Red, White & Blue | Bucky x Reader

Chapter Two

I stare at Shuri in disbelief, unsure if I heard her correctly.

I've solved it," she repeats. "I can remove the Winter Soldier programming from Sergeant Barnes' head. Come look."

Shuri guides me to the holographic monitors, where Bucky's brain scans are on full display. She points to sections of his brain as she explains how HYDRA programmed the words into his head, and how she's been running simulations all morning, hoping to find a way to isolate and remove the trigger words without damaging the rest of his mind. Finally, one of the simulations was successful, resulting in Bucky's cure.

"How soon can you do it?" I ask her, hope and excitement growing in my chest.

"Right now," Shuri states, walking toward the door with me at her heels. "The procedure is tricky, and it will be a lot easier if he's awake... But being awake while I'm operating might remind him too much of his time with HYDRA... Not to mention, we don't know how he'll react when we take him out of cryo."

"That's why you wanted me here," I reply, "to keep him calm while you work."

"Precisely," Shuri answers with a wide grin.

After entering the medical facility, Shuri heads over to a control panel, and a few moments later, the cryostasis chamber raises from within the floor. A few tears fall from my eyes as Bucky's sleeping form comes into view, and I can't help but smile as he takes that first breath, the monitors beeping rapidly around us. He's waking up.

The chamber door slides open, and Bucky stumbles forward into the waiting arms of two medical aides. In a moment of confusion, Bucky lashes out, shoving the aides away as he glances around in panic.

Bucky's blue eyes finally land on me. "Y/n?"

My smile grows wider, and I step forward to cup his face in my hands. "Welcome back, Sergeant."

Bucky wraps his arm around my waist as he pulls me closer, embracing me with his entire body.

"It's good to see you, Doll," Bucky whispers, pulling away. "How long has it been?"

"A little over six months," I answer, changing the subject when I see the sadness forming on his features. "Shuri found a solution. She can get the words out."

Bucky's eyes light up, and he looks to Shuri for confirmation. She smiles, explaining the procedure to us as the aides lead Bucky to the nearby gurney to check his vitals.

"Are you sure it will work?" Bucky asks, skepticism in his voice.

"I'm absolutely positive," Shuri replies. "This will work."

Bucky hesitates as he thinks it over, slowly turning to me. "What do you think?"

"I think that if anyone can do this. It's Shuri," I assure him, smiling at the girl who's become a sister to me. "She's a genius."

Slowly, Bucky nods. "Okay... Let's do it."

We escort Bucky down to the lower level and get him onto the operating table. As he lays down, I move to stand behind his head, placing my hands on his shoulders. His right hand comes up to wrap lightly around my wrist.

I smile softly at the gesture. "I'm okay. Medical facilities don't bother me as much as they used to."

Bucky looks up at me, his brows furrowing. "Since when?"

"Since I spent the last six months in one trying to help Shuri find a cure," I chuckle.

Bucky smiles, but he doesn't move his hand.

Shuri walks over to the large monitors, glancing back at us for our confirmation. Bucky gives her a small nod, and she turns back to the monitors, beginning the procedure.