Hello all!

I am sorry that this took me so long. I did not mean for this chapter to take so long!

Well, I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I will note I pissed off a reader for reasons I am not even sure of why. Something about me making Tony Gay and something about Shuri. Who knows. I was going to give him or her some credibility. Tony is a bit whiny in this story, but then they call me an idiot and that is where he/she lost me. You many not like the story, which is okay. I am not mad at that. You are allowed to like or dislike this story or any story. Just don't do the insult and the name calling. Now, I can't take his or her review seriously. So if you want to leave a review, go ahead, but please no name calling

thank you!

Anyhow, please let me know what you think.

Chapter 9:

The Agent and The Assassin

With the shift in the air, Tony's head was thumping after the jets had taken off. His eye twitched at every shift, and he could barely focus on what Ayo was saying to him. He could barely understand what Natasha was going on about, though he could guess to what. He closed his eyes and forced himself him to breathe. Tony wasn't a stranger to pain, and just one look at his life, you could see that. This discomfort wasn't anything that he wasn't used to, but shit, it was bothering him more than he expected. He had taken a few painkillers from the first aid kit, but it wasn't anything strong, and there was still a hum of pain on the surface. It was a throbbing itch that he could not scratch.

"Did you hear me, Stark?" Ayo asked, her voice going up.

"What? Yea, Sure?" He uttered, shifting in his chair.

Rhodey cocked his head to side. "How you are feeling?" he asked.

Tony glanced up, refusing to move any part of his body. Visible bruises were now forming up and down his body, and now that he could breathe, he could feel it. "Peachy," he replied from the corner of his mouth.

"You're getting looked at when we get back," Rhodey said, sternly. "I am sure JARVIS and FRIDAY will agree. Ayo, too. She looked pissed off." He nodded to the woman at the front of the plane.

"She's mad because she lost her spear," Tony chirped.

Ayo spun in the pilot seat, nailing Tony with a twitching look—a shocking exposure of emotion. "That, and you haven't been listening." She replied, her accent heavy in her anger. "As stated before, Prince T'Challa has been summoned back to Wakanda. He will not be there for awaking of Barnes."

Okay, Tony should've listened to her, because that was big. After the fight with the two Winter Soldiers, they thought it best to have T'Challa and his strength there, acting like failsafe. He would be able to match Barnes. With the beating still fresh on his mind, Tony had used that idea—that failsafe—as something to hold on. It settled him, but without that, his mind went into rapid fire. Doubt flooded his mind in a free fall, as they could not stand another wild Winter Soldier. "Okay, we got this." He replied. "Does T'Challa got some babies to kiss?"

Ayo rolled her eyes before adding, "Only you Stark."

Natasha, as if she was suggesting take out, shot out, "You can ask Rogers, if you need a super soldier. He would be happy to be here. Probably be better in the long run. I don't think Steve will be happy to find out you were keeping his best friend from him. I know I wouldn't."

The woman had a point, and crap, he was doing the one thing that he was pissed at Steve for. Granted, keeping Barnes safe from Hydra was different than keeping the fact that Hydra had killed his parents using Barnes. So yes, it was different. "I can drop you off right here, and you can walk home. You don't have to be here."

"I'm not going anywhere. If Hydra still exists, you bet your pretty ass I'm staying." Natasha countered, her voice turning somewhat chilly.

Tony returned that same icily tone. "Then hush it." He knew it would only be for so long before the Former Russian Spy demanded answers in a way that only she could do and make it impossible for him to say no, but he would worry about that later, when he wasn't hurting from head to toe.

"Stark, I will get answers." She commented, her arms folded across her chest.

"I'm sure you'll keep trying," Tony said, adjusting himself. "Just be careful. I may have to sick Ayo on you, and as we learned before, Ayo is fuming and ready to let out her angry."

*O*O*

The quinjet touched down in the Playhouse, and the hanger door closed a second later. Like the good agent that he was, Koenig was at the door with a tablet in his hands and a status update. He had a stern expression on his face, as he watched they disembarked from the jet. The descend was a slow process for Tony as his body didn't want to move. It was a battle to even sit up straight. There was a second of annoyance and resentment in him, trickling up inside him, as he watched Ayo and Natasha walk with little issues. There may be a limp in their step, but it was nowhere near the limp in his step. Shit, Tony could barely put wait in his ankle without it buckling beneath him.

"Tony!" Rhodey had called, noticing the genius struggling.

