Hi, everyone! Thank you for all the follows, reviews, and kind words. I appreciate it! Sorry my update is late, I was in Oregon for a week visiting family. Special thanks to Singer of Water for all the props! I hope you all take the time to read, review, and enjoy!

-Mandy


Today, Bucky could hardly contain his excitement.

He was packing, happily whistling a tune while folding his clothes and putting them in a duffel bag. He seemed to float, a smile plastered on his face, reaching his eyes, as he whistled an Elvis Presley song. That had been his latest craze; Steve introducing him to the artist a week ago. Today, he, Maggie, Steve, Natasha, and Sam were all flying on Tony Stark's private jet (well, one of them) to Atlanta, where he would meet (or, see) his sister, Rebecca, her daughter, Gail, and her sons, Billy, Mike, and Peter. They would all be there, all to see him. His nieces and nephew, Arlene, Edith, and Thomas, were coming in to Atlanta tomorrow morning. He would be reunited with his family.

Steve and Maggie tagged along because Steve knew Rebecca and Bucky's nieces and nephew, and Maggie knew Rebecca originally because of Steve. Sam tagged along because, as Bucky found out, Sam was originally from Atlanta, and was going to see his own family while he was there. And Natasha, Bucky gathered, was going because Steve was going, and couldn't seem to bear going more than a day without making googly eyes at him.

Or, at least that's what Bucky had jokingly told Maggie.

Still, he was excited—so excited that he had made breakfast that morning, went on a run, walked Woola, and was even caught singing in the shower by Steve. Bucky didn't care, however. He was going to see his family. Today, that's all that mattered, and no one could steal that happiness from him. He could hardly contain himself, it seemed. He was going to have all of his favorite people in one place, and he would spend four days in the company of his long lost sister. Maggie had showed him how to use face time on his new iPhone (which Tony rolled his eyes at), and he had been able to face time with Rebecca several times. She seemed to have a handle on the technology, while he was still coming to terms with the fact that polio had been eradicated and the microwave would not, indeed, kill him. He remembered more each day, which Cecilia was absolutely thrilled about. He had been medication free for a week, and had even been sleeping better. Doctor Williams was impressed as well, and their once dance-around-the-subject therapy sessions were now more jovial, the two slowly becoming more gregarious and cordial toward each other.

Bucky had finished packing everything he would need, and their plane wasn't leaving for another seven hours. He couldn't help it, he was so excited he felt as if he might burst. He hadn't felt that way in so long that the excitement and giddiness were foreign, and at first it bothered him. However, now, as he heard Maggie in the kitchen making lunch, he didn't care. He was in a delightful mood that seemed to infect everyone else around him.

He walked into the kitchen, seeing Maggie making tomato salad and pesto pasta. She had down time lately, and had taken to cooking quite often. She listened to the country music coming from the speakers on the counter, what Bucky recognized as Shania Twain (because Maggie loved listening to that singer), and tapping her cowboy boots on the wooden floor. Bucky remembered his mother listening to the radio in the kitchen, and his father dancing with her when he would come home from work. His mother would always blush, laughing loudly, and his father would smile. Seeing Maggie brought back those memories. Without thinking, Bucky walked into the kitchen behind her, pulling her to him and grabbing her hand, dancing in time to the song.

"Bucky!" Maggie exclaimed, laughing, "What's this about?"

"We're seeing Becky today!" Bucky replied, "I feel like dancing!"

"Well that sounds wonderful." Maggie said, letting Bucky spin her around. She sang along to the song, making Bucky smile as the twang in her voice came out.

"Well I'm not lo-onely anymore at night, and he don't know-ow that he can make it right..." Maggie sang as she and Bucky danced, her cowboy boots making noise as they made the contact with the floor. Bucky seemed to float, remembering old steps that he used with different partners years ago. The song faded out, and another began, this one with heavy fiddle and banjos in the background. It was slower, but Maggie didn't let go of him, but instead began singing—loudly—as Sam came in with his bags, and groaned audibly at the music.

"Oh my God, not Wagon Wheel!" He whined, stalking off down the hall. Bucky laughed, rolling his eyes as Maggie mouthed the words.

"Is there a country song you don't know?" Bucky asked.

"Nope." Maggie replied, singing the chorus of "Wagon Wheel" at the top of her lungs. The song stopped, and Natasha and Steve walked in, sitting down at the table and shuffling cards, both staring incredulously as Bucky and Maggie continued to dance along to Etta James' "Tell Mama".

"You guys are so sweet you're giving me cavities." Natasha teased, setting up a game of Texas Hold 'Em for her and Steve. Since Bucky and Maggie had gotten back from New York, they noticed that Steve and Natasha would play almost anything. Rook, Kinasta, chess, checkers, Battleship, Risk, various card games, and at one point, even Trivial Pursuit. It seemed they were spending all their free time competing against each other, and Maggie, Bucky, and Sam currently had a pool going for how long they'd keep it up. So far, Bucky was winning, because he reasoned that, "Steve was the most stubborn punk he'd ever met and couldn't stand losing to anyone", while Maggie was in second place, claiming that "Natasha didn't believe she could ever lose at anything ever."

"Wouldn't kill y'all to have some fun every now and then, Nat." Maggie joked, laughing as Bucky played "Burning Love" by Elvis Presley and began singing along while helping Maggie with lunch.

"I don't think I've seen Bucky dance in seventy years." Steve said, eyeing Natasha, "You're in a good mood, punk."

"You bet I am, jerk." Bucky replied. He was surprised how quickly dancing around came to him, like he'd known how to do it at one point in his life.

"Well," Sam said, walking into the kitchen and stealing a cherry tomato from the bowl, "I hope you guys don't mind me buying us tickets to the Braves game."

"Braves. Psh. They're no Dodgers." Steve grumbled.

"Would you stop it? There are no more Dodgers. Well, they exist, but they aren't in New York." Natasha said.

