Chapter 13
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AN: Thank you to all who have added to alerts, read, reviewed or any combination of the three. It means a lot to me.
AN2: Thank you for your support. There is a note at the end of this chapter that is important that you read.
It has been a week since the man who terrorised both Skye and Clint's childhood was realised from a psychiatric facility and Skye is having her first fighting lesson with Natasha since being given the all clear. As what is quite usual because it is one way to avoid doing paperwork Garrett, Steve, Bucky, Sam, Tripp and Clint are also in the gym area doing different things as well. Pepper, Maria, Melinda and Coulson are up in the war room dealing with the latest problem and Fitz, Simmons, Tony and Bruce are in their lab areas doing different things. Simmons and Bruce are working on something together and so are Fitz and Tony only Fitz and Tony are being a lot more secretive as to what they are doing, which makes everyone worry.
Natasha is running through some of the things that she has already taught Skye when Melinda and Coulson walk in.
"Tash, we need to borrow Skye." Coulson tells his friend.
"What is it?" Skye asks curious walking over to her parents once Natasha lets her up.
"Your Mom and I are leaving for a mission." Coulson reveals, "Will you be okay?" Coulson asks his daughter.
"I'll be fine." Skye says at the same time Natasha asks, "What mission?"
"We've just got to go down to LA, for a couple of days." Coulson answers and both Skye and Natasha frown.
"Really, you're tracking down a couple of Hydra agents for Homeland?" Skye asks a minute later, "You better be careful." Skye tells her parents.
"We will." Melinda assures her daughter.
"Why are you doing it for Homeland?" Natasha asks curious as tracking down Hydra agents is what they do, but the for Homeland part is new.
"Because we need goodwill with the agencies, unless we all want to be arrested." Coulson explains.
"Like they could get past Tony's lawyers." Clint says walking over, "How many?"
"Two." Melinda answers.
"Want company?" Natasha asks.
"Nah, we're good." Coulson responds.
"Don't do anything stupid." Clint tells his friends.
"You know we they can't promise that." Natasha comments.
"I'll see you in a couple of days." Skye says hugging her parents.
"Be careful, and don't leave again while we're gone." Coulson says to his daughter as he hugs her.
"I won't." Skye responds.
"See you guys in a few days." Coulson says to the others once he finishes hugging his daughter.
"See ya." Coulson says and Clint and Natasha give them their, 'be careful, see you later' nod goodbye.
"Bye Baby Girl." Coulson says giving his daughter one more hug before he leaves the room, Melinda gives her one more hug as well before leaving as well.
"So back to training?" Skye asks her Aunt.
"Are you up for it?" Natasha asks.
"Of course." Skye responds and the pair head back over to the sparing mats and Clint heads back over to the archery area.
Due to the fact that everyone has gotten used to Coulson cooking for them everyone gets to the dining room expecting dinner only to realise that Coulson isn't there, which means food isn't either.
"I've ordered Pizza, it sound be here soon." Pepper comments amused.
"Does no one else know how to cook?" Bucky asks surprised.
"No one else is allowed in a kitchen once Phil's claimed as his own and he claimed this one years ago so it's better to just leave it alone." Clint explains.
"So does that mean we're going to live on Pizza until they get back?" Sam asks.
"No, take away." Tony explains.
"Right." Sam answers.
"Sam, Bucky, Tripp I wasn't sure what kinds of Pizza you like but between the rest of us we eat pretty much every type so I hope that's okay." Pepper comments.
"That's fine, I'm sure I'll find something I like." Tripp answers and Sam and Bucky nods.
"Well we always get a vegetarian Pizza that gets like two pieces eaten so you'll be fine." John tells him and Tripp nods.
"Did you get the cheesy bread?" Steve and Tony ask together.
"Yes I got the cheesy bread." Pepper answers and Tony and Steve high five causing Pepper and Bruce to roll their eyes as everyone else looks amused.
"You two are dorks." Bruce comments, and it's clear that Tony is about to say something but after a look from Steve he doesn't.
"Just wait until you try this stuff Buck, it's amazing." Steve tells his friend.
"You got regular garlic as well right?" Fitz asks.
"Of course, I got everything we usually get." Pepper assures them.
"Aunt Pepper, you are amazing." Skye tells her Aunt.
"You really are." Natasha adds as she has been trying with Skye most of the day resulting in her being very hungry.
