I Know A Guy... Author's Notes:
Steve Rogers paced back and forth in front of the trapped Bucky Barnes, all nervous energy. Those four simple words "I know a guy" had both given him hope and made him nervous. Sam had been right, they couldn't go to Tony anymore; but Steve didn't know Sam's friend. Where Bucky was concerned, Steve couldn't be too careful. He would do everything in his power to protect his friend. Steve trusted Sam; the newest Avenger had proven himself to be loyal and reliable time and time again. If Sam trusted this person, certainly Steve and Bucky could trust him too. Steve stopped and turned to face Bucky, a concerned frown settling on his face. "How are you doing Buck? Sam's friend should be here soon and we can all get out of here," the blond asked gently. The last think he wanted to do was set Bucky off.
The brunet shrugged as best as he could with his metal arm caught in a vice but he kept his face hidden behind his long locks. He didn't know what to say to Steve. The former HYDRA assassin was torn between shame and anger. Being trapped so easily like he was, unable to fight his way out, made him ashamed of himself and angry with Steve and Sam. However, he also felt relief. He was caught and could stop running. He wouldn't have to worry about HYDRA and anyone else coming after him. Bucky knew that he could be himself, could figure things out with Steve's help. "I'm fine," he said softly, looking away as Steve smiled in relief.
"We'll get you out of that and out of here, but you have to keep calm, Buck. The world… it's not like in our day. Things are different now… complicated," explained the original man out of time, running a hand through his blond hair. He didn't know how much Bucky understood about the current events happening, everything going on surrounding people like Steve and Bucky.
"They're in here. Thanks for coming out here on such short notice, man. I appreciate it." Sam's voice echoed down the hall, the sounds of footsteps drawing closer. Both Steve and Bucky tensed, ready for a fight if they needed to. "You're the only person I thought of that could help."
"Glad to be of service to Ry's wingman." Steve and Bucky shared a look of surprise at the sound of the second voice.
"Hey now, I think it was the other way around," chuckled Sam as he walked back into the room with Steve and Bucky.
"Sure Sam, sure," came the reply followed by a chuckle. Steve and Bucky watched as a dark haired young woman stepped into the room just behind Sam, a playful grin on her face. She took in the sight before her, one dark eyebrow arching in amusement. "Damn Sam, you're into some kinky stuff aren't you?"
Sam snorted as Steve blushed faintly and Bucky just looked away. "Nah. Just playing superhero. You know how it goes."
"I thought you said you knew a guy?" Steve asked as he looked between Sam and the woman.
"I'm that guy," the woman said as she approached Steve and extended her hand to him. "I'm Emily and I must say it is an honour to meet you, Captain."
Steve shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you too, ma'am," he said though he eyed her skeptically.
"Really Sam, you gotta step telling everyone I'm one of the guys," Emily threw over her shoulder at the Avenger.
"Steve, this is the best mechanic in these parts. She can fix the damage done to his arm and she's got a place we can lay low for a few days until we can get everything figured out," the Falcon explained to his partner.
The woman nodded her head before pulling a hair tie from her pocket and pulling her hair back. "Only because Riley went off to play soldier," she added before she stepped around Steve and approached the incapacitated Bucky.
"Riley?" Steve asked Sam as Emily passed by him.
Sam nodded as he watched Emily stop in front of Bucky and give him the once over. "His kid sister. Before he died, we promised to look out for the other's family. Riley left behind Emily and their parents. Been keeping tabs on her since I got back while working at the VA in DC," he explained as Steve turned to watch Bucky and Emily's interaction as well. He glanced up at Steve, dropping his voice. "She's gifted, Steve. Everything going on with Stark makes me worry about her."
"I promise we won't let anything happen to her, Sam."
Emily crouched down so she was eye level with Bucky and the metal armed man just fixed her with a hard stare, hiding all of his vulnerabilities. Despite Steve being able to easily trust and accept the woman in front of her, Bucky was still skeptical. Trust did not come easy to him after everything he had been through. He also didn't know what exactly the woman could do to help him. His arm was a piece of high tech machinery that only HYDRA knew the ins and outs of. "I'm gonna look at your arm now, okay?" she told him as she stood back up to her full height. "So Sam, you wanna let this guy go so I can get a better look at that arm?" she asked without turning to look at Sam and Steve, missing the worried look they exchanged.
"Yeah, sure Em," Sam finally agreed. He went to release Bucky's arm from the vice while Steve hovered close behind. He was ready in case Bucky lashed out. Emily moved around to stand behind Bucky. "Good luck," Sam added before stepping away from Bucky's freed metal appendage.
Emily quickly reached out and grabbed Bucky's metal arm, pushing the sleeve of his shirt up as far as she could. Her actions caught the dark haired super soldier off guard and he let out a growl before ripping his arm away from Emily. He whirled on her, his eyes filled with icy anger. His actions had Steve closing in on himself and Emily, ready to lock the arm back into the vice. Emily looked a little surprised but then her expression softened. She reached out, lightly touching Bucky's flesh hand and looking him in the eye. "It's okay, you can relax. You want to relax and let me help," she cooed softly.
Bucky narrowed his eyes and glanced down at where her small, delicate hand was touching his, her finger tips cool to the touch. Despite his best efforts, Bucky felt himself relaxing as she spoke to him. "What the hell are you doing to me?" he tried to growl at her. Emily snatched her hand back and Bucky felt the odd sensation her words had caused to dissipate. "What are you?"
