The frost skittered away, revealing the person who had slept beneath it. She jolted awake, sucking in her first breath in months. The door opened and Aubrey fell forward, dizzy and not quite awake. Her body zinged, feeling both hot and cold at once as the numbness faded. Things flashed behind her eyes as people caught her by the arms...or she thought they did. Aubrey felt as though she floated to a bed.

"What is your name?" the words cut through the mist in her mind. Shuddering a breath, Aubrey's eyes fluttered open. Slowly, things started to return to her. A brightly dressed woman stood at the side of the medical bed, her eyes sparkling.

She wet her chapped lips and cleared her throat, blinking hard to clear the blurriness in her eyes. "My..my name is Aubrey Kaylinn Cristo."

"How old are you?" The woman…..Shuri, clicked something on her bracelet as technicians took Aubrey's pulse and put an I.V in her arm.

"I...have no idea-" she frowned, thinking about it "-I think I'm... twenty-nine..or thirty"

"That's fine. Do you remember what happened?"

"I...I think so?...-" Aubrey's shaky hand came up and rubbed her temples. "- There was...someone accused Bucky of something he didn't do...there were a lot of big fights...and…-" she paused, puffing a breath out of her lips, trying to remember. Suddenly it clicked. "We went back into cryofreeze until you could fix it…our minds...and..and I'm awake….I'm awake" her eyes flicked up to Shuri's, almost afraid to know the answer.

But she nodded, a smile playing on her lips.

A gasp of disbelief made its way out of her mouth as tears welled up. Her words were unintelligible stutters "you mean...it's...you...really?" the last word came out as a whisper.

"You are healed, Aubrey-." Another accented voice sounded as he walked around the bed and into her viewpoint. "-My sister has claimed she was a genius for as long as I can remember and now she has proved it."

"Thank you….thank you...thank you" each word got quieter as she leaned forward, head in hands. Emotions battled inside of her, welling up and threatening to spill over. Relief, shock, joy….and peace….but she was also thankful….that these strangers would have such kindness to help her and Bucky. Peeking out between her fingers, she whispered "Bucky?"

"It has been done but we have yet to wake him….his mind...held onto it much more than yours. As soon as you've eaten some broth and gotten onto your feet we can focus on him" Shuri murmured.

Sniffling, Aubrey scooted to the edge of the bed "where is this broth?" She wanted nothing more than to talk to him and be able to share the news.

"I knew I liked her-" Shuri muttered to her brother before elbowing him "-Go get it!"

"Which one of us is the king here?" he chuckled, retrieving it from a cart on the other side of the room. Aubrey gulped down the salty broth, relishing the feeling of a full stomach. Memories tried to flash behind her eyes but Aubrey pushed them to the farthest corners of her mind. Today would be one of victory. Shuri stood several paces away, directing others as the other cryo-chamber was rolled from an adjoining room. Frost covered the glass and she stared at it, suddenly feeling numb.

Looking over to her, Shuri frowned "Are you alright? You look pale."

"I...I don't know"

She frowned, coming over and scanning Aubrey's eyes with a tool before turning and picking up several lavender-colored pills.

"Take these, they will clear your head for a bit...You're in shock….and it's possible some memories will emerge."

She popped them into her mouth, wincing at the bitter taste, marveling at the almost instant calmness that started at her head and worked its way down. After a moment's hesitation, Aubrey pushed to wobbly feet and paced towards the chamber, positioning herself to the side. She tried to peer through the layers of frost but saw nothing. The chamber whirred and hissed as it deactivated. People waited at the entrance, ready to catch him.

"Opening the hatch," a woman said, pushing a button on the side. The chamber powered down as the front slid open. Aubrey watched as Bucky's eyes moved beneath the lids, he coughed and hacked as people unstrapped the velcro. Falling forward, they caught him and moved Bucky to a medical bed beside the one she had sat on moments before. Aubrey hovered out of view, unsure what to do. Shuri asked her series of questions as his vitals were taken, satisfied, they stepped away. As she passed her, Shuri whispered

"You must be the one to tell him." she continued walking, not waiting for an answer. Puffing a breath out of her lips, Aubrey watched as he rolled his shoulders and leaned back onto the bed. Sidling up to him, his foggy eyes swiveled to her.

