You and Me ch 6
A/N Props to a reader- JuliaAurelia for making some kind suggestions and turning this fic from a tragedy into something fun.
"No, you may not get out of bed, Captain." The fierce doctor informed Steve over the dinner he was taking in his bedroom.
"Are you kidding me… when I was in WW II, I did twice as much in half as good health!" he regarded the physician mutinously over his T-bone steak, baked potato and salad on the lap tray. A myriad of pillows were propped up behind him like a big cushion.
The doctor remained unflappable, "I got a better look at your CT and MRI and you are not getting out of bed for at least four more days. That head of yours is not as hard as you think."
"Ridiculous!" Steve fumed.
"No, you are being ridiculous. If you don't comply, I'll find a way to make you, including locking your doors and having J.A.R.V.I.S. monitor your 24/7. Am I clear?" she pressed.
With an angry glare, he remained silent.
"Exactly. I'll see you tomorrow for a check up." Turning on her heel, she strode out of his room.
Secretly, he wondered where his electronic spy was at that moment.
It watched him carefully but with an air of beneficence, not menace. Blue eyes glowing gently at the foot of his bed, it saw the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest in deep healing sleep. The doctor had removed the intubation earlier that day after Steve had been put to bed declaring that Bucky was strong enough to breathe on his own. The robot heard the doctor command to the nursing staff that Steve Rogers should not be allowed to visit in order to let his concussion heal. The offhand remark was made that it was unlikely James would wake any time soon anyway. The robot recorded it and decided that Steve would not appreciate that diagnosis. It had made a promise though, never to lie about Barnes' health status.
With the its built in camera, the nurse-bot took a video of the sleeping James, his face still pale from his wound. The few days' stubble darkened his cheeks and chin while his eyes flickered under closed lids. The wires were still present snaking over his broad chest, reading off vital signs and reporting them dutifully. The wound drain in his side didn't weep as much fluid; another sign of healing.
Bucky moved as if in a dream. A few sounds escaped his throat and even to the robot, it didn't sound like it was a good dream. The window outside was darkened in early night as snow flurries floated by on the wind like flakes of stardust.
J.A.R.V.I.S. interrupted the bots thoughts with an internal communication audible to only the robot, "How is Sgt. Barnes?"
The bot jolted with the sudden question, as if surprised. The nurse-bot knew J.A.R.V.I.S. watched everything in the Tower, including it. It was still a puzzle to the machine why J.A.R.V.I.S. had not informed Stark about its animation. It never asked and J.A.R.V.I.S. never told, only maintained his silence about the A.I. roaming the infirmary like a blue and silver ghost.
Recovering its composure, the bot replied, "He is improving."
"Excellent." The uniform voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. responded, "Cpt. Rogers will be pleased."
"J.A.R.V.I.S., I like Steve." The bot admitted, "I like them both."
J.A.R.V.I.S. didn't reply at first, as if in thought, but then said, "I do as well. They are honorable humans."
"I agree." the nurse-bot concurred, "I am going to visit Steve now and update him on Sgt. Barnes' status."
"Confirmed." J.A.R.V.I.S. answered then went silent.
"I'm sorry Doc won't let you get out of bed." Natasha said, arms folded over her chest. Steve was tucking into a slice of apple pie after his dinner. Widow had called upon Rogers just after the doctor gave him her command to stay in bed.
"It's a pile of…crap." Steve replied angrily. Widow smiled despite herself. The goodie two shoes Captain America still had issues swearing, especially in front of a lady.
"I know. But they're the experts." Widow conceded.
"Whatever. How's Bucky? You've seen him?" Rogers asked eagerly.
"Oh yeah. He's all right. Still knocked out." Natasha said without hesitation.
"Are you sure?" Cap eyed her suspiciously feeling his blood pressure tick up. Women were a slippery slope for him and Romanov was slipperier than most when it came to sharing information. The battle on the Lemurian Star sprung to mind when they busted out the S.H.I.E.L.D. hostages from Batroc and his henchmen. What were Fury's words? Natasha didn't 'lie' to Steve; she had a "different" mission from his.
"Scouts honor." She returned with the wrong finger sign showing her disapproval of his distrust.
"That's not a Scouting sign, Natasha." Steve dryly observed.
"You get my point." she replied nonchalantly and refolded her arms over her chest.
Rogers realized she wouldn't or couldn't divulge much more about James so switched the topic, "Did the mission succeed?"
"Yes. We obtained the Diviner from HYDRA. Just trying to figure it out now. Stark is downstairs going gonzo over it. Banner is trying to help too." Romanov said evenly.
"Anyone else hurt?" Cap responded through his forkful of pie.
"A few bumps and scrapes but nothing like you… and Barnes." she admitted, trying not to remind Steve about Barnes, "But I'll let you get some rest. Check on you tomorrow."