If it wasn't for the wall of the jet, Tony was pretty sure he would be on his face. "Just get Bucky here to his room." He stammered. After waving Rhodey off, Ayo and Rhodey turned to Barnes, and using hover technology, they unloaded Barnes's heavy pod off the jet without issue. Tony, after battling to his feet, had attempted to assist, but both Ayo and Rhodey waved him off with an angry/annoyed huff. It was like he had asked the same stupid question twice, which made Tony's eye twitch. He supposed they had the point. No amount of self-adjustment was going to hide his limp; plus, he looked like shit. The only thing Rhodey was going to let him do was go to medical, which he repeated over and over like he was talking to a child. FRIDAY interjected this as well. The stubborn genius that he, he would ignore that until after they set Barnes up.

Still feeling like someone was playing baseball with his head, Tony wanted to go to asleep or drink. Or both. He was leaning toward drinking. If he drunk enough, he was sure he could fell asleep without the nightmares, though it would not do him any good. Getting drunk, right now, would only serve to undermine him and his goals, especially with the physical consequences that he would face in the morning. He also had to stay on task, and that was exactly what he was going to do. No distractions allowed. "Oh, Agent! My Second favorite Agent!"

"Stark," Koenig greeted. "And Second? Who's your first? I'm insulted."

Tony, ignoring the pain, shrugged. "I can't tell you. Where would the fun be at?"

A small smile popped onto Koenig face. "I see you brought guests." His eyes scanned the group, resting on Natasha. He took notice of her injuries, putting them all to memory. "Agent Romanoff. A surprise to see you here but not unwelcome. I'm a fan."

Natasha, her eyes narrowed, turned to Koenig. "So, which Koenig are you?" she asked, still cross from earlier. She was still waiting on answers, and she would remain like this until she got answers.

"Billy," the Agent answered, still with a smile on his face. "My siblings are on other assignments."

Tony's face crunched. "There is more than one of you?"

"Oh, yes. Three identical brothers and one sister," Koenig answered. His face lit up talking about his siblings. "We find it an honor to serve SHIELD."

Even though it hurt to laugh, Tony let out a cackling laugh. "Oh, your poor mother!"

"Ignore, Stark." Ayo stared at him, her eyes lingering on his limp. "Where do you want him?" she asked, lightly tapping on the transportation pod.

"FRIDAY and I have set up a room for our Winter Soldier." Koenig replied, as he tapped on his tablet.

Calling it a room was being nice; it was a holding cell. They were taking him out of one cell and was putting him in another. What kind of freedom was that? Tony knew it wouldn't be forever, but Barnes wouldn't see it as anything else. "Then, let's get him there. You there, FRIDAY?" he called.

"Why of course, Boss. Who else would force you to medical?" FRIDAY asked to the amusement of the others. "If you go down that hallway and to the left, you will find it. You will find that it agrees with you."

"Good, because this fool needs it," Rhodey replied with a snicker. "And point me in the direct you want him." He tapped on Barnes' pod, as he looked around.

Natasha glanced around, taking in everything. The base may have been updated and modernized, but the hanger still showed its age. "Where are we?" she asked, curiosity leaking through.

Koenig gave Tony a confused look before answering Natasha. "You don't know? Stark seemed to be keeping everything close to the vest."

"It gets annoying after a while," Rhodey added, a little bitter. "We're working on that."

It was true that Tony hadn't told the entire truth to anyone, especially when it related to Barnes and the murder of his parents, but there was a reason for everything that he did. He didn't know if it was right, but it was what he was doing. Somethings were too painful to speak about. "Hey!"

"We're in one of Fury's secret bases, Agent Romanoff," Koenig answered, when no one else spoke. "He had commissioned quite a few bases in case they were needed. Considering Hydra is running around, he was right to do so."

Natasha narrowed her eyes. "This base is-"

Koenig cut her off. "You won't find this base on any SHIELD servicers, mainframes or anything. I'm still shocked those two found them." He said, pointing to Ayo and Tony.

There was a calculating look Natasha's face, the gearing turning in her head. "And Fury knows none of this?" she asked. "Hydra exists and yet-"

Tony wasn't willing to discuss the entire story with Natasha just yet. "I say the Agent and Rhodey can get the Winter Soldier set up," he started, tapping the pod, "while Romanoff, Ayo and I go to medical. We can talk after that."

"I support that course of action," FRIDAY chirped.

"Sounds like a plan. Who is our guess here?" Koenig asked, taking a step forward. "Do I get to know?"

"Oh, Stark didn't tell you that either?" Natasha asked, curiosity instead of annoyance this time.

