You Must Remember This (WIP)

Chapter 24 - Back into the fray

Wakanda, 2016

The tablet in Bucky's hand shook so much that Sam had to take it from him. He didn't even try to keep it and just stared at where the screen had been a moment ago, reeling from what he just witnessed. Steve called Sam in mere seconds before going into the cell, asking that Bucky follow his interaction with Nemesis. He couldn't believe he could be so reckless. Not to mention plain stupid! What the hell was he thinking going up against her on his own like that?! 

"Nat, how is he?" Sam radioed Black Widow over his comms. "You gonna be okay with him on your own? Yeah, I got Barnes, don't worry about him. Right, Wilson out."

"How is he?" asked Bucky. 

"Catatonic. Whatever Nemesis said to him must've struck something. I just don't get why Natasha didn't stop him and why she didn't leave the audio on."

"Well, I didn't see you jumping to do anything about it."

"Excuse me? Pot, kettle."

Bucky huffed and rolled his eyes, but the man had a point. All the wounds he got from his fight with Nemesis were healed, and the migraines were practically gone since he hadn't read from Evelyn's journal nor thought that much about her in the last couple of days. There was nothing keeping him to his sickbed. Nothing but fear. And that did not sit well with him at all.

"Screw this," he said, throwing the covers off. 

"Hey, wow, what do you think you're doing?" asked Sam, alarmed when Bucky got up. 

"Helping Steve." 

"Was Shuri generous with your drugs today? You ain't going anywhere."

Bucky raised a brow. 

"You plan on stopping me? You do realize that even with one arm, I'm still a super-soldier and can knock you out with one punch, right? I'm sure I don't even have to try with you. A little push will do the trick."

"I'd like to see you try, armless wonder."

Sam blocked the door, legs spread and arms crossed over his puffed-up chest. Bucky scoffed at the former pararescue airman. He had to give him points for standing up to him, though not so much for being an idiot. 

"Listen, Tweety, if you don't move out of my way in the next three seconds, you're only purpose in life is to become an organ donor."

"Uhu, whatever. Look, Barnes, I don't have the crayons to explain this to you, so let me simplify it really nicely. You, bed, now."

Both men stared intently at each other, refusing to be the first to blink and break eye contact. Neither of them moved an inch. They tried to break the other by sheer force of will. Eventually, and to his own surprise, Bucky was the first to yield. 

"Nemesis confirmed they're related," he said. 

"What? How do you know?" questioned Sam. 

"I'm not as good as Romanoff in reading lips, but I know enough to get by," explained Bucky. "I guess that's why Steve wanted me to see them talking. She said, 'Your hands are drenched in blood, same as mine. I guess that runs in the family'."