"Ms Potts the Pizza is here." Jarvis says.
"Thanks Jarvis, I'm going to need help to carry it all." Pepper tells everyone.
"I'll help." Steve says walking over to the elevator.
"I'll go grab plates and cups." Skye tells everyone.
"I can help if you need it." Bucky offers.
"Thanks that would be good." Skye responds and the pair head into the kitchen.
"Now we have two men from the forties making us look bad." John comments.
"Or you could just try using your manners more." Maria tells her friend.
"I wouldn't say what you are thinking." Clint tells his friend.
"I second that advice." Natasha tells him.
"Listen for once John." Maria tells her best friend.
"Yeah, I might do that." Garrett says.
"Might do what?" Skye asks as she and Bucky walk back into the room. Skye carrying a pile of plates, Bucky carrying enough glasses for everyone.
"Nothing." Garrett answers.
"Yeah, I don't believe you." Skye tells her Uncle as Steve and Pepper walk out of the elevator, Steve holding a pile of Pizza's with some smaller boxes on top and Pepper holding several bottles of soda.
"Did you really need to get that much, I doubt we can eat it all." Tripp comments
"Says the man who can, and quite often, eats one and a half vegetarian Pizza's by himself." Garrett comments as all the food is put on the table.
"Tony put this at the other end of the table, it's the meatloaves with barbecue sauce." Steve says handing Tony over the top pizza on the pile.
"So what exactly do we have?" Sam asks curious.
"Two each of Cheese Lovers, Meatloaves with regular source, Ham and Cheese, Hawaiian, and Supreme, one Vegetarian and one Meatloaves with barbeque source." Pepper explains.
"Plus three garlic breads and three cheesy garlic breads." Steve adds.
"And hot wings." Skye adds, "You did get the hot wings right?"
"They're are right here." Pepper informs her opening a box up.
"Everyone hurry up and sit down so we can eat." Natasha says and everyone does what she says.
Twenty minutes later there are only a few pieces of pizza left which Bucky and Steve who aren't full yet are planning on finishing.
"Uncle Tony, is there any of that Ice cream from that place down the road left or am I going to have to make a trip?" Skye asks.
"You can still eat after all that?" Tripp asks, surprised as Skye ate quite a lot.
"I want Ice Cream, is there?" Skye asks.
"I picked up our regular order a few days ago, it hasn't been touched." Pepper informs her niece.
"Yay, Fitzy, help with the ice cream." Skye requests and she practically pulls Fitz up who grabbed onto Tripp as she did so he pulled Tripp along with them.
"So how different does Pizza taste from what you remember?" Clint asks Bucky curious.
"Not a lot, it tastes a bit better but it still the same." Bucky comments, "You were right about the Cheesy bread though, that was amazing." Bucky tells his brother.
"Told you." Steve responds.
"We have Ice cream for all, and my arms are freezing." Skye says placing several contains of the ice cream down on the table, "This is the only spoon that can touch the strawberry ice cream, because we really don't want Aunt Pepper to have a reaction." Skye tells everyone.
"Thank you Skye." Pepper tells her niece.
"What Ice Cream are these?" Bucky asks.
"All different types." Skye says and she explains what each of the ice cream combinations are.
"I'll try the s'moreo." Bucky comments, "Steve do you remember when we went camping?"
"You ate all the s'mores." Steve says with a smile.
"I did, didn't I." Bucky responds feeling bad about that.
"Then you threw up for an hour so I didn't mind." Steve reminds his friend, noticing the look he got on his face.
"Lovely thing to talk about when we just finished eating." Fitz says with a frown.
"Sorry." Bucky and Steve both say.
"You know what I haven't done in a really long time that would be fun right now?" Clint asks.
"What's that?" Tony asks interested.
"Pool." Clint comments.
"Well I guess it's a good thing we have a pool table here." Tony comments with a grin.
"You really have everything don't you?" Sam asks.
"Haven't you realised that yet?" Steve asks his friend.
"It's a problem he has, needing everything." Bruce comments.
"Hey, standing right here." Tony objects.
"Why don't you take everyone down to the games room and I'll clean up." Steve offers.
"I'll help." Pepper adds.
"Sounds good, people follow me." Tony says and everyone except Steve and Pepper head to the elevators, almost everyone holding bowls of ice cream as they do.
"I really hope they don't leave their bowls in the games room." Pepper comments.