Tony let out a harsh sigh, though he deserved that. He may not like it, really not like it, but he could admit it that she had a point. On the other hand, she did force her way here, so did she have the right to be mad? He didn't have to tell her anything. Stop it, he told himself. He needed to stop treating her like her possible future self. Right now, she had his back, even if she was pissed off. It was just difficult, considering the future replayed in his head. "James Barnes. Yes. I know. Thee James Barnes. Best friend of Rogers," he said, answering Koenig. He sounded completely exhausted. "Again, we can all chat about this later, alright?"

"Shit," Koenig uttered, taking a look at the frozen man. "Shit." He repeated. "How is that possible?"

"Later. Right now, I need some heavy painkillers. I think Ayo and Romanoff can attest to that. We got our asses kicked," he said, walking passed the agent and toward the direction of the medical wing.

"I did not get my ass kicked as you say it," Ayo protested. "However, I agree with Stark."

Natasha rolled her eyes, "Yes, you did. We all did."

Tony laughed, his chest still hurting. "Then, it is settled."

*O*O*

There wasn't any medical personal on base. Koenig was the only living soul on this base—well besides Barnes who would be living here for the foreseeable future. But, with FRIDAY, they were able to able to obtain full body scans—not that JARVIS couldn't do it within the suit. He did, but FRIDAY, her overprotective self, required a scan herself. She was quite insistence. It wasn't like he had any broken bones, which he was pleased about. His left ankle and his right wrist were severely sprained. Covered in deep purple bruises, he would be sore for a while, especially with the small fractures in shoulder. He shouldn't be surprised, considering how hard he hit the wall.

Natasha, hiding her injuries well, had a fractured rib and several colorful bruises along her side, but she had no other major injuries. Ayo had a seriously sprained wrist and bruises up and down her back, but she also didn't have any major injuries. It went without saying they would be hurting in the morning as that Super Soldier tossed them around like ragdolls. That Winter soldiers had all the advantages, and if it wasn't for the Iron Man suit, they would have been killed.

"Are you going to explain yourself?" Natasha asked, her eyes drilling into him. Her wrist wasn't as bad as the others', but she wrapped it tightly.

Fiddling with his heavy wrist brace, Tony glanced up at Natasha. "On what?" he asked, knowing exactly what she wanted to speak about. There was no getting out of this.

Natasha let out a harsh, judgmental sigh, as she rolled her eyes. "Stark. Don't be cute. It doesn't look good on you."

Tony snorted as he got to his feet, his left leg shaking beneath his weight. He had a heavy brace on his leg, but it only seem to hinder him. "Everything looks good on me, Honey. I don't know who you're kidding."

"Enough with the jokes," Natasha hissed.

Ayo got to her feet, sensing the tension in the room mounting. "I do not believe he owes you anything. Did you forget you forced your way on the quinjet?"

Natasha turned, giving Ayo a nasty look. "Maybe so, but I think I have the right to demand answers. Stark has been keeping us the dark for some time. Are you sure he isn't keeping you in the dark?"

Tony let out a bitter sigh. This woman wasn't going to make this easy. Yes, he hadn't told the whole truth to anyone, but he hadn't lied to Ayo or T'Chaka. He hadn't misled them. Sure, he had lied to Rhodey at first, and he still was lying to Pepper, a woman that he supposedly loved. If he loved her, he should tell her. She deserved the truth, but if he was being honest, he was scared to tell her. Yes, he was a hypocrite, doing the same thing that Rogers had done. "Ayo knows everything," he answers, ignoring the fact that he had omitted a few things from her.

Natasha didn't believe it. "So, you told a woman you knew less than… What two? Three weeks? How long have you known me? Known Steve? I get the not telling Fury and SHIELD, considering the hellhole that we find ourselves in. Plus, you never really liked him." She shifted her weight. "But this is Steve's best friend! He deserves to know."

Again, Tony knew he was being unfair; he had no reason. No real reason to keep Steve in the dark besides future events that would never happen now. "I'm aware, but I think it's best we assess his mental state before we do anything." Tony, with the knowledge of future events, knew what to expect when Barnes awoke, considering how much Rogers had whined about it. Barnes, who hid from the world, didn't remember anything at the beginning and ran, which was why it took Rogers and Wilson awhile to find him. Heck, it wasn't even them that found the man; it was Zemo, who flooded them out. "I don't need Rogers forcing his way on Barnes. Barnes needs to heal on his own timeline, not Rogers's timeline."

She thought over what Tony said before responding, "I supposed you aren't wrong, but it's a mistake to keep him in the dark. He may be able to help Barnes. You aren't a doctor, Stark." She paused, taking a breath. "I'll say it again: it won't do anyone any good to keep this a secret." Natasha gave him a hard look. "Are there any other secrets you aren't telling?" She kept pushing.

