Ascertainment || Bucky Barnes (2)

23

Basil woke to the beeping of hospital monitors and gentle singing playing quietly in the background. His whole body hurt. Limbs stiff and aching. His chest felt like it had been scrapped out with a fork. A deep pain throbbing under his ribs and the skin tight with the sting of stitches. He blinked open his eyes. The white spotted ceiling and bland walls of a modern hospital room swimming into focus. Sitting on the seats on either side of his bed were Sam and Steve. Sam was bent over a book and Steve seemed to be dozing, head tilted back.

Basil must of made a noise as he sifted as Steve's eyes opened. He smiled at him. He sat up, allowing Basil to see the sling supporting his arm. The limb bandaged and pressed to his chest. He was out of his uniform and in T-shirt and sweats. The bruises had already healed and the cuts were scanned over. His face only vaguely yellowish from where he had been punched. That told Basil that he had been in the hospital for a few days at lest. Steve healed fast but not that fast. "Hi", he grinned. "Nice to see you awake".

"This is too much like London", Basil slurred. Steve laughed.

"I thought Steve was the dumbass of your duo", Sam commented. "But I was wrong. It's definitely you".

"Marvin Gaye?" Basil croaked instead. "It's nice".

"It is", Sam nodded. "But that doesn't let you off the hook". He closed the book and turned to point at him. "Just because Steve goes off to be a self sacrificing idiot doesn't mean that you need to follow his example".

Basil laughed then winced as it hurt. "It's a bit too late for that. Should of told me in 1944". He coughed and sighed heavily. Sam reached over and pressed the button for his painkillers. Basil looked at them sleepily. "How long was I out?"

"Six days", Steve stated. "They had you in surgery for almost nine hours. It was a miracle you survived, even with your advanced healing. Gave us a right scare kid".

"I'm not a kid", Basil scowled weakly. "I'm ninety three".

"The seventy years in the ice don't count", Sam voiced. "You're still only twenty three kid". Basil raised his hand slightly, it shook and it hurt to move but flipping Sam the middle finger was definitely worth the effort.

"I picked up Queenie from Sharon's", Steve changed the subject. "She's back at my new apartment now. They have moved us a few blocks west. Big 20s building, nice".

"Who's Sharon?" Basil muttered.

"Kate. Agent 13, Sharon Carter".

"Oh". Then the surname dawned on him. Basil's eyes widened. "Oh. Carter".

Steve exhaled with a nod. "Yeah. Queenie scratched the hell out of her sofa by the way. She wasn't pleased".

"Good cat", Basil smiled. He leaned back into his pillows and closed his eyes. "So, where's the Soldier? What happened with him?"

There was a pause. Basil didn't need his eyes open to know that Steve and Sam exchanged glances. Sam sighed, "we found you on the bank. Someone had dragged you out and propped you up against a tree where you could be easily found. With you in such critical condition, we couldn't search the area. By the time we got back all traces of him were gone. He's in the wind".

"He saved me", Basil beamed widely at the words. The hope in his chest working better than any drugs. "Steve! He saved me".

"I know", Steve grinned. "I know". He reached out and placed a hand on Basil's shoulder. "I know". Basil opened his eyes and turned to look at him as the grin began to fade. He hiccuped them started crying. Big fat tears dripping down his face. The wires moved as he raised a shaky hand to cover his eyes. Steve smiled fondly. "There you go. Let it out".