"I'll remind them not to." Steve comments.
"How are you doing Steve? With everything?" She asks as they start to carry the ice cream back into the kitchen.
"I have Bucky back Pep, I have my brother back." Steve says looking at Pepper, "That's something I never thought, but he's hurting so much and I don't know how to help him. He always looked out for me, always, and now it's my turn to look out for him and I don't know how." Steve tells Pepper, tears coming to his eyes.
"Oh Steve." Pepper says and she just walks over and hugs him, wishing that there was more she could do.
"Pepper do you mind if I talk to Steve?" Bucky's voice says from the doorway.
"Of course, I'll pack up the rest of the pizza boxes." Pepper says ending the hug with Steve then walking out of the room patting Bucky's arm as she does.
"You've got to stop treating me with kid gloves Steve." Bucky tells his friend.
"I'm just trying to help." Steve tells him.
"I get that I do, but what I need the most right now is you treating me like how you used to, I need you not to treat me like I'm broken or that I can't handle something, because I'm already feeling like that." Bucky admits.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was making things worse." Steve says.
"You didn't realise because you've barely talked to me since I've been here." Bucky tells his friend.
"Yes I have." Steve corrects.
"You talked about me, and how I'm feeling but you haven't really talked about what is going on with you or anything serious." Bucky says walking over and sitting on the counter, "And I've let you get away with that." Bucky admits, "But I want to talk about you Steve."
"I was asleep for seventy years, there isn't much to tell." Steve admits.
"About that, what happened?" Bucky asks curious.
"Well that's a long story." Steve says and he explains how he ended up in the twenty fist century.
"Couldn't you have found a place to land?" Bucky asks his friend.
"Maybe." Steve answers.
"You're an idiot." Bucky tells him.
"I let you die, or so I thought, I thought I deserved it." Steve admits.
"I NEVER want to hear you say that again." Bucky informs his friend, "You got that?" He asks and Steve nods, "What happened to me wasn't on you. It wasn't on anyone, it was an accident and the after is on Zola and Hydra and the KGB, not you." Bucky tells him.
"I've missed you so much." Steve tells him.
"I've missed you to." Bucky responds and once more the brothers embrace, "Is there any beer in here or is it out with the rest of the alcohol?" Bucky asks curious.
"Bottom shelf." Steve answers as he sits down on the bench Bucky was sitting on.
"Sooo how long have you lived here?" Bucky asks.
"On and off since two thousand and twelve." Steve answers, "There was an Alien invasion Tony, Bruce, Clint, Natasha, a guy you don't know called Thor and I fought them back, Tony almost died, Phil did for a little while, and everything changed." Steve admits taking a drink of the beer that Bucky just handed him, even though Bucky already knows this he doesn't interrupt because Steve is actually talking to him about something, "Afterwards Tony offered me room here, I occasionally took him up on it but it wasn't until after we found out that Phil was alive and we met Skye and everyone else that I really moved in." Steve explains taking another drink of his beer "What's the story with you and Natasha?" he asks curious.
"She said you read the file?" Bucky says.
"Yeah, but that didn't give much detail." Steve admits.
"Well I was one of her, I guess trainers would be the word they would have used but I would say tortures. I helped her make her into a weapon and we had the least healthy relationship that there could be, actually I wouldn't even call it that." Bucky admits, "But we're friends now and we've put all of that behind us. I'm happy for her and Clint, she deserves someone who loves her, something good, and she's helping me come to terms with what I've done." Bucky admits.
"Good, I'm glad someone's' helping you. I'm here you know, if you want." Steve tells him.
"I've never doubted that." Bucky answers, "But I want you to be my brother again not a shrink." Bucky admits and Steve laughs at that.
"To being brothers again." Steve says pointing his bottle towards Bucky.
"To being brothers again." Bucky says and they toast, Bucky waits until Steve has a drink in his mouth before he asks what he has been curious about, "So what is going on with you, Tony, Pepper and Bruce?" Bucky asks and Steve almost chokes on the mouthful drink he is drinking.
"What do you mean?" Steve asks.
"I've seen the way you four act, and I know you, there is something going on." Bucky tells him, "Plus I asked Skye when we were talking on the balcony the other morning and she said you would tell me when you were ready." Bucky explains.
"When where you talking to Skye out on the balcony?" Steve asks confused.
