AN: Also known as, Tony Stark and the Time JARVIS Brought Down a Hyperventilating Super Soldier in his Elevator

There is one flaw in the Have-Steve-infiltrate-Hydra-and-see-what-they-are-doing-and-hopefully-not-die-in-the-process plan. And that flaw is, Tony is very much on the outside of the operation. Sure, he had helped Steve plan their cover story, and sure, he helps Steve figure out what kinds of things he can report back to Hydra about the Avengers, but he really doesn't see a lot of what Steve actually does in Hydra.

Steve is…well, as he spends more time with him, at least, but he doesn't talk a lot about his work with Hydra, unless it had revealed new collaborators they need to keep a record of. Both of them had been relieved to learn definitively that none of the other Avengers are Hydra agents, but they avoid letting them in on the secret just yet. What they are doing is dangerous, and it is a lot less likely for them to get caught if less people know what they are doing.

Which means that basically, Steve doesn't have anyone to talk to about Hydra, except him. And he doesn't talk about it. Tony shouldn't be surprised. He has heard enough stories of veterans and how they 'never talked about the war' to see the same thing happening in Steve. But it leaves him antsy.

If he asks, Steve will talk a little. He tells him about cover ups he has to do, and false orders he had been told to give, and he always tells him whenever he has a Hydra mission—so they can keep a record of it—but Tony is all too aware that what he sees isn't the bigger picture.

He knows some of what Steve does, but he knows almost nothing of what it is like. He can't imagine having to work shoulder-to-shoulder with Hydra agents all the time. Steve had been actively trying to fight these guys during the war, and now he is doing his utmost to try to convince them that he agrees with their cause and supports it.

Tony imagines that Frat Boy Locker-Room Talk hardly compares to the kinds of things Steve has to hear while on missions.

He doesn't talk about it though. His coping mechanisms of choice seem to be working, and working out. Tony has read enough of the articles Pepper and JARVIS have been recommending to see the signs, but there isn't a lot he can do about it.

He doesn't know how long this Hydra undercover mission will last. They know something big is coming, but they just don't know what. He has a feeling they are going to need to find that out before they can extract Steve and expose Hydra.

It is slow going, and the months just keep creeping by. It had been mid-summer when Steve had first been recruited, and they make it all the way until December without being caught, and without finding what they need.

Well, not exactly. As fall begins to set in, SHIELD comes to him for help building their new Helicarriers, and then, after he refuses, Steve comes to him because Hydra wants those Helicarriers too. That doesn't bode well, but they can't stop Hydra if they don't know what their plan is, and Steve needs credibility in their eyes if they are going to learn anything, so Tony agrees to build them. Not without some trepidation of course, but at least this way, he can add a few surprises into his design, and hopefully they can figure out what they are for.

Of course, having Steve ask around about the Helicarriers would look rather suspicious. Instead, he keeps his head down, and keeps his ears open, hoping for a careless comment, or an actual debriefing that will give them some clues.

They still have some time before the Helicarriers will be finished, but Tony can see the stress eating away at Steve. He knows the other Avengers notice some of it too (although Steve does seem to try to put on a heavier front for them.) It is still noticeable though, and as the days get colder, Tony overhears Clint and Natasha theorising in low tones about Steve, ice, and the coming winter.

Tony—who had seen Steve's too pale face a few weeks earlier when he had requested some heavier gloves—thinks that they are not too far off from the truth, even if they can't begin to guess the rest of it.

Winter keeps coming, and soon Christmas, and then New Years roll around. The Tower isn't full, because Clint and Natasha have some mysterious plans elsewhere for most of it, but the Christmas celebrations seem to go well. Thor goes off to see Doctor Foster, but Bruce and Pepper and Rhodey are there for Christmas. Natasha reappears for New Years, and is pointedly unhelpful when it comes to revealing the reasons behind Clint's continued absence.

