Barnes POV

12th October

It had been 3 days of BARF now with Dr Stark running and guiding his adaptive programme instead of just using an algorithm, Shuri acted as a go between, texting the man, and messages occasionally popped up on his screen. Well, more floating in front of him in a weird way.

On more than one occasion the random jokes or images he had sent to him had pulled him back from the edge of a panic attack. How Dr Stark seemed to just be able to tell he was close to panicking from the other side of the world, he had no idea. He'd say the glasses told him, but Shuri got the same read outs and she couldn't predict them.

Dr Stark had asked for data on the memories attached to the words for a theory he was working on based on the stages of brainwashing.

Honestly, stages. He hadn't realised that brainwashing was a thing that had actual stages. He'd considered looking it up himself and Dr Stark told him to look up something nice instead, leave the depths of Hydra to him for a change. That he'd done more than enough.

He still hadn't responded to the amusing letter, or mentioned it to anyone, it was tucked into his notebook, he liked the drawings and the thing in the back of his head seemed to like anything related to Dr Stark.

'I know you're still ignoring me, but can you stop calling me it?'

Oh. Thinking on it, if the presence in his mind wasn't just his sanity melting away, he'd been a bit of a dick.

'What do you want me to call you?'

He got confusion and a bit of panic back, and damned if he didn't know what that felt like.

'Hey hey, its okay. I didn't really know what I wanted to be called either.'

'At least you have many options.'

'True, but nothing really jumped out. The best I have so far is most people calling me Barnes. I like Wolf however, and James. Anything is better than Bucky.'

'What about Winter Soldier? Or Soldat?'

'The Russian for soldier?'

'Yeah.'

'Why don't you pick one, we'll try it, if you like it then keep it? You can try others? Winter isn't bad.'

'Does this mean you'll stop ignoring me now?'

He wasn't sure about that, it was really weird to be talking to a person in his head but he figured he could make an effort. His intention must have carried through as he felt a happiness from it. Maybe he could do it. Although he was still not telling anyone.

'Also If you ever take control again, at least pretend to be me?'

'Otlichno. Fine.'

Figuring that's the best he's going to get, he finished dressing for the day and headed home for food and to head to his BARF session.

Since the video viewing, the house was.. fractured. But Steve apparently still wanted people to be present at meals. This was adhered to much less now, but Wanda seemed to have pulled Steve and Clint back together, somehow. The two had returned to talking to each other a lot faster than he would have assumed, given how enraged the Archer was at everything. Attacking the interview they'd watched had become a popular conversation, even though he, Wing's and TicTac never joined in.

Also the Witch had been avoiding him like the plague, anytime they shared a room she became quiet withdrawn and watched him intently. Occasionally rubbing her wrist. He wasn't sure why she was so intent on him, it felt like more than just that one incident, yet they'd never met before.

He shook his head and entered the kitchen, Wings was cooking again with TicTac helping. It had become his routine to help the two now, especially after he baked muffins last night. His therapist wanted him to try more hobbies, baking seemed a good choice, even though he was pretty sure Wings suggested it to get free baked goods. He liked the precise measurements, instructions and easy results that were also tasty. Although he was avoiding most American recipes, he'd spent an hour trying to work out different conversions of cups before nearly putting his fist through the wall. Grams were much easier to understand.

Just as he'd finished up, the Witch and the Archer headed towards the front door, the Archer nodding to Steve. It was an odd interaction but as he was leaving in 5 minutes, he could ignore it. He ignored most of what they three got up to.

"Hey Buck, I can come with you today for your session if you like?"

Huh?!

"Steve.. I thought you can't, you know.. Leave the house?"

"I can for today, so I can come and see this treatment you've been doing. You've been going a while now and I don't think it's having good results so I want to check on it. Make sure nothing bad is going on behind the scenes."

He's not sure which feeling is stronger, a sense of betrayal from T'Challa or concern. He isn't mad at the king, Steve was like water wearing down rock. It made sense, he'd eventually give in, Steve was his to deal with anyway and it was pretty unfair of him to dump it on T'Challa.

But would Steve recognise the tech? Even if he covers up the Stark Industries logo? He lived with the man for years so he assumes he would know his style.

"I don't know Steve, this is kind of a me thing, ya know? Like something I have to do alone."

"I get that Buck and I'll be there to help you, together, like we always were."

Now he knows that he and lil Stevie were together a lot, but he also damned well knows that they spent some time apart too. He's not sure where Steve is getting this completely idolised version of him. When people die, friends and family tend to eulogize them. Gloss over the traits they didn't like, reframe events. He's not sure when Steve did this, was it after the train or after he woke up in the future, but it's starting to annoy him. Even if he reverted to the old Bucky right now, it wouldn't be enough for Steve. He didn't know how to tell the man that this Bucky he'd built up in his head probably never existed, what happened to him that he made up this perfect Bucky?

It was like he was being set up for failure.

"I don't know Steve, I don't really like the idea of anyone seeing what I did at Hydra."

"You didn't do anything, you were forced, why are you going through those memories anyway?! Who the hell thought that was a good idea, isn't that traumatic?"

"Steve it's how the tech works, it helps me disassociate a memory as I go through it instead of waiting years. It's amazing Steve, I've really been improving."

"Gotta tell you Steve, that does sound good, disassociating traumatic memories in a controlled condition like that? That's amazing. With PTSD people can be hit with memories decades after the trauma, as fresh as if it happened yesterday. What Barnes is describing is a damned miracle."

"But the words are still there."

"They're being worked on, my brain is not like most people's anymore, Hydra basically rewired me. They have their best people working on it."

Clint strolled back and waved at Steve as he jumped up and slipped his coat on.

"See ya later Cap."

"Fine, I'll come along today and see what it's like. Maybe you'll convince me that it's good."

"Alright, let's walk to the train I guess."

His shoulders slumped slightly as Steve starts walking to the door, Wings and TicTac both look upset but seem utterly stuck for what to do. He shrugged at them and trudged out, he glanced next to the door to see if one of his favourite guards were on duty, but was shocked to find no one there.

"That's weird."

"What's that Buck?"

"No one is guarding the door."

"Oh it's probably just a shift change, you usually leave earlier so you don't see it."

"Oh, okay."

It still seemed weird but he guessed a guard change made sense, where else would they be? He was also feeling kind of depressed himself now, he didn't know why such a simple thing like Steve accompanying him to his session was knocking him. But then he'd only just started getting used to having choices.

Sure, they'd been terrifying at first. He'd almost longed for the simplicity of being the Asset. He never made choices back then, he was given strict mission parameters to fulfil. He either succeeded and he would go back into cryo. Or he failed, then he would be punished before going back into cryo. It was easy in a way. The only choices he got was on his gear, and that was only picking items left out for him. Usually he picked everything he could possibly carry.

But then he'd had choices. Real choices, and it had been so easy to let Steve make them for him. To be the Bucky he told him to be… easy, but it was exhausting. Wearing a mask all the time. Plus, he kept screwing up.

Slowly he started making his own choices, even if they were un-Bucky like, it was terrifying but it was exhilarating. Then he realised that he liked making terrifying choices. But Steve had just taken it from him, without even noticing what he was doing. Yeah, it was out of concern for him, but if he'd just listen to him, he'd realise this therapy was good.

He was also scared he'd recognise it as Dr Stark's and somehow stop him from going. Take it away from him.

"You know Buck, you should come to more team meals."

"I come to a few meals, but occasionally I have other people who invite me to dinner."

"You don't have to do what they want you to do, just because they're royalty you know, you can say no. I mean it's the least T'Challa could do after accusing you of murder and trying to kill you."

