Bucky's Anchor

Chapter 56 - Zemo's Escape

Sitting in the small room we'd taken up in the safe house, I could feel the tension radiating off of Bucky in waves. His fingers drummed absently on the table, his eyes fixed on Sam, who was pacing in front of us. The plan had been laid out clearly, and now it was time to make the decision—one I wasn't exactly comfortable with.

"You can't be serious, Bucky," Sam said, stopping in his tracks and looking at him with disbelief. "You want to break Zemo out of prison?"

Bucky leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "It's not about what I want, Sam. It's about what we need." His voice was low, steady, but I could hear the strain in it. "Zemo knows more about the serum than anyone alive. If we want to stop the Flag Smashers, we need him."

I watched the exchange silently, my hand resting on my stomach, the secret I was keeping making me feel even more tense. The idea of breaking Zemo out sent chills down my spine. This was the same man who had torn the Avengers apart, caused so much destruction... and now we were going to rely on him?

"Zemo is a wildcard," I said quietly, drawing their attention. "You're playing with fire if you trust him."

Bucky turned to me, his expression softening a little. "I don't trust him," he said. "But we don't have a choice. This isn't about trust. It's about survival."

Sam shook his head. "I don't like it. It's reckless."

Bucky stood up, his frustration barely contained. "You think I like it? You think I *want* to break him out? I hate him for what he did, but right now, we need him."

Sam let out a long breath, crossing his arms over his chest. "You know this is going to blow back on us, right? If it goes wrong..."

"It won't go wrong," Bucky said, his tone hard. "I'll make sure of it."

I could feel the weight of what was happening settle in the room. This wasn't a decision we could make lightly, but it felt like we had no other options. Still, the thought of trusting Zemo, even for a second, made my stomach churn.

Bucky glanced at me, a question in his eyes. I knew what he was asking—if I supported this, if I would stand by him through this risky decision. And of course, I would. I always had. But that didn't make it any less terrifying.

"Just be careful," I said, my voice quieter than I intended. "Zemo is dangerous, and this is a risk."

Bucky gave me a small nod. "I know."

---

A few days later, the plan was set in motion. Sam and I stood in a dimly lit garage, waiting for Bucky to return. The silence between us was heavy, filled with unspoken words about what was about to happen. My heart was pounding, and I couldn't shake the feeling that this was going to spiral out of control.

"You really think this is going to work?" Sam asked, breaking the silence. His voice was tight, uncertain.

I shrugged, my eyes fixed on the garage door, waiting for Bucky to walk through. "I don't know," I admitted. "But Bucky... he's different when he sets his mind to something. He won't let this fail."

Sam scoffed softly. "Different, huh? You've got a lot more faith in him than I do."

I glanced at Sam, a small smile tugging at my lips. "He's my husband, Sam. If I didn't believe in him, what kind of marriage would we have?"

Sam looked at me for a moment, then sighed, shaking his head. "Still can't believe y'all are married. Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, married."

Before I could respond, the garage door creaked open, and Bucky stepped inside. Behind him was Zemo, and my entire body tensed. Even in the shadows, Zemo's presence felt wrong. He walked with a calm arrogance, like he wasn't the same man responsible for so much pain. It sent a chill down my spine.

"Nice place," Zemo said, his voice smooth and full of disdain as he looked around. "I see you haven't lost your touch, Sergeant Barnes."

Bucky shot him a cold look, but didn't respond. Instead, he turned to Sam and me, his expression unreadable. "It's done. He's out."

I stepped forward, my eyes locking with Zemo's. "If you think for one second that we trust you... you're wrong."

Zemo gave me a faint, condescending smile. "Trust? No, I wouldn't expect that. But we have a common enemy, and that's enough for now."

I wanted to say something more, something to wipe that smug look off his face, but Bucky's hand brushed against mine, a silent plea for calm. I swallowed my anger and stepped back, standing next to him.

"This better work," Sam muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. "Otherwise, we're all screwed."

"It'll work," Bucky said firmly, though I could see the doubt lingering behind his eyes.

---

The tension between the three of us only grew as the hours passed. Zemo had been transported to a new safe house, and now we were left to deal with the fallout of what we had just done. Sam was pacing again, his frustration evident in every step.

"We broke a war criminal out of prison," Sam said, his voice tight with anger. "Do you realize how insane this is?"

Bucky stood by the window, staring out into the night. "We didn't have a choice," he said quietly.

"You keep saying that!" Sam shouted, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "But you're not thinking about the consequences. What happens when this blows up in our faces?"

Bucky didn't respond, his shoulders tense, and I could see the strain between them growing. This wasn't just about Zemo—it was about everything they had been through, the weight of their decisions, the shadow of Steve's legacy hanging over them.

I stepped forward, placing myself between them. "This isn't going to help," I said firmly. "We need to focus on what comes next, not tear each other apart over what's already been done."

Sam's eyes softened as he looked at me, his anger giving way to something else—concern. "Emily, I get it. I do. But you know how dangerous Zemo is. You know what this could mean for all of us."

"I do," I said quietly, glancing at Bucky, who still hadn't moved from his spot by the window. "But Bucky's right. We didn't have a choice. Now, we have to deal with it."

Sam sighed, shaking his head. "I hope you're right."

I turned to Bucky, who was still silent, lost in his thoughts. I knew this wasn't easy for him—none of this was. Breaking Zemo out, the weight of his past, and now the strain it was putting on his relationship with Sam. But I also knew that Bucky was trying to do what he thought was right.

I walked over to him, resting a hand on his back. "We're going to get through this," I whispered, trying to reach him.

He didn't look at me, but his hand covered mine, and for a brief moment, I felt the tension in him ease. "I hope so," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

As the night stretched on, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were only going to get worse before they got better. And with the secret I was still holding, the weight of everything felt even heavier.