Tony ignores the mystery and very carefully plans their New Year's eve around watching the entire Lord of the Rings film collection. He knows Steve had been excited to learn Tolkien had written more while he was under the ice. He had actually bought all the books, and had started to fill the shelves in his room with things that are actually his, so Tony had thought the movie night would go over well. (And, also, he had determined that, if they watch right up until midnight, they have no reason whatsoever to watch fireworks. He has JARVIS keep the windows blacked out and soundproofed, because they are taking no chances this time.)

It isn't long after New Years that things start to change. First, Thor gets conjured back up to Asgard (after getting alerted by a giant black raven on the kitchen counter, which is not what Tony was prepared to deal with so early in the morning.) It feels strange in the Tower without Thor, but he and Steve have other things to worry about.

The construction of the Helicarriers is chugging along nicely. SHIELD/Hydra is putting a lot of money and resources into it to speed up the process, and at the rate they are going, it will only be a few more months before everything is completed. That is a problem, because the Helicarriers are basically giant floating battleships in the sky. And Hydra wants them.

"Fury knows about them though," Steve says in one of their late-night discussion sessions. "How is Hydra going to use them without tipping him off that something is wrong?"

Tony blows out a breath and rubs tiredly at his eyes. "I don't know," he says. "But we do have back ups in place. We have JARVIS, and the shutdown keys if necessary. If they try something, we should be able to stop them."

"Whatever it is, it has to be big," Steve says, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. "They've gone this long without the Helicarriers. I find it hard to believe that they plan on using it for undercover assassinations or something."

Right, Tony thinks, biting his lip. The only thing those things are really good for would be all-out war.

Steve stares at the table, a scowl on his face. "What gets me," he says quietly. "Is that this is SHIELD approved too. SHIELD really thinks that those Helicarriers will be a good thing." He looks up, his eyes flashing. "Wherever this goes, they need to be destroyed. I don't care if I have to fight all of Hydra and SHIELD to do it, but the Helicarriers cannot stay."

Tony nods, noting the intense expression of determination on Steve's face. Seeing that look, he doesn't really think the Helicarriers stand much of a chance.

The Helicarriers stay on his mind. Steve goes off a few days later to work another STRIKE mission, and Tony is left to wait in the Tower and hope to hear back from him. With the pace Hydra is going, he feels anxious every time Steve goes into the field. All it will take is one slip up, one reason for Hydra to suspect him more than they probably already do, and this will all come burning down around them.

Part of him wishes they could just come out with it and tell Fury about the dangers of the Helicarrier already. But Fury had approved the Helicarriers too. Tony gets the feeling that even if he believed them about Hydra, and even if they managed to work with him to dig them out of SHIELD…Fury will still be in favour of keeping the Helicarriers around.

Tony has always been in favour of making sure their side had the bigger stick, as it were… But with how deeply rooted Hydra is in SHIELD… He shakes his head. He and Steve don't have a list of every Hydra agent. They won't be able to guarantee flushing out every member. And, since they don't know what Hydra's plan with the Helicarriers is yet, they can't guarantee that any lingering moles might not still be able to set that plan in motion.

Which is why they need to not only destroy the Helicarriers, but know why they are doing it first.

If Hydra is planning to use the Helicarriers, then that will probably be a pretty big reveal moment, he thinks to himself a few days later as he sits in his lab and flips aimlessly through his computer files. Steve should be coming home soon, and he can't seem to focus on anything besides Hydra. Hopefully we will get a more accurate view of how big Hydra is once they start revving up for their big plan.

His anxious thoughts are derailed as JARVIS speaks up. "Sir," he announces, "Captain Rogers has just returned to the Tower."

Oh good. His shoulders relax. That means he and Steve will probably debrief in a few hours. Steve usually takes some time to unwind after coming back (sometimes that involves a shower and a meal, and sometimes that involves trying to beat his way through a punching bag.) He sits up and runs a hand through his hair, glancing around the lab. DUM-E chirps happily in the corner next to U, and Tony smiles, knowing the two bots are probably expecting Steve too.

"Just a bit longer—" he starts, and then JARVIS cuts him off.

"Sir," he says without preamble. "Captain Rogers appears to be in some distress."

The hair on the back of his neck stands on end, and his mouth opens. "What—?"

