The ghosts we hide (Winter Soldier x OC)

Sixteen

The next two weeks are a blur of meetings. Now that I've 'completely committed myself to the cause' as Tony puts it, everyone seems a lot more comfortable in my company. All I see of Bucky are reclusive shapes in the hallways. He seems to have excused himself from discussions and only really spends time with Steve.

Not that I mind. It makes avoiding him a hell of a lot easier.

I've learned he goes down to the training area at about five thirty every morning and comes back at seven. I'm dressed by ten-to and wait to hear his door close down the hall before I sneak out of my room and work out myself. All of my old injuries are now healed, though my shoulder still sometimes hurts if I push it too far. It's not the first time I've dislocated it and it almost definitely won't be the last.

I refocus my attention on the meeting in progress, realising I haven't been paying attention to anything anyone has said.

"So, in short, we have absolutely no clue what they're planning."  Tony summarises, as Banner finishes talking, pouting slightly at his colleague's harsh words.

"Well- I.. I mean, we know they're planning something big and that the blue prints were a cover for whatever else they took from the rig."

Stark sends the scientist a withering look.

"We knew that two weeks ago. We really need to know what was in those boxes."

I wasn't lying when I said I didn't know what was in the boxes, only about the fact that I knew the blueprints were a cover and that whatever was in the missing containers was fragile.

All eyes turn to me.

"Are you sure there's nothing you haven't told us yet? Even if you don't think it's relevant, it could be important." Tony sighs, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I've told you everything I know."

"There's got to be something we're missing." Steve says, crossing his arms.

Everyone shuffles around the table, frustration crackling in the air.

No one says anything, but we're all thinking it.

We've made no progress.

*****

The afternoon sun reflects off the New York skyscrapers, sending blinding rays of brilliant orange light bouncing around the city.

I lie back on the bed, trying and failing to have an afternoon nap, my frustration keeping unconsciousness at bay.

I still don't sleep properly. I'm lucky if I can get more than a few hours before my body refuses to relinquish its hold on reality, meaning I spend the nights watching the metropolis beneath me and the daytime yawning, eyelids constantly battling with fatigue.

There's a knock at the door.

"Come in." I say, propping myself up on the pillows behind my head. I tuck my knees to my chest as Steve and Tony appear in the doorway. They both look tense, no doubt at our lack of progress on the Hydra front.

Steve takes a seat on the end of the bed, sending me a Somewhat forced smile, while Stark remains standing.

"This is for you." He says as he flicks his wrist, a black rectangle flying through the air towards me. I scramble to catch it, caught of guard.

I look a the sleek iPhone in my hands, then up at Tony, confused.

"I thought you could do with some entertainment." He shrugs, slipping his hands into his pockets. For once he's lost the suit, instead wearing jeans and a black t shirt, layered over a white long sleeve top. The ark reactor in his chest glows a dull blue through the double layer of fabric. "All of our contacts are in it, including Peter's - his idea not mine. You can text or ring all of us, but calls to any other numbers will be disabled."