Rebirth (Winterwitch)

Bucky's Mind

Sam and Steve had been struggling fighting Bucky back, but to no avail. No one could fix him. No one could save them. No one but her. She approached the fighting quietly and slowly. She concentrated on the energy of her powers and used it to throw Bucky back against a wall.

"What are you doing?" he gritted through his teeth from seeing her aid the Avengers.

"I'm trying to help you, help get Hydra out of your mind."

"I don't need your help! My mission is to take you in. But that doesn't mean I'm taking you conscious."

He swung at her with his fist but Wanda managed to dodge it.

"I need you to calm down James."

"What did you just call me?"

"James I know that you're just afraid of what is happening and there needs to be some explaining and-"

"Stop talking!"

As he's about to throw another punch she stops and grasps his fist with a red aura of magic.

"Alright I'm guessing you want to do this the hard way."

She forced him down to the ground with her magic so that he wouldn't do something that he would later regret.

"Steve, Sam can you hold him down while I enter his mind. I can't hold him down while I go in it will drain me quickly."

"Woah woah wait a second, are you sure you can do this? Steve she hasn't practiced for long, who knows what can happen."

She glances at Steve for a sign of approval. He nods his head for her to proceed.

"Who knows what could happen if she didn't. He said that Zemo told him to bring her in and I'm not going to allow that."

Steve and Sam held him down with some electromagnetic braces that chained his wrists to the wall. She released her grasp on him while Bucky struggled in staying still he tried ripping the braces off but they wouldn't budge.

"These should hold him but if not we sure will," mentioned Sam.

"You ready," Steve asked worriedly.

She nods and takes a deep breath before facing him again.

"James I know you're in there and we're going to help you. I'm going to help you," she reassured him. She placed her fingers onto his temples in attempt to rid him of his pain. He let out several grunts and painful screams.

She saw everything. From pre-winter soldier to the day when he became the winter soldier. She felt everything. It became difficult for her to breathe as all of his memories were thrust onto her and became too overwhelming. All of his pain and loss and suffering. It was too much for her to handle. His mind wasn't this cluttered, but then again that was when he wasn't under Hydra's control and his memory wasn't all jumbled up. She fought her way deeper into his mind to rid him of this curse.

It was as if she could walk through each of his memories and witness it all in the mere background. Every memory encircled her all at once, a kaleidoscope of fragmented memories scattered across his mind. She entered into the deepest trenches of his mind. A dark abyss captivating his worst nightmares and hidden memories.

She stopped at the moment when he was first given the procedure. He was strapped onto a chair, matted locks plastered onto his forehead beaded with sweat, as the words were being introduced to him. It killed her. Having to witness such a horrific event. She witnessed his sharp, agonizing scream and it killed her to just stand there. Guilt began to consume her for not stepping in and saving him. But how could she when she wasn't even there? She just stood by, witnessing the birth of an unfathomable creation. Tears began to blur her vision. It was collapsing in on her, all of his pain. She needed to fix him- before he broke her. She picked at the hydra commands that were embedded within every memory that he had with Hydra. She took it all away from him, got rid of whatever Hydra had put into him. And when she did- he was free. But she couldn't rid him of his guilt, or of his past, every terrible memory of his with Hydra was left. As much as she wanted to she couldn't take it from him. It was now a part of him, it has made him who he is.

Before she could leave his tortured mind she became distracted by a memory with Steve. Back before Steve became the super soldier. He had his arm around a short, blond doppelganger, he was filling him with a sense of comfort. She loved how he could do that, fill someone with a sense of hope and belonging. She smiled at their brotherly love for one another. She loved how close they were, and it hurt her see him when he would transform and not be able to recognize Steve. But no more. Everything was going to be just fine now. Hydra couldn't take him away from them, from Steve, and especially not from her.

Wanda then used her powers to strengthen his happiest memories at this time as he had suffered through too much today. She practiced doing this with him as an attempt to remind him of his wonderful past that became overshadowed by the traumatic events that Hydra had caused. After being able to clear his mind from Hydra's control, it became easier for her to free his recollections that were cluttered into the back of his head. Every one of his happiest memories were free. Each one soared past her, playing inside his head all at once. She marveled at the beauty that was taking place.

The time had reached that she finally had to let go. His mind was wearing her down, she never lasted this long inside of his head. She released herself from his subconscious mind. When it was all over she gently slid her fingers down from his temples and caressed his cheeks. She could feel the sense of relief that he had and released her grip on him.

"Wanda?" he slurred.

He barely caught a glimpse of her before he slowly slipped into unconsciousness.

"Huh she did it. You alright Wanda? Wanda?" Sam worried.

"Wanda?" Steve called to her again.

She took a step back from Bucky now and held onto her head, trying to keep herself steady but her vision blurred, she collapsed into Sam's arms.

"I got you Maxi."

"Let's take them in," ordered Steve as he detached Bucky from his restraints.