And then he hears the sound of the elevator arriving. His head jerks over as the doors open and his mouth goes dry. Either JARVIS wants him to go upstairs right now, or— He hears the sounds of ragged breathing cutting through the stillness in the lab, and his legs start moving by themselves.

DUM-E beeps worriedly as he weaves his way through the tables, and Tony stops up short as he sees the elevator. Steve is inside, but he is hunched up in the corner again, his back pressed up against the wall, his head ducked into his knees. His duffle bag is thrown off to the side and his fingers dig into his hair as he breathes in short gasps, his shoulders shaking.

Panic attack, Tony thinks, because he knows the signs now. He has had enough himself, and he has read enough papers about it. He knows what is happening, but for a full four seconds, he just stands frozen in indecision. He has never had to deal with this on the outside before. It has always been him getting talked through a panic attack, and now Steve—

His mind kicks into gear, and he moves forward. JARVIS keeps the elevator doors open for him, and he crouches down. Steve's breaths are fast and painful, and Tony licks his lips uneasily.

"Steve?" he calls.

Steve's head jerks up, and his hand slips down from his hair to rest on his chest, his fingers digging into his shirt. "Ton—" he gasps, unable to even make a full syllable. His eyes are panicked as he drags in another breath. "Cn't—"

He hunches over his knees again, his other hand white in his hair as he struggles for air. Tony sucks in his own slightly frantic breath and tries to think. Okay. Okay, okay, okay. He knows how to deal with these. Pepper and JARVIS have helped him through enough, and he has read enough about coping mechanisms. He can deal with this.

He draws in closer, trying to get Steve's attention on him, and not his desperate breathing. "Hey," he says, his voice thin with uncertainty and worry. He knows JARVIS had warned against touching previously, but he remembers how Steve had clung to his sleeve a few months ago and after a second of hesitation, he reaches for Steve's shoe, hoping to ground him. "You're gonna be okay, Steve, just breathe with me, okay?"

He pulls in a breath, trying to remember the rhythms Pepper and JARVIS would set for him. "Like that, see?" he says, hoping his voice doesn't let on how nervous he is right now. His heart pounds and he squeezes Steve's foot, part of him trying to gain his own comfort as he works through this. "Try with me, okay?"

Steve sits up a little, his shoulders heaving as he tries to copy him. "Can't—" His hand claws harder at his chest. "Can't breathe—"

"I know, Steve," he says, resisting the urge to lean in further. He knows that feeling well. He knows the desperation and fear, and he hates having to see it on Steve right now. "I know it's scary, you're doing good, let's try again."

He sucks in a model breath, and Steve tries to follow him. Tony doesn't try to breathe too slowly right now, because he knows that Steve can't currently manage that, but he does try to keep a steady rhythm. "That's good, Steve," he says as calmly as possible as he counts the breaths and eyes Steve's shaking hands. "Keep going, you're okay."

He doesn't know what he says. He doesn't know what did it, but the instant those words leave his mouth, Steve's breaths cut off altogether. His eyes widen and he stares blankly out at nothing, his face pale in the terrifying silence. And then, like a kite jerking in the wind, his breath catches, and he sucks in a gasp. His next breath comes out as a sob, and Tony is left to sit and stare in sky-rocketing concern as Steve breaks down.

He is pretty sure this is actively worse than before, and his mind scrambles as he tries to figure out what went wrong. "Hey, hey Steve," he says worriedly as he comes around to crouch by his side. Tears are slipping down Steve's face and he is back to breathing in ragged pants again, the sound mingled with gut-wrenching muffled sobs. "It's okay –"

Steve shakes his head, and a new sob wracks through him, leaving Tony at a loss. He has no idea what to do. Something really bad must have happened with SHIELD and/or Hydra, but this is the first time he has seen Steve so utterly wrecked before. Even with that time in his room after the fireworks, Steve had still been clinging to some semblance of dignity.

