The sound startles the two of us and we jump back from one another. I get out of the bed and straighten my clothes out, feeling confused and flustered. Bucky opens the door to see who's there and I follow him out. Steve is standing by the couch and looks between the two of us, a quizzical look on his face. I hope he doesn't assume anything intimate happened, I don't want there to be any issues between any of us, and especially not between Steve and Bucky. Steve blinks a few times and clears his throat.
"I hope I'm not interrupting something, I'm here to pick you two up." He says with an authoritative tone. He definitely isn't happy with what he just saw.
Steve walks back up the bunker stairs without another word and I look to Bucky, who shrugs. I grab the red book off the bookcase and we put our shoes on before following Steve up the stairs quietly, a heavy tension between all of us. Outside of the bunker is a Shield jet and I allow Bucky to sit next to Steve, I take the seat in the back. I don't know where we're headed but I hope it's a short trip.
We fly in a tense silence, and I want to break the silence by asking Steve what all happened but I can't muster up the confidence to do so. In a way I feel like Steve is an angry parent, Bucky and I the kids. I'm not even sure what happened between Bucky and I. Sure, we've grown closer and he's made me blush a few times but nothing serious happened. However, I know Bucky was leaning in for a kiss before Steve got there, and I know I would've let it happen.
I'm working for Shield in order to help Bucky recover his memories, provide support, and remove the programming from his mind, not kiss him and complicate things. I feel a twinge of sadness as I realize that no matter how much I wanted to kiss him back, I can't. I have to put the mission and his well-being above my own feelings. I just hope we can continue like nothing happened. I lean my head back against the seat and suppress my confusion and sadness about the situation, trying to get my head back in the game like it's day one.
Steve lands the jet on top of a building and gets out. Thankfully, he waits for the two of us and leads us in where I see Tony standing behind a wet bar. I look around the place and notice it looks similar to a Shield compound, but Tony's name is on a lot of things so I'm willing to bet this is one of his properties. I avoid Bucky's gaze and continue looking around the huge building.
"Where are the others?" Steve asks Tony.
"Bruce is still off the radar, Fury is trying to track him down. Natasha said she has some loose ends to tie up but should be here any minute now." Tony sets a glass down on the counter top and focuses on me.
"Isn't it just so weird how all of these Hydra spies come out of the woodwork once you show up?" I stand frozen in place. I take a few moments to process my thoughts before speaking. I need my words to be meaningful, I know Tony is the type of person that likes to get a reaction, so I won't give him the one he's looking for.
"I've tolerated you accusing me of being a Hydra operative for over a month now, it's time to give it up. It's not a coincidence that they were there, you found some before I even came along. They were after him, I was just an added bonus. If I were with Hydra I would have activated the Winter Soldier during the alarms and taken him back to Russia for a great reward. You have no right to accuse me of being a spy when I've proved I am no such thing. It's insulting and I won't stand for it anymore." I fight back the urge to yell, knowing that would only invite him to argue with me. I keep my tone calm and collected, my accent becoming more prominent because I'm worked up. I wish I could yell at Tony and punch him across the face. Everyone stays silent, and I turn to walk outside before I start saying things I'll likely regret later. This entire day so far has been one big train wreck.
I walk around the building and sit on the concrete trying to collect myself. Tony hates me, Steve is mad at me, and I know things with Bucky are likely to get tense after what happened this morning. A small part of me wishes I wouldn't have taken this position, but I know if I hadn't I would probably be dead by now and Bucky might never get the programming reversed.
YOU ARE READING
Rectify | Bucky Barnes
FanfictionI've lived every day for the past five years looking over my shoulder. I knew they'd come for me, it was inevitable. I was foolish to think I could outrun my past. It's followed me everywhere I go, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect mom...
