Bucky woke the next morning to the sun streaming in through a crack in the curtains. He quickly realized that Caroline was no longer pressed up against him, and that she was not even in the room at all. He sat up, glancing around him. Sam was still asleep, snoring softly. Rhodey was too, snoring less softly. Peter's leg was dangling over his hammock, he was awake, staring at his phone sleepily. Clint had moved from the floor to the chair that Caroline had occupied the night before. He was also asleep, curled up and clutching a couch pillow.
Bucky stood and followed the faint sound of voices. He found himself in the kitchen, the smell of bacon and pancakes overwhelming him. Steve, Bruce, Wanda, and Vision were sitting at the the kitchen table, talking as they ate. Natasha was sitting on the counter next to the stove where Tony was frying up copious amounts of bacon. She was trying to give him pointers on how to make the perfect batch, but he was ignoring her. Caroline was helping Pepper make pancakes next to them.
"Morning Buck," Steve said beaming at his friend.
Caroline looked up from her mixing bowl and smiled at him. He thought his chest was going to explode as he tried to return her smile. She had taken her braids out and her long honey hair fell in lightly frizzy waves over her shoulders.
"Do you want coffee Barnes?" Bruce asked, raising the coffee pot at him.
"Uh…I'm sorry, what?" Bucky said blankly, turning to Bruce.
"Coffee," Bruce smirked.
"Oh, yes," Bucky nodded.
He glanced at Steve who was trying very hard to hold back a grin. Bucky raised an eyebrow at him and he shook his head innocently.
"Caroline," Tony said flipping his bacon tenderly, "Get Barnes a coffee mug yeah?"
"Sure thing," she said striding over to one of the cupboards near Bucky.
"I can get it," Bucky said quickly.
They collided as Bucky moved towards her without stopping to think about where he was going. He caught her from falling backwards and they paused, watching each other carefully. They both moved at the same time, accidentally blocking each other.
"Sorry," Caroline said with a small laugh.
"No it's fine," Bucky smiled.
They moved again, the opposite direction this time, once again blocking each other's way. Caroline laughed nervously, as Bucky sighed and ran a hand through his hair. She tentatively reached out, placing her hands on his arms. She moved him gently to the side, away from the cabinets and moved in front of him. He watched as she reached up and grabbed a mug.
"Here," she said handing it to him, a small smile across her lips.
"Thanks," he smirked.
"Well that was…precious," Tony said from behind them.
They both jumped, and Bucky turned to see everyone watching them. Bruce held up the coffee pot again, grinning broadly.
"Maybe you should get your own pancakes Barnes," Natasha said reaching down and grabbing a piece of Tony's bacon.
"It's not finished Natasha," Tony said slapping the piece from her hand.
Bucky was appreciative for the attention shift as Natasha and Tony started bickering. He walked over to the kitchen table and took a seat next to Steve.
"Not a word Steve," he said in a low warning voice.
"I wasn't going to say anything," Steve said sipping his coffee, "Wanda? Do you have anything to say?"
"I wouldn't dare," Wanda smirked.
"Vision?" Steve asked.
"Oh no, definitely not," said Vision with a shake of his head.
"Bruce? Anything?" said Steve to Bruce.
"Yeah," Bruce nodded, "Do you want coffee or no?"
Bucky chuckled sliding his mug over to Bruce.
"After all that how could he possibly say no?" said Steve with a sly smile.
"Damnit Steve," Bucky sighed shaking his head, "You're such a little jerk."
"Hey now," said Steve, "I've been bigger than you now for longer than you were bigger than me."
"Okay fine, you're a big jerk," Bucky grinned.
Just then, Sam shuffled into the kitchen rubbing his eyes sleepily. He sat down next to Bucky and dropped his head onto the table.
"Coffee?" Bruce asked.
"So much," Sam mumbled, rolling his head to look at Bruce.
"Hey Caroline, want to grab Sam a mug?" Steve asked.
"Only if he stays there and doesn't try and help me," Caroline said winking at Bucky.
"You ran into me," Bucky said taking a sip of his coffee.
"Okay Buck," she with a laugh, "Whatever helps you sleep at night."
"I think the only thing that helps him sleep at night is…" Sam said taking his mug from Caroline.
"Stop talking," Bucky said cutting Sam off.
Caroline smiled at Bucky and again he felt like his chest was going burst. She knew that Sam was going to say her name. Everyone in the room knew. They were all eyeing Caroline, searching for her reaction. She ignored everyone in the room, sitting next to Bucky, and taking the coffee from Sam, pouring herself a cup.
