Chapter 2. Promises
The drones that Tony sent the following day came back an hour after going through the portal. They must have gone under whatever shield was up over the site, as they could now confirm that there actually was significant damage to the facility. There were also some signs of repair, by unknown means as no one came out while the drones were there. The drones scanned for infrared heat signatures from outside the structure for activity but every reading they took was inconclusive. They didn't know if anyone was there, and because of that they had no idea if they could safely send a team inside. As they watched the footage, sped up for brevity's sake no one said anything until the replay ended.
"Well, that wasn't very enlightening, was it?" asked Carol. "What's next, Cap?"
"Since the drones didn't give us much in the way of concrete intelligence, we'll have to send actual people there," he replied. "You interested?"
She smiled. "Thought you would never ask but I don't want to go alone," she said. "Any volunteers to go with me?"
"I'll go," said Joaquin. "My suit's fixed so I feel pretty secure. You are able to extend an energy field around me if I come under fire, right?"
"I can do that if I'm with you," she replied. "We can go right now, be back in no time. I plan on going inside."
"I don't."
"Fair enough but you have to let me know immediately if you get into any trouble," she smiled. "Cap, anything you want us to look for?"
"Defensive capabilities, numbers of people onsite, signs of a cloning lab ... you know, normal villain stuff."
"Okay." She stood up. "Go get ready and I'll meet you out front."
Half an hour later they met up out front where Joaquin looked nervously at her, never having travelled with her before. With a grin she activated a shield around herself, enveloping her body in a golden glow. Reaching out to him he was enclosed within it, and she raised them both up, speeding up into the sky pulling him along in her energy bubble.
"Are you sure that was a good idea?" asked Bucky as he watched them disappear from sight.
"She knows what she's doing," replied Sam. "He'll come back in one piece. Might not ever go with her again but ... we need the intel."
One hour passed, then two, then three without any contact. Almost four hours after they left, they received a comms call from Carol that they would be landing shortly.
"I need medical," was all she said.
Bruce, Helen Cho and a medic waited out front, joined by the others as the golden glow arrived back where they took off from. As they landed, they could see that she was carrying Joaquin. One of his arms was bent in an odd direction.
"I think he broke it," she said.
"What happened?" asked Bruce as a gurney was placed in front of Carol to put Joaquin on.
"I don't know," she admitted. "He was unconscious outside when I found him. I was inside the building, looking for what you asked and not finding it. Then I heard a yell from him, and I came out to him lying on the ground. I called on comms, but you didn't answer until I got close, so I figured something affected the range."
By the time they got up to medical he was moaning. Gently, the medical staff took his flying suit off and laid him on the gurney. The X-ray they did next confirmed that the arm was broken but no other injuries were found that explained why he was unconscious. Carol sat near where they started to cast Joaquin's arm, explaining over and over to Sam and the others what she had seen and what she hadn't seen.
"It was empty," she said. "No people, no furniture, no equipment; just empty hallways and rooms. Some had damage and some didn't. I did hear a sound, like a thump but that was the only thing of note. That's when I heard Joaquin yell, and I went back outside. He was on the ground with his arm broken."
Tony called everyone up to the lab where he had been going over all sorts of satellite images. As they filed in, they noticed that Dr. Strange was with him and both men were studying a particular image of what looked like a sun in a hole made of clouds.
"It's a multiverse incursion," said Strange, suddenly speaking. "That is a portal, visible only in infrared light but it's centred over the facility."
"Why didn't it show up in all the other scans that were done?" asked Sam.
Strange looked at Tony, shrugging as the inventor tried to explain. "It's a new frequency of long-range infrared that is on the furthest edge of that part of the spectrum. Its temperature is basically absolute zero and I didn't pick it up until I recalibrated the settings. That universe is basically a heat sink. When it's open it's absorbing heat from our universe but it's barely enough to register a change on its side."
"What are you two not saying?" asked Bruce, looking at all the readouts with concern.
"We think that the people at that facility were knocked out then sucked into that universe, then it began taking the equipment that was still running," replied the sorcerer. "But it didn't take the building, yet. I was just there and replayed the events outside that affected Torres. He was hit by a beam that came out of that portal. It knocked him over sending him to the ground, then the portal closed. We have to destroy that portal. If we don't, we run the risk of whoever is in the other universe coming back and pulling more of this universe into it."
