Steve groans and pushes his head under a pillow, not feeling in the mood to get out of bed. He opens an eye and peeks at the bedroom. God, the sun hasn't even come out yet. He's trying to fall asleep when his phone rings again and Steve realizes it must have been what woke him up. His hand shoots from under the blankets and he slides the green icon to answer the call.

"Is it Avengers business?" Knowing Tony, he could be calling Steve at 5 a.m. because he just invented something.

"I don't know, he won't tell me."

"Who?" Steve grunts.

"Secretary Alexander Goodwin Pierce."

Steve lurches out of bed, starting to put his socks on while he balances the phone between his shoulder and ear. "When did he arrive? Has he said what's going on?"

"Less than ten minutes ago, and no, he hasn't." Tony sounds too lucid and Steve assumes he was in his workshop when Pierce arrived at the Tower. "He wants the present Avengers to gather and then he'll start dishing information. Just so you know, I'm not getting into any of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s business—apart from when I dig into their archive, but that's completely different."

"Okay, okay," Steve cuts him off while he struggles to get into his uniform in the dark. He bumps a knee on his bedside table and twirls away from it with a grunt. "Fuck. Where are you right now?"

Once his pants are on, Steve pulls the top part of his suit off the hanger and shoots out the room and into the hallway where he comes to a halt. Bucky looks at him from his door, one foot still inside his room and the other outside. Steve notices his Adam's apple bob when he swallows and Steve waits for him to say something, remaining uniform in one hand and phone in the other.

"Where are you going?" he asks and Steve takes a moment to marvel at the gentle voice; he always expects Bucky's voice to be rougher and he's always surprised by its softness.

"Avengers business," he says, hastily pulling the uniform over his head. "You can go back to bed or drink a shake. You remember how to prepare them, right?"

Of course he does; he's a highly trained soldier.

He refrains from reminding him there is still chicken soup in the fridge. The guy doesn't have short-term memory loss, for God's sake, Steve reprimands himself, again.

Bucky nods his head while Steve struggles with the sleeves. "Fuck."

A cold hand pulls at the fabric, knuckles grazing his stomach. Steve shivers at the contact and freezes when the top of the suit is finally in place. Bucky regards him with mild curiosity.

"Someone's on the phone."

"Huh?" Steve keeps staring with his lips slightly parted.

Bucky's cold hand grabs Steve's and lifts it. Steve's eyes don't shift from the man's face. He fears his staring might be turning creepy—at least his mouth is closed now. Then he hears Tony's voice and he's broken out of his trance. "Oh. Uh, yes." He lifts the phone to his ear, ignoring Bucky's bemused look. "Tony, I'll be there in five."

Steve shoves the cell phone into a pouch. "I don't know how long it will take but you can ask J.A.R.V.I.S. to inform me if you need anything."

His hand is holding Bucky's shoulder and Steve doesn't know when that happened. Bucky looks worse than when they went to their respective bedrooms—actually, the shadows under his eyes seem more pronounced and his posture is slouched. The sun is rising and the light catches in the blue of his eyes. Steve catches Bucky's lips moving.

"What? Sorry, what were you saying?" He refrains from rubbing the remaining sleep off his eyes.

"You shouldn't make them wait," Bucky says. Steve thinks Bucky is just trying to get rid of him but then he notices the apprehension etched in his features.

This time, Steve follows an impulse and, giving enough time for Bucky to move away—and making it as obvious as possible—he slides an arm around the man's shoulders and draws him to his chest. It's a weird experience, what with him being the only one engaging in the one-armed hug and Bucky's body turning even stiffer.

Steve is about to pull away when he feels Bucky's cold nose brush his neck. He smiles and gets his other arm around Bucky's back, giving a light squeeze. Bucky is the first to draw back and Steve follows suit. God, his own body temperature feels like it has dropped down just by being in contact with Bucky. How can he stand it every day?

Maybe this is how mom felt every time I had a cold, Steve thinks when he has the sudden need to sit Bucky down, put a blanket around him, and make him some soup, again.

He squeezes Bucky's arm one last time, not aware of his own faint smile, and heads to the elevator with a goodbye. Bucky is still eyeing him with a pensive expression when the doors slide closed. Steve is curious about what must be on Bucky's mind this morning.

Tony is in the hall when Steve exits the elevator; he's gesturing for Steve to hurry up. Steve's strides turn faster, his heart steady in his chest but thumping with twice as much force.

"Has he given any hints that he knows something?" Steve questions in a hushed tone when Tony puts a hand on his back and guides him to the conference room. His clothes have oil stains so Steve was correct in assuming he comes straight from his lab.

