They changed me.

Learning the truth

(A/N) this is my first story. There'll probably be loads of grammar mistakes. Idk we'll see how it goes. Also, Tony never gets the shrapnel/Arc reactor removed at the end of Ironman 3. Also, read that for feels. ^^^

*Siberia*

All he could feel was cold, a deep chilling cold that froze him to the bone. Without Friday to call for help, he had no way back to civilisation, his arc reactor was dying, and so was he. He could feel the shrapnel edging closer to his heart, what was usually a dull ache was now becoming a sharp unbearable pain.

From where he lay propped up against the pillar, he could see the very weapon that had caused his current despair. The very weapon his father had created. The very weapon that his "friend" had used to break him.

The dark roof above seemed to mock him, becoming the roof of a cave that haunted his dreams. His face was wet with blood, or was it water? The terrorists had forced his head under the water just moments ago, hadn't they?

His chest was aching, it must be from the surgery they'd performed in the cave. No anaesthetic. He'd woken in extreme agony in a cave, strange hands in his chest. IN HIS CHEST!! Somebody was trying to kill him! He needed to- he needed to-

No. He was in an abandoned Hydra bunker, not a cave. He hadn't been tortured or blown up, just betrayed by his friend and left alone to die in this cold harsh place. It was no more than he deserved.

He could recall Steve's face above him, but the more he thought about it, the more it shifted into Obadiah's. He was ripping the arc reactor out.

No.

Steve wasn't Obadiah. He was his friend, right? He wasn't just using him for tech and money was he?

No. He wouldn't.

Another icy wind swept over him and he shuddered, how long had he been here? Minutes? Hours? Days? The sun had set by now, the only light coming from his broken arc reactor. He could already feel the numbing fatigue spreading through his body, a result of the staggering amount of blood he'd lost.

Tony fought to keep his eyes open, he needed to stay awake and alert. However he quickly found that they joined the ever growing list of things that had betrayed him, sliding shut as his mind grew fuzzy. He could hear voices approaching, but he couldn't find the will to move.

"That's him, that's Stark. Grab him and then sweep the area. Remove all the evidence of him being here." The stranger paused for a moment, "Then destroy the suit."

The young soldier saluted, "Sir, yes sir!" He replied, before scampering off, leaving his superior alone with the target.

Adrenaline and fear filled Tony, giving him just enough strength to lift his arm and press the release button on his suit. He knew he had to get out of there. As soon as his suit had released him with a soft hiss, he scrambled to escape. But the effects of blood loss had his legs screaming at him as he tried to run. They collapsed under him and he crashed to the stone floor.

Cap's shield was just in arms length, if he could... just reach...

His fingers grazed the shield when a boot smashed into his already cracked ribs. Pain ripped through his body like lightening and Tony found himself gasping and clawing at his chest to try and drag air into his lungs. Through a haze of pain, he saw the man who kicked him lean closer, a needle gripped tightly in his hand.

"Sleep well." He taunted before stabbing the needle into Tony's neck, pushing the clear liquid into his bloodstream. He watched silently as Tony struggled against the sedative, but it wasn't long before his eyes glazed over and his head fell back. The man gave a twisted smile to the motionless body on the floor.

"Oh yes Stark, you'll be our best weapon yet. But first we need to break you."

*One Year Later*

Steve was angry, he'd sent Tony an explanation nearly a year ago and he still hadn't even graced him with a reply. He rounded the corner and headed directly to T'Challa's throne room, he needed to know if the government was any closer to granting them an official pardon.

As he approached the door, his face dropped into a frown when he heard a familiar voice from inside.

Without bothering to knock, he silently slipped between the doors and froze in shock. T'Challa was comforting a sobbing Pepper, who had her face buried in his shoulder, muffling her voice.

"It's been a year... a year! I was so sure that he just needed time to himself, that he'd come back when he was ready, but he hasn't contacted me or Rhodey! The government declared him dead three months ago but he can't be-!"

Her voice had got higher and higher as she cried, T'Challa gently moved her off him handing her a tissue to wipe her eyes.

"Listen Pepper, we'll find him, I haven't heard from him since Steve-"

The kings eyes widened as he saw Steve loitering by the door, "Captain, were you not taught how to knock?"

Pepper spun around at his words, her eyes red and puffy but filled with rage at the sight of the soldier.

"You!" She started to move towards him, but a hand gripped her wrist and stopped her in her tracks.

"Rogers,"

"Nat?" Steve whispered in shock at the sight of the red headed assassin.

"It's Agent Romanoff to you."

Steve's heart dropped at that sentence, he'd thought that she'd understood. He tried not to let it show on his face as he asked, "What are you doing here?"

Natasha sneered are him, "Congratulations, you're officially pardoned." For the first time since arriving in Wakanda, Steve felt a small bubble of hope rise in his chest, perhaps everything could go back to normal, perhaps Tony could forgive him.

"But only on the grounds that you tell us exactly what you did to Tony."

The bubble popped, confusion taking its place.
"Wha- what are you talking about? I haven't done anything to Tony,"

This pushed Pepper over the edge and she erupted into hysterics again, "DON'T LIE TO ME!!!" She screamed, her skin glowing a fierce orange, Natasha dropped her wrist with a hiss of pain.

T'Challa rested a gentle hand on Pepper's shoulder, not even flinching at the heat and whispered something in her ear. She gave a small nod to the king before leaving the room in a hurry, throwing a glare at Steve as she slammed the door.

"Nat-Agent Romanoff? What was that about? I don't understand."

Natasha let an annoyed sigh escape her lips before she spoke, "Would you like me to spell it out for you?"

Steve clenched his jaw slightly at the condescending tone, but didn't interrupt.

"Let's see, you and Barnes disappear off the grid and leave your friends imprisoned on the RAFT, Tony goes to speak to said 'friends' to try and find your location before Ross does."

Steve's mouth dropped open in shock, wait, Tony wasn't helping Ross?

"Then we get a call from him telling us he's going to find you and not to come with him or track his suit." She paused to glare at him and took an intimidating step towards Steve,
"We don't hear anything from him for hours, so we decided to ignore his warning and track his suit. We get a signal, a very weak signal. It lead us to-"

"Siberia." The whispered word slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it. Natasha's eyes narrow and Steve automatically takes a step back from the angered spy.

"So you do know, what happened there? What did you do to Tony?!" Her voice got louder the angrier she got until Steve flinched away, refusing to look her in the eye. He opened his mouth for a moment before closing it again.

"It was my fault." Both Natasha, Steve and T'Challa turned towards the door.

"Barnes." The red headed spy greeted stiffly, Bucky shifted awkwardly under her gaze.

"It was not your fault Buck," Steve snapped, finding his voice.

But Natasha ignored him and narrowed her eyes at Bucky. "What do you mean?"