"How do we do that?" asked Sam.
"Controlled implosion of the building with timed charges to break the connection while I send an explosive device through to shut the portal down," said Strange. He looked at Tony. "I won't ask you to do it as I know you've been in that situation before. There's only one thing. Whoever is on the other side might hit back and it won't be gentle. People might get hurt. I've run the possibilities and there are multiple injuries in many of the scenarios."
"Casualties?" asked Sam.
"No, not that I could detect but I could be wrong."
"You can't just do it by magic?" asked Peter.
"No, no magic," he replied. "We need a team to go inside the building and place the charges while I monitor the portal. I can shield them while they're doing it and possibly stop time in the portal if I can detect anything happening. As soon as everything is ready, we start the timers on the charges. I'll take the final charge up to the perimeter of the portal while everyone else gets out of there. I go in the portal for a distance, set the timer to coordinate with the ones on the ground and levitate myself out of there. The combined explosion should be enough energy to sever the connection."
"But you're not sure," stated Carol, frowning. "Can you even withstand the cold being that close to the portal if it's almost at absolute zero, not to mention that the temperature should stop all molecular activity?"
Dr. Strange opened his mouth to answer then shook his head as he thought on it. "I honestly don't know." He looked at her. "You can, can't you?"
"Yes, I can withstand absolute zero for a limited time before it slows me down but not for long," she said. "Was any other radiation detected from that portal?"
"No, it wasn't open long enough."
"I can also withstand the temperature in space for a limited time," stated Thor. "I could use my ability to generate lightning to set off the explosive device, however the lightning might increase its yield causing some blowback."
"Let's not do that," said Sam. "Too many variables can mess things up considerably. We use traditional explosives, break the link between the facility and the portal, destroy the portal. One, two, three, done."
Everyone agreed with the plan and Tony began assembling the explosive devices with the help of Harley and Bruce. The others went to assemble their weapons and check their equipment. Although no response was expected as they placed the charges, they always planned for contingencies. While Bucky was inspecting his firearms, he heard Friday call everyone to the medical centre. Carefully, he placed them back in his gun safe and set the lock. Arriving on the medical floor he entered the main room, noticing that Joaquin was out of the cradle and sitting on a bed with his arm in a sling.
"You alright?" he asked the young flyer.
"I've been better," he replied, ignoring the others until he saw Yelena coming in.
Immediately, he relaxed as she approached him and kissed him on the cheek. Bucky and Sam glanced at each other. This was new to both of them. She turned back, making eye contact with Bucky.
"We kept it quiet," she said, in Russian. "Too much gossip."
"Not my business," he replied. "But I like him so don't mess with him or you'll deal with me and Sam."
"I care about him, too, Yakov," she hissed, slightly upset with him. "What we have is important to me."
"Joaquin wanted to tell everyone what happened," interrupted Bruce. "I thought it necessary that you have all the information before you head out there tomorrow."
The young flyer gave Bruce a grim look then gazed at everyone in turn. "I was outside, scanning for activity with Red Wing when a portal opened above me. I didn't see it or hear it, but I could feel it, like a cold sensation that chilled me to the bone. Red Wing couldn't pick it up on its imaging and neither could the suit. Out of what looked like empty sky a beam came out and batted me aside like I was a fly. My one wing was damaged, and I fell, hard, on my arm. I passed out and woke up here with a broken arm." He coughed and looked at his free hand. "That beam looked like a very scattered laser beam, or like something from Star Trek but it was cold, really cold. It chilled my entire body."
"With that information I don't want any non-enhanced humans in the sky," said Sam. "I'm grounded, Wasp and Ant-Man are grounded as I can't depend on your suits to protect you. Peter, you as well, even though you classify as enhanced. Stay on the ground. Joaquin is staying here to continue healing. Tony, if your suit loses power will it protect you if you fall?"
"I was going to control it by remote," he shrugged. "Better safe than sorry."
"My cloak will protect me from a fall," said Strange. "Shaun, will the rings protect you?"
"Yeah, they should," he replied. "You really think we're going to get an aggressive response?"