Now, he looks like his whole world has fallen apart, and Tony has no idea what to do about it. Steve gasps and wipes his face with a shaking hand. His cheeks are red and splotchy, and his eyes are distant. That seems to be something he does a lot, slipping back a bit mentally. The look is not comforting, and Tony casts around desperately for something to do.

He glances back towards the lab behind them, and he decides that sitting in the corner of an elevator probably isn't helping anything. So, he convinces Steve to get up. It is a process, because Steve isn't exactly all there, but he manages to get him mobile. His heart pounds a staccato rhythm as he guides him into the lab and over to the ancient couch in the corner.

Steve continues to gasp for breath as tears trail down his face, and he stumbles as he collapses onto the couch. It is instinct to tug at the throw blanket and drape it over him, but Steve's tears don't slow. He stays curled up on the couch as Tony steps back, and DUM-E whistles in concern at the display. Tony glances over, fidgeting aimlessly with his shirt as he tries to figure out what to do next.

Obviously something bad had happened to set Steve off like this, and he has the feeling that this breakdown has probably been a long time coming.

That doesn't really clue him in on how to deal with it though. His own breakdowns have generally swirled down into the bottom of a bottle, so he doesn't have a lot of experience on either end of coping with the tragedy Steve is obviously going through.

DUM-E whirls as he rolls closer, and Tony presses his lips together as he looks over Steve. The all-consuming nature of his tears makes it look like 'calming down' won't be achieved until this storm has blown through.

He can remember as a child, the few times he had had fits like these. It hadn't happened often, because that sort of thing wasn't a survival trait for a Stark, but he can remember a few miserable times when Jarvis had sat with him as he had cried through his utter disappointment over something or other that Howard had done. He knows, when crying gets like this, it isn't really a matter of stopping it, but more, riding the wave to the other side.

He lets out a tense breath and goes over to pull up a rolling chair. He sits down next to where Steve is curled up and shaking on the couch. The sight is uncomfortable, because even with the vulnerability he had seen in Steve previously, he never expected to see him like this at all.

But, probably Steve never expected this either. Tony subtly sets his shoulders as he prepares to sit this through. He may not be able to do much, but he can at least be there.

He doesn't know how long it takes, but gradually, Steve's tears begin to ease. His breath remains ragged and irregular as he recovers, his eyes red and puffy. He sucks in a shuddery gasp as he sits up, the sound reminding Tony of the hyperventilating tears his younger self had cried years and years ago. The sound makes his stomach clench, and he is more than a little relieved when clarity begins to seep back into Steve's eyes.

Of course, getting through the crying spell is only the first thing they need to do. Now, they are in the aftermath, and that is just as terrifying as everything else. It is clear to him that they are going to need to talk about whatever had happened to Steve…but he isn't exactly sure how to get that started.

Steve still looks shaken and paper thin, his face splotchy as he sits up slowly, wiping his eyes. Tony swallows and bites the inside of his cheek, his eyes darting around the lab as he tries to think of something that will help keep this next part from getting too awkward. He doesn't really have a lot of practice navigating the conversations one has after witnessing this kind of thing, and he imagines that Steve is the same.

His gaze catches on the kettle Bruce had installed at the back counter, and inspiration dawns. Drinking warm things is good for this sort of thing, right? He can distinctly remember Jarvis producing warm milk for him as a child. He leaps at the idea and heads over to the kettle, rifling through the collection of powdered beverages that had snuck in through his work sessions with Bruce as they had collaborated on Steve's pain meds. He doesn't have milk, but he does have a tea bag that has the word 'Calm' written on it in purple letters, and he decides that is good enough.

It doesn't take long for the kettle to boil. He makes a mug for each of them—because he needs something to do with his hands—and by the time he heads back over to Steve, he is at least present enough to focus on him. He is still far from alright though. He remains silent as he accepts the tea, and his hands tremble around the mug. He sits hunched on the couch, the blanket around his shoulders adding to the disconcerting picture of vulnerability he makes.

Tony eases himself down onto his chair, his mind racing as he slowly takes a sip of his tea. He doesn't know what to say, but he is saved from speaking for a moment as DUM-E beeps and calls Steve's attention. Tony looks up and his face softens as DUM-E inches forward, a dented tissue box clasped in his claw.