Though her voice stayed gentle, Emily's expression hardened considerably. "Just a woman trying to do a solid for a friend," she replied curtly.
"We, Sam and I, know you have a gift," Steve spoke up. Emily's expression went from stony to panicked at Steve's words. "Please don't be frightened. We'll protect you," he added quickly. Emily looked from Bucky to Steve to Sam, who nodded at her.
"If this gets it, if they come for me... My folks don't know. I only ever told Riley! People will think I'm a monster," Emily said as she regarded Steve carefully. "I already am a monster," she added in a half whisper, looking down at her feet. She missed the look on Bucky's face but Steve did not. It was a sentiment Bucky had expressed after he'd been caught in the vice.
"Just get to work on the damn thing and quickly," Bucky grumbled, pulling his shirt over his head. Emily's head shot up as she looked at him. Her cheeks turned bright pink as she saw he was removing his shirt. "Give us some space, punk," he added and tossed his shirt at Steve.
"Jerk," Steve muttered under his breath as he motioned for Sam to follow him and leave Emily and Bucky.
Emily approached Bucky once Steve and Sam were out of ear shot, gently touching and prodding his metal arm like it was something fragile. "Looks like it hurts," she said without meeting his gaze.
"Some days," Bucky replied as he watched her handle the arm that was responsible for so many deaths like it was glass.
"I can fix the metal for sure, probably some of the machinery inside it too… even if you don't believe I can," Emily assured him, finally looking up at him. "You can deny it, but I can tell how you feel."
"Are you enhanced?" Bucky asked her. He'd encountered some of HYDRA's enhanced experiments before he left them.
"I'm… No, I was born like this," she admitted softly as she dropped something to the ground. Bucky looked down and noticed it was a bag. He wondered how he'd missed it on her arm. "I'm an empath, like that Twilight character," she added quickly. She was met by a blank stare from Bucky. "I can pick up emotions, influence them if I'm making contact with a person."
"Your hand got cold when you did it," he stated and received a nod from the woman as she rooted around in her bag. She pulled a few tools out and motioned for Bucky to sit on the floor before joining him.
"It was hard when my abilities first showed up. I was terrified and my own emotions were all out of sorts," she explained as she began to work on Bucky's arm. "Except for my brother, I shut everyone out. I began to doubt how they felt about me, thinking I was influencing them and that their own feelings weren't real."
Bucky nodded slightly as he watched Emily work. He noticed how her tongue poked out slightly as she concentrated on his arm. She worked quickly and efficiently, giving off the feel of someone who knew her way around tools and machinery. "Were you?"
"Maybe, I don't know," she replied, glancing up at Bucky. "I told you, I'm a monster." She worked quietly for a while, knowing Bucky was curious about her. She was thinking of the right way to explain everything to him without revealing too much. There were so many people she needed to protect. With the government's renewed interest in people everyone who was special back on lists and registries, Emily knew it wasn't safe to be open with the things she could do or the people she knew. "I got some help, learned to control it. I have to be careful with my own emotions all the time, kinda like the Queen from Frozen. I mean, if I get into a state and touch someone… well, let's just say it could be fatal for the other person."
"You've killed before," the former assassin stated softly. He watched as Emily bit her lip and focused all her attention on his arm. He didn't need her to speak her answer; her body language spoke volumes. "I have, too. That arm is a reminder of what I've done, what I can do."
"I know. You're the Winter Soldier. Sam filled me in a bit."
"But you didn't mean to kill. I… it was my job. For seventy fucking years," Bucky rasped, feeling his anger rising again. If there was anyone in the room who was a monster, it was him.
"It's hard, isn't it?" she asked softly. Bucky gave her a questioning look. "Being a monster and being drawn to good people like those two," she clarified, motioning to Steve and Sam with a wrench.
"I… yeah…"
Emily gave Bucky a sad, tiny smile before she went back to work on his arm in silence. After what seemed like ages, she set her tools down and got to her feet. "Okay big guy, you're in working order again. Hey Wingman, you and the good Captain ready to blow this place?" she asked as she packed away her tools. Bucky flexed his metal arm as Sam and Steve turned to look at him and Emily. "I'm starved. There's enough room for y'all in my car. My place isn't far from here and there's no neighbours for miles."
"Thank you, ma'am. I know you're putting yourself in danger by helping us," Steve said, his voice full of gratitude.
"Hey, I'm on your side Cap. You got a lot of allies if you need them, just say the word. Any friend of my brother's wingman is a friend of me and mine," Emily told him with a grin. She glanced at Bucky. "How's the arm feel?"
"Better," he grumbled as he approached Steve and grabbed his shirt back.
"Buck, you really should thank the lady," chided Steve.
"We're good," Emily said, brushing Steve's concern off before striding by the three men and heading out of the room. "Again, let's blow this pop stand!" she called over her shoulder.
"She's almost nothing like Riley," Sam spoke before he, Steve, and Bucky began to follow Emily out.
"She's strange," Bucky muttered.
"Looks like she fits right in with us," chuckled Steve, only to receive a half-hearted glare from Bucky and a nod from Sam. Regardless of what each of the three men thought of Emily, each of them knew they would do anything to keep her safe.