[Virginia AU] we rose up from the falling waters

[nerves_of_ice]

A little over a week goes by, and as it does Bucky falls into a pattern, slow but sure. He wakes with Sharon in the mornings, shares coffee and something that suffices for breakfast, then works a little on searches and checking contacts and sources from other time zones and locations. Mid-morning finds him at the Task Force offices with Riley and his team. Early afternoon finds him meeting with Ross, if there's any reason to; mid-afternoon he checks in with Steve, with Tony, or with Natasha before he goes back to tracing rumors and hints.

Today's different, though. Today is Sharon's first day back at work after her suspension, and Bucky's determined not to do a single damn thing that might possibly make it difficult for her.

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[marvel_npc]

He sounds like he's skating the ragged edge beneath that absolute control, and again she wants to ask what the hell happened, what went wrong.

She goes to her laptop and flips it open as she listens. "He won't," she promises. "Tony's out there. I'll coordinate with him."

[nerves_of_ice]

"He's on his way now," Bucky tells her. "He'll be expecting to hear from you. I'll send you the coordinates too. They took Klaue in a white panel van. Three collaborators; two flunkies and the leader in a tribal mask. Dark skin. Natasha..."

He makes himself breathe. She needs to know; she needs to be able to prepare herself as much as she can, if the worst should happen.

"Sharon took a bad hit. We're taking her to the hospital now, but ... she might not make it. I'm sorry."

[marvel_npc]

"James," she breathes, a cold flush skittering through her. The words, his tone, the way he's holding himself together, it all pulls a picture of crystal clarity into her mind.

Memories of her friend flash into her mind, unbidden: sparring together, undercover together, sitting here on the couch talking easily together.

She hasn't seen Sharon since the day she and James left for Budapest. "I'll take it from here," she promises him, her own voice under ruthless control. "Do whatever you have to do, James."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I will," he swears, low and fervent. "Everything I can. And I'll keep you updated. The second I know anything."

[marvel_npc]

"Yes," she murmurs, her fingers flying over the keys. "Thank you."

She's not accustomed to hoping for good news, but perhaps she can make an exception for this. "I have Tony," she tells him, as her connection request chimes gently on her screen. Her voice gentles, a little. "Call me if you need anything. Anything."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I will," he says, softer now. She knows; more than that, she understands. He's only recently learned how to begin to hope again, but he hopes now, as hard as he can, that he'll be able to give her good news soon - that there's a miracle waiting for them in Wakanda.

"Talk soon," he promises, and ends the call. Bucky sends her the coordinates, and looks over at the table where Sharon lies under Ross's watch, making sure that she's still breathing.

She is. He draws another deep breath of his own, and places the next call.

[marvel_npc]

He's watching a documentary – half watching and half idly doodling on a sketchpad, anyway – when his phone buzzes.

Seeing the name, Steve's smile grows wide. "Buck," he says, answering. "Hey."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Hey." It comes out rougher than he'd meant it to. Bucky clears his throat. "Um. Got an update for you, Cap. It's not great news."

[marvel_npc]

His smile melts away at that rough tone like it was ink someone had taken a washcloth to and scrubbed hard.

Every alarm in his head jangles at once. "What's wrong?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He needs to tell him, will tell him, but if he starts there he's going to shatter, he knows it. Bucky falls back on habits first established seventy years ago, seeking shelter in it.

"We brought Klaue in to a Task Force black site," he starts. "There was a chase, Tony said reports hit online, but minimal property damage, or anything like that. Secured him, brought him in for questioning... but he wasn't working alone."

He has to break off and breathe for a second. "His accomplices jammed the Task Force cameras. They blew out the back wall of the site to retrieve him. I went down under the debris. I wasn't fast enough clawing my way out of it. I wasn't -- I couldn't --"

His voice cracks like glass along a fault line. He stops for a second, swallows hard again. "I called Tony in for the search. To get him back. Natasha's on surveillance, coordinating with him."

He has to say it. He has to tell him. Has to.

"I'm with Ross. Taking Sharon to - to a hospital. She was shot. She... Steve, she may not make it."

