[ Leipzig AU ] forgive my grief for one removed

[from_the_outside]

The cathedral is beautiful. It's filling to the brim with people dressed in black, with flowers, with music. Sharon waits back near the altar, dry-eyed and pale, not a hair out of place as she accepts condolences and murmurs her thank yous.

So many people loved Aunt Peggy. She meant so much, to so many.

Sharon thinks it'll help, eventually, to remember that. Right now it just makes her terribly, terribly sad. So she smiles gently and speaks warmly and keeps her hands clasped before herself, every inch the polite and centered niece, and everyone who leaves her leaves feeling a little comforted in their own grief.

He's here somewhere, she knows: Bucky, up aloft in the bell walkway or the choir loft or crouched like a gargoyle in an alcove somewhere. She can't see him, but she knows he's there, can still feel the way he'd held her when she let him into the hotel room after she arrived.

The organist is playing something lovely and somber, and people are filing into their seats. She takes a last glance at the spot where the coffin will rest, surrounded by flowers, and moves off to the side to wait.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky frowns in thought, uncertain. "Karpov," he says, finally. "I think. He's the last one I remember using it, at least."

"Vasily Karpov," Natasha clarifies. She looks at Sharon. "Colonel Vasily Karpov. Russian Armed Forces, as well as HYDRA."

[from_the_outside]

"Last known location?" Sharon asks.

Ross hits an intercom button and speaks sharply to whoever answers. "Start running a search on Colonel Vasily Karpov," he says. "Russian Armed Forces. Get me everything you find."

[nerves_of_ice]

Natasha glances at him. Bucky shakes his head. "I don't know where he was based, other than where I was kept."

And that location is a secret he intends to keep, if he can.

[from_the_outside]

"Where you were kept," Ross says, sharply.

"Is that where these other Soldiers are?"

[nerves_of_ice]

And here it is. His jaw sets.

Bucky meets Ross's eyes, and says nothing.

[from_the_outside]

"Barnes," says Ross, disbelieving.

"If that manual tells him where to go, we need to know, too."

[nerves_of_ice]

"If he already knew," Bucky counters, "why would he need me?"

[from_the_outside]

"You tell me, Sergeant," Ross says. "You're the one with all the information, here. Is there something you're not telling us?"

"Hey!" Steve steps forward, holding up a hand, and gives Ross a warning look. "We've got plenty to start with. Now, if we manage to catch this guy, we won't need that location, right?"

Ross levels a look at him. "You want the Task Force to just ignore the threat of five other Winter Soldiers?"

"Not ignore," Steve says. "But if they're not active, we don't need to focus on them just yet."

[nerves_of_ice]

His glance flickers to Tony at Ross's question, just for an instant, before he directs an empty stare at Ross and holds it. Bucky stays silent as Steve jumps in to defend him, and waits.

[from_the_outside]

A faint frown flickers at Sharon's brow, but she says nothing as Ross makes a frustrated sound and throws up his hands. "Fine," he says. "We're not HYDRA, Sergeant Barnes. I won't force you to give up your intel. But we're going to have another conversation about this, understand me?"

He turns to T'Challa, whose expression is carefully neutral. "Your Highness, I'm sorry for your loss. I hope all this has given you some of the answers you're looking for."

Ross looks at Steve and Tony. "I know you two aren't on the same page with the Accords, but I think we're all in agreement that we want to see this asshole behind bars. I'd prefer to work with each other, rather than against. That work for you both?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'm sure we will." He keeps it both neutral and steady. He's pretty sure there are going to be a lot of conversations with Ross and his ilk ahead of him, and none of them pleasant.

"Of course," Steve agrees, and "Huh? Yeah, yeah, sure, that works," replies Tony, evidently jerked from whatever he's been thinking by the direct question. Steve gives him a curious look, then adds, "We're all on the same side in this."

[from_the_outside]

"You will have my support as well," says King T'Challa, surprising everyone. His voice is pleasant and melodious; he watches Bucky now with curiosity rather than anger.

"I will see my father's killer captured and punished for his deeds."

Ross nods. "Great," he says, and looks at Tony and Nat. "Mr. Stark, I'll have my agent coordinate with you on the search here in Berlin. Ms. Romanoff, perhaps you could assist us with finding this Karpov."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'll be glad to," Natasha confirms. Her usually smooth tone gains a slight edge as she adds, "He's got a lot to answer for."

