By the time Steve got through to SHIELD, it was too late: Wanda and her brother had escaped. Steve wasn't sure how to feel about the news. Bucky would say he was an idiot for letting them go. Sam would say everyone should be given a second chance. Clint would say he couldn't do anything about it anyway, so he might as well roll with it. Hermione would worry about their intentions, and so did he, but Steve was relieved at the same time that he didn't have to confront Wanda again so soon, not before she had decided what to do with her own life given half a chance.

The silver lining being that their escape had caused minimal damage and injuries to agents, but also that Wanda's curse had been lifted from all the afflicted, which could only be a show of goodwill from her. Hopefully, SHIELD would go easy on the siblings, see them as potential allies instead of the enemy, because they all had more than enough of those already.

The one glaring exception to giving the siblings some leeway was Natasha. She was livid she had been taken down so easily, so she was now on the warpath against the red witch in particular. Again, Steve wasn't sure who to cheer on between the two formidable dames… If they were smart, the siblings would keep a low profile until things cooled down, and more importantly, they wouldn't return to HYDRA. Of course, Steve had no guarantee they wouldn't. Just a feeling that Wanda wasn't such a bad kid and would do the right thing in the end, and, seeing how she cared for her brother, that he would follow her lead.

Steve warned Tony about what Wanda had told him though. How one Stark missile had killed their parents right in front of their eyes, while the other had terrorised them for days as they waited for it to explode at the slightest move. Like many who had lost people dear to them in such a brutal, unfair way, the siblings wanted revenge, and the irony was not lost on Tony that he had wanted the exact same thing not so long ago after learning Bucky had killed his parents. Neither had wanted the blood on their hands, but both had to deal with the consequences. Maybe it would help Tony understand Bucky better.

Yet, in typical Tony fashion when faced with a problem, he locked himself in his lab, only coming out for coffee refills. Pepper would also have to drag him out herself now and then to take a shower or sleep for a few hours. Steve knew he was working on perfectionning Bucky's futur arm, but that couldn't be all he was doing, right? The last time Steve had been in his lab, he'd already rebuilt his Ironman army, so he was a bit weary of what he might come up with next. Clint kept hinting at a Death star, and whatever the heck that was, Steve didn't like the sound of it one bit.

Despite criticizing Tony's obsessive tinkling in his lab, Steve was not faring much better, except he kept himself busy by pouring all his energy into caring for Bucky, since he couldn't do anything for Hermione. He began by getting him up to speed on everything that had happened since Sokivia right after he got a shower and change of clothes.

"So Hermione can almost make it out of that mirror prison with magic?" Bucky asked.

"Looks like it. She managed to push Robin through, but it's tiny, compared to a whole person, even her."

"Next time she appears… What if someone helped her break through with magic from this side too? Wouldn't that give her a chance?"

Steve frowned. He hadn't even thought about it, not knowing another magic user until…

"Wanda?" he asked.

"It's worth a try," Bucky replied with a shrug.

The pinned-up material of his hoodie flopped around, making Bucky scowl. He'd gotten used to doing things with one arm already, but he hated looking so obviously diminished, like he was advertising a weakness. The doctors Tony had sent to lessen the trauma and pain around the stump had helped immensely though, and the pinched look Bucky had sported since reappearing as the Winter Soldier had lessened considerably, making him look more like the old Bucky than ever before.

"So all we need to do is find her? Where do witches like to hide?" Steve asked to distract Bucky from his dark thoughts.

"A cat café? A library?" he suggested.

Steve snorted, but seeing as they did not have any leads, he asked Jarvis instead to keep them updated if he spotted the infamous siblings.

"Time to fix you up, Barnes!" Tony announced as he strolled into their quarters one day.

They'd decided to stay in the Stark building even after Bucky's recovery, simply because it was a place where Hermione had appeared often before. Bucky put aside his dislike of Tony's brash personality, and Tony tried to ignore his Winter Soldier past. The strain whenever they were all in the same room was still palpable though, but they endured it for Hermione's sake. Yet, Steve held up hope the two men would inevitably have to grow closer since they lived under the same roof. However, after three weeks of it, the two men were still at each other's throats for the slightest provocation, and Steve was starting to get annoyed.

"You're just fixing my arm, Stark. We'll see whether it's an improvement."

"You seriously think I can't do better than a rusty HYDRA murder-arm?" Tony shot right back.

Steve winced. He knew Tony meant the way the arm had tried to strangle Bucky and his nurses, but the ghosts of his murdered parents still loomed over them.

