"Steve, you're having a flashback. None of that is real. You're here, with me, and Bucky's safe."
Steve blinked. Forcing his eyes to focus he made out Sam standing in the doorway, silhouetted against a backdrop of calming soft blue light. Gentle jazz music played in the background.
"How many times does that make?" He asked.
"Three," Sam replied. Steve sat up, his sense of location temporarily out of synch until his mind returned to reality. The spare bedroom in Sam's quarters was much the same as his own, but with boxes and storage tubs stacked along one wall. As soon as he crawled into bed, Steve felt gratitude to Sam for insisting on this. Here no memories haunted him like they would in his own quarters, or at their house in Wakanda. The small gesture helped, but the images still flashed through his mind every time he reached for Bucky in the night only to find him gone.
"So I made breakfast," Sam said. "And we can go connect with the rest of the team… or you can stay put. Been a rough couple of days. Up to you, but I ain't serving you breakfast in bed!" He disappeared from the doorway. Steve picked up the sounds of him setting the table.
After pulling himself together, the sight of one of Sam's famous big breakfasts greeted him. The moment took him back to the old days before they found Bucky, being with Sam and Natasha and later Wanda going around the world doing good. A pain shot through his heart when he remembered losing them… he picked up a mug and gulped the coffee, scorching his tongue. The pain stopped the images.
"Steve, I'm happy to help, but the professional people around here who can do more good than I can," Sam said.
"Thanks for everything you've done," Steve said taking another drink. "And I'll take care of everything after all this settles down. We need to find a to eradicate the virus and get Tony and the others back to normal. I should be with Bucky."
"Steve, we talked about this."
"I don't mean this. I'm talking about this trial. It was like he gave up. He usually pushes through things or lets it go. Nothing gets him down."
"This isn't his fight. They'll work things out. After recent events…"
"They keep telling me that," Steve said again, remembering the aura of defeat and overwhelming sadness on Bucky's face when he left him. Bucky, this Bucky, always put a positive spin on everything and never looked back. Steve didn't like him being alone.
"So what's the first thing we should do, Cap?" Sam asked, emphasizing his nickname, a not-so-subtle way of reminding him of his responsibilities.
"Where do we begin?" He asked. He pondered over his options for a few minutes. "We've got several things going on at once, but I suppose the best thing is we should do is get everyone together, and I've got some things to share…"
"Sounds like a plan. We need to remind ourselves we're still a team, get everybody on the same page. How about I commandeer a conference room so we can talk everything out? How's that?" Sam asked.
"Sounds good. In an hour." Steve said. His eyes traveling straight to the picture of him and Sam and Bucky. Bucky falling, disappearing again and again….
"Steve," Sam said. "Stay with me."
"I'm fine. I'm going to take a walk. See you in an hour."
He took the hour to walk down the village. The empty hut and the sound of the animals flooded him with memories. He sat down on the stone patio and stared out at the lake. Everything around him in perfect order, thanks to the villagers. They never complained, considering The White Wolf's choice to live among them an honor. The White Wolf who saved T'Challa and Wakanda. Things changed for the two of them here, the first time Bucky hugged him. That moment when the realization hit him things would be different now. They each found what the other lost. Bucky falling…
A noise distracted him. He turned around. Jabu, the community leader, stood tall in front of him.
"Umhlobo Wempisi Emhlophe," he said, calling him by his nickname. The Friend of the White Wolf.
"Jabu," he said, standing up. "You know what happened?"
"Yes."
"Why can't I see him?" Steve asked.
"It is our custom to keep the accused, and the accuser sequestered, a holdover from the old days when we used trial by combat, intended for their safety, to keep them away from those who might do them harm while serving their own self-interest. He is safe and time will pass quickly. The trial will start in about a week."
"A week? That's quick."
"This is Wakanda. We can gather all the evidence and testimony in a few days' time. We do not waste time and this is a serious offense. The recent…"
"I heard," Steve said. "Bucky never talks about it."
