Sokolov watched without emotion as they strapped him to the chair. Bucky was all too afraid that he knew what was coming next. Damned if he was going to show that fear.

With the soldier's glare, Bucky turned his attention to Sokolov. "We're really back to this again?"

The Russian stepped closer, his expression guarded. "Not exactly. Your program, soldier, will be upgraded."

Bucky snorted as the technicians buzzed around him in all too familiar patterns. Regardless of what "upgraded" meant, the first step would be to wipe his mind. It was the one thing he couldn't allow to happen. He'd been told the rest of them had been captured, he had no way to know if that was true or not, and he hadn't seen any of his fellow Avengers since they caught him.

He just hoped they hadn't lost anyone at this point and that Steve or Tony had a plan in motion. If what they said was true, every single Avenger was there and captives of HYDRA. He'd watched them immobilize Vision, something he didn't believe to be possible, and he had no idea how they'd managed to capture the Hulk.

Every Avenger but Marley…

Marley was alone back at the compound. Unprotected.

"You seem deep in thought, soldier," Sokolov taunted him. "But we'll relieve you of those troublesome worries."

Growling, he tried to break out of the chair they had him strapped in. Seven soldiers with rifles pointed straight at him approached, stepping in front of Sokolov protectively.

"Don't fight it," the man said. "It will do no good."

Some commotion in the rooms beyond drew their attention to the door. Sokolov sent the soldiers in, curiously trying to see what was happening.

Bucky's heart leapt in his chest. Was there a plan?

It didn't sound like much of a fight. When things went quiet, a soldier dashed into the room, speaking rapid Russian to his superior. With his enhanced hearing, Bucky got enough of it.

Marishka.

His blood ran cold. Marley? Why the hell was she here?

Sokolov motioned some of the soldiers back into the room. "Bring him," he bid them in Russian.

"You won't want to miss this." The man's grin made his blood run cold. "Marishka is here. You'll be happy to see her."

Bucky would have fought them but with Marley here, he didn't dare. He fully complied, to the apparent amusement of Sokolov, allowing them bind his hands behind his back, with cuffs designed just for him, and lead him out of the room.

One room he'd been pulled through held two glass tanks. Wanda was captive in one of them in a crazy-looking straight jacket and a weak-looking Vision was in the other, watching as Bucky was pulled through the room. Those glass containers must have been special indeed to contain those two.

They stopped in a larger room, a cafeteria maybe. The sight that greeted him made his heart drop.

Loki, looking fully recovered and formidable with the huge-ass golden horns on his head, stood before them with that maniacal grin he had. At his feet, he held Marley by her hair. Tears stung the backs of his eyes. She was bleeding. He'd beaten the shit out of her, blood leaking from her nose and mouth, staining the simple t-shirt that she wore that belonged to him. She loved to sleep in that shirt. She didn't appear to be wearing anything else.

There'd been no one to protect her. She had to be so cold and scared. Loki had just pulled her out of her bed, worse…

There was even blood in the silky blonde locks of her hair.

He swallowed hard. This was his fault. All his fault…

Marley's pain filled eyes locked with his. Loki's deep chuckle filled the room.

"See pet? There he is. You are reunited," Loki taunted her.

Scuffling drew their attention to where a group of soldiers drug a very beaten Thor into the room. Bucky hadn't yet gotten used to seeing the demigod with an eyepatch and without his hammer. His blue eye narrowed on his brother, his expression hardening. They forced him to his knees.

Sokolov glanced at Marley with a pitiless smile. "You have brought back to us our last wayward experiment. We offer thanks."

Loki's grin turned on him. "Oh, no. It's not generosity that prompted my actions. I'm here for my brother. I brought this," he shoved her away from him as if she were repulsive, "in exchange."

His gaze met Bucky's and he laughed. "I found that she will be of little use to me. I'm done with her."

Bucky barely contained his rage.

"Release the infamous god of thunder in exchange for a broken girl?" Sokolov shook his head. "That's an exchange that I can't justify."

"Can you not?" Loki took a step in the man's direction. The soldiers all around them trained their weapons on Loki who didn't look in the least concerned. "I could simply take my brother, you pathetic cur, but I was generous enough to bring you an offering."

Sokolov at least had the sense to take a small step back.

Bucky decided in that moment, he'd get Marley out of there. Even if he had to sacrifice himself to do it.

He had no idea what would happen next.

