Chapter Twelve
The air in the conference room was tense, the somber mood was hitting everyone.
"Steve" stark started "I understand you don't like what's been going on with Romanoff but until she's fully healed there isn't really much was can do."
Standing at the end of the table Steve loomed over everyone and oozed confidence in himself and his abilities with the way he held himself, with such authority in his voice.
"I know that but I want them separated for the time being, keep her sedated if you have to and move her away from him"
"We can't sedate her against her will!" yelled Barton. "what the hell do you think she's even going to do to him anyway"
"I don't know, but I don't trust her" was Steve's only reply.
"now you're being ridiculous"
"Look Barton, she's either getting sedated or I will physically remove her myself. I don't trust anyone with secrets and the way she's been acting Romanoff's clearly keeping something from us." Steve's tone eased up a bit "Even you don't know what it is Clint, you're her best friend and you have no clue what's going on with her."
Reluctantly Barton looked away.
"What happens once she's healed, I can't just sedate her forever eventually she'll have to wake up and then what" said Dr. Banner
"He's right, we'll have a seriously pissed off Black widow on our hands if we do that."
"I'll take my chances Stark, when it comes to Bucky I'll do anything."
"And what about Bucky?"
Steve turned to Sam at his question "Sam?"
"We've discussed that you don't want Natasha anywhere near him, but what are we going to do with him? He needs more help than we can give him Steve, you must know that?"
"What I know is that he needs me, he needs stability and people to trust. I thought that was us, the Avengers."
"It is still us Steve but Bucky's condition is not something we've ever dealt with"
"I'm not giving up on him!"
"Steve" tony objected "we're not saying give up on him, we are simply pointing out the obvious. He's more than seventy years old and he looks twenty, and throughout most of his life he's been abused, tortured, experimented on and mistreated. Oh and let's not forget the obvious, he was forced to destroy anyone who got in Hydras way, including my parents"
Steve froze and his tone soften at the mention of his old friend Howard Stark. "Tony-"
"No!" Tony snapped "we're not trying to upset you Steve we're trying to let you know that James, Bucky, the soldier whatever you want to call him might just be a lost cause."
With nothing left to say and a hurt expression on his face Steve left the room, no doubt off to watch over Bucky. Leaving the rest of the team to deal. Thankfully Tony took the lead once more.
Dragging his hand through his hair he pulled himself up right and looked to Bruce. "Banner, keep Nat sedated and move her back to her original room in the med bay and tomorrow we'll wake up Bucky. Keep him restrained but get a clue at where his minds at."
"I thought you said-" Barton started.
"I know what I said but that doesn't mean we can just give up without fully trying."
At this everyone agreed.
"I'll make some calls about specialist in mind control, maybe Fury can help us out, god knows he owes us. Until we are certain he's not a danger to any of us again I want Bucky on 24-hour watch. When we can't Jarvis can."
With a shared look everyone split up off to deal with this, Clint and Dr. Banner worked together to sedate an unaware Nat. Distracting her as Banner injected her IV.
Tony spent the next few hours dealing with Maria Hill, who refused him clearance to speak to Nick Fury. It wasn't until he had successfully hacked into all Shields record that she caved and sent him through to an unimpressed Nick.
Sam went searching for Steve, doing his best to comfort him to no avail. Somewhere deep inside, Sam suspected Steve knew Bucky might not come back but he also knew If he admitted it to himself he would break. A man as old as Steve to have lost everyone only to find out he'd not lost his best friend, was one thing but throw in that he had also failed to save him and was now once again losing his last piece of his old life was going to destroy him. Sam suspected Bucky is Steve's last piece of humanity.
God help us all if he loses it, for his humanity is what makes him Captain America.