The irony of Steve lecturing him about saying no when he never pays attention to his no's is not lost on him.

"I like spending time with Shuri or T'Challa. I also see other people too, there are several Dora I see. They respect it when I tell them no."

"Why would spend time with the guards? Plus, T'Challa seems to be falling for Tony's lies, I thought Wakanda would be good for us, but they're so restrictive!"

"Steve, we're wanted fugitives and they're letting us stay here for free, in a gorgeous house with amazing amenities."

"It's nothing compared to the tower, or the compound. You'll love it when we get back!"

"Back?"

"Yeah, when we get our pardons, you can see how different it is. Especially the gear! It's great, and Tony will probably make you an arm considering Shuri hasn't."

"I asked her not to remember, she's offered it for me. I said no. Also, why do you want to go back to Dr Stark's home? I thought you guys didn't like him. Plus after Siberia I don't think he'll want us there."

"Oh, it'll be fine, Wanda can help Tony see the error of his ways, he'll apologise and vetting will go back to how it once was. This new team will be likely be disbanded too. Some of them could stay, but I don't like the look of some of them, especially that Sorcerer. Plus, with Wanda we won't need that Sorcerer."

Again, the mention of the Witch has him feeling cold and nauseated. He still isn't even sure why, yeah, she's a powerful telekinetic, but he's sure he's gone up against powered people before. Plus, get a telekinetic distracted, spot their tell. Easy. So why does the little Witch fill him with such dread? Why does the voice in his head, who is afraid of no one, why is he scared of her? He's not even sure how Wanda can show Dr Stark the error of his ways. She obviously despises the man and she has so little emotional control he can't see a conversation between them going well, at all.

"I don't think it will go like that, plus Wanda and Clint are very aggressive and insulting, that's not good for a team."

"You don't know what Tony has done. What he's like. He probably doesn't even care about what they say."

True, he didn't know Dr Stark well. They'd exchanged letters and now the messages in the glasses. So it wasn't exactly a lot. But he'd been very friendly, kind even. Talking him down, giving him techniques to avoid panic attacks. After he'd apologised, he'd thanked him and told him that he didn't want him feeling guilty. It didn't add up.

They were getting closer to Shuri lab and he spotted Onyenka just outside and smiled brightly, waving at the woman. She waved back before her brow wrinkled in confusion. He knew he was running late but he had been a few minutes late before and everyone had been fine. She shot him another smile before fiddling with her beads.

"You have to say you want me to come with you or they might not let me in."

"What?"

Before he got an answer from Steve, Shuri appeared in the door, looking very annoyed at Steve.

"Mr Rogers. You are not meant to be here. You are not allowed to leave the villa."

"I know, but T'Challa said it's fine if Bucky wants me in his therapy."

Shuri switched her gaze to him, head tilting.

"Is that what you want White Wolf?"

"Of course he does."

"I wasn't talking to you Captain Coloniser!"

She snapped at Steve harshly and suddenly there were a lot more Dora around them. Eyes locked on Steve.

"Steve, I told ya, I'd rather do this alone. Plus, you lied to me."

"I didn't Bucky, T'Challa told me if you ever wanted me to come, I was allowed out."

"But that's not what happened. You manipulated me and tried to force my hand by putting me on the spot! I'm going in, alone."

With that Shuri moved aside so he could walk into the lab, Steve tried to follow but was immediately stopped by the Dora. Shuri closed the doors before he could say anything. Dammit, he and Steve had been clashing sure, but this is the first time he felt so… hurt over what he had done.

Shuri looked absolutely furious and was speaking in fast paced Xhosa into her beads, so he hung back. After she was done, she wipes the anger and irritation from her face and focuses entirely on him for his BARF session, he had a few messages queued up on the glasses as he turned them on, apparently Dr Stark had made him a new screen saver and wanted to see if he liked it.

After his session he couldn't help but grin happily at the different types of birds that were fluttering around Shuri's lab. He tells Shuri to text him and say it's his best idea yet. A message popped up in front of him thanking him for complementing his birds, Shuri was still grinning like a loon when he shouldered his bag to head back to the villa. He wasn't looking forward to seeing Steve again after this morning, but it's not like he can avoid the villa forever. At least he isn't staying for dinner today.

Steve is absent when he returns to the Villa, he even gets to eat his lunch in peace with Wings. TicTac was on another photography mission and apparently Steve and Clint were with Wanda in her room. He considered asking Wings why and then decides that he really didn't want to jinx it. Especially as Wings could be quite pleasant dinner company. He was interested in the Wakandan therapist he was seeing.

It's obvious to him that Wings misses his job something terrible. Giving up counselling to save the world was one thing. Giving it up to be stranded here, as an international fugitive? Hiding isn't anything new to him, or TicTac it seems. But to Wings, it's definitely hurting the man. So instead of vanishing after food to kill time before meeting up with Shuri, he decided to watch a movie with the man.

He's not sure what he's done to wrong Wings, but at the end of Homeward Bound, he had considered punting the man out of the window. He should not be nearly crying, but it was an evil… Evil film. Even the voice in his head was caught up with the dog trapped in the mud..

"Put something happy on next, please?"

"Fine, I'll search for something, why don't you tell me about the tech that helps you disassociate memories. I've been thinking about it all day."

"Well, it's these glasses, and they isolate all your traumatic memories, then you pick one. Play it whilst this really complicated code runs, then in 2 or 3 watches, sometimes all I do is watch, ya know. Other times I can influence the memory, make it change. Then it dissociate and feels kind of different in my head, I'm probably explaining this badly. Some sessions I do several memories at once. "

" Man that is amazing, I hope this becomes widespread one day. It would have been so useful back at the VA "

Clint and Wanda drop into their love seat and he really doesn't want to talk about his therapy with them there, Wings doesn't even seem to notice them.

" So what's it called anyway. Does it even have a name or is it a prototype"

"Umm, RFG. Retroframing Glasses. I have some documents that explained everything if you like. The maker wanted me to be comfortable knowing no one could mess with my mind. They made their jobs harder just so I was comfortable with it."

He nearly called it BARF. He didn't know if searching for BARF would bring them up. Which was a shame, as unlike Shuri, the name has grown on him and he found it hilarious. Not that he would ever tell anyone that of course.

"That is so amazing, we are so lucky Shuri knew who to contact to get you this treatment. Hey, if you don't mind, maybe ask if I could talk to them sometime over it?"

"Sure, I don't see why not, maybe I could get some information for you?"

And he would scour everything for any mention of Dr Stark. Although he was considering bringing Wings in on the secret after all, he was so excited about it.

Then Steve arrives and with it a wave of exhaustion slams into him. He just ignored the man and snagged the remote that Wings had abandoned. Not that he knows what any of these films are, he just doesn't want to talk to Steve about his lies this morning and Wings was distracted with his tablet.

He was flicking through films, waiting for something to jump out at him when he actually caught a glimpse at Wings tablet.. And a picture of the BARF glasses was on the screen and he was reading about them.

Oh fuck.

Sam's eyebrows have knit together and he looks confused and there we go, he's watching the video of Stark talking about the glasses at MIT. Shit.

"Yes those are the glasses, please don't -"

Wanda is suddenly right there and then snatches Wings tablet off of him before he could react. Wings jumps up to try and get it back and immediately Clint jumps in the way followed by Steve. Practically creating a wall between Wanda and them.

"Steve, did you know that the 'treatment' Bucky has been getting comes from Stark?"

She flashes him a triumphant look that turns all concerned when Steve turns.

