Chapter Twenty-Five

Natasha

"And I don't suppose you have any idea where they are?" I don't care for the tone in Secretary Ross's voice. My back and neck are still killing me from my encounter with Bucky and I don't appreciate the insinuation that we just let them walk out the door.

"We will, GSG9 has the borders covered," Tony says quickly. It is odd seeing him actually deferring to someone. I don't like it, it just makes me realize how strange our new reality is. "Recon is flying 24-7. They'll get a hit, we'll handle it."

"You don't get it Stark, it's not yours to handle." Ross's words really get my attention. "It's clear you can't be objective. I'm putting Special Op's on this."

This is insane, "And what happens when the shooting starts?" I ask feeling fear and desperation bubbling in my chest, "What are you going to do? Kill Steve Rogers?!"

My heart stops when he says, "If we are provoked." He has this infuriating way of only talking to Tony. Misogynist, "Barnes would have been eliminated in Romania if it hadn't been for Rogers. There are dead people who would be alive now. Feel free to check my math."

I want to argue, I want to point out that none of the soldiers who were sent to obtain Bucky were killed, nor were any staff members or personnel during his escape. Hurt, but not dead. But I don't I bit my tongue as I watch Tony sink into a chair and looks up at the secretary, "All do respect, you aren't going to solve this with boys and bullets, Ross. You gotta let us bring him in."

"And how would that end any differently than last time?" He asks skeptically.

"Because this time I won't be wearing loafers and a silk shirt." I can hear the exhaustion in Tony's voice, the frustration. I look across the table at him. "Seventy-Two hours, guaranteed."

"Thirty-Six hours," Ross corrects before turning from Tony, "Barnes, Rogers, Wilson," He lists them off like a hit list.

Tony watches him leave, "Thank you sir," I glance at Tony, ugh, makes me want to be sick. He leans forward and rubs his chest, letting out a big breath. "My left arm is numb, is that normal?"

I am not in a joking mood, however I still get up and walk over to him, putting my hand on his shoulder. I can't dismiss the fact that this has become even more personal for Tony. The discovery of his only niece, Madeline Wayne, who had evidently been at Bucky's side, helping him, hiding him, this whole time, had rocked his world completely. I purse my lips, Rhodey and Tony managed to keep her presence under the Secretary's radar but Tony is still the lighter shade of pale he turned when it was discovered Madeline was no longer in the room we were holding her in, instead replaced by an unconscious, tied up special forces officer.

I swallow as I look up from Tony. I feel like it is only him and I. In this whole building. I feel like we are the only ones invested in keeping Sam safe, Madeline safe, Steve... safe. Even Bucky. But it feels like every moment that is becoming harder and harder to accomplish. I can't believe I was stupid enough to feel relieved when they were first brought in. As if anything in our lives was that easy...

Steve...

I look out through the glass walls of the conference room and wonder where Steve is. Is he safe? I remember watching him run out of the boardroom when the power went down. I had considered following him, but I knew if I followed Tony would follow, and deep down I hoped they would just leave, save us from having to figure out the new Accords situation. Besides what would I have done? Tried to stop him from helping Bucky? Although the thought of Steve with the Bucky we came up against in the atrium makes me feel sick.

He was just as brutal as I remember from Washington. I don't see how Steve could be helping him. What if he had attacked Steve or Sam? I hate not knowing what is going on. I hate not helping Steve.

But I can't focus on that because I will start to spiral, and in order to keep Steve and Sam safe, I need to keep my head on straight. I need to focus, "You alright?" I ask looking down on Tony. I find it easier to stay level headed if I focus on someone else, a mission, a task.

"Always," He says. I cross my arms, of course he is. What does it matter to Tony if our entire reality was shifting on it's axis? "Thirty-Six hours, geez,"

I think about Barnes, he took out Tony, Carter and myself like we were fruit flies, "We are seriously understaffed."

"It would be great if we had a Hulk right about now," Tony said looking up at me, his eyes hopeful. Oh lord. Just what I need added to this emotional shit storm, "We have a shot?"

I think of the Accords and almost scoff, "You really think he'd be on our side?"

"Guess not," Tony said.

I think about how few people we do have on our side and I feel doubt in the back of my mind. But I quiet it right away. This was the law. I had to focus, this was about protecting Steve, it was always about that, protecting all of us. If we don't do this Secretary Ross is going to green light hell to rain down on Steve's head, we had to stop them. Make them understand. But how do we stop Barnes? The only person who even had a chance against him...

"I have an idea," I say to Tony.

"Me too," He looks back up at me, with confusion on his face, "Where's yours?" He asks me.

"Downstairs...where's yours?" And of course, like we aren't dealing with the very lives of some of the people closest to us, Tony simply smiles.