The tension in the plane was thick enough to cut with a knife. Steve was stoic in the pilot's seat, watching as the clouds and blue sky passed by. Tony sat in the co-pilot's seat next to him. Both men had removed their helmets and were very much not talking to each other. If it wasn't for Tony's need to keep and eye on the controls then Basil was sure that the two of them would be on opposite ends of the plane. Not that the back was any better. Bucky was seated in one of the sets lining the walls with his arms crossed and dead eyed stare fixed on the floor. Opposite him was T'challa. The king had refused to remove any part of his suit but his glare was strong enough that they could feel it through the mask. In the middle of this was Basil. He was stood with one hand on the rails overhead in the pace between the two pairs. 

"What's going to happen to your friends?" Bucky's voice was low and quiet in the silence. Basil lifted his head. 

"Natasha and Rhodes will take them back to America. I trust Nat not to let them get charged with anything worse than Aiding and Abetting but if something happens then I'll deal with it", he replied. 

"We'll deal with it", Steve corrected from the front. 

"Um no you won't", Tony snapped. "You have done enough". That sentence was mostly directed at Steve but Basil was not spared from the visceral glare the man swept over them. 

"Do you really trust Ross?" Basil asked. "I won't be surprised if I return to find that he's locked them up in maximum security and has Wanda in a freaking straight jacket". 

"She made her choice", Tony gritted his teeth. Basil huffed loudly. 

"Her choice to help her friends. No offence Tony, you're a rich man. The American government wouldn't dream of fucking you over more than they already have. But Wanda is an immigrant woman with a shady history and no family. I don't trust them with her. I don't trust them with anyone. She should not be charged more than what she has done. She has not harmed innocents, nor has she killed. The only crime she could be prosecuted for is aiding a criminal from escaping the law". There was a pause as he looked around. Eyes were on him. 

"When did you take an interest in law?" Tony asked. 

Basil shrugged. "When I moved in with Henry. He learnt law for one of his books and I was introduced into the legal rights and what constitutes as modern slavery. Which reminds me that I really need to sue shield some time. Coercing Steve and I into working for them by holding everything we needed to exist in the modern world hostage is an infringement on our human rights". 

Tony gaped for a moment. Basil could practically see the realisation sinking into his brain. Steve snorted from his seat. "I never thought of it that way but it makes sense". 

"Oh god you're right", Tony gasped. "I never realised". Basil wasn't surprised. 

"There is a reason why I don't work with American governments", T'challa voiced from his seat. "Much less SHEILD. All they do is lie". 

Basil waved a hand in a 'see' gesture. "By rights of the law, Bucky will only be charged as a victim rather than a perpetrator". 

"But I still did it", Bucky's voice was empty. Basil didn't like the look in the man's blue eyes. He let go of his hold on the rail and walked over to crouch down in front of Bucky's legs. Blue eyes lifted to his face as hands rested on his knees. 

"But that wasn't you", Basil kept his voice gentle. "You cannot be blamed for being brainwashed and controlled. No one can be blamed for that". If his words took on a hardness to them, transforming the last sentence into a statement, then it went ignored. It went ignored but T'Challa was silent in his seat and watching the pair interact with curious eyes. 

Bucky's blue eyes were sad but he let out a sigh and the corners of his lips twitched. "You always have something to say, don't you Parrish". 

Basil grinned back and cocked his head to the side. "You know me Sarge. I can't keep my mouth closed". He rose and moved over to take the empty seat to Bucky's right, pressing himself to the man's side so that their legs were touching waist to knee. 

"At least not everything you say is stupid chatter". 

"Ouch. You wound me", Basil pressed a hand over his chest and gaped comically at him. Bucky rolled his eyes but unfolded his arms. Basil immediately snatched up the flesh one and interlocked their fingers. Bucky's hand were just a tiny bit bigger than his and it was warm. The curly haired man rested his head on the other's shoulder as the plane fell back into silence. Bucky shifted so that the position was more comfortable for both of them and closed his eyes. Their joined hands resting on his leg. 

