ℋℯ𝓇ℴ 𝒫𝒶𝓇𝓉 𝒯𝓌ℴ

Cure

"Y/n, I know you want to bring Bucky back and help him, but at some point you need to take a break." Steve spoke cautiously from the doorway behind you, having stood there for a while now as he watched you look through endless research you had already done, with Sam only a couple feet behind him.

"You don't understand, Steve." You huffed as you grabbed a handful of old notes you had taken on how Bucky's mind reacted to certain triggers, only to sigh in annoyance when you realized they would be of no help to you. You were about to continue looking until you felt another hand on yours, while his other hand rested on your shoulder.

"Do you honestly think I don't understand?" Steve asked calmly as he gently pulled you to your feet in an attempt to peel you away from your desk, turning you to face him when he still hadn't gotten a response out of you.

"I know you understand, I just-"

"Wish you could cure him, I know. But we need more information than what we have." Steve pointed out as he was finally able to bring you out of your small office with his arm wrapped around you, mostly for support when he realized how fatigue you had looked to him.

"Come on y/n, he's safe now, right?" Sam told you as he reached for your hand. "Honey, you really need to rest."

"I can't!" You yelled as you pushed both men away from you, not really sure where the outburst had come from, but knowing it had to do with your lack of rest. "Don't you guys get it!? I can't rest until I help him!" You continued to yell as they only listened intently to what you had to say, not daring to challenge it. "This never would have happened if it wasn't for Zemo and that damn... book..." you faded as realization finally hit you. After months of research it couldn't possibly be that simple, could it?

"Y/n?" Steve questioned softly when he saw the wheels in your head turning.

"Son of a bitch." You muttered before running back to your office and looking through some of your papers from a few months back.

"Y/n, wait!" Steve yelled before him and Sam chased you down the hall and back to your office.

"Dammit, we just got you out of here. Why can't you just-"

"I figured it out!" You cut Sam off as you found a paper you had almost tossed earlier today.

"You... you did?" Steve asked you in disbelief, not sure if he should let himself get too excited, given the lack of sleep the two of you have had over the time you'd spend here. "Are you sure?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense, I need the book Zemo had. When we have that, I can figure out every single thing hydra did to Bucky, down from the moment he was captured to the moment he got out." You explained as you looked through your papers, eyes watering when you thought about how close you were to solving this problem.

They listened as you explained your theory, but Steve's mind knew this was much easier than it sounded. "Y/n... you know where that book most likely is, right?" He asked as he let out a heavy sigh.

"I know." You whispered, mostly to yourself, but both men still moved to sit beside you and listen. "But if there's even a chance that this could work, isn't he worth it?"

~~

Almost half a year had gone by since the Sikovian Accords, and since then every single member, and ex-member, of the team had some form of regret. One of the ones who seamed to be suffering the most was Tony. When Friday had told him about the events that took place in Siberia, he realized he had little to no recitation of what she was telling him he had done.

When he had gone there that day, it was purely for the purpose of helping you, Steve, and Bucky fight what he thought he was originally going up against. He had every intention to let the three of you free in the end, but he never expected things to take such a harsh turn for the worse.

Imprisoning you for life was something that would never cross his mind in a million years, but that day he did it without a second thought. He was more than relieved to receive that letter from Steve telling him he had broken you out because he couldn't let his family down. Tony must have watched the video Friday had taken that day about a million times, each time bringing new regrets to life.

Tony had tried to kill Steve and Bucky, but he's not a killer, he was blinded, blinded by rage. Every time he heard himself tell you he would make you feel the pain he felt, it made his heart sink. He knew very well you knew what he felt, because your whole life has been full of pain and loss, and he was ready to add to it that day.

Every time he watched himself shoot you, he had to look away until you would get up again to fight back, always muttering a "don't do it you moron", or "stop, she's family", every time he'd hear the repulsed charge up again, then cursing himself when he'd shoot again. He always hoped the videos would change, but they never would, and he feared that what he had done that day had damaged everything the two of you had forever.

"Excuse me, Mr. Stark." Tony heard Friday's voice, quickly pulling him from his dark thoughts.

"Yeah Fri?" Tony asked quietly.

"Vision would like to know if it is alright to speak with you. He said he's feeling a presence he has not felt in awhile and believes you have a right to know."

"Presence? What kind of presence?" Tony asked, sounding slightly concerned, but dropping his coffee mug without a care when he heard her response.

"Y/n."

~~

"Y/n, you're sure you want to risk going in there?" Steve asked as the jet you borrowed from T'Challa neared the raft prison that held everything you needed. "If they catch you, it's going to be a lot harder to get you back this time."

"I have to do this Steve, I need the book." You muttered as you tried to figure out the safest place to land for a quick escape. "I wouldn't mind torturing Zemo a bit either."

"Easy there killer." Sam laughed as he sat behind you and began to strap his new gear on. "One mission at a time, I don't think your lover boy wants you getting into too much trouble." Sam teased, causing a small smirk to form on your lips.

"Can it bird brain, just put the suits on I gave you two so I can disguise us." You told the two of them as you began to quietly land in one of the empty hangers. "You boys ready?" You asked as you turned around and saw them in their fake security suits.

"Can me and Steve switch suits? I feel I should be the boss since he always gets to be in real life." Sam joked.

"Sam." Steve lightly warned as he crossed his arms and raised his brow.

"What? Come on, your uniform is short sleeve too and I've been working on my arms, might as well show them off right? Plus, you already have the beard going on for you, long sleeves would look better on you."

"Sam, will you stop complaining so I can disguise us already?" You groaned in annoyance.

"Fine." Sam huffed before quieting down and letting you do your work, transforming the three of you into the random faces on your badges.

"Alright you guys, are you ready for this?" You asked the two of them as you walked to the exit pad.

"Right behind you."