The party was a success except for the small incident with Tony. Pepper did send a text to apologize, then another, but which had obviously been typed by Tony that read:
Sorry, not sorry.
But there was no damage to their new home and everyone walked away alive, so all in all, they deemed the party a success.
However, with HYDRA taken over by Fury,Tony leaving for California, and no impending alien invasion, they felt slightly off-kilter. Good thing New York still needed volunteers to clear up the Chitauri mess and that Bucky's memory still needed some work or they would have been feeling pretty bereft all of a sudden.
It was… peaceful, which made them nervous.
"It's like we're in the eye of the storm," Hermione shared when Steve called her out for startling at the sudden loud sounds of construction outside.
"Disaster waiting to happen," Bucky added gloomily.
These two… Steve shook his head. They were smart, and strong, but they had been through a hell of a lot and this was their first downtime. They might not realize what they were suffering from, or that they needed help, but Steve would be a bad partner if he didn't point it out.
"We're going to see Sam," Steve said.
"Why?" Bucky asked with an undertone of disgust.
Much exaggerated. Steve knew he at the very least respected the guy.
"Is he in trouble?" Hermione asked sharply, hand flexing like she had a curse at her fingertips.
"We're going to his VA meeting. You both need it."
Followed the protestations and arguments he expected, with a side of hurt feelings.
"Jeez, I'm not a monster. I know what it's like. I've been through it, but I was alone, I had no one to tell me how to deal with it… I was in a real bad place, but I've had more time than you guys to cope."
And his trauma was not as severe, in his opinion. Hermione, on the other hand, had just gone through… three wars in close succession: the wizarding war she never talked about, what was now called second World War, and the Chitauris, although he could argue the little HYDRA insurrection could be considered a fourth. That was too much for one person.
And even worse for Bucky who had been tortured and used for decades by terrorists. It was a wonder he had not lost himself completely.
Sam had invited them to visit and seek counsel if needed. Now seemed like the best time to do so, and he would not let their stubbornness get in the way. Like many times before, once he convinced Hermione using logic against her, Bucky followed suit.
Sam's home was like new. Steve was glad to be able to knock on the front door like a normal person instead of having to sneak to the back door in the middle of the night. The way Sam's face went tense as he glanced behind him expecting trouble was a bit vexing though.
"I'm just messing with you, man!" Sam exclaimed with a grin as he pulled him in for a hug.
"You're giving me a bad reputation is what you're doing."
"Hermione! Can I hug you without your boyfriend number two murdering me?"
Hermione hugged him with a very girly teeter he was not used to hearing.
"Who says I'm number two?" Bucky muttered, arms crossed to ward off any idea Sam might have had of hugging him too.
"Everybody?" Sam said as if it was obvious.
"Puppy."
"Grumpy."
"Chicken."
"I don't think chickens can actually fly," Sam remarked, closing the door.
"My point exactly," Bucky said.
Sam rolled his eyes and gave them a tour, mostly because Steve wanted to make sure everything had been repaired or replaced after HYDRA had trashed his place. After they explained why they were all wearing the same ring and how it worked, they were able to head to the VA centre together without drawing unwanted attention. Well, no more than his appearance would. Hermione and Bucky looked as average as they were supposed to, but he looked like a roman statue come to life today. However, it was good enough to sit in the back through the meeting without any of the usual veterans taking notice.
Steve listened, finding it helpful in some strange twist to know others felt just like he had, had gone through the same turmoil, had shut down their emotions and cut off social interaction… He'd thought he was a monster at some point back when he woke up alone in a strange world, but it was actually a normal reaction, even if it was also a bad coping mechanism. However, Steve had managed to put it all behind him by finding Hermione, and then Bucky. He glanced at them, finding they were listening like he had in tense silence. He wondered what they would get out of seeing people struggling like them and if it would help. But when it was over, they didn't seem to be in a mood to talk and they silently got up, then out, to get some fresh air and sunshine.
"Do you think we'll ever not be on active duty?" Hermione asked him after a while, surprising him.
"Why do you ask?"
"I see what you're trying to do, Steve, but those people in there, they're in a very different situation than us, retired, trying to fit into civilian life."
"And so should we," Steve replied with a frown, because he thought they'd done pretty well these last few days, now that HYDRA was no longer an active threat.
"What's the point? You'll always be Captain America, I'll always be Lady Liberty, and Bucky…"
"The Winter Soldier," Bucky said for her. "I don't like it, but I'm stuck with it."