"T'Challa's cousin, we do not speak his name, came to us with many good ideas, but also with violence, dividing even this peaceful place, but that is over. We begin again, all of us. This is why the White Wolf came here, to start over, and so did you. We cannot let the past, however disturbing, rule over us now."
Steve picked a blade of grass, running the sharp side over his fingers, and allowed himself to ruminate over Jabu's short speech. How much did he know? Him coming here saying those things, a coincidence? Perhaps.
"Thank you for taking care of things," he said. "I need to get back to the Palace." He stood up and gave the elder a respectful nod which Jabu returned before starting back up the hill.
He entered the room and found Wanda, sitting like a prim schoolgirl, her hands clasped on the table. She looked up at Steve and smiled which was a real encouragement. She had been working hard at stopping the spread of the virus and never complained about the drain on her system. Along one side of the table, an image of the very human Vision floated in mid-air via a video link.
"Captain Rogers," he said. "I'm glad to learn of your safe return but sorry to learn of Bucky's troubles but we continue to hope for a positive outcome."
"Yes," Steve said. "You seem to be doing well."
"Yes, I am. Do not concern yourself about me. The scientists make sure I am entertained and I can always shut myself down but I prefer to review the scans. We might…"
"Viz," Wanda said.
Vision smiled and nodded toward her. "Of course. I can save all that for later…"
Sam entered next, accompanied by Rhodey. The Colonel looked much the same as the last time he saw him but he seemed to be fighting back a scowl.
"Steve, thank you for getting Bucky away from here. My orders…" he said as he and Sam took their seats.
"Can't court martial you if you couldn't find him. I suppose that upset some higher-ups?"
"I'm past the point of caring. I came here in good faith and they used my friendship with everyone here for their own agenda…" the scowl became more pronounced. Steve couldn't read minds, but he sensed an internal conflict going on inside his friend.
"I keep telling you, not your fault!" Tony's voice entered the conversation. He came in with Bruce and Peter. "And yes, thank you for getting Bucky away from here, and ignoring my request! Seems like old times!" His voice rang with famous sarcastic tinge Steve couldn't tell if he was joking or not. From Tony's point of view, things might appear as if he had chosen Bucky over him and the team, again. Steve believed they resolved all that, but some lingering resentment must still be there.
"I didn't ignore you. We may have brought something that might help you," he said.
Tony immediately looked contrite. "No idea why I said that. Old habits, I suppose." More internal conflict?
"I hope we can wrap all this up soon!" Peter spoke up, oblivious to the small build-up of tension between Steve and Tony. "I only have a week off before I have to go back and I don't want to go back if things aren't back to normal and I would like to see more of Wakanda. They've stuck us in that lab most of the time." He was fidgeting again, as usual. At least some things remained the same. "This is the fourth day and…"
Four days? It's just been Four days?
"He's a big help to us," Bruce said. "Got some great ideas. I'm not a secondary teacher, but if he stays, I might help him make up for what he's missed."
Steve sighed, considering their predicament and Peter's hopeful eyes didn't help. "If we go over a week, maybe Pepper might help us out?" Steve asked Tony.
"I'll see what I can do if the other guy lets me. He doesn't like Peter much." That made no sense. Both Tony's liked Peter, didn't they?
Before Steve could ask what he meant by that, the door opened and Clint entered, alone. He was out of breath. "Guys, Just check Natasha into the hospital wing. She's… deteriorating. She's not been eating and its finally caught up with her. She's on IVs and meds."
Damn," Bruce said. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because it just happened. She's ok for now, she's in good hands."
"I need to go…" Bruce started to get up but Steve held out a hand to stop him.
"You can go, as soon as we're finished here. I've got some information that might help her, and the rest of you. It won't take long," he said.
Bruce stood still for a moment, his hands tightening into their famous grip before he relaxed and returned to his seat.
"This isn't an official briefing. There have been some new developments that you should be made aware of. Almost everyone here knows of what everyone else has been doing. What I'm about to tell you… well, just listen and make your own judgment."
