[Leipzig AU] a means to a necessary end

[nerves_of_ice]

It's a long flight from Berlin to Novosibirsk and the secret location far beyond it, even in a Quinjet. They spend the time planning and coordinating. Bucky describes the structure and security of the facility itself as best he remembers. Tony calls up plans and blueprints from god knows where and throws them into the middle of the plane for all to see. They're not the same as what Bucky remembers, they figure out fairly quickly, but they're better than nothing.

Tony also takes over the back of the plane and snaps at anyone who comes close, doing something that involves shifting screens and models of buildings and wave patterns and a human skull, and the eventually the low humming grind of a machine. Soon after, he stalks back up to the front of the plane and shoves a set of custom-fabricated earplugs at Bucky, who stares at them and then at Tony.

"Noise-cancelling all the way to total sound blackout. Tap the end of the earpiece to deafen yourself," Tony informs him. "Last thing we need's for you to be his puppet." Bucky starts to stammer a thanks, but Tony growls something under his breath and stalks back to the back of the plane again to work on something else. Steve catches Bucky's eye and shakes his head, and Bucky decides to leave well enough alone.

Sam advises everyone to rest in shifts; Bucky knows he's not wrong, but neither he nor Steve can do it, and after a while Sam stops trying to convince them. Natasha sits with him for a while, her eyes dark with concern. They don't say much, but there's no need to.

A Snowcat is parked outside the door of the facility when they land. Bucky's jaw sets in hard lines at the sight of it, and he trades a look with Steve.

They're already here.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"He sure did." She sounds as rueful as she feels, remembering the pinch and cold sting of a needle sinking into her ski.

The sun glinting off the snow has her wincing, slitting her eyes to make it manageable as she lifts a hand to shade them, but she can still easily recognize Natasha as the woman hurries over to them.

She gives Sharon a quick hug, her hair soft against Sharon's cheek. "Hey, you," she says, low. "You had us worried."

"Hey, you," Sharon murmurs back. "Sorry to cause a fuss."

[nerves_of_ice]

"He had her in the cryo tank," Bucky says, tightly, and sees the way Natasha jerks, just a little. "Where's Sam? He needs to look her over."

"Helping Tony secure Zemo in the back of the jet," she tells them. "I told them not to leave him unwatched for an instant."

"Good." He can't control the venom in his voice, and doesn't try.

[from_the_outside]

"I just need to sit down," Sharon tells him, as Sam comes jogging out of the Quinjet's hatch. "You guys have to go deal with the facility."

[nerves_of_ice]

"It's waited this long, it can wait a little longer." The stress in his voice and the way he's holding himself isn't fading in the slightest. Steve moves to his side and puts a hand against his back, and Bucky tries to get himself fully back under control.

[from_the_outside]

She reaches for his hand and squeezes it lightly, too tired to dissemble. "Okay, baby," she murmurs. "Whatever you say."

Sam comes trotting up, and though his smile is as warm and easy as ever she can see the way his gaze travels over her, pausing at her bruised cheekbone. "Hey," he says. "How about we check you out, huh?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He sees Natasha's dark eyes widen a fraction as she takes note of the endearment, followed by a look of understanding and sympathy. She moves out of the way so that Sam can take a look at Sharon, and comes over to his side instead.

"James," she murmurs. "Give her some space for a moment. Let him work." She turns a level look on Steve, who holds it for a second or two before he nods.

"I'll go check on Tony and Zemo," he says, flattening his hand against Bucky's back. "Wait for me," he tells him, and lopes toward the back of the jet.

[from_the_outside]

"C'mon," Sam says, easily, and puts a hand on her back to guide her over to the Quinjet. "Let's get outta the cold, huh?"

He chats lightly about his dislike of snow and cold as a Louisiana boy as they walk across the crunching snow, as the icy Siberian wind bites at her cheeks and throat. She lets it wash over her like white noise until she can sit down on a seat in the jet that's been pulled out into a makeshift bed. Sam helps her take the coat off, then starts looking her over, shining a light into her eyes and checking all her vitals.

[nerves_of_ice]

He watches after them as Sam leads Sharon into the jet, restrained by Natasha's hand on his arm. Only once they're out of sight does he look down at her.

"It's not the same," she murmurs.

"No," he agrees. "But it feels like it."

[from_the_outside]

"How're you feeling?" Sam asks, as he puts a blood pressure cuff around her wrist.

"Tired," she says. "Sore. My head hurts."

He makes a small sound of acknowledgment and keeps an eye on the gauge as air pumps in and then slowly hisses out again. "Dizzy?" he asks. "Light sensitive? Feel nauseous at all?"

"All of the above," she tells him, and he nods.

"You hit your head?"

"He headbutted me," Sharon relays.

Sam's mouth tightens, but he keeps his voice even and light. "Tell me about the fight."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Come." She leads him to the facility's doorway to wait, out of the wind, where he can still see the jet, and he lets her. Natasha keeps her hand on his arm, almost as though she's trying to anchor him.

Maybe that is what she's trying to do. She's always been quick. He manages a wry, rueful smile for her. "We have some catching up to do, don't we."

She huffs out a breath that's part amused, part exasperated. "Yes. Once this is all over. I'll bring the vodka."

[marvel_npc]

The good news is that there's nothing wrong with her some rest and painkillers won't help fix.

