When Steve wakes up, he feels drowsy and disoriented. Everything sounds like it's going through thick wool, and the light is too bright. He's able to identify a figure, closing in on him. "Ow ewweww wheeling, ol' pal?“, the shape asks, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Stark?“, Steve asks back, barely hearing himself. "Up! Ewwid a goh job! Ry rest om more.“, Tony's figure tells him. "Where is Bucky?“, Steve demands still anxious, as his body is trying to push back the adrenaline "Don't worry soldier, your high school sweetheart is alright, thanks to you! You saved his life!“, another, louder Tony voice calls over to him on his right.
When Steve turns confused, there is another person, pushing something like a hospital bed towards him, until it joins up with the one Steve is lying in, as he suddenly realizes. He looks at the dark figure in it, and recognizes his best friend, resting propped up on pillows. "Hey!“, he calls over relieved. Buck's head turns and opens its eyes a little to call back: "Ey.“, in a calmer voice, smiling. His face looks much darker, like dirty from fighting. But it must be the beard that grew on him in the tank. 'Bucky didn't have a beard in that fight.', Steve realizes, 'Why didn't I notice that before?' Then he feels his right hand being grabbed. He looks down to see Buck's pink fingers entwine themselves with his, in a soft embrace, with hardly any pressure. Like a new limb would do.
'He's probably still a bit scared.', Steve reckons and thus smiles at his friend. Which turns into an awkward grin, as Bucky leans over to tell him: "Thank you for saving me. I owe you my life, punk!“, and gives him a kiss on the cheek. Steve blushes embarrassed, but when he hears someone whistle and call over: "Save the smooching for home, boys!“, he just shouts: "Oh fuck you, Stark!“, in the general direction, before relaxing back into his pillows to rest some more. Two male voices frown: "What did I do?“, and "Language!“, almost at the same time, but Steve ignores it. He's just happy it's over, and his friend is back safe with him. He tries dozing of to sleep again.
Slowly the light fades a little, and his hearing clears up. He recognizes a beeping from a monitor, some rustling noise from sheets, a bumping like an old radiator would give off. And mumbled words between people nearby. "So, how are my boys doing?“, a woman asks. She sounds a bit like Sharon. But what would she be doing here? A darker male voice answers in a hush, so Steve can't quiet make it out, but it's assuring the other that they'll be back in fighting shape in no time. Steve frowns. It has to be someone from Shield. Why could they only see the weapon in his friend? Doesn't he deserve a break, some vacation, after all they had done?
Somehow, the guy reminds him of Coulson, always putting the team first, making sure the fighters would be ready, no matter what. Or almost. Then he hears the voice speaking to someone else, and Clint suddenly answers: "Yeah just some cuts. I'll be good to go once they stitch me up, boss.“ Now Steve is even more confused. Could Fury have come to check up on them? Why was Hawkeye here anyways? Had they been transferred back to New York in the tanks?
Before his thoughts start to really upset him however, he feels his old friend lean on his shoulder. Snuggling up close next to him, clearly looking for comfort. So Steve presses his hand and hums: "Don't worry, I'll protect you! I'm not gonna let them take you against your will.“ But instead of a thankful grunt, he hears his friend sigh: "Aww!“ So he opens his eyes and turns to him confused, to be met with a kiss on the lips, surprising his buddy. Steve immediately pulls back embarrassed, covering his mouth with the left and letting go with the right, to distance himself from Bucks, stuttering: "Oh, so sorry, I didn't mean to...“ But his friend starts giggling, and he hears others snicker, so he starts looking around.
Opposite of them, Clint is sitting on a stretcher, having Bruce tend to a wound on his upper arm. Both look over to him with a smile. Nat is sitting next to them on a chair, minding her business reading a magazine, while an IV drip is going into her arm. Steve raises his brows confused, when Bruce shouts over next to them: "You sure you don't want me to take care of that for you, Samuel?“ Steve then sees Sam, also in a hospital bed, his left leg propped up with some pillows, sowing a wound on his thigh, and casually explaining: "Nah, I'm good! I didn't become a medic for nothing. If this thing scars, I at least want it to look stylish!“ And he winks over at Cap.