He holds them out, and Steve's voice sounds rather congested as he grabs a few. "Thanks."

He manages to look a little more put together as he wipes his face and blows his nose, but, for the first time since Tony had met him, it doesn't look like he is trying to put up any walls. He looks exhausted, and he stays looking exhausted as he burrows into the couch, his mug clutched carefully in his hands.

Tony takes another sip of his tea, and he sees Steve glance up. Tony darts his eyes over him and swallows as he decides to open the conversation. "Bad day at the office I take it?" he starts, hoping that the casual opening will help keep Steve's walls down.

On the couch, Steve lets out a sharp noise that isn't quite a laugh. "You have no idea," he rasps, his eyes staring down into his mug as his shoulders pull up to his ears.

Tony swallows and decides to wait for a moment. He doesn't really know what kind of landmine conversation he is getting into, and he has a feeling it will be better to let Steve lead the way. That seems to be a good choice, because Steve speaks up again soon, his eyes staring into the bottom of his mug.

"I know where a new Hydra base is." His voice is empty and flat, his expression blank. Tony swallows and licks his lips.

"Oh?" he says, hoping Steve will continue to shed light on the situation. He had known Hydra had something to do with this, but to hear it confirmed makes him uneasy. What could they have done to set him off like this?

Steve shivers and pulls the blanket around him tighter. "Yesterday, Pierce called me in after my mission," his lips press together. "He said…he wanted me to meet one of their 'allies'."

His voice goes dry and sarcastic and brittle on the last word, and Tony scans him carefully. "What happened?"

Steve's chin dips as he swallows. "We…" he breathes in. "We went to the…the Ideal Federal Savings Bank, in D.C.? You know the..?" He looks up, and Tony recognises the subtle stalling tactic. He nods, even though he actually has next to no knowledge of the specific locations of banks in D.C. He will look it up later, right now he just needs to facilitate Steve's talking.

Steve lets out a breath, his tone going wry. "Well that's a front for a Hydra base so, don't keep your retirement savings there."

Tony's lips twitch, but he doesn't say anything, not wanting to interrupt Steve now that he has started. Steve's face still has traces of redness from crying, and his shaking has gotten more pronounced. He breathes in and tenses unexpectedly, his eyes darting around. "Where's my bag?"

Tony is a little thrown by the non sequitur, but he doesn't question it. He has a feeling that Steve's brain is jumping around trying to distract itself from whatever he has to say, and if getting him his bag will make him more comfortable, then he has no problem with that.

The duffle bag is back in the elevator, and he goes to collect it, taking a second to breathe and try to steady himself before he returns. He still feels on edge though, and his heart pounds as he returns, dreadful anticipation at whatever had happened to Steve mixing in his stomach.

Steve doesn't take the bag when he comes back. Instead he practically cringes away from it. His shoulders hunch and his knees pull up to his chest as he clutches his mug towards himself and bites his lip. "In there, there's a…a file. At the bottom. Can you grab it?"

The sight of Steve looking so small and defensive on the couch is not comforting, and Tony throws him a look of concern before fishing around in the bag. There, under Steve's day clothes, stuffed at the very bottom, is an inch thick beige folder.

"This?" He pulls it out and eyes it dubiously. He has a feeling this file is not SHIELD related.

His eyes dart up to Steve as his breath hitches, and he watches him breathe in determinedly. "Yeah, it's…it's from Hydra. It's their file on…" He swallows. "On their 'ally'."

The last words practically drip with acid, and Tony's sets Steve's bag down cautiously, keeping his eyes on Steve as he sits down. Steve doesn't seem inclined to take the folder, so he sets it on his lap with the same caution as he would handling a live bomb.

Steve nods at the file, his throat flexing. "I haven't…read it yet. I couldn't—" His face is pale and waxy, his lips thinning as he gestures at him to look at the file. "You'll see," he finishes miserably, his mouth twisting into a grimace as he drains the rest of his tea.