"That I am from future?" Tony replied with a shrug. With a smile, he ignored the chuckle from Ayo.

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Is everything a joke to you?"

It was funny, because it was the truth, which made Tony laugh harder. It wasn't his fault no one believed him. "Why yes, it is," he said with a wiggle, which he regretted a second later. Pain shot through his body. His jaw locked as he tried to ride through it.

No matter how hard Tony tried to suppress his discomfort, he couldn't hide it from Ayo. "You should sit," she suggested, taking a step toward him. "No need to hide it."

Natasha eyed darted between the two, overanalyzing Ayo's soft expression. "What did Stark do to earn Wakanda's trust?" she questioned. "Besides keeping the secret that Wakanda is more than some third world country. How did you keep that unwrapped?" Her eyes were drilling into Ayo. "What are you trying to hide? The Vibranium?" She waited a second. "Well, I should say more Vibranium. More than what has been stolen from your country. That is a given, compared to that Wakandan Jet."

Ayo, like a switch had be switch, gave Natasha an icily stare, her eyes drilling into the woman. "The Vibranium that was stole from Wakanda has been returned," she replied. "And I will not reveal any Wakandan secrets."

"Oh, by who? Isn't the cat already out of the bag?" Natasha inquired, her eyebrow rising.

"Me," Tony answered as he turned to the door, his legs Jello beneath him, but he forced himself to move. "We can talk about me later. Right now, we have a brainwashed soldier to help." Natasha, standing silent, wanted to put up a fight; Tony could see it in her eyes, but she didn't. "Good. Let's go!"

*O*O*

FRIDAY, with the help of Koenig, was able to get Barnes set up in this 'room,' but it wasn't a bedroom in any sense. It didn't have pictures, windows or anything like that, but Tony refused to think of it as a cell, even if that was exactly that. It was a prison. It didn't matter what it looked like or what they were attempting to do. Barnes wouldn't be able to leave. He wouldn't have any freedoms, not for a while. Heck, it looked like an old fashion jail cell where people went to disappear, though Koenig attempted to make it anything else. However, there was only so much that they could allow. They had to be careful. As they were unsure what or who—the real question- they were dealing with, it was unwise to put him in a regular room with all of the fixing. That would cause more harm than good, and they wouldn't risk an unstable Winter Soldier. So, while Barnes was in a cell, they did try to add some comfort. There were no bars. The fourth wall was a forcefield, which could fade to black and/or reflect any image they wanted. FRIDAY, by her own desire, would be providing different images to Barnes every day.

Currently, the pod was in the corner of the cell, hooked up to several monitors and computers. There was a bed on the other side of the room, the only furniture in the room. Tony thought it screamed torture chamber, which was probably what the Winter Soldier was expecting. There was no ill-advised illusion that Hydra treated Barnes with any kind of respect or kindness. They had shocked treatment to fry the man's brain so they could have a blank slate. If they had that, there was no telling what else they did to this man.

"FRIDAY, how is our favorite Super Soldier doing?" Tony asked, staring at the old pod. Ayo and Natasha were both at his side as if in formation around him. Rhodey, not standing far from the frozen Barnes, had a tablet in his hand, going over Barnes's vitals. Koenig, chatting like best friends with FRIDAY, was double checking the connections. They formed an odd team.

"Favorite?" Natasha asked, giving Tony an odd look. Like everyone else, she knew that there was something strained between Steve and him, but she wouldn't give up until she figured it out. "You set the bar low?"

"His vitals are stabilized," FRIDAY answered, "and are gradually increasing as the temperature rises slowly." FRIDAY was a godsent, being in consistent communications with Wakanda. She had been sending and receiving updates. With the help of Koenig and Rhodey, she was able to apply their suggestions and recommendations. Tony had wanted to keep everything in house—trust issues, man—but no one on the team was a medical practitioner with extensive medical knowledge. Sure, Tony was a genius with multiple degrees, but he was not a doctor. Why didn't they have a Doctor in his group? He needed a Doctor McCoy to his Captain Kirk.

Wait, could he kidnap Doctor Strange? It was only fair to drag that man in now. Sure, Tony had Helen Cho—well, not yet. They had yet to meet in this timeline. He was adding her to the list-, but for some reason, he wanted to kidnap Strange, even if the Ancient One had warned him off. What would it change? It wasn't like he wouldn't give the Doctor back, after he punched him in the face. He would. Surely, a few days would not change the outcome of Strange's fate, right? No, Tony told himself. Even if he had every urge to reach out to Strange, he had to stay on task. He had a job to do, and he couldn't risk changing the future just to punch a man.