"Hey, Buck-" A timid smile lit her face. Bucky scooted over and she settled on the edge of the bed, meeting his eyes as he silently asked, hope shining in them. "-We are free" The words were soft but he heard them. His head tipped back and tears slipped out of his closed eyes, trailing silently down his face. Aubrey felt her own tears rising again as she carefully leaned against his flesh arm.

"Really?" he whispered, sounding skeptical.

"Shuri said it worked...all we have to do is test it" Aubrey's voice was hushed and muted but he heard her. Bucky was quiet for several minutes before turning his eyes back to her, something shined in them for a moment but it disappeared before she could translate it.

"Do..do you remember right after we broke out?"

"I do….why?" her head tilted in question and he smiled softly

"It feels like it was a long time ago but...also just yesterday."

"We've come a long way since then...You've lost the arm and I now speak full sentences-" a grin lit her face as Bucky chuckled, glad to be able to see him laugh. "-You were thinking about it before we went under?"

"Yeah...and..I think I knew when the words were deactivated because...my head filled with things...but then at the end.. I..I remembered that first night...how sick you got...my...nightmares...and I realized how much I missed you when you were at the Avengers Compound.-"

"It felt like millions of years were passing by without you" she cut in, knowing how he felt.

"Yeah….-" Bucky paused, organizing his thoughts before swallowing and meeting her gaze "-Lets not let that happen ever again."

Something new filled the space between them as Aubrey nodded, an indescribable feeling welling up inside of her

"Never again Buck….never again"

And she sincerely hoped so, Aubrey couldn't imagine her life without Bucky.

Aubrey padded beside Bucky, keeping her eyes on the Dora Milaje guards back. She had introduced herself as Ayo. The woman had been sent by Shuri to...test the words. The sun had started to dip below the horizon when they set out, now the moon winked out from between dark clouds. She could feel the tension radiating off of Bucky and knew her shoulders were tight too. Ayo led them further away from the castle, the trail was uneven but lit with flickering torches. It had steepened several minutes before but now leveled out. The three stepped onto a secluded ledge. It opened up to show the forested valley below them, the thundering of a waterfall played in the background. Bucky settled onto a boulder, face blank. He had been sucked into his mind and as Aubrey settled beside him, she realized she had done the same. Her face was blank, without emotion. Ayo used the torches to light a fire in front of them. It hissed and popped, coming to life as embers drifted on the breeze. Aubrey's eyes locked onto the flames, dark thoughts flashing in her mind. Ayo positioned herself in front of them,

"It is time" her words snapped them back to the present. A pained look flashed on Bucky's face as his foggy eyes swiveled to Ayo. Bucky's hair hung loosely and he swallowed, breathing raggedly. Aubrey could tell from her spot beside him, Bucky's eyes were glassy and his voice cracked as he spoke.

"You sure about this?"

"I won't let you hurt anyone" Ayo spoke with compassion and Aubrey knew she spoke truthfully. She shifted, taking a step forward, her vibranium spear glinting in the light.

"Жаждущий" [Longing]. At the sound of the word, Bucky's back stiffened and Aubrey sucked in a breath. His jaw clenched and face tilted down.

"Ржавые, Семнадцать," [Rusted, Seventeen]

"It's not going to work" he whispered, tortured gaze turning to Aubrey. "It's not going to work."

She shook her head, tears threatening to fall as hope welled up.

"Pассвет," [Daybreak]

Bucky shook his head, sucking in a short breath. She faintly heard him whisper "It can't work." and she knew he was seeing things in his mind. Flashes of their unspeakable past.

"Печь, Девять" [Furnace, Nine]

His jaw clenched so hard Aubrey thought it would break as Bucky grit his teeth, fighting the commands.

"Доброкачественный, возвращение домой, Один" [Benign, Homecoming, One]

Aubrey turned to face him, holding her breath.

"грузовой вагон" [Freight Car]

Tears leaked from his eyes as Bucky crumpled, his hands cradling his head. Aubrey hiccuped as she felt her own teardrops slide down her face. Sucking in a breath, she gently nudged his knee with hers. Bucky's gaze raised, jaw quivering and body trembling as the tears glinted in the light. Sniffling, she looked to Ayo, nodding once. The woman stepped around the fire, positioning herself in front of Aubrey as the first word left her mouth.

