To Wakanda (pt. 2)
She heard Steve approaching before she saw him. He seemed to be slowly walking over, his hands fidgeting slightly.
“Natasha, I’m really sorry, I…” he began once he reached her. She stood up and shook her head.
“It’s fine, really. I shouldn’t have asked that sort of question in the first place,” she interrupted.
“No, Nat I…”
“Can you let me be the righteous one for once, Steve?” she quipped. A half-hearted smile graced her lips, yet it didn’t really reach her eyes.
It still calmed Steve down and he felt more relaxed and comfortable to speak with her again. That was one of the things Steve loved about Natasha, unlike he had assumed when they had first met, she had a completely lighthearted attitude and tried not to dwell on silly short-lived arguments (unlike some of the other Avengers). Don’t get her wrong, she could hold a grudge if she wanted to, but around her friends, she tended to forgive easily.
“The operation ended half an hour ago and the drugs are wearing off. He’s just resting now,” Steve informed.
“Did they say it worked?”
Steve sighed. “I don’t know yet, they just told me he would be waking up soon.”
Natasha nodded. The lack of information made her nervous. “I want to see him.”
“Let’s go then,” Steve motioned towards the building and wrapped his arm over her shoulder as they walked. He knew she would need any support she could get for this.
***
“Everything seems to be back except for approximately 25% of his memory,” Shuri announced once they were all in the lab, James included. Yet he was still asleep on a hospital cot that looked rather comfortable compared to most.
“Why exactly?” Steve asked, looking at the charts she had projected onto a screen.
“One of his wipes were different from the rest, full blown, most likely focused on one subject or course of events. It would’ve taken a more recent wiping to get that job done,” she explained.
“Recent. Possibly during our fight in DC, after he recognized me,” Natasha breathed, as if she was speaking to herself.
“But why wouldn’t they wipe everything out? What certain event or course of events would be so important to only wipe those?” he questioned.
“It’s me, Steve. I’m those events,” Natasha explained. The idea finally clicked in Steve’s head and he turned to her. “He must’ve said something, that he recognized me. They took me out of his head. Doesn’t surprise me.”
Her form became closed off. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, her eyes looking at nothing in particular, totally dazed.
“Can we fix it? Is there another operation or something we can do?” Steve asked Shuri.
“I’m sorry, I’ve done everything I could. The only way he would regain those memories would be if they came back on their own,” Shuri sighed and watched Natasha walk over to James, who was still asleep.
Steve opened his mouth to say something else, maybe pitch an idea, but Natasha spoke first.
“What about the triggers, did you remove them?” she asked, yet her focus was solely on James. Her fingertips grazed his palm, and she eventually held his hand, noticing they had taken his metal one off.
“Yes, if it worked, his triggers should be gone, yet we should still test to make sure,” Shuri explained. Natasha nodded.
“And how would we do that?” Steve asked.
“Somebody will have to read the words, we’ll have to see if he reacts. Simple, but could possibly be dangerous,” she responded.
“Dangerous, then we…”
“I can do it,” Nat interrupted. Steve shook his head. “I don’t think anybody else can pronounce the Russian words so…”
She let her voice fade as she looked down at James’ sleeping figure. How she wished he would remember her. All those memories, for him they’re just gone. Poof! The idea made her lightheaded.
“But if he attacks? If the triggers are still there?” he questioned.
“Then we’ll have to calm him down. We’ve been on riskier missions, Steve. Even for just the two of us,” Natasha shrugged.
“But this is the Winter Solider we’re talking about,” Steve shook his head.
“It’s better than him being triggered on a mission. At least here it’s a controlled and safe environment. Trust me on this one.”
“Okay,” he eventually agreed.
***
James woke up about half an hour later. By then Natasha was talking with T’Challa on the security measures that needed to be taken, while Steve caught Bucky up to speed with their plan.
“And Natasha would tell you the words, hoping you won’t react. Shuri thinks they’re gone for good, but we still have to make sure,” Steve finished.
James only nodded and then made his way over to Natasha, who was now standing alone once T’Challa had left the room.
“Steve told me the run down,” he sighed.
“Good, T’Challa says we can begin in half an hour or so,” she replied, patting his shoulder before beginning to walk away. James stopped her.
“I could hurt you, Natasha,” he shook his head.
“You won’t,” she responded. “Plus, Steve will be there if I can’t knock you out. If. But Shuri says the operation most likely worked, you probably won’t react at all.”
“But there’s always that chance.”
“James, this is the next step to a normal life again. One without all those strings from HYDRA. Don’t let your fears over my safety get in the way,” Natasha explained.
“Your definition of ‘normal’ is being an agent,” James chuckled to himself.
“For the good guys,” Natasha added with a smile. “I’m not gonna let you refuse to do this because of me, so.”
“So, I guess I should do it.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear.”
She gave him a quick hug before leaving the room to head to where T’Challa said a secure sector would be cleared for the test. Nat was glad he was doing this. Back to a new normal. That sounded good for James.
***
Natasha took a breath and looks at James through the glass. Glass that could shatter if he was provoked enough.
“You ready?” she asked. And he nodded. They were considering strapping him into another contraption to keep him contained (just in case) but both Natasha and James refused. She knew that being strapped to a chair would just cause a whole new amount of horrid memories to resurface. If he didn’t lash out from the words, he just might over being strapped into a chair.
She then began to say the words. A random set of words, which she pronounced in her perfect Russian.
“Longing.” No reaction, except a slight flinch. He did recognize it.
“Rusted.” Flinched again, like the word was giving him a slap to the face, yet he didn’t seem provoked.
“Furnace. Daybreak.” Still nothing hinting at him going full out Winter Solider.
“Seventeen. Benign. Nine.” He continued to pace the room, almost nervously.
“Homecoming. One.” Natasha saw Steve and the others watching intently on the two of them. Wait to see if James would snap.
“Freight car.” He most definitely flinched at that one.
“Ready to comply,” Natasha finishes. There’s a moment of silence as everyone in the room holds their breath, waiting, anticipating James’ next move.
“I’m okay,” he says instead. A smile graces his features, only causing Natasha to beam. They had done it. The triggers were gone.
Steve grinned at James, then watched as Natasha left the glass room to give the ex-assassin a hug. Yes, they had done it.