"Which is a shame, let me tell you." Bucky said, waving a fork around.

"Well, I was never one for baseball, except for the Braves." Maggie said, "Mom was from Kennesaw, and we went every summer to watch the Braves play and see her parents, after they moved over to Smyrna."

"Apparently Becky's husband used to be the coach, and he owned half the team or something." Bucky mused. Sam sat up, a grin teasing his features.

"What's his name?" Sam asked.

"Frank Walker." Bucky replied.

"The Frank Walker? Your sister married that guy?!" Sam asked excitedly, "He was like, one of the greatest coaches ever!"

"Well that's good to know." Bucky replied, "Glad she didn't marry some punk."

"Oh, he was like, the coach. Braves had an undefeated season, won the World Series. When he died, the state of Georgia lowered the flags to half mass. He was like, the hero of Georgia." Sam explained. Bucky couldn't help but be proud; Rebecca had a good head on her shoulders.

"You get to meet his wife and kids tonight, Sam," Natasha said, "Careful not to freak out too hard."

"It certainly changes things." Sam teased, sitting back in the kitchen chair. Once Maggie and Bucky finished lunch, they cleaned the kitchen, and Bucky was trying earnestly to distract himself until it was time to leave. He had done every bit of dirty laundry in the apartment, cleaned every surface, walked Woola three times, went for two six-mile runs, and watched the entire first season of The Walking Dead before it was time to head to the airport. He was practically walking on clouds. The day couldn't have been better if it tried. Bucky was ridiculously and utterly happily.

Maggie had noticed his excitement, and she was happy for him. She knew how much this visit meant; and more importantly, she knew what it meant to Rebecca, too. When Maggie had called her, informing her that SHIELD had for all intensive purposes collapsed and that Steve was in ICU, Rebecca hadn't even hesitated; she and her daughter, Gail, caught the first flight to Washington DC that they could. She held a vigil at Steve's bedside, even after Gail went back to Atlanta and returned to work. That was when Maggie had told the older woman that Bucky was alive; that he was the one that put Steve in the hospital. At first, she wouldn't believe it; Bucky died seventy years before. He wasn't alive. He couldn't be.

But then, Maggie showed Rebecca his Russian file. Maggie read it for Rebecca, and then Rebecca finally understood the gravity of the situation. She understood that Bucky wasn't the Bucky she'd known as a child, the older brother that took care of her. He was a shell of his former self, someone that she probably wouldn't even recognize. She'd asked Steve to look for him first; Maggie was hesitant to take on the challenge, however. Bucky had almost killed her when he attacked her, Steve, Natasha, and Sam on the bridge, removing the steering wheel from Sam's car and shooting Natasha in the shoulder. Maggie hadn't come out unscathed, either. He'd broken three of her fingers and dislocated her shoulder, but she would never, ever tell him that. He didn't need to know. All he needed to know was that she'd searched for him for eight months and found him in the Smithsonian. Truthfully, she'd found him before that, but she didn't approach him until that day. He wasn't ready; he was too unstable and too filled with anger to be reached. She waited until the timing was right, and then she sought him out. She'd promised Rebecca and Steve that she would bring him back, and she did. She did was Nick Fury, Tony Stark, and even Steve Rogers couldn't: she'd found him.

Maggie was excited for Bucky. Since he'd begun to remember, since he'd visited Brooklyn and had many of his memories return, he'd recalled more and more memories of a younger, fiery little Rebecca, who followed Bucky everywhere he went. Maggie learned from him that, while he was close to Martha, John, and Beatrice, but Rebecca was his darling little sister from the second she was born. He had been completely wrapped around her finger, and he wasn't sorry about it. He'd taught her how to walk, how to ride a bicycle, and how to read. Maggie had seen photos of the two, photos that Rebecca still treasured. Even after losing him, she kept his memory alive. She loved him just as much as she did the day he left. She'd even named two of her sons after him; William James (whom they called Billy), and Michael Buchanan. Maggie admired the woman; who not only was extremely successful but had produced four successful, well rounded children. Maggie was happy that Bucky was finally getting to see them all. He deserved it.

She was proud of the progress Bucky had made. Certainly, he had his own setbacks; crowds still bothered him, as did small, enclosed spaces and loud noises, but his nightmares and sleepwalking had subsided and he was friendlier. He didn't shy away from conversation. He had surprised Maggie greatly that morning, dancing with her in the kitchen. He had never been that jovial and carefree, nor had he smiled that much. However, Maggie couldn't say she minded; she rather enjoyed it. She loved Bucky's company.


Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they were getting ready to leave for Atlanta. The group drove to the airport, to the private hanger where Stark's jet waited for them. Bucky couldn't remember flying, though Maggie assured him it would be fine. They didn't really have much trouble, though Maggie and Steve both worried that he might have a meltdown at take off or landing. Thankfully, since it was a private jet, he could move around and move closer to people as he felt the need, and Maggie was able to calm him. It was a shorter flight than Bucky expected, and as they landed in Atlanta International Airport, a smile seemed permanently affixed to him, and he couldn't wait to get out of the plane. As they came to a stop, he could hardly contain himself. Maggie smiled, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze.

"You ready?" She asked. Bucky nodded fervently, his blue eyes shining brightly.

"More than ready." He replied, anxiously waiting for the door to open so he could get out and get to Rebecca.

After what seemed like forever, Bucky was bolting out the door, down the steps, down to where he could see a group of people gathered. His people. His family.

He bolted down, waving his metal arm furiously at the group. He could see Rebecca, and she was waving, too. She seemed to nearly run to him, her daughter following closely behind her. Bucky ran to meet her, picking her up and hugging her tightly, spinning her around as a lump grew in his throat. Neither said anything; he just hugged her tightly, like he used to do, when he was a young man and she was a pig-tailed little girl.

She'd obviously changed, though.

