Chapter 8

The next morning, Bucky wakes up with his face buried in Steve's stomach, and a familiar hand sliding through his hair. He lifts his head, bleary-eyed. Steve is looking unfairly bright and cheerful. He always was a morning person.

"Hair's getting long, Buck."

Bucky snorts. "Should have seen me when I was – well. You know." He waves his hand in the air and makes to sink back in the comfy position he woke up in.

"No, you don't. I need some coffee. I've been reading up, and I wanna try some of that new stuff." Steve pauses. "I think the long hair'd look good on you."

Bucky's lips twitch. "It kinda did, yeah." He's always wondered why they never gave him a buzz-cut, the upkeep would have been so much easier.

"C'mon, up you get." Steve isn't gonna be distracted, looks like.

So, Bucky groans and moans his way off the bed, pretending to have to stretch to get the kinks out of his back. Steve isn't fooled, just gives his ass a slap when he gets within reach, and Bucky can't help a snicker.

They get in the shower together – it's big enough – though Bucky puts the kibosh on any funny business.

"I'm not gonna be the one to explain to everyone how Captain America broke his head in the shower!"

Steve chuckles, but doesn't remove his hand from Bucky's ass, where it's been for the past few seconds. "Just a kiss, sweetheart, come on."

The warm feeling in Bucky's chest is so unfamiliar, it's almost painful, and he lets himself get pulled in the cradle of Steve's arms, his mouth invaded like Steve can't live without his kiss. They're plastered together, hot water running down their bodies, and Steve manages to get his hand between them, grabbing his cock and jerking him until he can't breathe.

"God, Bucky, you're so sweet – come on, give it up for me, let go, I got you."

Bucky's orgasm takes him by surprise, and he yells, shuddering in Steve's arms. When his brain starts working again, he's glad that their apartments are sound-proofed, and hopes, once again, that FRIDAY isn't listening in.

He manages to get his breathing under control, and squints up at Steve, who gives him an innocent smile.

"Just a kiss, huh?" Bucky snarks, conscious of Steve's cock, hard as steel, burning into his thigh. "You gonna go meet the others like this?"

Steve's smile grows wicked. "I thought maybe my old pal could give me a hand."

"I'll do more than that, pal," Bucky purrs, as he sinks, slow and slick, to his knees.

He ignores Steve's half-hearted protest in favour of licking up the length of Steve's cock, pursing his lips over the crown, relishing the strangled yelp above his head. He reaches out blindly, grabs Steve's hand, puts it on the back of his head. Then he goes to work, lost in his own bliss.

When they walk into the conference room about half an hour later, Steve's got his arm around Bucky's neck, reminding him of that time he rescued Steve from having his clock cleaned in an alley. Bucky, who's laughing at something Steve told him – that he picked a fight in a movie theatre because some jerk made a lady cry – hears the chatter of conversation die off.

Bucky turns to the others, and they look . . . not that surprised. Then, Scott's grin splits his face in two, and he makes come hither gestures with both hands.

"That's right, bring it in, Scott was right, oh yeah."

Fury, Natasha, Rhodes and Wilson start handing over ten-dollar bills. Bucky puts on a hurt expression.

"Sam, you bet against us? I thought we were buds!"

Sam rolls his eyes, pretending to smooth an eyebrow with his middle finger. "I thought it would take you more than two days, damn!"

Bucky sneaks a look at Steve, who isn't offended, not at all.

"It took us almost a century," Steve says, smiling. "Figured I waited long enough."

"Enough," Natasha says, "before I really become a pre-teen and start making gagging noises."

Sam's standing in front of a large easel with some paper tacked to it. At Bucky's curious look, he just says that if it isn't online, it can't be hacked. Bucky's pretty sure he hears an indignant noise from the hidden speakers, but Sam ignores it, and so does he. Scott walks up, fresh from counting his winnings, and starts making sketches of what he remembers from the Raft. Sam adds some more. They know where it is – the co-ordinates – they're just unsure how to break in.