Bucky paled, looking anywhere but at Tony, not even when he jabbed viciously at the arm receptor he'd installed around the healed stump, causing sparks to fly.

"Er… Tony?" Steve asked, wondering if they shouldn't reschedule until they were both in a better mood.

"It's fine," Tony waved off without even glancing at him. "Static electricity. Happens all the time."

Bucky scoffed, but remained as still as a statue, no doubt hoping to get it over with as soon as possible. When Tony was finally satisfied with the receptor part, he pulled out the case he'd brought with him and which was the perfect size and shape to contain, say, a man's arm. Tony was being such a tease about it too. All he'd said so far about it was that it was gonna blow their minds. Knowing Tony, that could mean something as god awful as a bright gold and red arm like his Ironman suit, or an arm stuffed with more weapons than an armory, which Bucky would actually approve of; or maybe even an arm with more functions than a swiss army knife, which might get weird knowing Tony…

So, when Tony flipped the case open, they were both speechless. Tony chuckled, enjoying their reaction, because there sat a very realistic-looking, non-threatening arm, like the mad scientist that he was might have cut it off a passer-by that very morning. Steve had half a mind to poke the appendage to check if it was still warm. Tony grabbed it out of the case, his fingers digging into the flesh like it was real. It was so strange, especially because it was such a good match to Bucky's other arm, to his skin tone and the shape of his muscles as well as the hair colour. Tony had, once more, gone over and beyond, like the great overachiever that he was.

Attaching the new arm to the receptor was quick as it only took seconds for the two to connect and work together. It was done. It was amazing. Steve was on the verge of tears watching Bucky move his arm this way and that at Tony's command, because he looked whole again. The slim silver band of the arm receptor that was still visible was the only sign that something was amiss with the prosthetic arm, but it was easily dismissed.

"It works," Bucky said with wonder in his voice as he stared at his fingers moving so naturally.

"Of course it does," Tony said, sounding more smug than ever. "Come on, Cap. Don't be shy."

Like a moth drawn to a flame, Steve stepped forward and reached for the new hand Bucky was offering him. The texture was uncanny, the density, even the warmth…

"It all feels so real," Steve said, kissing his hand before interlocking their fingers.

"It does for me too. I can feel you. I can feel everything."

"Told you. I'm the best," Tony said and lo and behold, he could be even more smug after all, but he deserved to. This was a near miracle, like Bucky's arm had regrown.

"Tony… I don't know how to thank you," Steve said.

"You don't need you. I told you: that's what friends are for."

"Are you saying we're pals, Stark?" Bucky asked.

"Not in a million years, Barns. I did it for Steve. And Hermione. And in part for me, too. It helps you look less like… him."

Ah. The Winter Soldier. The less Bucky reminded Tony of the ghost who murdered his parents, the easier it would be to be around him.

"And I'm using you as a guinea pig too," Tony added quickly. "I knew it was gonna work, but you know how finicky the law is about human testing, and you can't even imagine how much money I'm going to make off of these new prosthetics. I guess the only downside is I still have to see you regularly for updates on how it works for you."

Steve only half believed Tony about the money part since he already poured donations into many hospitals and charities. Not to mention the good that came from such advanced prosthetics far outweighed the supposed business greed anyway. It was a win-win situation for everyone, but especially for Bucky that day.

Hermione hadn't appeared for a while, so Steve was startled when she was suddenly in front of him, her ghostly hand grasping his wrist before she tentatively let go, satisfied when it didn't make her disappear. Bucky hadn't seen her like this yet, so he naturally extended a hand towards her, and she mirrored him, but their fingers slipped through one another. Hermione sighed visibly, since they still couldn't hear her through dimensions, but she had thought of a way to communicate in the meantime apparently, because she held up a familiar sketchbook in front of her and there in big black block letters, he read:

HI

Bucky chuckled at the simple message she'd prepared in advance.

"Heya, doll. I miss you."

"How are you holding up?" Steve asked, because she had bags under her eyes. "We haven't seen you in a while."

Hermione turned the page.

I WANTED TO WAIT UNTIL BUCKY WAS RECOVERED SO YOU COULD FOCUS ON HIM.

She turned the page, tilting the sketchbook more towards Bucky than him this time.

CONGRATULATIONS ON GROWING A NEW APPENDAGE, BUCK.

Bucky snorted and teased her about his appendages until she blushed. Steve was surprised she was able to remain here with them so long. At first, she had only been a flicker, gone if you blinked.

