I want to talk to him, Steve says suddenly. Right now.

Is that really a good idea? Darcy asks.

He looks at her, lines around his eyes from how much he's tensing up his face. I have to talk to him, Darce, he murmurs, taking a shaky breath.

Okay, she says, rubbing a hand along his back.

Come on then, Captain, Fury says, motioning him to the door.

Darcy follows, but Steve stops her. Stay here, he says.

I'd rather not, she says.

Please? he says, catching one of her hands and squeezing it.

She sighs. Okay. But I'm going to be right here, watching.

Thank you. He kisses her forehead and leaves with Fury.

Darcy turns back to the mirror and leans her hands on the slight ledge, letting out a long breath. Fury steps into the room and dismisses the agent, and a moment later Steve follows. It hurts to see the scared and hopeful look on his face as he looks at Bucky.

Captain America, Bucky says, and smiles with his teeth.

Steve flinches a little. Do you really not remember anything about... yourself?

Bucky blinks slowly, one, two, three times. Everything about him seems to be designed to throw people off balance. I remember that I wasn't always... what I am now. But nothing more.

Why don't you remember?

Great question, Cap, he says. I guess we'll find out.

Where have you been? Why haven't you aged?

I've been all over, Bucky says, and when they don't need me any more, they just put me back in my box.

How long have you been... out of your box?

A few months. Longer than I should have.

And when did you kill your handlers?

Oh... Bucky says, and taps his fingers on his chin. Maybe... two months ago? They let me out because I was supposed to kill you.

Darcy leans closer to the mirror. This is a bad fucking scene for Steve to be in she can just imagine what his counsellor would say about getting his head fucked with like this.

But you didn't want to kill me? Steve asks, with a heartbreakingly hopeful note to his voice.

Bucky tips his head to one side. I'm supposed to kill you... he repeats.

A second later everything goes nuts. Bucky lungs for Steve so fast that Darcy barely sees him move, the handcuffs have come free from the table as if they were fixed to it with tape. He's almost as fast as Steve himself, and maybe as strong. She darts out of the adjacent room as security rushes to Steve's aid, and slips in behind them.

Bucky has his fingers around Steve's throat, and by the looks of it, Steve can't get himself free. How strong is this guy?

B-bucky, he chokes out, trying to pry his fingers underneath Bucky's and drag them away. Let g-go-- he manages, but Bucky's fingers only get tighter, cutting into his neck, digging into his jugular. Bucky's face is strangely blank as the guards level their guns at him. N-no, Steve says, waving them away. His eyes are starting to water, but God, he's still trying to protect his friend.

Darcy feels totally powerless to stop what's going on, and in the moment she wants nothing more than for the guards to shoot Bucky with extreme prejudice, but she can't even begin to imagine how that would affect Steve. She has her bag with her, hanging on one shoulder, and in between her panicked thoughts about Steve being killed, she remembers her taser, and plunges her hand into her bag to get it. Steve is facing her, Bucky's back to her, so he sees what she's planning and she reads the look he gives her as permission before she lifts the taser and shoots.

It barely seems to even register with Bucky, but it's just enough for him to loosen his grip on Steve. Steve shoves his arm away and ducks around him, grabbing Darcy around the middle and pulling her out of the room. More guards rush in, and she hears thumps and shouts for a moment before everything goes quiet. A couple of minutes later, security drags an unconscious Bucky from the room. Steve crumples against the wall.

We're going home, she decides, and Steve doesn't argue.