"Leave nothing to chance," said Sam.
It was quiet at dinner as everyone mentally prepared for the next day. Bucky and Noelle had dinner with Winnie in their quarters, knowing that she would be animated, like she always was, and that could draw people out of the mindset they needed to develop for the following day. They oversaw her bath together, drying her off with a big fluffy towel and dressing her in her favourite pyjamas. Sitting beside her with his back to her headboard Bucky read Winnie two stories, doing the voices of the characters. Then he tucked her in and kissed her.
"Papa is going on a mission tomorrow morning," he said. "I don't know how long I'll be gone but I'll try to video call every day."
"Are you fighting bad guys?" she asked.
"Yeah, baby, I'm fighting bad guys," he replied. "Someday, when you're old enough you'll be able to fight the bad guys too. Would you like that?"
"Like Auntie Yena? And Auntie Kate?"
"Just like them," he whispered, rubbing noses with her.
"Just like you, Papa," she whispered back, her eyes looking on him with adoration.
"I love you, sweet pea," he murmured, kissing her forehead. "You be good for Mama while I'm gone."
"Yes, Papa."
He kissed her forehead again and moved aside, watching as Noelle went through her nighttime ritual with Winnie. Turning her night light on they tucked her in again and turned off the main light, leaving the door open a crack. In the living room Bucky sat on the couch and turned on the TV, looking for something mindless. Noelle finished cleaning up in the kitchen then joined him on the couch, pulling a throw blanket over both of them.
"What are we watching?" she asked, snuggling into his side.
"Hangover," he answered. "That okay?"
"Uh huh. You won't get grossed out over the nude scene, will you?"
"Nude scene?"
"One of the male characters," she said. "It's funny as hell though, as he's a skinny little guy with issues. The actor went way over the top in his portrayal."
"Well, hopefully Winnie falls asleep before then and we can go to bed ourselves."
As the movie progressed Noelle giggled at the absurdity of it while Bucky kind of just grunted at the parts that should have had him laughing. When it got to the nude scene, he turned it off.
"No, huh?" asked his wife. "You want to check on Winnie while I get ready for bed?"
"I want to ask you something first," said Bucky, playing with her hair. "You're late, aren't you?"
She blushed. "Yeah, a week late. You're very observant."
"Can't help it," he smiled. "Have you taken a pregnancy test?"
"Not yet. I bought one but I'll have to do it in the morning. If I am, are you okay with it?"
He ran his fingertips down her neck and around the edge of her breasts with a soft smile on his face that brought out an equally soft smile on hers.
"Absolutely. I love being a father."
He pulled Noelle onto his lap, placing his hand on her belly. Gently he caressed it then kissed her. Normally, when they made out like this, they would take it to the bedroom quickly, but this time Bucky pulled back a little and gazed at his wife, gently playing with her hair.
"What are you thinking?"
"Of when we met." He blushed a little. "I sometimes wonder if we were meant to meet each other."
"Of course, we were," she said, her face lighting up in that way it did when she was happy. "What are the chances that I would be in that jazz club on the same night you and Sam were? The same night that was a tribute to the great women jazz singers, past and present."
"I didn't know that when Sam and I went," he replied, looking between her eyes and lips.
It was only a few days after Sam and Bucky had battled the Flag Smashers. They had intended to stay in Delacroix, decompressing but Rhodes video called them, told them to get their asses back to New York. Fury was putting the Avengers back together and he wanted them, together as partners. There was going to be a meeting with government officials to make it happen and it was strongly suggested that they come dressed for success, so Bucky bought his first suit since the 1940s. It made the difference, along with his short hair, and a close shave before the meeting that made him look professional, according to Sam.
"A professional what?" he asked Sam in his hotel room, as he finished with his tie. "I look like a clothes horse."
Sam shook his head at his friend. "No, you look good," he said. "I've only ever seen you in a tactical suit or jeans. You clean up well and you know what they say about a well-dressed man."
"No, what?" asked Bucky facetiously.
"Clothes don't make the man, but they do make him look great."