"How are you managing to stay here so long? Does that mean you can come through soon?'

Hermione smiled at him, then turned to the next page with dramatic deliberation. Steve frowned that she already had an answer ready for his question.

THE MORE I PROJECT MYSELF HERE, THE EASIER IT GETS.

THE YELLOW STONE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT.

IT OPENED MY MIND, OR SHARPENED MY FOCUS. BOTH?

IT'S HARD TO QUALIFY.

She held up a finger when he opened his mouth to ask a question, then turned to the next page, having run out of room.

IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO GET THROUGH.

I HAVEN'T FOUND A WAY BACK YET.

Steve sighed. His question answered

"She's got you pegged," Bucky told him before looking back at Hermione. "Go on then, sweetheart, dazzle us: what's on the next page?"

Judging by Hermione's expression, Bucky's smartass comment was going to turn against him, so, when she showed them a drawing of herself sticking her tongue out, no matter how badly drawn it was, Steve burst out with laughter.

"I think she got your number too, Buck," he teased, although he did wonder what her next page might be. She knew them both so well. Too well. Surely, they couldn't be that predictable, but he didn't want to put that theory to the test, so he nudged Bucky instead.

"Tell her about your idea, Bucky."

"But we haven't found her yet," he argued in a hushed whisper.

Hermione frowned, and, for the first time, scribbled in her notebook while they waited patiently. Then, she turned the message towards them with her free hand on her hip:

HAVE YOU REPLACED ME ALREADY?

"Never," Steve said earnestly.

He couldn't even fathom giving his heart to another dame, to anyone else for that matter, to the point that when he found himself waking in a future without them, he'd been well on his way to die bitter and alone.

"We wouldn't dare," Bucky teased. "I remember that prank you pulled on Monty. He walked funny for a week."

A fond smile graced her lips. Steve wished he could kiss them. It wasn't fair having her so close, yet so far at the same time.

"Oh... Yes, my idea," Bucky resumed when Hermione prompted him to continue after he had lost himself in Hermione's soft smile as well. "Steve said you managed to open a passage from your side, but only big enough for Robin. I just wondered if another magic wielder helped you open it from this side at the same time, it would be large enough for you to come through?"

Hermione scribbled rapidly in her notebook, the message harder to read than usual.

YOU'RE A GENIUS BUCKY!

YOU FOUND ANOTHER WITCH?

"Not me. Steve befriended one. Again. Kind of. We're having a bit of trouble getting into contact with her since she's on the run, but as soon as we do… I'll drag her back here if I have to."

"Buck, she took out two SHIELD strike teams and half of the Avengers in the blink of an eye."

"Alright. I'll beg for her help, then. I don't care." He stepped right in front of Hermione, locking eyes with her. "We'll get you back home, love. I promise."

Buck would, too. He'd do anything for her. They both would. Pull the stupidest, most reckless stunts just for a chance to hold her again.

Bucky almost had a panic attack when she flickered away, reminding him of her disappearance from Sokovia like he'd just had a flashback. Steve reassured him it was only that she had run out of time to project herself through dimensions and that she was fine. Frustrated and exhausted from having pushed her limits once more, knowing her, but fine.

He was proved correct when they met up regularly after that, the time between her visits shortening to just a few days. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful in finding Wanda, even with Jarvis and Tony's help. It was like she'd vanished into another dimension as well, so they started looking for other magic wielders. Steve even went to stalk out a house right in the middle of Manhattan where several strangely dressed people with unknown powers had been spotted lately. It might be nothing, it could be cosplayers or even aliens, Tony had warned before having to explain what cosplay was, but he was willing to follow every lead at this point.

Hermione was trying to draw the Ancient One's strange garb in her ever present notebook during one of her visits so they could compare and eventually drop the Manhattan stake out if it looked like a waste of time. Her tongue was sticking out, and she was pressing her pencil far too hard on the paper, but he and Buck were holding in their laughter because she had already crumpled and thrown away two sketches, which promptly disappeared from sight in their dimension so they couldn't even see how bad the drawing had been.

However, before her new attempt was finished, Hermione's head snapped up, and she seemed to be on high alert, listening, her eyes wide. Whatever it was that had her so alarmed was only happening in her dimension though, because there was nothing on this side. Hermione quickly scribbled something across her drawing and turned it towards them:

PEOPLE

She dropped the notebook and it disappeared from their sight too, then they followed her as she ran towards the bay windows, searching for something, or, he guessed, someone.

Before they could find out more however, Hermione flickered and disappeared.