"He hasn't said anything of use, only pleasantries. He complimented my J.A.R.V.I.S.," Tony tells him with genuine disbelief. He doesn't seem smug about it, something Steve finds unusual.

Steve doesn't know what to say to that and the two of them finally enter conference room number 206. The first thing he sees it's that Natasha and Barton are sitting on one side of the table; he tries to mask his surprise. Pierce and Rumlow are also on their side of the table, the one that faces the door and it's farther from it. Unlike the others, Rumlow is standing on his feet, and Steve wonders if he actually came without a jacket or if it must have been put away somewhere; it's too cold outside to be in only a t-shirt, even for Steve.

"Mr. Pierce," Steve greets and extends a hand over the table, studying Natasha and Barton from the corner of his eye; they're still on full gear and look as if they've come from a mission. It makes sense since they left last morning.

Pierce stands up and holds Steve's hand in a firm grip, an affable smile on his face. Steve liked the man from the first time they met; this is not something he can say about Rumlow.

Brock Rumlow encases Steve's hand in a crushing grip while he smiles at him. Steve doesn't know what he's trying to achieve by sending contradicting signs. The man always stops to chat with Steve when he's at S.H.I.E.L.D. H.Q. but at the same time, he acts like he's trying to intimidate Steve by showing off his muscles and strength. Steve tries not to roll his eyes.

After Tony has shaken hands as well, both men sit down, facing the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the Secretary.

"What brings you to my humble abode, Mr. Secretary?"

Everyone present knows Pierce is called Mr. Secretary by his friends; the same way they know Tony isn't one of them. Steve fights the immature impulse to kick Tony's leg under the table. Lucky for him, either Natasha or Barton doesn't and he sees Tony jump in his chair. Tony glares at them and tries to kick back but the only thing he gets in return is a little smirk from Natasha and an innocent expression from Barton.

Steve would be amused if he wasn't currently fearing that S.H.I.E.L.D. has discovered that he carried out a mission shot down by the own World Security Council, and he also implicated two of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents. His heart hammers inside his chest and his hands sweat profusely inside his gloves. His expression remains stoic.

"It seems you're being a bigger influence on my agents than I thought, Stark," Pierce says not without some humor.

"What can I say," he says in a flat tone.

Steve had expected Tony to add a quip to his sentence so he feels puzzled when it ends at that. He chances a look at the man in question and notices that, in contrast to Steve's posture being more at ease, Tony's has turned tenser. Steve reminds himself that, unlike him, Tony doesn't work with S.H.I.E.L.D. and that he deeply distrusted the organization. Steve does, too, to some degree, but not the same way as two years ago.

"What's the reason for your visit, Sir?" Steve asks.

"I won't beat around the bush, Captain Rogers." Pierce leans forward, expression turning somber. "I would have liked for all the team to be present but I understand there isn't much one can do to control Dr. Banner's and Thor's comings and goings, taking into account that one of them lives in a different planet."

Steve can sense his teammate's full attention focusing on Pierce—the other too must already know what Pierce is here for. This time, not even Barton's face gives a clue away. Not for the first time, Steve wishes he had the same level of silent communication that Barton and Natasha have with each other.

"The four of you are still a great team." Steve has already reached the obvious conclusion that S.H.I.E.L.D. needs the Avengers for a mission so he wants Pierce to start debriefing them.

"What's the mission, Sir?" Steve asks.

"We need you to find the Winter Soldier."

Steve feels his body turn to stone, his blood freeze, and he's sure the others are having similar reactions, even Nat and Barton. All four of them mask their collective alarm and Steve gives a pensive nod.

"If you don't mind me asking, Sir, what made you change your mind?" His mouth is dry and there's a sour taste at the back of his throat.

Pierce doesn't answer right away and Steve knows he's being closely studied; he doesn't know what Pierce is looking for, what will make him speak or what will convince him that he shouldn't. He feels his muscles unclench a fraction when the clear eyes move to study Tony.

"Our intelligence got word of the Winter Soldier's possible location. I sent a team—Agent Barton and Agent Romanov included—to check the place but the Solider—the Winter Soldier wasn't there anymore."

Steve's eyes want to seek Natasha, ask her if Pierce is talking about the cabin where they found Bucky and the two HYDRA agents.

(Steve's brain spares a fraction of a second to remember that both agents are somewhere in the tower. He hopes they aren't enjoying their stay.)

"Now," Pierce continues, "even though the Soldier wasn't found, we have reasons to believe that was his last hideout and that he's currently accompanied by another two agents."

Steve's knee-jerk reaction is to ask for more details but part of him, one that sounds suspiciously like Peggy, is telling him to stay quiet and just listen.

