A/N: I tried to post this yesterday, but leprechauns must have been partying in the system.

I've been waiting to use this title. This is the ending I planned from the beginning, because I felt the need to put Marvel's toys back where I found them. After seeing Black Panther, I added a little because it fit so well with what I'd already written, so there are spoilers (nothing deep) for the movie in the middle.

Always Winter and Never Christmas

Steve felt like he'd been punched by the Hulk. All their work, all his hopes, and nothing had changed.

Then Sam sidled over the poked Steve's arm. "He said it in English," he pointed out. "And he … doesn't look the same as before."

It was true. Soldat had been blank or laser focused when his attention was caught. This Bucky looked calm and aware of his surroundings, though more passive than Bucky Barnes.

"Who are you?" Uviwe asked.

Bucky looked at Steve, who nodded. "Answer the question," he said hoarsely.

"We are James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier."

"Not Zimniy Soldat?"

Bucky's face darkened. "We are not Soldat. We will never be Soldat again," he spat.

"That is good," Uviwe said. "So you are Barnes and the Soldier?"

"We are one," Bucky confirmed. His eyes went to Steve. "We are ready to comply."

Steve choked down a small sound of protest. "Do you want a mission?" It was hard to force the words out. "Do you need one?"

Bucky frowned. "I do not 'want.' I do not 'need.' I am ready to comply."

"Will you do anything the captain asks?" Sam questioned.

"Yes," Bucky answered firmly.

"Do you know me?"

"Sam Wilson, formerly the Falcon, now the Owl."

"Are we friends, you and I?"

"You are Barnes' friend," Bucky agreed. "You saved his life, our life, yesterday."

Sam braced himself. Sometimes a therapist had to ask the hard questions. "Would you kill me if the captain asked?"

Steve's wordless noise of protest was audible this time.

The Soldier focused on Sam. It was different than the Soldat's focus, but just as unsettling. Bucky answered instantly, "Yes."

"Why?" Uviwe asked. "If you are friends, why would you kill Sam?"

"Because the captain asked," Bucky said, as if it was obvious.

"Why?" Uviwe asked again.

"Because he is the captain."

Sharon giggled suddenly. "Captain's orders. That's not so different from you and me, Sam. Steve showed up on your doorstep and you dropped everything to follow his orders. I turned against the agency I worked for, an agency my family helped found, because Steve said so. The Soldier's no different than we are."

"You think it's just me?" Steve asked with a flicker of hope. "You think he's willing to comply just because I said the words?"

"Perhaps," Uviwe said. "Bucky Barnes has trusted Steve Rogers for years. That may carry over to the Soldier's handler."

"But there is no way to be sure, unless someone else says the trigger words and the Soldier refuses to obey," T'Challa pointed out. "And who would we trust to do that? Who would we trust that Barnes does not already trust?"

Steve could think of a couple of people, Thor, Bruce Banner, maybe even Tony Stark now that they'd come to an understanding. But none of them was available. Steve shook his head wordlessly.

"The captain looks sad," the Soldier said. "I'm sorry we failed you."

Steve was so choked by disappointment, he could hardly speak, but he managed, "No, you didn't fail me. We failed you. I'm not disappointed in you, pal. I'm disappointed we couldn't free you from these … chains."

The Soldier tilted his head. "The chains that bind me to the captain are nearly 100 years old. I do not want to break them."

"And that answers that," Sam said.

Steve's arm lifted toward Bucky of its own accord, but he forced it down. The Soldier noticed, of course. "You should hug us. It will make you feel better."

Steve pulled the Soldier into a hug. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry," he whispered.

Bucky patted his back. "Do not be sorry. We are not sorry."

Steve finally pulled himself together and ordered the Soldier to go to sleep and to wake as Bucky Barnes.

"We will comply," the Soldier said. He went to his room and slept.

Bucky woke up as Bucky again. He saw Steve sitting by his bedside, head bowed over his clenched hands and tear streaks on his face.

"I'm sorry, Stevie," he said.

"Not your fault, Buck," Steve answered past a wave of relief. The captain looked exhausted. "We tried a treatment and it didn't work." Steve tried to shrug as if it didn't matter much, but he couldn't pull it off.

"It did work," Bucky corrected. "I felt different. I felt peaceful, not tortured. I wasn't angry. I wasn't exactly myself, but I'm not unhappy with who I was."

"But you still would have followed my orders blindly."

"Your orders. I don't know about anyone else's." Bucky sounded thoughtful. "If someone tried to get me to attack you again, I don't think it would work."

"Can't exactly test it," Steve pointed out.

"No."

The door opened and Sam and Sharon poked their heads in. "He awake?"

"He is," Bucky confirmed. He smelled food and sat up, stomach growling. "Is that for me?"

"For both of you," Sharon said. She wheeled in a cart filled with their favorites. Bucky reached for the chicken and dumplings while Steve went for the Irish stew.