Bucky goes to pour himself coffee, and gets one for Steve, too, which is when he notices Steve standing in front of the growing diagram, arms crossed, face like thunder. When Sam makes annotations like 'underwater' and 'electrified', and finally 'straitjacket?', Steve explodes.

"Are you telling me that the U.S. government put you in this secret prison? Without trial? Colonel Rhodes?" Bucky tries to remember if the other Steve ever sounded that profoundly shocked. He doesn't think so.

Rhodes has the grace to look ashamed, even though it wasn't really his doing.

"To be fair, Rhodey was recovering from a spinal injury at the time," Fury interjects, only to flinch as Steve's laser-like focus turns to him.

"I know that!" Steve passes a hand over his face, his other clenched at his side in a fist.

"I read about that. I'm sorry, sir," he continues, in a calmer tone, addressing Rhodes. "It's just – when I think of what we fought for, I never imagined . . . people who sacrificed their hopes and dreams to help humanity. That's not what they deserved."

Silence falls. As usual, Sam thinks it's on him to break it.

"Man, stop it. You're gonna make me weep. Anyway, how to get in. Steve had help from the Wakandans that time, but I really don't wanna get them involved. They need plausible deniability."

Fury leans back in his chair. "Maximoff has immense powers."

Scott and Sam practically jump on him.

"She's a kid!" comes from Scott, and "No way!" is Sam's contribution.

A snort from the corner and all eyes turn to Natasha. "How very paternalistic of you. Maybe she'd want to help."

"And maybe not, but she'd feel obligated." Even as the words leave his mouth, Bucky feels surprised.

Everyone else is, too. Except for Steve, who looks at him like he's tiny and covered in fur, and just did something adorable.

"She's lost so much – her brother, her . . . friend." Bucky chews on his lip. "If Walker and the others didn't involve her, let's leave her out of it too."

"Well, that means Peter is right out," Fury says, and everyone nods.

Sure, the kid is super-strong, and has all sorts of tech Stark left him, but he's a kid. Bucky still remembers the bone-chilling feeling of having someone catch his punch, and the extra horror of realising he could have hurt a child. Though Sam did try to help, if you counted help as sending him an endless succession of 'memes' with the title 'realised he just threw hands with a twelve-year-old'.

Sam rubs his forehead, and Scott opens his mouth, only to close it again when Sam glares at him.

"If the next words out of your mouth are 'who're you gonna call?', I will end you," Sam says, pointing at Scott.

"I was not going to say that," Scott answers, though the sparkle in his eyes suggests otherwise. "I was going to point out that Professor Banner's closest friend is the Norse god of thunder, so maybe we should get him onboard?"

"What?" That's Steve, who looks like this might be the last straw for him.

But everyone else is nodding, like this is normal, and Fury goes on to say, "Yeah, but he went off into space with those assholes, and who the hell knows how to reach them. Don't even ask about Danvers, got no idea where she's hanging."

"What?" Steve repeats, a little louder this time.

Well, whaddya know, Bucky thinks – I'm ahead of stuff this time. He clears his throat.

"They're not gods, not really. Just very powerful, immortal aliens, and they all have names from Norse myth, and they used to live on a planet called Asgard . . . you know what, just call 'em gods."

Steve is nodding slowly, like he's wondering when he hit his head, and how can he make it stop. Natasha catches his eye, and he blushes, clearly embarrassed at having less self-control than a kid. But Nat isn't smirking or looking superior – instead, she holds her phone out to him.

They all gather round to have a look. In a gallery simply labelled 'Thor', there's a fairly large collection of pictures. Oh, and videos, too. Turns out that Stark's drones took video of that battle at the end – either that, or FRIDAY'S a fan. The stills are almost exclusively of Thor, glowing eyes, battle-axe and all.

"This all looks very impressive," Steve says, and his eyes are pretty wide, though his voice is steady, "but how are we getting in touch with him?"

