A/N: I'm so so so sorry! It has been a crazy couple of months and wasn't able to keep up with this story like I thought I would. I am still working on this story, but I will start posting the chapters I have already finished. Thank you for staying with me, and I hope you enjoy!

That night James slept better than he had in years. He didn't toss and turn throughout the night and he wasn't haunted by the visions of what Hydra had made him do. For the first time in a long time, his body relaxed into the soft bed and the tension that usually made him sore in the mornings was nonexistent. When he finally woke up, he knew he had slept much longer than he usually did.

James sat up in bed and stretched, his joints cracked with the range of motion after sitting idle for so long. He was about to head to the shower, when the door to his room slid open and Shuri raced toward him.

She grabbed his chin in one hand, and aimed her other fist at his head while her kimoyo beads scanned his face. "How did you sleep? Did you have any nightmares? Do you feel any different?"

She fired off questions at him as she continued to scan him. When the scan was complete she retained her grip on his chin and brought his face closer to hers as if her eyes could scan through his skull to his brain.

James gently took her hand and pried it from his chin. "I slept fine, thank you."

"Fine?" Shuri put her hands on her hips. "You slept fine? That's all I get? I possibly just performed the greatest miracle of this century and all you can say is you slept fine?"

"I didn't have any nightmares," added James.

Shuri huffed out a breath, then turned and stomped out of his room. James looked after her wondering what he should have said.

Suddenly, Shuri popped her head back in his doorway. "Put on some clothes and meet me in the lab. You may not have answers, but my technology will."

She disappeared again, leaving James sitting in her wake of boundless energy. Knowing there was no point in delaying the scan, James got up and pulled on a pair of sweats and a hoodie over his tank top. He slipped on his wakandan sandals and walked to the lab.

Inside, Shuri was jumping back and forth from computer to computer inputting all the data she needed. James almost didn't notice Ayo standing near the table except for the slight movement she made to shut the panel.

"It almost seems safer to let her perform a lobotomy," he quipped as he joined Ayo.

"Do not tempt her if you want to keep your hair intact." Ayo smirked slightly as James smoothed back his hair.

"I'm ready now," announced Shuri. "Get on the table."

Ayo moved to stand by Shuri, and James did as he was told and took his familiar position lying prone on the table. The machine came down from the ceiling and cast a yellow glow over him as it scanned down his body. It slowed once more on his forehead and the laser burned down to his skin. James remained as still as possible, knowing Shuri would scold him if he moved even a centimeter.

Then the laser turned off and the machine withdrew into the ceiling with a soft snap. James waited for Shuri to say something, but the silence drug out. He glanced over to the monitors and saw Shuri and Ayo studying the scan. He couldn't tell if they liked what they saw.

Taking a chance on getting yelled at, James sat up and faced them. "What is it?"

They both looked up at him, but neither one said anything.

His shoulders sagged. "It didn't work, did it."

"I'm sorry, Sergeant Barnes," began Shuri, "but you're a free man."

He processed the words slowly. "What?"

"It worked! This scan looks completely different from the others, which leads me to believe you are free." Shuri explained.

James let out a relieved chuckle and Shuri and Ayo smiled at him. The weight of the soldier slipped away, and for the first time in a long time he felt like James Buchannan Barnes.

—-

In his room, James tried to force himself to do the one thing he said he wouldn't do: call Steve. Ever since they had found refuge in Wakanda, James had been put on ice and Steve had been running from the government. Other than one surprise visit when Steve brought the rest of his team to Wakanda to heal, James hadn't seen or heard from him. After Shuri had confirmed he was free of Hydra's control, Steve was the one person James wanted to tell.

Well, Steve and one other person.

He wanted to tell Danielle he was free. She always believed he could cure himself of Hydra's control. She saw what he could become instead of who he was. More than anything he wanted to thank her for the strength she had given him when he needed a focal point. But, he had no idea where she was, no way to contact her, and no reason to think she wanted to see him again.

James pushed the thoughts of her from his head as he picked up the burner phone. He selected the number for Steve from the contact list and pressed the dial button. It rang a few times before the automated voicemail picked up. James debated on what kind of message he would leave, then decided to keep it simple.

"Hey, it's me. I just wanted to tell you it worked. I'm free."