"Captain Rogers," Pierce addresses him, "I believe you suspected from the beginning I was here with a mission." Steve is already looking at him and that's the reason he sees Pierce's face contract into something sour and then go back to his normal affable but professional expression. "We would also want Iron Man's help to finally find the Winter Soldier and make him pay for what he's done to our country and our citizens."

Steve consciously keeps his face neutral. Inside his head, there is only one thing: That's a lie, that's a lie, that's a lie… It wasn't him.

Steve turns to look at Tony, the tendons and muscles in his neck feeling stiff when he moves. Tony is holding Pierce's gaze with a blank expression—or at least that is what seems to Steve at first. He can see in the man's eyes the Tony that makes a stop mid-conversation because he's had an idea and his brain needs half a minute to sift through the information that's coming to his brain.

"I'm always up to help my country," Tony finally says with a half-smile. Steve thought he already knew Tony, but right now he can't tell if the man's expression is honest or if it's tricking even him.

"Then I'll see you in a few hours," Pierce states, and Steve's eyes go wide this time; he doesn't know if he'll have enough time to explain the situation to Bucky as well as get ready. Pierce must have caught it because he says, "It's short notice but I fear a day later would mean losing the Soldier's trail."

Steve follows when Pierce gets to his feet. "You will be part of another team," Pierce informs, "with agents you've already worked with. Agent Rumlow is one of them, of course, and the head of the team."

If he didn't know better, Steve would say that Rumlow is reeling at him.

"We'll be on the helipad before noon, Sir," Steve confirms, hands going to his belt when they reach the door. Pierce and Rumlow exit the room, closely followed by Natasha and Barton.

"Agents," Pierce addresses the two of them, "you can stay; I have to go over some details with agent Rumlow." It's clear that Pierce isn't offering but giving an order.

"Of course, Sir," Natasha says as Clint nods his understanding.

The four Avengers say their parting words and Pierce and Rumlow leave in the elevator's direction; once they're gone, Tony lets out a sigh. Steve looks at him but it's Natasha and Clint's expressions that catch his attention.

"He sent us to the cabin," Natasha informs him, holding his gaze. Steve isn't caught by surprise, not really, but his heart still skips a beat.

"It was shady," Clint says. "We were with Rollins and he looked..." Clint purses his lips, searching for a good adjective.

"Suspicious," Natasha says helpfully, making Clint snap his fingers.

"He knew where the secret entrance was," Clint says, body leaning forwards as if he fears someone will hear them. "He tried to act as if he found it by chance but I was already keeping an eye on him."

"He doesn't like Rollings," Natasha informs Steve and Tony with a little smirk.

"And I was right not to!"

"It started because you thought he was stealing your lunch."

"I know it was him," Clint says with mild annoyance, mimicking Natasha's crossed arms. "And now he may be HYDRA."

Natasha makes a sound as if she agrees with his statement.

"Something else happened during the mission?" Tony prods.

"There was a basement, outside the cabin," Clint informs them. "He went in with another guy and didn't let us even step down there."

"He didn't let us go with him when he opened the secret door, either," Natasha adds, looking at Steve and then Tony, her eyes letting them know how little she liked that and how telling it was.

"HYDRA has infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., is that what you're saying?" Steve asks. He sounds accusatory, he knows this and he hates it, but this cannot be happening. S.H.I.E.L.D. is Peggy's. She created it to protect people and that's why he has been working for them for the last two years, why he has tried to suppress the doubts that still arise from time to time regarding the organization. Because even if S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't perfect, it's still something that Peggy built, that she fought for. And Steve feels like he has to make sure the agency stays true to its founders–that their efforts weren't in vain.

"I know it's bad, Steve," Natasha says, her voice gentler now, "but it seems likely."

Steve is aware but... Not only is HYDRA back but they've infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. Steve has been working for them for two years, completing missions, sometimes with minimal details about what is going on. He could have been fighting innocent people; people he's supposed to be helping.

Natasha's hand reaches to touch Steve's arm but is Tony who speaks. "Steve, now it's not the moment." His words aren't delivered with harshness. "You're not the only person who's been working for the bad guys."

The words make Steve get out of his head and he looks at Natasha and Clint. Their expressions are neutral but Steve knows them enough—even Clint—to know that the two Avengers are just as affected as him by the news—probably more. Steve knows how Natasha got recruited and thanks to whom.

Possible news, some part of Steve whispers. He's still harboring some hope that things aren't what they seem, or that maybe only Rollins is HYDRA. He lets himself be naive for a short and very unfulfilling minute.

"Do you know where he's sending us?" Steve asks, his back straightening as if someone has suddenly pulled from a string. His hands rest on his belt.

