𝗀 𝗁 𝗈 𝗌 𝗍 | | 𝗌 𝗍 𝖾 𝗏 𝖾 𝗋 𝗈 𝗀 𝖾 𝗋 𝗌

𝗌 𝗂 𝗑 𝗍 𝗒 － 𝗍 𝗁 𝗋 𝖾 𝖾

𑁍 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟩, 𝗐𝖺𝗄𝖺𝗇𝖽𝖺 𑁍

IT HAD BEEN A LONG few months, but Marta was healing well from her surgery. Her hair was enhanced like the rest of her body, so it had grown over her scar and landed below her ears. Marta was freer than she had been since before the ice, and she was happy. But there was still a massive hole in her heart. Between Steve's absence and the distance between her and Bucky, Marta was angry. She just wanted everything to work out for her, for once.

Because the device was out of Marta's brain, Tony stopped coming to the compound. She saw Rhodey at work, and when he had physical therapy with her, but Marta was the only one in the compound now. Rhodey knew it was time for her trip to Wakanda, so he told Tony so Marta didn't have to. There was a rift between them now, ever since Steve's short visit which left Marta more angry than happy.

Marta touched down in Wakanda. This was a special visit, according to Shuri when she hijacked T'Challa's phone during their last Saturday call. The final test was upon them. Marta was greeted by Okoye and Ayo, who permitted her to travel down to visit Bucky before they went to see Shuri to go over the logistics.

She knocked on the front door of Bucky's hut, and when he opened the door, she smiled for the first time since she had her loopy encounter with Steve. "You look happy." Marta said, hugging her big brother tightly, his one arm tugging her close.

"You don't." Bucky commented. They decided to sit outside, by the water. Wakanda was beautiful, and Marta loved the scenery much more than upstate New York.

Marta shrugged. "I don't want to talk about it. We already did over the phone." she said, sitting down beside Bucky.

Bucky nodded. "Right. The infamous
hour-long debrief." Bucky said, a Wakandan shawl covering his metal arm stump. Shuri had offered to make him a new arm, but he didn't want it. He just wanted peace, without fear.

Every day, Marta and Bucky talked through their burner phones. Sometimes two or three times a day. They had missed so much time, and this way they were involved in each other's lives. "You ready for tonight?" Marta asked, the sunlight catching her dimmed features.

"I don't want to talk about it. Let's just talk about something else." Bucky returned, and Marta rolled her eyes.

"I hate my husband." Marta said, tucking her short blonde hair behind her ears.

"So you've mentioned about a thousand times. And, you can't hate him that much if you still wear your ring." Bucky spoke knowingly, brushing some of his long hair away from his face.

Marta rolled her eyes. "I wear my ring because I love Mrs. Rogers." Marta said, inhaling the peaceful Wakandan air. It calmed her.

Bucky nodded, and they talked about other things. "How does freedom feel?" Bucky asked with a grin. He looked healthy, and he felt healthy. Wakanda was everything he had needed.

"Better than flying," Marta said, and Bucky believed her. "You'll be right there with me tonight." Marta nudged her older brother, dropping her head to his shoulder.

Their conversation had lasted so long, that it was dark out, fireflies swarming the gentle air. "I think it's time." Bucky said, poking the scar on Marta's head from her surgery. He wished he could have been there, but since she was awake during the entire process, she recreated it on the phone with him the day after.

Marta and Bucky traveled up the mountainside where Ayo was waiting for them. Shuri and T'Challa met them, gave Bucky words of encouragement, and left the mountain. The city was bustling with bright lights, but deep into the African jungle, it was just the Barnes siblings and Ayo. Marta built a fire, Bucky's eyes staring into the flames. She stood across from him, too anxious to sit. Ayo stood beside her, and when Bucky was ready, she started.

"It is time." Ayo said in English, her Wakandan shining through.

"You sure about this?" Bucky asked, his gaze centered at the fire his sister made.

Ayo glanced at Marta, holding her spear. "We won't let you hurt anyone." she said confidently.

Marta nodded at Ayo. "It's gonna be okay, Buck." the blonde said gently, but her brother didn't believe him.

Ayo started circling Bucky. "Тоска. Ржавый. Семнадцать." (Longing. Rusted. Seventeen) Ayo began, and Marta could tell Bucky was terrified.

"It's not gonna work." Bucky said, lip quivering.

"Рассвет. Печь. Девять. Доброкачественный. Возвращение домой. Один. Грузовой вагон." (Daybreak. Furnace. Nine. Benign. Homecoming. One. Freightcar) as Ayo said the sequence of words, Marta watched her brother carefully.

She saw the tears streaming down his face, the fight that was going on inside him. He was reliving everything, just like Marta did every night since the disk was removed. There was no getting rid of the trauma, but when Ayo stopped speaking, and nothing happened, Marta knew he was healed. "Ayo?" she asked, so softly that Bucky could not hear her.

Ayo nodded, a triumphant smile on her face. "You are free," she said, and Bucky, tear stricken, looked up at her in disbelief. "You are free." Ayo repeated, and Marta cried this time, too.

Marta stepped around the fire and reached her sobbing brother, throwing her arms around his shoulders, crying with him. For the first time since 1945, Bucky and Marta Barnes were free. They were in control of their lives, and no one else would be. Not ever again. Soon they were laughing, celebrating. Joy. What a strange emotion. They had missed it terribly.

Wakanda had done wonders for the Barnes siblings. Marta couldn't stay, and Bucky couldn't leave. It was a curse and a blessing at the same time. Bucky had a house now, and after Marta teased him for it, she spent the night in his living room. He was comfortable, living his own life. He had goats that Marta threatened to set loose if they didn't stop bleating.

In the morning, she had a new appreciation for the goats. Bucky tended to them, and they kept him busy, so she liked them. "You're sure you're okay if I leave?" Marta asked Bucky. They were standing by her jet. She had already said goodbye to the Dora, T'Challa, Shuri and their mother, eager to see them again three months later.

Bucky nodded. "You have patients, and missions. I'm good here. Really." he said, his stump covered once again. Marta wore her dog tags and Bucky wore his. They looked more alike than ever now.

"I'll call you when I get back." Marta said, and Bucky drew her into a tight hug.

"Come back if you get too lonely," Bucky offered, and Marta nodded. "And, please, for the sake of my sanity, don't call Steve. I know he's being an ass, but it's better for you to just move on. Leave the past in the past." Bucky suggested.

Marta rolled her eyes. "That's what Mom would say." she pulled away from her brother. They hugged a lot more these days. Back during childhood, their contact consisted of beating each other up.

"No, dummy, that's what Dad would say. Mom would tape your mouth shut and put you in the corner to talk to yourself." Bucky corrected, and Marta smiled.

"I guess I was pretty chatty." Marta shrugged, pushing her hair behind her ears, her wedding ring glistening in the sun.

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Was?" he quipped, and Marta shoved him, hugging him one more time for good measure. He smiled at her when her jet lifted into the air. Bucky was happy, really happy, and he just wished his sister could be. Bucky knew Marta was just going through the motions, and he didn't know how long she could do that for.

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