Loki and Marley vanished before his eyes, nothing more than an illusion. Someone grabbed him, dragged him to where Loki's clone had just been standing. Thor was dragged towards him, grinning as Loki stepped before them. The doors of the room slammed shut and a blue light formed a dome around the two demigods and the super soldier. Bucky whirled on Loki but the raven-haired man's attention was elsewhere. He nodded to someone who stood on a counter at the back of the room.

Then the screams, the fire. Flames bathed the room around him as one by one, the many soldiers who turned to fire their weapons exploded and blew apart. Bucky watched Sokolov's death, his eyes wide in shock as the flames consumed him.

As the flames cleared, Bucky watched in amazement and love as Marley, his Marley, hopped off the counter dressed in what appeared to be one of Nat's skin tight catsuits and not bloodied or beaten. No, she looked strong, beautiful and his heart flew as she made her way to him.

"Are you hurt?" Marley was before him, his entire being was flooded in relief. Her gaze was frantic as she looked him over, her beautiful eyes filled with fear. "Do you… remember me?"

"I love you," Bucky whispered meaningfully. "Get me out of these."

Bucky was so happy to see her smiling, his smile, something he didn't think he'd ever see again. Someone behind them managed to pry the specialized cuffs off him, he turned to find Thor there.

"Where are the others?" Thor asked him.

"I have a location on Wanda and Vision," Bucky muttered, putting together that Loki had helped Marley stage a rescue mission. "Anyone else with you?"

"Fury and his men are just outside the compound," Loki explained. "Now let's free the others."

"Lady Natasha and the Hawk are gravely injured," Thor said, swallowing hard. "Time is of the essence and we'll need to provide safe passage."

"Vision and Wanda are a good place to start," Bucky said. "Let's spring them."

It was impressive that they'd been able to contain Vision with his abilities. But while the glass container contained him, it wasn't impervious to Marley's heat. She was able to melt down a section to let Vision pass. When he was unable to pass into Wanda's chamber, Marley melted a corner of it so they could get her out. Vision had her out of the jacket and into his arms in an instant.

"Are you alright?" Marley asked her friend, stepping back when Wanda tried to embrace her but stepped back from the heat.

"I think so, just weak," Wanda said. "Where are the others?"

"We must find them," Thor said. "Brother, come with me. Help me free my friends."

Loki nodded.

Bucky dashed back into the room where they'd been about to wipe his mind. Marley followed on his heels and watched as he slung rifles on and guns across his sturdy form, quickly checking for ammo. There were two larger rifles he grabbed, grinning as he slung one across his back and wielding the other.

"We're going to help them, right?" Marley asked.

"Yes, Darlin, we are," he told her as they quickly caught up with the group. "Stay with me at all times, understand?"

"Yes, Sarge," Marley answered, scrambling to keep up with him.

"M'going to remember that for later," Bucky threw a grin back over her shoulder. "For now, do exactly as I say."

"I will," she promised.

They found Bruce first, heavily tranquilized and covered only in a blanket in a strange cell like Wanda and Vision had been kept in. Marley had to melt into the cell and to their great relief, he was alive. The sedation, however, was serious. They quickly agreed they needed to get Bruce back to the agents waiting outside the compound. Vision flew him out, carefully.

They encountered soldier groups as they followed Thor to what looked like jail with several cells covered in what looked like steel bars. Wanda threw some of them, Bucky took down a few. When a group came up behind them, before Bucky could aim, they blew apart like a bomb had deployed. And then they were gone.

His girl's aim was good, making him proud. The heat coming off her had him in a sweat and he had to fight the urge to just stop and stare at his beautiful, powerful girl.

"This way!" Thor called.

The rest of the group was there. They took out the guards quickly enough. Getting their friends out posed another problem.

"Bucky!" Steve called, looking beaten down but otherwise okay in his cell. "The bars are vibranium. There's some other weird signal they are transmitting down here. It's keeping everyone weak."

While Wanda tried her magic but was in effectual.

"Nat and Clint are hit bad," Steve's voice was urgent. "We need to get them out."

"Guys where you been?" Tony called from the far end. "We've been getting our asses kicked all over the place?"

Tony looked as well as could be expected along with Sam.

"I'm unable to bend this metal," Thor said. "Lady Marley?"

She looked to Bucky who nodded. Steve realizing what they were going to try, backed into a corner of his cell away from the bars.

He watched his beautiful girl aim that firepower at the bars, watched the bars glow red. After a moment, Steve yelled and she stopped.

Marley shook her head. "I can't… I'll cook him if I keep going."

