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youlikefanficdontyousquidward · 10 months

Text

Little less than super, soldier

Basically an oc x zemo fic but I'm going to write it in y/n style because that's what I'm comfortable with ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Also I am still working on Avatar and Spiderman fics just taking a self indulgent break because the FOCUStm is on Zemo rn.

Your characters background is clear as the story progresses but if you'd prefer to know it going in this is a post on it! And this is a short fic of that info too ✌

This is a part one... I got so excited and wrote a few more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Summary: Sam gets back up from an old friend, meanwhile y/n is struggling to deal with Zemo.

warnings: for now canon typical violence, tho later chapters will contain mild body horror. Warnings will specify.

Nicht - Don't

Tut mir leid - I'm sorry

Soldat - Soldier

(My german is very basic so feel free to correct me!)

Sam hadn't seen you in years, not since he watched you walk away from him, Bucky and Steve. He couldn't argue with their decision, it was for the best. You were a wreck and despite his best hopes he knew you were right. If anyone knew you were alive they'd use you again.

Still he wasn't too surprised when you turned up at his house. He'd only been back from dust a few days earlier but he'd heard from others that you'd been there. Stepping up to help when people around the globe needed you. He hadn't realized the broken person he'd met screaming in a cell had so much heart.

Still you were a ball of nerves, being overly polite and stumbling over your questions. It was a far cry from the swearing, snapping venom you'd spit when the Avengers had you and it put him a little on edge. You just wanted to know if he was okay, if they all were and that you'd be leaving again. He'd given your shoulder a squeeze, despite the flinch, and wished you the best. You'd settled quickly under his had and that was the first time he saw you really smile.

He found the number a few hours later. A tiny scrap you'd somehow tucked into his own jean pocket. A small note, "Just in case." He felt oddly proud of who you'd become and kept it into his wallet.

That day passed into fond memory but every so often a little note and number would turn up. A small reminder you were out there and willing to help again. A few times he thought to call but he didn't. No point worrying you or pulling you back for nothing.

Only this wasn't nothing now. He and Bucky were stumped and with the threat of super-soldiers and he knew you'd want to know. Though the idea of dragging you back it was horrible. He felt the weight of his decision bearing down on his shoulders. Sam slumped further into his chair as he eyed the message. Then with a last deep breath in, his thumb tapped the glass.

Sent. Delivered. Read. Ellipsis.

Then nothing. He waited, head in hands, regretting it immediately. It wasn't like you wouldn't be a huge help but dragging you back like this? It just didn't feel right. Even if you came what could you know anyway? Hydra weren't exactly open with you about things whilst in there clutches. Hell you might end up coming to draw gun fire and that thought twisted his gut. Sam watched the screen until his eyes burnt, then let his head hit the desk.

The buzz startled him some time later. He flung out his seat, scrambling to the message. Bucky, whatever he had been up to after visiting Zemo he was ready to meet. Sam's shoulders sagged as he read the text. He wasn't disappointed, not really. He knew he was asking too much by contacting you. The risk to your freedom was eminence. There was no telling who was still out there looking for you, other than SWORD anyway.

Still Sam couldn't help but feel down as he got his things ready. God only knows what Bucky had done and meeting him across town in some garage didn't bode well.

Maybe you'd settled down somewhere, maybe you were happy. He hoped so, that you'd chosen yourself. Sam fortified himself, squaring his shoulders as he headed to the door. No point stalling, he needed to find out what Bucky had been up to.

He swung the door out quickly but found his feet rooted in place. There you were, frozen with a hand in the air ready to knock. A mess of hair, in sweatpants and an old thread bare t-shirt, looking rather stunned. He stared a moment, watching your mouth bob open and shut, over night bag slipping down your shoulder.

"Y/n!" Sam couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. To his relief your posture relaxed and you returned his smile. "Come on, Bucky might have something, we'll meet him across town."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You knew you should try to stop bouncing your leg but every time you lost focus it jumped to life. You didn't want Sam to see you worried like this. He'd always been so kind to you and you didn't doubt he'd let you leave if you asked. You couldn't however, no matter how much it felt like jaws were gonna snap down on you.

He'd been so nice in the car over, being careful to avoid touching you, asking after your life, avoiding making you speak any specifics. You appreciated that, although your run down, rented flat and part time jobs were hardly worth the effort. Hell you'd struggled enough making nice with coworkers, maybe a fresh start would be nice after this.

You'd wanted to call Sam. You'd wanted to check in with him and his family. For a time you even considered contacting Wanda but you never liked someone else in your mind with you. No you'd resigned yourself to the loneliness. Maybe you should get a pet.

"Is it Bucky?" Sam offered, eyes glancing to you before returning to scanning the room. "You know after Wakanda he's..."

"Yes I know." You interrupted, stilling yourself again. You'd actually gone to see him shortly after checking in with Sam. A guilty part of you had felt relieved when he'd disappeared. Though after the five year absence you felt you had to see him too.

He'd been starting therapy at the time, was working, he was doing well all things considered. Still you'd felt the need to check, to be sure the Soldat was gone. You'd left then satisfied that the man you'd known wasn't behind those kind sad eyes and that this Bucky that stood in his skin was not a threat. Still an incredibly able soldier just not of the winter variety. Anyway it wasn't him you were worried about.

When Sam had fully explained the situation you'd blanched. These flag-smashers had access to the serum. Not the same one you'd had pumped into you but a better one. One that left them with the strength and power of Captain America, not just side effects.

Still no matter what it cost, you couldn't leave knowing the serum was out there somewhere. So you'd focus on that, let it anger you, burn away any doubt and drive you forward.

You heard him before you saw him. Loud deliberate steps, Sam must have let him know you'd be there. Unless they were so as not to startle Sam. Regardless there was little more than a tight smiles shared before Bucky led you both further in to the garage.

You wouldn't say you were on comfortable terms with him yet. He was still guilt ridden about the Soldat's memories with you and you were still a little unnerved with a new man wearing the same face. It was nice to see him so happy though. Even in this circumstance his mood seemed far different than you'd ever seen him. Here's to therapy you supposed.

Bucky's plan seemed rather extreme. Break Zemo out and have him help. You had to admit it seemed rather extreme. The ex Colonel was part of an elite intelligence op and had a history of hating Avengers. Though he also hated super soldiers more so that might keep him on their side. Enemy of my enemy and all that.

Except you'd be among the enemy in that case. It wasn't outside the realms of possibility that Zemo didn't know about you. After all his search through the leaked files where rather singular in their aims. Your particular information had been lost or redacted so heavily that without specific knowledge on you it would be hard to link the two.

