Falling apart has proven itself to be cause for arranging something new. - Unknown
They arrived at the CIA base in Berlin in record time thanks to the police convey that keep the streets clear. The base was crawling with heavily armed soldiers as Aphrodite, Steve, Sam and T'Challa stepped out of the van and were led inside. Bucky's cage following shortly after his entire body was clasped in heavy restraints, keeping him locked in a sitting position in the center of the cage as several soldiers drove the cage off in a small forklift.
In the cage Bucky looked over at Aphrodite with a resigned sort of expression and she did a quick scan of him and the cage alike, "The restraints are shocking him." Aphrodite whispered to Steve who stiffened then also looked over at the cage. Bucky looked at him before looking away as he was taken off in a separate direction, and Steve turned forward to see Sharon standing with three guards beside a well-dressed man that was obviously her boss.
Steve marched up to the man, demanding flatly, "What's going to happen to him?"
"The same thing that ought to happen to you." The man answered equally as flatly tossing a hand towards them. "Psychological evaluation and extradition."
"This is Everett Ross," Sharon introduced meekly rocking back on her heels and nodding her head towards the man, "deputy task force commander."
Steve didn't care, not acknowledging the introduction as asked Ross firmly, "What about a lawyer?"
"Lawyer," Ross snorted, "that's funny." He smiled mirthlessly, before turning to his nearby guards, "See to their weapons are placed in the lock up. Oh, we'll write you a receipt." He added mockingly.
Steve glanced to the side as the guards from the van carried off his shield and Sam's suit and wing pack. Sam snarled as he watched his suit being taken away before he threatened, "I better not look out the window and see anybody flying around in that."
Ross didn't bother to answer giving Sam a look that said he was less than amused by the threat as he simply turned, walking off and clearly expecting them to follow. The three of them did, as did T'Challa who had remained quiet and observing. Steve looked back over his shoulder once last time. Bucky had been watching them and the interaction, and his eyes met Steve's just as heavy doors closed on him, locking him somewhere else.
"You will be provided with an office instead of a cell." Ross told them as he led them down a glass walkway which linked the one office building to another across a large river. Many guards and security flanking as they did. "And do me a favour, stay in it."
Steve looked past Ross as he saw a familiar redhead walking towards them. Natasha's face was a cold mask as she strode down the walkway towards the group, while T'Challa responded to Ross blankly, "I don't intend on going anywhere."
"For the record." Natasha snapped as she joined the three of them and turned to walk beside them as she continued. "This is what making things worse looks like."
"He's alive." Steve answered shortly, not looking at her as he walked.
She just glared at him before she walked quicker, pulling ahead of the group as they reached a large security office.
Ross left them as Natasha led the way in, and they could hear Tony's voice from inside, "The remaining of us are now at court-section." As they entered they saw Tony standing in the center of the office, talking into his phone with his back to the door as he added, "And, Colonel Ross is supervising the clean-up."
Natasha snapped again as they entered an office, "Try not to break anything while we fix this."
Tony turned to face them, his face set in a deep frown as he barked into his phone, "Consequences? You bet there will be consequences." Whoever was on the other end of the phone said something and Tony responded, "Obviously you can quote me on that because I just said it. Anything else? Thank you, sir."
"Consequences?" Steve repeated with a smirk.
"Secretary Ross wants you three prosecuted." Tony answered, "I had to give him something." He added accepting something that Natasha handed him.
"I'm not getting that shield back, am I?" Steve asked in an almost monotone voice, as if he didn't really care.
"Technically, it's the government's property." Natasha said cheerily. "Wings too." She added.
"That's cold." Sam countered, and Tony tossed over his shoulder, "Warmer than jail."
Natasha led them to their assigned 'office' but Sam excused himself to the bathroom giving the couple a few minutes to themselves.
"Tony's going to want to talk to you," Aphrodite said after a beat of silence when they sat down, "Try and hear him out, without judgement. You're both rather biased when it comes to each other."
"How so?" Steve asked.
"Well you view him through the same lens you saw his father," she explained, "He sees you as the man that out shined him his entire life. Whether or not either of you admits it." She tapped her temple, "I know."
"Alright." Steve said nodding thoughtfully.
Aphrodite sighed before voicing what had been nagging at her since the accords became a concern. "Why do I have a feeling that this entire thing is going to go beyond just documents?"
Before Steve could respond an agent appeared at the door, "Captain Rogers, Mr. Stark wishes to have a word with you."
