The Other Rogers

Chapter 30

Steve lifted his sister out of the car, letting her head rest on his shoulder. She had fallen asleep before the trip back to the tower.

She was drained emotionally and physically, not having the best of sleeps lately. Fury had made a comment when they joined him in the car with Tony, finding her already asleep with the director's jacket over her like a blanket.

The walk up to the common room was silent, no one spoke, it was peaceful- that was until they entered the room and cheers erupted, causing Anya to startle in his arms.

Luckily Bucky and Fury were quick, they both threw heated glares, and everyone quickly zipped their lips as their eyes took in the sleeping form of Anya in Steve's arms.

Tony offered to take her for him, but he was fine with carrying her to his floor. There were two spare bedrooms now that Sam had his own.

Kicking the door closed after him, he laid her down on the bed, smiling as she nestled in cuddling up to the pillows. Draping the blanket up over her, he kissed her forehead and watched as Bucky, who had followed him with her heels and uniform, do the same.

The two men were quick to leave the woman to her slumbering peace and went to their respective rooms to change out of their monkey suits. Being in their uniforms all day then being forced into tuxedos, was not the way Steve wanted to spend his evening.

By the time he made it back to the common room Bucky was already down there, sinking into a beanbag with a hot coco.

As he walked to the kitchen Natasha stopped him with a cup of his own. He smiled at her and gave her hug, the pair clinging to each other for a moment longer than what was considered friendly.

Ignoring the smirk Bucky gave him, he sat on one of the couches, smiling to himself when Natasha joined him, deserting Clint who pouted.

"So, you all knew about the presentation?" His throat was hoarse from all the talking he had done. The pain was worth it though, he had a chance to speak to two of his old friends.

He was surprised that Dum Dum was even alive, the man had to be a new record. A hundred and two. He and Bucky had promised him that if he lived to be a hundred and three, they would be there for the party.

Steve felt sorry for Bucky who had no idea that Jim, James Montgomery, and Jacques had passed, but at least it was of age, not injury.

Clint nodded, "Hell yeah. We all participated in a petition to get your awards, especially those for Barnes and your sister."

Steve thanked him and everyone else as they nodded, pleased that justice had been served.

Bucky just sat there in silence; Steve knew his friend never had expected to be thanked for surviving a war.

He felt the same way, but none the less, they were grateful for what their friends had done for them and Anya.

He sat there in silence for a while everyone else entered discussions, Natasha's feet resting on his lap while he ran his hand up and down her calf drinking his drink as memories bombarded him.

They had been there for maybe an hour when Fury entered the room, wearing his trench coat again, in his hand was a tablet and a grim expression on his face.

He walked in front of the group and cleared his throat effectively ending all discussions. Everyone turned to face him and instantly were on alert with the grave look he supported.

"As you all know thanks to the proof Anya and Barnes have supplied us with, we have all participated in meetings with every agent under our organisation. Thanks to Tony we were able to create a truth serum that was released as an odourless airborne gas through the air conditioning units. If Natasha and Clint could not fight the effects, there was no way any other agent could. Thus, we have finally been able to weed out the rats from our ranks."