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protivvyterBucky had known, the moment he'd woken up, his arm in a vice, where that bastard was going. He had known it wouldn't so simple to get there, either. Meaning that he needed help. Steve, of course, had just jumped right in and offered. Sam had been a couple steps behind.
He doesn't tell Steve, until they're walking away from Stark. He can't. If she's dead... she'd been one of the few to speak to him. They'd worked on a couple of missions together. She is a Winter Soldier, just as he is, and their fondness for one another had been used against both of them over the decades again and again.
"We have to find Red." He says, panting as they make their way through the base. "We have to. If Zemo didn't find her, she could still be alive."
"Red?" Steve asks, still holding Bucky up. "We have to get out of here, Buck."
"I can't without her, Steve." He says, softly. "I can't."
Steve sighs and relents. If Bucky is asking, then there's a good reason why.
Bucky stumbles, and only Steve's reflexes keep him upright. He leads Steve down a hall. There is one more tube. With no bullet hole in it. Bucky relaxes for a moment, staring at the panel that would wake her up. He starts the sequence, remembering the last time they'd been awake together. He'd thought, after DC, of seeking her out. But, that would have been dangerous for both of them.
He watches as the ice slowly recedes away from her and the panel starts to indicate that her vital signs are coming up. Before she can fall out of the tube, Steve catches her.
"Natalia," Bucky says. "Natalia, can you hear me?" Russian is their language with each other. He walks over and crouches so only he is in her eyeline, hoping that she still remembers him.
He doesn't tell Steve, until they're walking away from Stark. He can't. If she's dead... she'd been one of the few to speak to him. They'd worked on a couple of missions together. She is a Winter Soldier, just as he is, and their fondness for one another had been used against both of them over the decades again and again.
"We have to find Red." He says, panting as they make their way through the base. "We have to. If Zemo didn't find her, she could still be alive."
"Red?" Steve asks, still holding Bucky up. "We have to get out of here, Buck."
"I can't without her, Steve." He says, softly. "I can't."
Steve sighs and relents. If Bucky is asking, then there's a good reason why.
Bucky stumbles, and only Steve's reflexes keep him upright. He leads Steve down a hall. There is one more tube. With no bullet hole in it. Bucky relaxes for a moment, staring at the panel that would wake her up. He starts the sequence, remembering the last time they'd been awake together. He'd thought, after DC, of seeking her out. But, that would have been dangerous for both of them.
He watches as the ice slowly recedes away from her and the panel starts to indicate that her vital signs are coming up. Before she can fall out of the tube, Steve catches her.
"Natalia," Bucky says. "Natalia, can you hear me?" Russian is their language with each other. He walks over and crouches so only he is in her eyeline, hoping that she still remembers him.