Natasha shakes her head. She doesn't look pleased. "I'm not used to not being told anything. Fury trusted me."

"Do you trust Pierce?" Steve asks her.

Natasha looks at him with something that could almost be identified as a smile but it doesn't convey any humor. "You know me better than that by now, Steve."

For a second, her lips pull into a real smile and Steve feels something warm bloom behind his ribs. He remembers he's not alone in this.

"I can count the people I trust with the fingers of my hand now that Fury is dead." Her voice catches slightly on the last word but they ignore it.

"I assume you're talking about the Avengers," Tony says. Natasha is outright smirking now and Steve can feel the tension dissipating.

"I only know I'm one of those fingers," Clint says, and Natasha answers with a snort.

"Okay," Steve addresses his teammates, hands going to his hips. "We should get ready for the mission."

"So we're really going to work with HYDRA?" Tony questions with a raised eyebrow.

"We can't be sure," Steve states. Even to his own ears, he doesn't sound convinced. "But we need to make sure."

Tony doesn't look away and his eyebrows are beginning to annoy Steve. "Pierce said that the mission is about finding the Winter Soldier so he doesn't know Bucky is here. We will be part of the team and we will keep an eye on the rest, see if anyone does anything suspicious."

"Surveillance mission." Steve nods at Clint.

Silence falls and Steve knows that the rest also need a second to absorb what they could have just discovered.

Tony is the first to speak. "Well," he says after a sigh, stretching his arms and back. "Don't know about you but I need a coffee."

"Make that two," Clint chimes in.

"Three."

They look at Steve, expecting him to join in, but he shakes his head. "I'm gonna go see Bucky; I'll explain to him what's going on."

"See you later, then," Tony says, throwing a wave of his hand over his shoulder as he turns and stalks to the elevator.

Clint and Natasha don't follow the scientist immediately but follow him with their eyes, an expression that's a mix of amusement and annoyance.

"You know what this means about Barnes, right?" Clint asks, and Steve doesn't understand why the man is looking at him like he's going to tell him that his dog just died.

"If HYDRA did infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D., then the Winter Soldier was their asset." Steve's throat constricts. "We don't know for how long this has been going—maybe they've just infiltrated the agency or maybe this has been going for far longer. It could mean that a faction of S.H.I.E.L.D.—the one that's HYDRA—has been controlling the Winter Soldier."

Steve doesn't know what to say to that. Clint must sense it or see it in his face because he regards Steve one last time with a sympathetic look and pats his shoulder. "We'll deal with it, Cap, and we will keep him safe."

Steve feels how something unknots in his stomach. Until this moment, Steve hadn't been sure if the rest were as invested as him in Bucky's safety. Clint's words have renewed his confidence in what he's doing.

Clint leaves and Steve watches as he nears Tony.

"Life would be so easy if the God of Thunder decided to visit us more often," Steve hears Tony say. He and Clint start talking but Steve doesn't pay them attention because he's waiting for Natasha to speak.

"I wanted to apologize." Steve's head snaps in her direction. Her arms are still crossed but her body looks open somehow. "What I said the other day—what I implied about you..." Her lips twist and her brow knits, making her look annoyed. "I trust you, Steve, I do, but there will always be a part of me that will expect the worst from people, even the ones who I care about."

The confession catches him by surprise but he recovers swiftly. "I understand, Nat, and I accept your apology."

Natasha smiles up at him and Steve can only give a step forward and hug her.

"So now we do this, huh?"

"Get used to it, Romanov, 'cause there's more where this came from."

Natasha snickers against Steve's shoulder but she tightens her arms around him and Steve can feel her body relaxing against him. One good thing this improved body makes possible, it's for Steve to protect his friends the way he'd always wanted.

"I understand how it may have seemed... weird," Steve says when they pull away. He chances a look at her expression and feels his neck flush when she smiles a wicked smirk. He doesn't know why his face feels hot all of a sudden but Natasha's smile is knowing and he doesn't know what it is that she's supposed to know.

"You two looked really precious," Natasha says with a toothy grin. Steve plunges into silence when he finally realizes what she means. He splutters for a moment and then his mouth shuts with a snap. "We'll talk about it some other time," Natasha says when Steve can't utter a word. His face feels on fire.

"If you want." Steve doesn't know what to say so he makes a sound that starts as a snort and ends in an exasperated sigh.

"I'll see you guys later."

The two join Tony and Clint but Steve takes the left cabin when his teammates choose the right, going directly to the communal kitchen. The ride isn't that long but it's enough time for Steve to imagine ten different scenarios where things go wrong with Bucky and one where Steve doesn't totally fuck up.

