Rescue?
Bucky’s heart was pounding out of his chest with worry, “Peter?” He whispered.
“I am not Peter, I am Hydra’s Spider.”
And just like that his heart stopped and fell into his stomach. “No no no, Peter please.” He knew this was an option, he knew logically what they had done, but he had been praying to a God he didn’t even believe in to prove him wrong. To show just a bit of mercy for the kind-hearted caring kid he was supposed to keep safe. Now, Bucky was falling apart. It was one thing to be trapped in Hydra with Peter, both looking out for each other, it was a whole other thing to be trapped with another winter soldier. “I know you're in there Peter,” He said staring into the void that is Peter’s eyes.
“I am not Peter, I am Hydra’s Spider.”
“No your not!” Bucky practically shouted, he wasn't mad at Peter, but he was losing it. It has taken all his strength to keep sane for Peter, but if Peter was no longer there really, he might not be able to hold it together much longer. “You need to remember Pete. Your name is Peter Parker, my name is Bucky Barnes. Please Peter.” His voice broke on the last two words.
“I am not Peter, I am Hydra’s Spider.” There was no emotion in his voice.
Bucky just wrapped his arms around Peter as much as he could with the chains pulling at his wrists. Peter did not fight it and Bucky just whispered over and over, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
_____
Bucky kept holding Peter and crying, mentally reprimanding himself for letting this happen. Peter gave no answers to any of Bucky's questions and gave no reaction to anything he said other than reminding Bucky over and over that he wasn’t Peter, he was Hydra’s Spider. Each time he said it another ounce of hope died in the older man’s heart. He only let go of Peter when he heard footsteps approaching the door. He pushed Peter behind him like he wished he had done this morning, even though logically it probably wouldn’t have done any good other than to make him feel like he tried. The metal door opened with a groan and the two guards walked in holding the usual food trays. They set one down for Bucky and one for Peter. Then one of the guards spoke, directing his speech to Peter, “Eat!” It was an obvious order and Peter immediately responded by crawling around Bucky and picking up the bowl of grey mush. “See I like it better like this.” He directed those words to Bucky.
Bucky glared with red-rimmed eyes, “Bring him back.” He said, voice dripping with venom.
“It’s right there.” The other guard pointed to Peter, “And it’s so well behaved now.” His voice was almost cheery when uttering those words, it made Bucky sick to his stomach.
Bucky wanted more than anything to kill them for what they have done, but if he does that he will surely be put in the chair. One of them had to stay coherent. He just grits his teeth as they talk about Peter like an object and then finally leaves the two alone once more.
From then on Bucky never knows what happens when Peter is away. He can’t ask Peter since he’s not…Peter right now. Every time Peter comes back Bucky lists out all the Avengers and then talks about memories from the Tower. Ones of him, Peter and Tony, Peter and the team, and ones Peter had told him about his memories with just Tony. No matter what he says he gets no reaction from Peter. It’s like he’s looking at a shell. He looks like Peter, but he’s not Peter. Still, Bucky holds him as he sleeps and watches the door just in case.
_______
Thor finally found Loki four days later. After going through hundreds of Loki copies, he finally found his brother and dragged him to earth.
Tony was spacing out in the penthouse, something he did pretty often these days when he heard a huge crack of thunder, that rattled his bones, accompanied by a blinding flash of light. He got up stiffly to look outside, he wasn’t too worried about a threat as he didn’t really care what happened to himself, he had already failed Peter. Plus he did have a litany of security protocols running at all times. But then he saw Thor on the jet landing pad a few floors below and he wasn’t alone. He was half walking half dragging Loki into the tower. Tony immediately snapped out of his wallowing and hopeless state, which he had been stuck in for god knows how many days, to run to the elevator and get in. ‘This was it, Loki can find where they took them. I can get my son back!’ he thought to himself as he anxiously waited for the elevator doors to open.
The doors opened to the two brothers waiting for the elevator to go down to the cells. They walked in and the tension was palpable. There was hostility from the last time Tony was in the same room as Loki and yet relief also flooded his veins as he looked at the God. Tony hated him for the Battle of New York and for making them wait days now to rescue Peter, but at the same time, his hope was growing just looking at the man in green. The ride down felt longer than anything, “Tony, how are you?” Thor asked, one hand still holding his brother's arm like he was worried Loki would just disappear. Then again, it was Loki, that was a very plausible outcome.
“Better now that Rock of Ages is finally here.” Tony half looked half glared at Loki.
Loki rolled his eyes ”Sorry I have better things to do than visit you all on filthy Midgard.”