"You okay, Tony?" Ayo asked, taking a step toward Tony. "You seem out of it."

Tony smiled at her, while ignoring Natasha who drilled holes into him. "Fine," he articulated slowly, knowing very well what he was going. He was trying to distract himself rather than deal with the matter at hand. With Barnes's temperature growing, he was looking more and more alive, and this was becoming real. The memories were flooding back, and he was facing feelings he wanted to forget.

"You don't look so well, Stark," Natasha commented.

"Yea, I got beat up by a Super Soldier. All things considering, I'm peachy," he said. He forced a smile to his face. It was odd, strange really. He couldn't understand why this was hitting him so hard. He had years to get over the death of his parents, but yet, he was sent back to that time with one look. Everything rushed back at him like it just happened. He was a kid again. It was unnerving. He should be over this. Sure, he learned his parents were murdered by Hydra, but that didn't change the fact that they were dead. Nothing he did would bring them back. Taking down Hydra would bring them some justice, bring a lot of people justice. Plus, his parents would want him to help Barnes. He should focus on.

Yet, that video, that cursed video, was suck in his head on a loop. There was a sudden weight on his hip, and his legs almost buckled under him. The famous video, in his damn pocket, felt like bricks had been tied to his legs, weighting him down to the ocean floor. Shit, he could rewatch it. He could put it on repeat literally. He hated himself as that sounded appealing, and he was better than that. Better than this. That video was nothing. Nothing. It meant nothing. It was just a tool that Zemo used to split up the Avengers. "Be right back," he said, glancing at Barnes for a second. He didn't wait for a response before he turned to the steps.

*O*O*

Tony glowered at the famous tape as if it would start playing like a smart phone. It didn't matter that it didn't; he could see it now, playing like a nightmare. "Stop it", he demanded, his heart not listening. This was stupid. He had years to get over this crap. He had years to get over a lot of things, like Natasha betraying him. He didn't need to go backward. If he did, his presence wouldn't do Barnes any good, and he could not have that. He could handle this. He refused to do anything to harm or damage Barnes any more than he was. That man deserved every chance in life.

"Tony?"

Like being caught witching a bad porno, he dropped his hand and hurled the tape back into his pocket. "I'm fine," He said, quickly and loudly, as he spun to the door. To his surprise—though he should've expected it-, both Ayo and Rhodey stood in the doorway with two sets of calculating looks.

"If you were fine, you wouldn't have bolted from the room like a scared child." Ayo replied, giving Tony an annoyed look. She scanned him over, her eyes taking him in.

Tony snorted softly. "Look at this," he said, picking up his foot and waving it. "I'm not doing anything in this boot." He wobbled, almost falling, before reaching out to the nearest chair for support.

Rhodey rolled his eyes. "Cut the act. Future self or not, I've known you for years; I'm your best friend. I know when something is up. Now stop being stupid and tell me what it is."

A part of Tony wanted to tell them both the truth, but he wasn't sure if he could admit that. Besides, he didn't want to color either Ayo or Rhodey's opinion of Barnes, not that they would hold that against the brain washed man. "Just future drama," he replied, waving them off.

"Why don't you tell me what that is? I know the accords split up the Avengers, but this is more than that," Rhodey said, taking in his best friend. "I know there is."

"I agree with him," Ayo replied, nodding to Rhodey.

Tony's eye twitched. That was not fair. They weren't allowed to team up against him; this was like FRIDAY and JARVIS all over again. He did not need another set. Why did he attract this sort of attention? "Nope, I refuse this friendship."

"If you need a third opinion, Boss, I agree with Ayo and colonel Rhodes." FRIDAY added.

Groaning loudly, Tony faced palmed. "I'm fine. It's all fine. It's just a fight between Barnes, Rogers and I that I'm flashing back to. Nothing horrible. Okay? Let's drop it and move on."

Ayo glanced toward Rhodey; her eyebrow rose. "I may not know him as long as you, but I call horseshit."

Rhodey laughed, pointing to Ayo. "I like this one. She easily sees through your bullshit."

Tony let out a heavy sigh as he limped toward them. "I am fine," he stressed. It wasn't far from the truth. Okay, he was not fine, but he would be fine. He just needed to work through his own issues, and then he would be fine. It was only a matter of time before he was back to normal or whatever was normal nowadays. "Let's get back to Barnes before Romanoff decides to kidnap him."

