[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]

She's glad for the bottle of good vodka they'd bought when she and Nat walk down the hall to her apartment after picking up the new key. The sound of metal against metal as she unlocks the door sends a chill down her spine, one that's amplified when she opens the door and invites Nat in.

The place is still a mess. Thankfully, there hadn't been any blood to clean up, but no one had disturbed the evidence. Her coffee table is still askew from when she knocked into it, and when she looks into the bedroom she can see her comforter still on the floor.

"Well," she says, aiming for something light. "It's been in better shape, but welcome, anyway."

[marvel_npc]

"It's a nice apartment." Nat's lips tighten slightly as she looks around the room. "Good thing you're not prone to clutter."

She slips her arm around Sharon's waist and hugs her. "You pour the drinks. I'll tidy up a bit."

[from_the_outside]

"Sounds good."

She squeezes Nat back around the waist, then lets go and head into the kitchen to take down her only two martini glasses.

Long-past mission memories flit through her head as she shakes up the vodka and ice, as she strains the drinks out into the glasses. She picks them both up and heads into her rooms, looking for Nat. "Here you go."

[marvel_npc]

She finishes folding the comforter neatly back over the bed and smoothing it into place, then straightens and turns to accept one of the glasses. "Thanks."

Nat walks with her back out to the living room and curls up at one end of the couch. While things might not all be exactly back where Sharon had them originally, everything's picked up and straightened so that it at least looks neat and intentional, not as it had been. "It's a nice place," she observes, glancing around. A piece of glass-and-metal artwork catches her eye, standing out by virtue of not being part of the neutral apartment decor that's so often found in pre-furnished places, and she studies it for a second before looking back at her friend.

"I can help you set up a few more security tricks, if you want."

[from_the_outside]

"It is, isn't it?" Sharon curls into the other corner, setting her arm on the back of the couch and idly running her fingers over the soft green woolen throw folded there. She follows Nat's glance to the cracked glass art and her own eyes warm before she looks back. "I might take you up on that."

She lifts her glass to Nat. "Bottoms up."

[marvel_npc]

She lifts her glass in turn and takes a long, slow sip before raising her eyebrows at Sharon. "So, tell me. Is your boss's bite as bad as his bark?"

[from_the_outside]

"Depends who he's barking at."

She takes a sip of her own drink and shrugs. "With me? Not usually. Although this time I was really pushing it."

[marvel_npc]

"His office isn't as soundproofed as he thinks it is, but it's at least muffled enough not to be able to make out anything clearly," Nat tells her.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon groans and slides down to lean her head against the couch back.

"What a mess," she observes, to the ceiling.

[marvel_npc]

"Looks that way." The look she gives Sharon is sympathetic. "Want to tell me about any of it?"

[from_the_outside]

Sharon blows out a breath and rolls her head to look at Nat, across the couch.

"I honestly don't even know where to start," she says. "But how are you doing, Nat?"

She reaches her free hand across the cushions, offering it to Nat to take, her dark eyes sympathetic. "I thought about you a lot after hearing about Lagos. I'm sorry I didn't call."

[marvel_npc]

She laces her fingers with Sharon's and lets their joined hands rest on the couch, just holding on. "It was pretty bad," she admits. "I mean, we've all had a mission or two go wrong, but for it to be Wanda, and like that..."

Nat shakes her head. "We were training her. Sam too, but he's got a little more experience. Steve and I were both responsible, whatever he says."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon nods and lets her thumb ghost over Nat's knuckles, light and soothing. "I'm sure you're doing a great job training her," she says, soft.

"It was just bad luck."

[marvel_npc]

"Tell it to the politicians who were baying for her blood. And ours too, I guess." Nat sighs, and squeezes Sharon's hand. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying we don't screw up. We do, just like anyone else. But it's been pretty rough for a while now. Maybe since D.C. - but don't tell James I said that. He feels bad enough, I'm sure."

[from_the_outside]

"I'll keep it to myself," she promises.

The very last thing Bucky needs is to feel more guilt about... honestly, anything. "I'm sorry, Nat. For what it's worth, I think the Avengers are a good idea. But a lot's happened before you guys could even really get through your growing pains, hasn't it?"

[marvel_npc]

"It really has. And the world doesn't stop to wait for anyone to get their feet under them."

Nat sighs again. "We'll get there. If we just have enough time. It's why I signed, you know?"

[from_the_outside]

"I get it. Believe me."

She squeezes Nat's fingers again, warm. "You were always good at seeing the big picture and finding ways to get through it."

[marvel_npc]

"I told Steve staying together was more important than how we stay together."

Nat takes another swallow of her drink. There's something dark in her eyes when she looks at Sharon. "I'm tired of losing people."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon nods, silently, and keeps her fingers loosely laced with Nat's.

"You'll get through it," she says. "You all will. I'm sure of it."

[marvel_npc]

She nods. "But that's part of why Steve won't hear of anything that runs the risk of him losing James again. Part of it. I'm sure you know more about that than I do."

[from_the_outside]

"I don't know about that," she says, rueful, and sips at her drink. "But I'm pretty sure neither of them is going to be all that keen on anything that keeps them apart again."

[marvel_npc]

"Hmm," Nat says. She studies her friend carefully. "Well, look at it from my point of view?"

She takes another sip of her own drink. "Steve's been looking for James for years. Since he found out he was alive. No clues. No trace."

She keeps her tone light, friendly, and relaxed. "He goes off to London-- which, actually, first..." She squeezes Sharon's hand. "I'm sorry about Peggy."

[from_the_outside]

The chasm of grief she hasn't been able to allow herself to feel almost since the funeral ended yawns abruptly open in her chest, hollow and aching.

"Thank you," she murmurs, and squeezes Nat's fingers back as she waits for her friend to continue.

[marvel_npc]

"So. Steve's in London. I've flown back to Vienna to be there for the signing. And then the bomb goes off, and everyone says it's the Winter Soldier..."

Her dark gaze is steady on Sharon.

"Everyone except you. Because it turns out, you know where he is. I feel there's more to this story."

[from_the_outside]

"There is. And Steve was pretty pissed at me when he heard it."

She takes a deeper swallow of her drink. "Because I found Bucky a few months ago. And I lied to him about it."