She was still beautiful to Bucky; she same blue eyes and high cheekbones he possessed, but her hair was now silver, almost white. For a seventy-nine-year-old woman, she still stood straight, her slender frame carrying an almost perfect posture. Her smile seemed to light up the now-dark Atlanta sky, the chilly December air now surrounding them, causing her to wear a thick red coat and black scarf. She looked like a rich woman, but her smile said she was still the little girl from Brooklyn.

"Oh, Bucky!" She cried, tears falling from her eyes, "I've missed you! You're here!"

"Becky! You grew up." He said, pulling back to look at her, "But you look gorgeous, doll. You look like mom."

"Thank you, dear." She said, wiping her face, "You...Haven't changed one bit. Except for the arm. I believe that's new."

"Yeah, yeah it is." Bucky said, "Not part of the original version."

"It's you all the same," Rebecca said, "That's all that matters."

Bucky smiled at her, noticing that now Steve, Maggie, Natasha, and Sam were getting off the plane. They smiled, all looking at Bucky as he waved them down.

"I brought my misfits with me." Bucky joked.

"I know! Hi there, Stevie!" Rebecca exclaimed, waving, "And you too, Maggie dear!"

"Hey there, Becky-bug." Steve said. Bucky smiled, another lump growing in his throat. That's what he and Steve had called Rebecca when she was little.

"Hi, Dr. Walker." Maggie said shyly.

"Hush that! You call me Rebecca, or Becky, or anything but that!" Rebecca said, jokingly scolding Maggie. Another woman—Gail—walked up behind Rebecca, smiling widely at Bucky. She looked quite a bit like Rebecca, with the same nose and blue eyes. She was middle aged, with silvery hair cut in a pixie cut. She, too, had the same kind smile and her mothers posture, but she was a couple of inches taller. If Bucky were being honest, she looked a bit more like his mother than even Rebecca did.

"Bucky, this is Gail. Gail, this is your uncle Bucky." Rebecca introduced. Gail walked forward, pulling Bucky into a hug.

"I've heard so much about you, Uncle Bucky." Gail said, "You look younger than I am!"

"I get that a lot." Bucky replied, laughing, "It's good to meet you, Gail, really."

Soon, three men walked forward, all smiling.

"Bucky, these are your nephews: Billy, Mike, and Peter." Rebecca said, pointing to each one. They each took their turns hugging Bucky, two of the boys looking like his father, while one looking completely different, perhaps like Rebecca's late husband. However, all four siblings bared a striking resemblance, and there was no doubt they belonged to Rebecca. After several minutes of happy reunions, the group went to the cars, Rebecca's four children riding in one and Rebecca taking her own SUV to pick up Bucky, Steve, Maggie, Sam, and Natasha. She informed them that they would be going to her house, where her daughter-in-laws and grandchildren had dinner ready. Bucky hadn't been prepared for the amount of effort she'd put in to welcoming him, but he enjoyed it. Most of all, he was just happy to have his sister there with him. He was ridiculously happy about that.

They arrived to a swanky Atlanta suburb, Buckhead, and Bucky had to pause at the scene. The house was huge, like one of those houses in those magazines Maggie kept around the apartment. It was decorated beautifully, with matching paint and pictures in fancy frames. Bucky was honestly in awe.

"Geez, Beck, a mansion?" Bucky asked.

"You know how many grandkids I have? Fifteen. Fifteen grandchildren. And they love coming to stay with Grandma. Plus my great nieces and nephews. I've got kids out the wazoo wanting to stay with me. I need the room!" Rebecca exclaimed.

"Well, I love what you've done to the place, Becky." Maggie said, smiling.

"Thank you, dear." Rebecca said, sitting down. Everyone sat down for dinner, and Bucky couldn't remember a time where he had felt more normal. Everyone was catching him up on family events, he was enjoying himself. Maggie was, too. To a certain extent, Steve, Rebecca, and Natasha had all been family to her, where her own family had failed. For her, this was everything she could have wanted. For Bucky, this was the happiest point in his life.

After dinner, everyone stayed up late, talking and laughing. Gradually, everyone went to bed. Maggie was one of the last to turn in, as she had stayed up with Bucky and Rebecca talking. As she returned to her room, however, her phone started to ring. She didn't recognize the number, but figured she should answer anyway.

"Margaret McGee, who is calling?" She answered.

"Awfully formal, don't you think?" The voice from the other end of the line replied. Of course Nick Fury would call from an unknown number.

"Oh. Hello, Director Fury." Maggie said.

"I take it you're enjoying Atlanta?" Fury asked.

"Of course. Can I ask why you're calling?" Maggie asked.

"We found a massive HYDRA cell. In Siberia. We need all of you." Fury explained.

"All of us? Even me?" Maggie asked.

"Especially you. Besides Natasha and Barnes, you're the only one who knows Russian. We need you all. Civilians are involved." Fury said, "We need all hands on deck."

"Why now? Have you even told Rogers or Romanov?" Maggie found herself growing flustered, though she had no idea why.

"Yes. I have. We'll let you all enjoy your time in Georgia, but we need you here a day early. We're close to finding Loki's scepter. We're calling in everyone." Fury replied.

"Who is everyone?" Maggie asked.

"You. Barnes. Rogers. Stark. Romanov. Thor. Banner. Barton. Rhodes and Wilson will provide backup if necessary." Fury explained, "Can you handle it? Tell me now."

"Yes sir." Maggie said, without thinking, "I take it that Stark will provide our transport?"

"As per usual. Rogers is team leader. I want you second in command." Fury said. Maggie hadn't expected that.

"Why me?" Maggie asked.

"I need someone that won't lose their cool. I need someone that will do whatever Rogers asks and not question it. That's you." Fury told her.

Maggie paused, "But what about Barnes? Or Romanov?"

"He's come a hell of a long way, but you and I both know he's not ready yet." Fury said, "When he's ready, he'll be Rogers' right hand man. Romanov is great, but she needs to work on playing well with others. "

"Alright, sir. I'll do my best." Maggie said.

