[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]

Sharon's mouth twitches.

"Then I guess I'll be able to get all my updates out of the way to everyone all at once," she says, just as casually.

"Until tomorrow morning, anyway."

[marvel_npc]

"Mm-hm." Amusement dances in her eyes as the elevator emits a quiet 'ding' and the doors slide open.

"This way."

[marvel_npc]

They've been hanging out for a while when the door to the penthouse suite opens and Natasha enters, smiling, leading Sharon.

She looks fine, Steve's happy to note. Drawn and tired and still more pale than he'd like, but upright, and that's a win in his book. "Hey," he says, and gets up to greet them, smiling. "I hope you two are hungry."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Tony got a lot of ice cream," Sam adds, with a grin.

"What? Everyone likes ice cream," Tony defends himself. "What's wrong with ice cream?"

Bucky doesn't say anything, but rises to his feet automatically in an echo of Steve's politeness. His glance is sharp and searching as he takes in every nuance of Sharon's appearance.

[from_the_outside]

"I like ice cream," Sharon says, and follows Nat to the kitchen to get some. She catches Bucky's intent glance as she dips out some mint chip, and gives him a small, hopefully reassuring smile in return.

She'd give a lot to be able to retreat with just him to some quiet space somewhere, but it looks like that's not in the cards right this second.

[nerves_of_ice]

He settles back into his seat as Natasha, teasing, sticks some kind of waffle-printed cookie into the top of Sharon's ice cream and adds one to her own dish before wandering with it to a small sofa.

"So," Natasha asks, as she toes off her shoes and curls her feet under her in the corner of the little couch. "What'd we miss?"

"Not much," Sam replies. "You know, just the usual madness." Steve rolls his eyes at him.

"Oh?" He's half expecting it when she shoots a look at him. "Well, in that case - James, are we driving you crazy yet?"

"Not at all," he returns, dryly. "I'm already pretty crazy as it is, I figure."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon curls up at the other end of the sofa, which is fortuitously right next to where Bucky's sitting in the armchair. Nat's looking blandly innocent in a way that means she picked these spots on purpose, and Sharon feels another rush of gratitude toward her.

They have a lot to talk about... later.

For now, she picks at her sundae and listens as Sam and Tony and Nat talk, Steve interjecting every now and again. It's interesting to watch their dynamic, and she keeps one eye on Bucky the whole time, trying to see how he feels about all this.

[nerves_of_ice]

It's hard to tell from his expression what he's thinking. Bucky's following the conversation with mild, amused interest, but keeping out of it unless directly engaged. It seems the right balance to strike, especially given the delicate situation with Tony.

He also keeps an eye on Sharon, and after a few moments notices that she's doing the same. Quietly, under cover of some story Sam's telling, he murmurs, "You doing okay?"

[from_the_outside]

She shrugs, very slightly.

She's in one piece. They won. Zemo is behind bars for the foreseeable future. There's a détente between the Avengers who signed the Accords and the ones who didn't. There seems to be a tenuous path forward.

But none of that changes what happened. Aunt Peggy is still dead. The United Nations was still attacked. She's still suspended. Bucky is still going to have to face whatever sanctions and accusations come his way. She was still attacked in her own space, drugged, kidnapped, forced to simulate an intimate relationship, and shoved into a cryo tank. She's got a laundry list of injuries that aren't bad but are exhausting and uncomfortable.

It's all a lot more complicated than she has the energy to navigate right now.

"Are you?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Enough." The single word says it all, as far as he's concerned. Things could be a lot worse... but there's a lot still ahead.

"What did the doctor tell you? Do you need to get some rest?"

[from_the_outside]

"Rest, check in, call if anything feels weird or I get dizzy." She toys with her half-eaten ice cream, then sets the bowl aside and tries for a light joke.

"Try not to hit my head on anything for a while."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Probably good advice in general," he murmurs, watching her.

[from_the_outside]

"They definitely seemed to think so."

What she wants is to get up from the couch and curl up on his lap, where she could close her eyes and let the sound of the room wash over her like white noise.