'Who cares if they know Feniks is helping us.'

'Because they're going to draw all the wrong conclusions! To try and keep it from us!'

Then he gets a long, graphic list of expletives in Russian, and at least 3 other languages too. Considering he tends to swear a lot, and even he is trying to keep his eyebrows down as the… Soldat... Damn he needs a better name… gets quite into his swearing.

'Wow. That was.. Some impressive usage of swearing.'

'Thank you. Now, pay attention when there are enemy combatants in the room rebenok. child.

It would be childish to repeat that in an amusing voice. The only reason he doesn't do it is Steve, Clint and the Witch seem to be done screaming about Stark and are now turning to him. Wings has actually moved to stand in between him and the others.

"Steve, can't you see? This is good. Stark has obviously known where we are for a while and he hasn't turned us in. He obviously knows Barnes is here and he's actively HELPING him!"

"We don't know that Sam, this might be some revenge plot where Stark is punishing Bucky!"

"Steve! I've read about this tech, it's good, it's helping tons of people!"

"Stark is probably trying to brainwash Bucky! See Steve, you knew something was wrong, this is all Stark's doing. He's killing your Bucky slowly and replacing him!"

Sam and the Witch are on either side of Steve in a weird parody of a devil and an angel on his shoulder. The Witches story is beyond ridiculous but he can see Steve swaying towards her. He hates the tech that he doesn't even know about, so he's will to go with her utterly ridiculous crap because it supports his idea.

"Punk, I know what brainwashing feels like, I know what it's like to be made and remade, to be wiped and rebuilt. These glasses are helping me!"

"But you would say that Bucky. Stark is making you say that. Can't you see, Steve just wants to help you be the real you again."

He can't help but gape at Wanda, who is trying to look as if she cares, to him it's just ridiculous, but he'd underestimated how manipulative she was, especially when Clint seems to follow up too perfectly.

"Yeah Bucky. How can you let something Stark made into your mind, did you even know it was him? Shuri has been lying to you!"

"Of course I knew Dr Stark was behind the tech. His name is literally on the glasses. The man went to great lengths to make sure I was comfortable and that no one can use the glasses to d-"

"So you knew that Stark knew we were here? You've been lying for ages to protect Stark! Steve, would your Bucky do that? Lie to you to protect someone like Stark? Of all people!"

Shit, he should have seen that trap, but there was no was to answer it that didn't benefit them. She'd have attacked either answer.

"Hey, Barnes is trying to get treatment, he's well enough to make his own choices. If he trusts Stark tech, then it's up to him."

Wanda hands flare red when Wings snaps back at her and all arm bells are going off in his head and he is suddenly thrown back. Looking out from his eyes but he can't seem to move. He hears himself speak but the small Russians lilt he carried is suddenly a lot deeper.

"Hvatit! Ved'ma!" Stop! Witch!

Wanda flinched and steps back before she realised what she was doing, then she stepped back her magic flooding into the room and his head is killing him, he wants to curl up and clutch his head but he stands straight as if utterly unaffected. But he knows the Soldat.. Winter is hurting too, he can feel his energy waving as he holds up against the flood of pain. When it reaches the socket he collapsed back and he's in control again. He yelled out to him instinctively.

'Winter?!'

He gets no response and for some reason, Steve is looking at him in concern.

"What's wrong Bucky?"

"Her magic, it's hurting me!"

"I don't think it's that Bucky, no one else is in pain. I bet it's the glasses! You're fighting free from them, so they're hurting you!"

"Punk, the glasses don't hurt me, they don't control me, they let me disassociate traumatic memories! That's it! I'm not 'fighting' them."

"But you don't know that Buck, you don't know Tony like we do. He wanted to kill you in the bunker, this is him trying to get his revenge!"

"By making me fucking happy? By making me sleep better? By giving me the agency to make my own choices? That's some weird ass revenge!"

"But don't you see Bucky, he is killing you. He's killing the real you. Steve if you let this continue, Stark will slowly kill your best friend and turn him into this angry stranger. Weren't you saying that he's not acting like Bucky? And the Russian? That's not Bucky. Plus Steve, he scared me, he hurt me for no reason the other night!"

"Steve, tell me you aren't buying this shit? I have been speaking Russian for 7 fucking decades, sorry if I happen to like the language!"

"See Steve, Bucky never argued with you like this. You were the leader and he followed you. Trusted your decisions. Stark has made him not trust you."

"How would you know what I was like?! Look, Dr Stark is helping me. I'm sorry if you don't like that Steve. But it's my choice."

"Why are you calling him 'Dr Stark'? has he already turned you into his little pet?"

Oh great. The Archer just had to jump back in.

"I call him that because it's his name and title? It's called trying to be polite."

"His title is The Merchant of Death!"

"That's a bit long for my tastes, I think I'll stick to calling the man giving me my life back Dr Stark. Spasibo Thanks."

"Look. Steve. How about I look into this? Barnes has already said he'd send me the files over. I'm actually qualified, unlike others in this room. If Shuri, heck, if Stark is up for it. I'll chat to them too. That way I can find out about it okay?"

"I don't know Sam, I think there's already damage done t-"

"Are you going calling me damaged goods Steve? Cause I fucking hope not or I'll lay you out! Ti menia dostal! I've had enough of you!"

"See Steve. Bucky would never threaten you like this. Stark's glasses are just like the chair, it's wiping him and making him hate you."

How the fuck does she know about the chair?!

"Buck, Wanda has some good points. You are being awfully defensive about this."

"That's because you won't listen! That's it, I'm leaving, I'll come back later and we can discuss this when you have calmed down. Wings can explain why it's helping me."

"If he keeps getting the treatment Steve, everyday you're losing Bucky.. He's slipping through your fingers. You can't let him go."

With that Clint moved to the door, locking it and blocking its path. Steve grabbed his shoulders and got right in his personal space and he can feel a panic attack just under his skin, he needs out, he needs to run. Now.. It doesn't help that the voice is silent. Winter.. He was weak from standing up against the Witches powers.

"Let me go Steve."

"Steve, you need to let him go now, he's having a panic attack!"

"Bucky is fine, I'm here for him. This is Stark's doing! I can't believe I didn't notice sooner!"

"Steve, if you hold him, I can check for any tampering Stark has done to his brain."

"Now hold on. Steve, let Barnes go. Stop and think. This is wrong, you can't do that without his consent!"

"But he can't consent Sam, Stark has robbed it from him, I'm just going to heal him.."

With that his vision went to gray as an explosion rocks the room.

Shuri POV

"Bana-phrionnsa!"

"Oh Hi CERBERUS, I didn't realise you were running in the integration pathway."

"CeannardChief has taken a special interest in you and Madadh-allaidhWolf. My protocols are to protect those in my remit. I have added the both of you."

"Aw, that's so sweet CERBERUS, does Tony know?"

"No, Ceannard has not realised I can do this yet. But you must get to the villa IMMEDIATELY. The Rouge Avengers have discovered where Madadh-allaidh's treatment hails from. They are building into an argument that if my predictions are right will result in unfavourable outcomes."

"CERBERUS, can you transfer to my beads?"

"Of course Bana-phrionnsa, I will keep you updated."

With that she grabbed her new favourite weapons and dashed from her lab, the Dora falling in around her immediately without explanation.

"What's happening CERBERUS?"

"The Scarlet Witch seems to be suggesting that Ceannard is using BARF to brainwash Madadh-allaidh. Sam Wilson is arguing in his defence."