Aphrodite followed them out the room but went in the opposite direction catching Natasha as she exited the office that T'Challa was in. Neither of them said anything as they entered the empty control room.
"You know I wouldn't have expected you to be on the other side of this accords thing." Aphrodite commented casually.
"Well sometimes the path of least resistance, make us make some tough choices."
"And why'd you chose this?" Aphrodite asked turning to face her. "Why'd you sign Red?"
Natasha sighed leaning back on a desk and crossing her arms defensively. "During my little hiatus after the whole thing with Shield, I went back to Russia and tried to find my parents. Two little gravestones by a chain link fence, I pulled some weeds and left some flowers," she shrugged. "We have what we have when we have it."
Aphrodite nodded and stepped closer to her friend uncrossing her arms, "And this is what we have now." She concluded and Natasha nodded in confirmation. "It's not about the accords at all is it?"
"Staying together, is more important than how we stay together."
"You think I don't feel the same way?" Natasha was surprised to hear her agree with her on that point, "Where does Clint stand on all of this?"
"Says he's retired."
"Figures." Aphrodite said nodding, she expected nothing less from the archer. "Look we all may not agree on the accord, I for one am not giving up that easily. But whatever happens, we'll all end up together. Fate has a way of working itself out."
"There's one more thing you should know," Natasha said stopping Aphrodite from leaving, "It's about Wanda."
Steve watched Aphrodite and Natasha interact with each other for a moment, wondering if Nat was telling her the same thing she told him in trying to persuade him to sign, then turned his attention to the various monitors that lined the walls honing in on the one showing Bucky's containment unit.
"Hey," Tony's voice suddenly called from the conference room doorway, "you want to see something cool?" Steve turned in surprise to look at the billionaire as he walked in, holding up a small black case. "I pulled something from dad's archives." He went on to explain then muttered under his breath as Steve sat down in one of the chairs in the conference room. "Timely."
Tony tossed his suit jacket onto another seat, glancing at Steve before he opened the case and placed it on the table before him. Steve glanced down at the pair of gold-tipped fountain pens, settled nicely in the leather case as Tony went onto explain what they were, "FDR signed the Land-Lease bills with these in 1941." Steve nodded slightly, beginning to see where Tony was going with presenting him with these. "Provided support to the allies when they needed it the most." He finished quietly.
"Some would say it brought our country closer to war." Steve countered, a humourless smile on his face as he looked back up at Tony.
Tony's eye twitched as he met Steve's eyes evenly as countered with his own point, "See, if not for these, you wouldn't be here." Steve's brow rose, while Tony continued, "I'm trying to, what do you call it?" He took the seat beside Steve. "An olive branch. Is that what you call it?
He looked at Steve, leaning his face against his fist as he waited expectantly. Steve pursed his lips unhappily. He couldn't tell Tony what he wanted to hear because he didn't believe in it.
"Is Pepper here?" Steve instead switching topics as glanced around the office then added, "I didn't see her."
He looked back at Tony as a strange almost regretful look came over his face. Steve's brows furrowed in confusion as Tony said slowly, measured, "We are... kinda, well not kinda-"
"Pregnant?" Steve interrupted in surprise.
"No, definitely not." Tony said immediately face souring slightly. He paused, before finally admitting the truth, "We're taking a break." Steve's face fell and he bowed his head as Tony added quietly, "It's nobody's fault."
"I'm so sorry, Tony." Steve spoke softly as he looked back up at the other man apologetically. "I didn't know."
Tony's lips twitched like he was going to smile but didn't, "Few years ago, I almost lost her, so I trashed all my suits. Then, we had to muck up Hydra. And then Ultron," he tapped himself in the chest, "my fault." He sighed again. "And then, and then, and then- I never stopped. Cause the truth is, I don't wanna stop." He looked Steve straight in the eye as he added sincerely, hoping Steve would understand his next point, "I don't want to lose her." Steve lowered his eyes in understanding, "I thought maybe the Accords could split the difference." Tony stood quickly turning his back on Steve so he couldn't see his hopeless expression. "In her defence, I'm a handful."
He smiled without it reaching his eyes as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, pacing a little by the glass walls, before he reached up to adjust his tie as he continued bitterly: "Yet, dad was a pain in the ass, but he and mom always made it work."
"You know, I'm glad Howard got married. I only knew him when he was young and single." He said doing the one thing Aphrodite warned him about, when his words caught up with him he realized that she was right. Especially with what Tony said next.