"Good. That's what I like to hear." Fury replied.

"But sir, the second Barnes is capable, he's in charge. I'm not completely ready, but I'll do my best."

"Understood, McGee, that's all I ask. Enjoy yourself. Have fun." Fury said.

"Thanks, sir. Take care." Maggie replied, hanging up. So they were heading to Siberia in three days time. All of them. This was not what she wanted to hear. She didn't believe Bucky was anywhere close to ready, and she really didn't believe Banner needed to Hulk out. She didn't like seeing that happen, and she had no earthly idea how the entire group would get along. However, this was her job. She had to do it. She didn't have any other choice. She had to play the hand she was dealt, though she would have preferred to spend her time in Georgia with Bucky and his family. She hoped that it would turn out for the best, instead of the million different ways she imagined it could implode.


The next three days seemed to pass quickly for everyone, especially Maggie. She enjoyed watching Sam get excited over the Braves memorabilia in Rebecca's possession (she also loved watching Sam's reaction to sitting in the press box at the game). She loved watching Bucky go through family photos. She loved watching Gail teach Natasha how to make fried apple pies. She enjoyed being in the company of people who weren't SHIELD agents. Most of all, she liked seeing Bucky (and Steve, for that matter), happy. Maggie, more than any of them, seemed to dread the upcoming mission. Bucky observed it; she looked absolutely petrified to go out into the field, to deal with HYDRA. However, she said nothing, and everyone wondered if she was actually okay to do it.

Bucky didn't want to leave his sister, but she had agreed to join him in three weeks time, barring any instances in which he was called away. She seemed apprehensive, and warned him about climbing on any trains, but supported him. Before he walked out the door, she caught him, pulling him close so that no one would hear their conversation.

"Watch out for Maggie, okay?" Rebecca asked. Bucky smiled, laughing slightly.

"Everyone says that, you know." Bucky said.

"Bucky, dear, you don't have any idea. She's a sweet girl, but she's no soldier. Look out for her." Rebecca didn't say anything else.

"I will, Becky." Bucky promised. She kissed his cheek as he walked out the door, headed to the airport where Tony Stark's jet would pick them up and take them straight to Avengers Tower. It was a good thing that Maggie had already sent Woola to stay with Cecilia, otherwise the poor dog would've been there alone for who knew how long. They arrived at the tower in under two hours, and upon arrival, Bucky was already thrown for a loop. There were new people. And he would be on this mission, working with all of them. Should he be working with people? Should he even be on this mission? How could they be sure that he wouldn't revert back to the Winter Soldier and kill everyone?

"So, as Patchy the SHIELD Director explained to all of us, we're going to Siberia, folks." Tony said, pulling up a large, floor to ceiling display of the HYDRA base and intel.

"According to our information, this is a HYDRA R&D base, which has ties to Von Strucker." Steve explained, "He's been experimenting on the locals. But we know for a fact that they've been supplying the funds and arms for a terrorist outfit out of Yemen."

"So, when we get there, what will our jobs be?" Bruce asked.

"Good question." Steve replied, "Barton, Romanov, you two will hack into the main frames and get any information you can find. Tony, you'll secure the perimeter for them, disable the firewalls so they can get the information onto portable hardrives. Bucky, Thor, you're with me, we're going to destroy any ground forces we find. Maggie, you're going long range, we're setting you up with the sniper until you can join us on the ground. Banner, you'll standby in case of a Code Green. Sam, Rhodey, both of you are aerial support, but do not engage unless instructed. Everyone know their jobs?"

Everyone nodded.

"Alright. We'll be heading out in t-minus six hours. Bucky, Thor, Tony, you three won't need parachutes. The rest of you, make sure you have them. The rest of you, meet and greet your new teammates. These guys will have your back." Steve said. He turned around to go look over files, and that meant Bucky was left to his own devices. He had to admit, he was actually nervous. He had never been nervous before. But now, in the company of demi-gods and master assassins (and Tony Stark), he was actually anxious. And then, he noticed Thor, the god of thunder himself, walking toward him.

"Ah! Here he is! The subject of Steven and Maggie's many quests! I am Thor, it is a pleasure to finally meet you." Thor exclaimed, patting Bucky roughly on the back, a large smile lighting up the man's entire face.

"Yeah. Yeah. That's me. I'm Bucky." Bucky introduced himself.

"Captain Rogers speaks highly of you. As does Maggie." Thor said, "It is an honor to fight alongside a mighty warrior, such as yourself."

"Thanks, big guy," Bucky replied, "But I gotta say, you're quite the legend yourself."

"Aye, but you!" Thor exclaimed, "You are also quite prolific!"

Bucky wasn't sure what to say, and just as he was about to run, Clint walked over.

"Hey, Thor, stop scarin' him, alright? The guy's nervous."

Well, at least Clint could observe.

"Oh. My apologies, Sergeant Barnes. It was not my intention." Thor apologized.

"It's alright. Just new to this, that's all." Bucky replied.

"Hey, everyone's nervous at first. Hell, I'm still nervous sometimes. Nat and Maggie brag about you, though, so this should be fun. Clint Barton." Clint said, extending his hand. Bucky shook it, nodding.

"So, how long has it been since you were in Siberia?" Clint asked.

"A while." Bucky answered.

"Well, this should be a hell of a trip. We've got ya, though, Sarge. Don't worry." Clint said. There was a sincerity in the man's eyes that made Bucky instantly trust him. Bucky nodded, and then went over to find Maggie, who was cleaning her sniper rifle, a modified CheyTeck Intervention, and loading her revolvers.

"You look like Annie Oakley." Bucky teased, as Maggie began putting the gun back together.

"I am Annie Oakley." Maggie replied, her tone trying to be light but still filled with dread.

"If this gets to much for you, if you get too worked up, you just say the word, and I'll come find you." Bucky said, "I want you safe."

