"Is Dodger secure?" Fury's voice intruded on their reunion.
"Affirmative…Nomad has hands on….literally." Sam tried to stifle his smile.
The conversation on the comm broke the moment as Steve realized the last thing he wanted was anyone seeing him being intimate with Bucky. "No sense starting rumors" was how he justified pulling away. But in reality, he wasn't expecting Bucky to kiss him, especially in the middle of a firefight…on a roof…with everyone watching. Besides "Bucky loves women." Steve told himself, "He's so very heterosexual. He's just confused…scared…whatever."
Steve's thoughts were wandering aimlessly through hope, lust, shame, lust again, embarrassment, warmth; when Bucky's slurred voice cleared the fog.
"Steve….can we…get…out…..of here?"
Steve abandoned his musing to really look at Bucky "You're looking kinda drugged, pal." He still felt the compelling pull of the metal fingers in his belt. Steve switched his comm mic on: "Chopper….let's get out of here."
Sam touched down nearby and started to make an appropriately sarcastic comment about "We rented out your room, Barnes" but thought better of it as he watched them.
Steve slipped his arm around Bucky's waist and pulled him to his feet. He took a shaky step then stumbled; Steve caught him "Ok, pal, let's not end this rescue with you falling off the roof."
Bucky mumbled "Not…rescue…I…escaped." He poked a finger into Steve's chest then grabbed his sleeve to hold on…his legs gave out again.
Steve huffed a quiet laugh as he pulled him close against his chest telling himself "Just holding him up. Not sexual…not enjoying this…nope."
Sam found a fascinating patch of tarpaper roofing to kick at to give them a few seconds of privacy in the middle of a full-on mission.
Steve quickly buried his face against Bucky's neck; Sam, the aftermath of the fight, the chopper noise all faded from his awareness. Everything focused down to this man he was holding; the dirty hair didn't matter; the lack of hygiene didn't matter. He felt Bucky allow this closeness as he whispered "Never gonna let you go again."
Natasha followed Fury's crew down the basement stairs. "They're all alive." One of them remarked. "I thought he was this hotshot sniper?" Another one huffed.
"Get them out of here." Natasha ordered but she had made the same observation. "You didn't kill anyone, Barnes." She walked the perimeter of the room. "It's been awhile…do I need to take you to the shooting range?" She reviewed the pictures she had taken upstairs; the vibranium chain; the bullet holes in the floor.
She took a picture of the fractured crossbeam; the filthy blanket on the dirt floor.
"Were you drugged? Confused?" She reluctantly took pictures of the cage; the broken bar; the surveillance cameras.
"Of course not, Barnes. You didn't kill them on purpose. You're done with all that aren't you?"
Her final pictures were of the discarded stun prod and the bucket of human waste.
"Maybe….you should make a few exceptions to that new rule." She snarled.
She wrapped up her assessment and turned to go but an image flashed through her mind. She looked back at his prison; for a moment she could see the Winter Soldier, dressed in the black leathers; sitting impassively on a cot; ignoring the young girl talking to him from outside the cage; she could hear the echoes of soldiers laughing.
Steve's call for the chopper shook her from the memory. She ran to get back to the roof; smiling as she snagged the backpack she found in the kitchen.
"Up you go." Steve hoisted Bucky into the hovering chopper as Sam and Natasha each grabbed an arm and yanked him inside. Bucky landed on his hands and knees, too groggy to maneuver into a seat.
Steve leapt in and slammed the door shut. "Good to go." He yelled to Fury and Sharon.
He turned to the scene in the chopper bay and froze. Bucky was on his hands and knees just inches away from the old woman they had been hunting. Bucky's captor….tormentor; was sitting in the middle of the bench seat, smiling like somebody's sweet grandmother.
"Who the hell thought this was a good idea…." His tirade was sidelined by the woman's voice "Poor child." She reached to caress Bucky as he struggled to get up.
Steve took a step over Bucky and thrust the shield between them. "Do not touch him." He growled. The shield blocked her touch; even her view of him.
The old woman demurely pulled back her hand; she purposely faced Natasha whose gun was pointed at her left temple then turned to confront Sam's gun trained on her from the right.
"It's very nice to meet all of you. You must be the Avengers." She purred.
Steve grabbed Bucky by the back of his jeans as Natasha tried to help lift him by the arm; Bucky shoved her away.
"He doesn't like Widows anymore, you know. He used to like us; he knew us well, once."
"That is enough talking." Sam barked; as he kept his gun trained on her.