He then recounted the story of the past four days and of the discovery of the falls. Bruce forgot his anger, leaning forward listening to Steve's every word.
"This, this is amazing!" He said. "They told us about the heart-shaped herb and what it does, but to do this... It makes sense! I need to examine Vision's scans, we should…"
"A word of caution," Vision said from his place above the table. "The heart-shaped herb resulted from many years of growth and refinement. This is an attempt to compress the process…"
"But it's a beginning!" Bruce countered. "And Natasha needs this now… where do I start?"
"The Wakandan team has all the information I gave them, and would like you to join them," Steve said.
"Yes, I want to. First thing is I'll need scans. Brain scans of everyone. They have the other guy's on record. Tony, we've got yours…"
"Brain scans?" Tony said. "I'm not a neuroscientist but scans can only…"
"But this is an unusual situation," Bruce said "There might be something there to help us. You need to tell me everything you know about Bucky's experience."
"All I can tell you is it was an emotionally exhausting for him, even though it took place over a few short hours, and there is one thing we can't overlook. The other guy, the other Steve, went back of his own free will. The others may not be so cooperative."
"Are you still carrying him around?" Rhodey asked. "Because I want this other guy gone."
"Before all this, I sometimes felt as if I had extra memories," Steve said. "I don't feel that now, but I don't think he's dead, but that's only an impression. Nothing concrete, nothing that would satisfy any of you, I'm afraid."
"Whatever we do, it's got to be soon. Time might be running out for Natasha," Clint said. "She is a deep depression. We have to fix this." He and Bruce exchanged a mutual glance.
"I'll get right on it!" Bruce said.
"And Wanda, for now, until Thor and or Wong can help us…"
"I'll continue to do what I'm doing," she said. "Viz and Peter have been a great help."
"We finished Bucky's arm, by the way," Tony said. "Shuri has it waiting for him and my contribution was a firewall, so nothing like this happens again. We just need the Doctor's ok to reattach it."
"I'm sure he'll appreciate that," Steve said He let out a sigh as he looked around the room. No images. "They might call me as a witness, at the trial, and if that happens, Clint should be in charge, with Sam to help him. He's got seniority…"
"And you don't have to say it. He's in his right mind," Tony said, with a spark of his old humor.
The unofficial meeting was over. Clint and Bruce, and Peter left the room while discussing the possibilities of Steve's revelation. Wanda said a few words to Vision before he flickered and disappeared. After a few moments, everyone went back to their current responsibilities, except for Sam and Tony.
"So, they told me about what happened," Tony said. "Someone trying to get revenge on the Winter Soldier."
"Looks like it, except they called him the Asset here."
"Yeah, sometimes I forget it's not the same guy, but still…"
"Will that cause any kind of trouble for you, Tony? There are people here who can help…" Steve said, conscience of Sam's eyes on him, making him feel like a hypocrite.
"No, I'm good. I never told you, how I came to terms with it. On Titan, one of Rocket's friends, a young man, half human did the same thing I did. I tried to stop him, things went to hell, just like they did with us, and then I came home with Nebula. She was forced to do things against her will. She even had a metal arm. Things… snapped into perspective. Then this guy actually apologized. I know it was different, not the same guy, but it was what I needed to hear."
Steve said nothing or a long moment, taking in Tony's short speech. "From your side of things, it looked like I protecting Howard's murder. I didn't have time to think it through. I thought I was protecting an innocent man, but looking back..."
"If dad knew the whole story, he would put the blame right where it belonged. On Hydra," Tony said, looking out the window. "But that's over. We've got a new situation here and if I can help, I will."
"Ok," Steve said, hoping things wouldn't come to that when a holographic picture appeared above the table. Arba.
"Captain Rogers," She said. She glanced around the room. "Mr. Stark, Mr. Wilson," she said, giving polite acknowledgment to the others, but her eyes went back to Steve. "They need you here. We request that you make yourself ready to leave within the hour."
"They told me a week..." Steve began.
"This has nothing to do with the trial itself. We ask that you come to stop your… friend… from doing something foolish."