You continued to follow behind Sam, keeping your eyes on the shadows, watching your back. Some stress was elevated when Bucky flipped the lights on, continuing his back and forth with Sam after shooting a soft look at you. Nothing got past his notice.

If they kept this bickering up you'd be there all day. You slunk over to a car under the lights, perching on the open bonnet. You couldn't help the fondness in your smile as you watched their amusing relationship. Giggling to yourself as Sam rolled his eyes with his whole body, raising his brows to you.

"Look, let me just walk you through a hypothetical. Can I just walk you through a hypothetical." Bucky started.

"What did you do?" Sam questioned, his brow furrowing as he turned back to face him.

You felt tense again, arms uncrossing from your chest. You weren't quiet sure what was going on now. Clearly Sam had caught on to something you'd missed. Bucky launched into a far too detailed plan and you felt a shiver run down your spine. Every hair stood on end as the dawning realization hit.

"You didn't..." You almost whispered as Sam interrupted again. Then the door was opening and your ears were ringing. Your heart pounded in your throat as Sam charged forward in front of you. You were still stunned, now behind them both as Zemo entered the garage, dressed in a guards uniform.

He caught eyes with you for a moment, taking his hat off before returning to Sam and Bucky's argument. His eyes seemed to drift back to you before he interjected again.

You found yourself standing under his scrutinizing gaze, drifting closer to Sam, inching him further between you and Zemo. You barely followed what was being said, waiting for him to pull a gun or stop staring. Either was preferable in this moment.

"Okay." Sam spoke, defeat in his tone. You clenched your jaw. You didn't like this. If the guy wasn't gonna attack he was going to manipulate his way to his release, you were sure.

Still he seemed cooperative, leading you all back to a larger room filled with old cars. They were expensive things but you didn't let your eyes wander from him. Choosing to break the middle of the pack, you kept yourself between Sam and him. Despite his words and values you wanted to remain vigilant. If you could do nothing else you'd shield Sam.

Other than a few snide comments he seemed true to his word. He drove the group of you to an airport in mostly silence. Peaking back at you and Sam through the mirror.

"So all this time you've been rich?" Sam said incredulous at the sight of the privet jet on the tarmac. You'd calmed down a little, walking by him and Bucky's side as you followed.

"I'm a Baron Sam, my family was royalty until your friends destroyed my country." Zemo spat back. You couldn't help but snort at his comment. You regretted drawing his attention again when he stared back at you. You looked away until his attention left, drawn else where.

Bucky and Sam eyed you a moment and the indignation flared in you again. "What? They dropped that city on me." you hissed quietly. You weren't sure you wanted Zemo to hear that. Sam looked stunned blinking at you before he was turned back to the plane. You fell back in step behind the group as you approached.

You suppose you never did tell him about that. Just letting it stew with your general hatred towards your then captors back then. It'd been a huge loss to you. A life built there crashing down on top of you, leaving you broken and pinned for days. You shook the memories away trying to forget the carnage.

Zemo greeted an old butler looking guy at the steps. To your delight he was wearing the little white gloves and everything. Sam awkwardly nodded and you gave the man a genuine smile as you passed. He was just like the caricature on TV. He looked to be 100 and considering his familiarity with Zemo he could've known him all his life.

It soon set you on edge to be at his mercy 1000 feet in the air. With a knowing look he could fly you all anywhere and you'd be none the wiser. Certainly wouldn't make a change from most flights you'd been on, at least your hands would be free.

Zemo smiled at you as you boarded, gesturing to the seat opposite his own. You ducked your head, shifting quickly to the back behind Sam. If the staring was bad in the garage you sure as hell didn't wanna experience it in direct line of sight.

You didn't catch his name but Zemo spoke to the butler in Sokovian for a moment, implying he'd give out of date food to Sam and Bucky. Angered you huffed, Zemo turning at the sound. You caught his eye, keeping a glare set on his smug expression.

"Nicht." You bit out through gritted teeth. Your Sokovian was rusty but you saw the slightest change in Zemo's expression, before it settle back into a cat like grin.

"Tut mir leid." He nodded, turning back to face forwards again. Sam's head peaked at you from round his seat but you just slumped back into your own. Staring out the window and gripping the arm rests as the plane took flight.

Not long into cruising altitude Zemo angered Bucky. You hadn't been paying them much attention by this point. You'd found yourself relaxing and had become dazzled my the ice on the window and fluffy clouds below. You were startled back by the sudden movement of Bucky. Jumping up and catching Bucky's eye as he took his hand off Zemo's neck and slumped back into his seat, his book back in his hands.

Cursing under your breath you moved to the seat in front of Zemo now. You resigned yourself to a task to keep you awake, stop them from killing one another.

Zemo spoke an apology, but it seemed more probing than you liked. To your relief Sam seemed to turn the conversation back to lighter topics. You slid further into your seat a moment before Zemo began pushing again. You glare into him, not missing the way he glanced at you when he said "innocents die."

A small pang of fear hit you but you bit back a response. He'd clearly caught the hint of resentment you felt towards what happened in Sokovia. Still you kept your gaze level as you bit your cheek and allowed Zemo to continue.

Madripoor, you'd only ever been there in passing. The lawless nature allowed you to obtain some fake documents for relatively cheap. It was too risky to stick around though, too many dangers, too much risk of outing yourself.

Worse still Bucky was gonna have to put on an old mask.

Soldat

#my fics #helmut zemo #the falcon and the winter soldier #kinda wanna write a sam x reader too now #zemo x reader #zemo x oc #little less than super soldier

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ro-is-struggling · 2 years

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Can I request one where it’s post tfatws and zemo somehow breaks out of the wakandan jail and is back and he texts reader (Steve is Y/N’s older brother and she is also a supersoldier and married to Bucky) on a burner phone and she’s very secretive and one night she meets Zemo in a closed off diner and stuff and they discuss something his new plan to take down and expose the power broker (Bucky and Sam don’t know it’s Sharon) and when she leaves she runs into Bucky on the street but he can’t see her face because she’s wearing this and it’s very dark so they start to fight but she gets away and Bucky notices that the moves seem familiar. The next day, he asks her where she went last night because she came back late and she lies and so the next night, they fight the power broker’s men and she’s not in her regular fighting outfit she’s wearing this and zemo is hiding and later when Bucky sees the figure getting away he runs after it and shoots a bullet to the sky to stop the person. She realizes that this is where he finds out and she can’t do anything so she turns back and when she does removes the hood, it reveals it’s her and he is betrayed and thinking she’s working with zemo to bring back the winter soldier but she was only trying to take down the power broker with angst and fluffy ending plz 😁❤️

Hi! I absolutely LOVED your request so much!! I've been working on it for so long bc I wanted it to be perfect. I don't know if it is, but it's as close as I can get🤷🏻‍♀️ Also it's kind of long bc I tried to eplain a little the reasons behind reader's actions I got carried away. I hope you like it and and that it comes close to what you had in mind

Summary: Zemo contacts you after escaping from prison because he wants you to help him stop the Power Broker. You thought he was crazy for thinking you would be willing to join him, but when he brought up the fact that it was a dangerous mission you had no choice but to accept his offer. You hated Zemo, but you weren't willing to lose Bucky. He was the last family you had left.

