled before walking out the door.

"You ready? It's almost time."

She nodded and took my hand in hers.

"I love you Cora."

"I love you Lily."

"Let's go make an honest woman of me."

"We're here." He whispered as I opened my eyes.

"Finally," I said as he laughed.

"Are you anxious about this?" I turned to Bucky and shook my head.

"I'm beyond ready to put all this behind me Bucky."

He smiled and held out his hand. Together we walked down the ramp.

"Time to get that programming out of your head Mrs. Barnes."

"About damn time Soldier."

The End?