A Glimpse of Fire

6

"Steve." Bucky warned, hand tensing on the door. You walked up and placed your hand on his shoulder, looking up at him before looking over at Steve.
"What's going on?" You asked, Steve's eyes flickered from Bucky to you. He took a deep breath, almost like he was trying to talk himself out of this. Before he had a chance you reached out and snagged his wrist.
"Jesus Tony, what the hell happened to you?" You heard Steve's voice exit your mouth, you eyes racking over Tony's burned suit.
"Day dreamer." He responded with a wave of his hand. "I'm fine, it's the reason I wear the bracelet. Anyway, I'm just doing some research, she was mumbling something about a facility and experiment number 4. I'm just trying to connect the dots."
"What dots? What are you going on about?"
You leaned your hip against the desk, looking at the computer screen.
"Y/n, I took her to the warehouse, before you say anything, she's fine. Anywho, while she was doing that whole gifted thing that she does she was mumbling about a couple things so I'm seeing if Friday can pull anything up."
"Tony, what were you thinking? Taking her out there, did Bucky know? Cause I can't imagine he would of been okay with that." You felt Steve fuming through you as you pushed yourself away from the desk.
"Ice princess can deal with it. She's fine, I'm fine, suit is ruined but I'm fine." Tony clipped back, the computer pinging behind him. He spun away from you, looking over the screen. "Aha."
"What?" It came out more a grumble then actual words.
"Fire was set to an orphanage late last night, couple cities north of us." Tony stated, reading the clip. "The building went up faster then physically possible with out accelerants, none were found on scene. Ten died, one is in intensive care, third degree burns over 98% of his body."
"What does that have to do with y/n?" Steve's voice sounded stressed as you brought your hand up to your face.
"Cause there weren't children there, haven't been in years but it's still labeled as an orphanage." He replied, spinning his chair. "And the man burned is a geneticist."
You dropped Steve's wrist and stepped back, your jaw was slack. You brain swirled around geneticist, why would an orphanage need one? What need would there be for one? You looked over to Bucky, feeling your stomach flip as you thought of horrible things would need one.
"Steve, I think you should leave." Bucky stated calmly, his death grip on the door betraying him.
"I don't understand, none of this makes sense." You say to yourself.
"Tony's looking into it." Steve replied, looking over at his friend. "I figured I'd tell you rather then you find out on your own."
     "I really don't think.." You cut Bucky short of his sentence.
     "James, I have every right to know. I understand your fear and worry but..." You trailed off with a shrug.
     Bucky's eyes landed on you, you could see the storm cloud pass behind them. Everything happens for a reason, gran's voice popped in your head. You bit your bottom lip, Steve cleared his throat reminding the two of you he was still there.
     "I'm going to go." He stated as he turned and left, no doubt feeling the awkwardness of the situation.
     "Bucky."
      "No." He stated sternly, hand still gripping the door.
     "It's not your decision to make, whatever is happening it's happening for reason." You replied calmly, looking at the open doorway.
     "You're right it's not, you do what I think you're going to do though it puts our child in danger." He reminded you through clenched teeth.
     "I have to." You replied, stepping outside your door, closing your eyes tightly. "I'm sorry."
    "God dammit." He seethed, turning away from the door and walking farther into your shared room.
      You turned away, taking a ragged breath willing yourself not to cry as you walked down the hall to Tony's lab. You weren't sure what was worse, if he had slammed the door in your face or seeing the look of anger and disappointment on his face as he walked away from you. Gently you pressed the elevator button, waiting silently as the doors rolled open.
     Your tears fell the second the door closed, you pressed your forehead against the cool metal door. Silently cursing yourself and the fates for bringing this to you. Whoever was doing this was not going to go away, he had a purpose and was going out of his way to get tie up loose ends. Whatever those loose ends were.
     You stepped out of the elevator and walked the short distance to Tony's lab. It was quiet, you looked around as the man himself clicked away at the computer. A bullet size hole in the speaker told you why the room was void of any music.
     "Tony." Your voice meek, as you walked up beside him.
     "Nope, don't say sorry. Water under the bridge, speaking of water how is the frozen river?" He questioned, turning slightly to regard you.
     "Mad as hell, but assume you know that." You hooked your head at the speaker, Tony briefly glanced over and shrugged.
     "I got more, did you get my message?" He asked as he turned back the screen.
     "You mean Steve? Then yes." You replied, sitting on the empty chair to his left.
     "I couldn't just come up and tell you myself, murder boy made sure I was not to come and talk to you, however he said nothing of the Golden retriever." Tony snickered to himself, a small smile briefly lifted your face. "Anyway, the guy who was burned is in a hospital upstate, doc says odds are he won't come out of it, no brain activity. My question, day dreamer, can you get anything off of a living corpse?"
     "That's really cras even for you, so please don't ever say that again." You snapped lightly, you took a deep breath pursing your lips together. "And maybe, I've never tried to pull a memory off of someone who is brain dead."
      "Well, I guess we'll have to try." He clipped standing suddenly, you looked up at him.
     Tony raised his eyebrow at you, the question was there. Were you up to it? Could you put everything else aside and do your job? This was role, one no one else could do, you could be the only person who could tell the man's story. His death wouldn't be in vain if you went and tried.
     "Take me to him." You stated, standing slowly. Your fiancé would have to deal with it, pregnant or not you were still going to be you.