"Tony," Caroline said mildly, "your bacon is burning."
"Shit!" Tony said jumping back to his bacon.
Bucky smiled at her gratefully. She nudged him gently with her shoulder, then sipped her coffee.
"How's your ankle?" he asked her.
"It's feeling a lot better actually," Caroline said cheerfully.
"Well that's great," Tony beamed, placing a plate of bacon on the table, "since we're going on a hike today."
"I mean, what I meant to say, is that it hurts really super a lot," Caroline spluttered quickly.
"Really super a lot huh?" Steve said said raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah…exactly," Caroline said reaching down to rub her ankle.
"We're all going Caroline," Tony said popping some bacon in his mouth, grinning at Caroline.
Peter strode into the kitchen, Clint and Rhodey shuffling sleepily behind him. Tony grabbed more chairs placing them around the table.
"More coffee mugs?" Tony asked winking at Caroline.
"Oh no," Caroline said, "I'm not messing around with that anymore."
She waved her hand, opening the cupboard and flying three mugs towards the table, landing them in front of Rhodey, Clint, and Peter.
"Ooh coffee!" Peter said excitedly.
"Coffee stunts your growth," Tony said snatching up the cup from Peter's hand.
He poured orange juice into Peter's mug and handed it back to him. Peter drank it, sulking. He grabbed a stack of pancakes and poured syrup all over them.
"Well, those were for everyone," Pepper smirked.
"Can't have coffee, can't have fifteen pancakes, what can I have?" Peter exclaimed exasperatedly.
"You're fine Peter," Pepper laughed, "I am making more."
"And it's not like we wanted any anyway," Sam said chuckling.
"So what's on the docket for today Cap?" Rhodey asked Steve.
"Oh Stark has something great planned for us," Natasha said sarcastically as she jumped off the counter.
"That sounds ominous," Peter said shoving pancake into his mouth.
An hour later they were all standing at the base of a hefty looking mountain. Only Peter, Steve, and Tony looked excited. There were two trial heads forking off in two different directions.
"Well this looks miserable," Natasha said shading her eyes as she looked up.
"Alright, two teams," Tony said clapping his hands together, "Whichever team get's to the top first gets a prize."
"What's the prize?" Peter asked.
"Don't know yet," Tony said beaming.
"Okay no," Natasha said turning to walk away.
"Tasha c'mon," Steve said blocking her, "it'll be fun."
"Fine, but I am not walking up that mountain with Tony," Natasha said.
"What if I pick you to be on my team?" Tony asked.
Natasha crossed her arms, glaring at him.
"You know what, why don't you be a team captain," Tony said quickly.
"Great, I pick Caroline," Natasha said cocking her head to the side.
"Yes! First picked! Suck it losers," Caroline said bounding over to Natasha.
"Alright," Tony smirked, "I pick Barnes."
"Wait, who made you second captain, I thought Steve was second captain," Caroline pipped up.
"I made me second captain, because I pay for everything," Tony smirked, "Barnes, let's go."
"Uh no," Bucky grinned
"Excuse me?" said Tony.
"Well, you told me that Caroline was my responsibility this weekend, so I'm going with Caroline," Bucky said, standing behind Natasha.
"Yes, but that was when she had a sprained ankle and couldn't walk," Tony said.
"I still have a sprained ankle Tony," Caroline said loudly.
"You said it felt better Caroline," Tony shouted back.
"Well…it does," Caroline shrugged.
"I'm sure it does, and when you start over using it to climb up this mountain it's going to stop feeling better real quick," Bucky snapped.
Caroline looked up at him, trying to hold back laughter.
"What?" Bucky asked her incredulously.
"Nothing," she said shaking her head.
"You're laughing at me?" he asked.
"No, I mean…maybe a little. I'm going to be fine Bucky, plus Tony called you fair and square," Caroline she said grinning from ear to ear.
"Okay fine, I didn't want to have to carry you up this mountain anyway," Bucky said throwing his hands up.
He stormed over to stand behind Tony, ignoring Caroline's soft giggles. When he turned around, she was watching him, a small smile on her face. She shrugged at him slightly.
"Steve, get over here," Natasha said nodding her head towards him.
"I'll carry you when your ankle gives out Caroline," Steve laughed wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
Bucky glared at Steve, who responded with a wink.