The bad news is that he doesn't have the first clue what being in the cryo chamber might have done, and he doesn't like the blank look in her eyes when he asks her about the injector Steve and Bucky found.

He likes her answer even less. "Okay," he says, when he's finished, and fishes out a couple of painkillers and a bottle of water that he opens and hands to her after she's put the pills in her mouth. "Hang tight. I'mma go check in with the others, but I'll be right back."

She curls her fingers around the edge of the makeshift mattress and nods. He gives her a last smile and turns to head back out into the cold.

[nerves_of_ice]

He tenses when Sam comes out of the jet without Sharon, and Natasha shakes his arm to draw his attention.

"Don't be an idiot," she tells him. "She's probably resting. Steve and Tony are right there. She's fine."

For all her crispness, there's understanding, too. He nods, makes himself relax, and turns to Sam as the other man jogs up to them.

"What's the verdict?"

[marvel_npc]

"A lot of what you'd expect," Sam says, drawing up in front of them. "Pretty beat up. I guess Zemo surprised her at her place, right? She's got some bruises, a concussion. Nothing super serious, but enough to feel like crap."

He looks at Bucky, his gaze serious. "But that shit he injected her with? She said it was like a mindwipe. She remembers everything but says she couldn't stop herself. All he had to do was tell her to do something and she did it. What the fuck kind of drug can do that?"

[nerves_of_ice]

Every ounce of color drains from Natasha's face as she freezes beside him, immobile. He's pretty sure his own expression is doing the same thing.

"No," she whispers. "How?"

Bucky makes himself focus on answering Sam, on buying Natasha an instant or two. "There was something," he says, low and uneven. "Years back. They tried it on me, as an alternative to the control words. They couldn't get it to stick - my metabolism cleared it too fast. But..."

[marvel_npc]

Sam looks back and forth between them, and elects not to ask – yet.

He watches Natasha closely, decides to have a quiet chat with her on the way back. "Well, I don't know if the damn stuff's going to have any lasting or side effects," he says, "but it seems like the cryo shocked it out of her system. Speaking of, any side effects from that we should be worried about?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"We should keep an eye on her. Just in case." He fully intends to watch Sharon like a hawk, after this.

"I don't know. I heal faster than she does. Than most people do, except for Steve, I guess. Um." Bucky frowns, thinking.

"Body temperature takes a while to come back to normal," he says, after a moment. "She'll be too cold for a while. My thoughts were always a little foggy until they -- we're not doing that," he cuts himself off, sharp and suddenly stressed. "Time'll help. It has to."

[marvel_npc]

"Hey."

Sam lifts a hand, pacifying. "We're gonna take good care of her, man. I'm sure she'll be fine. I'll heat something up for her to drink, help warm her up. Pretty sure we've got some chemical heating packs in the jet, too. She just needs some rest."

He shakes his head. "She says Zemo didn't tell her what the drugs were or where he got them. We'll just have to try and get it out of him."

[marvel_npc]

"We will," Nat agrees. "I'll ask him myself."

Her mind is racing behind the thin veneer of calm that she's managing to hold now. She hasn't been in touch with Melina in years, since - since before, but she remembers her talking about certain of her experiments.

She's not even certain where she is now, but that may have to change. Will have to change, almost certainly, unless she can get the answers from Zemo.

Well. It's just additional motivation.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Be careful." It's low and tight, and the caution's meant for both Sam and Natasha. "He's more ruthless than we thought before, and that was bad enough. I'd offer to help, but..."

Bucky touches the outside of his ear. "... let's just say it's a good thing Tony made these. And that they worked."

[marvel_npc]

"Okay."

None of it's okay, not really, but he's got to hold out hope that it will be. "Then I'll go get her settled in and warmed up. If I notice anything weird, I'll let y'all know."

[nerves_of_ice]

"We'll come with you." He needs to see Sharon now, and also needs to see that Zemo's fully secure in a way he can't break free from.

[marvel_npc]

Sam nods and tips his head towards the jet. "C'mon, then."

Sharon's where he left her, sitting on the edge of the makeshift exam bed. Her expression is blank in a way he thinks means she's lost in thought and not something more concerning, but he's still a little relieved when she blinks and focuses on them.

It takes a little more effort than he'd like, but he's reasonably sure it's the concussion and the lingering effects of the cryo instead of anything else. "Okay," he says, clapping his hands. "Visiting hours are officially open. I'm, uh..."

He glances at Bucky, then at Sharon. "Gonna go find a blanket."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'll check on Steve and Tony," Natasha murmurs, and brushes a light hand over Sharon's shoulder. "I'll come back," she promises. "We'll catch up."

Bucky waits only until the other two have stepped away, clearing room for him, before he crouches down in front of Sharon. "Hi," he murmurs, searching her face.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon nods and gives Nat a small, tight smile, then looks back at Bucky as the others move away and he crouches before her. "Hey."

She reaches to tuck some hair out of his face, her fingers cold against his temple and ear, then pauses as she sees the plug. She tips her head to study it more closely. "Smart."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Tony made it," he murmurs, holding still under her touch. "Good thing, too."

Gently, he takes her free hand in his and rubs his thumb over the backs of her fingers, trying to coax warmth back into them.

"How are you doing?"