Oh great. The Witch just had to be involved. There were still serious unknowns when it came to her powers, even with information Tony had sent over, the guards on the house this morning just decided to leave their shift early, creating a gap that allowed Rogers to leave. She had no idea how and they had no proof it was her as the outside of the house was not recorded. T'Challa was away at the moment and she was not sure about moving against them with such a huge unknown that they did not know how to combat. They'd been informed about the increased surveillance outside of the villa however.

"Things are escalating Bana-phrionnsa."

"Is Wolf hurt?"

"No, but he is growing seriously distressed and predictions based on the Scarlet Witches profile are not favourable."

She jumped off the train and ran with everything she had. She had 8 Dora around her now and a few more had arrived at the Villa who were waiting for her. The building came into sight and she was steps from the door when CERBERUS's voice grew panicked.

"Madadh-allaidh is having a panic attack, the Scarlet With has threatened to use her ability on him. The door is locked and blocked by Hawkeye. Ceannard had noted that trapping him is to be avoided at all costs as it could trigger considerable stress or pre-programmed reactions from Hydra."

That was the last surge she needed as she dashed into the house, the Dora were just as angered as she was. Her White Wolf had charmed many and they'd become fiercely protective of the man. She didn't bother trying to unlock the door, she used her vibranium claws to shred the lock and kicked the door inwards. Sending Barton flying in a whirlwind of shattered wood. It also was a distraction enough for her and several of the Dora to launch themselves across the room.

Sam was trying to put himself directly between the Witch and Barnes who was limp, being held up by Steve's hands, even as Sam was trying to get him to let go. The Witch and The Captain were yanked back by several guards a peice, weapons at their throats. One of the guards on the Witch deployed a non lethal, but painful electric shock to the Witches hands. Shuri had seen how Wolf caused her pain to her pressure points, how it disrupted her ability. She helped him stand as he was slowly coming back to himself. She half dragged him with help out into the hall, where his breathing evened out and he eventually managed to stand on his own. No longer having the exits blocked eased the strain on him. Tony had been very specific in telling them not to trap him, in anyway, even superficially, the fact that he had a panic attack instead of outright attacking was actually good news for their brainwashing treatment.

"Princess Shuri! What is the meaning of this?!"

"I don't know how they do it in America Mr Rogers, but in Wakanda, we take the safety of our guests very seriously!"

"Bucky was safe! He was fine!"

"He was literally having a panic attack!"

"That's because of that Stark tech you've been using on him! You do realise that Stark has been tricking you into brainwashing him right? Or are you in on it too?"

Wanda was gasping slightly, Rubbing her hands but she was still capable of spewing bullshit to rile up the captain it seems.

"No one is brainwashing me. They're helping me! Why can't you see that!"

"It's OK Buck, we'll help you, I promise."

"Steve, I don't need help on this you patronising ass. Princess can we go to that film you wanted to see early."

"Of course White Wolf, let's go."

"I'm going to fetch my bag. Wings, I'm going to send you the information. Steve, please, I'm begging you, read it. Will you do that for me?"

"Of course Bucky, I'd do anything for you."

"When you're acting normal again and you've read the documents tell Wings. He'll call me back. Alright?"

With that he jogged upstairs. She didn't want him to come back here. The way the Dora looked around, they didn't want him to come back here either. She decided that she would have one of the guest rooms at the Palace prepared. If he did not need it, that was fine. But it was there incase he did. As there were no other guests due soon, he would also have the large kitchen, dining and common area all to himself. Barnes came back into view and Rogers struggled to move towards him, but the weapons at his throat didn't budge.

"Buck, wait! Don't go. You don't have to leave. Stay and we'll talk about this!"

"After what just happened, I need to not be here right now Steve. I can't believe you did that to me."

"Did what? Buck I didn't do anything!"

"Steve, you held me in place so the Ved'ma could do some kind of 'fixing magic' to my brain. After everything I've been through, and you did that to me.."

"Buck she was just trying to help you, you don't understand right now because what the glasses have done to -"

"The glasses are helping me Steve. You held me down and tried to force magic on me!"

"Buck, It's just Wanda, she's family, you can trust her."

"Well I don't."

Clint groaned and sat up. Confused for a few seconds until he seemed to catch up with what was happening.

"Don't trust our Wanda but you fucking trust Stark? A man you barely know who tried to kill you last time you met?"

"Yeah. I do."

"You're definitely fucked in the head mate."

"Come on White Wolf. Let's get you outside."

"Princess Shuri, until I've made a decision he'll be stopping the treatment."

"If our Wolf wants to continue treatment, he can. That it's helping him work through severely traumatic memories. That he has been through the better part of a century of nigh on constant trauma. That of course he won't immediately be exactly as he was in the 40s. That he is different to how you wish, does not mean he is brainwashed. "

"Princess, you know what happened in Siberia! You know what he did to him! How can you let Tony do this to him now? He is innocent!"

"How can I let Dr Stark dedicate himself to helping him? How can I let Dr Stark send the most advanced pair of BARF on the market to help him? How can I let him pour countless hours of work in? Easily. That's how."

"But you don't know what he's doing to him! You're just a kid, you can't understand someone like Tony! He's not a good man, he doesn't just do things to help people for no reason!"

She shakes her head and prods Wolf towards the door.

"We clearly do not know the same Dr Stark. This is a sad fact for you. Once again, I have to inform you that you have zero say in Wolf's medical decisions."

"Yes I do and stop calling him that! I'm his medical proxy and I currently feel he is unfit to make such decisions."

Wolf was stood staring at Steve as if he'd never seen the man before. She assumed that having your supposed best friend accuse you of lacking the mental faculties to choose your own treatment was a kick in the gut.

"No, he likes being called Wolf. You would also have to go to court to prove that. As you are currently a wanted fugitive, you are incapable of that."

"Also, ya ain't my proxy Steve. Shuri is."

With that they left, Steve could be heard shouting for them for quite a distance. Security at the villa was also stepped way up.

"How did you know I needed help so fast?"

"Remember Tony has an AI called FRIDAY?"

"Yeah?"

"Well he has another AI. After Ultron, he met Laura and Barton's kids, he'd already been considering this program when his at the time girlfriend was kidnapped. An AI dedicated to protection. Not of the Avengers, but of their friends, family, children. The people made vulnerable by their jobs basically. An AI to protect them, he calls him 'The Guardian of Their Personal Hells'. His name is CERBERUS."

"Okay..?"

"Apparently, because Tony has put so much into helping you, he took it upon himself to add the both of us to his prime directive."

"Why me?"

"I could answer that if it would help Madadh-allaidh?"

"Um, OK. CERBERUS I presume?"

"That's me. Ceannard has a habit of collecting people, and he cares for them deeply. He considers Shuri as one of his now. You are important to the Bana-phrionnsa. Ceannard also has spent many, many hours trying to help you, so I conclude that you are important to Ceannard. Therefore you must be protected."

She tried not to smile as he processed that and looked slightly overwhelmed by the AIs proclamation that he was important to Tony. She suspected it would be similar to the look of utter confusion on Tony's face if he found it about it.

" Well. Um. Thank you CERBERUS. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't gotten Shuri to me."

"You're very welcome Madadh-allaidh. I hope you are not in future situations that require my aid. If you ever need me, you can speak to me on your tablet."

"Oh?"

"I like to keep in contact with my charges."

"Aww, CERBERUS, you're sweet."

"Thank you, Bana-phrionnsa"

"Come on, let's go and watch that movie in my lab shall we? I'm expecting a call from Tony later where he's going to discuss how the adaptive program is going. He's going to complain that it isn't working properly, I'm going to suggest that he run the programme directly like we discussed and he's going to get flustered. It should be fun, yes?"