"And you are okay with her being here?" Ayo asked, not moving from the door.

Again, this was one of those things that he needed to get over. "Romanoff can stay. It's better that way. She'll be where we can watch her." It was better that way. They could watch her and know what she was up to. Natasha already knew too much and to kick her out now would only create issues. Besides, Natasha was right. She had done nothing wrong. Tony just had to give her a chance, like he was giving Barnes—not that Barnes didn't deserve that and beyond. Besides, the world needed the Avengers. They need the team, which meant they had to work together. They worked together before. They could do it again.

"Okay, Stark." Ayo replied.

Tony paused, giving her a look. "We should probably be nice to her. She has a point." He shrugged.

Rhodey narrowed his eyes. "You know I'm bitter about you not telling me you're from the future. Hello, I'm your best friend. I should know these things. So why don't you tell me what's going now? Why are you mad at her at all?"

Tony could feel himself on the edge as the pain started to creep back. He was going to need another doze of painkillers after this, but he could feel a headache growing at the base of his skull. It was intensifying. "I missed the part where this Tony's therapy hour," he replied, harsher than he intended. "Let's get back downstairs." He didn't wait for an answer and rushed—as much as he could- pass them like an angry bull.

*O*O*

"Boss," Friday called, just before Tony could make it back to the cell.

He paused in at steps, looking back toward the door he came from. He was expecting Ayo and Rhodey at any second. "Yea, Fri?"

"Miss Potts is inquiring of your location. She does not sound pleased."

Tony could admit that he was too grumpy for his own good. He was sure it was the pain causing his ill temper, well he blamed it on the pain. A lot of things were pissing him off, but they were nonexistence at this moment. "Tell her I'll talk to her later. Daddy is working." He said, putting on a smile.

"I will, Boss, but I will warn you that that will most likely put you in the doghouse."

Tony snorted. "What else is new?" He would just add it to the list. "Just tell her I will be back as soon as I can."

"I shall, though I believe that will not please her."

He didn't respond as he made his way back to the room. When he arrived, he could see Natasha and Koenig on either side of the pod. On the large screen above Natasha was a Wakandan Woman giving out orders. Natasha, her attention focused on the woman, was reciting the readings from the monitors. Koenig was twisting knobs and connecting wires, his eyes popping up Barnes' to pale face. From his distance, he could Barnes' core temperature rise ever so slowly. They had to do this slowly as they could send the man into shock.

"Oy, white boy."

Tony didn't have to look up to know who was speak. There was only one person who called him that: Shuri. That very person was standing behind the Wakanda Doctor with a large smile. "Hello, Princess," he said, returning the smile.

Natasha snorted as she glanced up. "White boy? I see it."

Tony shot Natasha a look, a hint of playfulness breaking through his voice. It was hard to look at her with anything but fondness when she was shooting him a frisky, dangerous look. It was a remainder of what they had. They had been a sassy team. "Watch it," he warned, cheerier than he intended to be.

"You look like crap." Shuri replied with a cheeky smile.

"Why does everyone point this out? Do you all enjoy my pain?" He cried out, teasingly. It was at this point that Ayo and Rhodey stepped into the room, each spotting a seriously look. "And where have you two been?" It was odd that they were not directly behind him. "Making out?"

Rhodey's eye twitched. "Why is that where your mind goes? You and se-"

"There is a child present!" Tony replied, aching horrified. Pain shot through him again as he acted repulsed, bringing his hands on his face in a shocked fashion.

Ayo let out a chuckling sigh, as she focused on Shuri. "Hello, Young one." There was a smile on Ayo face that Tony hadn't seen before. "Are you misbehaving?"

Shuri looked hurt. "Why would you believe such things?"

The Wakandan woman shot Shuri a look before turning back to Natasha and Koenig. "We have work to do. No time for your silliness, Princess."

"First, I need to know what has happen to Ayo, Stark and that one," Shuri said, pointing to Natasha. Her eyes narrowing, she took in the former Russian Spy. "It looks like they got the shit beat out of them. I need to know."

The Woman shushed the girl and pointed to her a tablet off screen. "Why don't you put that brain to work if you insist in being here?" she reprimanded. Shuri let out a pout as she stepped to the side and picked up the tablet. Just like that that, they fell into place. Natasha, without another word, returned to the monitor. Rhodey crossed to Koenig and begun working on the pod, receiving more guidance along the way. Ayo stood back and watched the screen unfold. She was a silent guard, waiting to see if she would be needed.