"Oh really?" Tony asked sarcastically as he looked back at Steve. "You two knew each other? He never mentioned that. Maybe only a thousand times." Steve winced, dropping his head and while Tony picked up his suit jacket. "God, I hated you." He spat pulling the jacket on.
Steve sighed, and he looked back at Tony with sad eyes, "I don't mean to make things difficult."
"I know. Because you're a very polite person."
Tony walked behind Steve, pacing a little. Steve turned to keep his eyes on Tony as he continued strongly, "If I see a situation pointed south, I can't ignore it. Sometime I wish I could."
"No, you don't." Tony challenge flatly.
Steve paused, before he admitted with a small, wry smile shaking his head a little, "No, I don't." He sighed, "Sometimes-"
"Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth." Tony interrupted bitterly. He shrugged like it was a fact, before he added softly "But I don't wanna see you gone. We need you, Cap." Steve stared at Tony as he considered his words, and Tony continued pleadingly: "So far, nothing's happen that can't be undone, if you just sign." He gestured at the pens, as he nearly began to beg, "We can make the last 24 hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psych center instead of a Wakanda prison."
Steve stared at the pens, weighing Tony's words and this options if he were to sign. He finally reached out, pulling a pen slowly from its holder. Tony almost sighed in relief folding his arms across his chest as Steve stood playing with the pen in his hands.
Steve glanced back at Tony, warning, "I'm not saying it's impossible, but there would have to be safeguards"
"Sure." Tony was quick to assure. "Once we put out the PR fire, its documents they can be amended." Tony sat back down at the table while Steve nodded, but then his head shot up as Tony added, "I'd file a motion to have you and Wanda reinstated."
"Wanda?" Steve asked curiously, his brows furrowing. "What about Wanda?"
"She's fine." Tony promised, although wariness had leaked into his tone like he knew he has just said the wrong thing. He knew that Aphrodite had grown to care for Wanda and but extension Steve did as well. "She's confined in a compound currently. Vision's keeping her company."
"Oh God, Tony!" Steve groaned as he turned away in exasperation and utter disbelief. "Every time. Every time I think you're seeing things the right way-"
"What?" Tony cut in, "It's a 100 acres with a lap pool. It's got a screening room. I had to talk Ross out of confining your girlfriend along with her. Trust me, there's worse ways to protect people."
"Protection?" Steve repeated incredulously temper rising at the mention of Aphrodite. "Is that how you see this? This is protection?" Tony gritted his teeth as Steve continued to accuse. "It's internment, Tony."
"They are not US citizen's-" Tony spoke loudly while Steve groaned, "Oh, come on, Tony."
"- and they don't grant visas to Weapons of Mass Destruction." Tony finished taking a deep breath
"Tony that's my wif-" Steve could himself off before he declared Aphrodite as his wife, he hadn't even proposed yet. "Wanda's a kid!" he spat out instead.
"Give me a break!" Tony shouted back angrily.
Steve's eyes narrowed furiously, but Tony took another deep breath as he visibly tried to calm himself down, "I'm doing what has to be done," He paused to look Steve in the eye before he finished flatly. "To stave off something worse."
Steve's shook his head and set his jaw before grounding out. "You keep telling yourself that." Tony blinked but keep his mouth shut as Steve held up the pen for emphasis, "Hate to break up the set." He said dropping the pen down onto the desk before leaving the office, and Tony to stew in his disappointment. That didn't go the way he imagined.
Aphrodite entered the conference room when Steve and Sam were already settled in just before Bucky's interrogation began on the monitors outside the room.
She nodded to Sam and approached Steve as Natasha walked around the outside of the conference room finding a spot where she could clearly see the monitors and the doctor that was settling in. She knew that Aphrodite would be upset but she had to tell her.
"He tell you about Wanda?" Aphrodite asked Steve when she reached his side.
"Yeah," Steve said raising a hand to rub the back of her neck in comfort. "I'm sorry sweetheart, if I knew we wouldn't have left her."
"It's okay." Aphrodite sighed. "She's probably so scared, and upset."
"Hey," he said squeezing the back of her neck a little prompting her to lift her eyes to his. "We're gonna' get her as soon as we can."
She nodded and he pressed kiss to her forehead, then Steve stiffened as the doors to the conference room opened again, just catching the end of the Doctor's first question as Sharon walked in, before the sound cut once more.
"The receipt for your gear." Sharon murmured to Sam as she handed him a piece of paper and placed their file on Bucky, on the table beside him. Sharon looked around warily making sure no one on the outside was paying them any attention as Sam took the paper, glancing down at it.
