Remember Me

Chapter 4

Steve, Bucky and Natasha were left alone in the lab and after a hour of awkward stares and small talk Nakia was finally ready. With some help of Shuri, she finally was able to set up the experiment.

They follow Nakia into another laboratory. In the corner a chair similar of the chair HYDRA used to wipe Bucky's mind. Bucky freezes for a second at the sight of the chair and clenches his yaw, his heart starts to pound in his chest. He feels a tiny drop of sweat running down the side of his face.

"Are you okay?" Steve asks, concerned about his friend.

Bucky looks up at Steve. "Let's just get this over with." he replies. "I have done this countless times, so I think I can handle one more time."

Steve swallows hard before walking further into the room. It reminds him of what he had to go through all those years. If only Steve looked for him better when he initially fell from that train. Instead he went into instant grieve and thought he was dead. Then again, which normal man survives a fall like that?

Bucky stops Natasha by her arm as she walks him by and pulls her close. She is surprised and looks up in those bright eyes of his. Her heart starts to race. "You need to promise me something, Romanoff." His eyes lock with hers, it feels so intense, like he stares directly into her soul. "If something goes wrong.. anything.. you need to promise me I don't leave this room." He looks at the gun Natasha is wearing on her hip. She is surprised by his request. Because of that, she doesn't know what to say.

"I can't ask Steve because he just couldn't do it. Promise me... Natasha?" She looks into his blue eyes. "It has been over 80 years.. going from one fight to another.. I'm tired... and now that they are at the brink of freeing my mind, I can't go through that again.. I can't.. please.. please promise me." He's practically begging her. Natasha forces a small smile on her face and nods. It's the only thing she can do because she doesn't want to show what's really going on inside her head. It's too soon.

She lies to reassures Bucky. "I'll make sure you don't hurt anyone".

With heavy feet he steps up to the chair, he sinks into the chair after a deep sigh. Nakia is placing a few sensors on his right arm. "This is to monitor your vitals during the treatment." She continues placing sensors on his head. "What's with all the stickers" Bucky asks irritated. "These will send sonic waves to the brain and try to regain your lost memories." She looks at Bucky who has a questioning look, his brows furrowed and his eyes narrow. "I'll spare you the technical details." Bucky shakes his head. "Let's just get this over with."

"Don't worry, this won't hurt. Here we go. Starting in three.. two.. one." She taps the screen, starting the procedure. Bucky closes his eyes, expecting a sharp pain to go through his head, expecting the same pain as HYDRA did to him all those years. But he feels nothing but a pressure sensation. "Oh, this isn't that bad".

Steve is standing next to the chair with his arms crossed, behind him Natasha. "Feel anything?" he asks. Bucky does not respond. "Buck? What's happening Nakia?" Nakia studies her screen. "Everything seems fine. I don't know why he is not responding. Let me try something.." She starts pushing buttons on the screen.

Bucky's fingers start to dig into the arm rest of the chair. With closed eyes he shows a tormented expression on his face. His heart rate is rising and he starts to groan.

"Something is wrong".

"Turn that machine off!" Steve shouts.

Nakia starts ripping the sensors from his head but before she can reach the last ones Bucky reacts and grabs her arm. He stares at her with almost completely black eyes and squeezes her arm until she screams out in pain. Bucky throws Nakia across the room. He jumps out of the chair.

"Hey buddy, calm down.." Steve tries to reason with him. "I don't want to hurt you.."

Bucky does not respond to Steve, his eyes are glazed over and his nostrils flared. He attacks. He catches Steve off guard and with his one arm he throws Steve hard into the wall, he hits his head hard and passes out. Bucky turns to Natasha.

"Shit." Natasha holds her hand on the gun on her hip. "I know I promised you this, but I can't keep that promise." She looks up at his eyes and knows what just happened. This isn't Bucky anymore. "Calm down, James." For a split second it almost looks like Bucky is getting calmer his eyes turning back to normal but not for long. He tries to punch Natasha. She dodges it.

"Fine, you asked for it"

Natasha kicks her knee into his chest, punches him in the crotch, jumps up and kicks him in the head. She jumps, twists around his torso and ends up on his shoulders. She punches him in the head with her elbow, trying to knock him out. Bucky manages to grab her by the throat and pins her against the wall. Natasha struggles to break free but Bucky's grip is too strong. He looks her in the eyes, he has a tortured look in his eyes.

"Natalia.." Bucky begged. "You.. promised.." He tightens his grip on Natasha's throat.

"Please.. you can.. fight this.." Natasha gasps for air and realizes that this is going to end bad if she doesn't do something. Steve is still out cold, and Nakia is also not responding. "Don't make me do this James."

Bucky's grip tightens even more.

Natasha closes her eyes and squeezes them tight. "Sputnik!"

She feels the grip on her throat loosen and Bucky falls on the ground, hitting his head on a sharp corner, he's passed out. Natasha catches her fall and lands on hands and knees on the ground. She takes a deep breath, filing her lungs with precious air. She kneels next to Bucky, turning him on his back and checking if he is still breathing. She feels a pulse.

Steve regains consciousness. "What happened?"

Natasha looks up at Steve. "Are you okay?"

"How did you do that?" Steve stands up, walking towards Nakia helping her up.

She gives Steve an innocent smile and shrugs. "Maybe I know more about the Winter Soldier that you think."