------------

It was several hours later, with Basil slumbering on Bucky's shoulder, that something beeped. Instantly everyone's head were up and turning to Tony, all apart from Basil who slept on. Bucky was careful not to wake him as he shifted in the seat. With silent gentleness he rose, one hand supporting Basil's head as he turned and gently manoeuvred the smaller man so that he was draped across the seats. The man continued to sleep with an arm under his head to act as a pillow. When Bucky was sure that Basil would continue to sleep (he must be exhausted to sleep through that), he stepped up to the cockpit. 

Tony and Steve glanced up as he joined them. T'challa at his back like a shadow that Bucky was trying very hard to ignore. When they were all listening, Tony tapped his gauntlet and a small holo screen appeared. "What am I looking at FRIDAY?" A robotic female voice answered. 

"Priority upload from Berlin Police". Tony paused and glanced around, his black eye was colourful on his skin in the stormy light coming through the glass. Steve and Bucky were expectantly waiting. FRIDAY continued. "The Taskforce called for a psychiatrist as soon as Barnes was captured". A series of images appeared on the holo screen and Tony enlarged them for everyone to see clearly. There was a man about forty with greying curly hair and glasses. "The UN dispatched Doctor Theo Broussard from Geneva within the hour", FRIDAY stated. "He was met by this man". The screen changed to show cctv footage of a parking garage. The Dr Broussard was being met outside his car by a familiar man with brown hair. 

"He's the man from the interrogation room", a voice announced. Basil had woken up and was rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he walked over to join them. He draped his arms over the back of Steve's chair and rested his chin on the blonde's head. "What a twat". 

"Language", Steve muttered. 

"Can it Stevie. You don't even know what Twat means". 

Tony sighed. "Continue FRIDAY. Have you run facial recognition yet?" 

FRIDAY sounded as offended as an AI built by Stark could sound. "What do I look like?" 

"I don't know but I've been picturing a redhead". 

"I brunette", Basil disagreed. "Her voice reminds me of Cap Carter". Steve shrugged. 

"The fake doctor is actually Colonel Helmet Zemo. Sokovian intelligence", the AI ignored them. A photo of Zemo in army uniform replaced the previous images. "Zemo ran echo scorpion, and Sokovian elite kill squad". More images of Zemo in army uniforms surrounded by his squad. Basil's eyes flicked round at the amount of guns and dead bodies also occupying the photos. 

"What happened to the real doctor?" T'Challa spoke up.

 Basil jumped. "Jesus. You're so quiet. What is in your suit?" The black panther ignored him. 

"He was found dead in a Berlin hotel room". Images of the dead doctor slumped in a bathtub. "Where  police also found wigs and facial prosthesis approximating  the  appearance of one James Buchanan Barnes". FRIDAY's sentence had barely finished when Tony cursed. 

"Son of a bitch. Send this to Ross". The screen disappeared. Steve took a breath. "If you are going to say 'I told you so' then you can save it", Tony snapped. 

"I told you so", Basil grinned.

 Tony sent the green eyed man a glare. "You know that is why you don't have many friends Bas". Basil just laughed. 

"You were right", T'challa's accented voice broke in. The man turned and his helmet faded away to reveal his face. The king held out a hand to Bucky. "I am sorry for not believing your innocence Sargent Barnes. You have my support". Bucky looked down at the extended hand then took it. They shook once. 

"It's alright". 

T'challa nodded then turned to Basil. "And you too, Corporal Parrish. I should have listened to your words with more empathy". 

"No much harm done. But if you could help us get some decent lawyers when this is over, then it would be greatly appreciated". Basil shrugged and also shook the king's hand.

"Consider it done". 

In his seat, Tony sighed. He looked round at them all and pointed sharply with a finger at Bucky. "You may be innocent but I still don't like you. And you", the finger rounded to Basil, who blinked at him innocently. "Are still a little shit and we're definitely having words later. And finally you", the finger landed on Steve. "We are definitely having words later. Ross still wants me to bring you all in but I guess that the charges will be much less now". 

"We'll deal with that when we come to it", Steve stated. "But first, we have to find Zemo". 

unedited