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Steve lowers his hand. Then raises it again, to cover his eyes. He wonders what went wrong, why they were still here. Or if he has amnesia, and this is reality, just way after his friend's arm got fixed. Then he hears Stark ask in a deep voice behind him: "Alright pal, you fully awake now? Congrats at you keeping your cool there, we could have lost you today!“ But when he turns to look at the man, it isn't Tony. It is Howard! Howard Stark, the man that had helped him become a supersoldier, whom he had been friends with almost a century ago. Steve's eyes widen, as he looks at the old man in the expensive modern suit, hair dyed black, but with a gray mustache, smiling at him. And he huffs shaken: "Howard? But you're dead!“
The man frowns confused, requesting: "What? Why would I be dead? Who would have killed me?“ Steve flinches at this, and turns to his best friend, who returns a puzzled look. He asks him: "What's going on here?“, baffled at why Bucks would imagine his victim to be in his dream. But then he realizes, that that might be the reason. If he was alive, Bucks never went on that mission. But he still remembers Hydra. So, what is going on? Just then, Howard explains a bit amused: "Come on Rogers, just because I'm old, doesn't mean I have to die soon! People don't just die off at our age anymore!“ Steve let's his head hang, and answers gloomy: "Well, Peggy did!“
"Huh?“, he hears Bucks huff, and then he sees Tony coming into his view, putting a hand on his father's shoulder, to ask: "What's with mom?“ He looks at him unsure, but is confused even more, when he sees Howard's appalled expression, as he demands: "What? Why would you ever say that?“ Bucky adds: "Seriously Stevie, what kind of shit nightmare did you have just now?“ He looks around, and now everyone is staring at him, even Nat. Steve gets really uneasy at this, and is starting to doubt himself, when he hears Sharon again: "Ah, there you are, Anthony, I was looking for you!“
But instead of the young Shield agent, an elderly lady comes into view, standing next to Tony, who greets her with: "Hi Mom.“, and a kiss on the cheek. Steve looks at the woman and his jaw drops. It's not Sharon, it's Peggy! His good friend Peggy, just as wrinkly and beautiful, as he last saw her, only with her hair done up nicely, and standing up straight without a walker. Then she turns to their beds, and asks: "Well, how are you boys feeling?“, but her smile dies as she meets his eyes, and she adds concerned: "Steven, are you alright? You look like you saw a ghost!“
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It's too much for him. Seeing his dead friends alive and well is so touching, bitter sweet, but it feels all wrong. In a twisted way this constellation even makes sense to him. Howard and Peggy had been close back then, even if not as close as he thought when he had mistaken fondue for an innuendo. But she would never marry Stark! She had been waiting for him, all her life, she had assured him every time he went to visit her. Sometimes she even thought, he had returned to elope with her, on the days where she wasn't as clear as he could wish. She would try and get up, to finally dance with him as she promised, and it broke her heart, and his, every time she realized that she was in a weak, old body that couldn't stand without support. Seeing her suffer like that was torture then. But seeing her so vibrant and healthy despite her age now, somehow hurts even more.
Steve covers his eyes to hold back tears. He feels hands being put on his shoulders for comfort, soft voices trying to calm him down, but he doesn't want to listen, and huffs angry: "This is not real! This is just a dream, and when I wake up, you will all be dead and gone, dammit!“ And then he decides: 'Screw it, I'm out of here! Bucky is alright, I saved him, he'll be fine! He'll be fine. We can still get him out later.' And so he moves his eyes to the upper left corner quickly, ignoring the discussion that ensues around him. Last thing he hears is Tony, asking: "Bruce, can you take a look?“
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Then the panic sets in again. His adrenaline rises, he feels his pulse beating in his throat, his limbs twitch nervously. Then the beeping gets loud again. Then soft. Then loud once more. Only to be muffled anew, like the voices around him, shouting in panic. He has a hard time breathing. Tries to open his eyes to look around. And sees an immensely blurry image, tainted in a dark greenish blue. Black shapes are moving rapidly from left to right. Suddenly a bright light shines right into his eyes. It stings, and it scares him, as does the fact he can't seem to move.
He half understands that he must still be in the tank. And he feels so helpless. Trapped. At the mercy of whoever sits outside the glass tube, and what they might do to him. Or what they might make him do. He wants to leave, wants to flee so desperately, that when he feels a weird sensation, like a hug around his brain, tugging at him, he leans into it. Tries to let it carry him away. He cries, his eyes shut so tight it hurts, afraid of what he might see, if he is forced to wake up. Forced back into another fight. Another war. Another senseless killing. Although it feels so strange to know all this.
Then he hears someone counting backwards. And a long beep, ringing in his ears. Another countdown, and it feels as if someone is punching him. He just wants to get away. Another short countdown, his body gets zapped, he draws a large breath, and tries to run for his life. But two very strong arms hold him back, try to push him down. Steve wants to fight, his heart beating against his chest like a drummer on speed, his eyes wide from shock, yet unable to see, and he feels like he is suffocating, despite pulling heaps of air into his lungs. And then he hears someone shouting at him: "It's me, it's me Steve, it's me! You're safe, I'm here! Shshshsh!“ The person is cupping his face to make him look at them, still pleading: "Breathe Stevie! Breathe! Shshshsh! Please, just breathe!“, and he hears their desperation.