"Spitze" [Top]

She hated the word. Just hearing the first one tore at her mind.

"пятьдесят один, Adler" [Fifty-One, Eagle]

Aubrey sucked in a breath as things emerged from the darkness. The thick fog threatened to rise up. It thrashed and tore at every fiber of her being, begging to be unleashed.

"No" Her voice sounded broken as the word left her mouth. Aubrey pushed the fog away, it didn't belong in her head anymore.

"Blauer небо, автомобиль" [Blue Sky, Car]

Shivers wracked her tired body as Aubrey's eyes squeezed closed. Memories flashed behind them.

"Leben….страх" [Life…..Fear]

An unintelligible sound tore it's way from Aubrey's mouth as she felt some of the tension in her body release. Sobs wracked her form as she felt Bucky lean against her, letting her know he was there.

Ayo's words cut through her cries "You are free."

The words were true but it was so hard to believe. Lifting her head, Aubrey met Bucky's eyes.

"We are free" her words were just loud enough for him to hear and a small, tentative smile played at his lips.

"We are free," he repeated. His arm-less side leaned against her and Aubrey shuddered another breath. After years of fighting the words, knowing that anyone could use them whenever they liked….the Wakandans gave them a gift no one else could.

Freedom.

"No one will ever find you, the words Hail Hydra will forever be on your tongue."

The words echoed in her ears as she bolted up, gagging as the taste of blood overwhelmed her senses. Aubrey stumbled out of the bed, sitting on her knees and sucking in gulps of the Wakandan air. Leaning forward, she rested her forearms on the cold marble flooring, using it to center herself. Minutes passed as she breathed, collecting her thoughts, sifting through what was real and what was not. Finally, Aubrey sat up, leaning against the bed and puffing a breath out of her lips. They had gotten back to the palace just as the sun had started to rise. Aubrey barely made it to her bed before falling into a numb sleep. But then a memory had barged its way into her consciousness, waking her. Pressing her palms against her eyelids, Aubrey murmured

"I am free...the words are gone."

She felt like she was still in shock. T'Challa had met them at the doors, with an offer. Bucky had immediately looked to her with pleading eyes. Of course, she'd said yes...but it felt like a trap. Peace was a hard thing to come by and every time they had gotten close to it...it had been snatched away.

But, it felt like anything was possible in Wakanda. This beautiful country that had given them not only their minds...but a chance at a peaceful life. T'Challa told them that if they wanted, there was a village on the outer edges with several empty huts. They could move in as soon as tomorrow and request livestock to keep. Aubrey pushed to her feet, eyeing the colored duffel that held clothes Shuri had provided for her. Bucky was flying to the village at dusk and she knew she would go with.

The black jet hummed quietly as they flew through the air. Bucky wrung his hands beside her as Aubrey ran her tongue over the metallic teeth that had attached to her gums. Shuri had done the operation before they left. She had inserted vibranium teeth that attached to the gums. They felt foreign but she was glad to have them. The jet had taken off several minutes ago and moved sleekly through a slipstream. Shuri set the autopilot before standing to her feet, the five Dora Milaje in the jet standing to attention.

"It will only be a few minutes before we arrive. The huts have been updated and one of the villagers will bring some goats by tomorrow. The horses should be there soon too. Any other questions?"

They shook their heads, sitting in silence as Shuri peered out of the front window, hands clasped in front of her. Bucky's arm-less side comfortably leaned against hers and she fingered the silvery rings on her right hand. Soon...too soon, the jet slowed down and touched onto the ground. Aubrey stood, watching as Bucky got to his feet, swaying slightly as he got his balance. She could tell not having the arm was hard. The ramp hissed before sliding open, slinging her duffle onto her shoulder, she followed them down. The jet had landed by the edge of a forest on a grassy hill. Striding forward, she got her first glimpse of their new home in the valley below. One hut was nestled beside the grove of trees, another sat to the right of the first, further away from the trees.

