[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

[marvel_npc]

She's pale as a damn ghost, but holding herself at attention all the same, and Ross feels a rush of pride.

"Least we could do," he says, gruffly. "Welcome back, Agent Carter."

He turns to Rogers and Stark, with an acknowledging nod for Romanoff and Wilson, and hell, Barnes too - that's a problem to sort out another day, tomorrow, probably. "The Task Force sincerely appreciates your service," he says. "Let's reconvene tomorrow, my office, promptly at nine A.M., to debrief."

He shoots a sharp look at Carter. "You, too. Assuming you're out of the hospital by then."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon starts. "Sir – " she says, but stops as he shoots a glare at her.

"I don't want to hear it, Carter," he snaps. "Get yourself checked out. That's an order."

[marvel_npc]

"Why don't I take you by the clinic?" Nat suggests, lightly, but not without sympathy. "And we'll go from there."

She's perfectly well aware of James practically vibrating behind them, but at least he has the good sense to keep his mouth shut.

[from_the_outside]

"Suits me," says Ross, before Sharon can protest. "We've got a car waiting for you, right over here."

Sharon gives him a rueful look – her boss knows her too well – and turns to the others. "See you later," she says.

Bucky looks strained and worried; she gives him a small smile to ease his concern before turning and heading with Nat to the waiting car.

[nerves_of_ice]

It’s completely unreasonable of him to feel that he can’t let Sharon out of his sight or something bad will happen. He knows it. He knows it.

It doesn’t stop him from feeling it, but at least he can keep from acting on it. Bucky looks away from the car and finds himself met with a gimlet stare from Ross. “Will you be coming back to the Center tonight, Sergeant Barnes?”

[marvel_npc]

"Actually, I was thinking we'd all hang out at the hotel," Tony says, butting in without a hint of self-consciousness.

"I've got a floor reserved for us. All of us. Plenty of room. Nice beds. Continental breakfast. All the amenities. And we'll be able to travel together back to the Center tomorrow morning. Good enough for you, Deputy Commander?"

[marvel_npc]

Oh, the Secretary’s going to love this. He can already feel the headache starting.

“Good enough,” he says, crisply. “Then I’ll see you - all of you - in the morning.”

[marvel_npc]

"Great," says Tony, and turns to the others.

"We gotta get going. There is a very large delivery of ice cream arriving at the hotel and we can't let it melt. Also, drinks. Who wants drinks? I want a drink. Let's go."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I’m in,” Sam says, easily, and casts Steve a quick glance that Bucky can’t quite read before he starts walking with Tony in the direction of the hotel.

Bucky gives Steve a glance of his own as the remaining Task Force agents disperse, following Ross’s lead. “So,” he starts, uncertain. “Hotel? I guess?”

[marvel_npc]

"Seems that way," says Steve.

He's not quite sure how to express to Bucky what a good thing this is, how normal it is for Tony to do something like this. What a good sign it is that he's inviting not just Bucky, but Steve and Sam along.

Maybe they'll be able to figure out a way around or with the Accords after all. "I'll shoot Nat a text, let her know where to join us when they're done."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Okay."

He honestly doesn't know what he'd expected. Not really that Ross would start the fight into the question of the Winter Soldier's removal and disposition, not right then and there, but he hadn't really assumed he'd be anywhere but under watch at the Center. But he's not, and Tony had - and they're all --

He can't really think about it, not now, so for once he doesn't try. He lets himself ignore all the corners and angles and potential traps. He lets himself just fall in at Steve's side, and follows, and doesn't think about anything at all.

[marvel_npc]

When Tony had said he'd arranged hotel space for them, what he'd meant was that he'd bought out the penthouse floor and the floor below it, which means they get their choice of rooms, plenty of space, and access via FRIDAY to the hotel's security systems.

Steve's not sure the hotel knows about that last part, but they're all so edgy and paranoid right now that even he doesn't put up much of a fight about it.

And when Tony had said there'd be an ice cream delivery, what he'd meant was that he'd sent for more gallons than any of them could ever eat, plus all the possible toppings, to turn the penthouse kitchen and dining area into a pop-up sundae bar.

Steve, accustomed to Tony's food reward system, digs in without comment, and has to admit it actually does help.

Or maybe that's just sitting with the others, a beer at hand and a half-finished sundae in front of him, listening as Sam and Tony chat and occasionally interspersing a comment himself.

It's nice. Even after everything.