"I'll be fine," Maggie assured him, "I just...Haven't really been in a situation like this since..."

"New York?" Bucky asked. She shook her head 'no'. Bucky understood then.

"Since me, right?" He probed. She looked at him, her eyes dark and sorrowful. She didn't have to answer, her eyes told him what he wanted to know.

"Be honest with me, Mags," He said, "What happened?"

Maggie sighed, "We were driving, we had a SHIELD officer, Jasper Sitwell, in the car. He was giving us intel. You stopped us. You..." She stopped for a moment, to catch composure, "You ripped him out of the window, threw him out. Then, you ripped the steering wheel out of Sam's car."

Bucky gulped, he couldn't remember that.

"Then, you went after us. Natasha and I took off, went down the bridge and we were trying to keep you away from Steve. You'd thrown Natasha into a car, and I shot you in the arm, the metal one. You came after me." Maggie went on, "See this crooked finger? The doctors couldn't fix it."

"Oh my God." Bucky groaned. He'd wondered why that finger was crooked, though in the few months he'd known her, he'd never bothered to ask.

"You shot her. You got me in the arm, but it was just a graze. You were trying really hard to kill us. Next thing I know, the next day you're pulling Steve out of the Potomac, staring at me with these wild eyes, but I could tell you knew who Steve was." Maggie explained, "But the thing is, I almost lost Natasha. I almost lost Steve. And Sam. And you almost killed me. I guess I'm nervous because I just...I've seen what HYDRA can do and I don't know if I can beat them."

"We can beat them. You're not alone." Bucky promised.

"That's true." Maggie replied.

Bucky pulled her into a hug, squeezing her tightly.

"I mean it, Maggie. If you need help, you let me know. I will come find you. I will make Sam get you out of there." Bucky said.

"I will." Maggie said.

They were all ready now, boarding the Quinjet and getting ready for take off. Communication devices were in place, weapons were loaded, and everyone knew their jobs. They arrived ten hours later, landing outside a small Siberian village in the Ural Mountains close to Kazakhstan and preparing to get as close to the HYDRA base that they could.

"Everyone remember their jobs?" Steve asked. Everyone nodded.

"Alright. We'll regroup here once the job is done. Anyone run into any problems, say so."

"Understood." Everyone said. Maggie set up at a vantage point in the bell tower of the large church at the edge of town and set her scope (modified by Tony Stark) to calculate for any targets. The HYDRA base was set up at the mine in the mountains, and Maggie was ready in her position. She watched Clint and Natasha sneak in, and then she watched Tony in his suit come flying past. However, there was a force field around the mine, which knocked everyone back and alerted HYDRA troops.

"Maggie, status report. How many do you see?" Steve's voice came through.

"Twelve so far. All armed. More near the mine." Maggie replied, "But twelve are coming your way."

"Alright. Nothing we can't handle." Steve said.

Maggie watched as Steve, Bucky, and Thor fought the initial twelve troops, and the fifteen more than came out after them. Maggie picked off several that were waiting on the men, and then picked off five more that were waiting on Natasha and Clint.

"Bucky, on your right!" Maggie called. However, before Bucky could turn around, Maggie had shot the man running right in his direction.

"Thanks." Bucky said over the communication device.

"No problem." Maggie replied. It seemed that everything was mostly clear, Tony had disabled the force field and Clint and Natasha were inside. The perimeter was mostly secure, so Maggie dismantled her gun and climbed down from the bell tower, preparing to join Steve, Bucky, and Thor on the ground. She put the rifle on her back, and walked with her hands on the holsters around her hips. She was armed to the teeth, just like everyone else; except she looked like an extra from a Mad Max movie rather than a SHIELD agent.

"Did you pick 'em all off?" Steve asked, throwing his shield to hit three trees, knocking down six HYDRA soldiers in the process.

"Of course." Maggie said, removing a .44 Magnum revolver from the holster on her hip to shoot three HYDRA soldiers, her eyes still trained on Steve and Bucky.

"You're good with those." Bucky said, throwing a grenade into a small munitions hold, coving his ears as the explosion went off.

"You're not so bad yourself." Maggie said, "Natasha, are you guys in yet?"

"Yeah, we're in." Natasha said, the sounds of fighting and screaming coming through the communication devices, "Just tying up a few loose ends."

"Alright. We're right behind you." Maggie replied.

The group made their way through the woods, taking down HYDRA soldiers in their wake, Bucky and Maggie in the back while Steve and Thor led the way. Occasionally, some HYDRA soldier would be picked off by Rhodey or Sam, and Tony had disabled the force field and made his way into the depths of the mine, searching for weapons. Steve, Thor, Bucky, and Maggie made their way up to the base of the mine, waiting for Natasha and Clint to finish stealing HYDRA files so they could get back to the jet.

"Natasha, you could hurry up any time now!" Maggie screamed, shooting a HYDRA soldier who was coming straight for Bucky. Before she could turn around, another soldier grabbed her from behind, catching her off guard. Bucky saw it happen and began to panic, but before he could reach her, she head-butted the man, then used her momentum to flip him over her shoulder. Then, she grabbed the soldier's arm, dislocating it before knocking him out.

"You alright?" Bucky asked, grabbing a metal bar and hitting another soldier in the head with it.

"Never better." Maggie replied, picking the lock of one of the doors that just happened to lead to a file storage room.

"Do we need these papers?" Thor asked.

"Yes. If they're here, take them." Steve ordered. Bucky and Maggie gathered all the important files they needed and Maggie found one in particular—one that had red lettering and was written in three different languages—that caught her eye.

"Guys, you're gonna wanna take a look at this." Maggie said. The three men (and Tony who had managed to sneak in) walked over to her.

"What is it?" Steve asked.

"It's—it's HYDRA's newest experiments. They're enhancing people. They're making soldiers." Bucky said.

"It still does not tell us where Loki's scepter is." Thor said, "That is why we're here."

