Battlefield ★ Bucky Barnes

XXIII. You're Bringing Me Back Too

Connie popped several pain relievers into her mouth, while Phil and Bucky watched on from their seats at the kitchen island. She washed the pills down with water and turned to look at the two men, her gaze immediately falling on Phil, who stared at her with a raised brow.

"Is it really healthy to take a handful of pills like that?" Phil asked her.

"Maybe not for you, but I'm gonna be okay," Connie assured him. "My body just burns them off so fast I can hardly get any relief from them, so I take a lot of them."

"Interesting," Phil muttered.

"So," Connie started as she placed her glass of water onto the counter. "How are you doing, Phil? Last time I heard from you, you and your ragtag team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were dealing with something in Peru."

Phil shrugged and clasped his hands together on the table. "I'm doing okay."

"How's the team?"

"We're a bit at a crossroads over what to do next now that Hydra has taken over S.H.I.E.L.D. and killed Director Fury," Phil sighed.

Connie narrowed her eyes at the man; he was clearly unaware that she knew Nick was still alive. "I know Nick's alive, Phil, you don't have to lie to me."

Phil chuckled in realization. "My apologies. I was only told that Cap and a few others knew; I should've known you were a part of those few. And now, so is your friend here," Phil muttered as he glanced at Bucky.

Bucky seemed almost startled, but Connie was quick to reassure him everything was okay. "It's okay, Bucky."

"Sharing classified intel with uncleared personnel is not okay, Connie," Phil chastised her. "It's against S.H.I.E.L.D. protocol and you know it."

"Seeing as he was the one who was ordered to kill Fury in the first place, I think allowing him to know that he didn't succeed in doing so helps ease his mind," Connie shot back as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Also, S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't exist anymore, so as far as I'm concerned, they can take their protocol and shove it up their ass."

"You and Skye would get along swimmingly," Phil muttered, more-so to himself than Connie.

"Who's Skye?"

"She's part of my 'ragtag team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents,'" Phil answered with a grin. "You two have quite a similar personality; maybe that's one of the reasons she was able to catch my attention so quickly."

Connie chuckled and shook her head. "Agent May must be having the time of her life being on the team with someone like her."

"She's growing on her," Phil sighed. "And Agent May doesn't not like you, Connie. I've tried telling you this multiple times."

"Who are these people you're talking about?" Bucky asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"Just a few friends of mine and old colleagues of Connie's," Phil answered him.

"Colleague, Phil," Connie told him. "I've only ever worked with Melinda."

"You've worked with Agent Ward, too, I believe."