When Steve finally pushed the fallen debris, Basil was waiting. The man was standing over the air vent where the two others had taken refuge. His hand held down and his face blank. Around him fire burned and the building was nothing more than rubble and dust. Basil hadn't escaped unscathed. His clothes were filthy and strands of his curly hair was singed and smoking. There was a bruise purpling his cheek and blood on his sleeves. Steve held Natasha up and between them, they carefully raised her up to to surface. The red head unconscious and limp.

"Are you alright?" Steve asked, panting slightly from the effort of moving stone. He was sweaty and covered in dust and soot. Natasha much the same.

"I'm okay", Basil nodded. "The explosion lasted longer than I thought". He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "It was too much. The shock of the blast was weird. It went right through me". He shuddered and winced as he looked down at his arms. The flesh was burnt and bleeding. Steve hissed at the sight. "I made the mistake of turning intangible slightly too late. If you hadn't shouted then I would have been caught by surprise. Thanks".

"Be more careful", Steve patted him on the shoulder. He bent down and scooped Natasha up. Above them the sound of a plane drew closer. They both looked up to see the search beams of jets flying above them.

"Shit", Basil muttered as they began running. "Where are we going to hide?"

"I think I might have an idea", Steve replied as they ducked down behind a half fallen in wall. "But we need to get back to dc".

——

It was seven in the morning when they made it. Basil knocked on the glass of the back door. Nat had woken up a few minutes after that escaped the wreckage of the military camp and they had to steal another car. They drove all through the rest of the night without break back into dc where they ditched the car on the city outskirts and stole a different vehicle. It took two more stolen vehicles and two subway trips and a lot of walking, including Basil walking them through walls and dead end alleys, before they reached their destination.

Sam flicked open the blinds and blinked at them before opening the door. He must have just comeback from his run as he was still in his work out gear. "Hey guys", he glanced at Steve and Basil, shooting a curious eye at Nat. The three of them were filthy. No time to deal with their injuries or clean up from the explosion. Basil was running on fumes. His head was a tornado of thoughts. Bucky falling replaying in his mind. Over and over and over again. The explosion. Fire burning him. Washing over him and destroying the world surrounding him. He hadn't stopped shaking.

"I'm sorry about this", Steve huffed tiredly. "We need a place to lay low".

"Everyone we know is trying to kill us", Nat stated. Basil began laughing. Hysterical, painful, mad, manic filled giggles. He shoved a hand over his mouth but once he started, he couldn't stop. He was shaking, tears dripping as he laughed and laughed. The others all watching as he dropped into a crouch, still laughing. Both hands muffling the sound.

Sam gave him a wide eyed look. Steve sighed softly and grabbed Basil by his shoulders, gently pulling him to his feet and letting the smaller man lean on him as he continued giggling. "Sorry. It's been a tough couple of days. He just gets like this sometimes".

Sam let out a low whistle and stepped aside to let them in. "Not everyone is trying to kill you. Get inside before he creates more of a scene". Steve quickly led Basil inside, Nat ducking in after them. "Man", Sam chuckled as he pulled down the blinds. "I guess those interviews from the 40s were true, he really does laugh like a psychopath".

"Sorry", Basil stuttered out between great heaving breaths. His voice still cracking into adrenaline drunk giggles ever few seconds. "I tend to laugh when in pain, or when I'm supposed to cry. I can't control it sometimes". His voice broke and he was half laughing half sobbing into Steve's shoulders.

Sam watched them for a second before signing. "Feel free to wash up in the bathroom. I'll grab the first aid kit. What's your name?"

"Natasha".

"Natasha, I might have some of my sister's clothes for when she stays over. You can borrow them. You two can borrow some of my stuff". Then Sam was bustling from the room. Basil took several deep slow breaths to try and calm himself down. Thumbs rubbing over the names round his neck. Familiar and comforting.

"It's funny", he said into the exhausted silence. "It's been over three years and yet his death still feels like yesterday. I wasn't there and he was scared. He looked scared. Oh god". He turned away from Steve and sat down at a dining chair. Torso bent over and head resting on his knees as he rubbed his hands over his face. There was nothing Steve or Natasha could really say. Just watch as Basil shuddered and desperately tried the hold himself together.

There was the sound of footsteps and Sam was back with clothes thrown over one arm and the first aid kit dangling from the other. "Bathroom is through that door", he gestured to the plain white door. "Who wants to go first?"

"Me", Nat walked over. As she passed Basil, her hand rubbed over his curls. A fleeing touch of comfort, then she was taking the offered clothes and disappearing behind the door. Sam took a seat next to Basil and dumped the rest of the stuff on the table. "Is he okay?" He asked Steve.

Steve was leaning against the dining table. A thing of glass and black metal which contrasted the brightness of the rest of the kitchen. "It's a long story. But he saw a video. I didn't know about it but there was footage, of the day Bucky died. Basil wasn't there when it happened and seeing brought it back up, for the both of us". Sam nodded. He understood.

He leaned over so that he was level with Basil's head. "Hey man", he muttered gently. "I know that your mind must be pretty messy right now but I need you to sit up for me so I can see you your burns. Can you do that?" Basil made a gasping sigh noise then slowly sat up. His eyes were red rimmed and puffy and his face was blotchy.

"Steve's injuries have already healed", he mumbled. "Fractured fingers and lots of bruising. Give mine a day and I'll be fine. Nat has a slight concussion and several cuts and bruises but is otherwise unharmed".

"Yeah", Sam nodded tone still gentle. "You might heal faster than us normal humans but you still need to get these clean first. Come on". Basil frowned as he held up his arms. Burns littered the underside. The raw bleeding flesh already looking slightly better. They had stopped bleeding and the skin around the edges looked healthier. They looked a few days old rather than hours, the perks of super soldier serum. Still, Sam helped Basil pull off his ruined hoodie and began cleaning the wounds. Steve watching from his position against the end of the table.

"So". Sam began as he worked. "Mind telling me that long story?" Steve sighed and opened his mouth. Behind them the shower pattered in the bathroom.

Unedited