Lapis | Bucky Barnes.

XI. distorted justice

Keira was walking up and down the room, her fingers tapping her arms nervously as she waited for Fury to talk, although she knew she would stop him as soon as he did.

"You know, I'm still your boss-"

"And I'm still the one you hired to help Bucky Barnes return to the one he was before Hydra took him!" She said those words so quickly she thought Fury didn't even catch them, but he clearly did, because he didn't say anything. "I am supposed to know everything that happens to him, at any time, that can in any way damage or improve his state. And yes, nightmares almost every night are definitely included in the fucking list!"

"We're trying to avoid crossing certain boundaries, when it comes to the relationship between you and Barnes, Keira. We can't let it get too intimate, being it as he could get too affectionate towards you and it would cloud his judgment, as well as yours."

Keira shook her head furiously. "It doesn't make any sense! You made me handle his breakdowns during the day, it's not like night multiplies the number of hormones in our bodies or anything like it! I'm still the one trying to avoid him breaking down, and I actually thought I was doing it pretty well, but finding out about all the nightmares you never told me about –just like he didn't-, makes me go back to square one, where I had no intention of returning whatsoever!"

"This is important for me, Fury. I need him to improve if I want to be back on the field, but I can't do this if you keep things hidden from me."

Instead of agreeing or feeling bad about what he had done, Fury simply smiled, staring at Keira as if he was watching a comedic movie.

"What?!" She snapped, raising her arms in the air.

"You're talking like a real SHIELD agent, Jones. I'm actually proud of you."

"Oh, don't give me some paternalistic shit, we both know you let me in here because my powers can help you. You couldn't care less about me. And I'm not expecting you to, but please don't keep things from me about Barnes anymore, please. And now I'm leaving before you actually kick me out because I'm being extremely rude, have a good day, sir."

Keira saluted Fury and stormed off while the man kept laughing in a way he hadn't for a long time, even doing so much as clutch his stomach as his laugh could be heard throughout the whole hallway.

-

"Do you know what this is about?"

Keira shrugged as she moved next to her brother, hiding themselves in the mass of agents walking out of their rooms to reach the convention room where Fury had called them. Loud chatters could be heard around the hallway, but it was clear that no one had any idea of what was happening, and Keira found herself fearing it had something to do with Bucky.

She continued walking, ever so often turning towards Rick who seemed particularly on edge. He was pale and his body slightly shook every time someone moved too close to him or tried to talk to him.

"You ok?" Keira asked, moving to touch his shoulder, breathing heavily when he let her.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." He replied almost instantly, flashing her a pained smile before returning to the crowd in front of them. No, no he wasn't.

Before she could think about it any further, though, the entire crowd stopped in front of a series of stairs on top of which stood Fury, his whole demeanor as serious as Keira had ever seen, scanning the whole room and landing only for a moment on the girl, who furrowed her eyebrows.

"Thank you for being here, it won't take long. I've reunited you all in here because this morning the body of Trevor Ulrich has been found in the bathrooms of the third floor-" Fury was forced to stop talking when his voice couldn't be heard over the loud murmurs of people wondering how a murder could have happened in that compound. Keira had gasped softly, inevitably grabbing Rick's hand in support as she tried to understand what she was actually feeling.