Anger flared in Tony, “You had better things to do than help save a child? Saving my son?” Tony said through clenched teeth. He didn't mean to say the last part, but it just slipped out.
“Since when does the man of Iron have a son?” Loki questioned to his brother.
Thor opened his mouth to answer, but Tony spoke up, “I’m right here asshole. Ask me yourself.” he ground out wanting to scream, “Either way it doesn’t matter, what matters is that Bucky Barnes and Peter Parker were taken by Hydra…” Tony looked at his watch, “seven days ago.” his voice cracked.
A week had passed. That is so much time yet so little at the same time. Compared to Bucky and Peter’s time in captivity with Hydra before this, it was nothing. But when you ask a parent who has lost their child for a long time, they will no doubt say it feels like an eternity. Seven days could be a regular work or school week with a weekend, but so much more can happen in that short period of time. A kidnapping, for instance, captivity, torture, brainwash- “Tony!” he didn’t realize someone was trying to get his attention until he looked up at Thor who was looking at him in concern and holding the elevator doors open, ‘when did the elevator stop?’ Tony thought to himself.
He briefly glanced at Loki and could have sworn he saw something close to concern or sympathy on his face as well, but that couldn't be right. After all, Loki had put him through there's no way he feels bad now, is there? Before he could dwell on it more Steve came running over, “Tony, you ok?” He knew it was a stupid question, both of them were very far from ok, and would not get close to it until their boys come home. Still Tony nodded after getting his bearings again and walked out of the elevator with Thor and Loki following close behind.
Tony picked up where he left off as they walked on as if nothing had happened, “We have two Hydra agents in custody, but neither will give anything up.” Tony turned as they got to a door, “That’s where you come in. Use your mind reading mojo and find out where they took them.”
Loki rolled his eyes at Tony’s odd choice of words referring to his powers, “Fine, then I can go?”
Tony wanted to yell at him for negotiation when this was urgent. This was actually urgent five days ago, now, at least to Tony, it was dire. “Yes,” he said again through gritted teeth, “if you find out where they are and it pans out, you can go.” Tony was about to step aside when something occurred to him, “While you're fishing around in their mind, find out Hydra’s security system and the number of agents we will be up against.”
“Anything else?” Loki asked in an annoyed tone.
“Nope, that should do it,” Tony said, stepping aside as Loki went in.
______
Not even twenty minutes later Loki came out looking indifferent. “Well do you have it?!” Tony blurted as soon as the God closed the door behind him.
Loki rolled his eyes, “Of course I got it. I got more than I wanted to. Mind reading doesn’t always allow you to pick and choose, just don’t look into his search history.”
Normally Tony would have made a quip to that, but there was no time, so he ignored it, “So, where are they?”
“Newfield, New York.”
“They’ve been in New York this whole time?” Steve asked with surprise and hatred, for himself.
“Yeah, it's known for its many unoccupied tracts of land.” he shrugged like it was no big deal.
Everyone in the room, except Tony, which included Steve, Nat, Loki, and Thor, jumped as red and gold metal flew into the room and started incasing Tony. “Everyone else needs to suit up now!” It wasn't a request, it was an order. An order no one was going to or wanted to refuse. “And you,” he turned to Loki, “Are going to stay here until we find them.”
“What? Do you think I would be so cruel as to give you a false location?” he said in a condescending manner.
“Yes I do,” he glared, “so until further notice, you are reprimanded to this floor. There is no way out, even with your powers.”
“Don’t be too sure,” Loki said with a predatory grin.
“I don’t have time for this. FRIDAY, let me know if somehow, even though it is impossible, Loki gets free before we get back.”
“Will do boss.” FRIDAY’s voice came through the ceiling.
During this Nat and Steve ran up to change and had come back down. They were used to changing super, almost inhumanly, fast for missions. Then they all ran to the elevator together. Once they got off they made their way to the jet where Clint and Bruce were waiting. Clint and Nat went to the cockpit and Nat shouted back, “Should take just under an hour.”
“Make it thirty minutes,” Tony called back.
“We’ll do our best,” Nat responded and then took off without another warning.
_______
Every night since the wipe Peter came back with a few bruises or other minor injuries. Bucky assumes he went on a mission, but when he asked Peter he would only reply, “That is classified Hydra information.” in that toneless voice that Bucky hated more than anything. Nothing about Peter was Peter anymore. Still he patched the kid up with the little material the guards provided and then held him at night while listing out the Avengers and speaking about their memories until Peter fell asleep. Then when the kid left, or more like, was taken in the mornings, Bucky had a panic attack and then went to sleep himself.