Steve finally got Bucky settled onto a seat as far away from her as possible but quarters were tight. "A thousand miles won't be far enough." He groaned to himself as he sat down close to him.
Sam holstered his gun; double checked the zip-tie cuffs on the woman and took a seat.
Natasha braced against the far side of the compartment; she focused on the old Widow commanding everyone's attention.
Gieta Sokolov sat straight backed, hands in her lap; her hair had fallen from its bun; her efficient clothing rumpled. She was so small her feet barely reached the floor. She turned her head to stare directly at Steve; who glared right back. "How the hell could she control him?" He wondered.
"You must be Captain America."
Steve didn't answer.
Bucky sat curled in on himself, hands tucked between his knees; hair in his face; apparently oblivious to her presence.
"Pasha told me about you."
"Who the hell is Pasha?" Sam muttered.
Steve felt Bucky move restlessly beside him.
"He told me how he feels about you."
Steve smirked. "I doubt that."
Natasha tensed as she listened to their exchange.
"Your name is Steve. Steven Grant Rogers." She purred. "We know all about you."
Bucky shuddered visibly and began to uncurl. His attention shifted to focus on the woman.
"Ok…again…no more talking." Sam turned to face her.
"Pasha said he's known you his whole life. Well not his whole life. Not during his life with me; or with Hydra." She cooed with a smile.
"Stop talking now." Steve growled as he leaned towards her. He could feel Bucky's leg against his thigh; he felt the tremor running through him. He didn't want to turn away from the woman to check on Bucky; so he glanced at Natasha who nodded and readied the stunners.
"Now that I see you in the flesh…the pictures don't do you justice. No wonder he wants you." Her voice was low, secretive, drawing him in.
Steve leaned closer; snarling "You don't know anything about us."
She laughed and tilted her head towards Bucky "Oh, this child has told me all your deepest secrets. He had to tell me…he belongs to me. He will always belong to me."
"Enough…we need to gag her." Sam blurted out.
Steve had been drawn in by her voice; her taunting; he was close enough now that she could reach him; cut his throat; poison him….touch him. He was so focused on her words; he nearly got caught in her web. He never felt Bucky move; he was startled by the force of Bucky's arm around his neck throwing him back away from the old Widow's reaching hands.
Pasha…no wonder you love him…he's very pretty. Did you fuck him?
"Steve! She's triggering him!" Natasha yelled as Bucky exploded across the small space and all hell broke loose.
His fist slammed into the back of the bench inches from the woman's head; the force knocked Fury out of his seat and into the controls; the chopper swooped hard to the right and began to spin wildly.
"Bucky! No!" Steve grabbed him by the waist and threw his shoulder into him but the fist was lodged in the back of the bench.
Yes! Defend him, Soldat. Protect him at all costs. She goaded him on.
"Sam! Shut her up….stop her!" Natasha barked as she scrambled in the spin. But Sam had been thrown to the floor under the brawl.
You haven't fucked him yet, Soldat? What a shame…I'm sure you could have made him…
Bucky yanked his fist from the bench back and cut off her words with his fingers around her throat. He slammed his foot into the seat to brace against the wildly spinning chopper. A guttural growl came from his throat as he yanked her up and jammed her against the ceiling.
"No! Bucky let her go!" Steve tried to wrap himself around Bucky's left arm.
The spin and drop of the chopper threw them like toys; except for Bucky and his tormentor; jammed into a macabre pose in the middle of the chaos.
"Stand down Barnes!" Sharon screamed; her gun trained towards him.
"Stop it Buck! Let her go."
"Not this way, Barnes!"
"Stand down! Soldier! Stand down now!"
Fury hollered "What the hell! Get a handle on things back there! You're gonna knock us out of the sky!" as he desperately tried to regain control of the chopper.
"Drop the gun, Sharon…I will stun you if you do not drop that fucking gun!"
"Bucky, let her go!" Steve had managed to wrap his fingers around Bucky's fist trying to loosen his grip.
"Let her go Barnes or I will shoot you!"
"Drop the gun, Sharon!…I will stun you…no more warnings!"
Sam had managed to get out from under Steve and Bucky's feet; he grabbed the woman's now limp body trying to counter the grip of Barnes's metal fist.
"Bucky…she's not worth it." Steve whispered in Bucky's ear. "This is what she wants you to do. Kill her. Kill us all." "Let it go. It's over, pal. Let her go."
"Steve?" Bucky choked out as he loosened his hold on the woman. Sam caught her as Bucky let go.
