16.

Something was disturbing his sleep. Was it the cold? No, he had always slept bare chested. Was it that he didn't feel Anne there? No. She always let him sleep in. So what was it? Knocking. Yes, someone was knocking. On his door. Steve got up slowly and started walking sleepily to the door, but before he could get there, Barton burst in.

"Is she here?!" He sounded terrified. All of a sudden, Steve felt wide awake. He had never heard Clint so afraid.

"Who?"

"Anne!"

Steve went pale.

"No... Why...?"

Barton started to panic and signaled the Captain to follow him.

They were all standing in kitchen, staring at the floor where a broken glass lay.

Steve just stared at the glass and started to panic. Then he just randomly started calling her in the Tower.

"Steve! Steve! She's not here... We've looked everywhere."

Natasha was also afraid. He could see it in her eyes.

"What happened?!"

Tony was going through the security cameras as fast as he could.

Suddenly, he stopped.

"This did..."

And he handed the tablet to Steve, the others gathering to watch behind him.

Bucky.

"Another Barnes-bot? Why didn't she just fight back?"

Nat was confused.

"Because that wasn't a robot." Was Steve's simple and grave reply. He knew she would never hurt the real Bucky or fight him. And the footage was evidence of that.

He watched as Anne started shaking and then whispered his name. He examined her terrified face. It wasn't hard to comprehend that that had been the real Bucky. But why would he do such a thing? Did they brainwash him again?

But that was of no importance. He needed to find Anne, and quick. Steve didn't want to find out what would happen once they got their hands on her.

Pain. Devastating pain, one of the likes she had never had the pleasure to experience. She didn't know if it was the pain of discovering Bucky was alive and had no memory of her ,of the pain of watching as one of the people she had most trusted handed her over to her enemies or of the pain of rediscovering those feelings she had thought lost forever.

She still loved him. Why, she didn't know, but she did and profoundly, no matter what.

Anne had woken hours ago, but had said nothing, not even when they started doing tests on her. Why? The answer was simple. James Buchanan Barnes was standing guard right in front of her, his mask off. Another reason was that she felt defeated. They had found her weak spot. Seeing him stand there, emotionless, like a machine, was tearing her apart.

He wasn't even looking at her. He was just standing there to make sure she wouldn't attempt to escape.

But she didn't even care anymore.

"Well, I am glad to see you are collaborating so well. It seems you caused a bit of trouble last time."

A man walked in. He was tall, of medium build, with thick bones and a full head of dark grey hair.

Anne didn't answer, she just kept staring at the floor, motionless.

"As you see, our friend here was of great help. You know him, I believe?"

Anne looked up, only to see Bucky turn towards the man, looking confused. So he WAS still a man, not just a machine. He still had feelings, a mind of his own...

This gave her a bit of hope. Or at least enough to answer the question.

"Yes, I do."

Bucky turned to her, even more confused. The hope grew more.

"I met him about a year ago."

Bucky looked down at the floor, trying to understand.

"Bucky, please... It's me. It's Anne."

He looked back up at her, his face still impassible.

"Who the hell is Bucky?"

No. That wasn't possible. The hope started to fade. The man, standing behind, watched them with a small grin on his face. He had planned it all perfectly. He wanted to see her break completely. That was why he was letting this happen.

"He's a great man! The man who trained me! The man who gave me a reason to fight! The man who made me who I am! The man that I loved..."

Something clicked. She saw him start to struggle.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes! You do! James... Please. Just remember."

James. That's what did it. The way she whispered his name. Nothing could make him forget that.

The memories came flooding again. All of a sudden, Anne saw Bucky's face light up with self consciousness and fear.

"Anne..."

He went up to one of the guards and punched him and then the fight started. Anne saw him fight tirelessly against seventeen men.

But soon he was immobilized.

The man came out of the shadows once more and switched on a light in a room across from that one. Anne could see it because it was separated only by a window. They dragged Bucky, with much difficulty into that room and strapped him to the chair.

Anne watched as he struggled and started struggling herself.

"You see, miss Knight. Now you may both suffer the pain of what is about to happen. You may watch each other suffer as all your memories are torn away."

"YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSE!"

"Of course..." He said, smiling.

"What better way to punish you from escaping than watching the man you love suffer?"

She then saw the machine act on him. She heard his screams.

"NO! PLEASE!"

Tears of anger ran down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry... But look. He still remembers you."

Bucky stared at Anne. No. Not to her. They couldn't do this to her. He had left to protect her, not to let her suffer his same fate. He started struggling once more. He had to save her. He loved her. No. This couldn't happen.

It was too late. He heard her screams. They were taking her memories. Wiping them until she was nothing but a machine. Then, it started on him once more, and the two watched helplessly as their love was washed away.

The search went on for days. Steve wouldn't eat or sleep until he had brought Anne home safely.

After two weeks, the others wearily retreated back to the Tower. None of them had slept.

"Steve... We have to stop for a few days. We all need to rest. Especially you."

Steve was still, standing on the desolate ground, silent.

"Steve. You can't go on like this."

Natasha had a point, but he couldn't stop. Not now. He needed her. He loved her. She had helped him in ways no one would ever understand. He needed to repay that at least by bringing her home safely.

"You and the others go back to the Tower and get some rest. I'm going to keep looking."

"Rogers..."

Natasha put her hand on his shoulder.

"Assuming she's still alive, we still have no idea of how to find her..."

"I'll find her..."

"But..."

"I'LL FIND HER!"

Agent Romanoff had never seen such rage and fear in his eyes as he turned and looked at her.

"I have to..."

Natasha nodded and urged the others back to the jet, leaving the Captain alone on the abandoned old Hydra base.

They had searched all the ones they knew of, but they were all truly abandoned. Now, he needed to look further on, maybe go back to where this had all started. To where Hydra had begun. Germany. But he needn't go that far.