Winter's First Snow

Just as Steve heard Bucky out in the waiting room the doctor had walked back into the room to prepare him for the procedure. Bucky was still shouting while the doctor led Steve to another room where they would be performing the experiment. Dr. Stark had Steve get up onto a lab like table that seemed to have a lid that came down on top of it. There were strange things in this room that looked like they belonged in a different dimension. Steve was watching the doctors every movement. Stark had explained to him what could happen if it didn't go right. Steve had simply nodded along and let the doctor continue speaking. Once Steve had gotten as comfortable as he possibly could Dr stark went over to the table and began placing tubes in small slots on either side of Steve. These tunes were filled with a blue goo like substance that bubbled a little at the movement of the doctors hand. Steve's stomach lurched when he saw a large needle being placed on the cart next to the lab table. Steve wished he could still hear Bucky. Maybe then he'd be able to breathe. He knew that he was panicking. He always did, but that never helped him to calm down. He knew damn well that he shouldn't be freaking out but yet he still was. The doctor finally stopped scrambling around and came back to loom over Steve with the needle in hand. He gave Steve a wry smile. "This is for the pain. I do greatly apologize in advance." Steve nodded and screwed his eyes shut not letting in any of the bright hospital lights and keeping that needle far away from his sight. He felt quite a pinch and then a burning sensation that got more intense as he let the seconds pass. His arm throbbing as if he'd been branded. But soon enough, he felt his body go lax and his arm went numb. Completely. The amount of effort it took for him to attempt to move his fingers was immense. So he gave up.
The table moved. And soon there were about five or six nurses crowding around him placing small suction cups connected to wires on his chest and stomach. His muscles twitched when they pressed into his sides. He was very ticklish usually. But his body was a little slow to react to anything at that moment. The nurses all took a step back and Steve was able to see Stark standing slightly off to the side giving Steve a small smile. The table was suddenly moving. And suddenly it felt like there were a thousand three inn needles being stabbed into his body. It burned everywhere. His body was convulsing and he was trying to get away from it but it was no help. He looked down at his arms where the pain was the worst. It was excruciating, his fingers felt like they'd fall off if he didn't make it stop. He screamed and he was damn sure that everyone was scared that it was killing him. But he knew it wasn't. Steve had had enough near death experiences to let you know that this was nothing like that. This was pain. And pain meant that he was still alive right. The table had tilted itself all the way back until Steve was in ninety degrees to the floor and staring straight at a familiar face. But this face was one he hoped to never see Bucky make. Bucky was terrified, he was crying. The tears still streaming down his face. Steve tried to give him a reassuring smile because he was fine. At least he thought he was. Until the table closed in around him. And the pain got worse than it ever had been. He tried to scream again but there was no sound. Just a puff of breath that Steve thought would be his last. And with every next breath he took he thought even more that that one would be the last he ever took. There was a small window that you would be able to see out of. Except Steve was not tall enough to look out of it. All he saw was a peak of light. 'Focus on that light Steve. Let that guide you through it.' Think of Bucky. Bucky is strong Steve. You're like him, strong... Steve took a big stuttered breath and held it for a moment. Trying to calm his body down. To tell his muscles to stop tensing. He slowly let that breath out and drew a new one.
He opened his eyes and all he saw was light. He thought he'd died and gone to heaven. He'd thought that it was all over. But then there were people. A lot of people. He seemed to have drawn quite the crowd with all his yelling. Dr stark was there next to him holding his arm behind his neck and trying to support Steve. "Why are you so short Doc?" Steve slurred his words together. He was on quite a bit of drugs at that moment. Stark puffed out a strained laugh. "I'm not short Rogers you've gotten taller. Much taller." Steve gave him a quizzical look and scanned the room, looking for Bucky. His eyes caught a tear stained face as it was leaving the room. Very quickly. As if fleeing the scene of a crime. Steve tried to run after him but his body was still disoriented from all the things that has happened to it in the span of about ten minutes. Steve was placed in a very comfy chair and handed a glass of water which he accidentally dropped onto the floor because his motor skills were zilch at the moment. He was subsequently handed a plastic cup of water to which he thanked the nurse and gulped it down. He was told to sit and rest for a while but once he remembered that he saw Bucky he got up and left. He realized that he had no idea where he was not how to get back to the lobby of the hospital which was where Bucky probably was. But he felt like if he asked a nurse they would tell him "Mister Rogers don't you think you should lay down and rest some more" just like the nurse in his room had tried doing. So unfortunately due to his own damn mind he ended up wandering around until he figured out where he was going and found the long hallway that led back out into the lobby. And there sat his long time friend. His best pal. His knight is rusted armor and shining arm. Bucky's face was in his hands, his shoulders were shaking and his body was so tense that Steve felt like he needed to give Bucky a massage. But instead he simply went over and sat down next to him and put his arm around Bucky stroking his arm. He looked outside and smiled. A very small personal smile reserved for those perfect moments that struck your mind like a knife made of happiness. "Buck. Look." Bucky looked up slowly at Steve. Steve gestured to the window. "It's snowing..." Tears still rolled down Bucky's face but he smiled anyway. "Damnit Steve Grant Rogers. You're the worst." But Steve knew that wasn't true. And so did Bucky. But with everything that has been happening in their lives the snow seemed to blanket that and push it away. Not completely. Because there was still a metal arm in question and a completely new Steve to work with. But they both realized that winters first snow is the best snow of the season.