Warnings: established relationship (Bucky and reader are married), angst, reader lies to Bucky, Zemo being a little shit and getting in everybody's heads, Bucky’s insecurities, ends in fluff. Also reader is Steve's younger sister and a super soldier

English is not my first language

Word count: 9400+

Notes: there's surprisingly more Zemo in this than I initially anticipated. Apparently i find him to be an interesting and fun character to write, so sorry about that

Between Us || Bucky Barnes x Rogers!Reader

You should have known something bad was going to happen. Usually fate didn't let you enjoy many peaceful moments. It didn't care that you had earned your vacation or that you and Bucky were planning that romantic getaway since your wedding. No, fate only cared about making you run from one problem to another without giving you a break. Your whole life had been like that, so when you heard Bucky's phone ringing you knew your vacation was over before he even answered the call.

What you didn't expect was to see all glimpse of happiness leave your husband's face as soon as the voice on the other line spoke. His expression became serious, raising your concern. He ended the call after exchanging a couple of words that didn't give you much information, and let out a frustrated sigh, throwing the phone on the bed. You got up, approaching him with concern to ask him what had happened.

"Zemo escaped."

Your vacation was over as soon as those words came out of Bucky's mouth. You quickly packed up your things and hopped on the first plane back home, where you contacted Sam before settling comfortably back into your house. He was already working with the Dora Milaje to find Zemo and bring him back to prison so he gave you a brief summary of what they knew. They didn't have many leads, just a vague theory about how he had escaped, but that was it. Zemo hadn't left any trace or clue as to where he was headed. So you spent the last few weeks stuck watching security camera footage waiting for facial recognition software to find him somewhere.

"I never should have helped him escape." Bucky muttered in frustration as he watched the live feed from one of the security cameras located near one of the properties Zemo owned in the area. His eyes were glued to the screen, but you didn't need to see them to know they were filled with guilt and regret. Zemo could get inside Bucky's head in a way that very few people could. And now he was letting the situation cloud his judgment, finding a way to blame himself for Zemo's escape even though he had nothing to do with it. So you stepped in to stop his thoughts from spiraling out of control.

"Stop that, Buck. This is not your fault." You reassured him in a soft voice, turning his chair around to force him to look at you.

"Yeah well, I helped him escape the first time. He spent how long in that German prison? And he never tried anything... And now he spends a couple months in Wakanda and he escapes! Makes me think that maybe he liked the freedom I gave him a little too much."

"It doesn't make any sense." You spoke in a contemplative tone. "You said it yourself, he was locked up for a long time and he never tried anything. So why now?"

"Because he's insane and I showed him how to do it."

"No, there's gotta be more to it. There's something we are not seeing. This feels too random to be Zemo."

"What do you mean?" Bucky looked at you with confusion, his eyes full of curiosity.

"I mean Zemo works with a moral code, a very fucked up one, but a moral code at last. All he does has a purpose. Using you to destroy the avengers, helping us stop Karli and the rest of the super soldiers... So what is his plan now?"

"What you're trying to say is that we should try to figure out what his plan is in order to catch him?" Bucky said more as a question than a statement. You nodded.

"I mean, I think it's very unlikely that he escaped just because he was bored. It's Zemo! There's always something more with him." You had no idea what he might be up to, but you were sure he was up to something. That just was the kind of person Zemo was. "I think that's our best plan to catch him."

After discussing the situation for a while, Bucky left the room to call Sam and tell him about your ideas and theories. You took advantage of the moment to get up and stretch your legs, approaching the coffee pot to pour your second cup of coffee of the morning. You hadn't slept well the night before and you would need to have your energy and cognitive abilities functioning properly if you wanted to make progress on the case.

Your phone began to vibrate and you pulled it out of your pocket as you took a sip of your hot coffee without giving the matter much thought. You expected to find some unimportant notification or an email that you didn't have time to respond to. However, when you read the content of the text message glowing on your screen you almost dropped the cup of coffee from your hands. It was a rather cryptic message from an unknown number, but you were sure you knew who had sent it.

Hello, my darling.

We should talk.

Meet me at midnight and come alone.

The message had a location attached to it at the end, with no name or personal details to give you any clues as to who the sender was or to whom it was addressed. But you didn't need any details to know who it was from.

My darling.

That was not a message that you had received by mistake, nor was it a joke. No. That was a message that Zemo had sent specifically to you. You were sure of it. No one else called you that way. You didn't know exactly why he did it, you suspected it had something to do with his obsession with annoying Bucky. He knew you hated it when he called you that and that's why he had used it in the message. He knew you would recognize it immediately.

It was a stupid move. Escaping from jail just to contact you and give you his location and the time he would be there. You didn't understand the logic behind his action. What did he think would happen? There was no way you would listen to him. You would attend his meeting, only accompanied by Sam, Bucky and all the Dora Milaje if that was what you had to do to catch him and put him back in jail.

However, you thought it would be a good idea to play along. You were pretty sure that Zemo had communicated with you using a burner phone, so there wasn't any point in tracking him down. But maybe if you got him to talk you would get some details that might help you understand the situation a little better.

What makes you think you can trust me?

You wrote after contemplating your options for a moment. You were trying to provoke him, to bait him into talking without being too obvious. You thought it would be best to proceed with caution, to react defensively instead of agreeing to his demands immediately to make it seem more credible. Zemo knew very well that you didn't like him and he didn't like you either. As a super soldier, you represented everything he hated. But he was still communicating with you and you wanted to understand why.

Time seemed to freeze as you waited for an answer. Your eyes stayed glued to the screen as you bit the skin on the inside of your cheek. The seconds ticked and you started to worry by the lack of an answer so you threw the phone on the table in frustration, thinking that maybe Zemo had already thrown the phone away to avoid being traced.

But then the device vibrated again. And nothing in the world could have prepared you for the words you read when you unlocked your phone.

Sharon is the Power Broker.

The world around you began to spin as you read the message over and over again, hoping that somehow the words in it would change. It couldn't be true. You refused to believe it. She had helped you escape after the Sokovia Accords, turning against the government she worked for you. She had risked her life by helping you stop Karli and the Flag Smashers. Sharon had saved your life on countless occasions and you refused to believe that someone like her was capable of the acts attributed to the Power Broker.