"It was the morning that Yanklin was realised, it was like two am. Neither of us could sleep so we talked, I asked her what was going on but all that she said is that you would tell me when you were ready." Bucky explains, "And you are avoiding the question." He comments and then he notices that Steve is looking anywhere except at him, "You can tell me anything Steve, you know that." Bucky tells him.
"I don't want you to hate me, or be disgusted." Steve admits his voice barely above a whisper.
"Hey look at me." Bucky says jumping down from the counter and walking over so that he is standing directly in fount of Steve, "That could never happen, no matter what. You're my little brother Steve, I love you and nothing could change that." He tells him.
"I love them." Steve admits, "And they love me."
"There is nothing wrong with that." Bucky tells him, "So you're in a relationship with them." Bucky says realising that he is going to have to take charge of this conversation, which considering the time they are both from isn't surprising that Steve is having trouble talking about it.
"Yes, but it's kind of complicated." Steve explains, if he hadn't already made sure it would be oaky with Bruce, Tony and Pepper to explain all of this to Bucky at some point this would have been where he would stop talking until he talks to the others, because he would never break that trust, but because he does have permission he waits for Bucky's response before saying anymore.
"There are four of you, that's not a surprise." Bucky says making sure that there is no judgment at all in his voice, not that there would be.
"We're together all of us but Bruce is asexual, which means there are some aspects of his relationship that he isn't comfortable with and doesn't engage in." Steve explains.
"What does Asexual mean?" Bucky asks confused as it is something that he has never heard before.
"It means a person isn't sexually attracted to someone and has little interest in sexual activity." Steve explains, "There are different…degrees." Steve says trying to find the right word, "Of Asexuality Bruce says he is more of a Grey-Asexual than anything else which means he feels sexual attraction only after he has developed a strong relationship, but there is still a lot that he isn't comfortable with and we do don't push it because we respect him and his feelings." Steve explains, "I know it's an unusual relationship and it took me a while to accept it but I have, and I'm happy with them Buck, and I really do love them." Steve explains, wanting his best friend to understand, "I hurt them and by some miracle they forgave me, I nearly screwed everything up and I don't want to do that again." Steve explains.
"What do you mean you screwed everything up? What did you do?" Bucky asks curious and once again his friend avoids his eye, "Steven?" he asks in a stern voice.
"I didn't tell them that I was leaving to find you, I didn't even let them know I was okay after the fall of the Triskeilion, I had Natasha, Melinda and Skye do it for me." Steve admits, hating himself for it because at the time all he cared about was getting his best friend.
"You're an idiot." Bucky says simply, "So when we showed up here in the helicopter was the first time you had seen them since when?" Bucky ask.
"About a week before the Triskeion fell." Steve answers, "I was staying in DC because Fury had me going on a lot of missions and they came to see me." Steve explains.
"What about when you were hurt? Didn't you spend some time in hospital?" Bucky asks as he remembers how badly hurt Steve was when he pulled him out of the water, so he had to have spent some time in hospital.
"My location was so secret that not even Tony could find it, Natasha told me that it was decided that they wouldn't tell them where I was due to safety concerns, and I left as soon as I could. I didn't say goodbye."
"You're lucky they forgave you so quickly." Bucky tells his friend.
"I know." Steve responds a half smile clear on his face.
"How long have you been together?" Bucky asks curious.
"A year." Steve answers, "It was after Phil and Melinda's wedding, which of course didn't go to plan and, we just got back here and Pepper brought it up, she's the bravest out of all of us, she said that it was time, that we were going to have a conversation about what was going on between us." Steve comments, "So we talked and decided to see where things would go." Steve explains, "I'm guessing you know about Skye being de aged?" Steve asks and Bucky nods, "She spent time with us and it was when we looked after her that we got a lot closer and started to work as a team more and it just evolved from there." Steve explains and he becomes worried when Bucky hasn't said anything, "Buck?" He asks worried.
"You know I should have known you would end up with a Stark, a man ten times smarter than you and a woman who could easily kick your ass, it is your type after all." Bucky comments with a grin.
"Jerk." Steve tells him, "So we're good?" Steve asks.
"Of course." Bucky says putting an arm around Steve's shoulder, "Now I have a pool game to beat you at so come on." Bucky tells his friend and they leave the kitchen.
Across the country Melinda and Phil are set up in a little hotel room working on finding exactly where the Hydra agent's they are trying to find are.
