[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

[nerves_of_ice]

“Yeah.” He strokes his hand over her back, gentle and soothing, as he remembers the triumph in Zemo’s voice when he’d given the order.

“I faked it,” he tells her. “He thought he had me. “I gave Steve a hand signal so he know, and we fought. Made it look real.”

[from_the_outside]

Like in Thessaloniki, but with much higher stakes. She tucks his drying hair back over his ear and nods.

"And Tony? He went for Zemo while you two were distracting him?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods. "I didn't think it worked at first. Oh, Steve got it, and Tony vanished, so--"

Bucky swallows, hard, as his arms tighten around her again.

"But Zemo came out. Ordered me to stop fighting Steve. Had to do it, or give the game away. He wanted to - to hurt him. He wanted to --"

He can hear the strain in his own voice, but he can't seem to do anything about it.

"He aimed his gun at you. Ordered me to find Tony in the control room and kill him. Told Steve he could only save one of you."

[from_the_outside]

The chill that strikes her sinks deep into her bones, just like the mist of the cryo chamber had. If the words had worked –

"But he didn't have to make a choice," she murmurs, trying to soothe him. "You weren't going to hurt Tony."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I know." He's still holding her very tightly. "I know. And Steve knew. But..."

He swallows hard. "One shot. That's all he needed for the others. If Steve had missed, if - I wasn't close enough. I couldn't - and if I tried, then both you and Steve would be --"

A long, long pause.

"Tony dropped on him like the wrath of the heavens from above. And that was the end of it."

[from_the_outside]

She lets out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Of course they managed it, they must have, because she's here, a little battered but alive, but it was close.

Too close.

He's holding her like he's afraid she'd vanish right from his arms. She curls to press herself against him, a warm reminder that she's here and solid and real and living. "Then you woke me up."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods. "Yeah. And you know the rest."

[from_the_outside]

She nods back, then leans forward to put her arms more securely around his neck, setting her head against his.

"We won," she murmurs. "You got me out, safe. Tony and Steve are okay. It's over, baby."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods, just the slightest movement so as not to disturb her.

"And the facility's gone. Nothing left of the Winter Soldier program now. Except the manual. And me."

[from_the_outside]

She nods back, and runs her fingertips through the ends of his hair.

"How are you feeling about all that?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"I don't know," he admits, honestly.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon leans back to look at him, her dark eyes compassionate.

"It must be pretty complicated," she murmurs.

[nerves_of_ice]

"I guess." He's quiet for several seconds.

"No one else should have had access to it. Some people are going to be pissed, but the hell with them. It's better that it's out of their reach. That I know."

[from_the_outside]

She nods. "We removed it from the equation."

Which simplified a lot of things, but made others more complicated.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Yes."

He looks down at her. "I took the manual. I don't know what to do with it, but... I took it. I have it. It's here."

[from_the_outside]

... And there's another complication. "Okay."

She runs her hand back and forth over the curve of his shoulder. "If anyone should have it, it should be you."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I guess I just thought I should... it's about, it's what they did to me," he starts, slowly, trying to explain.

"I thought I should know." He gives her an uncertain look.

[from_the_outside]

She nods, hoping to be encouraging. "That makes sense," she tells him.

"You should. You deserve to know."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods, and stays quiet, his hand moving in slow circles across her back.

[from_the_outside]

"There are going to be a lot of people who'll want that manual," she murmurs.

"We can't let them know you have it."

[nerves_of_ice]

"No one knows I have it now but you and Steve," he tells her, with a small shrug.

"I should probably destroy it. After."

[from_the_outside]

"Yeah."

She can't let herself even begin to think there might be something in the manual that could help him. It has to be destroyed, so that no one else can ever use it again. "I think you'll have to."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Once I read it." Quiet but firm.

[from_the_outside]

"Once you read it," she agrees.

There are a lot of question about after she she doesn't want to think about yet. After he reads the manual. After the debrief. After the dust settles and the United Nations has to actually enforce the Accords, or rethink them.

After Steve goes home.

But none of that is anything they have to talk about tonight.

[nerves_of_ice]

He hesitates for what feels like a very long time, but probably isn't more than a few seconds.

"Do you want to read it?"