After waiting with John to decide if he was going to take the serum or not, the last known dose in existence, you realized that this was going to make your plan that much more difficult, and you might need a little help. He had yet to take it, his mind running all scenarios and his self-doubt seemed to be getting the upper hand. His friend Lamar kept on about how if given the opportunity, he would take it, and you had to fight the urge to shut him up yourself. Still, it kept John pacing the moral path for a while longer and you'd take any time you could get. You hoped that you could bide that time just a little longer before things got out of your control, but still, it wouldn't hurt to have some backup ready.

That meant making a call that you dreaded to your soul. It meant groveling, and apologizing, and saying things that you didn't mean just quite yet. It meant having to distract Walker enough for you to leave his sights, and convincing Sam and Bucky to let you back into their trust. It made you long for the days when things were simple; the team was whole, missions were meticulously planned and executed, and Tony was there to have your back.

What would Tony think of you now? Would he be proud of your perseverance to do what you believed was right, or would he be chasing you to the ends of the Earth to get you back to the safety of home without a care as to who might be hurt without your help? Who were you kidding? You knew the answer to that.

"So, did you make a decision yet? Gonna man up and go for it?"

"Not yet," John answered flatly. "I need to be sure that I do this right. At the right time."

"Well, until you do, you're really of no use to me.," you told him, knowing exactly what that would do to a man as broken as he was. He tried to look like a pillar of strength, but you could see through that façade now that you'd spent some time with the guy. He had no confidence of his own, only what people convinced him that he had. People like Lamar who thought they were helping him, only to actually be creating the problem that was about to reach a pinnacle that no one could've expected.

"I'm no use to you?" he scoffed. "When did this power flip happen?"

"When you least expected it, Walker," you smiled coldly, no emotion behind it. "You make a big mistake in underestimating me, and you've made me more powerful than ever. Kinda brought this on yourself." With that, you turned and left the room, refusing to look back to be sure that he wasn't trying to follow you out. Once you were sure that he was going to stay behind and the door shut solidly behind you, you took out your phone with a groan under your breath and a shaky hand dialing a number that you had hoped to avoid, along with the person who was about to answer.

