4 The procedure
She woke up hearing the heart monitor beside her, she realized she was back in the hospital room.
"Hello?" She called out hoping someone was there and could explain what had happened. She tried to open her eyes but the lights above were too bright.
"Friday, lights." She heard Steve say, as the lights dimmed she was able to slowly open her eyes taking in the scene around her. Wanda and T'Challa were sitting over in the corner, Bruce, Tony, and Shuri were talking about something while looking at a tablet. Bruce looked up as the lights dimmed and walked over to see if Aj was alright.
"Hey, how you doing?" He asked checking her vitals and writing something down.
"W-What happened?" She asked sitting up and rubbing her head from where she had hit off the table during her episode.
"Once we had put you on the table you started freaking out. You kept screaming let me go." Steve explained She looked at him confused, she didn't remember any of this.
"This time we're going to explain everything so you don't get as freaked out," Shuri spoke up smiling at you trying to put you at ease.
"Steve and Tony just told me they would be trying to get my memories back." She said looking over at Tony who clearly felt bad for not explaining further.
"We didn't think there was any need to explain the science and stuff," Tony responded rubbing his neck.
"You don't, I just want to know what's going to happen," Aj responded looking over at Shuri.
"Well when Bucky came to get his memories back it was a much longer process, we're hoping yours will only take a week with Wanda's help." She motioned to Wanda who gave a small smile. "We will be giving you the same serum as Bucky but instead of putting you into the cryo to bring you memories to surface, we will have Wanda use her powers to bring them back faster. We, unfortunately, will have to put you onto the metal table and strap you down, this is because it will be painful and we don't want anyone getting hurt." She explained giving Aj a sad smile before turning to grab the serum.
"Ready?" He asked, she nodded and Steve helped her stand and they walked to the metal table. She jumped up and laid down. She closed her eyes. They started putting the restraints down, her breathing quickened but Steve noticed right away and grabbed her hand.
"It's ok, I'm right here, breathe." He rubbed her with his thumb in a circular pattern to calm her down. When they were younger Bucky used to do that to keep her from getting upset. Her breathing slowed and she opened her eyes to give a nod to Shuri who then inserted the needle with the serum. Aj closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, it burned but quickly subsided
"Okay, that wasn't too bad." She said, hoping that was the pain they were talking about.
"That's not the end of it," Tony said smirking at her comment. Wanda walked over to where Aj's head was resting. She put her hands on the side of her head. A red mist formed around Aj's head as Wanda closed her eyes. The only sound that could be heard from the medical wing was Aj's screams.
"Ahhhhh, Stop!" She screamed in pain. Tears ran down her face as Wanda brought back some memories. Aj grabbed the sides of the metal bed still screaming. Ice started covering the table where she was holding. Steve grabbed her hand to let her squeeze his hand, she did so.
"We can't stop, I'm sorry. Just a little longer I promise." Steve looked up at Wanda who also now had tears running down her face as she watched the memories of Aj with Hydra. Soon Shuri told Wanda it had been 5 minutes. The red mist disappeared and Wanda was out of breath and still crying.
"I'm so sorry." She whispered to Aj, who just looked ahead still holding Steves's hand.
"What do you remember?" Tony asked excited to see if it worked.
"Mostly just things that happened before the war. I still don't remember any people. And some Hydra memories came back, like when I was taken." She responded. Tony was glad it worked and hoped by the end of the week she would have all her memories back.
"We will be doing this every day at the same time. But when you aren't in here you will be locked in your room until the procedure is over and we know we can trust you." Tony explained looking over a sheet Shuri and Bruce had been looking at. She nodded and everyone left the room leaving only Aj and Steve.
"Do you remember Bucky?" He asked hopefully,
"Why does everyone keep bringing up this Bucky person." She asked seeming annoyed by the question.
"It'll be easier to explain once you get all your memories back." She nodded in agreement.
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Every day for the rest of the week they did that procedure bringing back pieces and pieces of her memory. Her screams could be heard throughout the tower, so the rest of the team tried their best to drown out her screams.
Today was the last day of the procedure, everyone was excited especially, Steve. Aj had gotten to know Shuri, Wanda, T'Challa, and Tony, but no one else on the team was allowed to see her.
She laid down on the table ready to get the rest of her memories back. They gave her the serum and Wanda got behind her. Red mist circled around her head. She screamed out of pain but then stopped, everyone looked at her, she was laying their eyes closed but tears streamed down her face.
-
"Buck and I, were gonna go to the lake to go swimming, you wanna come?" Steve asked blushing at the sight of her. She laughed and got off the bus behind the boys.
"Yeah sure, but I don't have a bathing suit." She stated, looking over at Bucky.
"Well the house is too far to walk and the next bus into town won't be here for another hour. Steve and I were planning on just going in our knickers, why don't you do the same?" Bucky suggested not minding since she was his sister, Steve however turned into a tomato. "Oh come on Steve it's just Aj, nothing to be afraid of." Bucky and Aj laughed heading down to the lake.
-
" Get on the ground! Now!" The man yelled at Aj who was now laying on the ground with her hands behind her head.
"Please, I promise it won't happen again." She pleaded but it was no use the man had his guards beat her for the next hour. She was then taken to her cell and thrown onto the hard concrete floor. Bucky quickly rushed to her side to help her onto the raid cement bed.
"It's going to be okay doll, I promise," he said whipping her hair from her face and placing a kiss on her forehead.
"you're coming with us. now." The guards came into their cell and grabbed Bucky and pulled him away.
"Bucky, no please." Aj managed to whisper as she held her hand out to Bucky.
-
"He will be teaching you everything." The man said. Aj recognized the soldier he had pointed to but she didn't know why. The soldier walked to the mat Aj was on and started teaching her everything she needed to know. Something that Aj had noticed is that his left arm was shining, she then realized it was a metal arm.
-
The red mist disappeared after 15 minutes. Aj slowly opened her eyes to see everyone staring at her.
"What?" she asked seeing everyone's relieved faces as she sat up.
