[WS!AU] the century weapon

[from_the_outside]

As promised, she updates Bucky throughout the evening, letting him know that no one's come for her... yet. Several hours after they left, she hears Steve return. She doesn't try to contact him; it would be strange for Kate to do so. Instead, she texts Bucky that he's back and that everything is quiet, then goes to bed and sleeps the sleep of an agent who has just spent the last week trying to put down a rising cartel.

Fury's not expecting her until mid-morning. She texts Bucky when she leaves for work, and is relieved to get a response. Seems Steve's contact is trustworthy after all.

She also sends a text to Nat, telling her she's cashing in on that offer of drinks, then dresses in a crisp blue button-down and neat pencil skirt and heads to the Triskelion to face her fate.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

He shakes his head, and there's deep certainty in his voice when he tells her, "They couldn't have known. None of them could. Not Steve, not her, not anyone. Don't apologize, Sharon. It's not their fault. Or yours. You saved me, remember?"

[from_the_outside]

Nearby, her coffee maker finishes the brew cycle and falls silent, as she watches him, looking for any sign of that handsome Sergeant, so full of life, that she remembers from Aunt Peggy's photos and stories. "Okay," she says.

"I won't apologize for things that aren't my fault if you don't."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Okay." He suspects they differ on what he's responsible for, but it's still easy enough to agree to what she's said.

After a second, he adds, "Coffee's done."

[from_the_outside]

She turns around and reaches up into the cabinet for two mugs, then offers one out to him.

"Want some?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He holds his right hand out to accept. "Thanks."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon hands him the mug, then gets the carafe and pours a stream of steaming, richly-scented coffee into it for him before filling her own. "I guess you don't need to worry about this keeping you up, huh?"

She gives him a lightly teasing glance. "Does caffeine do anything to you anymore?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He waits until she has hers before he takes a sip. "Not that I've noticed. Most things don't. Alcohol, either."

[from_the_outside]

"Now there's a bummer of a side effect."

She adds cream and sugar and – because why not – a few shakes of cinnamon to her own coffee, then leans back to sip at it. "I can't believe they managed to crack the serum."

Once, anyway. "Are there any others?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He absently makes note of how she takes her coffee as he takes a long swallow of his own to buy himself time.

“Not like me,” he says, finally.

[from_the_outside]

"Tall, dark, and handsome?" she says, flippant, but her thoughts are churning. "So there are more super soldiers?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He gives her a disbelieving look that fades to a blank one.

“Not exactly. Not … functional.” A longer pause ensues before he says, carefully, “They don’t have the serum. They haven’t been able to recreate it.”

[from_the_outside]

"'Not functional' makes them a problem for another day, then, I guess."

Her phone buzzes and she slips it out of her pocket for a glance as she sips at her coffee, her eyebrows lifting. "Okay. Fury's moving me onto Insight."

[nerves_of_ice]

He lets out a soft breath. “Progress.”

Bucky studies her. “I’m glad,” he offers. “That he wasn’t one of them.”

[from_the_outside]

"Me too."

He still could be, whispers a voice in her head. She listens to it, considers it, decides to ignore it. Without Fury, they're dead in the water. She sets aside her phone and sips at her coffee again. "I'll head back to the Triskelion and down to the hangar, see what I can find out. Can you go back to... what was Steve's friend's name again?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“Sam. Wilson.” As he says it, his gaze narrows. “Do you have backup?”

[from_the_outside]

"None of us have backup right now, Bucky."

Which isn't strictly true. Nat and Steve have each other. Maybe she can count Fury as hers. "It'll be find. I'm just going to get an introduction to the project and information on my assignment."

[nerves_of_ice]

She’s right, but he doesn’t have to like it.

“When do you expect to be back?”

[from_the_outside]

She considers, over a thoughtful sip of her coffee. "Maybe seven? Not later than eight, I think."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods, and meets her eyes. “Will you text when you are?”

[from_the_outside]

"Yes."

It has the weight of a promise. "And I'll text if it's going to be any later. I'll be careful, Bucky."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Okay,” he murmurs. “Thank you.”

Given her track record, he doesn’t entirely believe her, but that’s okay. He can surveil her place until she gets back, and that way he’ll know to alert Steve if she doesn’t.

[from_the_outside]

She nods and drains her coffee, then sets her mug in the sink. "I should get going," she tells him, her smile crooking.

"Don't want to be late on my first day."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Then so should I.” He downs the rest of his own coffee and sets the mug neatly in the sink by hers.

“Give me five minutes to clear the area?”

[from_the_outside]

She nods. "Five minutes," she agrees.

"And I'll be in touch tonight."

[nerves_of_ice]

He meets her gaze and holds it.

“I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”