Fractured Peace
Arthur’s chest rose and fell in erratic rhythms, his breaths shallow and uneven. Every part of him was consumed by the panic that had taken hold, leaving him unable to focus on anything other than the overwhelming surge of fear and exhaustion. His leg was still bouncing, relentless in its movement as if trying to rid his body of the unease that had rooted itself deep inside. His hands trembled, clutching at the ground beneath him, as though the simple act of holding on could ground him. But the harder he fought, the more distant everything became.
He felt as though he were slipping—fading out of the present, his body too heavy to move, his mind too foggy to think clearly. The panic attack had drained him, leaving nothing but a hollow shell. His vision blurred, and the world around him felt as though it were closing in, every sound distorted, every breath harder to catch.
His leg stilled for the briefest moment before beginning its restless bouncing again, but now, it felt distant. Everything felt distant.
Then, as if the weight of the world had finally been too much, his body gave out.
He slumped forward, completely drained, his body unable to keep him upright any longer. The last thing he felt was the coolness of the concrete against his cheek, and then—
Darkness.
Meanwhile, at the Compound
Back inside the compound, the team had gathered in the common area, the worry settling in heavier with each passing minute. Tony’s usual bravado had faded, replaced by genuine concern. He paced back and forth, fingers tapping against his chest as he waited for word on Arthur’s whereabouts.
“I’m telling you, he’s been gone too long,” Tony muttered, barely looking up as Steve, Bucky, and Peter entered. “We should’ve heard from him by now.”
“Tony,” Steve said, his voice calm but firm. “Bucky went to look for him. We’ll get him back, alright? Just... wait.”
Tony shot Steve a look. "I don’t wait well, you know that."
“I know,” Steve said, half-smiling despite the tension. "But we need to stay focused."
Peter shifted nervously, his eyes darting from Steve to Tony, then to the door. He had been quieter than usual, and it was obvious why—Arthur was more than just a teammate to him. He could feel the weight of the situation pressing down, and he wanted to help but wasn’t sure how.
“We’ll find him,” Peter said, trying to muster some optimism. “He’s probably just... you know... taking a breather. Maybe got distracted by something.”
Steve was about to respond when Bucky’s voice cut through the air as the sound projected out of Tony’s phone, calm but with an edge of concern.
"Tony, Steve—need you to come out here."
Tony didn’t waste a second. He turned on his heel, making his way quickly to the door, his mind already racing with worst-case scenarios. Steve and Peter followed closely behind.
As they made it to the alleyway, they saw Bucky standing over Arthur’s unconscious form, his expression tight with worry. Arthur’s head rested on the cool concrete, his body still. His leg had finally stopped its constant bouncing, but the stillness now felt ominous.
“What happened?” Tony asked, his voice laced with concern as he knelt beside Arthur, his fingers checking for a pulse.
“I found him like this,” Bucky said quietly, kneeling next to Arthur, his face a mask of frustration and helplessness. “He was... he was in a bad place, Tony. The panic attack—it was worse than anything I’ve seen. He couldn’t get it under control. I tried to get him breathing right, but it wasn’t enough.”
Tony cursed under his breath, his eyes scanning Arthur’s pale, exhausted face. "He pushed himself too hard, didn’t he? This isn’t just exhaustion. This is something else... something deeper.”
"How do we help him?" Steve asked, his concern growing with each passing moment.
"We get him back to the compound," Tony said, his tone sharp. "I’ll work on stabilizing him, but we need to move now. I don’t know how long he’ll stay unconscious."
Bucky, ever the protector, was already helping to lift Arthur, his hands under his shoulders, lifting him carefully. “I’ve got him,” Bucky said, the deep worry in his voice clear. “Let’s get him inside.”
Back at the Compound
Once inside the compound, Tony wasted no time getting Arthur settled on one of the medical beds. He immediately went to work, his mind shifting into doctor-mode, scanning Arthur’s vitals and adjusting the settings on his monitors. The rest of the team was gathered around, their faces filled with concern.
“His breathing is stabilizing,” Tony murmured, glancing at Bucky. “But he’s drained. His body’s going to need time to recover. This wasn’t just an ordinary panic attack.”
Steve, standing near the bed, watched Tony’s every move closely. “How bad is it?”
Tony paused for a moment before responding, his face tight. “It’s more than just a physical reaction. He’s been holding this inside for a long time, Steve. His anxiety... it’s deeper than any of us realized. He’s been struggling, and we’ve barely scratched the surface.”
Bucky looked down at Arthur, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “I should’ve noticed sooner,” he muttered. “I should’ve been more... more there for him.”
“You’ve been there for him,” Steve said gently, placing a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “But we all have to do more. We need to be there for him in a different way now. He can’t keep carrying this on his own.”
Peter, who had been standing quietly near the door, spoke up. “I didn’t realize how much he was going through,” he said softly. “I thought it was just... quirks. You know? He just seemed so tough all the time.”
Tony glanced at Peter, his expression softening slightly. “We all thought that at some point,” he said. “Arthur’s a soldier at heart. He doesn’t like to show weakness. But it’s more than that. The things he’s been through—what HYDRA put him through—it's left scars deeper than we could ever see."
Peter’s face shifted, his concern for Arthur growing. “How do we help him? I want to be there for him.”
Steve stepped forward, his expression serious but warm. “We need to show him he’s not alone. Let him know we’re here—not just as his team, but as his friends. But we also need to give him space to heal, to find his own way back.”
Tony let out a slow breath, watching Arthur for a moment. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. But we’ll do it together.”
As the team stood gathered around Arthur’s unconscious form, there was a renewed sense of resolve. They had always known Arthur was a fighter, but now they understood just how much of a battle he’d been fighting on his own. It was time to be there for him, to help him find his way back from the darkness, and to show him that, despite everything he had endured, he didn’t have to face it alone anymore.
To be continued…