Bucky had rolled his eyes but secretly he agreed that he looked good in a suit. That was confirmed by the looks he received from women and a few men, as they were escorted to the meeting at the United Nations building. It still made him a little uncomfortable to get noticed but at least it wasn't because of the arm. A few hours later the proposal had been approved, funding assigned, a replacement compound for the one destroyed by Thanos was already under construction, and the two men went to a jazz club to celebrate.
Seated at a table on an elevated portion of the club, giving them a clear view of the stage and a view of everyone who came in, they saw the trio of women arrive. Noelle Belanger, an ER nurse, was out with friends, both of them married, supporting her while she celebrated her divorce. All of them wore elegant black dresses, capturing the attention of others in the club. Noelle, tall, blonde, and curvy carried herself with an air that said she wasn't someone to be trifled with. Sam nudged his arm then saw Bucky was already staring at the women, specifically the blonde. She noticed him as well, looking boldly at him then smiling.
"I'm going to marry her," murmured Bucky.
"You didn't say that," laughed Noelle. "Sam said you didn't say anything because your tongue was on the floor."
He blushed and kissed her again. "Okay, maybe I didn't but I thought it," he said. "I hadn't seen a woman as stunning as you in all my years. Your ex was an idiot."
"Can't disagree with you there," she smiled. "But if he hadn't cheated on me, then I wouldn't have divorced him, I wouldn't have gone to the jazz club, and I wouldn't have met you. So, it was all meant to be because you are the love of my life, James Buchanan Barnes. I believe that with all of my heart."
"So do I," he whispered into her ear, as "their songs" began playing on the playlist.
"Did you time this?" She ran her hands up the back of his head, grasping his thick dark hair as they kissed passionately.
Diana Krall made a live appearance at the club that night, playing several of her hits. The dance floor had been opened by then and Bucky went straight to Noelle, offering her his hand after staring at her all evening. By the end of the first song, The Look of Love, they were kissing. By the end of the next song, If I Take You Home Tonight, she was leaving with him, and they spent the next three days together learning everything there was about each other.
"I never leave anything to chance," replied Bucky, picking her up, as she wrapped her legs around him.
Friday turned everything off on Bucky's command and they went into the bedroom, locking the door to prevent a certain 3 year old girl from invading their bed again. While Bucky pulled his shirt and jeans off, Noelle undressed as well, waiting for her husband to join her on the bed.
After they spent those three days together Bucky returned to Delacroix, then turned around and returned to New York within two days, showing up at the ER department where Noelle worked. He proposed to her in an empty cubicle, giving her his mother's engagement ring, which his late sister had kept for all those years when he was a prisoner of HYDRA. Noelle said yes, they married two weeks later, and she was pregnant within a month, proof of the virility of a super soldier, as she had been told the chances of pregnancy were low due to scarring in her fallopian tubes.
"I adore you," Bucky whispered, as he and Noelle made love.
She gasped his name as she came, raising herself into him, straining against his hands which were intertwined with hers above her head. His own release came moments later, and he buried his face in her neck, whispering her name several times. Quickly, Noelle cleaned up in the bathroom, returning to straightened sheets and Bucky on his side, waiting for her to spoon on the inside of his body. Gently, he kissed her shoulder then her neck.
"I'm coming home," he said softly, in a ritual he performed the night before every mission. "I promise."
"I know, I'll be here," she answered, covering his warm hand with her own as it lay across her chest.
Sleep came for Noelle sooner than it did for Bucky as he thought over everything about the mission. Ever since he and Sam had been recruited it had been accepted by both of them that they were the leaders of the new initiative, along with Thor. Since the god warrior split his time between New York and New Asgard most of the decision making had been made by the pair that lived onsite, a responsibility they shared equally. Sam had admitted that this mission worried him. There were too many unknown factors, despite all the scans and readings they had done. Joaquin's injury had been troubling but with time running out on destroying this base before the portal reappeared, they felt there was no choice but to do the job, as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Noelle woke up alone, the spot on the bed behind her cold. As she entered the bathroom, she saw the pregnancy test on the counter. Following the instructions, she prepared the stick and left it there while throwing on her robe. In the living room area, Bucky was fast asleep on the couch, a throw blanket barely covering his muscular body. He must have been too restless to sleep in the bed and came out here to avoid waking her. With a smile she entered the kitchen and started up the coffee maker, hearing the almost silent pad of bare feet on the kitchen floor and feeling a pair of arms wrap themselves around her.