Steve threw his arms around Bucky from behind as the rocking spin threw them backwards against the door; He held onto him as the chopper fell from the sky.
Bucky squirmed to make their eyes meet. "I'm sorry, Steve." He nearly sobbed "I killed us."
Steve shook his head. "It's ok…If we're gonna die… at least I'll die with you." Steve whispered…or so he thought.
"No dying here today people!" Fury cackled as he jolted the chopper once, twice, three times then it rattled out of the spiraling dive.
Sam laid the woman on the bench seat. "Unconscious; still breathing." He announced.
Natasha groaned as she dragged herself off the floor and dabbed at the blood on her head; she was smiling though…it had all been worth it.
Sharon had been stunned into submission.
Sam started laughing as he dropped into the seat across from Steve wrapped around Bucky on the floor. "Damn Barnes! It is good to have you back! Yes! There is nothin' dull about hangin' with Barnes!"
Bucky leapt out of the chopper nearly before it touched down. Steve was right on his tail. "Buck…wait…don't leave. Please." Steve caught up with him.
"I'm not…not leaving…I just can't be around them." He shivered out. The drugs were wearing off and puking was the likely next step; the last thing he wanted was losing his stomach acid in front so many strangers. "Hey man, you look like you need this." Sam ran by them and tossed Bucky his lost jacket.
He caught it awkwardly wondering how the hell they found it.
"Steve, please don't go near her again." He whispered.
"You mean Sharon?"
Bucky furrowed his brows. "Who?...No…Steve…the other awful woman; the one that held me captive for the past month."
"Right….I won't Buck…I promise." Steve touched his arm briefly. "Why don't you wait by the bike. I'm going to deal with something before we leave."
Bucky's trip to the bike was interrupted.
"Barnes…you remember me?"
He stopped short then turned to face the owner of the voice.
"You remember me?" Fury asked again.
"Ya..yes…you're dead." Bucky stammered.
"Hardly…I just flew that copter that you tried to knock out of the sky." Fury strode towards him.
"You're dead. I killed you." He shook his head and backed away.
"I can't be dead…I just flew that chopper." Fury laughed.
"No…you can be dead…I see dead people…all the time…doing stuff."
Bucky kept backing up until Fury stopped his advance.
"You see dead people?"
"Yes. They don't usually talk to me…just stare…..not like this…not talking." His head twitched again. "I don't get it…I've been taking the meds." Bucky said quietly as if he was talking to someone next to him.
"Are you talking to yourself, Barnes?" Fury looked perplexed.
He thinks you're crazy.
"Well I am crazy. I'm talkin' to you aren't I?"
He's watching you. Stop talking to me. He'll drag you off to the Raft.
Bucky looked wide-eyed at Fury. "I…can't talk to you now. I have to go."
Bucky turned abruptly and walked quickly to the bike.
"Hmmm. Voices, self-dialogue, paranoia, hallucinations; could be worse…could be catatonic….we can do this Barnes." Fury decided he would shop the mission ideas to Barnes and Rogers as soon as they'd let him in the front door.
"What exactly were you thinking putting her in that chopper with him?" Steve was standing square-shouldered facing Sharon.
"That was my call, Steve." She defended. "I felt we needed to keep our hands on her ourselves. And I thought you could control him better than that." She gave a flippant gesture towards Bucky who had planted himself next to Steve's bike.
"There you go again, Sharon. Implying he is something to be controlled." Steve could barely hide his anger.
Natasha joined in the argument "You wanted him to lose it. You baited him." She crossed to confront her as well "What was that all about with the gun?"
"You stunned me." Sharon pointed a finger at Natasha. "You didn't even give me a chance to stand down."
Nat took a step towards her "You shouldn't have drawn the gun to begin with, Sharon…he's one of us now."
Fury retreated to stand with Sam and their now conscious prisoner. "This might be the safest spot at the airport right now." He drawled.
Sam nodded in agreement.
Bucky was leaning against Steve's bike; watching the argument from a distance. He tucked his hands in his jacket pockets. He was shivering; hungry, angry, lonely and tired.
His head was pounding; he couldn't remember the last food or water he'd had; "Oh, and the meds…where the hell are they?" he wondered.
You smell horrible Soldier. Even worse than that time in Cuba where you spent three weeks sweating in that pig farm….
He closed his eyes and sighed heavily.
Look at how cute he is over there…defending your honor.
He opened his eyes and frowned.
