Time Bomb

Chapter 16

-1 week later/Dani comes home/still Bucky's POV

"Dude, you gotta stop pacing. She's still on the plane, she won't be here for a few more hours. Just sit down." Sam said from across the room.
"I can't! I'm too excited to have her back home." I smiled and looked at the door where Clint had just walked in.
"Ah, see? You've got the right idea, Barnes. I've been pacing all morning since Dani called to say her and Nat were on their way home." He said and I gave Sam a look to say I'm not the only one.
"Alright firm, I'll bite. What has you both so anxious to have her back? What makes her so special?" Sam asked, turning around fully in his chair to watch Clint and I.
We exchanged looks before finally stopping and turning to face Sam.
"She just is. You only met her once and talked to her for a few hours. Give her a day. Just one day. And you'll know why we love her so much. Don't you'd see deny it, Barnes. I see right through you." Clint said. He said I love her... I mean, I do. But I've never even thought it to myself. Never brought it up. I don't think it's the right time yet.
"That doesn't tell me much. What's she like?" Sam asked.
"She's probably the most kindhearted, caring, understanding person you will ever meet. It doesn't matter if she's gone through what you have, she will understand. She will sit there and give you her all while you spill your guts. All your dirty secrets, she will ALWAYS keep safe. No matter how dangerous or scary they might be. She's the person you call when you just need someone to talk to. Someone who will actually listen to your every word instead of just picking out bits and pieces." I said, remembering the night when her and I told each other about our pasts and all the bad things that have happened. She not once disregarded anything I said.
"There was a night when her and I got into a deep conversation about my time as winter soldier and she didn't once interrupt. She sat there quietly and took in my every word. And when I was done talking is when she spoke up. And it wasn't to shame me for what I did in the past. Instead, she hugged me. Told me she was so sorry I had to be the victim of such a horrible thing and made sure that I knew I could come to her with anything and she would do her absolute best to help me through it." I said, smiling at the memory in my head.
"When she found out that I was actually Hawkeye, she didn't fangirl like most girls would have. She asked questions that made me actually think. About my preferred type of bow, arrow, why I chose the suit I have, just basic shit at first. After we got to know each other a bit more, she started asking the tougher question. Like what it's like being out on a mission knowing you don't have any special ability, what's it like fighting aliens, androids, shit like that. She never asked the questions on oh who in the compound is most likely to hook up with Nat? Who has a crush on Nat? Have you slept with Nat? I mean come on, we HATE those questions because while Nat is a beautiful woman, none of us think of her like that. We're all family here and we treat each other like it." Clint said, bringing back the memory of when she so bravely defended me publicly during our last interview.
"Sam, you saw what she did for me during our last interview. She very publicly defended me. And not just because she cares about me but because she knows what it's like to have something so horrible in your past haunt you every single day." I added. I glanced over at Clint who had a look of sympathy for me but the look on Sam's face is what got us both. A mixture of curiosity and admiration.
"Well, I can't wait to spend some real time with her and see for myself what you two are talking about." Sam said as Steve walked in.
"Who we talking about?" Steve asked as he went into the kitchen, grabbing things from the fridge.
"Dani. Sam still isn't too sure why we all love her so much." Clint said and sat in a chair.
"Oh come on, Sam. You can clearly see the effect she has on all of us. You know, I told her about the big fight we all had with Tony and you wanna know what she said?" Steve asked, beginning to cook something in a frying pan. I can't see what it is.
"What's that? That you did the right thing?" Sam asked assumingely.
"Well yeah but she also said Tony was right too. She told me that while I was doing what I thought was right for my own beliefs and to help Buck, that Tony was also right in his own way. That with how stubborn Tony is, he just didn't take the time to listen when I tried telling him it wasn't Buck that caused the bombing at the U.N." He said, his back facing us as he continued to cook what now smells like chicken.
"Let me guess, she was team Tony?" Sam asked.
"Actually, no. She can't stand how stubborn and self center Tony can be. Said she would have picked Team Cap all the way. Would have done everything humanly possible to help us out. Hiding, vehicles, place to crash, anything." Steve said and began to plate his food.
"Only cause we're the pretty boy team." Sam remarked and smirked.
"Nope. Not that. She believed our purpose had more meaning to it. What we were doing was from the heart of our beliefs. Tony was following the accords. Dani believed in what we were doing. Protecting what the Avengers are meant to do. Yes, unfortunate and extremely sad casualties happen but for the sake of saving so many more. Dani said if it were a matter of saving the world or her life, she would tell us to save the world. That she would give up her life for that. Said that if all the people who have died in order for us to save the world as many times as we have, they would be okay with it. And she sounded so sure of it." Clint said, taking a drink of some energy drink he had been nursing since he walked in.
"Listen, Sam... she's the team's missing link. After what happened with the accords thing, the whole team was separated. We worked together, yeah but none of us had any interest in actually spending too much time around each other. It got too tense. But when she started coming around, it's like all that dropped. Suddenly all of us are friends again. She helped so much in getting Buck to come out from his shell. The team now sees him as a beneficial member now instead of the black sheep. And now, I'm almost 100% sure that she's the reason he even bothers to get out of bed every morning." Steve said and I smiled.
"Hey! The girls are 20 minutes out! The plane landed and the got their bags pretty quick. I sent a quinjet to pick them up." Tony said as he entered the room.
I slipped out of the common room and to my room. I stripped off my clothes and got into the shower.