Tony, though slowed by the brace on his hand, ran though the codes and programming. With FRIDAY's help, he was working through the ancient code and adding bridges to connect to their present day technically. Okay, it wasn't that old, but it felt like it. Hydra, more innovative than Tony gave them credit for, wasn't as advanced as they thought they were. Their work was dated—annoyingly so, which made more work for him. He needed to write line and lines of code. This was how the group worked for the next few hours, like a well oil team.

Working through their exhaustion, they were able to get Barnes to room temperature. Once more, those odd and numbing feeling were back, but Tony pushed those back. The day before had long since disappeared and it was almost noon the following day. They were running on fumes, but they kept going. Everyone had wanted to wait until they had a few hours of sleep under their belt. Considering it was a battle to keep his eyes open, Tony could admit that it was a good idea; however, it didn't sit well with him.

The idea of rest freaked him out, and it wasn't the nightmares, though they didn't help. He had stated it before. Had thought it before. It was the future that freaked him out. He was too worried to rest. Too worried that resting would just hinder him. He had list of things to accomplish, and there was no dancing around them. He needed to get it done. If he wasn't careful, he could run out of time, and terrified him. If he failed, the world failed. This was what drove him, and this was why he refused to give himself time to rest. He needed to be ahead of the game for at least once. There was no time to stop and smell the roses.

Tony did know that he couldn't rush this. He couldn't risk Barnes's safety, his mental health. So, while he was worried about his stupidity hurting the man, he also knew no amount of time was going to change it. Either they did it now or later, Barnes was going to have difficult time. He was still going to go through hell, and no amount of time was going to prepare them anymore than they already were. This was why Tony felt okay with pushing forward. This was why he refused to listen the others. He was fine. He could do this. "Okay, are we ready to wake him up?"

The Wakandan woman nodded. "I believe we are. I advise that it would be best to have only one person near Sergeant Barnes when he awakes. We do not want to frighten the man. Considering his history, it is likely that he will strike out."

Tony didn't need to be told that twice, not when he was wearing two braces and moved like a snail. He, feeling like crap, didn't want to be hit or almost beaten to death not for the second time. This Barnes was not Bucky, not Steve's friend. He was a Winter Soldier, a trained killer. "I second that."

Koenig glanced at the four of them. "It should be me. You three," he started, pointing to Tony, Ayo and Natasha, "look like crap. I vote they stay behind the barrier. Colonel Rhodes, you're welcome to stay. Might be for the best. Two vs one if it comes down to it."

"I agree with that, Agent," FRIDAY pipped up. "I will also note that you will not be alone either way. I have your back."

Tony snorted as Koenig bushed. "Thank you. I knew I could count on you, Buddy."

"Get a room," Tony chipped.

Rhodey chuckled as he yelled, "There's a child present!" Ayo laughed, holding her ribs.

Shuri huffed over the view feed. "I am not child."

"All children say that," Tony replied with a cheeky smile.

"And you would know how?" Natasha asked, getting to her feet.

Peter, like always, flashed before Tony's eyes. "Super genius and all." Ayo and Rhodey shared a knowing look. "But let's get back to the task at hand."

It was at this point that Ayo, Natasha, and Tony moved behind the force field. Rhodey stood a few feet behind Koenig, who took the lead. "I can't believe I'm waking up the James Barnes." He said, cheerily. After one last check over Barnes' vitals, Koenig hit the switch on the tablet, which kicked everything into action. The pod slowly opened, revealing Barnes's full form. Koenig, on instruction from the Wakandan Doctor, injected the sleeping Barnes with adrenaline. His eyes glued to the man, he took a step back and waited.

It became a waiting game, a game that Tony had no interest in standing for. Granted, he wasn't sure if sitting would be much better. He pulled up a chair and sank into it like the titanic. After the long day that they had, the metal chair felt like heaven even if it was a steel trap. It may hurt his already marred back, but his legs thanking him for it. He, a painful twitch in his arm, leaned on the armrest and closed his eyes. "Tell me when he wakes," he uttered softly, exhaustion taking over.

Natasha stared down at Tony and studied the lines on his face. "When is the last time you slept?" she asked.

Tony could always appreciate how quickly Natasha's mood could change. He got whip lash from her faster than a car coming to a quick stop. There was a nasty insult on the tip of his tongue, but he pushed it aside. "I don't recall. Probably not a good thing." He answered honestly. Who could sleep when he had the world to think about?

"You're being honest," she answered, surprised.

"It happens. Like a four-leaf clover. Rare but they exist.," Tony shrugged, pushing himself up.

Natasha glanced over to Ayo, sharing a warring look with her. "You're going to work yourself to death." She sighed.

