A/N Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or names, etc in this story. All rights, etc belong to the good folks at Marvel.
"Sir, there is a rather dishevelled gentleman in the foyer." Jarvis's voice drifted over the intercom.
Tony didn't bother looking up from his work. He wasn't expecting any guests, or not that he could recall anyway. It was Pepper's job to manage his meetings. And there wasn't much point looking up as you would when another person entered the room since Jarvis wasn't really real. "Did he actually ask for me?" Tony asked.
"No, sir. He hasn't said anything yet. He's just standing in the foyer."
"Then how do you know he's here for me."
"I never said he was, sir. I just said that he is here."
"So, seriously Jarvis, are we just letting people walk in off the street now?" Tony asked, putting down the spanner.
"No, sir." Jarvis replied. "He forced the door."
"Oh, come on Jarvis," Tony said, getting exasperated now. Couldn't Jarvis see he was busy? "You can't just 'force the door'. Maybe Thor. Is it Thor in the foyer?"
"No, sir, it's…"
"No one can get in or out of the Tower without a pass. This place is more secure than Fort Knox. And if he did force the door, he's a security breach, not just some bloke in the foyer, ergo: why didn't you sound the alarm?"
"He has a metal arm, sir." Jarvis replied, as though that would answer of all Tony's questions.
"What?" Tony said, when suddenly it dawned on him. "Oh, shit."
"Perhaps you would like me to show you the video, sir?"
"Yeah, that'd be good. And you best tell Captain Rogers to get in here asap."
"Very good, sir."
Tony waited for a second before footage appeared on the screen of a man shaking the entrance door at the bottom of the tower, then giving it a huge yank and just ripping the whole thing off. "Oh shit." Tony muttered again. The screen then cut to the live feed of the man standing in the foyer. Tony had to admit he looked rather like a deer caught in headlights, unsure as whether to stay put or run.
"Hey Tony, Jarvis said I should…" Steve stopped mid-sentence, seeing the image on the screen.
"Is that who I think it is?" Tony asked.
"Bucky." Steve breathed and ran from the room.
"Jarvis, we need the elevator, now!" Tony called jumping up and racing after the Captain. "Cap, please don't take the stairs." Tony called, just as Steve reached the fire escape door. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. "It's 38 floors. Trust me, this is quicker." Steve nodded and jumped into the elevator with Tony on his heels. The doors shut and they started their decent. "Jarvis, activate emergency protocol number 2. Shut this place one in, no one out until further notice. You might as well tell them who our latest arrival is." As far as Tony was aware, all of the Avengers, plus a few hangers-on, were in the building, as was common for a Sunday afternoon.
"Wait, no." Steve said. "Don't shut the building down. If he feels trapped, he'll either try to run or attack."
"Ok, Jarvis, emergency protocol 2 for the building, minus the foyer. Leave that as is. 'S ok, Cap?"
"Yeah, sure. Fine." Steve said. "Tony, listen to me. Promise me that you won't try to talk with him. Just leave the talking to me. Don't approach him. Don't let him feel threatened." Steve paused. "Please."
"Aye, aye, Captain." Tony said as they descended the final few floors. Steve seemed ruffled by Bucky's sudden appearance, and that made Tony uneasy. How dangerous was this guy?
"Ground floor." Jarvis said, and the doors opened.
Steve and Tony stepped out of the elevator into the foyer. "Hi." Steve said tentatively.
Bucky tensed and turned to face them. They could almost see his mind racing, still trying to decide which of fight, flight or just staying put was the best option. His eyes were wide and his breathing heavy.
"Bucky, it's alright. You're safe here." Steve said, raising his hands showing he meant no harm and stepping slowly towards Bucky. The Winter Soldier just stood and stared.
"Hi. I'm Tony. You broke my door, but that's ok." Tony said, following suite and raising his hands.
"Please." Steve hissed, stopping mid-way between the elevator and Bucky.
"I know." Bucky chocked, staring at Steve.
"Know that this is my house or that you broke my door, or that I'm strangely ok about it?" Tony asked, coming up beside Steve.
Bucky ignored him, his eyes fixed on Steve. Bucky was now so tense that he appeared to be shaking. "I know everything." He said.
"Bucky…?"
