[Leipzig AU] a means to a necessary end

[nerves_of_ice]

It's a long flight from Berlin to Novosibirsk and the secret location far beyond it, even in a Quinjet. They spend the time planning and coordinating. Bucky describes the structure and security of the facility itself as best he remembers. Tony calls up plans and blueprints from god knows where and throws them into the middle of the plane for all to see. They're not the same as what Bucky remembers, they figure out fairly quickly, but they're better than nothing.

Tony also takes over the back of the plane and snaps at anyone who comes close, doing something that involves shifting screens and models of buildings and wave patterns and a human skull, and the eventually the low humming grind of a machine. Soon after, he stalks back up to the front of the plane and shoves a set of custom-fabricated earplugs at Bucky, who stares at them and then at Tony.

"Noise-cancelling all the way to total sound blackout. Tap the end of the earpiece to deafen yourself," Tony informs him. "Last thing we need's for you to be his puppet." Bucky starts to stammer a thanks, but Tony growls something under his breath and stalks back to the back of the plane again to work on something else. Steve catches Bucky's eye and shakes his head, and Bucky decides to leave well enough alone.

Sam advises everyone to rest in shifts; Bucky knows he's not wrong, but neither he nor Steve can do it, and after a while Sam stops trying to convince them. Natasha sits with him for a while, her eyes dark with concern. They don't say much, but there's no need to.

A Snowcat is parked outside the door of the facility when they land. Bucky's jaw sets in hard lines at the sight of it, and he trades a look with Steve.

They're already here.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky raises his eyebrows at him.

"So?"

[marvel_npc]

Steve chuckles again and shakes his head, then sips at his coffee.

"Tony can be pretty likable, too," he points out. "Though I know he can be kind of an acquired taste. Underneath all that bluster and swagger is a good man."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I don't exactly know what to think of him," Bucky admits. "He surprised the hell out of me yesterday."

[marvel_npc]

"I'm sorry he went for you like that," Steve says, rueful.

"It was a real shock, seeing it on the screen. I'm just glad he came to his senses."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky shakes his head. "I don't blame him. I don't."

[marvel_npc]

Steve sighs and sets his coffee in his lap. "I know he's determined to make sure nothing like it ever happens again," he says.

"And I have to tell you, if there's anyone out there who could figure out a way to deprogram what's been programmed, it's Tony. But I think he might need a little time to come to terms with everything that's happened."

[nerves_of_ice]

He stares at his best friend.

"Wait, you mean he was serious? He actually thinks he could do that?"

[marvel_npc]

Steve looks at him, surprised, over his coffee cup.

"Of course he was serious."

[nerves_of_ice]

"No, I mean, I know he meant what he said, I just - I didn't think he could--"

He stops there, visibly struggling with that for long moments.

"... I think unless he brings it up again I better just pretend he never said it."

[marvel_npc]

Steve watches him, his heart aching to see how his best friend struggles just with the thought that it might be possible.

"I can ask him not to talk to you about it until he's sure," he offers. "He's got a tendency to think out loud."

[nerves_of_ice]

He shakes his head in denial.

“It’s not that. It’s okay, Steve.”

[marvel_npc]

He's not sure it is, or how it could be, but he doesn't want to argue with Bucky. Not after everything they've been through in the last few days and for so many years before.

"What is it, then?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“He doesn’t have to try.” Each word is soft, but clear.

“I destroyed his life. He doesn’t have to - the pressure it’d put him under, and knowing — I can’t. If he brings it up again, that’s different. Don’t ask him. Don’t push him.”

[marvel_npc]

"I won't push," Steve promises. "Or ask. But, Buck, it's his idea. You don't really know Tony yet, so you don't have a frame of reference for what it means when he gets an idea. He's unstoppable."

Which isn't always a good thing, but in this case...?

Steve shakes his head. "We'll leave the ball in his court. But I think you might be surprised by what he does with it."

[nerves_of_ice]

He gives Steve an uncertain look, but nods. Steve’s right: he doesn’t know Tony Stark, not beyond what he’d learned about him through studying him the way he’d studied the other Avengers, wanting to be sure Steve had a good team at his side.

“Okay,” is all he says.

[marvel_npc]

"Okay," Steve agrees, and sips at his coffee, wondering if he should bring up everything he's been thinking about, his vague plans now that Bucky's found.

