Untangling a Memory

End the cycle

Natasha turned back to face forwards and he began to push her again. They returned to their silence, but she'd said what she needed to- she was there for him as well.

Shuri's technology did scans over Natasha's injuries, tracking their progress. As Natasha had told Steve, her cut was completely healed, stitches out and practically no sign of a wound at all. Natasha credited this to Shuri and the Wakandan doctor's advanced medicine.

Her ribs that had been cracked when she arrived two weeks ago were completely healed as well. The broken ones that she had been nursing were beginning to properly fuse back together and were no longer at risk of puncturing any major organs. Shuri warned her that it would be a month or more before she would feel they were back to normal and she would have no trouble breathing without pain, but it was still major progress.

As for her ankle, Shuri said that Natasha could move from the air-cast to a specialized walking boot in another week or two. Shuri had been impressed with how the recovery was progressing. They had used a medicine that she'd developed to assist with the healing process, but she hadn't expected results like this. No matter what had happened, Natasha was elated to hear she was speeding through her recovery.

While Natasha at her appointment with Shuri, Bucky waited upstairs in the apartment. Natasha had promised to text him when she was done with her check-up and ready to return, so for now he just waited and tried to busy himself.

Bucky cleaned the kitchen. He vacuumed the living room. He dusted every surface within sight. But all he could think about was what Natasha had brought up, how he had become withdrawn that morning, without warning and without awareness. He finally decided to text Sam and see if he had any thoughts or suggestions.

- Bucky: Hey Sam. Am I interrupting anything?

Bucky knew that Sam wouldn't even respond if he had been, but Bucky's anxiety was consuming. Thankfully, Sam responded quickly.

- Sam: Hey! Not at all. Just waiting on Steve to come up with a plan. Same as usual :)

- Sam: How are you? I haven't heard from you.

- Bucky: I'm ok. Hanging in. Nat is doing pretty well.

- Sam: Glad to hear it, but I didn't ask about Nat. How are YOU?

Bucky was starting to regret texting Sam in the first place. He had trouble expressing himself to Natasha that morning and trying to talk to Sam now wasn't any easier.

- Bucky: It's been a rough morning.

- Sam: Wanna tell me about it?

- Bucky: Nat said I was withdrawn this morning.

- Sam: Do you think you have been withdrawn this morning?

Bucky was struggling to consider this. He was still having trouble putting words to it as he did earlier, but he did his best. Sam had taught him to try to push through the uncomfortable stuff when he could because it can lead to breakthroughs in conversations.

- Bucky: I mean, I guess so? I can't really tell. She asked me what was going on with me and I had no idea it was even happening, that I was even doing it. So, how do I stop?

- Sam: Well, let's back that up for a second.

- Sam: However Nat is feeling, she ultimately has to deal with and I understand that you want to take care of her feelings, but you have to deal with your feelings first.