"There must be a control room," Wanda said. "We just need to find it."

"I have an idea where it is," Loki told them. "Let's go, brother."

Thor and Loki ran out fast as Marley and Bucky approached Steve's cell.

"I'm sorry," Marley said. "Are you okay?"

Steve nodded. "So, Loki's on our side? You believe him?"

"So does Fury," she explained. "Where's…?"

"Oh my God," Wanda's voice held a note of fear.

Rushing to her friend's side, she looked into the cell and saw Nat, her skin too pale and a crude bandage tied around her ribs."

"She's been shot," Marley said.

"Her lung has been pierced," Wanda added. "Her thoughts are… weak. I hope they hurry."

A loud whirring sound startled Bucky until he saw the cell doors were sliding open. Wanda and Marley ran in to Nat while Steve ran fast out of his cell to Bucky, taking him to the cell next to Tony's where Clint was, like Nat, shot and barely with them.

"Tony, can you fly one of them out?" Steve took it from there.

Throwing on his helmet, he nodded. "Clint is worse, I'm going to take him."

Vision came straight through the wall. "I've delivered Dr. Banner to safety. I will provide coverage."

Tony nodded. "We just need to get somewhere we can take off."

Tony and Vision carried Clint. Steve pulled Nat into his arms. Bucky tossed Sam one of the rifles from his back since they'd taken his wings away.

"Let's go," Steve called.

The center of the group was their injured one with Tony, Steve, and Vision protecting them. Steve arranged Bucky, Sam, Wanda, and Marley around the group. The four of them took care of the soldier groups they encountered, until they found Thor and Loki, then an exit to the outside.

The minute they stepped outside, a flood of soldiers began to spill out behind them.

Vision and Tony took off with Clint. Thor took Nat from Steve, following them.

Some of the HYDRA soldiers raised rifles. A couple had RPGs.

Wanda, Loki, Sam, Marley, and Bucky looked to Steve.

"Retreat," Steve ordered nodding in the direction their friends flew in. "Marley, Wanda, cover them. We'll cover you."

"Buck," Steve called, prompting his best friend to toss him a couple of the weapons he wore.

Loki had been left out of the orders but did admirably well, helping Marley and Wanda stop any rocket they tried to send in the direction of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents waiting to extract them. They pulled down anything flying overhead, Bucky and Steve fought to keep the soldiers from mowing them down.

"Grenade!" Steve yelled as an explosion hit the ground at Wanda's feet. She screamed dropping to the ground in a smoking heap.

"Wanda?" Marley cried in alarm, terrified for her friend.

"Bucky," Steve called, snatching Wanda up from the ground and running fast with her.

Loki and Bucky exchanged a glance, both of them looking to Marley.

"Burn them down, baby," Bucky ordered. "Burn them all down."

They dashed behind Marley as the flames shot out, a hellish carpet heading towards the HYDRA soldiers that were left and there were a few dozen. Wave after wave of screams ripped the air as they blew apart, filling the air with ashes and the smell of burnt flesh.

Bucky had been so proud of her that he didn't immediately notice she'd dropped to her knees.

A few soldiers were coming up.

"Marley?" Bucky kneeled before her as close as he could with the heat. "Fading?"

She nodded. "S-sorry."

"Don't be," Bucky whispered. "You did good, baby. Let's get you out of here."

Wrapping his metal arm around her and holding her to his armored chest, Bucky raced in the direction of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team with Loki at his side. The agents there took out the remaining HYDRA agents as Bucky eased Marley to her feet.

"Buck. Is she okay?" Steve's voice was heavy with concern.

Bucky nodded as did Marley.

"How are Nat and Clint? Banner?"

Steve shook his head. "Not good. The Quinjet is on the way."

"Wanda?" Marley's eyes were wide, scared.

"Wanda's okay," Steve told her.

While Cap went to organize the evacuation and care of their friends, Bucky checked Marley over.

"I'm fine," she told him, holding his gaze.

"Do you have any idea how I felt seeing you… seeing what I saw?" Bucky started.

"I'm sorry," Marley pressed a warm palm to his cheek. "Loki's idea. You had to believe the illusion until we could make a move."

"I don't trust the bastard," Bucky muttered, "but I'm grateful for this. I'm grateful you came for us, doll. Thank you."

Safe now to pull her into his arms, Bucky held her tight against him. "I'm sorry I was overprotective. I'll do better. You were fucking amazing out there."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Bucky pressed a kiss into her hair.