But then the cynical voice inside your head reminded you that Sharon had spent a lot of time alone in Madripoor. Years in which you hadn't had contact with her, so you didn't really know what had become of her life. She seemed to have managed quite well. And yes, it was largely because she had become a smuggler of stolen art, but there was a big difference between that and being a mob boss, wasn't there? Still, that voice in your head couldn't help but wonder if it was possible that Sharon was capable of something like that.

"No, there's no way..." You muttered to yourself in an attempt to quiet that annoying voice. That was probably all part of Zemo's plan, whatever it was. He was messing with you because that's what he did best. He is an expert in the art of manipulation and you couldn't let him into your mind. You couldn't let him win.

However, when Bucky came back into the room you didn't mention anything about Zemo's message or his accusations about Sharon. So on some level he had already won, you just weren't ready to admit it yet.

Lying in the darkness of your room you continued to mentally debate what you should do. The meeting with Zemo was in an hour and you still hadn't decided what course of action to take. You wanted to tell Bucky, explain the situation and go with him to find Zemo to settle everything once and for all. But seeing him sleeping so peacefully next to you, you weren’t able to wake him up. He looked so calm with his eyes closed and his hair all messy on the pillow. It wasn't so common for him to sleep so peacefully. His dreams were usually plagued with horrible memories of his past life that haunted him in the form of nightmares.

He needed a good night's rest, he deserved that peace and quiet and you didn't want to be the one to interrupt it. Just as you didn't want to be the one to inform him that there was a small possibility that Sharon was the Power Broker. You knew he would blame himself for it like he did with everything. Because in his mind he was the reason Sharon had had to escape to Madripoor and live among criminals until he eventually became one. And you didn't want to bring him that kind of pain, at least not until you found out the truth.

Looking at Bucky's beautiful face you realized what you had to do. Leaning over him, you placed a soft kiss on his forehead, feeling the weight of guilt on your chest. ‘It's for the best.’ A voice in your mind repeated over and over as you got out of bed. You grabbed some clothes from the closet before heading for the door, opting to change your attire in a place where the noise of your movements couldn't wake Bucky.

Before leaving you turned to observe the relaxed figure of your husband in bed, moving slightly to adjust his position as he slept. "It's for the best." You whispered into the darkness before leaving the room, closing the door carefully behind you.

You quickly changed out of your pajamas into a more appropriate outfit. You decided it would be better not to wear your usual suit to avoid being recognized, so you opted for a black outfit that gave you incredible mobility while helping you stay hidden in the darkness of the night. You laced up your combat boots and pulled up the hood of your suit, hiding your identity behind the fabric, before grabbing your gun and heading out of your house.

As you drove to the location Zemo had sent you, you adjusted the details of your plan. You were not going to work with him. You didn't care if his words were true, he belonged in prison. But you figured it wouldn't hurt to talk to him a little before you arrested him, find out what he knew to deduce if it was just a bunch of lies or if he was really telling the truth. It was a big accusation he was making against Sharon and you couldn't just ignore it. So you decided it would be best to talk to him to draw your own conclusions. After all, Sharon was your friend and deserved the benefit of the doubt.

There was nothing you wanted more than for Zemo to be lying, but deep down you knew there was a possibility that it was all true. As much as it pained you to admit it, him breaking out of prison to deal with the Power Broker sounded reasonable. It fit his moral code and you feared it might be that missing piece of information you had been looking for all along.

When you arrived at your destination you were surprised to find that it was a well-maintained building. Due to his status as a fugitive you expected Zemo to have arranged to meet you in some abandoned shed in the middle of nowhere, but you should have figured it would be the opposite. That was not Zemo's style, he liked luxury and the finer things in life. He was a Baron after all, that was the life he was used to.

You checked the perimeter before entering, looking for any signs that would alert you that you were walking into a trap. The streets were empty so a guard or sniper would have easily stood out. Finding nothing suspicious, you knocked on the door while praying you had made the right decision.

The large doors opened, revealing the face of an elderly man on the other side. It was the same man who had greeted you on Zemo's private jet when you helped him escape from prison the first time. He smiled kindly at you and led the way to his employer. You walked down the hallway cautiously, resting your hand on the gun secured to your waist in case you needed it.

"What the hell is this place?"

The room at the end of the hallway was much larger than you had expected. It was decorated with expensive looking paintings and vases. In the center was a long wooden table that looked like something out of a fairytale princess's castle. On it rested a variety of plates filled with food. And at the head of the table, seated as if on a throne, was Zemo.

"Ah, my darling, you made it!" He exclaimed, looking up from his plate to glance at you. "Do you like it? It's one of the several properties I own in the area." He explained simply, wiping the corners of his lips with a cloth napkin that rested in his lap.

"We didn't know about this one." You muttered, momentarily distracted by your surroundings.

"I was counting on that," he said with a smile. "Please, sit down, darling. I hope you don't mind that I started without you." He added, gesturing toward the food on his plate. "I couldn't help myself, prison food does not compare to these delicacies."

You watched him from the doorway with slightly raised eyebrows, surprised by his casual tone. Zemo continued eating as if nothing was wrong, as if he was sure that you were no danger to him. That bothered you. You weren't there to play games, you were there to arrest him and get the information you needed. He thought he had you trapped under his web of lies and manipulation, but he didn't and you made sure to let him know it.

"Get up, Zemo. You're coming with me." It wasn't a request, it was a statement reinforced by the gun you had taken out of its holster and held in your hands, pointing in his direction. Zemo looked at you with amusement in his eyes and continued eating, not at all concerned about your threatening pose.

"Relax, my darling. There is no need for violence."

"I'm not here to play, Zemo. You are going back to prison." You took a couple of steps forward, approaching him hoping that your insistence would make him realize that things wouldn't go his way this time.

"We can talk about this." Zemo spoke in a soft tone, finally letting go of his fork and focusing all of his attention on you. "Remember, I'm on your side."

"No you're not. We are not partners, I'm not working with you!"

"Yet you are here all alone, just like I asked." You opened your mouth to respond, but closed it a second later. He was right and you hated it. Zemo smiled triumphantly and you began to think that maybe you hadn't made the right decision after all. "You need me to stop the Power Broker... To stop Sharon from hurting more people."

"How do I know this isn't another one of your tricks?"

"All the information I have on Sharon is in that file." Zemo pointed to a rather bulky folder resting on the other end of the table, right in front of your eyes. "Go ahead, read it. You'll see I'm being completely honest with you, my darling."

Your eyes traveled from the folder to Zemo and back to the folder, trying to decide what to do. You had gone there with the goal of getting that information and Zemo didn't seem to be ready to escape from there the moment you let your guard down. You'd be quick, flip through the files, see what he had to offer and in the end arrest him anyway. What could go wrong?

