The Avenger, The Assassin, and The Vigilante || B. Barnes

Promises

Bloodied up. Bucky was incredibly bloodied up after the altercation with Tony. His metal arm now gone, Bucky held on tightly to Steve as they walked out of the facility. Before everything had spiraled out of control, Tony had told them that Allie was in a cell at the Raft, but he left out the part where she cursed at him.

"Do you think Allie is okay?" Bucky asked as they limped out into the snow.

"She's strong," Steve said. "And extremely stubborn, so I think she's fine."

"Why didn't she come with us?" Bucky groaned as he had to take a break from walking to lean against a wall.

"Allie doesn't do anything for no reason. She had a reason for it, even if I don't really know what it was," Steve sighed.

Footsteps neared them as they watched T'Challa walk up to them. Both looked at him in shock. They'd already dealt with Tony and were seemingly limping along afterwards. They didn't know what would happen in facing the Prince of Wakanda.

"You didn't kill my father," T'Challa said as he took his mask off. "I know that now."

Steve and Bucky exchanged a look before looking over at T'Challa.

"I've still done bad things," Bucky sighed as he continued to lean against the wall. "Including the Terrorist Centre."

"You didn't have a choice. I see that now," T'Challa agreed. "Your wife was very determined that day."

Bucky made eye contact with Wakanda's Prince. There was no tension to his speech. Steve looked between the two. There was a truce and a sincerity to T'Challa.

"And now she's in a cell and it's my fault," Bucky sighed. "I can't keep living with the risk of the Winter Soldier being activated. I've gotta get it out of me."

"Bucky," Steve said slowly.

"Sergeant Barnes," T'Challa started. Bucky's eyes widened as he heard his rank being said to him for the first time in a very long time. "Allow Wakanda to help."

"What do you mean?" Bucky asked with furrowed brows.

"We are an advanced country. I have no doubt that we can help you," T'Challa explained. "It is the least I can do for you."

Bucky and Steve looked at one another. It was an opportunity that Bucky never would have had otherwise. Steve looked at him and knew that even if he himself was on the run, Bucky didn't need to be put through that any longer.

"You should do it, Buck," Steve said.

Bucky looked between the two before looking down at his feet. He thought of what life he could lead without the worry of turning into the Winter Soldier. He could live his life with his wife. His thought stopped short as he realized that she was still in a cell. For the time being, there was no living happily with his wife.

"I can't," Bucky sighed. "Not without Allie. I'm not doing that to her for a third time."

"We know where she is," Steve said as he looked over at him.

T'Challa looked between the two and gave a small smile.

"I can give you coordinates," T'Challa said.