"Yeah it does." Tony said, "These files will give us a paper trail. We follow the trail, we find Von Strucker, we find the scepter. We get to put an end to these little raid parties."

"Then we take the files." Thor said, "And we put an end to this madness."

"Maggie, you get the files. Bucky, cover her. Nat, Clint, are you guys ready?" Steve asked.

"Coming to you now!" Clint said. Maggie could hear them running, and soon they arrived, warding off HYDRA troops as they came. Maggie grabbed both pistols from her hips, shooting as many as she could before having to reload. Then, she took a grenade from her belt, and lobbed it forward, yelling for everyone to take cover. The explosion cleared them a hole from which to escape, Sam and Rhodey piloting the Quinjet and meeting them right outside the mine.

"Get in! Everyone, now!" Steve ordered, waiting for everyone to enter. HYDRA troops were still following them, firing at them. Maggie was the last in line, shooting behind her, but one HYDRA soldier managed to shoot her in the leg, sending her to the ground.

"Maggie!" Bucky screamed, picking her up and carrying her to the jet. Once inside, they wasted no time in taking off, Bucky trying to apply pressure to Maggie's gunshot wound to stop the bleeding. Tony noticed immediately, and began to panic.

"JARVIS, notify Dr. Cho—We've got a gunshot wound. She may need the full treatment." Tony said, "How she looking?"

"Bleeding, pretty badly." Bucky said, "A little help here, Dr. Banner."

Bruce hastily walked over, assessing the damage, and began to look for an exit wound.

"Ah, dammit, she doesn't have an exit wound." Bruce groaned.

"Well it hurt like a sonofabitch!" Maggie exclaimed through gritted teeth. She was still bleeding, and the wound stung!

"We're gonna have to remove it. How long till our ETA?" Bruce asked.

"A few hours still. We're gonna have to give her some sedative, see if we can at least calm the bleeding down." Tony replied.

Bucky took off his belt, tying it around Maggie's leg as tightly as he could to get the bleeding to stop. Maggie leaned back while Rhodey—who had turned the piloting over to Sam—came to inspect.

"I gotta call Cecilia, let her know." Rhodey said, sitting down next to Maggie, "You'll be okay. It's not that bad."

Maggie groaned. Sure, it probably wasn't that bad, but it felt awful. It stung worse than a million fire ants, worse than laying down in a wasps' nest. It felt like someone had poured acid underneath her skin, and she could feel blood leaving her body. She could feel her pulse in her leg. And the more she moved, the more it hurt.

"Yeah, yeah, not that bad. Maybe we don't tell Cissy till Dr. Cho looks at it?" Maggie suggested, wincing. Rhodey held one hand, while Bucky held the other. Bruce was applying pressure, and hooking her up to an IV sedative.

"You know your sister is gonna find out, Mags." Rhodey replied, "And I don't want her mad at me when she does find out."

"Well, let's hope these meds kick in soon. This actually does hurt a little." Maggie winced. Bucky felt for her, but she was taking it like a champ. The sedatives had begun working, and she drifted to sleep. Bucky stayed by her side, while Rhodey called Cecilia and let her know what was going on. Bucky knew she'd be alright, but he still worried. He worried about everyone, he supposed that was part of his personality.

"She's been shot before, you know." Natasha said, sitting next to Bucky.

"I know. It looked like it hurt though." Bucky said.

"Of course it did, it's a gunshot." Natasha replied, looking at her wounded friend who was asleep.

"I told her I'd keep her safe." Bucky whispered, trying to keep his voice low. Natasha sighed heavily, looking at the man.

"You know you can't promise that." Natasha said.

"But I tried." Bucky said, "She's not a soldier."

"You're right," Natasha agreed, "She isn't. She's more of a spy. Actually, she's more of an intelligence specialist if you want to get technical about it."

"She wasn't ready." Bucky argued.

"She was ready. She was terrified, but that's the thing about McGee. She's brave when she has to be. Fury needed her to be brave so that's what she did. This is an occupational hazard. You know that. You have a metal arm to prove it." Natasha replied.

"Could've killed her." Bucky huffed, sitting back. He was still clutching Maggie's hand, not taking his eyes off of her.

"Be honest with me, Barnes, this isn't just about her, is it?" Natasha asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"This is about you. You care about her."

"Of course I do," Bucky said, "She's my friend. She gave me a place to stay, she talked me out of offing myself. I owe her. "

"Barton is a friend," Natasha replied smoothly, "But I've never been this concerned about his fear of job performance."

"Maybe it's because I worry about her?" Bucky suggested, "Thought of that?"

"But why do you worry about her? You've seen her take down guys twice her size—hell, she took on you, Barnes, and you're enhanced—she can handle herself." Natasha argued.

"She's my friend, like I said." Bucky said, his cheeks growing warm, "She's there for me, just like Steve."

"But would you be sitting by Steve's side, holding his hand the entire flight back?" Natasha asked. Bucky looked down; he knew what Natasha was getting at, understood what she meant.

"You know damn well I would, but you're not talking about that, are you? You and I both know that there isn't any room for...what you're talking about in the business we're in." Bucky replied.

"Just because there isn't any room for it at the start doesn't mean we can't make room in the future." Natasha said.

"You telling me you've made room?" Bucky asked. Natasha looked down.

"I'm not saying I have or that I haven't. All I'm saying is that there's room for it. And if you're this worried about her, maybe there's a reason." Natasha argued.

"Same reason you're suddenly playing Texas Hold 'Em with Steve until three in the morning?" Bucky replied. Natasha's face grew emotionless, before she finally spoke.

"If you say one word..."

"What am I? A little schoolgirl? Come on, Romanov." Bucky said, slightly insulted, "But maybe, instead of trying to constantly beat Steve at Battleship, you could, I dunno, ask him out?"

"I thought you were from the forties?" Natasha smirked.

"From the forties, not dead." Bucky replied a little sharper than he meant to, "You're secret's safe with me."

