Learning

Holding On

Bucky cried out and pulled against his restraints. He fought against whatever they were trying to program into his mind.

Madam Hydra raised a brow. "How long are you going to resist? I thought you made a deal." She waved her hand, the guard stopped shocking him.

Bucky panted and chuckled weakly. He looked up at her. "I never said I would make it easy for you." He was shaking slightly. Madam just chuckled seeing it.

"Wow... you really are fighting to keep your sanity aren't you?..." she lifted his head. "Trying to keep those lovely memories of Sam in your mind?" Bucky yanked his head away from her.

"You really... really thought you were going to be able have a life with that man? Have you see this world?" She chuckled. "No one would accept you... even that rip off of a Captain America, they'll eat him alive."

Buckys gaze darkened as he looked at her. She smirked. "That got you riled up." He yanked his arm. His restraint cracked.

"There's the Winter Soldier..." Bucky stopped and lowered his head. He relaxed and lowered his head.

"Shock it again. I need it's head empty. We need it on the field soon." Bucky clenched his fists. "Stop calling me it..." he said as they placed the contraption on his head again.

She turned and looked at him. "You are a weapon... a weapon of mass destruction and that is all you are. Understood?" She said.

He didn't answer, which she took as a yes. She scoffed. "Take it to the cells. We will do the full wipe tomorrow."

They dragged him to his cell and shoved him in. He fell on the ground and winced as he got up. His mind wasn't doing well at all.

Things were getting foggy. Things were getting scrambled and lost in his own mind, but he was holding onto the thoughts of Sam, Peter, Sarah, Rebecca.... Steve, his mom, dad...

He held his head and took deep breaths. "I am James "Bucky" Barnes... I was in the 107th. I am no longer the winter soldier." He opened his eyes and looked up.

"I am you..." he saw the Winter Soldier standing in front of him. The winter soldier walked over and grabbed his neck. "You won't get out-"

"You.. are Bucky. And you are the victim of Hydra. There are people who care and love for you outside of this awful place." Bucky said as he fought with himself.

"What do you mean..."

"You have the love of your life. You haven't said it but his name is Sam... you got a kid you would die for, Peter, you have a woman who has been a mother figure to you... Dr. Raynor." Bucky said with a sad smile.

The winter Soldier frowned and let him go. "They don't care..." Bucky blinked and he was gone. He leaned against the wall and sighed.

"I wanna go home..."

Sam had arrived in Louisiana. He sighed as he walked off the plane with Peter. Peter was watching Sam carefully, making sure he was okay.

"It's humid here isn't it?." Peter said as he went to baggage with Sam. Sam just nodded as he stood there and waited for his bag.

Peter frowned slightly as the lost energy that was once in him. He knew it had to do with Bucky. Peter grabbed his arm slightly. "You okay?"

Sam looked at him slightly and then back at the baggage claim.

Bottling it up.

That's what Sam was doing. He was bottling up everything he was feeling and everything he wanted to say. Peter let go of his arm as he went to get their bags.

Peter was realizing that these two impacted each other more than they thought. Peter never thought he'd see someone so dejected.

Sam walked out with his backpack and waited for Sarah to come and get them. Peter rocked back and forth on his heels.

"You hungry?" Peter said as he moved around. Sam watched the cars.

"Just a bit... I could use some of my sisters food". He said. Peter smiled softly as he got a bit of a reaction from him.

"What do you want her to make?" Peter asked curiously.

"Maybe gumbo." Sam said. Peter looked at him curiously. "Gumbo? What's that?" Sam
Looked at him in shocked. "It's the best damn dish in the world!" Sam started talking about why gumbo was the best thing in the world.

Peter chuckled. He knew what Gumbo was, he just wanted to get Sam talking. Sam slowed down his speaking and changed the subject.

"How... how do you think Bucky is?" Sam said as cars drove past them. Peter didn't want to think about it. "Well... I assume he's not having the best of times, but I believe he's a survivor. We will get him out of there." Peter said as Sarah pulled up.

"Plus..." Peter said as he put the bags in the trunk. He looked at Sam. "I Wanna see the two of you happy."

Sam stood there and smiled sadly. He got into the car. "Hey Sarah." He said as he sat down. She looked at him and carefully held his hand. "He wilI come home. I promise you that... based on what I'm hearing about you two, that's genuine love. Even if he's brainwashed, that love will save him."

Sam nodded. "I will bring him back... and you get to throw him the funnest welcome party this side of Louisiana." He said as he pulled out his meds. He took them quickly as Peter got into the car.

Peter started talking to Sarah about what he did on the plane, which Sarah was more than happy to listen to.

Sam looked at the window and thought about him and Buckys date, but the memory changed to Bucky holding him before he left.

"I know you'll find me..."

Those words stuck with Sam. He conveyed his fists.

He will find him.