"It's not going to give out Buck, don't listen to him," Caroline called.
"Not my problem if it does!" Bucky shrugged.
"Okay you two," said Tony throwing his hands up between them, "It's my pick, let's go kid," Tony said to Peter.
"I want to go with Caroline too," Peter said.
"No! You cannot! You are on my team! Mine!" Tony exclaimed.
"I'm just kidding Mr. Stark," Peter said doubling over with laughter.
"Alright, alright, enough fooling around at my expense," Tony said, "Clint, you're with me."
"Right on," Clint said joining Tony, Peter, and Bucky.
"Wait a minute," Natasha said pointing at Clint and Peter, "You just picked twice."
"Well I do pay for everything so," Tony grinned.
"Fine," said Nat, "Sam and Rhodey, let's go."
"Wanda!" Tony called.
"Sorry Viz," Natasha said smiling at Vision, "But I'm going to go with Bruce."
"I don't think I should go, I mean, if we get my heart rate up who knows…I could you know Hulk out," Bruce said with a timid laugh.
"Yeah…none of us are buying that Banner," Tony said shaking his head.
"It was worth a shot," Bruce said lining up behind Natasha, as Vision took his place with Tony.
"Alright kiddos, teams are set, no cheating, no short cuts, let's go," Tony said heading up one path.
"You know," Natasha said turning to her team, "If I hadn't picked Steve, we could have just gone back inside and napped instead."
"Yeah, I really don't know what you were thinking," Steve said with a laugh.
"Well…someone is going to have carry Caroline when her ankle stops working again," Natasha said with a smirk.
"I'm fine," Caroline sighed, "Let's go!"
Natasha's team had been trudging uphill for over two hours. Sam, Bruce, Caroline, and Rhodey were all thoroughly out of breath, Natasha and Steve however were fine.
"This is some bullshit," Sam grunted, stopping to take a swig of water.
"How many miles did Tony say?" Caroline asked between breaths.
"He didn't" Rhodey said angrily.
"Well it can't be that much farther right?" Caroline asked, her eyes scanning the trail ahead of them.
"I think it is…that much farther," Bruce sighed.
"Steve…we're going to lose," Natasha said glancing at Steve.
"No we aren't, we've got a great team," Steve said cheerfully.
"Man what the hell?" Sam asked looking up at Steve, "Caroline can hardly walk and Bruce, Rhodes and I are regular ass dudes who do not hike, I can guarantee that. Sure there's you two running up this damn mountain like it ain't shit."
"Meanwhile they have an enhanced child, a super soldier, Clint who is fit as hell, and two supers who can fly. The weakest member of that team is Tony actually, and I wouldn't be surprised if he makes Barnes carry him," Rhodey said with a bitter laugh.
"Flying is cheating," Steve grinned, "Besides, you're both trained soldiers. I have confidence in that."
"Here it is," Natasha smirked, "here comes the Cap speech."
"No speech," Steve said shaking his head, "I just have faith in this team. We aren't any less capable than they are."
Caroline picked up a small rock and threw it on the ground. She grabbed a larger rock and threw it a little farther. Sam glanced over at her, then up at Steve with an eyebrow raised. They all turned their attention towards her, as she began to pick up bigger rocks throwing them farther and farther. She reached next to her and grabbed a small plant, ripping it up from the ground and throwing it off the ledge. Natasha and Steve exchanged a glance.
"Great, she's having a meltdown and Barnes is on the other side of the mountain," Sam said in a low voice.
"I am not having a meltdown and I do not need Barnes to handle everything," Caroline hotly, the rocks around her shook ominously around her.
"Okay, easy," Rhodey said gently.
"Why don't you guys go a head," Steve said to the others, "We'll catch up."
"Catch up? I can barely walk, how exactly do you think I am going to be able to catch up Steve?" Caroline shot.
"Go," Steve nodded, "We'll be fine."
"Great, excited to start moving again," Bruce said sarcastically.
Steve watched as the others hiked off slowly. He waited until they were all out of sight to turn his attention back to Caroline. She was crying now, still throwing rocks off the side of the mountain.
"This is so fucking stupid," she said tearfully, "I'm going to fling myself off of this mountain and then I won't have to climb it anymore."
"Here's the thing," Steve said sitting next to her, "If you did in fact fling yourself off this mountain, you wouldn't die, you would just get really really hurt."
"Well I would die eventually," Caroline said shaking her head.
