Ascertainment || Bucky Barnes (2)

6

Basil stood next to Steve in the white hospital corridor. The whole room smelt like bleach and the tinge of sadness. Like the emotions of the place had seeped into the walls. He was still dressed in his tshirt and jeans. His meal having gone cold on the stove and his blood covered apron thrown in the bin. He had his boots on and had been allowed to grab his black denim jacket before leaving and following the EMT's to the hospital. Now he was here in this corridor. A silver railing along one wall under a glass window. On the other side of the glass fury lay open on the table as doctors operated.

The doors banged behind them and Natasha arrived with a flick of red hair. She stopped on the other side of Steve and watched. "Is he going to make it?"

"I don't know", Steve replied quietly. She turned to Basil and he shrugged. He could still see flecks of fury's blood under his nails. (Would the blood on his hands ever wash off?)

"He was shot four times through the wall. Two exit wounds. They're trying to find the last two bullets inside of him and repair some of the damage. He had lost a lot of blood by the time the EMT's arrived". Inside the operating room, a surgeon help up a bloodied silver shape then dropped it into a metal tray. "There's the second bullet", Basil announced.

"Tell me about the shooter", Natasha stated. Basil listened intently. He hadn't seen the shooter but Steve had. Apparently the man had a metal arm and had caught his shield. Basil had never heard of anyone catching Steve's shield after it had been thrown. He wasn't sure if he wanted to believe it.

"He's fast. Strong. Had a metal arm". Steve cut off as another person joined them at the glass. Agent hill had entered the room without a sound. She stood silently and with the posture of a soldier just told to ease.

"Ballistics?" Natasha's voice was low.

"Four slugs", Hill replied. "No rifling. Completely untraceable".

"Soviet made", Nat murmured. Hill and Basil turned to her.

"Yeah".

That was when distant voices started rising in volume in the operating room. The doctors and nurses began moving quicker. "He's in V-tach", Basil muttered half under his breath. He halls wished that he hadn't updated his medical knowledge. It was scarier watching and knowing exactly what they were doing in there, and exactly what was going wrong. He sighed and turned so that his back was too the glass. His hips leant against the raining as he ran a tired hand over his face. He was exhausted and hungry and didn't want to hear another man die in there. He'd had more than enough people die on him in his life. 

"Don't do this to me Nick", Nat whispered as the defibrillator was wheeled into the room.

Basil pressed his face into his hands as he listened to them work. 100, clear, pulse? No pulse. 200. Clear. Pulse? No pulse? Then it was over and the sun was rising and the night was fading. Nick's body was tidied up and moved down to the morgue. Basil and Steve were leaning silently against the wall as Nat said her goodbye. Hill watching by the door. After a long while Basil straightened and walked slowly over to her. Nick's body was still and half covered by a sheet. "Nat", he murmured. Natasha didn't jolt but she exhaled and pressed her hand to the dead man's forehead for an instant before turning and marching past them.

Basil and Steve followed. The door banging shut behind them. "Natasha", Steve called.

She whirled to him suddenly and both men had to stop before they ran into her. "Why was fury in your apartment?" She gazed at him suspiciously.

Steve sighed. "I don't know".

"You're a terrible liar".

Before she could call him up on his lie any further, a voice interrupted them. "Cap", a agent in shield uniform called. "They want you and the Corporal back at shield".

"No". Basil crossed his arms. "Unless it's a avengers issue, no. I don't work for shield. I'm going home".

"Well they want you there now", the shield officer stated sharply. He was shorter than Steve but still a good inch taller than Basil, with military cut black hair and a sharp face. Basil instantly didn't like him.

"As I said", He stated slowly and with command in his tone. "I don't work for you. So unless you guys have found a way to keep me restrained yet, which Tony Stark hasn't even been able too yet. Then I'm going home". The agent visibly ground his teeth. Basil ignored him and turned to Steve. "I'll see you back at the apartment block. Just knock on my door or give me a call". Steve nodded then clasped him firmly on the arm. Basil felt as a solid shape was slipped into his sleeve. Steve's eyes was clear and stern as he reached over to pat him on the shoulder.

"Are you sure you're okay to go home alone?"

"I'm fine", Basil replied with a slight smile. "Just gotta make sure Queenie is alright". Steve nodded.

"I'll find you later. Be safe".

"Don't piss anyone off", Basil called as Steve let go and began following after the agent. The blonde turned and gave a slight smile before turning the corridor. Basil sighed as he stuck his hands into his pockets. The object, a memory stick he realised as he felt it with his fingers, slid into his palm. It was the memory stick fury had given Steve. Basil had been busy trying to keep the man from bleeding out to fully take in the details.

"So what did you just slip into your pocket baby boy?" Nat asked. She crossed her arms and eyed him sharply.

Basil turned and held out his his hand. "Gum?" He offered. It was a pack he had brought from the hospital vending machine hours before. He took a stick and popped it into his mouth and began chewing. "It's raspberry flavour".

Nat arched an eyebrow, not amused by his lie. Basil grinned sharply and she took a piece. The two of them locked in a silent stare down for a minute before he shrugged. "I'm going home", he announced. "Got to feed my cat and grab some breakfast. I'll catch you later". He nodded and walked around her down the corridor. Nat let him go. As he said earlier, there was no real way of keeping him restrained. She followed him instead, like he knew she would.

Unedited