You lowered your gun with some hesitation and slowly approached the table. Your fingers lingered over the folder for a moment as you gathered the courage to face the information it contained. Letting out a sigh, you opened it, scanning the pages carefully.

It was too much to take in, the confirmation that Sharon was indeed the Power Broker evident on every page of that file. You felt overwhelmed, the world around you spinning as your brain struggled to process the information.

"How did you get all this? You were in prison." You spoke, dropping into the chair closest to you. You didn't trust your legs to support your body for much longer.

"I had some help. Old contacts, people who owed me favors... I was able to reach out to them before I was taken and sent to Wakanda."

"So that's how you escaped? With their help."

"I can neither confirm nor deny the involvement of any of my associates in my escape from prison." He said in his characteristic cryptic tone, making you roll your eyes.

"Yeah, sure you can't." You mumbled to yourself, returning your attention to the papers in front of you. You read every word in that file several times in an attempt to convince yourself of its validity. It was hard to believe, but Zemo was telling the truth and he had the evidence to prove it. You closed the file folder in frustration, letting out a sigh as you leaned against the back of the chair.

"And what's your great plan to stop the Power Broker? Because I assume you have one."

"You are correct, my darling." He smiled at you as he placed the glass of wine he had previously brought to his lips back on the table. "But you don't have to worry about it. You don't have to know all the details, I just need you to be ready to fight whenever I tell you to."

"No way!" You weren't going to work with Zemo, much less without knowing the details of his plan. You weren't going to let him turn you into his personal thug. "No, I can't do this. You're going back to jail."

"It's in your best interest that I take care of this, Y/N. Who else is going to do it if not me?"

"I'll tell Sam and we'll figure something out."

"It's too risky." Zemo interrupted you, raising his voice slightly. All of a sudden the expression on his face, which was previously relaxed and amused, changed to a serious one. "Sharon is his friend. Sam cares about her, but the Power Broker only cares about money and power. Sharon won't hesitate to eliminate him if she needs to, and she will use Sam's feelings against him."

"No... There has to be another way."

"There is none. Sam and Bucky are too weak to do what needs to be done. They'll let their feelings cloud their judgment and we can't afford that. Sharon is dangerous and if we want to stop her we need to be as ruthless as her."

"No. No way." You jumped up from your chair, refusing to listen to any more words coming out of Zemo's mouth. He couldn't be right, could he?

Maybe he was right when he said that Sam and Bucky would let their feelings cloud their minds, but that was normal. Finding out that Sharon, someone they thought was an ally, a friend, was actually one of the biggest criminals out there was pretty wild news. You expected them not to believe you at first because you yourself had had trouble processing the situation even after reading the incriminating files. But that wasn't reason enough for you to go behind their backs, let alone join Zemo of all people. Maybe it would take a while, but you were sure you could convince Sam and Bucky to investigate Sharon. And then together you could come up with a plan to stop her.

"Let me ask you this." Zemo's voice stopped your nervous pacing, circling the room as your mind worked faster than normal to come to a decision. "Would you rather fight one of the most dangerous criminals out there with me, someone you don't care if lives or dies, or with the little family you have left?"

You looked at Zemo with a frown. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Things can go wrong very easily and very fast. And when that happens blood will be spilled. Are you sure you want it to be the blood of the only family you have left now that Steve is gone?"

You wanted to tell Zemo that he was being dramatic. Assure him that Sam and Bucky could watch their backs and that he was just saying that to scare you. But you weren't able to formulate a word because a lump formed in your throat as a voice in your mind began to wonder if Zemo was right. You knew the Power Broker was dangerous from everything you had read about it. And Sharon had been able to keep her alter ego a secret all this time, helping you under the guise that you were friends when she had only done so out of convenience. She was a highly intelligent and skilled woman and you honestly didn't know what to expect from her.

The only thing you knew for sure was that you were not willing to lose Sam or Bucky because of her. They were the only family you had left. In a world that was still foreign to you, they were the only thing that felt normal, familiar, comforting. Especially Bucky, whom you not only loved with all your heart, but also knew since you were a child. They were your support, the ones who kept you afloat even in your worst moments. Steve's departure hurt a little less with them by your side. You still missed your brother, but Sam's friendship and Bucky's unconditional love helped you get up in the mornings. Honestly, you didn't know if you would be able to go on if something bad happened to them, much less knowing that there was something you could have done to prevent it.

Zemo watched you closely, waiting for an answer. Even though he was sure he had convinced you he still wanted to hear you say it. You wanted to slap the expression of victory off his face, but you restrained yourself. The truth was that you were more angry with yourself than with him. You hated yourself for letting him get inside your head. You knew he was manipulating you and yet you let him continue. And now it was too late to turn back. You were completely screwed.

"Fine, I'm in." You said through your teeth. "What's the plan?"

Zemo didn't tell you much since he was in the early stages of planning. He only told you that for the time being your role was to be the brute force he needed to fight his way through the Power Broker's many allies. That wouldn't be a difficult task for you since you were a highly trained super soldier. Zemo mentioned to you that he would soon need you for a mission—something to do with getting specific information about Sharon and her routine—, but he didn't give you many details. He only asked you to act carefully around her and to find out as much as you could without being obvious, using her friendship as an advantage. He assured you that when he needed you he would call you and explain all the details and you didn't bother to press him for more information. You knew it would be useless, Zemo loved mystery and secrecy.

When you finally parted ways after discussing the central points of your new partnership, you made your way back to your car. You had parked it a couple of blocks away so as not to arouse suspicion in case things went wrong. And you were thankful you had done so as soon as you turned on your phone and saw the messages from Bucky. Apparently one of the security cameras in the area had captured Zemo's image. And now your husband was heading there to inspect the place in hopes of catching him, sending you the location in case you got to see the message in time.

"Fuck fuck fuck" you muttered under your breath, adjusting your hood as you quickened your pace. Seeing the time Bucky had sent you those messages and taking into account the time it had taken you to drive there, you figured he was probably already in the area. You should have figured something would go wrong. Fate and luck had never been on your side.

You walked through the dark streets with caution, remaining in a state of constant vigilance. It was late so there weren't many people on the street, something that was both good and bad. On the one hand, it was good because it allowed you to have a clear view of your surroundings and therefore distinguish anyone approaching you. But on the other hand, it was bad because it meant that you couldn't run away as easily if someone did indeed approach you. So you had to keep an eye out for any sign that someone else was nearby so you could hide and escape without being seen.

Your heart was beating fast, a lethal mix of nerves and adrenaline coursing through your veins. You picked up your pace, desperate to get to your car. You were getting closer and for a moment you really believed you could escape from there without any problems. But then a figure appeared in your field of vision. A familiar figure walking directly towards you.

