[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]

"So we'll need extraction options," she says, smoothly moving on. "Rome can pilot a Quinjet, and so can I. But we may need something a little less obvious."

[nerves_of_ice]

“What did you have in mind?”

Bucky watches with interest. Fury seems inclined to listen so far, which is good.

[from_the_outside]

"I'd have to make a call," she tells him. "But before I do, I think you should read over Sergeant Barnes' report. As soon as you give me the go-ahead, I'll start pulling the teams and resources together. We should strike soon."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I will," Fury assures them. He looks back and forth between them and settles on Bucky. "But one thing I want to know right up front. You going to have a problem with how I handle your ex-colleagues?"

He holds himself carefully, perfectly still, and meets Fury's eye. "Depends on what you plan to do."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon glances between them, her gaze landing on Fury as he shrugs, his blasé facade as uncrackable as Bucky's own neutral expression. "What do you suggest we do with them?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“It’d be nice to give them a chance. If any of them are sane enough to take it. If any of them aren’t HYDRA to the bone.”

The absolute emptiness in his voice proclaims his lack of belief in that.

“If not, there’s really only three options I can think of: imprison them somehow, put them back on ice, or … eliminate the problem.”

[from_the_outside]

Fury watches him with an unreadable expression in his single eye. "Only one of those options gets them out of the reach of anybody else who wants to play God with genetics."

Sharon keeps her mouth shut, wondering a little uneasily whether Nick's including himself in that group or not, as he goes on. "But I like to think we don't have to be cold-blooded killers to solve a problem. If there's a chance at rehabilitation, complicated as it might be, we should probably take it."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky nods and doesn’t say anything else, not sure if he’s relieved or dismayed or what.

[from_the_outside]

Fury arches his eyebrows, glancing between them. "Anything else? Because it looks like I've got some reading to do."

Sharon shakes her head. "You have my recommendations, sir."

[nerves_of_ice]

“All right. Tomorrow morning, bright and early. You’ve got the team you want, Thirteen. Once I’ve finished with this, we’ll see what else there is to add.”

Bucky shifts, preparing to follow her out of the room.

[from_the_outside]

So much for that pipe dream of resting for two weeks, or even one. Well, she can rest when she gets back. Maybe. "Thank you, sir."

She gives Fury a nod, then heads back out of the office at a brisk pace despite her aching muscles, heading back for the lifts.

[nerves_of_ice]

He waits until they’re a little way down the hall, out of earshot. “You didn’t mention the doctor’s advice.”

[from_the_outside]

"You're right." And it's more than possible Nick will give her some hell for that, but he knows as well as she does that she can't be benched, not right now. "I'll have the medical staff send their findings and recommendations along."

[nerves_of_ice]

He sighs, long and slow. "Your call. But will you work with me to minimize the chance anything'll make it worse?"

[from_the_outside]

"Yes." She glances over at him, amused by that sigh. "Don't worry. Between you, Stark, Rome, and Barton, I probably won't have to do anything at all."

[nerves_of_ice]

"But you'll be on the front line," he points out, mildly. "So just in case."

[from_the_outside]

"Just in case," she agrees. "And I'll disclose to the others, too."

They'll need to know what she is and isn't capable of right now, when a hesitation on her part due to pain or dizziness might put one of them in danger.

[nerves_of_ice]

Relief surges like a wave.

"Thanks."

[from_the_outside]

She waits until they're in the lift before she looks over at him, the amusement gone. "I won't endanger the mission," she promises.

"And I'm not in any rush to get more injured and actually get benched."

[nerves_of_ice]

He looks right back at her, his gaze level and steady. "I never thought you would. But I'm already learning that you'll throw yourself into the line of fire if that's what it takes."

[from_the_outside]

From the look on her face, that seems like an obvious conclusion to draw. "Well, yeah. I wouldn't be very good at what I do if I weren't willing to put myself on the line for it."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky just nods. She's not wrong. His own freedom is the evidence of just how good she is.

"Just let me be the one to catch the bullets and other things instead of you."

[from_the_outside]

There's a bright, laughing gleam in her eyes as the lift comes to a halt. "You could always just catch me instead."

He's right, obviously, but that doesn't mean she has any intention of slowing down.

[nerves_of_ice]

Without missing a beat:

"That too."

[from_the_outside]

She grins at him, bright and cheery, and leads the way back out of the lift and toward their quarters once more. "In the meantime, maybe you better make sure I actually get some rest before tomorrow's call time."