A loud throat-clearing draws their attention to the hidden speakers in the room. If an AI could sound sheepish, it would sound like FRIDAY right now, Bucky thinks.

"I think I can be of assistance, here."

They manage to avoid exchanging looks and raised eyebrows, though it's clearly a struggle on Scott's part.

"When Professor Banner and his companion got Thor from New Asgard, I was asked to set up a secure line so that he could continue gaming with his friends from the Avengers complex. I could use it to get into contact with them. I'm sure the Queen has a way of getting in touch with Thor, if she needs to."

This time Bucky's eyebrows rise into his hairline. "Thor was gaming?"

He doesn't mean to sound so shocked – it's just that the terrifying figure on the battlefield, lightning coursing through him, eyes glowing, wielding an immense battle-axe, didn't strike him as someone who played video games. But no-one needs to defend Thor, not when FRIDAY's around.

"He was under a great amount of stress!" the AI protests.

In the midst of the silence that falls, Natasha mutters, "Someone's got a crush."

"Don't blame her," Scott says. "Just look at those shoulders!"

The laughter that followed is strained, and Bucky knows what's going on – they're trying to distract themselves from thinking about Banner, and what Ross is doing to him right now. He catches Steve's eyes, exchanging a knowing look. Battlefield nerves – they've been there.

Sam calls him and Steve over to the diagram of the Raft, and they look for ingress points. This is where Steve's strength lies – he's best at figuring out weak points, and soon they have an idea of a shift change when they could attack. But it's all useless without Thor. Just as he has that thought, FRIDAY tells them she has a secure connection to the Valkyrie who's the Queen of New Asgard, now.

Bucky's seen her, riding into battle on a winged horse, but she's just as impressive in a homespun sweater and her hair pulled back off her face.

"Hey, guys. What's up?"

She looks at each of them in turn, not really curious, until her gaze stops at Steve and Nat, brows wrinkling. But she doesn't ask, just waits for them to come out with it. Bucky looks at Sam, whose expression is full 'Why do I have to do everything around here?' Then he braces himself, turns to the screen, where the Valkyrie is waiting.

"They took Bruce. We need Thor to get him back."

Her face, oh, her face. Without changing expression, it promises violence and a painful death for anyone who's hurt Bruce. See, Bucky forgot. Though it seems that everyone else did, too. When Thor was stuck on that planet with Banner, she was there. In fact, they'd found her there, drinking away her sorrow at the loss of her sisters in arms.

"You can't do anything," Bucky blurts out, and when the laser-focus of her gaze turns to him, he wonders if she'll kill him quick. "I'm sorry, your majesty, he stresses, "but you can't be involved. Thor can, because he's not the king anymore."

She takes a few deep breaths, clearly wanting to tell him he's wrong. Bucky knows he isn't, though. The Asgardians live on earth, now, have to follow earth rules.

Pressing her lips together, the Valkyrie nods. There's some worried chatter on her side, but she ignores it, pressing a few buttons on her console. She mutters something into the microphone, and Bucky guesses that she's speaking to Quill and the others.

After a few seconds, they hear a bellow of joy from her side, and a few beeps later, Thor's happy grin fills the screen. His hair and beard are short again, and he looks younger, almost. Bucky chews his lip. He wishes they didn't have to do this to him, but Thor is really their only hope.

Thor looks at each of them in turn, his face changing expression when he sees theirs. Just as Bucky's wondering what he's going to say about Natasha, he realises that she isn't in the room anymore. He sighs. They're going to have to do something about that. Bucky knows she hates this, hates the thought that she might actually have feelings, and might have to deal with them, but it's not fair on her friends.

Fury steps forward just as Thor looks at Steve, forehead creasing, eyes narrowed.

"Look, I know what you're gonna ask, and I promise, you'll get answers. But this," he goes on, indicating Steve, "isn't why we're calling you."

Thor's eyes widen, and he looks them over again, noticing who's missing. "Bruce."

