[Ohio AU] the heart of winter

[nerves_of_ice]

Coulson had been called away on something for Fury before they'd gotten more than halfway to wherever his locker is and the set of trading cards stored within it. Without anything else to do, Bucky makes his way back to the quarters he's been given. It's either that or explore the rest of the helicarrier on his own, and that seems like something that can wait safely enough.

He swings by the mess on the way back. As he'd suspected, it's not placed too far distant from what serves as a commissary on this boat. He requisitions a couple of notebooks, a couple of pencils and pens and takes it all with him.

Might as well start with a report on the other Soldiers, he decides. That's likely to be more important in the immediate future than anything else.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

She considers that, dropping her chin to her chest as she stares blankly at the floor, her mind racing. "One of them, fine. Maybe two of them we could handle. But all five?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"You've seen me fight." He figures she can extrapolate from that, although he might do better against them now that he's in better condition than he was then. Still, all five at once - no.

"So if at all possible we need to get in without raising an alarm."

[from_the_outside]

"Yeah, I have. And I know you can do a lot." She shakes her head at him, blonde hair shifting over her shoulders. "But even you can't handle those guys. So how do we get in without raising an alarm?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Not all at once without some significant weaponry, no."

The expression on his face is bleak and resigned as he meets her eyes. "It could make a difference if they think I'm reporting back to base for a new assignment."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon breathes out through her nose and considers it. "We could pose as buyer and asset again."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods. "I'm not sure it'll work with Tony though. Not this time. He was ... very visible in DC. He'd have to be part of the second line."

For a moment he has the inclination to pace, but suppresses it ruthlessly.

"Natasha could help get him through the layout. Coulson could accompany as your financier, or something."

[from_the_outside]

"He'd work," she agrees. "Better than Barton would. Undercover has never been his thing. So—"

She loosens her arms and taps a finger on the table. "You, me, and Coulson go in first. Stark, Nat, and Barton are the B team. And the helicarrier can be close by... in case."

In case they need a bigger gun than Stark.

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods. The way she's laying it out makes sense. Except --

"One risk. If word has gotten out from Ohio, it could be a trap by the time we reach the bottom of the silo. In which case I'll do everything I can, but you and Coulson should be ready to fall back."

[from_the_outside]

"And we'd better find a way to get Stark down there quick," she agrees. "Maybe lay some incendiaries strong enough to blow the top before we go down."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Wouldn't hurt. I can open the hatch from the bottom, but it wouldn't hurt, just in case I'm busy."

Fighting multiple supersoldiers would keep him pretty busy, after all.

"Hopefully we won't need it. But better safe."

[from_the_outside]

"We'll make sure there's a way," she promises. "I don't think anything could stop Stark, even a missile silo."

[nerves_of_ice]

"He seems like a determined kind of guy when he wants to be." Which is probably all to the good, all things considered.

"When's he arriving?"

[from_the_outside]

"I'm going to guess.... soon." There's a flicker of amusement at the corner of her mouth, warming her eyes.

"He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who can sit things out. My bet is he's on his way already."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Not taking that bet," he says. Desert sand couldn't be drier. "So I guess we better get your meds so they have time to kick in before the next dance."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon blows out a breath, but doesn't argue. "Fine."

She pushes off the table and comes over to him, reaching to tug at his shirt as she looks up at him. "Coming with me?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Better believe it." The corner of his mouth quirks, just a little, as he looks down at her. "As long as you'll let me."

[from_the_outside]

She smiles up at him, shaking back her hair. "I already promised you could come with me wherever I went, didn't I?"

And, if she's being honest, she'd probably have an easier time shaking a head cold than Bucky now.

[nerves_of_ice]

"And I still say it seems like a dream." He gives a small tug on a lock of her hair, then gestures for her to lead the way to the door.

[from_the_outside]

She laughs, quiet, as he gives her hair a light tug, and plucks at the chest of his shirt. "Too responsible," she teases, and leans up to brush a light kiss over his lips before stepping away and moving toward the door. "But fine. Come on, then."

[nerves_of_ice]

He shadows her, moving to her left side without thinking about it. Bucky secures the door behind her and makes sure Fury's report is tucked away inside his jacket before they head down the hall.

[from_the_outside]

She heads down the corridors, ignoring the glances they get from the personnel they pass. (Every single agent, lab tech, and staffer is going to have to be vetted; how long will that take?) The helicarrier is huge, and it takes them the better part of a quarter hour to make it to the nearest sick bay.

One of the attendants looks up, then takes a second glance on seeing Bucky there beside her. "Agent Thirteen," he says. "Welcome back. Just a check in or are you having some specific problem?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He weathers that glance without flinching. He suspects he's going to be getting a lot of uneasy sideways looks over the next few days and weeks or however long it takes. Maybe forever.

At the attendant's question, his glance cuts to Sharon as he waits to see if she's going to try to minimize things or be truthful about it.

[from_the_outside]

"I was just going to get some painkillers— " she starts, before glancing over at Bucky.

She doesn't need to be a mindreader to pick up on what he'd prefer, and she sighs, relenting. "...But maybe we should make it a full check up."

She never had gone to a doctor in Virginia.

[nerves_of_ice]

Something about the way he's holding himself relaxes at that.

"Full checkup. Right." The attendant looks from Sharon to him. "You can wait here for her."

His glance flicks to Sharon. "Yell if you need me." There's no reason to expect that she'd be in danger here... but there's no reason for him not to expect it, either.

[from_the_outside]

She tosses him a wink before following the attendant further into the medical bay, leaving Bucky to wait for her outside.

"Ah," says the doctor, looking up. "Agent Thirteen. It's been a while."

"And yet not long enough," she says, lightly. "Where do you want me?"