"The one closer to the trees is yours, Aubrey. The one on the right is Sergeant Barnes.-" Shuri started as she led them down the hill. She pointed to a fenced-in area by Bucky's hut. "-That is for the goats, there are some lean-tos behind his hut for hay and supplies. You'll notice there's another fence line that starts to the left of yours is a larger area for the horses and donkey. A trail runs through the forest to the main village. You can trade for everything you'll need there. Any questions?"

They shook their heads, taking in the peaceful valley. The huts were made of dark wood with thatched roofing and three windows. Aubrey's hut door slid open with ease as she took in the inside. Directly in front of her were several cabinets and a small table with three chairs. To her left was a ladder that led up to a loft. Beside the ladder was a large storage cabinet. With spots for gear and shoes. It was dimly lit, depending on the natural light coming from the windows. Looking right, Aubrey noticed the towering bookshelf with drawers and knick-knacks. Dropping her duffel to the floor, Aubrey nodded happily. The hut had a peaceful feel and she puffed a breath out of her lips, noticing the bowl on the floor, purple lettering etched onto it. Crouching, she picked it up, brows raising at the name. Glacier. Footsteps sounded as Shuri came in, a sly grin on her face.

"It's a nice hut, isn't it? Homey lighting, tasteful decorating...oh and a very fluffy dog." at her words, a bark sounded and Aubrey jumped to her feet. The enthusiastic Husky bounded in, woofing at the sight of his owner. Glacier balanced on his back feet, giant paws resting on Aubrey's stomach as he tried to lick her face.

"Glacier!" Kneeling, Aubrey wrapped her arms around the poofy dog before letting him lick her forehead.

"I can't believe you brought that dog" came Bucky's voice from the doorway. Glacier's ears perked as he whirled around and launched at him, tongue lolling out. He stepped back, trying to thwart the bundle of fur. But without his left arm, Aubrey knew the dog would throw Bucky off balance. She whistled a shrill, high-pitched sound that caused him to stop in his tracks and glance back at his owner.

"How?" she glanced at Shuri as he bounded back over, plopping down beside her feet.

"I pulled a few strings-." she grinned, leading everyone out of the hut. "- If you need anything, don't hesitate to contact us, you have your Kimoyo beads. Everything is stocked...and..yeah" she finished, grinning. The sun had dipped behind the trees and Shuri said goodbye before heading back towards her jet.

A warm glow radiated from the firepit as Aubrey settled on the dirt, leaning against a chair-shaped boulder. Glacier jumped onto it, resting his head on her shoulder as she watched the flames. Bucky came over, eyeing the pot that rested in the pit before settling down beside her, resting his arm on his knee. They sat in comfortable silence, the smell of baked potato and Border Lamb permeated the air. The sun had gone away long ago and the moon had since started rising into the sky.

"Well..-" Bucky started, the word sounding like a sigh. "-What's going on in that head of yours Brie?"

"A lot of things...why?" she glanced at him before reaching up to pat Glacier.

"Just wondered…-" he paused, collecting his thoughts before murmuring "-I keep thinking that this isn't going to last long...never does."

"I know. But we can enjoy it while it's here and hope that Wakanda is hidden enough. The only person who knows we are still here, that's not Wakandan, is Cap."

At his name, Bucky stiffened, swallowing. She could see from the look on his face that something was bugging him. When he didn't say anything, Aubrey bumped his shoulder, a gesture that was becoming common between the two. "What's wrong Buck?"

"They're on the run because of me. All of em who helped us." his words came out whispered and she could see the guilt flashing in his eyes.

"That was a choice, their choice. Bucky, you can't take the blame for any of that. They knew it wasn't you who bombed Vienna.-" she paused when he wouldn't meet her eyes. Aubrey turned so she was facing him and waited until he gazed at her before continuing "-Guilt is a dangerous thing, Buck. We don't need anymore. I keep wanting to think about it too, but we need to try and start over while we can….okay?"

He nodded silently as Aubrey pushed to her feet and used a metal hook to lift the cast-iron pot from the flames. Setting it on the ground and lifting the lid off, steam rose along with a warm aroma. Her stomach growled hungrily as it was dished into two wooden bowls. They ate with nothing but the fire's company to keep them entertained.