"Have you found them?" Melinda asks as she returns to their hotel room with coffee.
"I think I've got a lead." Coulson says, "There are being smart about making sure they can't be traced, but after some help from Jarvis I've been able to determine that they go to the same place every day at the same time." Coulson says closing the computer.
"So ambush?" Melinda asks.
"Ambush, but we're going to talk first. I know Homeland said to shot first but I don't want to do that." Coulson tells her.
"I agree, that's why we've got ICERS." Melinda tells her husband.
"We're radio silent on this aren't we?" Coulson asks his wife.
"Yeah we are." Melinda answers as she sits cross legged on the bed, "You're worried about Skye." She comments.
"So are you." Coulson tells his wife getting up from the chair and walking over to her.
"I really am." Melinda confirms.
"It's just a couple of days." Coulson says sitting down behind Melinda and starting to massage her shoulders to help her to relax.
"Don't get confident Phil, you know what happened last time you did." Melinda tells her Husband.
"You're never going to let me forget that are you?" Phil asks as he puts his head on her shoulder.
"Never." Melinda answers giving him a kiss.
Back at the tower everyone is in the games room almost finished the first game of pool which is between, Natasha and Clint and Garrett and Maria, when Bucky and Steve finally join them again.
"Finally, I was going to send out a search party." Tony says when he sees them.
"We were talking Tony, nothing to worry about." Steve says as he walks over to him.
"Oh, about what?" Tony asks curious.
"Everything." Steve says with a grin, "He told me that he didn't want to be treated with kid gloves anymore that he wanted us to be brothers again, that he wanted us to talk so I told him everything." Steve says.
"I'm guessing he took it well." Bruce says as he and Pepper walk over.
"He did." Steve confirms.
"And you were worried." Tony says with a grin.
"Can you blame me?" Steve asks.
"No." Pepper answers, "But you've told us everything about you and Bucky you shouldn't have expected anything different." She says and she hugs Steve and within a second Bruce and Tony join the hug as well.
Across the room Skye is sitting by herself because Tripp is versing both Fitz and Simmons in air hocky and she didn't really feel like joining in when Bucky walks over to her.
"So I'm guessing he told you." Skye says as Bucky walks over.
"Yeah he did." Bucky says as he walks over and sit next to her.
"And?" Skye asks.
"I'm happy for him. He deserves what he clearly has with them." Bucky answers, "So why are you sitting her by yourself? I though you would be joining in." Bucky comments.
"I would, but I can't, I'm trying to work something out." Skye explains.
"Anything I can help you with?" Bucky asks curious wanting to help the girl who helped him, "It usually helps to get fresh eyes on a problem." He points out.
"Okay, let's try fresh eyes." Skye comments after a few minutes of thinking "Let's say hypothetically you knew that something was going to happen to someone you care about, they were going to be hurt but not a seriously and it would cause a fight with someone else that you both care about, not a serious one just a little disagreement, and you could warn them but in doing that the only outcomes would be the people you care about not being hurt but a lot of innocent people would, what would you do?" Skye asks curious, "Hypothetically of course." She adds.
"So one of you parents are going to get hurt on the mission that they are on and it will case a fight between them, and you could warn the and stop that from happening but if you did the Hydra agents would hurt a lot of innocent people, am I right?" Bucky asks.
"Yeah, you're right, but I did make that kinda obvious about what I was talking about." Skye says.
"You really did." Bucky responds.
"I don't know what to do. I hate this, I hate having this knowing and knowing that there is no right answer. Whatever I choose will get people hurt and that will be on me, I don't know what to do." Skye says before getting up and running out of the room without another word to Bucky. Due to the fact that everyone else is focused on what they are doing no one notices her leave.
Bucky realises that Skye needs help, but he also realises that he doesn't know her well enough to be the right one to help her so instead he walks over to the pool table.
"Sorry to interrupt." Bucky says when he walks over.
"It's no problem, what's up?" Natasha asks.
"Skye needs you." Bucky says looking directly at Clint.
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AN3 IMPORTANT PLEASE READ!
Many of you may think that the Steve/Bruce/Tony/Pepper relationship is coming out of nowhere but it's not I had actually been planning it since the original trilogy but I hadn't decided on the specifics so I only hinted to what was going on. If you read from Family, you will see subtle hints of their being something more to their relationship. Read the newest chapter of Missing Moments to find out how it all happened.