Natasha gave a nod, before walking off to sit next to Steve and Thor, and go over (mainly translate) several files they had recovered. Maggie was still out cold, and Bucky leaned in to check her pulse. She was steady, her breathing and other vitals were relatively calm. They'd tried to keep her from moving, so she wouldn't injure herself further, and Bucky tried to keep himself from thinking she was seconds away from death. The woman had been in a coma before, Bucky thought to himself, surely she could survive a bullet to the leg.


They arrived well past dark, Dr. Cho and Cecilia meeting them on the landing pad at the top of Avengers Tower. Maggie was still heavily sedated, which allowed Dr. Cho to rush Maggie back and remove the bullet from her leg fairly quickly (while Cecilia aided the operation, of course.) Bucky waited impatiently while Maggie sat in the regeneration cradle, still dazed, and had her leg repaired. Finally, as the procedure was almost complete, Maggie started to wake up, and Bucky was relieved.

"I feel a lot better now that I don't have a bullet in my leg." Maggie said, laying on her left side, her right leg being repaired.

"Don't we all?" Tony asked, handing her a raspberry smoothie.

"I know I always feel better when there isn't a bullet in my leg." Clint said, throwing darts into the wall, hitting a perfect bullseye every time.

"It looked rough." Bucky said, pulling up a chair to sit next to her.

"It felt rough." Maggie said, "Good golly miss Molly, I forgot how much it hurts."

"Good golly miss Molly?" Bucky asked, repeating the phrase.

"It's a phrase Cecilia used to say," Maggie said, "Speaking of which, where is my favorite sister-physician?"

"Went to grab dinner with Rhodey. Or, that's the excuse she gave us." Bucky replied, winking.

"Oh, gross! That's my sister!" Maggie exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, she married Rhodey, so get used to it." Tony replied, fiddling with some kind of hardware he had been tinkering with.

"So, doc, when can I use my leg again?" Maggie asked.

"As soon as this finishes. Which it should, in about twenty minutes." Dr. Cho replied. Maggie nodded, and looked at Bucky.

"Where are Steve and Natasha?"

"Up in our guest suite watching a movie."

"So that's what they're calling it." Clint teased. Bucky had to laugh at that one; apparently he wasn't the only one who had picked up on whatever was going on with Steve and Natasha.

"Can you not, Barton?" Maggie asked, laying her head back on the cradle head rest.

"Stop being so easily offended." Clint replied. Bucky had to smirk, the man was quite snarky. Bucky liked that.

"How long was I out for?" Maggie asked.

"A few hours. Bruce fed you full of horse tranquilizer to get you to settle down." Bucky replied, taking a sip of juice he'd swiped from the refrigerator.

"Yeah, I knew that." Maggie said, "You get your belt back?"

"My pants are still up, aren't they?" Bucky teased. Honestly, he was just grateful she was awake and talking. He didn't want anyone to die on his watch.

"Very funny, Bucky." Maggie laughed, "Hey, Tony! Maybe you could make yourself useful and wrangle some grub?"

Tony gasped dramatically, putting a hand on his chest, "Useful? I made it possible for you to carry your wild west revolvers on missions on the first place, ma'am!"

"But that serves me no good when I'm hungry." Maggie whined.

"I'm getting you shawarma." Tony replied.

"No! Anything but that!" Maggie groaned. Bucky furrowed his brows. Tony was constantly going on about shawarma and Maggie seemed to hate it.

"Fine. You're getting Thai takeout." Tony said.

"Good. All this gunshot wound is making me hungry." Maggie joked.

"I'll be back." Tony said, walking out, "Try not to flatline while I'm gone!"

"I'll do my best!" Maggie called, watching him leave. Bucky watched Maggie—who looked utterly exhausted—smile and joke. He was hungry himself, but hadn't thought to go get food.

"Whatcha thinkin' about, Bucky?" Maggie asked, her accent prevalent.

"Nothing, really. Just tired." Bucky lied. He was thinking about a lot of things. About her bleeding in the back of the jet. About her being shot. About feeling helpless. About how HYDRA was making more Winter Soldiers. More people just like him, broken and lost. Maggie seemed to gather that he wasn't going to tell her, and changed the subject.

"First time I was shot was on a mission to Columbia." Maggie suddenly said.

"Oh?" Bucky asked.

"Yep. I'd gone there to find some ancient remains of some tribal ruins. I was pretty deep into the South American jungle, and I was with a few other HAAALO agents, and this guerrilla soldier comes out of nowhere and shoots me in the shoulder. It hurt, but I was so mad that he'd shot me that I shot him back." Maggie explained.

"Yeah? That the only time someone shot you?" Bucky asked.

"Nope." Maggie replied, "I was on a mission to Papua, New Guinea, and I'd been neck deep in uncharted territory—I'm talking a month of radio silence—and this tribe I found tried to eat me. I was able to talk my way out of it and they liked me after that, but when I got to the city, that's when my problems kind of escalated."

Bucky was intently watching her now, as she continued,

"See, in the cities, they have these groups of guys, called Raskols, and they just go around causing trouble. These guys see a young girl, and she's obviously not from the area, and they tried to kidnap me! When I got away, this guy shot me in the arm. So, naturally, I threw a knife into his hand."

"You live life on the edge." Bucky said.

"Been shot three more times after that. Once, in Budapest when Natasha, Clint, and I had to stop a civil war from breaking out, once when Natasha and I were really trying to get you away from Steve, and then today. I have a habit of attracting firepower." Maggie replied.

"I'll say." Bucky muttered. He hated thinking that he had once tried to kill Maggie.

"Ah! There she is! You are awake!" Thor exclaimed, entering the room. Bucky watched as the man seemed to glide over to Maggie, smiling. His voice boomed, Bucky thought.

"I am. And Tony is bringing us all food! It's a good day." Maggie replied, giving Thor a wide smile. Bucky had to admit, he didn't like seeing her in that...contraption, but he did like her smile.