It's not like everyone here doesn't have some idea of what's going on at this point, but she doesn't know the others well, and so much of what she's feeling right now is private.

So what she allows herself is to reach her hand over the couch arm, inviting him to take it if he wants.

[nerves_of_ice]

He reaches back without hesitation, taking her hand in his and pressing her fingers with achingly gentle care.

At the other end of the couch, Natasha gives a small, privately satisfied smile, and gets up to go refill her ice cream dish. When she comes back, she catches his eye before pointedly moving to another one of the chairs, a little nearer Tony and Sam's ever-more-animated conversation.

Bucky squeezes Sharon's hand again, then leaves his seat in order to come sit on the sofa beside her.

[from_the_outside]

Relief softens her shoulders as he gets up and comes to sit next to her, and she shifts, curling her legs beneath her the other way so she can lean against his side, her shoulder against his.

It helps.

[nerves_of_ice]

As she relaxes slightly and leans against him he shifts to put his arm around her and draw her in.

"Better?" he asks.

[from_the_outside]

"Better."

She doesn't have words to say that, after everything that's happened, sitting right next to him is the only place she feels safe. Or anything at all like herself.

Sharon puts her head on his shoulder and breathes evenly, in and out, letting her eyes drift closed as she listens to the conversations happening around them. On any other day, she'd be joining in, but today all she wants to do is let it wash around her, reminding her that they're back, and safe, and all together.

[nerves_of_ice]

He stays quiet, holding her near as she relaxes further and her eyes close and her breathing deepens. Steve glances over to check on them, and gives him an understanding look and a small, equally understanding smile.

[from_the_outside]

Nobody makes any comments about her leaning on Bucky, and she's grateful for it. She's also grateful that Sam gives her an out by being the first to get up after a while to call it a night. It means she can bow out, too, without worrying too much that the others will think something's wrong.

She sits up and looks at Bucky. "Getting some rest sounds like a good idea," she murmurs, and glances at Nat, a question in her eyes. She's got no idea if there's a spot for her to sleep, or any of her clothes or other things... or if Nat's going to enforce keeping her under her supervision.

Probably not, but there's always the chance.

[nerves_of_ice]

It doesn't surprise him in the slightest to see Natasha take the ball Sharon throws her and run with it. She stands, stretches, and says, "We all have to be at the Center pretty early tomorrow and I have a sneaking suspicion that it's going to be a long day." She gives Tony a pointed look and a bright smile.

Bucky glances at Steve. "I'll walk Sharon back," he suggests.

[from_the_outside]

Steve nods, his mouth quirking. "Good," he says. To Sharon, he adds: "Rest up, okay? We all want you to feel better."

"I already do," she tells him, and stands, waiting for Bucky.

Steve makes no move to do anything like the same, and she thinks he's probably going to stay with Tony. Maybe only for a little while, maybe for longer.

They've got a lot to talk about. "Night, everyone."

[nerves_of_ice]

Natasha strolls out with them and leads the way down the hall. "Sharon, it's really your call," she notes, as they walk. "My suite has an extra bedroom that you're welcome to, the same way Steve's does, or there's plenty of extra rooms on the floor if you'd rather one of your own."

She gives her a teasing glance. "Just don't tell the doctor."

Bucky gives Sharon a sideways look. Like Natasha says... it's her decision.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon snorts a laugh and shakes her head. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him," she says, amused.

"I'll take one of the extras. May as well put Tony's generosity to good use."

[nerves_of_ice]

Natasha flashes a smile at her and reaches into a pocket, then passes over a key card. "Tony programmed them all to let everyone in our little group in and keep everyone else out, including the hotel staff," she says. "Pick any room you want. This one's mine," she adds, stopping in front of a door. "James can show you where Steve's is, Tony's in the penthouse of course, and Sam's down at the other end of the hall."

The look he gives Natasha is grateful, and her answering smile is filled with warmth and understanding. "Get some rest," she tells them. "Both of you. We'll talk soon."

[from_the_outside]

She gives Nat a quick hug, squeezing her friend gently before letting go and stepping back.

"You, too," she says. "See you in the morning, Nat."