"Yes. General Ross – and someone else – they took him. They made up some crap about terrorism, even treason, but that's not why."

But Thor isn't listening any longer. One of his eyes is glowing. A sizzling sound offscreen suggests that a spark just left his fingers. Bucky's pretty sure that's a bad sign.

"Where – where is he?" It's like the rage won't let him speak normally.

Sam steps forward. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you need to calm down." Thor's head snaps around, he's biting back words. "We can't go off all half-cocked, dammit. We have the advantage of surprise right now. Let's use it."

Thor breathes deep, nostrils flaring. He squeezes his eyes shut for a few moments, and when they open again, the glow is gone. "Fine! Just tell me a time and a place, and I'll be there."

Just then, a hand drops on Bucky's arm, and he looks up into Steve's eyes. Steve draws him away from the screen; Bucky thinks he knows why.

"So, this Thor – they said he's on a spaceship right now?"

Bucky is actively feeling sorry for Steve, who never read a page of science fiction before he started living it.

"Yeah. After the whole confrontation went down, and Stark's son died, and Natasha 'died', Thor decided he needed some time . . . away from painful memories." Having seen a flash of red hair in the doorway, Bucky feels no shame at the air quotes, and raises his voice a little on the last phrase.

Steve ignores all of this. "So, how's he gonna get down here?"

"Don't worry about that," Sam interrupts. "Steve – other Steve – told me how he gets places. Not gonna try to describe it, though, so don't ask."

"Captain Rogers!" Thor raises his voice a little to be heard over their conversation, and Steve faces the screen. "Steven – the one from this reality – was a good friend of mine. I hope that we can work together just as well."

Steve nods, and Thor looks at each of them in turn. "A week from now, at this time, and at the co-ordinates you will send. I will delay no longer than that."

His image winks out, and there's the Valkyrie looking out at them, fury barely suppressed.

"Get him back," she says, all queen now, and then she's gone too.

"So, we got a week," Scott sighs. "Not nearly long enough to plan a heist."

Steve's eyebrows climb into his hairline, but he doesn't say anything. Bucky's sure he's gonna say something later, though.

The planning they're doing doesn't just involve physically breaking into the Raft; it's also about discrediting Ross so that it can never happen again. It's clear from his actions that he's been biding his time, pretending to accept Sam and Bucky – the whole team, in fact – while working on Walker and somehow using Banner.

"Well," Sam suggests, during one of the many meetings they have during the week, "the idea was always to find another working version of the serum they used on Steve and Bucky, to make more supersoldiers, so maybe this is what they want with Banner."

The room is silent while they think about this.

"Fine, fine," Rhodes adds, "but we need to split this thing right open. It's become all about the Accords – again! Man, I never thought I'd be stuck in 2016 forever. Anyway, I read through the Accords – every scrap of boring legalese in the world – and whaddya know: there's nothing about a secret underwater prison where people can be held without trial."

Steve nods. "Yes, but there is a lot about enhanced individuals being locked up if they use their abilities without permission."

Bucky's not surprised that Steve read the Accords – he'd have been surprised if he hasn't.

"Look, I thought that was over with – that the Accords were rescinded, that the signatories all dropped out! Didn't that happen?" Lang sounds frustrated, and Bucky can't blame him. He feels the same sense of déjà vu that they're all feeling – all except Steve, of course.

"We'll have to look into that," Fury interjects. "Now, the priority is getting you folks out of the Tower and onto the Raft without anyone noticing."

"We could use the quantum tunnel," Scott says.

"No!" Bucky's voice sounds really loud, to his ears. He's been quiet, throughout, not thinking he has anything to add. But he has to say something about this.

"I don't know what that thing is doing to us, every time. I still don't understand how Steve got so old – I thought his cells weren't supposed to age like that. At least, that's what he told me. I'd rather we forgot that thing existed. No offence, Lang."

"None taken, bro."

