Remembering Freedom

On Watch

May watched Rogers' expression as Simmons talked to her parents, blue eyes staring at nothing. She knew this whole thing was slowly wearing down the soldier's resolve. There were no outward signs of exhaustion, but she could it. It was all in the eyes...

"We shoulda told her everything about Bucky." He sighed, watching a rare genuine smile bloom across Simmons' face, one of the first since she'd been back. "She deserves to know."

"Telling her that the Soldier tried to cross himself off won't make her feel any better. She feels horrible enough about the whole thing as it is, you know that."

"Not telling her will only make it worse when she finds out later." He gripped the windowsill tight enough for the wood to groan. "She's tougher than you think." Phil saw the anger and sadness in his expression. "What did she tell you?"

They all looked up when she laughed at something her father said. May smiled at the carefree sound and saw the smile on the Captain's face and Phil's shoulders loosen. The fact that she was alive and smiling and laughing after the hell HYDRA put her though gave them hope. They needed a little hope right now.

"Captain Rogers!" Skye was running down the hall, eyes wide.

He was at attention immediately. "What is it, Agent Skye?"

"It's Barnes. He wants to talk to you."

"He broke the conditioning?" Steve was slacked jaw before breaking in a dead-on sprint that had people running for cover.

"How long?" Phil asked after Rogers rounded the corner. "Until he reverts back into the Soldier?"

"Romanov said she didn't know, but that Barnes thought it was the 1940's and that he wouldn't talk to anyone but Captain Rogers, thinks he's back in the HYDRA prisoner camp and won't trust anyone. She's giving him an hour top. She also said that she's never seen someone break from conditioning for this long." She looked to see Jemma with her parents. "Should we tell her?"

The Captain's words rang in May's head and she let out a breath. "She deserves to know. About everything."

Skye nodded. "I'll tell her."

Skye waited until Jemma's parents had left to talk to the doctor before slipping into the room. May watched through the glass as Skye sat down where Jemma's mother had previously been in a chair on the scientist's left side. The conversation seemed to start out innocent enough, but that changed when Jemma's relaxed demeanor evaporated. May could see the struggle in Jemma as she shoved down her anger and blinked away the tears. The smile she sent Skye before she left the room never reached her hard hazel eyes. Those eyes had been so open and communicative when they first met and now it was like looking in a mirror, those eyes now full of emotional anger and pain...

Skye seemed to realize this as well when she came to stand by May's side. Her dark eyes were troubled as she looked at her friend. "She's changed."

"The things they made her do would change anyone." She brushed off the younger agent's questioning look, instead watching Jemma as she fiddled with the sheet. "What did she say?"

"She wasn't as surprised as I thought she would be."

Both women felt the super soldier's presence before they saw him. May could see the weariness in the Captain's eyes when he came to stand beside her. She smiled though when she caught Skye's starstruck expression. "How's Sergeant Barnes?"

He sighed. "Was fine until he tried to kill me...again."

Now that she looked closer, May could see the nearly faded bruises around his neck. May didn't have the heart to tell him of the identical bruising around Jemma's throat as well as the broken wrist. She knew of the Captain's unflinching loyalty to his childhood friend and brother-in-arms and knew he would lash out at anyone who said anything bad about him.

"How's she doin'?"

"She's doing well. She should be transferred back to the base within the next forty-eight hours. Doctor Hartman says she needs to do a few more tests before she can leave." "You want me to watch her tonight?"

"You've been awake for three days straight Cap...even super soldiers such as yourself needs some beauty sleep."

Rogers rolled his eyes, turning to face the archer. "Are you offering Barton?"

"Of course. Tasha said she'll watch Barnes tonight." He met the Captain's eyes. "Come on Cap. She'll relieve me at 0500."

Rogers nodded, clapping the man on his shoulder. "Thank you, Barton."

"Least I can do." He waited until Rogers' enhanced hearing was out of range. "Haven't seen him this tightly coiled since he found his find out Barnes was alive. This is Agent Simmons I presume."

"You're correct Barton," May said with an unenthusiastic tone.

"Aww, Melinda..." He slung an arm over her shoulders, "I thought we were on a first name basis."

"Okay...then you're correct Clinton."

Skye snorted, a hand quickly coming up to cover her mouth to stifle her laughter as the archer was shocked for a moment before muttering what sounded like a Russian curse. "You guys are mean." He dropped his arm, a pout forming on his lips. "Simmons will be nice to me. British people are always nice."

Skye turned to May, waiting until Barton walked into Jemma's room to speak. "Did he really just say that?"

"Yeah,...he did." May sighed. "But he'll keep the mood light...God knows we need it."

"I'm guessing there'll be an around the clock on her until she's moved?" Skye folded her arms across her chest.

"She'll have the best guards, plus they all seem to like her."

"And if HYDRA plans to make a move, they'll do it now while she's out in the open."

"I hope these forty-eight hours go by fast." Skye sighed. "I just want this to be over."

Both women watched Barton prop his feet on the end of the end of the bed, talking adamantly with his hands and bringing a small smile to Jemma's face. May shifted her weight. "You're not the only one."