Redeemer

CoffeeAndConjunctions

ii. In Which Promises Are Made

He hadn't moved far from the still form of Bucky since the Quinjet had taken off, their ETA was down to three hours, Sam's voice is soft when he speaks despite the fact that the man on the stretcher couldn't be awoken by a sixteen piece band let alone his voice.

"Hill's on the line Steve, needs to talk to you."

His sharp senses catch the spike in Sam's scent, speaking to Hill always puts Sam on edge, no doubt it was the nonsense tones she seemed to default to.

"Can it wait?"

He's hesitant to leave his Beta's side. Afraid if he turns his back he'll be gone again.

Scoffing the dark skinned man crosses his arms and lifts a brow at the question, "If you want Hardass Hill to hear a 'no' its gonna come from your mouth Cap, you heal faster."

"Sam." He pitches his voice in a soft reprimand, "Agent Hill is capable woman, a valued colleague and I doubt she'd appreciate that particular moniker."

"Uh-huh, yet even with all of that you still don't ask her out."

Sighing Steve rises from his seat, laying a hand on Sam's shoulder as he passes him by, eyes flickering to Bucky in a silent question which is answered by the younger man taking up his vigil. The cockpit of the quinjet doesn't afford much privacy but he know's Sam's loyalty is unquestionable and has been ever since they started this journey together.

"Agent Hill."

Clip and cool her voice comes through the line he's patched into his com, "Captain," she says by way of greeting and he can practically hear the salute in he words though she's never performed the action "Wilson tells me your search has finally borne fruit."

It'd taken him sixteen months of on and off again searching but it was worth it to finally say the words, "I'm bringing him home." theres just the quiet sounds of her exhale on the line for a long moment.

"Are you really?"

A growl he hadn't meant to let escape fills the silence of the quinjet, he hears Sam shift his body—angling it towards him but ignores it in favor of glaring down at the control panel.

"Steve, I know you don't want to hear this-" her use of his name is rare, he is always Captain and she is always Commander "-but the man you knew might not be the man you are bringing here. I know what Barnes means to you and what you would risk for him, but are you going to ask everyone at the Compound to risk the same?"

"I'm not asking."

"I know." She replies not missing a beat, "The same way you know you wont have to, despite it all they trust you but I want you to remember that Barnes is not your only friend and that my priority is the safety of the Team. Are we clear, Captain?"

"Of course, Commander."

"Good, I will have Medbay ready for your arrival."

After scarfing down breakfast with Jane and the Science Bros, Darcy makes bids them goodbye at the elevator and it is a testament to how tired she is that there is not even a half hearted threat to see themselves to bed as well because she knows it'll be ignored and she barely has enough energy left to walk.

She can't be bothered to make it to bed so she curls up on the couch and drapes the afghan over her legs and surrenders herself to sleep. Or she would have if J.A.R.V.I.S hadn't piped up right as she was about to succumb.

"Miss Lewis, priority call from Commander Hill."

Natasha's face betrays nothing but Clint knows better then to ignore the twitch of her jaw. Putting down the ax he's been using to splinter logs he wipes his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Nat?"

"Rogers is bringing Barnes. Hill wants us to report to the Compound."

"For what, moral support?"

"I think she has something more physical in mind."

"Will you be okay?" Clint knows about Barnes the way he knows about everything else, they have no secrets between them and it is her single greatest achievement—also her biggest fear.

"It was a long time ago. Who knows what he remembers."

"That wasn't what I asked." Stepping close he invades her space and comes to sit next to her, looking out into the horizon.

"My past is mine, but it's not me." Her eyes flicker black for a moment as memories surface before she pushes it all back down. She needed to be more careful, her powers had been on the fritz lately, harder to suppress.

He nods but doesn't turn to face her, "Banner will be there too, most likely."

Fingers fly over the keys of the phone, sending back a reply to Hill, "If I'm really lucky Barnes will go full Terminator and kill me before I have to do the awkward 'sorry I pushed every boundary of our almost relationship and fucked it all up' conversation."

"Again?"

"What is the appropriate number of apologies to reach?"

"If he doesn't understand why then fuck him—now I like the good Doc myself but you've done enough on that end."

"The apologies aren't about him."

"Sentiment still holds."

Dark brows furrow down at the phone again, deeper this time, he catches it out of the corner of his eye.

"Hill wants us to bring in Lewis."

"No."

"Clint-"

"Fuck. No. She's a kid and you all shouldn't have let her do it to me."

"It was her choice to make."

"Only because you gave her one."

"We need Rogers. Rogers needs Barnes."

"We can't ask her to do this Nat."

"We aren't. Hill's apparently already secured a yes. Wheels up in twnety."