The doors slide open and Bucky is already waiting for him. Steve feels face muscles pulling at his lips. He remembers Nat's sly smile and his face instantaneously turns into something more neutral.

"Hey, Bucky."

"Everything okay?"

Steve steps out of the elevator, a calm expression directed at Bucky. "Yeah, don't worry." He sounds convincing so far. "Have you eaten anything yet?"

He heads for the kitchen and he can't see Bucky's expression, something that bugs him but he doesn't want to turn—it would mean Bucky will be able to see that everything isn't okay.

He's almost reached the kitchen island when Bucky calls him.

"Steve." He's with his back to the other man but he detects the warning in his tone, bordering on alarm. Steve whirls around, one arm automatically shooting in front of Bucky when he steps by his side. Bucky doesn't flinch, doesn't step back. Steve can feel the exact moment Bucky's body goes rigid, breath abruptly stopping.

Steve would turn to make sure he's all right but he can't look away.

"He..." Bucky sounds beyond confused. He makes a pained noise at the back of his throat.

"This is unexpected," Fury says from where he's sitting on Steve's couch. He's in his leather trench coat—just like the last time Steve saw him at S.H.I.E.L.D.—and Maria Hill is standing behind him, arms crossed and one judgmental eyebrow arched at Steve. "Wasn't expecting to find my own killer in Avengers Tower… in Captain America's living room."

Steve's mouth hangs open.

"Care to explain, Rogers?" Hill says, one calm hand going to her gun. He just notices that Fury already has his gun drawn, the fist holding it propped on his knee. Steve shuffles slowly until he's in front of Bucky who still hasn't moved an inch. Steve can't check on him because his eyes are monitoring the two guns pointed at them.

"I watched the CCTV recordings that got the Winter Soldier on camera the two times he tried to kill me and the time he tried to kill you and Romanov," Fury fills Steve in when he doesn't find words, still unable to believe what's in front of his eyes.

"He's not the Winter Soldier," Steve finally makes the words come out in a croak, irked by Fury's judging look.

"Uh-huh," Fury drawls with an unimpressed expression.

"It's difficult to explain. Maybe if you lowered your guns..."

"I'm sorry, Rogers, am I overreacting by pointing a gun at my own killer?" Fury's voice has lost some of its staged coolness and the harsh tone makes Steve bristle. He gently pushes Bucky back and draws himself up to his whole height, shoulders pulled back, making Steve feel like a peacock. He feels ridiculous but those guns are still pointing at Bucky and Bucky himself doesn't seem to be reacting appropriately to the danger.

Fury seems ready to say something else when suddenly there is a wall of metal separating Steve from him. Steve flinches back, bumping into Bucky and finally snapping the man out of his spell. Bucky's hand grabs Steve by the torso, preventing Steve from falling on his ass.

"Wasn't expecting to find a dead man in my tower," Tony's voice says from the Iron Man armor.

Steve can hear hurried steps just behind the door of his apartment, most certainly belonging to Natasha and Clint. He's proven right a minute later when the two spies join them in the living room and Steve hears them stop abruptly in their tracks. He chances a glance in their direction: their weapons are still drawn on Fury and Hill but their expressions show unadulterated surprise. They seem to understand exactly what is going on after half a minute and Steve can see the way their faces morph into something more controlled, but not before Natasha's face gives away a complicated emotion that Steve can only interpret as hurt.

"Now that we're all here," Fury addresses the room with an annoyed voice, as if someone just told him his flight got canceled, "how about we catch up on the last two months?"

"It sounds like a sensible idea to me," Tony says. It seems he's the only one able to speak.

Steve takes another look at Natasha and Clint and he can hear Tony's voice saying in his mind: "It's like Hansel and Gretel just realized their father abandoned them in the woods." His first conclusion is that he may be spending too much time with Tony; the second that Nat and Clint didn't know all along that Fury faked his death.

"But I won't be saying anything with HYDRA's fist present," Fury warns. He gets to his feet, gun still pointed at the person behind Iron Man and Steve. It's clear to everyone in the room that Fury has a slight limp, which means that Bucky did injure him and not all of it was a well-planned ruse.

"My name is Bucky," he says. Steve knows Bucky hasn't moved from his position behind Steve—he feels Bucky's hand clutch his uniform at his right side.

"Didn't ask."

Steve glares at Fury for a few seconds before he reminds himself that Bucky was technically the one behind the gun. He wasn't in control of his body, nor mind but Steve understands that, right now, Fury can only see HYDRA's Winter Soldier when he looks at Bucky.