Then he's able to identify his friend, giving him a concerned look, eyes wet, and voice shaking, as he keeps repeating his demand, making sure he hears him draw his own breath in between. Steve subconsciously tries to mimic him, taking more time to inhale. And while this calms down his panic, he remembers how they had done this before. Many times in fact. Whenever he had had another asthma attack in public, not able to get to a ventilator. How Bucky would get him out of the crowd to protect him. Hold him close, and try to relax him, by getting their breathing in sync. And once he was stable enough, sometimes pick him up to carry him home to safety, where he could get his medication and inhaler.
People nowadays didn't know how well they had it, just keeping little life savers in their pockets on the go. More than once it had looked so bad for Steve, that he was starting to pray a Hail Mary, getting ready to meet his maker. But somehow, Bucky always saved him. And it feels as though he is doing it again just now. Steve stays focused on his best friend, who's still shushing him, dropping a tear, but smiling a little, as he sees him calm down, and coes: "There, that's it Stevie! Good boy, breathe! Shshshs...“
The panic subsides, and Steve is able to smile back embarrassed, as he realizes that his friends have gathered around his bed and are still staring at him, this time mostly in shock, or slowly relieved dread. It's Tony, who finally loosens things up, by saying: "God dammit Rogers! You almost gave ME a heart attack, and I'm literally immune!“, and pointing at the light in his chest. Everyone exhales in a relieved laugh, as Sam picks up the thread by demanding: "Yo' seriously, don't do shit like that!“, and Nat adding: "Exactly! There is only room for one Widow on the team, no need to make it two!“
Steve blinks confused, but Bucks captures his attention, repeating: "Yeah, don't ever do that again, punk! I thought, I'd lost you!“, and he gives him a tight hug, and a big kiss on the scalp near his forehead. Steve blushes, as he feels his heart melt a little at this display of affection, and he tries to levy the tension by quipping: "Ha... well... you said... I saved your... life! Guess... we're even... now!“, still trying to catch his breath. A few more awkward laughs, and then Bruce calls for attention: "Alright everyone, show's over, give the man some space! Still gotta check some vitals.“
The others disperse and Steve is left with Bucky, still holding him, and the good doctor, checking up on his heart with a stethoscope. It still feels weird. He knows it's fake, but the touch of the cold metal on his chest is just as he would expect it, even though he didn't. He was paying attention to his two long dead friends, standing a bit to the side, looking over to him with a relieved smile. It still hurts, but anything beats the process of waking up, he thinks with dread. Why was it so painful? The tests definitely didn't prepare him for this. How was he supposed to get Bucks out of here?
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Suddenly Howard calls over to him: "Well Rogers, I hope you'll get better soon! Seriously, just because I said, people our age don't just die off, you didn't need to make a point by proving me wrong!“ It's meant as a joke, but he can see the concern in his face. And in Peggy's. Was Bucky imagining this? Then why wasn't he even looking over to them, but staring down at him? "Maybe a side effect from the gas.“, Bruce suddenly hums, "I think it's best, if we keep you in observation for a night. What do you say?“
Steve looks at him and shrugs. What difference does it make after all? "Oh, well... I mean, we really wanted to get back home! After all, it's been nearly two weeks!“, he hears his friend throw in displeased, and looks up at him with a confused frown. But before he can ask, Peggy calls over for them, minding: "Oh come on James, it's only for one more night, they'll manage!“, and Howard chiming in: "Exactly, just enjoy one mission free day away from home, for your own sake. And Steve!“, he looks at him directly now, "Listen to the doctor's orders, right? I'm still counting on you two to make it to our poker game in two weeks, for a rematch!“
Steve has to smile at this absurdity, but Bucky chuckles back: "Alright Howy, we'll behave so we can be there!“ Why was he talking for them both? "Anything you want us to bring this time?“, his friend adds. At that, Tony comes into view again, grinning: "Nah, we got fondue. Just wear something nice! As it's Mom's birthday coming up, we thought we'd spice things up, make it a strip poker event!“ Snorts and giggles across the room, as Steve tenses up, but Peggy smiles at them amused, while her... while her husband and son argue: "What? When did WE decide that?“ "Aw Dad, come on, give Mom some hot buns to look at! Or are you scared of losing to your pals?“, Tony smirks.
When his father just crosses his arms and frowns, he adds: "Alright, how 'bout only guests strip, everyone else gets to watch?“ First Howard seems to want to scold him, but then he asks: "Who else did you want to invite?“ "Howard!“, Peggy warns, and the older Stark flinches to say: "I mean, it's out of the question!“, and follows Tony outside, while the rest of the group still hides their laughter. Peggy looks back at Steve once more, with those clever, friendly eyes he has missed for so long now, and she winks at him, before turning to follow the two Starks.
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