"Okay but see, then my best friend would murder me…probably brutally, and then we'd both be dead," Steve said with a laugh.
"I mean you certainly are old enough to be dead," Caroline sniffled with a smirk.
"Low blow," Steve said chuckling.
"I'm sorry, that was bad," Caroline laughed.
"Yep," Steve nodded, " So your ankle hurts?" Steve asked.
"Well yes, obviously," she snapped.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Steve asked nudging her.
"Didn't want to bring the team down," she shrugged.
"Caroline," Steve sighed, "We're a team, part of being a team means looking out for and taking care of each other."
"I know," she mumbled.
"Do you?" he pressed.
"I don't know, did I?" she asked.
"You were starting to get it," he sighed, smiling at her.
Caroline narrowed her eyes at him. She opened her mouth to ask a question, then closed it shaking her head.
"What?" Steve asked.
"We relied on each other didn't we?" she asked, "Bucky and I."
"You almost exclusively relied on each other. That's why we kept you on separate teams, there was absolutely no focusing you two."
"I feel that," she sighed.
"No one faulted either of you for it, you both went through something incredibly traumatic together, it made sense that you trusted each other above everyone else," Steve said gently.
"Except that now I'm barely relying on anyone," she said flatly.
"I don't know, you let Natasha and Tony take care of you," Steve shrugged.
"Steve," Caroline said looking over at him.
"Yes?" he replied.
"Will you help my get up this stupid ass mountain?" she asked.
"Of course," he laughed.
He squatted down in front of her and she climbed onto his back. He didn't even break a sweat with Caroline on his back.
"Steve," Caroline said again.
"Yes Caroline?" Steve asked.
"Would Bucky really kill you if I flung myself off this mountain?" she asked.
"Um, yeah," he nodded energetically, "He's very fond of you."
"That's wild," she sighed, "Why?" she asked.
"You should ask Buck," Steve replied.
"Oh he won't tell me anything," said Caroline.
"I thought he was done avoiding you," Steve said quizzically.
"Well yeah, he's done avoiding me, but he's still avoiding any and all conversations about our past," she sighed.
"Ah…I see," Steve nodded, "Well, if I had to guess, I think you were the first person to make him feel human again. I really never thought he would leave Wakanda, and then he did, directly for you."
"I wish he would talk to me about these things," Caroline mused.
"He will," Steve assured her, "He's just…"
"Closed off?" Caroline said finishing his sentence.
"Yeah," Steve laughed, "He wasn't always, when we were kids. He's changed…obviously, and he'll never be the same, but you brought out something in him that I think he hadn't felt in a long time."
"Thank you Steve," Caroline said gently.
"Sure," he said, "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course," she replied.
"When we found you in Siberia you had been brainwashed against me, but when you woke up in Wakanda that wasn't an issue, do you know why?" he asked.
She was silent for a few moments, contemplating his question. The truth was that she didn't always understand all of the feelings she had towards her teammates. When she had returned to the compound she secluded herself, but it was easier for her to warm up to some of them than others.
"I don't really know Steve," she said truthfully, "I woke up and I just trusted you still. What's weird is that the last thing I remembered of our relationship was that I had feelings for you, but I didn't…feel them anymore."
"Oh," Steve said with a nod.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…I'm sorry," Caroline muttered quickly.
"No, don't be sorry," he said, "I'm not upset at all. I knew you had feelings for me," he said sheepishly, "I also knew that after Hydra that was not something that was going to happen for us."
"Steve, you know I love you, like a lot. Like so much, right?" Caroline said hugging his neck.
"Of course," Steve laughed, "And I love you Caroline. You are one of my very best friends."
As they rounded the corner they came up on the rest of the team. Sam was lying in the middle of the trail allowing Natasha poured water on his face. Rhodey and Bruce had found rocks that they were leaning against.
"I'm done," Sam said to Steve, "I'm super fucking done."
"C'mon Sam, we're almost there," Steve said kicking his foot softly.
"You gonna carry me too?" Sam asked.
"Let's go big guy," Natasha said giving him her hand and pulling him up, "I can literally see the top. And Bucky's arm shining in the sun."
"Wait what the fuck? We lost and you're still making us go to the top?" Sam asked jumping up.
"Yeah," she nodded, "Tony is waiting."
"And since when have you ever listened to Tony?" Sam asked.
"Team building Sam," Natasha winked at him.
"Double agent," Sam gasped.
"Let's go," she smirked.