"Lower your guns," Tony says, his voice turned to steel. It surprises even Fury who steers his eye from Bucky for the first time since he entered the living room, and looks at the metal armor.

The Iron Man opens up and Tony steps out of it as much grace as ever. Steve notices a fresh coffee stain on Tony's t-shirt. The armor closes and steps to the side, now the engineer being the one between Fury and Steve.

"You look good for a dead guy, Nick."

"It wasn't funny the first time you said it, Stark."

"Sorry, it must be the betrayal," Tony fires back. Steve takes advantage and gives another step back, forcing Bucky to follow suit.

"I really hope Maria is the only one who knew about this or I'll feel really hurt."

"I don't have time for your jokes, Tony," Fury huffs. He lowers his gun but Maria has stepped to his side, just enough to the left to have a clean shot of Bucky. The two are with their backs to the large windows and the sun is making it somewhat difficult to see their faces when they move.

"It's been almost two months, Nick," Natasha says. She's already put her gun away and she's holding Fury's gaze. Not one muscle on her face twitches but her eyes are giving enough away. There is hurt in them, not only one caused because Fury didn't trust her, but one caused by the time she spent believing he was dead.

"We actually mourned you, boss, for two months." It almost sounds like a joke when Clint says it but his tone is far from amused.

"I'm sorry I didn't take into account your feelings when I was forced to fake my death, agent Barton."

"Ouch," Tony says.

Fury fulminates him with a look. A second later he seems to deflate and Steve finally notices the man's tiredness. Fury runs a hand over his face and looks at Steve and his teammates.

"I'm trusting you now."

"Because you need our help," Natasha states with conviction before Fury has finished the sentence.

"I think you will enjoy kicking some HYDRA ass," Fury says with something that's almost a smirk.

"That's not exactly the point," Clint is the one to say. He's put down his bow, too.

Steve feels like Natasha and Clint deserve to have a private conversation with their former employer but he doesn't like the idea of letting Fury and Hill out of his sight.

"I think we can now get to that catching up you mentioned earlier," Tony tries to deescalate the situation and Steve is grateful because he isn't feeling cooperative at the moment.

Fury looks at Tony with little amusement and then at the rest of the Avengers. He exchanges a significant look with Hill who only gives him a little nod.

"We can talk when he isn't present," Fury states. Steve was already expecting that demand. He gives the two of them a curt nod and proceeds to take Bucky by the arm and get him away from Hill's gun.

Steve places his hands on Bucky's shoulders, trying to get his attention away from Fury. "Buck," Steve says when Bucky keeps looking over Steve's shoulder with an expression that's turned pained.

"I shot him." His voice is almost trance-like, his jaw slack.

"I know, Bucky, but…" Bucky doesn't look at him, as if he isn't aware of anyone else but Fury.

"I failed," he's saying. "I failed a mission." Bucky's expression morphs into horror, his jaw clenching tightly and Steve expects any moment now to hear a tooth snap. Bucky's eyes are wide open but they seem lost.

"There are no missions anymore, Buck." He shuffles to the left so he can block Fury from Bucky's camp of vision. Bucky's eyes finally focus on Steve, still wide open. "You with me, pal?"

Bucky nods, a pained frown still creasing his forehead. Steve's hand flies to Bucky's neck for a short second and then it slides back to his shoulder. Bucky's hand follows Steve's and he holds onto his wrist, his whole attention on Steve.

Bucky's grey eyes take Steve's words away and he knows exactly what Natasha's knowing look from before meant—he knows it without any doubt and the realization makes his heart skip a beat and then come back with twice the speed.

"I came here meaning to tell you something." Having Bucky's whole attention is a little intimidating. Steve doesn't know if he's noticing for the first time or if before he just didn't know what the reason was. "Plans are probably going to change after we speak with Fury but one way or another I'm going to be away."

"How long?"

"No idea."

Bucky's posture changes. He unfolds, back pulling straight, shoulders squaring. He tilts to the side to look behind Steve, his expression of apprehension giving way to one of resolve so sudden it gives Steve whiplash. "What did you have to tell me?"

Steve's hand slips from Bucky's shoulder the moment the words exit his mouth. His voice… the inflection sounds wrong. Steve never heard Bucky's voice while he was the Winter Soldier but he has no doubt this is how he would have sounded. Bucky's voice is like a flat line, that's the only way Steve can describe it.

He must have stared for too long because the weight of Bucky's hand on his shoulder is what snaps him out of his state of engrossment. "Steve?"

"Sorry, I was…" There's no way to explain what he was thinking without sounding absurd. "Doesn't matter. Pierce came, the guy that's my boss right now." He takes a few more steps in the direction of the hallway that leads to their bedrooms. Bucky stops following when they're about to turn the corner and Steve thinks it better not to insist.