"Shit!" You exclaimed in a whisper, recognizing Bucky just a few meters away. You immediately turned around and started walking in the opposite direction, praying he hadn't seen you. You scanned your surroundings for an escape route and found an alley a couple of meters away that could help you lose him. You headed towards that place, crossing the street without bothering to look sideways. However, you barely made it a couple of steps before you heard Bucky's voice behind you, shouting for you to stop.

You decided then that it wasn't worth keeping a low profile and started running. You were fast, the serum coursing through your veins giving you superhuman agility. But to your bad luck, Bucky was as fast as you, catching you in a matter of seconds. His hand closed over your arm in a tight grip, trying to force you to turn around. You pushed him off and continued on your way. You really didn't want to fight him, not only because you loved him and hurting him pained you, but also because as soon as you got into physical combat he would realize that you were not a normal person. You had super strength just like him and there weren't many people like you around so you were afraid he would find out about you.

However, when Bucky insisted you had no choice but to respond. He grabbed your arm again, only this time he managed to turn you over. You were thankful for the darkness of the street and for your choice of outfit since it helped you keep your identity a secret even when Bucky was looking you straight in the face. But since he couldn't make out your face under your hood he thought you were someone working for Zemo, so he didn't hesitate to raise his fist and aim it at you. Luckily you were able to dodge it, that punch and the rest of the attacks he tried to throw at you.

Soon the two of you were involved in a kind of dance, a choreography in which he tried to get closer to you while you did your best to avoid him. It was very similar to the routines you followed when you practiced at the gym. So much so that Bucky couldn't help but think that his opponent's moves looked familiar.

He failed to land any of his punches on you. You had excellent reflexes and knew his fighting strategy all too well. You were able to predict his moves before he made them. He had only come close to hitting you once, but at the last moment you were able to stop his fist, capturing it in your hand. Bucky looked at you with surprise, recognizing at that moment that he was probably dealing with someone with powers. Since your secret was already out in the open you took advantage of the grip you had on him to push him with force, effectively throwing him away from you. You tried to measure your strength, using enough to throw him back a couple of feet, but not so much that he immediately realized you were another super soldier, though at this point you didn't know if that would make a difference. Bucky stumbled from the surprising force of your shove and fell on his back, giving you enough time to scurry down the alley and disappear into the darkness of the night.

"Did you see their face?" Sam asked Bucky, concerned to hear about this new mystery person his friend had confronted the night before.

"No, it was dark and they had a hood covering their face." The super soldier replied, struggling to remember every detail of the fight.

"How do we know it wasn't Zemo then?" IYou interjected, hoping that Bucky would not be able to read in your eyes the guilt you felt for hiding things from him.

'It's for the best.'

"Because Zemo is not that strong or fast." Bucky kept to himself the detail that there was something familiar about the way his opponent moved. He didn't see the point in sharing that observation, it would only confuse you as much as it confused him. He decided it would be better for him to investigate that clue on his own. "Where were you last night by the way?"

Bucky's question took you by surprise. You expected to have to explain your absence at that time of night, but you didn't expect him to ask you about it at that moment. You wondered if perhaps he was suspicious of you. "Oh I couldn't sleep so I went for a drive to clear my head." You excused, hoping Bucky would believe you and not continue to press the issue. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

Bucky's eyes scanned your expression for longer than necessary. For a moment you thought he had figured out you were lying. After all, he knew you too well and was more than capable of reading your thoughts with a single glance at your face. Your mind began to prepare a bunch of excuses for when he would accuse you of something, determined to keep your activities secret. But to your luck Bucky wasn't able to say anything because Sam interrupted him.

"Is there anything else that you remember about this mystery person?" He intervened before the conversation went off the rails.

"No." Bucky muttered, reluctantly looking away from your face.

"Okay so what are we thinking? Another super soldier? Or maybe someone with powers?"

"I don't know, Sam. If that's the case then are we sure this person is working with Zemo? It doesn't sound like him." You reasoned, hoping to throw them off the trail. It was a valid question, after all, Zemo wasn't the type of person to form alliances with superheroes.

"They were in the same area where a security camera captured Zemo's image. I think it's safe to assume they're working together."

"But he hates superheroes and all the super soldiers are dead." You persisted, praying that you didn't sound so obvious. Your argument was well founded. In the time you had spent with Zemo he had not ceased to mention how much he hated the existence of superheroes. It was one of the reasons you had been so surprised that he had sought your help. So it was logical to find it strange that he was working with one now. You knew that, yet your nerves made you think you were being too obvious.

"That we know of." Sam said. "Maybe the Power Broker has one super soldier running around that we don't know about."

Bucky, who had stood silently staring at you, noticed the way your whole body tensed at the mention of the Power Broker. He thought it was strange, but decided not to say anything about it. "Besides, he needed to escape somehow, right? He could have joined forces with someone he hates out of necessity." He theorized and you wanted to scream at how close he was to the truth. You hadn't helped him escape from prison, but you had joined forces even though you hated each other because it was the only option you had left.

"So we think he's working with the Power Broker now?" You asked, feigning confusion. "How? He was in a prison in Wakanda, far away from Madripoor."

"I don't know. Maybe he made a deal with him before getting caught. Don't forget he was alone for a while before I got to him." Bucky said. As much as he was wrong about the Power Broker connection you thought it was a pretty logical reasoning that answered the riddle of how he had escaped. Well, at least part of it.

"We need to go back and analyze everything that happened during the time we were with Zemo. There's gotta be something we missed that's useful now." Sam instructed and that's exactly what you did for the rest of the day.

You compiled a list of known criminals that you knew had some remote connection to Zemo. Some of them had possible connections to the Power Broker as well, so you focused your attention on them first, tracking them down and analyzing every bit of information you had on them.

It was a difficult job given that they were good at staying in the shadows, avoiding the authorities. Sam had to call several contacts, but by the end of the day you were able to gather enough information on your suspects. You still didn't know if or how any of them had actually helped Zemo—or how they had done it—, but it was a start. Your list had several promising names that you hoped might shed some light on the mechanics behind Zemo's escape.

However, as relevant and important as some of the information was, you couldn't help but feel guilty not telling them what you knew. Sam and Bucky were theorizing about who among all of them could be their mystery person without knowing it was you. You had to fight the urge to confess the truth to them on several occasions, reminding yourself how dangerous it was to confront the Power Broker. You needed to protect them from Sharon and from themselves. You couldn't lose them.

Your thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of your phone in your pocket. You picked it up not expecting to find any important notifications. It was too fast for Zemo to communicate with you again. While talking the night before he had implied that he wouldn't need you for the time being. However, the message from an unknown number flashing on your screen told you otherwise.

