In My Head • Bucky Barnes

Chapter 12

Peter got them out. We are both in deep trouble for this but honestly I don't care. I understand the prejudice against Bucky, his hands aren't the cleanest. But attacking Belle was cruel and uncalled for, especially when she was already scared to begin with.

I heard footsteps approaching the common room and mentally prepared myself for the conversation to come. I had made a point to avoid Nat and Tony all morning but I knew I couldn't hide for long.

"Steven Grant Rogers, did you let a murderer escape with my son and his idiot boyfriend?" Tony yelled as he rounded the corner.

"No, I let my best friend escape with your son and his idiot boyfriend."

"Jeez cap." Tony rubbed his temple sighing in frustration. Natasha tapped her foot, glaring at me impatiently as if waiting for me to talk. Well she is going to be waiting a while.

"In my defense I was going to stop him. But they were hurting the kid and I wasn't going to let that pass."

"Steve, he is a criminal. Like it or not he needs to be behind bars."

"You're one to talk, Natasha." Nat looked at me as if I had just stabbed her. Honestly I might as well have.

"Fuck you Rogers." Nat turned on her heel and stalked out the room. Tony stared at me as if I had lost my mind. For all I knew I had.

"If he hurts Peter or Wade I will hold you personally accountable." Tony snapped. He tossed me his Comms - the only set that could connect to Karen.

"What are you-"

"Find them and bring them back."

I hooked myself up to the Comms, waiting until Tony was out of earshot to connect. The line crackled for a second until a kind, animated voice blared in my ear.

I'm sorry sir your son is currently unavailable. Would you like me to take a message?

"It's Steve, I need to talk to Peter now."

Connecting...

"Hello?"

"Hi kid. Where are you?"

"Umm I'm not sure if I should tell you that."

"Peter it's not like cap is gonna hand them over is it." Wade's voice somehow over powered Peter's, how he manages it I have no idea.

"Fine if you are so sure go get him. But I am not giving him the address. Dad isn't an idiot."

I have to stifle a laugh at their bickering. They are constantly fighting like an old married couple and it's adorable.

Wade appears next to me and, before I could greet him, he takes my arm. I am lifted off the floor for a split second and come crashing down in an unfamiliar environment. Bucky and Belle are nowhere in sight, but it's pretty obvious where they are hiding as Peter is standing outside the door like a sentry.

"Did dad send you?"

"Well yes and no. He wants me to bring you home, but I have no intention of doing so."

"Good because I am not leaving. Not until they are somewhere safe." Everyday Peter shocks me in ways I would never think of.

"Welp, welcome to the life of a criminal guys! We are gonna have so much fun." Wade flops down onto the couch reaching for a slice of half eaten pizza. Peter webs his hand to the table in response to the rather uncalled for remark.

"Dad is going to kill us." Peter huffed sitting in the back of the sofa, stealing the slice out of Wade's hand.

"He'll have to catch us first."

"Who knew Captain America had a dark side."

"I did." My head snapped to the doorway and smiled at Bucky who was leaning against the doorframe. He looked absolutely exhausted, tear-stained and drained.

"I, um, just remembered I didn't bring my suit. Wade, can you get me into the tower." Peter not so subtly excused himself dragging Wade up. They teleported leaving Bucky and I alone.

"How's Belle?"

"Sleeping." Bucky cast a glance into the bedroom before shaking his head and closing the door. "She's never going to trust me again. I promised I would protect her and in the space of 24 hours she has been kidnapped, locked away and had the crap beaten out of her."

"Buck that kid adores you. Deep down she knows it wasn't your fault." Bucky shook his head, his hair falling in his face.

"You know it's not your fault, don't you?"

"Who else could it be? I let down my guard and made the stupid decisions that lead us here."

Hasn't changed a bit. "You just wanted to give her a normal life. You can't do that locked away in an apartment, that's like trading one cell for another. It's not your fault Shield arrested you, it's mine."

"How could this possibly be your fault Steve?"

Shit. I did not think this through.

"Steve what did you do?"

"They released a photo of you as the winter soldier. I didn't know so I looked at it and instantly recognised it. Next thing I knew I had passed out and Tony was hunting you down. I basically handed him your identity."

"Wait you passed out!" Bucky exclaimed looking at me with worry as if I might collapse any moment.

"That's what you're mad about!"

"Well yeah! Why did you pass out?" Usually I would laugh at the confusion in his voice, but now it just breaks my heart.

"I thought you died Bucky. Seventy years ago. It's not everyday you realise your best friend is still somehow alive, and working for Hydra no less."

"Oh." This time I do chuckle, rolling my eyes fondly. He shifts uncomfortably, twiddling the string of his hoodie between his fingers.

"I- I don't work for them anymore if that's something you're worried about."

"Your past doesn't scare me. I may have this golden reputation but I have done some pretty awful things as well."

"You have?"

"War is messy. I did what I had to do to survive. You were killing to avoid being killed - I understand that."

"Bucky!" A terrified scream ripped through the apartment. Bucky practically broke the hinges as he threw open the door.

Belle sat shivering on the edge of the bed, swaying dangerously back and forth. Her eyes were glossed over, focused on the door yet unseeing.

"I'm here. I'm here." Bucky scoops her into a hug but her expression remains the same.

"Nightmare?" Belle nods stiffly, sniffling into Bucky's shoulder. I take this as my cue to leave, shutting the door quietly behind me.

As luck would have it Wade appears with Peter in his arms a moment later. Peter has a couple of backpacks in his lap full to the brim with supplies.

"Thought we would be here for a while, so I brought stuff to keep us entertained." Peter announced. Wade dropped him onto the couch complaining about the tiny boy being 'too heavy'.

"Um Wade, do you think you would be able to take me to Bucky's apartment. They are going to need their things."

"Sure. What's the address?"