"Did I wake you?" Noelle asked, running her hands over his.
"No, I wasn't in a very deep sleep," murmured Bucky. "You know how it is sometimes."
She turned around to face her husband of over four years, noticing the little crease of worry that often appeared between his eyebrows when he was troubled.
"What is it?" she asked.
He shrugged. "A lot of unknowns but if we don't take care of it then it could get worse. Did you take the test?"
"Yeah, just waiting for the indicator to appear," she said, looking at the clock. "Another few minutes should do it. What do you want for breakfast?"
"Nothing, we're having a breakfast briefing before we go," he said. "Reaffirm that everyone is clear on their responsibilities."
"What's yours?" she asked, knowing full well what he always saw as his primary responsibility.
"Set some charges, protect the team," he replied. "Then get them home safely. I always do."
Together they returned to their bathroom ensuite, and she picked up the pregnancy indicator, handing it to Bucky. A satisfied smile appeared that softened his worried face.
"Our second," he said. "Baby, I love you so much. We'll keep it to ourselves for now, right? Make sure it takes?"
Nodding her head in agreement the couple kissed passionately, and she returned to the kitchen, pouring them each a coffee and bringing it back to the bedroom. Bucky had just exited the shower and was drying himself off. Sipping his coffee first, he placed the cup on the dresser then began what Noelle regarded as one of her favourite things after sex and seeing Bucky naked; watching him dress in his tactical gear. His body, even with his scars, metal shoulder and arm, was perfect in her eyes. The clothes he wore enhanced his physicality, using StarkTech to mold itself to his form, giving him full range of his athleticism and strength. Worn over a set of close-fitting wicking underwear, its bullet proof and knife resistant weave also protected him from shrapnel as well as helped dissipate electrical charges that conducted through his arm. The vibranium arm was always kept free so that the clothing didn't impede its movement. In the quinjet Bucky would strap on gun and knife holsters so that he always had a weapon on hand; the tools of his trade as he called them. Finally, he put his boots on, sitting on an armchair to fasten them then feeling the StarkTech in them adjust to lessen the risks of blisters.
"Come here," he beckoned to Noelle, in another one of his rituals before a mission. Climbing onto his lap she burrowed into his chest as he enclosed her in his arms and bent his head close to her, kissing her hair. "I'll call when I can. I saw by the schedule that you're on duty in the medical centre this week."
"Yeah," she said softly. "Should be quiet, until you guys get home."
"I'll bring us back safely," he repeated from earlier. "I'll miss you."
"Me too," she said. "It's lonely without you. I'll have to go through your dirty clothes, so I have your scent with me when I'm trying to sleep."
He smirked, as it was a standing joke between them. "I'm sure Winnie won't let you sleep alone," he smirked. His wife raised her face to his, seeing only love reflected back at her from his eyes. "I love you both, more than anything in this world, because you are my world, and nothing will keep me from returning home to you."
Threading his hand into her hair, Bucky lowered his lips to Noelle's sealing his pledge with a tender kiss. There were no other words because this was his sacred promise that he had yet to break, and she trusted his word more than anyone else's. Friday announced the pre-mission briefing, making them both stand up. They hugged again, kissing deeply, murmuring their love for each other, then Bucky left their suite. While she showered, Noelle cried, releasing her fears for her husband; knowing that the job was part of his journey to undo the crimes he was forced to commit when he was the Winter Soldier. She would never ask him to leave the job, for it was an intrinsic part of the man she loved.
Winnie was awake before the mission pre-briefing ended and they both went to a viewing platform where others also were, watching for the moment when the quinjet left the base. As it raised up from the ground and rotated a full 360 degrees to confirm that hover controls were working correctly, they both saw Bucky in the pilot's seat. He raised his hand to them, touching his lips, then his heart to say goodbye one more time.
"Bye Papa!" Winnie waved at him. "Be safe!"
With a smile he turned the cockpit away from them and rose higher in the air until he was at a safe height to proceed. Then he applied the throttle and the aircraft sped away. They watched it until it was no longer visible. Only then did they go to the communal kitchen for breakfast.