The camera room was feeling unbarring large when Steve first entered it. Even with the one man in control of the camera, the man who escorted Bucky to Nicole, Nat, Sam, Tony and Steve all in it, the room still felt too big. Did all rooms feel odd when Bucky wasn't there?
Steve stood behind the man watching the cameras. Steve had his arms crossed as his eyes were glued to the screen. His jaw tensed whenever Rumlow looked at Bucky with that possessive stare. Nat stood by his left side and Sam at his right. None spoke.
Tony on the other hand...
"Is torture really out of the question?" Tony asked, sitting on the counter behind them, sipping from his coffee. "I mean, I get Ross and the others want to stay in the people's good graces in case another reveal like Nat pulled happens again, but...I really think we can make an exception with this guy."
Sam huffed in agreement.
When Rumlow decided to finish talking, Steve stifled a groan. This was never going to end at this point...
"Oh come on, that was like, ten minutes." Tony threw his one hand that wasn't holding coffee in the air. "This is getting ridiculous. Someone just shoot him."
"Don't tempt me." Nat said.
Steve watched in relief as Bucky left the room in a half run and was out the door in seconds. Steve could feel the presents of two others and knew instantly that it was Nat and Sam. Tony would not be too far behind.
Steve jogged out of the room just as Bucky closed the door that lead towards Rumlow. Bucky turned to see who was there and smiled at him. Steve knew it was only out of an attempt to seem calm. But before he could move, the same man from yesterday who took Bucky to see Nicole before was there, stepping out from the same room.
"Come on, can't he get a few minutes?" Sam pushed when he saw the man.
The man dressed in black shook his head with a compassionate gaze. "It all has to be done a certain way."
Nat pursed her lips angrily and Sam crossed his arms the same time Steve did, looking like all three were willing to fight against that rule.
"It's okay, I'll go." Bucky sighed. Better to get it over with than postpone it anyway.
Steve, Sam, and Natasha whipped their heads to look over at Bucky with concerned eyes but he shook his head. There was no need. He would do it. Steve would be safe if he did this. Ross would leave him alone once Bucky got this over with.
"It's okay." Bucky tried again with a fake smile.
None of them looked convinced but Bucky didn't stay long enough to try and convince them as he followed the man once again to where Nicole resisted.
"I don't like any of this." Nat muttered darkly.
"Me either." Sam agreed.
Steve said nothing as six eyes followed Bucky's figure that seemed to be walking slower with each step.
…
Nicole smiled sweetly at Bucky with her usual tired, wide eyes.
"How did it go?" Nicole asked, her foot tapping uneasily.
Bucky didn't answer. Again, he tried to convince himself that she was doing her job, and undoubtedly didn't want to be here either. So he compromised and answered with a shrug. Giving her details on to how he felt made him wrong. Should he tell her that? Maybe? Why did his gut clench uncomfortably every-time he thought about telling her anything?
"How do you feel?"
Bucky hated that question. "Does it matter how I feel?" He asked. Not expecting her to answer.
Nicole, however, seemed to consider those words for a moment before inhaling shakily. "It should."
Bucky eyed her in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I'm sorry." Nicole leaned forward in her chair. "I need you to know that. I didn't-I am so sorry."
Bucky rose up from his chair, gripping the arm of his seat. "What are you taking about?"
"I thought I had more time, but they need him now." Swallowing nervously, she eyed him with her tears, and from her lips she formed words that Bucky thought he would never need to hear again.
"Longing."
"No." Bucky took a step forward, his mouth going dry. Stop her stop her stopstopstopstop
"Rusted."
"Stop it." Bucky felt his knees give away by the second word. He pushed himself up with his arms and tried to rise again.
"Furnace." Nicole's voice shook.
Bucky couldn't speak, his voice closing up.
"Daybreak."
Stop her. Stop...why did he need to stop her? Bucky had to remember. Needed to remember. Must remember…what?
"Seventeen."
Follow command. Ready to comply-Steve?
"Benign."
Bucky…Buck…Who?
"Nine."
...Mission...
"Homecoming…" Nicole inhaled deeply. "Solider?"
The Solider rose up from his keeled position, his eyes blank and mouth set in a firm line.
"Ready to comply."
…
Steve stayed outside the therapist room but this time, Nat, Sam, and even Tony were with him, hovering over him.
"He will be okay." Sam mumbled, clasping his fingers around Steve's bicep.
"We'll make sure of it." Natasha nodded firmly.