There's not a damn thing that he can think of to say that will help - not for any of them. Bucky stays silent, and waits to find out what Ross has in mind for him - if anything, now, other than a jail cell of his own.

[from_the_outside]

Ross nods at her.

"Captain Rogers," he says. "Sergeant Barnes. I'd like you both – and Mr. Wilson – to work with a selected team of agents and profilers to figure out the best way to take this asshole down. He's obviously dangerous, even discounting the manual. Obviously we'll have to keep him the hell away from the Sergeant, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

He pushes off his desk, standing with a military-straight spine. "Any questions?"

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky looks at Steve, who returns his glance with a small nod before telling Ross, "Count on it. We want him secure as much as you do."

[from_the_outside]

"Good," Ross says. "Now get out of my office, please. Carter," he adds, as she moves to guide everyone out, "get them settled. And then I want to see you back here."

He watches her closely, something reluctant but steady in his eyes, and she knows they're both thinking the same thing. "Understand?"

"Understood," she says, and jerks her head to the others. "Come on. I'll introduce you all to your teams."

[nerves_of_ice]

He swears silently and at length as they all file out of Ross's office, but manages to keep it inside his head. There's a lot to swear about.

The two Wakandan guards were already standing at attention, but if possible, they straighten even more so as T'Challa appears. "Be at ease," he tells them. "The Task Force has a lead on the true murderer of King T'Chaka. We will be a part of the hunt... officially, this time."

"My king," one of them murmurs. "He will be found."

[from_the_outside]

"You can count on it," Steve says, and moves toward T'Challa, his hand outstretched.

"And I understand why you felt like you needed to do what you did, Your Highness. I hope you don't mind me saying I like it a lot more knowing we're on the same side."

T'Challa considers him for a long moment, then reaches out to clasp Steve's hand, a smile breaking over his face and transforming him for a brief moment.

"So do I, Captain," he says, and turns politely to Sharon. "Agent Carter?"

"This way," she tells them, and leads them back down the corridor to the main command center.

[nerves_of_ice]

As soon as Sharon introduces them to the search division, Tony claps his hands together. "Good. Great. Let's get started. I'm gonna need all your computing power and access to every satellite feed you've ever dreamed of. Any problem with that?"

"Uh," one of the agents starts. "I think some of that stuff is classified--"

Tony gives the agent a disbelieving look. "Right. Friday? Everything I just said, only we'll put it through our systems instead."

Nat sighs and goes to stand by Tony. Bucky carefully stifles a smile at the lightly exasperated look on her face. "I'll work with him," she tells Sharon. "We can make the personnel searching a joint effort."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon smiles, very slightly. "Good," she says. "I'm sure that'll help. Uh – "

She glances around. "I don't see Agent Nilsson here yet, but I'll send her your way. She'll be coordinating the Task Force resources. I'm sure she's just debriefing the teams who went through the building."

[nerves_of_ice]

"And Agent Riley?" Bucky murmurs. "He may have noticed more than he realized."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon's faint smile quirks, very slightly. "Him too," she agrees, and gives Nat an amused glance.

"Don't let Tony be too mean to him, okay?"

[nerves_of_ice]

Natasha raises her eyebrows. "Oh?"

"You'll like him," Steve promises. "He's a good kid."

Over to the side, T'Challa is murmuring something to one of his guards about 'tell Princess Shuri I may need her assistance,' but Bucky ignores that in favor of studying Sharon. She looks a little tired, but then it's been a hell of a day. He can only imagine the amount of strain she must be under.

"Don't worry, Agent Carter," he murmurs, mindful of her colleagues all around, of the eyes on him. Them. All of them. "We'll figure it out."

[from_the_outside]

She wishes she could stay and see what happens when Tony meets Ingrid – the thought alone makes her smile crook again before it fades.

Bucky's soft murmur makes her glance his way, and her eyes soften a little despite the situation they're in. "I'm not worried," she tells him, and takes a breath, putting a little briskness into her voice. "Let's leave them to it. You three – "

She nods to Bucky, Steve, and Sam. "Let me introduce you to your team."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Lead the way," Steve says. He's also had a hell of a day, Bucky thinks, but he's rolling with the punches for now.

Sam just nods. "Where he goes, I go. Just slower," he says, and gives Bucky a look. "Bet I can outfly you at your top speed, though."

Bucky gives him a sharp stare in return. "You're welcome to try."