"Okay, let him know that it's fine too. But make sure he knows he doesn't have to do this, I have a feeling many people expected him to do things and I don't want to be like that. Also, any idea what CERBERUS was calling me?"

"CERBERUS likes to give people nicknames in Scots Gaelic, Madadh-allaidh means Wolf."

"Huh, that's really cool."

Shuri just grinned as they made their way back to her lab. Wondering if these two idiots were ever going to stop thinking they were forcing their presence on the other. From how much her Wolf had read about Tony, and the notes on the Algorithms, and how much time and effort Tony was pouring into this, yet they were all 'But I don't want to impose myself on them!' Still! They'd sent actual paper letters to each other, Tony had responded according to T'Challa. With actual words written on paper. Now they were sending messages on the glasses. For Bast's sake, Tony programmed him a screensaver on the glasses with birds just because she mentioned that Barnes liked the birds on the back of his letter!

Why were boys so infuriatingly stupid?!

They were halfway through the first movie when the call started to come through. Shuri raised an eyebrow offering him the chance to leave if he wished. Although she knew he would stay. He felt slightly bad for snooping on the calls but she knew that her Wolf was very curious about the American engineer. He had a curious streak a mile wide. So when he moved to his corner, taking the fluffy blanket she had immediately wrapped around him when they were away from those stupid idiots she grinned. He pulled his legs up and cocooned himself in the chair, somehow making his rather large frame quite small. It was utterly adorable.

"Tony! You got my data packets I can see."

"How can you tell?"

"You look both perplexed and annoyed."

Tony scoffed but didn't contradict what she was saying, which left her grinning at him smugly.

"This just doesn't make any sense, the original program should constantly adjust within the set parameters. For more complex ones, therapists contact me for a personal adjustment to the code like I did with Barnes at the start.. and that works. I already did that for Barnes but the system isn't adjusting, well it is but not enough, or his brain is adjusting right back, and me guiding each session isn't good enough anymore."

"So no other therapists have had a similar issue?"

"Nope, and I called every single place that is using them and I combed through their data."

"Tony, that must have taken hours!"

"Eh, not important. Also, as Barnes is Improving, it seems to be getting worse, weirdly. Keep going for now, but avoid the code words, that's where the biggest discrepancies are, and the rest is still helping him, I can see that from the data. Now we have the integration complete, all I can think of is to ask Barnes if I can act as the program instead of guiding it, at least occasionally, it will still be mostly the programme but I can step in. I'll be more directly involved though, so it's his call. I don't like it, I've already practically forced my presence on him, he's already offered up so much and I'm still stuck."

She could tell Tony was stressed, and she wondered when the man last slept. He was slightly more dishevelled than usual, his hair was going in all directions from how many times he'd ran his hands through it, and as he was practically whacking his head slightly in frustration. She wanted to throttle the man and get it through to him that Barnes didn't mind his involvement! The other idiot was feeling bad for involving him! They were exhausting.

"I'd hoped I could have helped him without getting involved, the guy deserves to feel safe. Not like the guy who attacked him wants access to his mind. I know he doesn't believe everything the others said of me, but I also know what I look like online, and that they're probably constantly badmouthing me. I don't know if I'd want me in my brain."

She shook her head, because from what she knew, he had been researching the man online but came away with mostly positive opinions.

"Don't worry Tony, he's much too smart to believe crap from the Witch and her Archer. "

"If he doesn't mind, I have a friend who could potentially help, Stephy could give me a good idea of what to do next. He's a pretty amazing neurosurgeon. Well, he's a wizard too, but more importantly, he was a doctor before he went and got magiced up. He's good at straightening out my brain when it's running around like kittens on catnip."

"Well I'll ask him that as well, he feels confident in you working on this and trusts your judgement."

"I'm still not sure about me partially acting as the code Shuri, it's a big ask."

"Well if you got his permission What will you do?"

"I'll code directly with the program, tailoring the algorithm so it should make it easier to disassociate memories."

"Is that all?"

"Well yeah, that's what I need to do?"

Tony had his head tilted to one side, still wearing his sunglasses but she could see the confusion in his face.

"So it doesn't even occur to you to do anything nefarious?"

"Of course not! I wouldn't… he's had enough people messing with his brain."

"So what's the problem"

"Shuri, you might think I'm this nice, good person but generally that is not the perception of me. People see me as selfish, arrogant, heartless and uncaring. I'm not a 'good' person."

"But that's utterly stupid, you wouldn't do all this work if you weren't a good person Tony. Please tell me you don't believe that."

He just shrugged, looking oddly defeated, not too different than when she'd first started talking to him in the hospital. He only seemed to fall into this when the rogues were mentioned and to say it angered her was an understatement, she wanted to know what they had done to leave such a brilliant man filled with self hatred.

She hoped the videos she had sent, of the Rogues reaction to the press conference, hadn't resulted in Tony slipping back into thinking less of himself. For a man who claimed to have a huge ego, most of his snark seemed to be directed inwards and he was quite vulnerable to people's expectations and opinions. Not of the press or the public really, he was an expert at dealing with them, but to people he let in, in the quiet of his home away from the press. He tended to give people everything she'd noticed, including everything of himself and keep nothing back to protect himself. It was one of the many reasons she wished to rage at her unwanted guests.

They were hurting both of her boys in someway or another.

Even if they were idiots, they were her idiots.

"I'm used to it, but I know that's what people think. If he researched me he probably thinks that to right? Plus the last time we met, I attacked the guy. A guy who'd been tortured for decades I attacked him and worst of all I made him fight. I get the feeling that he didn't want to fight but I was just.. All I felt was white hot rage. Which was actually good surprisingly. "

"Huh?"

"I go to this place sometimes in fights where everything becomes static and my emotions just dial down.."

"So you didn't want to kill him if you didn't go to that place."

"No, no, I didn't want to kill him. I just.. I just needed to let it out, I needed Rogers to HURT. Stupid anyway, I guess I thought Rogers would try to desesculate. I wasn't really thinking."

"But he did not."

She couldn't keep the growl out of her voice, she also heard shifting behind her. She hadn't realised her conversation with Tony would take this path when she'd given Barnes the option of remaining.

"There was a moment I thought he'd actually kill me you know, he lifted that shield and I swore he was going to aim for my neck, the shield even scraped off my elbow before it slammed into the arc reactor."

"I'm sorry Tony, it's horrid he took knowledge of being your friend and used it against you."

"More that you know.. "

He muttered to himself but the mic picked up on it.

"Huh?"

"I, uh.. Rogers knew all about my multiple heart surgeries. That I had a donor sternum, that it was weaker because of how much they hacked out in Afghanistan to install the tube the Electromagnetic sat in. How it was then shifted for the arc reactor setting. The hit utterly shattered the new sternum. Some of my ribs too. Basically turned them to shrapnel in my chest. "

He flinched then, and she knew that he hadn't actually meant to ramble on with that much information. But she wasn't letting this go, if it took a rambling, sleep deprived Tony Stark for her to get the full story of what happened in Siberia so she could help her friend, she'd do it. She'd also known theoretically that stuff would have to be removed and move around for the arc reactor, but she hadn't realised what the magnet going as deep as his heart meant. It would have half crushed his lung too.

"Bast Tony, that's awful, what other injuries did you get from the Battle?"

"Not sure to be honest, and that isn't me deflecting, I actually don't know everything. I had some brain swelling. Apart from the lacerations of the suit pushed in from the shield, normal bumps and such from being thrown about, I guess. Broken collarbone from when he wrenched me down by my neck too."