"Plus if needed, I could always fake you guy's deaths and hide you in my house in Alaska." Tony added.
"Why do you have a house in Alaska?" Sam asked bewildered.
"Doesn't everyone?" Tony asked in a tone that no one could figure out was sincere or sarcastic.
The sound of a door slamming upon with a strong force caused all four looked to witness Nicole standing directly behind Bucky, tears running down her cheeks.
"Get Rumlow at all cost." She said in a broken voice.
"What-"
Bucky slammed his metal arm past Sam who was the closets at his right side, sending him and Nat who was behind him both flying backwards several feet with no time to react.
Tony caused himself to fall backwards before Bucky could swing at him. Tony grabbed at his wrist and tried to activate his weapon that was located in his watch when Steve pushed Tony out of the way seconds before Bucky swung his arm at Tony.
"Bucky, stop!" Steve held his hands up, gauging Bucky's next move.
Steve knew it would have no effect but he didn't understand what was happening. The folder Natasha had given him had mentioned code words that could trigger him, and that incident with "sputnik" proved that as well, but how did Nicole find them, and why did she-
Steve ducked down in time to miss the next punch, falling on his back at the force he used to avoid the hit. Bucky took the chance to rush toward the area where Rumlow was staying.
"Bucky, no!" Steve yelled. He pushed himself up just as Sam and Nat did. Tony wasn't too far behind, grabbing his watch to start his weapon, activating just the hand part.
"I can't let you go."
Steve whipped his head to see Nicole on his knees, a wet look in her eyes. "If you go, I'll lose him. They have my brother. I thought he was dead, but he was with them. Please-"
"Take care of her." Steve ordered Sam, who was the only one weaponless without his wings personally on him.
Sam nodded and grabbed Nicole by her arm and helped her up as Natasha and Tony followed Steve's lead.
…
Rumlow lifted his head and saw the Soldier push the door open, the familiar blank look in his eyes.
Rumlow nodded. "There you are, Soldier."
…
Steve and Tony had missed Bucky and Brock in Rumlow's prison room and rushed to the next logical place they would go judging from the coms and orders flying around.
Steve kicked the door open to Stark's roof. The sound of propellers filled the air and Steve's eyes landed on Bucky who was behind Rumlow like a human shield as he blocked Brock from view. Rumlow yelled something at someone in the helicopter and pulled himself in the helicopter. Even with all the information out, there was still agents hidden everywhere. Next to Rumlow in the backseat, two shooters yanked out their weapons and shot at the Avengers beneath them.
"We need to go!" The pilot yelled.
"Not without the Asset!" Rumlow roared back.
Steve growled.
"Kill him." Rumlow ordered the Soldier with a sick smile on his face.
Bucky turned and charged at them.
"Try not to hurt him." Steve yelled as he changed as well.
"Tell him that." Tony shot back as he took aim at the propellers of the helicopter. As he was about to fire, the pilot shot at Tony's armored hand, rebounding the bullet to hit the gravel beneath their feet.
The pilot tossed a spare gun to Bucky who caught it with ease and fired at Natasha. She ducked down and kicked her leg to knock Bucky off his psuhed herself on top of him and they made a struggle for the gun in Bucky's hand.
Tony fired again at the helicopter as the pilot was flying upwards, men by Rumlow started shooting at Tony as well when Sam showed up like a savior from above and his wings shot him upwards as he fired his weapon at the other shooters in the helicopter. Leaving Steve to join Natasha in the fight for Bucky.
Bucky threw Natasha off of him with a violent kick to her rips. She went backwards with a pained grunt. Steve took the chance to grab at Bucky's face and pull him forward, cupping his head.
"Please, Buck, listen to me. You're my brother." Steve pulled him closer when Bucky's emotionless face twitched in something that seemed like familiarity. "Remember that. You're my family."
Bucky's glazed over eyes blocked rapidly, realization starting to come back.
Rumlow looked down from his height in the chopper and horror overtook his features. Rogers was not taking his Soldier away after all they had done to get him out. Rumlow took the extra gun provided for him and aimed at Steve's head. He fired.
The sound got the attention of all but Steve saw the bullet before he heard the shot. The bullet was aimed at his chest. Steve couldn't move in time.
But Bucky did.
Steve didn't have time to register that he was being shoved out of the way until he hit the gravel on the roof and heard the sickening sound of flesh being split.
"No!" Rumlow and Steve screamed at the same time.