"You fought like a true warrior. If you had indeed died, you would have been taken to Valhalla with the Valkyries." Thor said. Bucky shot him a dark look, causing Thor to backtrack.

"But, of course, I hoped that you would not perish, and it is awful that you were injured..."

"Thor, it's okay. I'm fine." Maggie laughed, you guys worry too much.

"You were shot!" Bucky exclaimed, "I feel like I am doomed to be friends with little blonde people who can't seem to back away from trouble."

"Steve isn't little anymore." Maggie corrected.

"Well he was once!" Bucky said, "And I'm surprised I didn't die of a stress ulcer."

"Yes, Captain Rogers still likes to...as you all say, live dangerously." Thor added, his face the picture of innocence.

"Hasn't changed in seventy years. And you're no better, Miss "Let-me-go-looking-for-big-scary-assassins-with-metal-arms"." Bucky said, pointing his finger at Maggie, who stuck her tongue out.

"You love me." Maggie teased. Thor laughed, as Bucky rolled his eyes.


After a few more minutes, Dr. Cho informed Maggie that her leg was completely healed and she could walk on it, much to Maggie's relief. Tony had brought a massive amount of Thai takeout for everyone, and Maggie enjoyed her dinner with everyone, including her sister who had returned. Everyone had agreed to stay at Avengers tower for a day or so, to catch up on rest and to go over intelligence, so that meant that Maggie and Bucky would be spending the night. Bucky didn't mind, but he knew Maggie didn't really like sleeping in the tower. Natasha and Steve had, apparently, gone on an ice cream run, and had been gone an hour. Clint said he had something he had to do, so he'd left. Thor, Tony, and Bruce were watching television, Sam had gone to bed, and Rhodey and Cecilia had gone to bed as well. That left Bucky and Maggie on the couch, Maggie propping her feet up in Bucky's lap.

"I am tired." Maggie admitted, "It's been a long day."

"It's been a really long day." Bucky agreed. He did the math, and they'd been up for roughly forty-eight hours. Bucky could feel the stubble on his cheeks; he needed to shave. His hair had grown out, he hadn't bothered cutting it since the first week he'd lived with Maggie. She'd mentioned something about liking his long hair, so he figured, why not? Yes, it bugged him, and he wouldn't admit to trying to impress her, but he figured that yes, that's what he was doing. Maggie's own eyes looked tired, though she still smiled. Her slightly tan skin looked a little paler, and she'd pulled her hair back into a bun. Since they'd all come straight from Georgia to the tower, Bucky had a suitcase full of clothes. Maggie had stolen one of his shirts and a pair of his shorts. He wasn't complaining; he was even contemplating letting her keep them.

"I just hate sleeping here. Tony's whole "open concept floor plan" sucks." Maggie complained. Bucky laughed slightly, running a hand through his dark hair.

"It's...Definitely not what I prefer." Bucky admitted.

"What do you prefer?" Maggie asked.

"Your place."

"Our place." Maggie corrected.

"Our place, then." Bucky replied, smiling.

"I like our place." Maggie said.

The two sat there, talking, for over an hour. It was getting late, and gradually everyone had gone to bed. Tony was the last to turn in, when Pepper came up and drug him to bed. Maggie and Bucky had waited for Steve and Natasha to return, but so far it seemed that the two Avengers had decided to play hooky and stay out late. However, Maggie could no longer keep her eyes open, and had fallen asleep before Bucky could suggest she go to bed. Bucky picked her up, carrying her to her room, walking past the room he was sharing with Steve. As he walked past, he stopped in his tracks, looking at one of the queen sized beds in his room, Steve's bed, that held a sleeping Natasha and Steve. For once, Natasha actually looked peaceful, and so did Steve, who in his sleeping form had one arm draped over Natasha's waist. Bucky's eyebrows raised, before he looked down at the small sleeping form of Maggie in his arms, and carried her to her own room. The one she was supposed to be sharing with Natasha. He didn't think she'd mind if he stayed in that bed, so Maggie wasn't alone. He pulled back the covers to Maggie's bed, laying her down and tucking her in. Then, he laid down on the other bed, kicking his boots off and breathing deeply. He looked over at the sleeping woman across from him, and he felt a moment of peace. Maggie was okay. He thought about Natasha and Steve (who he was going to ask in the morning about how in the hell they managed to sneak in), and he supposed that, Natasha and Steve had made room. They'd made room for something, whatever it was. As long as Steve was happy, Bucky thought, he didn't care. Maggie was his friend. He'd die for her, no questions asked. She was kind and she made him laugh, and she made him forget (sometimes completely) that he'd ever been controlled and used by HYDRA. When she took walks with him and spoke to him, she made it seem like they'd been friends for years and that he hadn't at one point tried to kill her. She was strong and she was brave and Bucky loved that about her.

And as she stirred slightly, waking up, Bucky sat up, watching her, waiting for her to say something. Instead, she got up, saying nothing, and crawled into the bed next to him. He was startled, but scooted over to let her in.

"I don't want to be a creep." Maggie said, "But I don't like sleeping in the tower."

"I know." Bucky assured her, "Just get some rest, doll."

"You too, Bucky." Maggie said, yawning and falling back to sleep. Bucky stared at the young woman who's head was currently on his chest. What was she to him? What was any of this to him?

He was Maggie McGee's friend. He was Steve Rogers' friend. He Rebecca's brother. He was an Avenger. He was a war hero. He was a lot of things. He was no longer the Asset, the Winter Soldier, or HYDRA's mindless puppet. He had friends. He had family. He could feel. He could think. He could make his own choices, his own decisions, he could do anything he wanted.

So, because he could, he squeezed Maggie tightly, and he closed his eyes, because he wanted to go to sleep. Like Natasha said, he could always make room for these kinds of things. It seemed to him, though, that he'd already done it.