"So what actually happened to your hand? You said frostbite, but that does explain much."

She feels guilty immediately for saying frostbite at Tony flinch from the word.

"Gods Shuri are you sure you want to know all the awful details?"

"Yes, no more lying to Shuri."

"OK. If I tell you some things, will you wait till we are in person to tell you the rest?"

"Okay, as long as you promise we meet up soon."

"Okay, my arm had a few breaks and fractures that exacerbated the severe frostbite. The suit was damaged, certain parts of me were.. Exposed for longer."

"It was a lot to be amputated.."

"Yeah, I couldn't move much, so I was just stuck in the suit. Even the shivering was restricted so I couldn't protect myself like most freezing people do. No power, no heat. I only wear a flight suit underneath, it's like a… modified scuba suit and it was damaged too. The armour was compromised in places, one of my boots was cracked open, there was considerable damage to my left gauntlet and my face was completely exposed and that's all I know of. Rhodey refuses to let me see the pictures of what I looked like when I came out of the suit and he wiped all the information with my full injuries. If I hadn't had access to things because I'm me, and Cho with her Cradle, I'd have lost much more than just my lower arm."

He moved closer to the camera that normal, lifting his right hand to the camera. She'd never noticed it before, but the entire of his right hand and wrist is covered by a delicate lace like white scaring. His shirt covers the rest so she has no idea how far up it goes. As he moved back, the camera focused on his face close up and she can see them on his face too. From both his ears and down his neck, on to his cheeks. Some hidden by the glasses. It's much worse on the left side than the right. Now she's seen them, she can't not see them and wonders how on earth she'd missed it before.

"I have tons of these."

He shrugs and doesn't move to show her more, which definitely leaves her wondering.

"Thank you for telling me Tony."

"You're welcome, I didn't hide this from you cause I didn't think you could handle them you know, I just.. Didn't want to dump my baggage on your door."

"Tony, your my friend, friends tell each other things so we can help each other. You helped me deal with the aftermath of.. Vienna after all."

"As a rule, most people don't want to deal with Tony Stark baggage. The few times I have they either tell me no or think I'm making stuff up because everyone knows rich white kids have perfect childhoods and happy families."

His laugh is slightly jaded and Shuri wants to go on a rampage against everyone who has hurt this man. She's starting to understand more and more why he puts on the Tony Stark persona. It's protection.

"Anyway, how did we get to talking about my 'Tragic Backstory' again?"

"You were telling me how you think Barnes won't let you near his brain"

She can't not roll her eyes at that. But how visibly disturbed he looked at the idea of pressuring Barnes into treatment makes her smile in a way.

"Shuri, I'm just worried he's going to feel pressured into it. Like he has no choice but to agree with me."

"I don't think he feels forced Tony. I'm sure he would tell me if he did."

"Well I'll leave it up to him. He's had his choices taken away for decades, so whatever he decides, I will go with it."

"That's very kind of you Tony, I'm sure he'd like that and I'll thank you too. He needs more people willing to respect his choices."

Watching Tony get flustered from being thanked had become one of her favourite things. Plus, she tried to thank him often, apparently according to Peter, the New Avengers had noticed his reaction to being thanked too. So he was likely being thanked often, but not too often as to make him uncomfortable.

"It's basic common decency. What kind of monster would take his decisions away after what he's been through? And you don't need to thank me. At all."

He looked like he was begging her to stop thanking him. She grinned.

"How about I'll stop Thanking you if you eat some non liquidated food and sleep?"

"Hey! Don't knock my shakes. They're healthy and good for you!"

"Go eat and sleep you crazy man!"

"Yes mom!"

"CERBERUS will tell me if you don't."

"My own Son ratting on me. Charming."

"Not my fault if you need directions to look after yourself."

"I can look after myself just fine, thank you very much."

"Fine, when was the last time you ate solid food or slept?

"Boss has been awake for 54 hours and 46 minutes Princess."

"I'm sure I ate something. I think there was a sandwich that appeared next to me at some point. I cooked for the boys. I probably ate then."

"This is proving my point. You need a minder to drag you out of the workshop and put you to bed occasionally. To eat too."

He just scoffed at that.

"Pft, no one has a chance against me. But I'll go now and eat if her highness dictates thusly."

"She does."

He grinned at that before ending the call. Even though it had gotten pretty heavy there a few times. And she still thought that Tony was basically a 12 year old when it came to caring for himself and needed someone to drag him away from the workshop. But she couldn't say to much, she had occasionally gotten caught up in her projects. She liked that they ended their conversations with smiles more often than not.

"I didn't realise how much damage he'd taken in Siberia, or how bad his frostbite was. I didn't even see the scars on his face, they're so delicate."

"Me neither, but he has healed fast."

Much too fast actually, the lace white scars looked much older than something he'd gotten in June.

"Clint said something the other day, when we were watching that interview that he crashed. It was cryptic and he more muttered it to himself, and he never explained."

"What did he say?"

" Stark… He survives . It's what he does, against all odds. He survives."

"Well that is odd. But Tony is quite good at surviving, I didn't realise what having an electromagnetic connected to a car battery, then the arc reactor fully meant. Well I knew but I never fully considered it. How his bones were removed, lung partially crushed. To survive from that, it's pretty impressive."

Pretty weird too, 3 months in a cave post op. Frequent torture she suspected. She doubted the magnet or car battery was sterilised. Her Wolf shuddered at the idea, obviously the first time the full weight of that hitting him too.

"I can just be happy he did."

"Me too. Without him I'd still be in cryo sleep."

She wrapped him back up into the blanket to finish their movie. Then started plotting for how she could convince him to move into the Palace.

Wolf POV

'The man called Wolf mocked me for liking Winter or Soldat...'

A slightly weaker than normal voice jarred him from his rest before he realised what was happening. The absence of the voice had.. Troubled him more than he'd like to admit.

'WINTER!'

'Yes, shout in our head when we have a migraine. Umnaya. Smart.'

He couldn't help but feel relieved in some way, he glanced at his tablet to see if Wings had gotten back to him yet so he didn't have to think about that much, a scoff could be heard in his mind.

Wings-Steve read the files you sent, he's more on board with the therapy but still wants to talk to make sure you're ok to do it.

Me-Okay, tell him I'll talk to him in the morning. Today's been exhausting, especially after earlier. I think it's best if everyone sleeps on it and calms down. Tell him I won't be there if the Ved'ma is.

Wings-OK.

Huh. He'd expected more of a reply to Wings after that. But then it's been a long day for him to. He probably just wanted to get some sleep himself. Plus, the man had not only stood up for him, he'd stood in-between him and Wanda. Winter now is very happy with the man, as well as Shuri and CERBERUS it seemed. He can feel the curiosity coming off of him about the latter.

He stands, stretching his back that has developed a bit of an ache curled up in his chair in Shuri's lab and decided it was time to head back to the villa. He'd hidden out at the lab for several hours, they'd watched 3 films and then there had been that conversation with Dr Stark.

He knew he was snooping on phone calls, and that was bad. But Winter was interested in finding stuff out about the man who was fixing their brain. He supposed he could be a little intrigued as well, especially after the man had written back to him. Forgave him and apologised to him. He was still getting his head around that. They'd mostly spoken since via Shuri and the glasses. So the phone calls were like extra pieces of information on the confusing puzzle of Dr Stark. The man who seemed just as comfortable in suits that cost the same as a house as torn, stained jeans and ancient band shirts. From impeccably dressed and groomed to literally having black grease from something on his face.

The man was a feature of contradictions.