Change of plans. I need you here in two hours.

Don't be late, my darling.

When you looked up from your phone you met Bucky's eyes, who was analyzing your expression with curiosity. You locked the screen and hid the device back in your pocket defensively even though you knew he wasn't able to see anything at the distance he was at.

"Everything alright?" Bucky asked, drawing the attention of Sam who looked away from the computer to you.

"Yeah, it's just my friend Lizzie... She messaged me saying she needs to talk." You lied, invoking the name of one of the doctors on the Avenger's tower medical team who had become your best friend over the years. "Is it okay if I at least call her to see what she needs?"

"Go talk to her, Y/N." Sam allowed you, believing your little lie. "We can handle this. You have done enough already, you deserve a break."

"Thank you, Sam. I'll be back as soon as I can." You thanked him as you gathered your things. "Keep me posted, okay?"

The last thing you heard before you left the room was Bucky's complaining about how he too deserved a break.

"You need to be more careful!" You exclaimed in a raised tone as soon as you had Zemo in front of you. "A security camera caught your image not far from where we met last night and Bucky almost caught me."

"Did he?" Zemo spoke in a calm tone as if he did not understand the gravity of the situation.

"No, but I had to fight him and now he thinks you're working with the Power Broker."

"Then there's nothing to worry about." The calmness in his voice irritated you to the point of having to clench your fists at the sides of your body to avoid hitting him in the middle of the face.

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one that has to lie to him."

Zemo approached you with slow but confident steps. He stopped when he found himself a couple of inches away from you, completely invading your personal space. He looked at you with his head slightly tilted to the side, studying your expression to guess your thoughts. You remained firm in your place, maintaining eye contact to show him that he didn't intimidate you.

"Remember why we are doing this, Y/N." He spoke in a soft but firm tone that radiated authority. "We take down the Power Broker while your lovely husband and best friend stay safe, far away from danger. Your lies are for the greater good."

"I know." You rolled your eyes. "You don't have to do this shit with me, I'm not going to tell them. I'm just saying... It feels wrong to lie to them."

"You'll forget all about it once you return home to your beloved Bucky after defeating Sharon." Zemo offered you a smile before walking away from you, giving you back your personal space. "Now let's get to work."

Zemo explained the mission carefully. Apparently he had learned of the whereabouts of a guy who worked for the Power Broker. He was a low-level criminal, but he believed he had relevant information about Sharon's plans. So your job was to help Zemo get to him. According to what he had told you, the guy had more security than usual, which was not only suspicious but also made your job more difficult. You would have to be very careful if you wanted to get to him, but you were confident that wouldn't be a problem.

"What happens when we get to him?" You asked him while discussing the mission. "How are we gonna make him talk?"

"You worry about getting us inside and leave the rest to me. I'll get him talking." You didn't like the way Zemo said that, but it was too late to question it now. You had gotten yourself into this mess and you had to see it through to the end. Otherwise, the lies you had told Bucky would be for nothing.

Although the situation got you thinking about Sharon's future. So far there had only been talk of 'stopping' the Power Broker without really specifying what that entailed. You had a pretty clear idea of what Zemo meant when he talked about 'stopping' Sharon, though. For him there was a very easy way to deal with people like her, but you were beginning to question if that was really the end you wanted for her. You knew it was the quickest and safest solution, the only one that would assure you of putting an end to her and her plans without any of your loved ones getting hurt. Honestly, you were a little tired of fighting, of losing people, but you weren't sure you had what it took to go through with Zemo's plans. After all, Sharon had been your friend at one time.

You shook your head to clear your mind of those thoughts. You didn't have time to question things now, though you knew it was something you would have to reflect on eventually. For the moment your priority was to fight the Power Broker's men who were protecting the criminal they needed to capture.

Taking out the outside guards hadn't been as difficult as you thought it would be. You insisted on handling it alone since Zemo wanted to kill them in cold blood. You knew they were criminals and probably didn't deserve your sympathy, but letting him just kill them didn't sit well with you. Things got more complicated when they entered the building. There were more guards who weren't able to get out of the way and a fight broke out. The sound of gunshots and punches were all you could hear as you worked with Zemo to make your way to your target. Despite how badly you got along and how much you disapproved of some of his methods, you made a good pair in combat. He had your back and you had his.

You managed to get rid of most of the Power Broker's men in a matter of seconds. You thought you had a good chance of winning the battle and getting to the target before he managed to escape. But then a door opened and from the other side appeared Sam and Bucky, who were immediately attacked by the thugs. Amidst the chaos of the fight they were able to find you in the sea of people. Your eyes—which luckily for you were covered by your outfit— focused on Bucky's for a moment, before turning to Zemo.

"We need to go. Now!" You exclaimed in the middle of the fight, pushing Zemo towards the exit.

"No! We need to get to him!" He resisted, pulling out a gun and shooting a man who was approaching to attack you from behind. "We can use them as a distraction." He added, referring to Sam and Bucky fighting the Power Broker's men. You rolled your eyes, irritated with Zemo, and used your strength to push him to safety, away from the fight and the intense gaze of your friends.

"Sam and Bucky are here for you, not him. They'll get to you before we have the chance to find this dude." You explained, grabbing Zemo by the shoulders in the hope of bringing him to his senses. "We need to leave." You didn't wait to hear his protests, dragging him away from the fight in search of a way out.

The place was a hellhole, nothing more than a dirty old warehouse in the middle of nowhere. However, you were surprised to walk through a door and find an area that functioned as a parking lot for a variety of cars. You instructed Zemo to get into the vehicle closest to you and start it while you watched the door, making sure no one had followed you there. The plan was to use it to escape from there as quickly as possible, more concerned about not getting caught than completing the mission. You would find other opportunities to get information about the Power Broker as long as you managed to get out of there unharmed.

Although apparently luck was not on your side that day—was it ever?—, because before you could do anything, Bucky entered the room. He shouted for you to stop while pointing the gun he held in his hands at you. You knew that the reasonable thing to do was to obey his orders, but you still tried to escape. However, when Bucky fired into the air you froze in place, realizing the seriousness of the situation.

You quickly came to the conclusion that you had no escape. Bucky had caught you and was ready to shoot you to prevent you from escaping again. If you wanted to save yours and Zemo's life, you had no choice but to surrender and confess the truth.

Putting your hands up in the air, you slowly turned around to face Bucky. He was pointing his gun at you, watching you menacingly. It was strange to look into his eyes and not find the love and warmth you always saw in them. You hated it. You hated to be seen as a criminal, an enemy when you weren't one. You were his wife, the love of his life, and you were teaming up with Zemo to protect him. You were doing this for love, so why did Bucky seem so hurt when he recognized your voice?

It was then that you realized what a big mistake you had made.