Steve watched helpless as Bucky stared at his white shirt growing red from his side. Bucky's knees buckled and he fell down.
Steve pushed himself forward and caught Bucky before he connected with the ground.
Nat fired her gun at the chopper right when Tony did as Sam did.
Distantly Steve heard the helicopter falling, the sounds of screams and orders being shouted but nothing stayed with him. Steve held his hand under Bucky's head, pulling him closer to Steve's face. "It's okay. They got him, you're safe here."
Bucky nodded weakly, dragging a breath into his lungs with a quivering wheeze that sent shakes down his whole body. Steve pressed his hand against the bleeding side and Bucky hissed.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Steve whispered frantically.
Bucky's shaking was slowing down, his expression growing lax. Bucky pressed his lips together. "Are you hurt?" Bucky asked.
"No I'm fine." Steve nodded. Looking back for a second he shouted at for anyway. "Please help!"
Bucky's free hand moved to grip the hold that Steve had on Bucky's own hand. Bucky's breathing was becoming weaker with every inhale. He pulled in another breath as his grip tighten on Steve's.
"I'm sorry." Bucky whispered.
"No." Steve looked powerless at Bucky's body sent tiny involuntary jerks down his figure. As a single tear fell down his cheek, Steve could watch helpless as he felt his own eyes do the same. His eyes drifted close and Steve's world stopped.
...
Steve's eyes stayed firmly on Bucky's figure. He barely recorded how he ended up in the same medical room as he was just a while ago. H couldn't go through this again, being so close to losing Bucky.
Steve stroked his thumb over Bucky's brow.
Sam had come in at one point and let Steve know what was going on and sat with him when the doctors were getting the bullet out of Bucky. When Sam left, in his place came Tony who had brought in coffee for Steve and an extra for Bucky for when he woke up.
"Hey." Steve shot his head up to see Nat standing by the door, her hands folded in front of her, silently waiting for permission to speak.
"Nat. Please, come in." Steve gestured to the seat on the other side of the bed, his other hand staying on Bucky.
Nat sat down on the other side. "So we talked to Nicole. Guess her brother was a Hydra agent. One agent came to her after she was assigned to Bucky and gave her the codes, saying helping free Rumlow would guarantee her brother's survival."
"Even though he was a terrorist?" Steve asked.
"Sibling love." Natasha replied. "You should know something about that." Her eyes fell on Bucky.
Steve sighed heavily. "And Rumlow?"
"He's alive. But," She added when Steve cursed. "Because of what happened, Ross has agreed that Bucky is free from having to deal with him anymore. Rumlow is their problem."
Steve nodded. "But the codes? Will they lock Buck up when they find out-"
"Maybe they would…if anyone reported that. Nicole was the one who told me and she's attesting that prolonged experiences with Rumlow trigger the Soldier persona."
Steve's mouth dropped for a moment. "Can you tell her-?"
"I will." Natasha promised. She looked over Bucky again. "He has good vitals, and the doctor's said it missed anything important. Hey, he and I can be scar buddies now." She smiled.
Steve laughed lightly at that and heard a similar sound behind him.
Bucky cracked his eyes open and Steve beamed.
"I'll leave you two alone." Natasha grinned, patting the door as she walked off.
"Hey Buck. How are you feeling?"
"Okay. I think I lost a lot of blood."
"Yeah, can we agree that you have to keep that stuff inside of you?"
"I'll do that if you do."
"I'll try." Steve laughed, rubbing Bucky's arm soothingly.
Steve lowered his head, his blonde hair blocking his eyes. "I am…so sorry. For everything."
Bucky scooted himself higher on the bed, his yes staying on Steve. "For what? None of this was your fault. None of it."
Steve shook his head. "If I had fought with Ross more on this, you wouldn't have been in this position."
Bucky sighed, his eyes rolling. "Stevie, I could never blame you. You did what you could."
Steve frowned but Bucky pushed on. "I trust you. I'll always trust you. And this" Bucky waved his hand vaguely. "Rumlow business isn't your fault."
Steve huffed. "You're not going to let me blame myself are you?"
"Nope." Bucky nodded his head firmly before reaching to massage his head. "Ow, okay, remind me to avoid head movements, or any movements' maybe."
Steve winced in sympathy and moved his hand to rub at Bucky's head. "The doctor's said you shouldn't move too much."
"Sounds like a good plan." Bucky cringed at the pain, but then leaned into Steve's touch.
"I got you Buck."
Bucky smiled. "I know."
The End
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!