Tony's stomach flips in trepidation as he looks down at the folder. His tongue presses against his teeth as he flips it open, half-expecting the thing to bite him or something. Instead, he stares at a black and white photograph of a man. His eyes are closed, his face slack as though asleep. His hair is long, and his face is framed by some kind of frosted window, as though he is looking through a capsule at someone.

His eyes drop down to the smaller, wallet-sized photo paperclipped to the first picture, and his blood goes cold. Anyone could recognise that photo. It is Sergeant James Barnes, dressed in his army uniform, a smile on his face as he poses for the photographer. His eyes dart between the two photographs, not wanting to accept the implications.

His gaze jumps to the title page across from the photos, and bold black letters stare back at him. The Winter Soldier Project, it announces, the all-too familiar bloodred Hydra stamp sitting underneath. His throat is dry as he swallows, and he flips to the next page. The next few pages are a blur of horror. He sees the schematics for some kind of metal arm, but the way it is attached…the details of the surgery— his arc reactor complains sharply in his chest, and he shuffles through the pages, flipping past a diagram of some kind of capsule/chamber thing, and then an ominous chair.

His mind reels as he skims the pages, taken in a sentence here and there. The file doesn't mention any names, it is always 'the Sergeant' this, and then 'the Soldier' that, but— He looks up, his face pale. "Is this…"

Steve flinches, his head twitching to the side. "It's Bucky," he bursts out, tension lining every bone of his body. His fingers whiten around his mug. "Other-Steve was right. Bucky's alive and he's…" He cuts off as his breath shudders, and a shiver runs through Tony's spine as he tries to even imagine what Steve is saying.

He flips the file closed, his mind spinning in shock and confusion. He can remember when he and Steve had watched the clip of Other-Steve claiming that Bucky was alive. Steve had rightfully been shaken by that, and Tony had had JARVIS keep an eye out for anything that could support Other-Steve's claim…but he hadn't been expecting to find anything.

He doubts Steve had been expecting to find anything either. And— he remembers suddenly that Steve had said that Pierce had brought him to meet this 'ally'. His stomach drops as he realises that Steve hadn't just been told about whatever Hydra had done to Bucky, he had probably met him.

Never in a million years could Tony have predicted this. "How is that even…how is he even alive?" He is sure the file could tell him, but the images from the arm replacement are still too fresh in his mind. He can't risk opening it again right now.

A look of exhaustion passes over Steve's face. "He was experimented on by Hydra during the war," he explains tiredly, and Tony's mouth goes dry as he remembers that Bucky had indeed been captured once before. Steve's lips press together. "Hydra found him after he fell and they…"

He stiffens, and his jaw clenches as he swallows. Tony looks up as DUM-E whirls sadly and rolls closer, his claw swinging down to clasp Steve's foot, much like Tony had done in the elevator. Steve offers him a smile bordered with tears and he breathes in.

His gaze jumps back to him. "They have a machine that wipes his memories," he explains, his voice strained. Tony's eyes widen. "He doesn't remember me." Steve's voice breaks and he grits his teeth. "He doesn't remember anything except for working for Hydra and…and he's hardly their ally."

He spits the word out like it is poisonous, and his face pulls into a scowl of fury. "They keep him in cryofreeze whenever he isn't 'active'," his voice is sharp, his glare intensifying the longer he talks about Hydra's horrifying dehumanization of his friend. "And they shove him back in whenever his mission's over, like some kind of demented toy—"

He chokes off abruptly, his chin ducking. His hands shake on his mug, and Tony can see now why he had completely fallen apart in the elevator. "No wonder you're a wreck," he mutters softly.

Steve barks out a sharp laugh.

"Yeah, well…" he shrugs. "Couldn't fall apart back in D.C. The apartment's bugged to high heaven." Tony's eyes go round in alarm. He hadn't even thought of that. No wonder Steve had broken down. He had had to bottle it up the whole time he was in D.C., and the moment he had gotten somewhere safe he had collapsed.