He still hadn't expected him to look so… resigned. The way he spoke about how others perceived him was uncomfortable, not because of the cruelty as such. It was his quiet acceptance that had hit him the most.

That everyone expected the worst, point in case, Steve, Wanda and Clint's reactions to discovering the glasses. Yet, he didn't even consider using the permissions he'd handed over for a bad way. Instead, he was working himself to the point of exhaustion, forgoing sleep and food, just to help him. He hoped there was someone around to tell the man off for neglecting his health and to get some sleep.

As much as he wanted his brain to be codeword free? He didn't want it at the expense of someone else's health.

Dr Stark had already been through more than enough, the few scars that he'd show Shuri showed that. He didn't doubt other events had carved themselves into his skin just as readily. Weirdly, Clints comment had stuck in his mind, that he survives. He hadn't said it in a good way, as if he survived past the point you just want your body to give up to stop the suffering. He understood that. There were so many moments he just wished his body would give up, but that damned serum, it just kept him going.

They broke his bones and they just healed, everytime.

They tore at his flesh and it came back, pink and overly sensitive. Over and over.

His arm… God's his arm. He remembered waking up to them sawing off the mangled mess to better install the socket.

He didn't know when they did it, but there were steel reinforcements in his chest, because the arm was so heavy it wrenched and tore his ligaments that then just healed over and over.

Although Dr Stark had given him hope there. He had assumed a metal limb would hurt. That that was the only option. Constant pain.

But the limb that Shuri and Dr Stark made.. It was light, it was designed to me a hand instead of a weapon. It could feel.

The metal arm had only hurt and its purpose was to hurt others. After every wipe he had to relearn how to use it too. Because he couldn't feel he often crushed things unintentionally. Hitting things to soft, or too hard. Then there was the fact it unbalanced him drastically with how heavy he was. When Dr Stark blasted it off, it had been a gift. A gift the man didn't have to apologise for, but he didn't know how to say that.

'You blasting my arm off was the best thing to ever happen to me before Wakanda!'

Not the best way of showing you aren't crazy. Even if he knew. He took the arm apart and from that alone he knew about the pain. He knows that he's still in pain somehow, even though he still hadn't told anyone about the socket pain. It was less than the arm so he just counted himself lucky. The way he described it too, the man knew constant chronic pain. From how Shuri described the magnet in his chest.. He found himself hoping that he had found a fix for his pain. Clint had mentioned his ability to work through pain, he supposed what scraps he knew from Afghanistan would breed a tolerance to pain.

He decided to actually send a reply, Shuri had offered to send any other letters back. He'd put effort into responding, so it was only polite to return that.

He wasn't sure if he should tell the man that reading that letter was one of the few times he hadn't felt wrong about his name. Now he had two names that made him happy. Wolf… James.

All the Buckys made him nauseated. Barnes was tolerable, but it felt.. Off too. Sergeant Barnes was oddly better. That was just his. He'd been Bucky for so long, after the draft that had changed. But then he was rescued by a weird, bigger Stevie. He became Bucky again, to everyone. James however, that was something different. All it had taken was an impulsive scratch at the end of that first letter, because it had felt like Steve said Bucky in every damned sentence that day. The Witch and Archer were similar. But just two words and a man across the ocean gave him a name. An absolutely obvious one that for some reason he'd never considered before.

He liked it, but he was keeping it to himself for now.

He was back at the villa before he knew it, his feet carrying him down the path he trod daily with little conscious thought, that was when he realised that he'd forgotten his damned bag. So much for reading in bed tonight. Which was odd as he never forgot his bag, it had been with him practically since he'd picked it up. Today had him off kilter.

He veered off away from the door. He'd told Wings that he didn't want to chat to them tonight, and he'd agreed. But he wouldn't put it past them to lay in wait in the common room. Waiting for him to get in to talk it out now with some feeble excuse as to why his very simple request was ignored. It would be interesting to see how Steve got the Witch to not be present.

Steve might see her as a sweet innocent child. He saw her as manipulating and cruel. She'd made that argument so much worse earlier, like she was whispering poison in Steve's ear. She definitely was at fault for his increased pain too, no matter what Steve said. He didn't know why but his instincts screamed at him when she was around. Winter was a mixture of rage and fear that he struggled to talk about her. The clearer his mind got from BARF, the louder that instinct got too, it went from an uneasy feeling at the beginning to this horror, fear and gut instinct to run. It had broken through his panic attack last night, when that red… that was cold like the dark sleep of cryo, touched him and she was going to check his mind.

He didn't know how she could do that, but then he didn't understand her powers. At first he'd thought she was telekinetic, but he was starting to think it was more. Steve had called her telekinetic, either he didn't know what she was capable of, or Steve was lying to him. At least he knew one way around her powers, unfortunately it meant touching her.

He came to the wall under his window and pulled himself up onto the stones. It would definitely have been easier with two arms he thought, but luckily the stones lent themselves to scaling easily. He knocked his window open and hopped into his room. He stayed in the crouch however because something was WRONG.

He stayed crouched, he moved to the light switch, staying low, making himself a smaller target and in the wrong place if someone shot at him. The first thing he noticed was his door was practically ripped off its hinges. The Witch was sat on his sofa, relaxed back across it with her shoes on the cushions. Steve was stood behind the sofa, leaning on the back of it behind her. Full on earnest face with puppy dog eyes. He kept his eye on the two of them and glanced around for the Archer, who had come up behind him and closed the window.

Winter was pure rage, he burnt at the invasion of our space. He actually remembered having things as Bucky, even though they felt detached. He had memories of an apartment. A room that was his. The closest Winter got was Romania and he hadn't been much more than the broken remnants of the Asset back then. Romania had been more his. Winter been in pieces and too scared to come forward, he found it strange how that part of his mind was so strong, so capable of damage, but was so new and scared too. So this place, in Wakanda, it was his. Sure, he shared it with him, but that was acceptable. This however, was not acceptable, he wanted out and he wanted to rage. He kept his voice calm and measured however.

"Get out of my room. Now."

"Bucky, we're here to help, to hold an intervention."

He took a deep breath and let it out. He didn't take his eyes off of any of them. The Archer had dropped onto one of his chairs with his feet up on the table. Obviously satisfied with the locked window.

'If you throw the Ved'ma out of the window, it will be open.'

'Not helping Winter.'

"Steve. I don't need an intervention. Leave. now."

Why couldn't these people respect his requests like other people? Did they just not hear when he said no? Even Dr Stark respected his wishes and they'd barely met each other! Siberia didn't count as an actual meeting in his mind.

'Could throw Kapitan out of the window instead?'

He just about stopped his mouth twitching into a smile at that.

"Why so hostile humpty dumpty?"

'We could also throw the Luchnik Archer out of the window too.'

He didn't respond to that, because he really wanted to throw the archer out of the window, he was sensing a theme. Scratch that. He wanted all of them gone. But they used his anger as a reason he was incapable of making decisions. Even when he was being calm and measured they were calling him hostile. They hadn't seen hostile.

"See, this is what I'm talking about Bucky. Obviously this therapy is hurting you or you wouldn't be so hostile."

"So because I don't like having my personal space invaded I'm being mind fucked by Dr Stark?"

"You've never minded me being in your space before so yes!"

"Steve, for one there isn't just you in here you invited oth-"

"That's because we are family!"

"STOP TALKING OVER ME. Let. Me. Finish."

"Yeah, you are clearly fine, screaming at your best friend. Stark has clearly done nothing to you, isn't brainwashing you into his little pet."

