Amnesiac - A Peter Parker Story

Who Am I?

2 months earlier

Bucky wasn't sure what had happened. Peter had been gone with May for a week during the summer, and when they got back, Bucky woke to a text from his lover's aunt.

May Parker: Peter has asked me to relay this message to you. He has said that he feels you've grown absent recently and he told me he can't deal with the dishonesty anymore. I'm sorry, but please, do not contact my nephew again. You've caused him enough hurt as it is.

Bucky's heart was shattered in his chest. He felt sick, his stomach trying to lurch last night's dinner from his mouth to the floor.

He didn't feel the time passing. The only think that signaled it was the ticking of his clock, but he was too caught up in his thoughts to notice.

A few hours later, although he didn't know that, a knock came at his door.

"Bucky? Bucky, you in there? You missed breakfast..." Steve's worried voice came through the door.

No response.

"Buck?"

When no response met his ears, Steve lowered his hand to the knob and twisted it, moving inside to see a broken looking Bucky Barnes sitting on his bed, staring at seemingly nothing. Steve frowned and moved to him, setting a hand on his shoulder and shaking a bit. Bucky didn't move for a moment, then his head slowly raised and foggy eyes met Steve's.

"I lost him." He whispered, just barely audible. His voice was shaking and thick with tears.

Steve's face filled with understanding and shock. He immediately sat beside his best friend and hugged him tightly, seeming to trigger the downfall. Bucky's body began to shake as he let out heart-wrenching sobs, hands scrabbling to curl in Steve's shirt.

"I-I-I lost h-him."

-----

Present

Bucky hadn't been doing well since seeing Peter at the party two days before. He'd grown frantic and hysterical at Peter not knowing who he was, having rounded on Quentin and threatening him quite heavily. He'd been torn away from the couple by Steve and Tony, still screaming death threats at Beck. Bucky's last vision of the couple was Beck smirking widely and Peter gaping after the screaming ex-assassin with tears in his honey brown eyes.

Bucky closed his eyes, pain racking him as he remembered the horrified look he'd seen on his love's face as he was dragged away.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by someone touching his shoulder.

"Buck?"

Bucky looked up at Steve and sighed.

"What was the guy's name again?" Steve asked gently. He knew Bucky was in a very fragile state at the moment, and any wrong word could send him spiraling.

"Q-quentin B-b-beck." He said, voice shuddering.

Tony nodded. "Yeah... I recognize that name. He used to be an employee of mine. Made a illusionary hologram system to be used for therapy. I didn't find it all that interesting at the time and didn't fund his project to his liking. He went off on me and quit, saying he'd sue me for my company." He said, shaking his head.

"Peter didn't recognize me." Bucky said, cutting Tony off.

Every eye turned to look at Bucky at the new piece of information.

"What do you mean he didn't recognize you?" Natasha asked, leaning forward.

"His eyes were wrong... Foggy. Usually, when h-he used to see me, his eyes would... light up. Whenever he sees anyone he knows, his eyes light up with recognition immediately. W-when he saw me... nothing. Just confusion." Bucky said quietly.

Natasha frowned. "It sounds like brainwashing... like something HYDRA or the Red Room would do." She said, voice halting a bit.

"We can't assume anything." Steve said immediately. "Someone needs to go in and see what they can find out."

"Nat." Bucky said immediately. "I want Nat to do it." He didn't trust anyone else to do it. He was met with a nod from the fellow ex-assassin.

"Of course, Bucky. I'll do it." She said.

It took two weeks of work, but Natasha was finally able to get an idea of what had happened with Peter.

"We were right. Beck brainwashed him. He kept saying Peter loved using his hologram system, said it helped 'get Peter in his right mind'." Nat said, disgust crossing her features. Bucky took a shaky breath and closed his eyes.

"Well. This is now a SHIELD matter, isn't it?" Steve said, smiling a knowing smile. "We'll get him out, Buck, I promise."

-----

Two days later, Fury had approved the team to do a full search and seizure of Beck and his belongings. Bucky was there, if only to get Peter out. Steve nodded at Bucky as they stood outside the large home that Beck and Peter lived in, taking a breath before slamming his shield against the lock and slamming the door open.

Beck was in the living room, spinning when he heard them bursting in the door. Peter was sat in the middle of the living room, illusions being projected around him at a rapid rate from several drones. Peter's eyes were fixed on them, not like he had much choice.

The chair he was sat in was metal, shackles stretching over Peter's wrists and ankles, keeping him firmly tied to the chair. A metal brace extended up the back of the chair, leading to a large band that was around Peter's head, keeping it in place and forcing him to look at the flashing illusions. Peter's eyes were wide and blank, fixed on the illusions but not really seeing them.

Bucky's only goal was to get Peter out.

He slammed past Beck as the others moved to restrain him, going to Peter and quickly crushing the shackles. He picked up his young lover tenderly and looked at him, barely noticing the tears flowing down his own face. Peter's eyes languidly turned to meet Bucky's.

"Who am I?"