Runaway

Chapter 26

I slowly limp to the lab where Shuri is, holding onto the wall for support as I go. I walk down the spiraled ramp and look around for a moment, finding Shuri at a desk with what I assume to be the designs for my leg pulled up on the screen. I limp over to her and she turns around.

"Can I ask you a question?" I ask. She nods and gestures to the chair beside her. I pull it out from under the desk and slowly sit down. "Can you really help Bucky? Can you really get rid of all that stuff that Hydra put in his head? The trigger words, the brainwashing, everything?" Shuri nods. 

"It may take some time but I am certain that Sergeant Barnes will be back to normal." She tells me. I nod slowly, thinking of how to word my next question. 

"Is there a way you can get rid of what they did to me?" I ask, getting a look of slight confusion in response. "Not the serum, just the powers. I'm tired of being afraid of myself. I'm tired of constantly worrying about losing control. I want to be able to get angry or cry without having to wonder if I'm going to kill someone. I have no use for these powers anymore. The only thing I use them for is to calm Bucky down after a nightmare and he's about to be okay again. So is there any way that you can get rid of the fire and telepathy and telekinesis?" Shuri sighs and shakes her head,  a remorseful look on her face. 

"I'm sorry, Miss Rogers. There's nothing I can do to help you." She says. "I can only help Sergeant Barnes because his problems are that of the mental nature. Your powers have become a part of you, they are a physical aspect of yourself. There is no way that I can remove them." I sigh slightly and nod. "I am sorry I cannot help you." I shake my head, giving her a small smile. 

"Thank you for your time." I say before standing up and limping out of the lab. 

I start walking back to the wing of the palace where our rooms are, stopping halfway there and leaning against the wall for a moment. I look up and down the hallway for any of my teammates before reaching down and rubbing my leg, the prosthetic rubbing and pinching the remainder of the leg. I've been walking around all day, trying to get used to the prosthetic, and now my leg was sore. 

"What's up?" I jump and look to my left where Rider was standing. 

"Where the hell did you come from?" I ask. 

"I just walked down the hall. I thought you heard me." I shake my head and straighten up. "Everything okay?" 

"Yep." I say, turning to continue walking. "What are you doing?" 

"I was just exploring." He tells me. "What are you doing?" 

"I was talking to Shuri." I tell him. He nods before holding his arm out to me. I raise a brow. 

"Walk with me?" 

"Are you giving me your arm to be a gentleman or are you trying to offer me help without actually asking?" I ask, looking him up and down suspiciously. He smiles sheepishly and I roll my eyes. "I don't need help, Rider. I can walk just fine on my own." 

"Well in that case, I was just being a gentleman." I laugh and shake my head in amusement, looping my arm through his. We walk in silence for a few moments, admiring every bit of the large castle. "So tomorrow's the day, huh?" I sigh and nod. 

"Yeah." I look from the wall of the hallway back to Rider. "Can we not talk about it?" 

"Okay. You know you can talk to me about it if you want to later." I give him a small smile and nod. 

"I know." We reach the area we've been staying in and he walks me to my room. I release his arm and turn to him with a small smile. "I'll see you later."