"He assigned us a mission." Steve wants to wring his hands or maybe run them through his hair but he does none of it. "He basically said we have to find you. Well, not you," he hurries to correct himself even though Bucky doesn't seem affected by Steve's wording. "The Winter Soldier, the guy they believe is willingly helping HYDRA."

Bucky doesn't show hints of concern and Steve chooses to believe it's because Bucky already knows Steve wouldn't just hand him over.

"What are you going to do?" Bucky shatters Steve's wishful thinking. He's still not letting any emotions to filter through and Steve is starting to feel the need to pace.

"I told them you're in the tower and sent them on a scavenger hunt," Steve snaps before he can think twice. The only thing that changes on Bucky's face is his left eyebrow arching. Steve huffs, more annoyed at himself than anything else.

"Jesus, Buck, I said 'yes, Sir, I'll be ready in a few hours, we'll get that bastard.'" He shuffles a few inches closer, his hand finding Bucky's arm again. He lets go when he feels the muscles tense under his palm. "I wouldn't tell them you're here, especially without consulting you first."

Steve lets a long second pass, giving Bucky an opportunity to add something, anything. He doesn't, but Steve can see that he's paying attention, absorbing all the information.

"We think HYDRA has infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. and we were going to keep an eye on everyone during the mission, see if anything was amiss." Saying the words out loud makes his stomach twist.

"I guess he's here to confirm your suspicions," Bucky says, this time his voice sounding gruff—it makes Steve think of a rock with jagged edges.

Steve twists his neck to look at Fury. "What do you mean?"

"I was sent to kill him," Bucky starts explaining in a matter-of-fact voice, one that doesn't resemble the hollow one from before, for which Steve is grateful, "and he took advantage of the situation to fake his death. Didn't tell anyone else for two months and now he's here for your help."

"Makes sense." But he doesn't want it to. If S.H.I.E.L.D. has indeed been infiltrated then Steve knows what has to be done with the agency.

"Shit," he says under his breath. Steve runs his hands over his face, feeling tired and light-headed just by thinking what expects him outside of the tower.

"Steve." Bucky holds his wrist, stopping Steve from tugging at his hair. "Take me with you."

Steve can only stare at him, arms falling at his sides. He tries to decipher the words but comes up short. "What?"

"You know I can fight," Bucky speaks again with that practical tone that isn't quite the Winter Soldier but Steve can now tell that it could turn into it if Bucky was pushed in the right direction.

"I can be of use." Steve worries he can push him in that direction.

"Yeah but…" Steve's hand cups Bucky's neck again and he realizes this only once he's feeling the cool, clammy skin. Steve searches Bucky's face for any signs of discomfort but he finds none. Bucky is still looking him firmly in the eye and Steve feels emboldened. It's ridiculous the way his heart jumps inside his chest when his other hand finds Bucky's neck to mirror his other one.

Steve gets lost in Bucky's beard when his thumb runs over his jaw. The sunrise hitting his face lets Steve appreciate the sparse gray hairs. Steve wonders how much time Bucky has spent without the sun heating his skin. Steve wonders if Bucky used to sunbathe at the beach in summer before the war. He deserves to have the chance to do it.

"I don't think that's what you want."

"What?" now is Bucky's turn to ask. This time Steve gives in and smooths Bucky's frown with a thumb—it causes Bucky's eyes to widen gently.

"I don't think you want to fight anymore," Steve says with a gentle tone.

Steve had already realized this but he hadn't really let himself think about it. It had been obvious enough when Bucky hadn't reacted on the multiple occasions Steve threatened him. Bucky hadn't moved a muscle when Steve had pushed him against a wall and then proceeded to threaten and intimidate him; he hadn't tried to hurt anyone in the operating room as much as he had tried to protect himself from unknown threats. And even then, Bucky had trusted Steve to some degree to not let anyone cause him more harm.

Bucky had shown his trust as far as letting Steve take care of him when he was most vulnerable. Steve wonders if the real reason behind Bucky's actions was that he didn't have anything to lose.

Bucky looks at Steve with serene eyes but Steve sees the corners of his lips work before he finally says, "I don't." It sounds like a revelation.

"And I don't want to force you."

"I can watch your six." Bucky makes it sounds like it's not a proposition but a choice he has already made. Steve still hears the little waver in his voice.

"I won't be going alone, Buck," Steve assures him with a half-smile. His hands slither to his shoulders again and he squeezes gently. "I'll have my team with me."

"You better," Bucky snaps and adds a glare to the mix. Steve can't find it in himself to be upset because Bucky isn't pulling away and Steve feels there is someone to come back to. "If you don't come back, Steve…"

"What?" Steve prompts with a smirk.