When his first hunger was assuaged, Bucky said, "I'm sorry, Sam. I don't want to kill you."

Sam shrugged. "I asked the question. Sometimes counselors have to ask the questions no one else wants to. At least this time you didn't rip off my wings or my car's steering wheel."

T'Challa and Uviwe joined the Avengers for dessert.

"This is not the end of your healing," Uviwe told his patient. "It is merely the end of my part in it. We have persuaded the two halves of your mind to become reconciled. Now, perhaps, more physical healing can complete the process and fully erase Hydra's compulsions."

"Physical?" Bucky asked.

"I thought all the medical treatment had been completed," Steve challenged.

T'Challa held up his hands in a gesture of peace. "This is new," he said. "We have a ... researcher who has been exploring the healing properties of vibranium. Your case led her to turn her attention to healing the mind, specifically countering brainwashing. This is, you understand, not something we have had occasion to need before."

Steve rubbed the back of his neck, literally and figuratively flattening the hackles that had been raised on Bucky's behalf. "Sorry," he said.

T'Challa shrugged. "Barnes has a valiant defender in you. This I already knew."

"You think this new treatment can help?" Bucky asked.

"I think it is worth a try," T'Challa said.

"I guarantee it will not harm you," Uviwe put in.

"I trust you, doc," Bucky said.

"We have another concern," T'Challa said. "The period of hiatus is coming to an end. Soon I will be crowned."

"I thought you were already king?" Sam said, puzzled.

"No, we have been in an interregnum, since my father's death. The earliest part was a period of mourning. The latter part has been, you might say, a trial kingship. My people have a chance to see me and to decide if they will challenge my leadership."

"Challenge?"

"Yes, according to our traditions, I must fight for my crown," T'Challa said matter-of-factly.

"And, traditionally, we should not have any white faces present," a pert voice contributed. The speaker was a young, well-dressed woman with bright, intelligent eyes and a cheerful smile.

"Does that mean I can stay?" Sam teased.

The girl wibble-wobbled her hand. "Right color, but still an outsider," she teased back.

T'Challa gave a long-suffering sigh. "This is my sister, Shuri. Shuri, these are my friends." He emphasized his final word.

I understand, brother." Shuri eyed Bucky curiously. "Is this the broken white boy you want me to heal?"

"If you can," T'Challa answered.

"You know I love a challenge," she answered.

"You? But you're so young," Bucky said. It was said in wonder, not protest and Shuri took it as a compliment.

"Princess Shuri is a genius with vibranium technology," Uviwe said proudly.

"Will you help my friend?" Steve asked politely.

"I will try," she said kindly. "But he can't stay here. None of you can stay here right now. We will be overrun with visitors soon and some of them have deep prejudice against white colonizers."

The Americans nodded. They had learned quite a bit of Wakandan history, though information about vibranium had remained classified.

"Where should we go?" Sharon asked.

Bucky remembered the peace of the jungle village and asked if there would be a simple hut somewhere he would be out of the way.

"That is a good thought. In fact, some of our village friends have moved away from the mountain that cost them so much. A group has settled near the river, looking for peace and quiet such as you have described. I'm sure they would be willing to take you in," T'Challa said.

Shuri nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, I can work with that."

Sharon and Sam left with the Wakandans to plan their move, leaving the two old friends alone. Steve sat beside Bucky on his bed, shoulder-to-shoulder like the brothers they were.

Bucky told Steve, "I don't know if this will work. I don't think you should sit here waiting for me to get better. You've been away from the outside world too long as it is."

"Maybe I should go," Steve admitted. "But I'm glad you don't have to go back into cryo. You're safe here. No one's afraid of you."

"I still think they should be. I'm still not safe to be around. It's still possible someone could take me over with just a few words."

"Uviwe thinks you would break the conditioning, if it was someone you didn't trust."

"He thinks. But we don't know. Princess Shuri seems very sure, but I'm not."

"Will you feel better if I stay here to keep an eye on you?"

"That's not fair," Bucky said instantly. "It's not fair to all the people that Nomad can help. Go back out in the world. Help people. It's what you were meant to do. It's what you were always meant to do."

"I don't care," Steve said immediately. "I can help people here. We can help rebuild the village. I would rather be here with you than anywhere else without. At least I'm not a fugitive here."

"Is it fair to Sam and Sharon?"

Steve sighed. "They don't seem inclined to leave, but I won't force them to stay if they don't want to. Sam's always telling me I have a right to be selfish. This time I want to be selfish. I'm with you to the end of the line."

"I think this might be the end of the line for me," Bucky confessed.

Steve's shoulder nudged Bucky's. "Maybe, but I guess we know better than most, when one train gets to the end of the line, there's another one coming along to take you back. You just have to wait for it."

A/N: Look for a one-shot next week about Bucky watching the Paralympics and then back to Leslie and Steve in Bought the T-Shirt. Then I'll be traveling in April, so no promises. I hope Infinity War provides much inspiration.