Enemy Lines (Steve Rogers) - 2

13

Some months had passed since Ultron's defeat. The Avengers had their new compound as well as some new members of the team. Nat was mainly in charge however Steve would usually go back to help if needed. It was rare though. Besides, they were capable of handling themselves, especially with the people they now had.

He was in a happier state of mind, and thankfully so was his wife. She'd been having the medication given by Helen, going back for the other half of treatment. Nothing had happened as they had thought and by now, they'd accepted that it wouldn't happen for them. It would be hard to swallow, yet his wife surprisingly insisted they carry on regardless, still clinging to the last bit of hope.

Who was he to deny her?

But they were happy, content - since the exposure she'd received in New York, no one had confirmed nor denied her return and in the end the story had filtered into yesterdays news. Mo happy that they had given up.

She was still learning modern technology, but could work a majority of it as well as understand. Steve was a little bit happier leaving her if he did have to venture to New York for a few days but always worried, regardless. At least she'd settled, the woman he'd known was finally coming out of the shadow of herself.

He had returned from the store one warm summer afternoon, hearing the record player echoing through the house. On days like this she would usually be out in the garden, however it was particularly hot, and he knew she didn't do well with the heat at the best of times, always being used to 'rainy old Britain' in her words.
She hadn't gone back, not yet anyway - she was unsure of what she would find having not been in the country since 1940. Eventually she would do so, Peggy had been urging her to.

Steve glanced into the living room, seeing his wife lost in her own little world, back to him and just swaying and humming along to the music. 

Their song. 

She hadn't heard him come in. 

Quietly he came up behind her and grabbed her, spinning around and into him. "I didn't think you'd be back yet?" She smirked as he slowly danced with her, resting his head against her own. 

"Send me on an errand and I always try to be as quick as I can..." His lips pressed themselves against her forehead. 

He didn't really like leaving her to go to the compound, let alone to the store. Even Nat had commented the other day how well retirement suited him. It wasn't really retirement as such, more like a part time job rather than a full one now,but he was happy and so was Mo.  

"Always so efficient, is there nothing that you can do wrong?" She now looked up at him with the blue eyes he'd first noticed about her. 

"No one's perfect." He smirked. Least of all him. He still hadn't told her about Bucky, but knew he'd have to. He couldn't just keep something like that from her. 

"And you were never meant to be the perfect soldier." She ran a hand down his face as he let her free. She could see that he was contemplating something - Mo knew her husband well enough by now. "Darling?" 

He looked back at her. "There's something that you need to know." 

Mo frowned. "Riiiight? Am I going to like what I'm about to hear?" 

"Depends." Steve replied as she settled herself down next to him. "Bucky's alive..." 

Her face changed. "That's not possible..." 

"Neither is us being here, but here we are." Steve told her. "He goes by the name of the Winter Solider, when I first saw him? He didn't even know who he was - but somehow? He remembers, I know he does - he pulled me from the river after Triskelion fell. He had that opportunity to kill me, but he didn't."

"So where is he?" 

"That's what Sam and I have been trying to find out."

Mo sat there for a moment before uttering 'blast' to herself in some disbelief. Bucky had 'died' on the mission to get her back, she'd carried the weight of guilt just as much as Steve had. With a sigh, she looked at him. "Why didn't you tell me before?" 

He shifted, "Because if I'd have told you about that? It would've sent you over the edge. You needed time to come to terms with everything that we've been up against. I couldn't put any more stress on you." 

She nodded, accepting this excuse. He had only been looking out for her. "I want to help find him..." 

"Mo..."

"Steve, what else am I supposed to do when you're not here? I keep house and that's it. I've accepted that we're never going to have the chance of a family. The least that I can do is keep myself busy by reaching, helping Sam out in any way that I can...I've actually been thinking about flying again. I mean, how complicated are planes now?" She looked at him. "I want to be me again in some ways." 

Steve smiled, pleased that his wife was finally coming around to modern life. "Sam and Nat can help you with flying if that's what you really want, and as or Bucky? I'll see what I can do." 

"He was my friend too, the least I can do is help to track him down." 

He leant over and kissed her. "I'll see how you can, promise." 

A text from Nat flashed up on his phone and Steve looked at it. 

Suspected Hydra nest in London - it's gonna be a job for you I'm afraid. You mind?

Send me the details and I'll be on my way this evening. 

Ok, be careful 

I'm always careful Romanoff - have a favour to ask you, but will talk more about that when I report back after the mission. 

No problem, see you when you get back. 

Shoving the phone back into his pocket, he looked at her. Of course Mo knew that it was another mission, she was used to it by now. "I know." She smiled tenderly. "Go and get ready." 

"I'll be back before you know it sweetheart." 

"You'd better be Rogers, I cannot afford to lose you again." 

"Never." He gave her a kiss and went upstairs to prepare for the mission. 

Little did Mo know that Fury would be showing up on her doorstep the very next day with news that would make her rethink her current decisions...