"I will have to go find you."

The smile slips from Steve's lips when he realizes what that would entail.

"No more fighting for you, buddy," Steve promises, his voice unyielding.

Bucky spends a moment scrutinizing him in one of his moments of silence. In the end, he only nods but doesn't pull away. Steve gives in to another one of his impulses and rests his forehead against Bucky's. Steve hears him sigh and then Bucky's hand is slipping around Steve's shoulders and the two of them are embracing in a tight hug.

"Be careful," Bucky murmurs near his ear.

They pull apart, slowly, and Steve takes a moment to memorize Bucky's features.

"Have you eaten anything?" Steve asks when he gives half a step back—he feels calm, covered by a blanket of serenity and resolution. Bucky nods and Steve can't help but smile. Steve would love to talk about what Bucky has eaten, if he liked it, if it made him feel ill, what food he wants to try next… It's just not something his life lets him have.

"Sorry you have to go to your room like a kid," Steve says with an annoyed expression, trying not to glare over his shoulder. "I'll tell you everything later."

Bucky nods without complaint. Steve wants to stay.

"You know what?" Steve suddenly says. He takes a quick look over his shoulder. "We're holding the meeting in any place but my apartment." Steve raises his voice to be heard but he deliberately looks only at Bucky when he speaks. Steve doesn't care what the others have to say; Bucky's not going to be treated as a prisoner and Steve is not going to act as his handler—not Steve, not anybody else.

They don't move away immediately. Steve just doesn't want to, but also because he can see something in Bucky's face that makes him falter. Bucky is looking him up and down and he seems to want to add something. Then he looks over Steve's shoulder and his expression turns inscrutable.

"I'll see you later."

Steve assents in confirmation. He watches Bucky turn the corner and then releases a heavy breath of air through his nose. Before turning to face Fury and Hill, Steve steels himself. There's going to be a lot to unpack and he has to be prepared for anything.

What he finds in his living room when he turns isn't what he was picturing, though, and Steve's face quickly mirrors Fury and Hill's expressions of confusion.

"That was… weird, to say the least." Now is Steve's turn to arch an eyebrow, waiting for clarification. Fury's forehead is creased with what can only be confusion. His eye is still squinting at the spot occupied by Bucky just a second ago—until it isn't and the whole force of his distrust is directed at Steve.

"That's called fraternizing with the enemy, Captain," Hill says. Steve grinds his teeth, stopping himself from lashing out. Intellectually, Steve knows Fury and Hill are bound to mistrust Bucky and they have the right—knowing it isn't enough to stop him from wanting to snap and bare his teeth at anyone who mentions Bucky.

"Look, we too want to know what's going on between Captain America and Manchurian Candidate, but now it's not the time," Tony cuts in. Natasha snorts and Steve catches Clint's eyes widening, after which he proceeds to manipulate his hearing aids with a frown.

"What?" Steve asks dumbly with a strangled voice, nearly chocking on his own spit.

"I said now it's not the time, Steve." Tony waves a dismissive hand in Steve's direction.

Steve looks at Tony, neck turning hot and he doesn't know what to do to stop it from spreading over his face and chest.

"Let's start with the debrief," Natasha takes pity on him. She grabs his arm and drags him away from the hallway. They follow Tony when he heads to the elevator.

There's a weight that lifts from his shoulders with each step they take to exit his apartment. Having Fury and Hill leave his living room and not Bucky isn't only because Bucky deserves the right to be treated with respect as any other person, but also because he doesn't want Bucky being a door away from people that threaten his life. Right now, Steve wants Fury and Hill as far away from Bucky as possible.

"Wait, what is going on between Cap and Barnes?" Clint says when the doors close and the cabin starts its swift descend. They're six people in an enclosed space but Clint doesn't seem to notice everyone else's stares on him, some with exasperation in their eyes and other with disbelief.

Natasha breaks the charged silence with a belly laugh. She slaps Clint's arm and then leans on him for a brief moment. "Don't change, Clint."

Steve catches Clint's impish smirk when he smiles down at Natasha.

"Jesus," Steve hears Fury mutter at the back of the elevator, followed by Tony's amused snort. "I should've gone to May's apartment."

"Melinda?" Clint chimes in, still acting oblivious to the eye glaring at the back of his skull—Steve stifles a laugh and exchanges a look with Natasha. "How is she?"

As expected, Fury doesn't answer. Steve catches Hill's lips ticking up and a second later it's like he's imagined it.

"This is going to be an interesting debriefing," he comments when the elevator opens and they trickle out.