Brightly dressed Wakandan women-led four horses and a donkey into the pen beside Aubrey's hut. She watched, eyes wide at the variety of horses following the women. Bucky shifted beside her as he watched the herd of twenty goats were guided into a pen. One of the women brought the horses over, speaking kindly to Aubrey.

"I'm told these are for you, the Palomino is Winslow, Dark Bay is Junebug, Dapple Grey is Windspirit, Black is Fern, and the Donkey is Mesa. I believe the shacks have been stocked with hay and grain. Have you cared for horses before?"

"No..but I've always liked them" she strode closer to Winslow, who seemed most confident out of the herd. He nickered softly as she stroked his nose. The feeling of being watched prickled down her spine and she knew Bucky was keeping a watchful eye from his spot by the goats.

Bucky shifted from one foot to another, only half-listening to the Wakandan woman tell him about the goats. Brie stood in the middle of a cluster of horses and a short donkey, nodding as another woman told her how to care for them. He watched how Brie stood among the animals, completely at ease. Glacier danced around outside the fencing, whining to be let in. Someone said his name and he turned, meeting the woman, Dani's, gaze. Something soft was on her face as she glanced to where Aubrey stood further away and back to him. Opening her mouth, Dani repeated

"I realize now you're not listening to me very well. Your Kimoyo beads have all the information you will need to care for them if you have questions. They are relatively low maintenance. I live in the village a couple miles away if you ever need anything. Any questions?"

He shook his head, batting away a white goat who decided the fabric wrap around his arm-less side tasted delicious. Aubrey turned, glancing at Bucky before following the other woman out of the horse pen. Glacier greeted her with excitement as they made their way over to Bucky and Dani. The Husky tried to jump on him but Aubrey growled a command under her breath, causing the dog to back off and pace behind her. Something shined in Brie's eyes as they said goodbye to the two women and they set off, back into the forest. Turning to her, he raised a brow, adjusting his feet to counteract the missing weight of his metal arm. Something was bouncing around in her head, he could tell just by looking at her.

Puffing a breath out of her lips, Aubrey pushed herself up onto a fence post, gazing towards the horses now calmly grazing in the pasture.

"I like it here," she finally said after a moment. Leaning on the fence beside her, Bucky watched as she pet Glacier.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah….It...feels right…doesn't it?" her head tilted down, bright green gaze meeting his.

"I think...Yeah..it does.

Aubrey ambled into Bucky's hut, in search of papaya, her stomach growled hungrily at the thought of the tropical tasting fruit. Several sat on the counter in a wooden bowl. Boosting herself onto the counter and grabbing one of the fruits, she took a bite. Through the window, she saw Bucky with his herd of goats. He'd herded them together and now was using a staff to guide them towards the corral. The gate was open but the goats skirted around the fencing instead of going in. Bucky's shoulders tensed as he tried again to herd the goats back towards the entrance, but that only caused them to scatter further. A grin lit her face as she watched him throw his hand up in exasperation. Turning, he stomped towards Aubrey's hut. Tapping her Kimoyo beads twice, she murmured into them

"Wrong hut, Buck"

She knew he heard it because he immediately turned and headed towards his hut, an annoyed look plastered on his face. The door banged open as Bucky stomped in. His eyes traced her form before darting to the window beside her.

"How much did you see…."

"Enough" She grinned again, chuckling under her breath as he came over and leaned on the counter, bumping her leg.

"Where's that dog of yours? He'd be useful right about now."

Aubrey shrugged, leaning against a wall cabinet as she took another bite of the fruit, relishing the sweet flavor that flooded her mouth. "He's probably off terrorizing the horses. Want a bite?" she offered it to him and he bit off the end, chewing furiously as he watched the goats graze outside the window. A week had passed since they'd moved in and already the two had settled into a comfortable routine. Tapping her nails on the counter, she continued "-Honestly, I think you make it much harder than it needs to be"

"Really?-" he growled under his breath "-if you think it's so easy, why don't you try it yourself?"

"I think I will, old man" she pushed off of the counter and headed towards the door, combat boots clicking on the wooden floor. Bucky followed close behind, a mischievous glint in his eye.