The Winter Soldier is Still Here (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier x reader)

No Miracle Workers

STEVE POV
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Nat and I watched as the strangers worked on Bucky. They were hooking him up to machines while simultanously removing clothing and cleaning wounds before doing further work. Shuri, if I remembered her name correctly, scanned his body with her bracelet what seemed like every two minutes. She was giving directions to those helping her quickly and practically mutely. The team worked together in perfect sync. T'Challa exited the room after a few minutes and came to stand with us.

"They are doing all they can. It doesn't look good right now." I slid my arm around Natasha and pulled her close. I could feel the sob she was holding back as I held her.

"The next few hours will be highly critical. My sister will be finishing giving the team instructions on how to proceed momentarily and then she and I will be going back to check on Ms. (y/l/n)."

"Thank you," I responded quietly. "Do you mind if we have a minute," I followed up gingerly as not to offend him. He nodded understandingly and stepped away, disappearing around a corner.

I pulled Natasha into my chest instead of the side-hug I held in T'Challa's presence. I could practically feel the weight of her sorrow, a sorrow that reflected my own sunken heart at the thought of losing my best friend, of watching him die (or at least thinking he died) again.

"It's going to be okay, Nat." I gently whispered into the top of her hair as I rubbed my hand comfortingly on her back. "He's going to pull through this. He can pull through this after all he's been through." After a few moments, she finally caught her breath.

"Steve, you don't know that an-and this...this...I don't know if he has the will to pull through...not with her like that."

"We can't think like that, Nat. We just can't."

"I just can't-I don't know-how can I live without him, Steve? I don't think I can. I tried to the first time and it nearly killed me. Twice now, I don't think I can come back from a second time."

I didn't know how to respond. I didn't know what to say. Honestly, I felt the same way. It was as if she were putting my thoughts aloud into the universe so I did what I felt I needed. I pulled her back into my chest and held onto her as tightly as I could without hurting her and we stayed that way until Shuri stepped out of the room.

NATASHA POV
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Shuri walked out of the room, turning to us and beginning to gently update us.

"My brother has already spoken to you, yes?"

We nodded in sync.

"We have him stable for now as some more tests are run. He has multiple ribs that are broken. His nose and arm are broken and our systems are looking now for internal bleeding as he seems to have a punctured lung and he's undergone quite a bit of chest and head trauma. We hope to have everything diagnosed within the next hour. I am now going to go check in on Ms. (y/l/n) and hopefully give her another dose of the antidote."

"Aren't you guys able to heal like everything? You're technology is unlike anything I've ever seen." I practically yelped.

"While we are able to fix many things due to our technological advancements and usage of vibranim, not everything has been discovered and sadly we aren't miracle workers. We are doing all that we can for him, though. Please believe me." Steve pulled me in close yet again.

"Thank you, Shuri. Please pass our thanks to your team as well." She nodded, turned, and headed for the direction of (y/n) room.

"Steve," I said after she was out of earshot, "what are we going to do?" I felt his chest rise and fall, slowly, as he took in the deepest breath I'd ever seen him take before he exhaled slowly, with the tone more fitting of a sigh.