Steve and Bucky reunite after the events of Captain America 2. Bucky is still very cold, silent and distant and Steve begins dropping him off at therapy led by Sam, his newest best friend.

Sam does everything he can to help the quiet broken person that was formerly the Winter Soldier. However one day during a particularly intense session, Bucky goes into Winter Soldier mode and violently rapes Sam. Steve is the one who catches Bucky and manages to save Sam before "The Asset" deals him a fatal blow. Thus Steve finds himself torn between trying to save James Barnes, a man who might no longer exist.