You Must Remember This

Chapter 29 - Breakthrough

Wakanda, 2016

Steve groaned in exasperation when there was another knock on his door. There used to be a time when people knocked twice and then left, understanding that the person they were trying to visit wasn't in or didn't want to be disturbed. God, he missed those simple days.

"Go away, Sam!" he called from the other side of the room.

"It's me."

Another groan. He should've suspected Bucky would seek him out. It surprised him he hadn't come sooner, having witnessed that absolute disaster with Nemesis earlier.

"Not in the mood to talk, Buck."

"Don't care. Now open the door, or I kick it down."

Steve rolled his eyes. Kicking down a door in the palace of Wakanda wasn't something one just did. Not even a super-soldier could accomplish that particular feat, which Bucky quickly grasped, judging from the loud thump outside.

"It's vibranium, you idiot," said Steve.

"Yeah, got that." Bucky grunted. "Slipped my mind. Can you please open the door before I pull another stupid stunt? I really gotta talk to you."

As much as Steve wanted to let in the one person he could actually talk to, he couldn't bring himself to get up from the floor. He may have won the battle, but it was clear Nemesis still had lots of aces to play to win this war. Every single time he believed he was finally getting through to the enigma she posed, she revealed another part of the puzzle that he now grasped was far greater than any of them could fathom. He felt utterly trapped.

Steve leaned his head back against the bare grey and white walls. They reminded him somewhat of the rooms in the Avenger Compound. He wondered how they were doing. Barton and Lang were out, on house arrest, so he assumed they were okay. But what about Rodes? The US Air Force Colonel was grievously wounded during the fight at the airport in Berlin, and it pained Steve to think that had happened because of him. And what about Wanda and Vision? Were they still in France, or had they eloped to another country to keep anyone from finding them? Then there was that kid from Queens, the one in red and blue who shot webs like a spider. Was he an Avenger now? Would Tony actually allow that?
Tony... Steve clenched his fist and hung his head at the thought of Iron Man. They clashed more than once during their time on the team, but when it came to it, they had each other's back. There had never been a single moment when Steve wasn't assured that Tony was right there with him, fighting the fight. But that was all in the past now. 

Sokovia changed everything. And as much as Steve wanted to deny it, Helmut Zemo was right - the Avengers may have saved some of the people, but where were they afterward? Had they stayed to help and organize aid, perhaps things might have been different. Perhaps, if Zemo had seen they stood with Sokovia in their sorrow, he would not have been hellbent on vengeance for the death of his family. Bucky wouldn't have been used to kill King T'Chaka, and he and Tony wouldn't have been pitted against each other. Vienna, Berlin, Siberia...
No. Nothing could have prevented that last one. Maybe it wouldn't have been in Siberia, but Tony learning the godawful truth about his parents' death was inevitable. And that still put Steve between him and Bucky, resulting in the exact same outcome. 

Thinking about his childhood friend suddenly made Steve realize how very quiet it was on the other side of the door. He looked up, listening carefully for the slightest motion. All stayed silent. Steve raised a brow and pushed himself up. He walked to the panel beside the door, activating the camera. The corridor was empty. Strange... It wasn't like Bucky to give up that easily. And where was Sam? The Falcon had stayed close ever since switching babysitting duties with Widow. 
Fear clenched at Steve's heart. Did something happen? Did Nemesis get out again? Were his friends in trouble, fighting for their very lives, while he was in here moping?! Steve quickly changed the feed to the live security footage from her cell. She was still there, sitting on the floor with her head down.