"Hey, Buck. It's me."

~~~

Sam hadn't realized that he was holding his breath during Bucky's conversation with you, and when he finally let it out the sound filled the quiet room of the safe house that held the three men as they waited for their next move. It was almost instantaneous as Bucky closed the line before Sam was ready for the onslaught of rage that were likely to spill out of the guy after talking to you. "Alright, spit it out," Sam groaned, almost under his breath. "What did she say?"

Bucky set his phone down gently on the table and stood, taking a deep breath before he moved to the small kitchen to search for relief to calm his nerves. "What do we have to drink in here?"

"Would you like some cherry blossom tea?" Zemo offered, standing to gather what he needed.

"Not what I meant."

"Bucky. What did she say?" Sam tried again, only this time he stood and made his way across the room, trying to assert himself, but Bucky held up a quick hand to stop him. "Fine, I'll stay over here if you start talking."

Bucky continued to search for a glass, then a bottle that looked like it could hold anything alcoholic. When he finally came upon something close enough, he poured a shot, took it back, and slammed the glass onto the table. "She needs our help."

Now Zemo's interest was piqued as well, his gaze darting back and forth between the two men. "What could she possibly need help with? She's aligned herself with John Walker, has she not?"

"She didn't say anything more than that, really. A little bit of apologizing and groveling that I didn't buy for a second, otherwise that's it. She's on her way here now."

"You told her where we are?" Zemo stood in a panic. "Why would you do that?"

"Because it's (Y/N)," Sam joined in. "It's not like she's gonna turn any of us in, okay? Calm down."

"That's not the worst of it," Bucky continued. "On my way here, I ran into someone. The Dora are here for you," he nodded to Zemo. "I was able to buy a little time, but (Y/N) is the least of your worries."

"Buck, what are you going to say to her?"

Bucky took one final drink and put his empty glass in the sink, standing still for a moment and looked at is as if he wasn't quite sure that he was truly done with it. His hand didn't release it right away, but he realized that it wasn't helping him anyway, and the alcohol was practically a waste without the ability to feel any better after using it. "I don't know, Sam. I'm gonna take a walk."

"Do you really think that's the best idea-"

With that, the door burst open just as Bucky had warned, only it wasn't who he was expecting. At least the Dora would've been almost welcome. "Alright," John started as he barged into the room with Lamar in tow, "that's it, let's go. I am now ordering you to turn him over."

"Hey, slow your roll. Where's (Y/N)?" Sam asked immediately, standing to meet him. "She was on the way here. What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. Last I heard, she was supposed to already be here, but maybe she changed her mind and realized that my way is the right way to do this."

"Doubt that," Bucky said. "Last I heard, she wasn't an idiot."

John simply glanced towards him, fighting the urge to retort, for now, anyway. He looked eagerly around the room until he saw Zemo standing almost unaffected and casual behind the bar. "Let's go."

"Listen, Walker, we've got bigger problems right now and he's been a help so far. We need to focus on Karli first and then he's all yours," Sam tried. "But before we do anything, you tell us where (Y/N) is and how the hell you got her on your side in all of this."

"She came to me," he shrugged.

"Doubt that too," Bucky repeated with a loud scoff. "But if she did, she's got her own plans and you should watch your back." He gave a quick look to his phone to see if you had tried to reach out again but there was nothing. He had no idea where you were and hoped that Walker would be long gone before you got there so that he could maybe get to some actual truth.

He wished for your delay even more so when the doors opened again, and what would normally be a welcomed site of the Dora Milaje quickly turned into an epic mess that made everything so much worse. It did nothing to help their cause; they lost Zemo, and now Walker was pushed even closer to a terrible decision that only you saw coming, and you were nowhere to be found to stop him.

~~~

By the time you had finally arrived at their safe house, it was empty and looked like a tornado had run through it. You took a careful walk around, inspecting the broken glass, overturned furniture, and eventually the telltale holes left behind in tables, walls, and floor from unstoppable Wakandan spears.

"Well this can't be good," you mumbled under your breath. Grabbing your phone from your pocket you tried Bucky first, then Sam, but neither answered. You tried each again, and after the same result you now began to worry about your friends, and the surge of adrenaline was like nothing you had felt before. The serum in your veins heightened the reaction and your heart felt like it was breaking through your chest.

Then you got angry.

You were angry at what had been done to you, and what this meant for the rest of your life. What it would mean for your relationship with Morgan, and how you would have to figure out how to tell her. You'd wait until she was older, but how old was a question you pushed away for another time; the next thought was far more pressing and much more imminent.

You'd have to tell Buck.

That thought brought a momentary smile to your face, in an unexpected twist of emotions. You almost wanted to tell him. Maybe he'd do everyone a favor and Walker would suddenly just disappear. But then again, you had no idea how Bucky actually felt about you now, having avoided his connection for so long. You knew he didn't believe your apologies when you had called him, just like you didn't know if you even meant them. What you did know was that if it came down to it, life or death, all would be forgotten and you'd have no hesitation to kill for each other. You took comfort in knowing at least that would never change. It filled a tiny bit of your heart that Tony had taken with him.

Thank god you wouldn't have to tell Tony. He'd never stop until Walker was dead. He'd ruin himself for you, no matter how you'd beg him not to. His overprotectiveness was almost a fault, making him so focused on that goal that he would forget himself. This would destroy him to know, and even though you would never be thankful that he was gone, you were thankful that he was before this happened, at the very least. Before he would see who you were about to become.

"FRIDAY?"

"Yes, boss?"

"I need a location on Walker. Maybe the Three Musketeers too if you happen to spot them."