Chapter 18: Steve

Loki took the team straight back to Svartalfheim.

Steve knew the trickster well enough to suspect a trap, but he also trusted Wanda. She had proved her loyalty to the team when she put her life on the line during the factory battle and on Asgard. If she said Loki could be trusted, then he would go with that – hard as it was to believe.

Besides, it was a simple fact that they were out of their league, while Loki knew the enemy. They needed him regardless of whether he was for or against them.

"How will this help us find Tony?" Banner asked quietly as they followed Loki out of the portal back into the Dark World.

"He'll be alright," Steve replied, trying to sound like he believed it. "His brain isn't built into his suit."

"Yeah." Banner seemed unconvinced.

Loki stopped at the foot of a small hill of rock and black sand. He held out his hand and a flash of green light left his fingertips, vanishing over the hill.

Thor frowned. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Patience, Brother," Loki replied.

They waited uneasily as the wind picked up, stirring the dust. Danvers leaned closer to Banner. "What is he doing?"

"Probably calling his friends to finish us off," the doctor replied.

"Not quite," Loki said evenly.

A vague form rose slowly into view over the hill, indistinguishable through the dusty haze and gloom. Steve loosened his shield on his arm, ready to throw it if the figure proved to be an enemy.

Then the figure crested the hill and Steve saw the glint of light reflecting off a metal arm, the shoulder-length hair and familiar stride.

"No," Banner breathed incredulously.

Thor rounded on Loki. "No more tricks!" he demanded. "No more."

Loki held up his hands defensively. "It's not."

Wanda gave a nod of confirmation.

Steve let his shield fall to the ground. He started forward, closing the distance between himself and the approaching figure, dazed. He still wasn't sure he believed his eyes.

They stopped a couple of feet from each other. Steve drew a shaky breath. "Bucky?"

Bucky smiled gently. "The one and only."

Steve shook his head. "I saw you die. I buried you." His voice broke on the last word.

The smile vanished. "I'm sorry," Bucky replied. "I didn't want to put you through that, but it was our only choice."

"'Our?'" Natasha asked. She and the others had come over.

"His death was an illusion," Loki explained.

"This isn't a trick, Steve," Bucky added.

Steve nodded, swallowing hard. He moved forward and put his hand on Bucky's shoulder, feeling real muscle and bone beneath the leather of his jacket. Then he pulled his best friend into a hug. Bucky returned the embrace and tears ran freely down Steve's face. "Bucky," he choked.

"I'm here."

Steve didn't care that he was sobbing in front of the whole team, his arms wrapped around Bucky's shoulders. For the first time in seventy years, he had Bucky back – really and truly back. He was alive. He remembered.

Everything was going to be okay.