It had been three days, by Bucky’s uncertain calculation as there were no windows since Peter was wiped. Three days with scarcely a word from the kid. Bucky was going crazy, but he wouldn’t let it show. It probably wouldn’t matter if he did as the kid was brainwashed not to care, but he still didn’t let Peter see. As long as Peter’s physical form was around, he would do everything he could to protect him, which meant mentally as well. He would only have breakdowns when Peter was out of their cell, probably on missions. Peter had just come back in when Bucky woke up, his eyes still red-rimmed from his latest panic attack/breakdown.
On a normal day, if you could even call it that, the guards he hated with all his being, would chain Peter back up and then leave. Bucky, like every day, would ask Peter what happened, see if maybe the kid he loved was still in there, but Peter would just reply with the usual Hydra nonsense. Then Bucky would wrap an arm around the boy to keep him warm since he knows the kid gets cold easily and then he starts listing the Avengers. After that he starts on memories, he tells the same ones over and over as Peter had not been at the Tower too long before all this happened.
Today was different though. In The middle of telling Peter about the time they spared, Bucky heard a loud booming sound, like an explosive. ‘Had they finally come?’ He thought as he looked down at Peter, whose indifferent face was unchanged. Bucky had honestly been losing hope that Steve and Tony would find them, but the embers of hope that were left in him were set ablaze from the explosion. Just in case it wasn’t the Avengers, and it was another threat, Bucky tightened his hold on the emotionless boy.
_______
During the ride, they made a plan with what FRIDAY told them about the information on security Loki got from the first agent. As soon as they break in an alarm will sound and there will be about two dozen guards at the ready. Nothing too big for the Avengers, it was obvious Hydra was overconfident about not being found. In short, the Avengers had the advantage.
When the jet landed they all came together and basically charged the place. As predicted, red lights started blinking and an alarm blared as guards came from every hallway. Clint started firing arrows while Nat took agents one by one. Thor used his strength and Mjolnir to also knock them out one by one. But Steve and Tony had the most rage behind their attacks and the most speed as they were trying to get to the boys as fast as possible. One week was one too many for them, or anyone for that matter.
After all the guards in front of them were down they continued through the halls checking each and every door along the way. In every few rooms they would find one, or a couple of scientists and restrain them before moving on. They would also ask where Bucky and Peter were, but the Hydra scientists would never tell. The building was three floors and they had already cleared the first. The team then split up, Thor and Clint went to the second floor, and Steve, Tony, and Nat went to the basement. Nat went with Steve and Tony more as a babysitter than anything else. She didn’t trust them when their emotions were a mess and they weren’t being completely rational. She wouldn’t trust anyone in their situation.
They walked quickly down the steps and Tony, in his suit of course, basically slammed the door open. They walked down the corridors, once again checking every room, restraining the scientists, and knocking out the guards. Then they came to a giant metal door guarded by two lone buff guards. They were better trained than the rest, but against three Avengers, they didn’t have a chance. Within five minutes they were down. One courtesy of Steve's shield and the other Tony’s repulsor. Nat could have easily taken the two men on her own, but she knew both of the two other heroes needed to get some pent-up rage out, so she stood back at the ready in case.
Once the men were down Nat Swifty went through their pockets and found the keys. There were three on the ring and she tried each one until the last fit and unlocked the door. Not even a second later Tony pulled it open.
______
Bucky kept a tight hold on Peter as he heard fighting off in the distance. It felt like forever until he heard the fighting get close, like right outside the door close. He could have sworn he heard vibranium hitting metal, as in Steve’s shield, but he didn’t want his hope to get too high in case he was wrong. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down if he was wrong. Suddenly he heard the telltale signs that the door was opening, and sure enough, it did. What stood before him felt like a dream. It felt too good to be true. The three figures that stood in the doorway were surrounded by a red halo of light from the hallway behind them. They looked almost like angels, and they might as well be. They were their saviors, Steve, Tony, and Nat.
Bucky locked eyes with Steve and he melted in relief. Tony stared at Peter who was staring back, but his stare was hollow. All three rushed in. “Bucky!” Steve landed with a thud in front of the metal-armed man. Steve then immediately enveloped his boyfriend in a hug. Bucky hugged back, but only with one arm, his other was still secured around Peter. Tony was right behind, but had to exit the suit first. He then knelt down and tried to hug Peter, his kid, but Peter lashed out. He hit Tony in the chest and the man fell back, the wind knocked out of him. Everyone was too stunned to say a word especially since Peter went back to being limp in Bucky’s arm.
Finally Tony found his voice, “Pete?” he said in a concerned and honestly frightened tone.
“I am not Peter, I am Hydra’s Spider.” Tony had just gotten his world back and yet it just shattered once again in one sentence.