Saving Bucky (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

*Chapter 100 - Back Into The Cold*

Shuri is the first to speak as she taps on her kimoyo beads. "Get to the lab," she says urgently. "Now."

It takes less than a minute for large, heavy footsteps to be heard sprinting from down the hall.

"Shuri?!" Steve's voice bounces from down the corridor. "Where are you? Is everything okay? Is she-," Steve skids around the corner, nearly running face-first into the sliding glass door to the lab. He catches himself just in time to miss the panel as it slides open, his eyes lighting up as they find yours. "Hi," he grins. "You're up. That's great! Buck, did you tell her about -," Steve falls silent as he catches sight of James' pallid face and empty expression. "Hey pal," he says, casting concerned looks between you and James. "You, uh...you all right?"

But James doesn't speak. Instead he tightens his grip on the rail of your bed and swallows roughly.

"What's going on?" Steve asks, all cheeriness gone, replaced by his clinical Captain's voice. 

"I think we have a problem," you say. 

"Okay," he says, spotting a chair nearby and moving all the folders and papers cluttering the seat to pull it closer to your bed. 

You look to James, inviting him to explain. But he doesn't make eye contact. He keeps his gaze fixed on the ground as he tries to keep his breathing even. So you place your hand gently atop his and speak for him. "Steve...I think we found the biofile."

"It really exists?" he asks, leaning forward in his chair, frowning. "You're certain."

"Pretty certain, yeah," you say.

"Where?" Steve questions. "We'll get to it before anyone else can."

"We already have it," you say. Steve's look of determination completely fades away to one of confusion. "Shuri, do you have his scans?" you ask. Shuri nods, and brings up James' brain scans, zooming in to the pulsing grey cloud at the base of his brain stem. "Right there," you say, pointing to it. "I think it's right there, Steve. We've had it the whole time."

"It's inside him?" Steve asks. 

"Yes," you answer. "I think Casey figured out too. He kept saying he'd take the file. Not find it. Or look for it. He'd take it from James. I think he knew exactly what, and where, it was this entire time."

"So...it's not a computer file?" Steve questions. "It's-."

"A thought," you answer. "A memory. Yeah. One that HYDRA planted inside the Soldier's programming to make sure that as long as the body that housed the Winter Soldier lived, so would the program. Even if everyone else was killed."

"But...it works like a computer file?"

"I don't know for sure. But, I would guess so," you answer. "To access it, you have to have...the password to log in. That's why Casey never stopped chasing us. He needed James and his codewords."

Steve stands and moves to his best friend's side. "Buck," he whispers in his ear. "We don't know anything for certain. She might be wrong."

For the first time James breaks his contemplative silence with a short, harsh laugh. "Survival," he scowls. "They made damn sure it'd survive. They put it inside me, Stevie. You know she's right. And we all know what'll have to happen to get rid of it."

"If I'm right, the Soldier is the only one who can access the file," you say. "And...he's the only one who can destroy it." 

James starts pacing, running his hand through his hair. 

"It'll be safe, Buck," you say. "If I'm the one to do it, I'll have control."

"And how do you plan on getting me back?" James snaps. "Those codes weren't meant to make it stop," he says, voice breaking.