The Assistant

Part 70

Y/N POV-

The car journey back was quiet, Natasha was focused on the road but her hand holding tight around mine. She didn't often say how she felt but her actions would show it, she was scared of losing me and what we had, I understood that.

We arrived at the compound, Natasha not waiting for me as she jumped out of the car. Her fast pace showing the urgency to find out what was happening but for me, I didn't care. I just wanted Nat to talk to me and I knew in her mind, i'd done something wrong.

Stark was waiting for us, tablets laid out on tables as I grabbed mine taking a seat at the back of the lab allowing Steve and Nat to stay at the front.
I didn't need to listen to Stark, I was smart enough to understand everything just from reading the screen.
I kept flicking through all the pages, small details grabbing me attention as I highlighted them on the way through.

Stark- you listening Y/N?
Y/N- Nope.
Stark- why?
Y/N- because it's all here to be read and your voice gets annoying after a while.
Stark- this is serious
Y/N- Don't you think I know that? I've been blown up twice in 24 hours, how the hell I'm still alive is a shock to me so don't you dare insinuate that I don't care or don't know how serious this is because I do more than anyone.

I couldn't sit there any longer, I took the tablet with me as I went to sit in my room. It was a room I had designated to me, somewhere I could explore options and figure out the best way to complete missions.
I had whiteboards covering the walls as well as a projector and hologram system. Stark had upgraded it fully for me to ensure the best possible outcomes. 

I uploaded the schematics to the the hologram projector, it was clear as day that the enemy were planning on building bombs and multiple ones at that.
There were 3 designs.
Electrical, fragmentation and the final one was incendiary.
All bombs used different designs including different trigger systems and wires. They would be hard to disrupt or disarm.

The plans we had showed their plan was underway and it wouldn't be long until these bombs were being found. I had to be ready and I had to make sure I could get as many people ready as possible.

Wanda- Y/N?
Y/N- huh? Yeah sorry, what's up?
Wanda- you've been in here for hours
Y/N- I have to figure these out, I'm the only one capable of stopping them.
Wanda- we know, what can I do to help?

It was the first time anyone had really offered to help me, most of the time I was helping other people or left alone to complete my tasks.
Being asked such an open question was hard for me, I didn't know how to answer it.

Wanda- okay so you're panicking, calm down please.
Her hand rested against my cheek as I watched her, slowly breathing in time as a smile crossed her face
Wanda- there we go, now let's get to work.

I didn't know how long we'd been down here, other avengers coming in and out offering help or bringing in supplies.
Wanda being replaced by Sam Wilson as he offered his knowledge from the war in the types of areas these bombs could be located.
Bucky helped discuss the ways in which the bombs differed and Steve talked about the impact each could have over certain radii.
The one person who never came in, Natasha.

Y/N- SHIT
Bucky- what?
Y/N- I keep blowing people up
Bucky- you've been at this for like 35 hours, when was the last time you actually slept or ate in fact?
Y/N- how am I supposed to sleep or eat at a time like this? Lives depend on me figuring this out
Bucky- you need to rest or you will kill everyone.

He didn't mean it the way he said it but I understood, sleep deprivation would not only be harmful for me but others as well.
Y/N- okay yeah, a couple hours won't hurt
Bucky- good, we leave everything as it is and then we come back fresh. Maybe you'll look at something differently.

He was a good friend, he'd always supported me through these periods of stress and gave me insight to things I'd never thought of before.
Y/N- what if the reason I can't stop them is because they have to be disarmed by a certain thing?
Bucky- what?
Y/N- think about it, this bomb has this weird ¥ shape. What if it's a key?
Bucky- like there's a master key which opens a panel?
Y/N- exactly. The way to disarm them is behind a panel, we need to make a key which fits the shape. We can then search the other bombs and figure out how they open.
Bucky- I'll get Stark on it.

He ran off as I trudged upstairs, Natasha still nowhere to be seen as I laid on the bed. My body succumbing to the fatigue as my eyes drooped closed, sleep becoming my only priority right now.