"'Bird costume'? Come on, girl." Sam spat incredulously reading the receipt.
"I didn't write it." Sharon shot back. Sam raised a brow as he watched Sharon, noticing her movements and the slightly uneasy air around her before she reached past him and pressed a button in the middle of the conference table.
The screen inside the conference room, right next to Steve and Aphrodite, switched on, showing them Bucky's footage and providing sound into the room. Steve looked at Sharon in surprise and she nodded back to him.
Aphrodite gave her a look of appreciation as well and Sharon averted her eyes beyond the conference room, Aphrodite followed and saw Natasha looking furtively over her shoulder, and once Aphrodite saw her and realized her involvement turned back around green eyes thoughtful as she watched her own set of screens.
"I'm not here to judge you. I just want to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are, James?" The man in the cage can no response so the doctor tried again. "I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James."
"My name is Bucky." Bucky answered voice rough, a hint of defiance in his tone. Four simple words that made a massive impact on Steve.
Steve's lips pursed, and he turned back to the table with a frown. He picked up the discarded file, pulling out the Vienna security camera photos that showed the man the task force identified as Bucky from near the bomb site.
"Why would the task force release this photo to begin with?" Steve asked aloud the question that had been on his mind since this footage went public handing the picture over to Aphrodite who perched on the table beside him.
Sam frowned, while Sharon shrugged and answered the best way she could, "Get the word out, involve as many eyes as we can?"
"Right." Steve said flatly nodding but it wasn't enough for him. "It's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding. Set off a bomb, get your picture taken." Sam's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward on his arms, while Steve continued, "You've got 7 billion people looking for the Winter Soldier."
"You're saying someone framed him to find him." Sharon said slowly summarizing his point.
"Steve, we looked for the guy for two years and found nothing." Sam pointed out.
"We didn't bomb the UN." Steve answered. "That turns a lot of heads."
"Yeah," Aphrodite joined in quietly, "but that doesn't guarantee that whoever framed him would get him, it guarantees that you all would." She said nodding to Sharon before they were all struck with the same realization.
Steve turned around sharply to look back at the screen showing Bucky and who was supposedly the UN psychiatrist, before he muttered. "Yeah."
"Tell me Bucky." The man interrogating Bucky continued on. "You've seen a great deal, haven't you?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Bucky answered flatly keeping his response short.
"You feel that, if you open your mouth, the horrors might never stop."
"Don't worry." He tapped at his screen as he received a message, then man turned his eyes back to Bucky as he said darkly, "We only have to talk about one."
The building suddenly went dark, the power going out leaving on the emergency red lights flashing ominously. Aphrodite hoped off the table and Steve turned urgent eyes on Sharon.
"Sub-level 5, east wing." She answered the silent question quickly.
Steve looked at Sam and he nodded then the three of them ran out of the office, using the distraction of the power outage to their advantage as they raced down the stairs to get to the level Bucky was on. Hopefully before the doctor could do anything bad to him.
BrittStar1199: Hope you enjoyed.
MidnightPenguin: You're a doll, always happy to hear from you.
Love. Fiction. 2018: Thank you.
Hydra husband: I'm not denying that I write smut, though in my opinion it is much less graphic than some smut that I've read. But that's not the point. I'm not interested in fulfilling your sick fantasies because this is not that kind of story. Furthermore what makes you think you're worthy of a separate story? You're not. So take all your heads, shove them, and look somewhere else for that story because you won't find it here. AO3 happens to have a lovely assortment of them. Go nuts. Have a nice life.
Ivana bocanegra: What makes you think she hasn't been? ;) I've been toying with the idea of Aphrodite going to Siberia with Bucky and Steve, but I think her presence there would change the outcome significantly. And the ending is such an important part to the rest of the movies. Same with altering Tony's decision, all of what happens at the end of the movie is so integral to the sequence leading up to Infinity War that it feels wrong to change it. But it's still open for discussion. We're slowly but surely closing in on both Ragnarok and Infinity War.
To anyone that reads my responses to reviews, please excuse my slight outburst to that disrespectful reviewer. If you read reviews you'll understand why I did it.
On a lighter note, what do you guys think should be Aphrodite's involvement in Bucky's breakout fight scene?
As always let me know what you think and what you'd like to see in the future. Leave me a review too, as you can see I'll be answering/responding to the ones can. So feel free to say or ask me anything.