"We'll always be targets," Hermione continued.
"And assets," Bucky added. "Pierce, Fury, or Fury-Pierce, it's all the same in the end. Order, obey. Mission, complete. Why heal what will be damaged again?"
"So you don't bleed out," Steve said pragmatically, although he could understand their frustration. "You need to get over your past traumas so they don't impede your present or future. You're both struggling with nightmares and triggers, it's not healthy."
A "I hate to bother you" cough echoed in the silence that followed to let them know they were not alone. Hermione was merely startled, but Bucky was in full offensive mode with a knife out. Steve lowered his metal arm, and apologized to Sam.
"I have no idea where he got that from. I swear I patted him down before we left."
"Not everywhere, pal," Bucky said, disappearing the knife in one of his many pockets.
"I think private sessions are in order," Sam decided, looking at each of them in turn.
"What? Me too?" Steve asked.
Sam raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, sure. Good idea," Steve corrected, because he might as well lead by example.
Steve wasn't sure why Sam wanted to see him. He was fine… now. But since Hermione and Bucky refused to go if he didn't, he didn't have much of an option, so here he was, en tête à tête with Sam in a cozy room with faded posters of cute pictures and inspirational quotes. To be honest, he kind of hated it.
"So…" Steve said and Sam smiled.
"You hate this, I know. Everyone does. But it's not a test, there are no right or wrong answers."
"But why me? You know I'm fine."
"I know you're shouldering too much. As usual. And you have no outlet. That's why I asked you here."
Steve's first instinct was to deny, but this was Sam's bread and butter. If he saw something that could be weighing him down, maybe he was right? How could he know, if he had not seen it himself in the first place? Shouldering too much? He was Captain America. It was in the job description, and his body had literally been tailor-made to it.
"You're not talking about Captain America," Steve said with certainty.
Sam smiled like a proud parent watching his kid take his first steps, then shook his head.
If not Captain America, then Steve. He was the problem? No, that made no sense. He had a problem? He doubted it. All he had was… oh.
"Hermione and Bucky are not a problem," Steve said sharply.
He couldn't believe Sam would even suggest it. Only, he hadn't. Had he? Damn it all to hell, he hated this.
"Are you playing mind games on me?"
"Never. You're doing fine," Sam said with a carry on gesture.
He worried about them? So what? He would be a pretty poor companion if he didn't. He would do anything for them, to keep them safe and happy. Wasn't that how all couples worked? If not, he didn't see the point. He shook his head.
"We're fine, honestly. I'm happy with them. I'm worried, yeah, so that's why I brought them to you. I don't see why you'd think there's a problem there."
"I don't. Why did you focus on them?"
"Because… they're all I have."
"So you work with them, live with them, do everything with them. That's not very healthy."
"We have other friends…"
"In common. Besides, you work with them too. I don't want to tell you how to live your life, God knows no one has a right to after everything you went through, but you need some time and space to yourself, something of a breather."
Steve frowned. He didn't really want to. He liked spending time with Bucky and Hermione in their own little bubble to catch up on all the lost time they had been apart. It seemed silly to do something else just because it was deemed "healthy", but he would play along knowing his two loves would be having a harder time at this therapy thing.
"Like…" Steve racked his brain for something he liked doing. "Running?"
"Running is good," Sam agreed with a nod, "But I remember you telling me you had not been able to do something you enjoyed since you were drafted."
"Oh…"
Colours and smells, the feel of paper and canvas were like a memory-firework. How could he have forgotten? It had been his work and passion in another life.
"You got it," Sam said. "Give it a try. It might not suit you any more, but it might be a good outlet for everything you're bottling up."
"I'm not bottling up anything."
"You make a good impression of not doing it, but you're not made of stone, something's gotta give after everything you, Hermione and Bucky have been through."
Steve couldn't fault his logic… Seeing where his head was at only a few weeks ago, maybe he had a few issues to work through as well.
"I thought therapy was supposed to make you feel better?" Bucky said over dinner.
No one had talked about their individual session with Sam until then, although he could see it had been bothering them as they were quieter than usual.
"Did you actually talk?" Steve asked.
He had half expected Bucky to sit in the room facing Sam in silence with his arms across his chest.
"He made me."
"Made you?"
"He looked at me like he expected me to," Bucky muttered. "I didn't have a choice."
"He's good," Hermione agreed.
"What about you?" Steve asked her. "How did it go?"
"I think I'll be seeing a lot of him," Hermione sighed. "I never had anyone to talk to after the wizarding war and that was… messed up."