[nerves_of_ice]

It's almost unimaginable luxury everywhere he looks, along with an almost unthinkable amount of choice, and for a split second Bucky's certain he's going to collapse. Somehow he manages to keep from freezing in place like a startled deer as they walk into the penthouse suite.

Steve's acting like this is normal. Maybe it is normal, for Tony Stark, for the Avengers, for those around them. Maybe it's just him who's broken.

He trails the others like a shadow through the room. He shakes his head at the sundae bar - when was the last time he had ice cream? He doesn't know, and it's not been something that he'd spent any time seeking out in the last few years - but fills one of the glasses as much like everyone else as he can.

If his selections happen to mirror Steve's, hopefully no one will notice. He can't make those decisions, not right now. He can't.

Bucky settles carefully in an armchair and listens to the conversation between Tony and Sam, and does his best to be near-invisible. Steve's happy. He will be, too.

[from_the_outside]

* * * * *

"Agent Carter," the receptionist at the clinic greets her. "How nice to see you. Again."

She makes a face at him and fills out the necessary forms, then takes a seat with Nat in the waiting room.

They can't possibly keep her overnight. She's fine. It's not like this is the first time she'll have to recover from a concussion or a fight.

(It is the first time she has to recover from being put into a cryo tank and drugged with God only knows what, but she does her best not to think about that just now.)

[marvel_npc]

"So...," Nat drawls. "Come here often?"

She stretches her legs out in front of the chair, crosses her ankles, and slants a sideways look at Sharon.

[from_the_outside]

"No," Sharon says, annoyed, then purses her lips, forced to amend.

"It's just that I was here recently. Checking up on some broken ribs."

[marvel_npc]

"Uh-huh." Annoyance is good. Annoyance is resistance, which is the opposite of compliance, which means the injection isn't reasserting its hold. Nat decides it's one of the very, very few times in her life she's been truly grateful for the existence of cryostasis.

"Should I ask?"

[from_the_outside]

"Got shot while wearing body armor," Sharon tells her, after a second's deliberation.

This isn't really the time or place to tell Nat the whole story. "Plus some hand to hand. It wasn't that bad."

[marvel_npc]

"Ouch," she says, lightly. "Better to be shot with than without the armor, though."

"Mrs. Carter?" the nurse calls, and Nat manages to stifle a laugh. "They never do manage to get that quite right, do they? It's the language," she murmurs. "Want me to come back with you?"

[from_the_outside]

"You'd think they'd stick with 'agent,'" Sharon mutters, as she gets up.

Her thoughts are still a little slower than she'd like, but it doesn't take her long to consider and nod. "Yeah. Then they can see I've got someone to go back with."

There's no way in hell she's staying here overnight.

[marvel_npc]

"Exactly."

She walks with Sharon through the doors and down the hallways to the exam room, listening quietly as her friend answers questions and submits to various assessments. When Sharon admits that she was injected with something but doesn't know what it was, the medical staff swing into a brisk flurry of activity, drawing enough blood for a small flock of vampires.

Nat'll be surprised if they find the formula on any of the standard tests, but she makes a note to get a look at Sharon's test results all the same.

[from_the_outside]

The blood drawn, she submits to further testing to determine the severity of her injuries. The team is unhappy – to say the least – about her time spent in a cryo chamber, and the doctor who comes to speak with her about it looks grave and strongly recommends that she stay overnight for observation.

"We can't know what, if any, long-term side effects might be," he tells her, but reluctantly accepts when she refuses to stay, with the caveat that she return on a regular basis so the clinic can track her recovery and keep an eye on any unexpected after-effects.

[marvel_npc]

"I'll watch her," Nat promises, blithely. "She'll stay with me tonight. Don't worry, she won't get away with hiding any symptoms."

She's absolutely certain of it, knowing James. She smiles at Sharon. "Ready to go?"

[from_the_outside]

Sharon gives her friend a grateful look and nods. "Definitely."

She's got her prescription in hand – a mild sedative to help her sleep – and thanks the team before making her escape. Their Task Force-appointed driver gives her a speaking look, but opts not to argue. Soon enough they're pulling away and headed for the hotel, and Sharon leans back against the seatback, closing her eyes as she finds Nat's hand with hers and gives it a squeeze.

"Thanks," she murmurs.

[marvel_npc]

"You're more than welcome," she assures her, with a return squeeze. "It's been a long time since we had a sleepover."