She nearly won. She nearly got you to kill him.
"No. I won. I tried to kill her; not him. The chopper spin was a stupid mistake. Won't happen again."
All of you nearly died. A glorious death for Hydra. Mother, Pasha and the Avengers.
"No. Not Avengers any more. Not glorious. Not Mother. Not Pasha."
She still controls you, Soldier.
"Sorry pal. Not anymore."
The old widow was staring at Bucky. He could feel her eyes on him. His conversation with the Voice caused him to glance sideways in her direction. Their eyes connected; she beckoned him closer.
Bucky felt the pull of her control even if he wanted to deny it; felt their bond…sick as it was; he wanted to go to her. Wanted to speak to her one last time. He didn't need the Voice to tell him it was stupid.
Sam twitched a little when he saw him approach. "Barnes…we got her…don't aggravate yourself." But Bucky kept coming. He paused a few feet away from her and looked at the ground.
"Pasha. Will I see you again?" Her voice sounded fragile after he nearly choked her to death.
"No. Mother. You will not." He kept his eyes averted.
"I am still Mother, am I?"
"No. It's just a word. The name you told me to call you years ago." He said softly.
"I cared for you. I nurtured you. I am your mother beyond a word."
"No. You did none of those things; you broke me." Bucky worried at his lower lip.
Steve and the others grew quiet.
"You couldn't kill me today, child. I knew you would never hurt me."
He raised his eyes to look at her. "I tried to kill you…I would have killed you." He raised his metal fist and closed the fingers in front of her face. "I couldn't close my fingers tight enough." He snarled as he demonstrated his malfunctioning hand.
She shook her head. "I loved you. I loved her." The woman almost sounded tearful.
Natasha whispered "Don't fall for it Barnes."
Bucky shook his head slowly and growled "No. You loved no one but yourself."
"I loved Ale…."
His head snapped up as he spit out "Don't even say her name. You betrayed her." He took a sharp step towards her.
Everyone jumped at his sudden movement; Steve kept moving towards him quietly; not wanting him to face her alone. Bucky's anger was gone as soon as it flared. He stared hard at her "No woman…you lost today. I am done with you. I feel nothing for you."
Steve stood just behind him "Come on Buck, let's get out of here." But Bucky stayed focused on the old woman.
"Child, you loved me once. You still do." She actually sounded desperate.
Bucky narrowed his eyes; he felt the rage that triggered the chopper mess flash up again but this time he turned it cold. He dredged up the Winter Soldier to end his exchange with his last handler. "Love? No. I never loved you. I was your captive; your pawn; you used me; manipulated me; controlled me; handled me. I was the asset, a weapon, nothing more. And now…I am done with you."
He turned to walk away, Steve fell in beside him.
"Pasha…you belong to me…not him. You will always belong to me."
Bucky closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He turned sharply back towards her.
"Buck, no…don't..she's baiting you." Steve begged him to keep walking away.
He walked right up to her; stood over her; so she had to nearly fall back against Sam and Fury to look up at him. "I was your property for too long…what you will never understand in all of your pathetic life…I have always belonged to him. I will always belong to him. You never owned that part of me."
He stepped back and looked uncertain for a moment as he realized what he'd said in front of Sam and Fury; how he just admitted his deepest secret. He blinked back his tears of embarrassment and turned his back on her one final time. He paused in front of Steve; then they fell in step as they headed for the bike.
"Soldat! We will see one another again. I feel sure of it."
Sam grabbed her arm and shoved her towards the waiting van.
Steve hesitantly asked "Hey. You ok?" when they arrived at the bike.
"Picking up where we left off, huh?"
Steve looked perplexed.
"Yeah….I'm ok." Bucky shrugged.
"Right..I keep asking if you're ok…sorry."
"Keep asking….it's ok. I like it." Bucky mumbled.
Steve turned to slot the shield to the front of the bike.
"Hey…that's my star. You stole my star." Bucky pointed past Steve at the shield.
Steve smiled "Your star? I don't think you have a patent on red stars, do you?"
He slid a little closer to Bucky as he teased "Besides it's just a little different color from yours; so not completely like yours." He brushed against Bucky as he threw his leg over the bike.
"Ah…Steve…I like the new outfit…shoulda been black though." Bucky murmured.
Steve started the bike; "You need a ride or are you stubbornly walking somewhere?"
Bucky shuffled his feet just a little then settled behind Steve; holding onto his belt.
He leaned his chin on Steve's shoulder and sighed "Take me home."