They promised to give it a serious try, even Bucky. Steve ordered a load of art supplies from the internet and Hermione created him a whole room in their apartment out of magic just for him. Hermione for her part had volunteered for a bunch of nonprofits, and Bucky had taken a membership to a local gym and wrote a hell of a lot in a notebook.
It did mean they spent a bit less time together, but he also noticed they were doing better although it was so gradual he couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly or when it had changed.
Maybe it also helped that they could go outside without resorting to their ring disguises every time. These were quiet times that did not need the intervention of superheroes. Fury must have a good hold over both SHIELD and HYDRA too because they had heard nothing from either since taking down Pierce.
That is, until they saw Tony on TV. Steve almost spat out his orange juice when he heard him taunt the terrorist who had just claimed responsibility for a string of deadly explosions.
"That… moron!" Hermione shouted at the screen. "What do we do?"
"He's gonna need help," Bucky agreed.
"I'll call him for a start," Steve said, scrolling through his ever growing list of contacts.
"Are you crazy? I just saw you on TV!" Steve said although he very much felt like shouting right now.
"Stevie! How are the Beauty and the Beast treating you?" Tony replied, deflecting as usual. Maybe he should have called Pepper instead...
"Tony! Be serious for once in your life. What were you thinking? And don't get home!"
"Bit late for that," Tony chuckled darkly. "Don't know what oldie news channel you're watching, but I gave that statement a couple hours ago. And I was thinking payback actually. They sent Happy to the hospital."
Steve remembered Happy, although he had not realized how close the bodyguard/driver was to Tony for him to react so rashly.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Tony, but you can't just take those bastards head on on your own."
"Sure I can. I'm Ironman, Tony laughed before they were suddenly cut off."
"Tony? Tony!?"
Steve redialed then gave up when he was sent to voicemail.
"Change the station," he told Bucky who went through them at lightning speed until they found a breaking news flashing in front of their eyes with Tony's name all over it.
It was too late. Half his mansion was already in the ocean and he had no idea where Tony was.
"I can go," Hermione said. "I can make the jump."
"Take me with you," Steve said, already rushing to fetch his shield.
"No, it's too far for a sidelong apparition. I can make it on my own. Trust me, I won't take any unnecessary risks," she said, her wand jumping into her hand, the golden chain that linked it to her wrist clinking softly as it caught the light.
Bucky had been over the moon when she had made his wand-taped-in-hand a permanent, and more practical, feature. Steve looked between her and the TV. Thanks to the journalists filming, she could see where exactly to teleport, he only needed to trust her to be careful.
"Stay safe," he said and Bucky kissed the side of her head before stepping back.
The next second she popped away. Steve and Bucky immediately stared at the screen and sure enough, there she was in her jeans and jumper, her hair whipping about in the wind. The journalists reporting exclaimed at her apparition, and followed her progress as she entered the ruins, looking for survivors. Soon after Ironman stumbled out with a woman he thought had to be Pepper, but Steve's relief was short lived when the woman turned out to be a strange brunette while Pepper was inside the suit. Where the hell was Tony? Another missile headed towards the mansion and Steve gripped Bucky's hand. Hermione had to be somewhere on the lookout because the missile suddenly turned into a giant fish which flipped down into the ocean. Steve scanned the rubbles and smoke until he saw her standing near the edge of the house, looking down into the ocean where the other half had toppled, obviously looking for signs of Tony and finding none because she returned inside, out of view. A tense minute went by, then the journalists cried in alarm when several missiles headed her way. A couple exploded in the air but the others found their mark, a huge explosion filling the screen.
Steve bit his lip, eyes unblinking. She had seen it coming, she would be fine. He had half expected to see her return right here in their living-room in a cloud of dust. The media's helicopter circled the area around the mansion, finding no trace of her or Tony, so it narrowed its cameras on the two women who had made it out and taken cover on the road further up the hills where small flashing lights could be seen approaching.
Hermione reappeared next to them, patting dust off herself. She talked to Pepper, who fell into her arms. That didn't look like good news, Bucky thought as much. As soon as the first responders took Pepper and her friend in charge, Hermione disappeared again from the screen. To his relief, she did reappear in their home this time.
Bucky hovered to get her, checking her for injuries. Hermione hugged him tight so he would stop, chuckling when his all black clothes were now half white with dust. Steve didn't care, he pulled her in for his own hug, glad she was well.