"Stark does not realize he's human," Ayo replied, calmly. "I tried to correct him of that, but he is hardheaded."

What was it with people and AIs teaming up against him? He liked it better when Ayo wanted to throw Natasha out the window. "That's it. You aren't allowed to become friends. Go back to hating each other, please."

"I wouldn't say we're friends," Natasha stated with a shrug. "I can just acknowledge that it won't do us any good to be at each's throat. I still don't trust her, but then again, I don't trust anyone."

Ayo narrowed her eyes at Natasha. "That is just—"

"He's waking up!" Koenig yelled, interrupting the three.

Tony, pain forgotten for a second, straightened himself up and pushed himself out of the chair. Or, he attempted to. A second late his pain came rushing back like a bullet. His one arm was pretty much useless in that heavy brace, and the other could not support his full weight. It shook under his weight, and he collapsed like a pile of brick; however, before he hit the cold metal chair, two pair of arms found their way to his body, gripping him by the armpits and helping him up. He glanced at Ayo and Natasha as they lifted him to his feet. "Thanks," he said. He waved them off once he was on his feet. "Let's see our boy." Ayo and Natasha kept close to Tony, keeping a watchful eye on him.

Rhodey kept his distance, his hand on settled on the gun on his hip. He had gone military, and he was waiting to jump in if needed. Koenig was nothing but a pro, as he stood there calm and collective like he had done this may times before. He had his tablet in his hands, and he stood as still as he could. He watched as Barnes's entire body twitched for a full five minutes. Barnes's hand balled and his eyelids flickered in a rapid movement. Sweat started to drip down the soldier's face, as he began to shake violently. Koenig stood perfectly still though it all, his eyes locked on Barnes's face. "That's it," he said, after some prompting from the Wakandan Doctor. "Just open your eyes."

As if by magic, Barnes's eyes snapped open and he stubbled forward in one large step. Koenig didn't move from his spot, his eyes still on the man. The room went completely silence as all eyes were on Barnes, who had fallen to his knees, in a worried gaze. Barnes's heart, supplied by FRIDAY, was pounding in his chest like a horde of wild horses, but it didn't show, not even when he pushed himself up onto his feet. An Assassin stance, his eyes were cold as he scanned the room. He didn't say a word as he took a blaring step forward. His eyes were blank, a dangerous though forming.

Koenig spoke first. "Good Morning, I am Agent Koenig. How are you?" he asked, speaking like he was addressing another SHIELD agent.

Barnes's cold eyes popped up, drilling into the Agent. Taking in the room, his eyes snapped to Rhodey for a second before jumping back to Koenig. It was here that all hell broke loose; it happened in a matter of seconds with a speed that no one saw coming. Barnes, more killer than not, had Koenig up against the wall in a savage motion before anyone could blink. The tablet didn't hit the floor until a few seconds later. Rhodey was yelling; his gun was raised, burning in his hand, as he demanded the man release the Agent. Barnes, mostly likely trapped in his Winter Soldier mode, didn't even acknowledge the Colonel, who was slowly inching his way forward. Barnes's eyes were focused on Koenig, who remained calm even with super soldier choking him. Granted, that may not be the right word. The man may have Koenig by his neck, but he was making no move to kill the man. He just eyed the man with a perplexed expression.

Tony, panic growing, watched the screen unfold in slow motion. It was a horror movie, and he could swear that he heard creepy magic in the background. His heart was beating in his chest, threating to pop out. With images flashing back, he was panicking at the thought of Rhodey in a room with a super soldier with no protection. There was no doubt that Tony was overly protective of his best friend, but he didn't care. Rhodey was there for him through everything, and Tony would do anything to protect him. "Lower the force field," he demanded, his voice betraying him. There was no way he was letting Rhodey get hurt again. "Now."

"I cannot do that, Boss," FRIDAY replied at the same time that Natasha and Ayo shouted "No!"

His nails digging into his palms, he knew it was fucken smart not to open the barrier, as they could not risk anyone else getting hurt. The needs of the many over the one, but he couldn't watch this. He couldn't watch Rhodey get hurt again. Rhodey isn't some child. He can handle himself. He thought, trying to calm himself. He needed to stand back and allow Rhodey the chance to protect himself, the change to show Tony that he could do it.

Colonel Rhodes had this, and Koenig was no chicken.

Until next time!

In case you were wondering about the cell, it is the same cell that Ward was kept in in the Agent of SHIELD. So if you have walked the TV, you can image that room.

And it seems like Tony is starting to give Natasha a chance.