It might be unfair. He's not even sure what he's going to do.

But he finds he can't wait, anyway. "You know," he says, "after we wrap everything up here... there's plenty of space back at the compound. Or we could find a place in Brooklyn. You could come back with me, and we could work on getting your name cleared back in the States where we'll have access to all the resources we'd need. Get you back on your feet."

[nerves_of_ice]

He’s in the middle of a sip of coffee when Steve makes his suggestion, and for a long moment Bucky just freezes, mug still at his lips, a tangle of thoughts crashing together in screaming incoherence in his mind.

Slowly, he sets the mug down. Only then does he meet his best friend’s steady, hopeful gaze.

“You know they’re not going to let me go,” he murmurs. “Not after everything.”

[marvel_npc]

"I don't think they'd want you to disappear again," Steve agrees, "but you've proven you don't do that anymore. And you weren't in control of your actions as the Winter Soldier. It's going to take a while to unravel all the knots in this situation; why not let you come back under my oversight while they argue about it?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He’s very, very familiar with Steve’s optimism. It’s just never been so brutally painful before.

“Steve.” He makes it as gentle as he can. “They’re not going to believe that. And they’re not going to believe you’ll do anything but defend me. And with the Accords in play… they have all the reason they need to keep you out of it.”

[marvel_npc]

"Let me worry about the Accords," Steve argues. "But, fine. Maybe not my oversight. But Tony doesn't have a bias toward you, and he signed. Maybe if you come back to the compound to work with him..."

As for the other piece, he shoots a rueful glance at the closed door to Bucky's room. "If they find Sharon's not at fault," he points out, "that's precedent. We can work with that."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Sharon didn’t do anything wrong,” he retorts, barely managing to keep his voice from rising. “She was kidnapped! She gave up intel under duress!”

Before Steve can try to tell him it’s the same for him, he finishes, “And she didn’t kill anyone.”

[marvel_npc]

"Bucky – " He holds out a hand, his eyes full of sympathy. "I know. I know. You know I agree. But – "

He hates this, pushing on this, but he has to. He has to. If they find Sharon innocent, they have to do the same for Bucky. Both of them had their own minds wiped away. Neither of them had a choice.

His voice is low and steady. "She would have, if he'd told her to, right?"

Instead of putting her into the cryo chamber, Zemo could have set her against them. He could have ordered her to shoot any one of them, and she would have. She wouldn't have been able to stop herself, or even to consider it.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Don't say that anywhere outside this room." It's low and tight and nearly vibrating with tension, and as he hears himself he can't sit still. Bucky comes to his feet in a controlled surge and moves out into the center of the room, needing space around him.

"Two reasons. One, the fewer people who know about that injection, the formula Zemo used, the better. Two..."

He spins to face Steve, needing him to understand. "We can't use her that way. We can't. She's already at risk of losing her career for 'fraternization with the enemy,' because of me. Ross can clear her of this, it'd be the right thing to do so he will, I think, but we can't tie her fate to mine any more than it already is."

His voice is rising, even while he tries to keep it under control. "You think there wouldn't be people who suggested she did it on purpose? That she was working with Zemo all along? Bullshit. Bullshit. But they would. We - I - I can't do that to her. I won't--"

As the last word escapes him, as its meaning strikes into his own mind, he chokes on the rest of what he was going to say. Bucky staggers, bracing himself with one hand against the back of the couch, and fights to breathe his way through it, telling himself it's for someone else's protection and not his own will, trying to convince his own mind to let him free of its chains.

[marvel_npc]

"Hey, hey – "

Steve sets his coffee down and gets to his feet, coming to put a hand on Bucky's back and another on his side. "It's okay, Buck. Just breathe."

He runs his palm over Bucky's back, hating the tension in his muscles. It's like trying to soothe sheet metal.

[nerves_of_ice]

He throws his head back, the cords in his neck standing out, and sucks in one ragged breath after another.

Slowly, slowly, the spiral stops twisting his body and mind, its claws loosening as he tells himself over and over that it's not him, that it's to protect Sharon - as he seizes on Steve telling him it's okay and uses that to convince himself that it's not his decision.

It's hard, because he knows it's a lie, and worse, he knows that it's a reinforcing behavior... but he doesn't know what else to do.