"Tony?" he asked in a half-whisper against her dusty hair, afraid of the answer, but of the mind that if something terrible had happened to Tony, other than his home being blown up to smithereens, she would be much more anguished.
"Suspiciously absent, no body or trace of him. The last I managed to trace of his whereabouts, he was moving away at very high speed."
"Fleeing?" Steve asked.
That wasn't like Tony at all, but maybe he had realized he had not only put a target on himself, but Pepper too, and anyone else he associated with. Hermione shrugged at his question.
"I told Pepper what I found out and to call us if she needed help, but…"
"We can just take down the threat," Bucky said. "Who is that guy? The Mandarin? Sounds like a fruit. He can't be any worse than HYDRA."
Hermione was biting back a laugh, but she nodded.
"Pepper told me there might be a link between the Mandarin and a thing called AIM?"
"Did she say anything else?" Steve asked.
"No, I had a feeling she didn't want the lady next to her to hear, and then the paramedics got there and I didn't want to be taken to a hospital.
"AIM? You ever heard of it, Buck?
Bucky shook his head.
"Let's find out so we can help Tony. I think we all owe him that much."
Thankfully, it wasn't a secret and they found who headed that organization with ease. The link to the Mandarin was not as evident, but they had expected as much. It would explain the weaponized helicopters though. Finding the whereabouts of this Aldrich Killian was not as easy however. He seemed to like neither publicity, nor the media and they were hard pressed to even find a recent picture of him.
"Can you find him with magic?" Steve asked her.
"You know how unreliable that is," she replied.
"We can just check all the properties he owns," Bucky said, holding a listing.
"What if he's hiding in one he doesn't own publicly? That's what I would do," Hermione argued.
"Besides, there's too many of them," Steve added. "Tony might need help sooner rather than later."
"If we split up, it'll take us thrice as less time," Hermione said.
It wasn't like they had much of a choice. After reaching out to SHIELD, they had been told it didn't fall under their jurisdiction, which he thought was a loaf of crap because the Mandarin had semi-officially taken out one of their Avengers. It didn't make sense. As for the Military, they were so slow to move with all their protocols and chain of command, it was a wonder they wanted to get involved at all. Tony being a civilian, the FBI was called in but refused to give them information on the matter or even tell them if they were getting involved.
Steve was outraged Tony was being so thoroughly abandoned in his supposed death. He would rather do what little they could, so they split up the listing in three, giving Hermione the more remote locations because she could travel faster. Hermione then gave them a mirror each which he had seen her working on for a while now.
"Erm, thanks?" Bucky said, inspecting his reflection to flick a strand of hair back.
"Silly. Say my name into your reflection," she instructed.
"Hermione?" Bucky said uncertainly, then startled at what he saw there.
Curious, Steve leaned in and sure enough, Hermione was peering at them.
"That way we can communicate without my magic interfering," echoed her voice, coming from the room and mirror at the same time.
"You are a genius," Steve said, kissing her soundly on the lips.
How many times had he worried about her being out of contact because she had fried another phone, usually just by having it near her for too long.
While they finished getting ready, Steve dialed Pepper's number to keep her in the loop and see if she had any more news. However, he was sent straight to voicemail. Strange, but he supposed she had to be busy keeping Stark Industries on track while Tony was absent. He heard his stock had taken a beating on the market after his Mansion had been destroyed… Steve hesitated, but he had no good news to give her yet so he hung up without leaving a message.
When Hermione walked out of the bathroom, Steve was stunned to see her decked out in her full SHIELD-issued Lady Liberty Catsuit.
"I thought you hated that thing?" he asked.
"If I can't be Lady Liberty to fight a terrorist, I don't deserve the title. And… it kind of grew on me. What about you, Captain? Unlike me, you'll be on the roads. Aren't you afraid of getting mobbed by your fans?"
Steve shrugged, slinking his shield over his shoulder.
"I can't hide the shield anyway."
Following the Chitauri attack, his former uniform had been covered in unwashable alien goo, so SHIELD had sent him a new one which was much more discreet and practical.
"It does suit you well," Hermione said, her fingers playing along his chest as she looked up at him with her hungry eyes.
"Hey, knock it out," Bucky grumbled, stomping towards them in his heavy black combat boots, looking not quite like the Winter Soldier, nor their old Sargent Barns, but a strange in-between, especially when he grinned. "You could at least wait for me."
They opened their arms for him and basked in one last moment of peace before returning to what they did best: trudging through the country looking for murderous idiots to punch.