"I know everything. Everything that happened. I think. Everything that I did. It all… it's all… I know what they did. I know. I think. I'm… I don't know." Bucky glanced around the foyer as though someone was about to pounce on him at any moment.
"Should we be…?" Tony began.
"Shut up."
"Yep, shutting up."
"Bucky, listen to me. You're safe here. We're going to help you. That's why you came, right?" Steve said.
Bucky glanced around frantically, as though looking for some sort of trap or danger or escape route or something. "I know what I did." He repeated. "I think - I know what I did."
"Bucky, you didn't know what you were doing at the time. But you're alright now. We can help you."
"I shouldn't have come." Bucky said, clenching his fists.
"You did the right thing. You did a good thing, coming here. It's alright now. We can make it be alright."
"No. I - I can't stay here." Bucky said. "I have to find them. They don't deserve - they - I can't let them…"
Steve took another step toward Bucky. "You can do whatever you like, Buck. How about you come upstairs with us and have something to eat, yeah?"
"Steve…"
"Yes." Steve couldn't help but smile as Bucky tested his name.
"I can't let them get away. With what they did."
"I know." Steve said.
"Is he talking about…" Tony began.
"Shh."
"Is that - do I know him?" Bucky asked.
"Howard Stark's kid." Steve said.
"Huh."
"Come on, Buck. Let's take the elevator. Jarvis, we'll put Bucky in the spare room on my level."
"Hey, who's house is this?" Tony asked.
"Very good, Captain." Jarvis said.
Upon hearing the disembodied voice, something inside Bucky seemed to flip. Within a second he was positioned to attack.
"Woah! Jarvis, where the hell did he pull that knife from?" Tony asked.
"Jarvis, don't respond!" Steve yelled. "Bucky, it's alright." Steve said, lowing his voice and took a step closer, hands raised. "It's just Jarvis. He's just a computer. It's ok, he scared me too. It's weird, I know, but you'll get used to it."
"What are you hiding from me?" Bucky asked aggressively, still posed to attack.
"Nothing." Steve said. "Honestly, Buck. I'm sorry, I didn't think." Steve forced a smile. "You can stand-down, soldier."
"I still want to know where he got the knife." Tony said.
"Shut up!" Bucky yelled pointing the knife at Tony.
It was then that Tony noticed that Bucky wasn't posed to attack at all; he was positioned to defend himself.
"Tony, go and wait in the elevator." Steve said, in his most 'I am totally done with you' voice.
"Ok, I'm backing up, Cap." Tony said, slowly walking backwards to the elevator. He heard the doors slide open and he stepped inside. The doors slid shut and Tony relaxed. "Whadda we know, Jarvis?" He asked, breathing deeply noticing that he'd been holding his breath whilst in the foyer, hoping to finally get some answers.
"About Sergeant Barnes?"
"Sergeant Barnes?"
"I ran a background check on the gentleman, sir, and I believe that to be his correct name and title."
"Yeah, well, whatever. Where'd he get that knife?"
"It was in his trousers, sir."
"Anything else in his trousers?"
"I'm not sure I understand, sir."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Has he got any more weapons, Jarvis?"
"No, sir."
"Didn't you tell me he was unarmed?"
"No sir. I said he had a metal arm."
"Huh. That's the one." Tony said. "What are they saying now?"
"Captain Rogers just asked Sergeant Barnes if he-"
"On the screen, Jarvis! No points for guessing who's getting a re-boot when I get back to the lab."
"Very well, sir." Jarvis replied, bringing up the live footage of the foyer on the screen in the elevator. Tony watched for some minutes while Steve talked Bucky into staying, as well as listing the names of all those staying in the Tower, their jobs, their brief backgrounds. That this place was safe. That Bucky was safe. That it would all be ok. Tony scoffed.
"You chose to come here, Buck. You can choose to leave whenever you like. You hear that, Jarvis? Don't respond, though. Bucky has the same clearance within the building as the rest of us."
"Steve, what if you can't help me?"
"I've never given up on a friend, Buck. Come on."
Tony wondered if Steve knew he was watching, as the conversation seemed so personal. The elevator doors slid open and the screen went blank. Steve gave Tony a look which made Tony aware that Steve knew he'd been watching after all. Tony gave him a nod. Bucky stepped apprehensively into the elevator.
"Going up." Tony said as the doors slid shut.