A Little Calm...

Burn Cream

Unsteady - X Ambassadors

3 weeks pass, and you're finally given the go ahead for your procedure. You're given your hospital gown and wait for prep as you and Bucky say goodbye. You're reluctant to call it a goodbye, or even say the word itself, purely because of the unknown risks to the operation. When the anaesthesiologist comes in, you stand up from the table you were sitting on in front of Bucky for one last embrace. Tenderly, you feel him kiss the side of your head before you both pull away. He then pulls the door open and walks out slowly, watching as the doctor lies you down and prepares to put you under.
Refraining from breaking into a jog, Bucky makes his way to the viewing room next door to the surgical suit. After about 10 minutes, they wheel you in on the opposite side of the room. Everyone, including you, is dressed head to toe in protective gear: surgical masks and hair caps etc. There's an endotracheal tube in your mouth and several short tubes sticking out of your hand. The sight makes Bucky sick to his stomach but he forces himself to watch. There's a quick brief as Dr McGuigan explains the procedure. Once everyone takes their positions and is ready to begin, Bucky excuses himself from the viewing room and into the hallway. Waiting by the door, Sam stands upright, waiting to hear what Bucky's about to say.

Bucky
"They're about to start, I'll be back in an hour or so. Remember-"

Sam
"I know, don't worry. I'll call you if anything happens."

With that, Sam moves past Bucky, and into the viewing room. Hesitating for a second, Bucky debates going back into the room and staying. Instead, he shakes off his worry and marches down the corridor towards the long line of elevators.

Still ignoring the nervous tapping of his fingers against his thigh, Bucky makes his way to the garage of the building and finds the car left by Sam. As planned, the keys are stashed in the passenger side sun visor. Completely ignoring his hesitations now, Bucky leaves the garage and speeds onto the street. He's driving for what feels like a few minutes due to his preoccupied mind. In reality, it was 20 minutes. 20 minutes to the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility For Women.

Pulling up into the parking lot, Bucky looks up at the daunting building, surrounded by metal fencing. Rushing up the stairs and into the lobby. Checking in only takes a few minutes as they were expecting him (a helpful heads up from Hill to speed things along). The chief warden leads Bucky down in the elevator to the basement. A long corridor with cells on both sides greets them as soon as the doors open. Not paying much attention to the small clatters from within the cells, Bucky follows the warden to the last room. Opening the door, Bucky is left on his own to sit in the chair on the closest side of the single table in the middle of the room. Barely 10 seconds go by and she's brought in. Chains connecting her hands and feet clank together as she trudges in, a guard on either shoulder. Once she's sat down and an extra fastening connects her to the table, the two men leave.

Blood // Water - grandson

Sharon
"So... to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Bucky continues to stare at her blankly, not even blinking.

Sharon
"Is this supposed to be intimidating? Did you just come here for a staring contest?"

After a sizeable silence, Bucky takes a short, deep breath.

Bucky
"I have a very strong urge to kill you for what you did to her."

Sharon
"I'm not sure that would sit well with these guys. Then again, you're already in a prison so it's kinda the perfect place. Granted it's full of women but I suppose you'd fit right in."

Bucky
"Really? That one was bad, even for you."

Sharon
"What can I say? Imagination tends to run dry in places like this. How is the braud anyway?"

Bucky
"In surgery, undoing the mess that you made."

Sharon
"Well that's a damn shame. After I worked so hard on her?"

There's another silence as they sit there in a staring contest.

Sharon
"You and I both know you can't undo everything though, right? I don't just mean physically."

Leaning down towards her hand, Sharon raises two fingers to her temple and taps twice to clarify her meaning.

Sharon
"Whether you like it or not, she's never gonna be that sweet, little, innocent minded girl you once knew. She's gonna be left with a hum in the drum."

Bucky
"She's stronger than you think."

Sharon
"Maybe. But can you handle it? Knowing that your precious angel is... tainted."

Under the table, Bucky clenches his fist as he breathes deeply, slowly, all in an effort to control his anger. Show no emotion.
Satisfied that she aggravated him, Sharon sits back in her chair. Almost relaxing.

Sharon
"Did you know, they're transferring me to The Raft? I mean, I'm flattered! I thought that was reserved for Avengers an-"

Bucky
"I didn't come here to talk about you."

Sharon
"Then what did you come here to talk about? Cuz by the looks of it, you're not ready to talk about her."

Bucky
"The gamma radiation you exposed her to."

Sharon
"Ah, my little she-hulk experiment. Recoded DNA to replicate cellular mutation."

Bucky
"We both want a family someday. Kids. An-"

Sharon
"Ooooh... you wanna know if any potential little tykes will be affected, right? Ugh, I can see it now! Little winter soldiers running around, tripping you both up. Adorable."

Bucky
"Watch it, Sharon."

Sharon
"Hey, maybe we could call them 'Winters Children'! Can I be auntie Sharon?"

Slamming his fist on the table, Bucky snarls his face as his nostrils flare, causing Sharon to laugh wickedly under her breath.

Bucky
"One more word and those chains go around your neck."

Sharon
"Oof, kinky."

Gripping the chains in his right hand, Bucky yanks them towards him, forcing Sharon's ribs into the edge of the metal table, winding her.

Sharon
"Fine. Message received. So, you wanna know about her children."

Trying to avoid eye contact, Bucky hates that he has to ask her such intimate questions about his and yours personal affairs.

Bucky
"That, and the serum that affects my cells. I wanna know if our children would experience the same...-"

Sharon
"Gifts?"

Bucky
"Abilities."

Sharon thinks for moment, looking round the room, before shrugging and blowing air out of her lips in mocking uncertainty.
Frustrated at her lack of commitment to the question, Bucky jumps from his chair to lean over the table, so far that he could smell the burn cream on her wrist from where she was still recovering from your attack.

Bucky
"Don't, test my patience!"

His voice, so deep and gravvely that it's almost a growl.

Jumping at his sudden movement, Sharon's startled expression slowly fades to a maniacal smirk.

Sharon
"The best answer I can give you, is probably. Technically, you're both 2.0 versions of the original formulas. Which makes you unique. Your kids would be the first of their kind. It's a guessing game for anyone. Even me."

Still unsatisfied but believing her, Bucky leaves the table and begins to pace around the room.

Sharon
"You haven't told her, have you? You didn't tell her about your concerns, or that you came to speak to me. That's why you're not waiting for the surgery to be over. I imagine it's killing you to be away from her-"

Sick of listening to her cocky tone any longer, Bucky snatches his jacket from the back of his chair and snaps open the door, slamming it shut behind him.

Sharon
"Well that was rude."