This Is Stella's Reality

August 22, 2014

Sunlight filtered down onto the pages of my book. It fluttered as wind swept past me. It was a warm summer day, a cool breeze traveling across the grass field by the compound.

Steve, Bucky, Thor, and Clint were playing a game of soccer a ways away from me. Natasha and Bruce sat around me, each of us preoccupied with a book or work. Tony appeared from the kitchen with a tray of cocktails in hand. I laughed; he looked like a housewife.

Natasha looked up at my laugh, following my eyes. She smirked, "Hey, sweet cheeks." Tony gave her an astonished look but played off her teasing with a playfully flirty pose. Bruce breathed a laugh beside me and shook his head, not looking up from the papers in front of him.

The boys in the field jogged over to us, sweaty from their intense game. It was Steve and Bucky against Clint and Thor. Bucky and Thor had their hair tied up in small buns, and my heart filled with butterflies watching strands of hair falling into Bucky's eyes.

He made eye contact with me and smirked, winking as he picked up two glasses. He brought one over to me, crouching down in front of my face; "What are you reading, doll?"

"It's called All The Light We Cannot See. It's good."

He smiled, holding out a glass for me. It sparkled in the sunlight, ice clinking on the sides of the wall. I reached for it, and suddenly all of our phones rang.

HYDRA facility located. Threat level high. Proceed to location immediately.

There goes our summer afternoon.

"Inside, meeting room in five minutes," Steve barked out. His voice was stern.

Bucky sucked his teeth, holding both glasses with one hand, and offering me his free one. It was wet from the condensation of the drink. He pulled me to my feet, "Looks like I'm going on my first mission, huh?"

I thought for a moment. It was true, since Bucky joined, there hadn't been a reason for all of us to go anywhere. Any issue was solved by Clint and Nat or Steve. Anxiety filled my chest at the thought of Bucky getting hurt. He had been training, going to therapy, and he was getting better, but the thought lingered.

I headed straight for the meeting room, glad for the A/C and the cold metal tables. The boys went to wash up, so it was only Tony, Bruce, Nat, and I in the space.

Tony sighed, scowling in his chair. Bruce gave him a quizzical look, "What's the matter with you?"

Tony's eyes rolled, "Nobody tried my drink."

Natasha let out a hearty laugh, "You are such a child."

"How does Pepper put up with you?" I leaned towards him, grinning.

Tony gave me a sideways frown and looked away. Bruce chuckled, moving to pull up the files JARVIS had been sent by SHIELD.

The boys filed in, taking their seats around the table. Steve stood at the front of the oval table, glancing over the information in front of us, "Looks like another standard in and out assignment. Neutralize the facility, investigate what they've been cooking up, and come back home. Nothing we haven't done a million times."

Steve looked around the table, stopping at Bucky. He cleared his throat, "Bucky will be joining us for this, so we'll need to rework teams to fit him in." Steve paused, taking his seat, "Clint and Natasha, you're permanent partners. Bruce, you're in the jet unless needed. Tony, you're running aerial support and intel. Thor and Stella, you two run vanguard most days." He glanced at Bucky and I, "I think I'd like Bucky to join Stella on vanguard, and Thor you'll flip between helping me and Tony."