"Thanks. Grab me my remote?" Steve asked Natasha as she took the remote control from his dresser and chucked it to him in his bed and then turned to leave.
Once he heard the door close, he announced to his apartment, "Lock doors." The audible clicks of locks answered back. Flicking on the TV hanging on the wall opposite his bed, he hoped his robotic guardian angel would show up tonight. I wonder if it has a life outside of watching Bucky, and me he wondered? Was it exactly independent of Stark or was he using it to spy on him and Bucky?
Moving through ductwork spaces and hidden corridors, the bot approached Steve's apartment. With heightened hearing, the robot hung back until Widow had left. When it was certain she was gone, the machine adopted the human habit of knocking with a metallic fist on the doorframe to announce its presence.
Steve was already looking in the direction from where the robot always appeared and departed from, when it peeked around the corner.
"Hello there." Rogers said in a friendly tone.
The bot could not smile, as Stark had designed it with the mouth-less profile like his Mark suits but Rogers imagined it was happy to see him.
"Good evening." The robot took a step into the bedroom, "How are you this evening?"
"I am doing better. My headaches are not as severe." Cap replied as he put the now empty plate on his nightstand.
"Please, allow me." the machine stated and moved forward to clean up the dirty plates, arms extended.
"No… it's ok. Really. If they see the dishes are done, the doc will think I've been up out of bed. I am not very fond of her yelling at me." Steve replied his tone darkening on the idea of the doctor ordering him around.
The bot stopped half way to him, "She only does it because she knows what is best to let you heal."
"Well, we don't see eye to eye on that." Rogers commented acidly but then lightened his tone, "You've been taking care of Bucky?"
"I believe 'taking care' is an overstatement. I observe." the machine replied.
"Well, to me that is just as much care as any nurse or doctor." Cap responded his tone becoming wistful, "Just knowing someone is there can be the best medicine anyone needs."
"I understand you and Sgt. Barnes have a long history together." The blue eyes in the robots head swirled gently in blue waves.
"And you know this because?" Rogers tested.
"I have access to all of J.A.R.V.I.S.'s files." The bot replied evenly.
Cap regarded the machine for a long moment pondering again the motives of this technology and if Stark was behind all this like a puppet master pulling strings. He wouldn't put it past Tony to be an ass spying on him. It wasn't a secret that he and Tony didn't always see eye to eye on big issues.
As if the robot could read his mind it spoke, "I am not spying for Mr. Stark."
"I wish I could make you prove that." Cap mused, rubbing his chin but deciding that he should put his paranoia away for the night he asked, "Can you tell me about Bucky?"
"Yes. I have a brief video." The robot replied, pivoting to face the TV. Using Bluetooth, it streamed the short video of Barnes' sleeping peacefully until the dream began.
Steve hung on every second of the video, his heart happy that damn tube was out of James's throat and that he looked to be resting comfortably. Then the dream twitching began with the tortured sounds faintly echoing from Bucky's throat made Rogers' innards twist in a knot. His hands grasped his bed sheets tightly as he watched.
If he could be there, he could hold Barnes' hand, tell him comforting words like he did for Steve all those sick years, "C'mon punk. I don't have enough money to bury you."
"Cremation." Steve's tiny, raspy, flu-ridden voice scraped back as he shivered painfully in the flimsy bed.
"Hey… you Catholics don't allow that sort of thing! I don't need God mad at me too." Bucky's voice was verging on tears holding Rogers' hand, but he held strong for Steve's sake.
"You're too much piss and vinegar for Him anyway." Steve coughed back and then fell into an uneasy sleep.
Steve's memory cleared as the video concluded and he felt his muscles knotting in anxiety. "Was… is he doing better?" Cap asked uncertainly trying to shake the idea of what Bucky might have been dreaming.
"By his vital signs, he is improving and healing well. He has not regained consciousness, however." The nurse bot replied, facing Steve. Its LED eyes appeared to blink, like a person would.
"That's good news that he's getting better." Steve said heavily, "Can you do me a favor?"
"Yes, Steve." answered the robot as it regarded him steadily.
"Can you… can you tell him I'm thinking about him. He's a bit of a jerk when it comes to doing things I ask him. Stubborn and sassy, Buck is. A regular punk he is." Rogers' voice was rich with feeling.
" I have recorded your message. I will deliver it to him." The robot returned not asking why Steve wanted him to talk to an unconscious person, which seemed illogical.
"Thank you." Steve replied as the robot disappeared from his bedroom noticing how quiet it always was coming and going.
The video took more out of him than he expected as he looked numbly at the remote control for the TV. Deciding that sleep was more up his alley than the dumb shows they broadcast these days, he put the device down and got as comfortable as he could for a long night.
A/N 2… I have read vague hints that Steve is Catholic in the comics, so I'm going with that. Until 1963 Catholics were instructed not to cremate the deceased.