[marvel_npc]

Every new word only paints a worse picture, and Steve's thoughts race to keep up. He'll grab Nilsson, have her coordinate with Tony and Nat and the Task Force team –

But then Bucky's voice breaks, and when he starts again, the things he says fills Steve with cold fear. "Don't say that," he orders, reflexively, and strides into his bedroom. It's a grim echo of the day Bucky had called him from Sharon's phone; like then, he throws open his closet to drag out his duffel. "She'll make it."

Stubborn, sharp-tongued Sharon Carter, who throws herself at every challenge like she's charging into a fight; he can't imagine her lying still and vulnerable.

If something happens to her, it'll break Peggy's heart... and Bucky's, too. "Where are you? I'll take a Quinjet. Just hold on a few more hours, Buck."

[nerves_of_ice]

"In transit," he says. "On the way to, to a - a specialist." It's as good an explanation as he can think of.

"Don't come yet. I don't know where to tell you to come yet. I'll call you when we get there. For now, can you -- he can't get away with this, Cap. None of them can."

[marvel_npc]

"They won't," Steve promises him, grim, and straightens from packing. "I'll grab Nilsson and meet up with Nat. We'll coordinate with the Task Force from here, with Tony on-site."

He wills himself to loosen his fingers before he accidentally crushes his phone. "Don't worry about Klaue, Buck. We'll get him. The others, too. You just focus on... on Sharon. Let me know if anything... anything changes, and where to come."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Thanks. I... thanks," he repeats, helplessly. "I'll keep you up to date."

[marvel_npc]

"I'm with you, buddy," Steve promises him, low but firm. Words he's said so often, even if they're echoing from seventy years ago. "Til the end of the line. And we're not there yet."

He breathes, a little rough. "And neither is Sharon. No way."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I know you are. And I hope you're right." Barely a whisper. He coughs, making his voice clearer.

"I think - don't tell Peggy yet? I should - there'll be more news, soon. She can't ... Sharon can't talk to her right now, anyway."

[marvel_npc]

"I won't," Steve promises, though it makes his heart hurt. "Not until there's... not until we know."

He doesn't say one way or another. It wouldn't help, and his role right now is to help however he can. "Buck... is there anything else I can do? Anything you need?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"I need Klaue and his associates to not get away with this." He breathes deeply for a second or two. "I failed you, Cap. I'm sorry."

[marvel_npc]

"You didn't," Steve says, absolute. "It's not the first time he's slipped through our fingers, Buck. And there was no reason to think he was working with someone else, we've never seen him do that before."

He puts all his faith and determination into his voice, tries to feed it through the line to Bucky, who badly needs it. "He's not going to get away. We'll close in on him. I'll let you know the second we have anything, or Tony will. Okay?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Okay." His tone firms. "Whatever it takes."

He glances over at Sharon again, and is still watching her when he says, "I should get back."

[marvel_npc]

"Whatever it takes," Steve agrees. He closes his eyes, wishing himself by Bucky's side, then opens them, clear and steady and focused on the task ahead. "Okay, Buck. Let her know we're pulling for her. And take care of yourself, too."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'll tell her," he promises. He will, whether or not she can hear him. He says nothing about himself. "Talk soon, okay?"

[marvel_npc]

"You got it," Steve tells him, and doesn't hang up until Bucky does. In the next second, he's out the door of his apartment and heading for Nat's, his phone ringing in his ear as he places a call to Agent Nilsson.

They need all hands on deck for this.

[nerves_of_ice]

He shoves his phone back in a pocket and goes to rejoin Ross and Nakia at Sharon's side.

"How is she?" He can't help himself; he reaches for her hand.

[marvel_npc]

Nakia watches as he takes her friend's cool, limp hand, the gesture almost reflexive. "The same," she murmurs, and gets up to smooth some of Sharon's fine golden hair off of her shoulder.

No better; but no worse. She gives Bucky a warm smile, doing her best to hide the ache in her own heart. It's been so long since they saw each other. "Even at these speeds, this is a long flight," she murmurs, glancing from him to Ross. T'Challa is with Okoye, but she notices him looking back over his shoulder at her. "There is much to tell you, but it does not need to be now. If you need food, or water, or rest, we can provide any or all."