He levels a glare at Wanda and feels Winter closer to the surface, close enough to look out but not take over. He feels his other half's amusement when she freezes. This close however, some of the rage gets into his calm measured speech and he practically roared at them. The Archer actually paled and flinched.

"There are three of you in my personal space. I haven't fucking had a personal space in 7 fucking decades. So I'm sorry if I'm touchy about having a space that is mine that I control! Ya ne khachu s taboy razgavarivat! I don't want to talk to you! That's why I asked to speak to you tomorrow!"

"That therapy is totally working. Going all Winter Soldier on us is a testament to it."

Clint practically snarled.

"I'm sorry Buck, but I didn't know if you'd come straight here and avoid the common room and we needed to talk to you!"

"Sure, perfect reason to ignore the wishes of the man who had his personal autonomy stolen for nearly a century."

He couldn't help the sneer in his voice, he wanted them gone. Now.

"We are here to tell you that you need to stop the therapy run by Stark. I think it's already changed you enough and we are going to help you get past that. We're here for you Buck, to the end of the line."

"So what, turn me back to being terrified of saying No? Because of that tech I actually feel like I can say 'No' now. I'm sleeping better, I'm flinching less, I'm getting out and talking to people. How terrible are these things Sam for someone with my past? "

He turns to ask Sam who had wandered up the stairs warily, likely drawn by the screaming.

"Actually that sounds amazi-"

"Of course he'd say that! It probably forces him to so we wouldn't save him by stopping him!"

Wanda cries passionately. He and Sam just look at her like she's lost it and both are concerned to see Steve and Clint nodding along.

"Wanda's right Buck. Plus, even if it is working, you've had loads of sessions you come back looking wrung out and who knows how long it will take to remove the triggers!"

"Do you realise how stupid what you're saying is?! Therapy does that, it's not sunshine and daisies. I have some awful memories in here, of course it will be awful! If it was eas-"

He tapped the side of head in frustration when he said 'in here'. Steve flinched even though he hadn't done it that hard, it had helped get some of the frustration out. He wanted to hit something. What he would give for a punching bag right now.

"It should be easy though Buck, you shouldn't be suffering through these memories, you were innocent, it wasn't you! So what's the point of you reliving them to get rid of them? You should be able to just be free of them!"

Steve was just talking absolute nonsense. Yeah he hadn't been in control, neither had Winter really. Neither of them could choose their actions, they were under such a tight leash and treated badly for failure. But it was still his body, his mind. The glasses couldn't just delete memories, there was a whole section about why completely erasing memories wasn't wise. He could lose who he was.

"I'm leaving right now. When I get back, you all need to be out of my room."

"But Bucky!"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT. I'M NOT, NOT HI-!"

"We have a better way, you'll be fine in no time and back to bring the Bucky I knew and loved!"

He was about to yell at Steve for cutting him off. Again.. Because abiding by his wishes was impossible apparently, calling him Bucky was more important than that. He wished he knew what version of Bucky lived in his mind. Because of the Wakandan treatment, he could see all the memories before the draft with perfect clarity. Steve's had been rose-tinted. He'd utterly eulogised him, rewritten him to this perfect friend, but then when it turned out he wasn't dead, he kept looking for this perfect Bucky.

'Wolf! Leave. Leave now.'

'Why'

'JUST GO!'

He was thrown by the sense of urgency from his other and staggered slightly, adrenaline flooded him, it wasn't often he advocated flight over fight. So he asked Steve instead.

"What?"

"Wanda will remove the triggers and the torture and everything. You'll be happy again and be the real Bucky! Isn't that kind of her? She can take you back from before you fell, you won't have any memories of Hydra or anything after the fall!"

He looked around the room, Sam behind him looked sick. Clint was looking at Wanda with all the pride in the world, Steve grinning like an idiot and Wanda had a cold, sly smile on her face that turned saccharine. He wondered if this was to be her revenge for keeping her away from Sam?

"I just want to help you Bucky. Just let me help you be happy with Steve."

Red seeped from her hands, like the magic was bleeding out of her… And reaching for him. The fear that had caused him to freeze at Steve's words fled under a slam of adrenaline that surged through him.

'Run. NOW. GO!'

He too two steps back to the window as Wings was frozen and the door.

"Steve, I don't think this is a good idea."

"Why not Sam? Wanda wants to help Bucky, she can do it without hurting him, unlike what Stark has him doing."

"Steve, you can't just magic away PTSD!"

"As I am the only one here with magic, I think I'll be the judge of that. I am the expert here Sam."

He didn't know how it happened, but she'd crossed the room and he'd frozen again, but he couldn't remember freezing or choosing to stay. But her hand was on the side of his head and it was cold. Freezing cold. The dark was closing in on him and then her voice… was inside his mind…

'Oh you have so many delicious memories I can trap you in. So many that you'll spend years trying to escape, but on the outside you'll be Steve's perfect little Bucky, doing whatever I want…'

Then there is pain. Pain and red and cold burning him to his core..

'NO. GET OUT! '

There was a crash and he blinked and Wanda was on the floor several feet away, looking dazed and confused.

"Bucky, why did you do that, she was only trying to help, do you want me to-"

"Help? Help?! She didn't want to help me. She wanted me to suffer!"

Steve takes another step towards him and Clint towards Wanda, he glanced at Sam who mouthed 'Run' to him and this time he does what he's told because Clint already had Wanda on her feet and her hands were leaking that red mist. He had a last look at his rooms, and hates that he's being forced to lose yet another home and hurls himself at the window. Hates that he's forced to abandon Wings. Then, glass is shattering and raining down around him as he landed on his feet in a crouch. He immediately bolted to the front where the extra guards are posted. He doesn't have too long before they come down the stairs.

"Please, get me out of here, help.. They're coming.."

One of the guards does something to the door and a screen drops, from the noises, it also blocked all of the windows. With this being Wakanda, he bets it Vibranium too. He blinked at the house and saw it for what it was. A very effective, very pretty, prison. Something he was damned thankful for right now.

"Do you want me to take you to T'Challa?"

The woman smiled, friendly and like the other guard, looked fierce. Unlike the others he had befriended the guards and pretty much anyone who respected his personal space to be honest. His standards might be a touch low. Out of the rogues Wings and TicTac were the closest. Oh god, he was leaving them behind. With her. But Wings had told him to run. He nodded, too much and frantically. She guided him without touching him and he was so thankful. He could feel himself shaking but he didn't know why, he felt cold but the night was balmy and warm. He was just happy his legs were moving. The adrenaline was still coursing through him, now it was useless but even with the serum it would take a while to filter out.

He could hear Steve shouting for him, hear him demanding to be allowed past, that they had no right to hold them.

If he could speak he'd be concerned for the guard they left behind, but the adrenaline had him shaking so violently now despite the heat his teeth chattered.

At least they're safe behind the Vibranium shields, although he is worried for Wings, and potentially TicTac if he was at home as well.

He hoped they'd be safe, he signs as best he can to tell the guard that Wings and TicTac are still in there.

He was surprised they understood him. His hands were shaking so much.

He didn't remember much about the trip to the Palace just one minute he was moving away from the villa and the next minute he was sat in a comfortable chair in the Kings office. He'd acquired a blanket at some point.

It isn't until Shuri and T'Challa burst in that he can finally relax.

'Safe?'

'Yeah Winter, we're safe now.'

'We thought we were safe in Bucharest. We thought we were safe in our rooms. How do you know Wolf?'

'Because Shuri is here.'

'The little Koshkacat will protect you?'

'She'll protect us Winter.'

'She doesn't know I exist little Wolf. No one does, but you.'

Fuck.