On the couch, Steve looks down and fiddles anxiously with his empty mug. "Hydra wants me to…" He twitches. "Bucky needs a…handler, out in the field and Hydra wants me to…"

Tony's eyes nearly bug out of his head. "They're going to make you order around your best-friend-turned-attack-dog?" That is mindboggling to him. Did Hydra really expect that Steve would just be willing to— His train of thought cuts off as he comes to an uncomfortable realisation. Something big is coming. Hydra's Helicarriers are almost finished, and whatever their big plan is, it must be approaching soon.

Steve is probably still under some suspicion from them, and they probably can't afford to have him mess up their plans last minute. What better way to test his resolve than to throw him into this with no warning and see what he does? What better way of keeping him in line than to show him exactly what they can do. If you step out of line, we can hurt your friend. If you step out of line, we can hurt you.

Steve shivers and nods. "He follows the orders he's given," he says emotionlessly, his eyes dull. "But they think he'll follow me even better and—" He ducks his head and pulls his elbows into himself, his face scrunching up as he closes his eyes in pain. "I should have looked for him." Tony's heart freezes. "Bucky's been their prisoner for 70 years and I didn't even look–"

No way. He can't have Steve blaming himself for this. "Hey now," he cuts in, leaning forward and shaking his knee, trying to get him to look up. "This is not your fault, okay? This is Hydra and Nazis and sadistic bastards alright?"

He knows why Steve is blaming himself. He can't even imagine finding out that his friend survived this way, especially since he knows that Steve had been there when Bucky had 'died' originally. But he knows with absolute certainty that tumbling off the edge into self-blame will not end well for them.

Steve doesn't look up though. His jaw clenches. "Bucky's alive but he's not— he doesn't even know me."

Tony tries to imagine what that would be like. If he found Rhodey or something, after he thought he died, and then found out he didn't remember him at all, and had been trained to fight for Nazis. He can't imagine it. The horror of it is too much to comprehend, and he casts about desperately for something to say to comfort Steve.

Bucky doesn't remember him but— inspiration dawns, and his hand tightens on Steve's knee. "Maybe now," he says, his mind alight with his realisation. "But maybe not forever."

Steve's head darts up, a painful hope in his eyes.

"You said they have a machine, right?" The words pour out of him as he holds Steve's gaze. "Something there that wipes his memories?" Steve nods slowly and Tony lets out a breath, sitting back. "Well," he sweeps his hands out. "It's been seventy years, right? Why bother having the thing now if they're not worried about him remembering stuff?"

If Bucky couldn't remember, if it were impossible for his memories to return, then Hydra wouldn't need the machine anymore. It would have fallen out of use after seventy years. But Hydra still has it. If they still have it, then there must be a chance of Bucky remembering again.

At least he hopes so. For Steve's sake.

Steve's mouth falls open, the vulnerable hope on his face growing. "I…Pierce did say they have to wipe him after every mission, just in case."

Just in case. The words are a relief. If Hydra is still worried to that degree, then there must be a chance. He nods, trying to portray confidence as he looks at Steve. "I don't know if your friend will ever be who he used to be," he says, because he doesn't want to get Steve's hopes up too far. No matter what happens, Bucky will not be the person he remembers him as. "But I wouldn't give up on him just yet."

He watches Steve's eyes flash, and he raises his chin, determination wrapping around him like a shroud. "Of course not," he says, his voice sharp and his gaze hard. ""I think Hydra will live to regret ever having met Bucky Barnes."

The words are dark and foreboding, and Tony wouldn't have expected anything less. He licks his lips as he regards Steve's ominous expression. "Yeah, I think so too," he agrees quietly.

Hydra may have introduced Steve to Bucky to try to manipulate him, but they have no idea what they are starting. If Steve weren't already planning to take down Hydra, Tony would say that they had just signed their death warrant.

AN: I hope you enjoyed part two of Tony dealing with Steve's breakdowns. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, because we get more insight into how and why Tony reacted pretty well, no matter the shock.

Fun fact, I actually tried writing this chapter first, and I got about two pages in before I realised that I needed more context for how Tony and Steve's relationship had developed since the start of the story, so I wrote chapter six, and then came back to this.