"Don't shoot!" You warned, seeing the confusion on Bucky's face at the sound of your voice. You brought your hands up to your hood, slowly pulling it back to expose your face to your husband. He looked at you with a mixture of shock, confusion and betrayal in his eyes. Shame came over you, settling in your stomach in the form of a knot. You wanted to look away, the pain in Bucky's eyes was almost impossible to bear, but you fought to maintain eye contact. It was the least you could do at that moment.

"Y/N... W-what are you doing here with him?" Bucky asked, pointing his gun at Zemo, who watched the scene silently, waiting for the right moment to escape.

"Bucky..." You began in a soft tone, looking for the right words to explain the situation you had gotten yourself into. "This is not what it looks like. I-"

"Not what it looks like?" He interrupted you, repeating your words in disbelief. "So you are not helping Zemo right now? Because that's exactly what it looks like to me."

"I am helping Zemo." You confessed with a sigh, finding no point in continuing to lie. "But it's not what it looks like, okay? If you let me explain..."

"We've been looking for him and all this time you knew where he was and you didn't tell us!"

"No no no" you repeated, desperate to make Bucky understand the reasons behind your actions. You approached him taking a couple of steps in his direction, and he instinctively pointed his gun at you. You stopped for a second, your heart breaking as you realized he saw you as a threat at that moment. You saw the surprise in his eyes as well and decided to continue walking towards him, confident that he wouldn't hurt you. Once in front of him, you placed your hands on his gun to encourage him to lower it.

"Zemo contacted me yesterday and I went to see him, but it's not what you think." You explained once he lowered the gun.

"So it was you last night." It wasn't a question, but you nodded anyway. "Why? Why would you do this? Why wouldn't you tell me the truth?" Bucky's voice sounded broken and you knew he was holding back tears. The knot in your stomach tightened and a wave of guilt washed over you.

"I'm sorry, Buck. It's complicated. I didn't mean to lie to you at first but I just-"

"Why would you choose to work with him? Why didn't you tell me?" He interrupted you. It was as if he was thinking out loud, as if his brain had forgotten how to use his inner voice. "Is he trying to bring back the Winter Soldier? Is that why you were being so secretive about this?" Bucky knew that the accusation was far-fetched, but he wasn't thinking straight and his brain seemed to have lost its filter.

"What? No!" You were shocked by his words, hurt that even for a moment he was capable of considering the idea that you could do such a thing to him. You had seen him suffer for the Winter Soldier. You still did when at night the memories of his past haunted him in the form of nightmares. You had watched him fight for his freedom from Hydra's control, sticking with him through every part of the process. Now that he was finally free you would never think of imprisoning him like that again. "Bucky I would never..."

"Then why?!" He exclaimed, raising his voice. He was not angry, but confused and hurt. His eyes begged you for an explanation that made sense and you found no strength in your heart to keep hiding the truth from him.

"Sharon is the Power Broker." You let out with a sigh of defeat, watching Bucky's expression contract with confusion. "It's true. I didn't want to believe it at first, but it's true. Zemo contacted me because he needs my help to stop her and I agreed to work with him because I didn't want to lose you." You ended up with a broken voice, tears threatening to escape your eyes.

"What?" Bucky looked at you with a frown although both his voice and expression were much softer than mere seconds ago.

"She's dangerous, Bucky. All those who confronted her ended up dead. And now that she's back home she's more powerful than she has ever been. I didn't tell you any of this because I didn't want to drag you and Sam into this... because I couldn't bear the thought of losing someone else... of losing you."

"Hey, you're not gonna lose me." Bucky mumbled, taking your face in his hands and wiping the tears that fell down your cheeks with his thumbs. "You're not gonna lose me, doll. I'm right here. I'm always going to be right here by your side." His voice was soft, trying to inspire calmness through tone, but it only made a new wave of tears roll down your cheeks. You cried because the assurance in his voice comforted you but also because you knew they were empty promises. No one's life was guaranteed and Bucky, just like anyone else, could die at any moment, leaving you alone in an empty world without his smile.

"I know lying to you was wrong and I know I probably let Zemo get inside my head, but I couldn't stop thinking about you getting hurt. I accepted his offer because I thought it was going to be easier working with him since I don't care if he lives or dies." You explained your reasoning between sobs and sniffles. "I know I was wrong and I'm sorry. But I did it to protect you because I love you, Buck. And I could never do anything to hurt you. Never." You insisted, referring to the accusations he had made minutes before.

"Shit, doll. I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say those things. I know you would never hurt me. I just... I wasn't thinking straight." Bucky apologized, ashamed that he was capable of insinuating something so horrible. He knew you loved him, knew you wanted nothing more than his happiness. You had stood by him in his worst times, supported him even when he wasn't sure he deserved it. You were the love of his life and he didn't understand how he had let his mind lead him to think something so horrible. "You know that Zemo gets into my head. I saw him and I saw you and my brain just stopped working."

"It's okay, I'm not mad." You told him with a weak smile, resting your hands over his hands that still rested delicately on your cheeks. "I lied to you and you had all the rights to be upset. I just wanted to make sure you knew I could never do something like that to you. I love you with all my heart, Bucky. You are my family, my home. I want nothing more than your happiness and wellbeing."

"I know, doll. I love you too. So, so much. I can't even put it into words." He confessed, leaning down to rest his forehead on yours. It was such a simple but intimate gesture that it sent a wave of comforting warmth through your body. "I'm sorry, doll." He whispered against your lips.

"I'm sorry too." You responded before closing the short distance between you, bringing your lips together in a delicate kiss. Bucky reciprocated immediately, using his grip on your cheeks to tilt your face to deepen the kiss further, effectively showing you how sorry he was. You did your best to follow his lead, hoping that he too would be able to feel everything you felt for him on your lips.

The world around you ceased to exist for a moment. Zemo, the Power Broker and all your problems disappeared from your mind as you melted in the arms of the love of your life, your soulmate. In that moment you were reminded once again that all you needed to be okay was to have Bucky by your side. He was your rock, your lifeline, the only one whose mere presence was able to clear the fog that clouded your mind and make the sun come out. He was your everything, your whole life. You decided at that moment that you would never again let anything come between you, whether it was Zemo, the Power Broker or death itself.

"Thank you for your help, Bucky. I couldn't have done it without you."Sam's irritated voice interrupted you, forcing you to pull away. When you turned around you noticed that he was accompanied by Zemo, who was handcuffed. You looked at him in confusion, wondering when he had gotten out of there and how he had managed to do so without alerting you. "What is she doing here?"

You and Bucky shared a look. He nodded his head slightly, encouraging you to speak. You let out a long sigh before returning your gaze to your friend's confused face. It was time to come clean.

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