Otherwise Known As... | Bucky Barnes

Chapter (23) Twenty Three ~ ...the girl who brought the gang together

"You're at 1-14 Silensky Plaza, 3rd floor. We have an F-22 exactly eight miles out. Put the woman on the phone, or I will blow up the block before you can make the lobby." I threatened the Rushan man on the phone. I could hear it being transferred to another person and wasted no time talking again. "We need you to come in."

"Are you kidding? I'm working." Natasha's voice rang through the line.

"This takes precedence," I said, groaning at the end.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, I'm just...multitasking."

"Multitasking? What does that mean?"

"Um, I think Webster defines it as-"

"Okay, smart ass I get it. I'm in the middle of an interrogation, though. This moron is giving me everything." I heard mumbling over the phone before Nat spoke again. "Look, you can't pull me out of this right now."

"Natasha." I sighed, hating what I was about to say. "Barton's been compromised."

"...Let me put you on hold." I waited patiently as I heard grunts coming over the phone for a few moments before Romanoff came back. "Where is Barton now?"

"We don't know."

"But he's alive?"

"We think so. One of us will brief you on everything when you get back. But first, we need you to talk to the big guy."

"Stark, you know that your nephew trusts me about as far as he can throw me." Nat joked.

"Oh, Coulson's got Stark. You get the big guy."

Natasha paused, and I could hear her say something in Rushan. "Why can't Alex get him? Don't they have a good history?"

"Fury doesn't want to bring her in just yet. That means it's your job."

"Oh, great."

~~

"How many is that now?" I asked, walking over to the panting blond. Steve had just flung a punching bag off its hook, sending it flying across the room. I flew out to see him not long after my call with Natasha.

"The fourth." He said as he picked up another bag from the line up on the floor, hanging it up where the other one was.

Steve hasn't been adjusting very well since he woke up a few weeks ago. I don't think Liv's been to see him, but I've tried visiting as much as I could, trying to help him adapt to this new world that we woke up in. I told him about Tony and his family, too, though they hadn't met yet.

"You still having trouble sleeping?" I walked closer as Steve started punching again.

"We slept for 70 years, Oliv. I think I've had my fill."

"Then you should be out with me. Come on, Steve. I've told you time and time again how I would help you with all of this if you would just let me." I sighed.

"When you woke up, you were greeted by people like you. Then you found out that, though Howard was gone, he had a son. And not only that, but his son has a daughter, too. Then you're welcomed with open arms to this large organization. You've found your place, Oliv. The same thing didn't happen to me."

"Part of it did! When you woke up I was racing after you. Literally, I think I broke a few traffic laws when you got out into the street." I joked, trying and failing to get a smile on the man's face. "I know you, Stephanie. There's no way you think your fight for the little guy is up." I followed him as he stopped punching and went to his bag, unwrapping the tape on his hands.