"You said that the Tower functions as the Wakandan Embassy to the U.S.," Steve says, and a couple of nods are his answer. "I'm sure that neither Princess Shuri or the king use commercial air travel to get here – or any Wakandan for that matter."

"Yeah, that's an idea," Sam murmurs. "We can borrow a Wakandan jet. They have cloaking abilities, and we can get to the Raft without being discovered."

Bucky wants to object, even though he knows it's the only way. He really hates involving the Wakandans in this.

Sam rolls his eyes. "You know that Shuri and her team are the ones who found the Raft, right? They were so mad when we told them they couldn't come with."

Bucky waves it off. Yeah, he gets it.

The week is taken up with planning, trying to make sure nothing catastrophic will go wrong, as well as stressing that Scott can in no way be a part of the mission. Scott's protests are half-hearted, which Bucky can understand. The last time he helped the Avengers, he was held in an underwater prison for weeks and then spent a year under house arrest. It isn't fair to him, or his family to endanger his freedom again.

In fact, Bucky, Sam and Steve are the only ones who can take part. Shuri isn't the only one who's pissed off about this decision. Natasha hasn't spoken to them for days.

Bucky tries to apologise to Steve halfway through the week. Steve just looks at him with raised eyebrows, probably because they're in bed at the time, taking every opportunity to spend time together before the mission.

"What are you sorry for, Buck?" he asks, as he draws invisible circles on Bucky's chest. Bucky shivers.

"I dragged you back here, right into a fight," he says, trying hard to stop from moaning, as Steve kisses the places his fingers have been.

Steve grins up at him, lashes brushing his skin. "You know I love a good fight, Buck. I don't know why you think I want to rest or whatever."

With that, Steve rolls over on top of Bucky, his knees between Bucky's spread legs. Clearly, he considers the conversation over. Steve slides his hands up Bucky's thighs, then under, behind his knees, pushing them up. Bucky feels as pliable as a rag doll, and lets Steve position him like one.

He's still slick from the last time, and Steve's fingers drag a whimper out of him. Steve's filthy grin turns worried.

"You ok, Buck? I wasn't too rough with you?"

Bucky looks at him through narrowed eyes. "Not even gonna go there, Stevie. Stop treating me like some dame you're sweet-talking and give me the business."

Steve tickles him instead, and Bucky tries to slap his hands away, telling him to cut it out, in between gasps of laughter. It's weird, this feeling. Like a coal glowing in his belly, a tightness in his chest, and with a shock, Bucky realises what this is. It's happiness. He's happy. He can't remember the last time he felt this way.

He threads his fingers through Steve's, and wraps his legs around Steve's waist, using his hands and feet to bring Steve closer, until they're nose to nose. Steve dips in for a kiss, and Bucky opens his mouth, letting Steve in . . . as he already has, in more than one way. I'm his, he realises, always his. Never gonna get away. Don't want to, ever.

Days later, in the Wakandan jet, heading towards the Raft, Bucky leans back in one of the seats and stops pretending he isn't looking at Steve, sitting at the controls, next to Sam. They look so good, side by side, the Captains America.

They gave Steve a suit Bucky's only seen in pictures, mainly dark grey, with an even darker star on his chest. The fact that there are no bright stripes is the only thing which persuades Steve to accept; he's very determined not even to hint at trying to take Sam's place. But Bucky and Sam are equally insistent that he wears the new suit, with its triple layers of reinforced Kevlar, a new variety which Shuri's team came up with, for extra bullet proofing.

There's a lot of yelling the night before the mission, but they manage to persuade Steve to bring his shield along. Stubborn little shit. Not so little anymore, though.

While Bucky watches, Sam puts the jet in autopilot and starts explaining some of the controls to Steve. Bucky stretches, ending up with his arms behind his head. He's looking forward to this. Weird.

Their jet runs almost completely silent. It's also cloaked. When they arrive at the co-ordinates Shuri gave them, the Raft is on the surface. As they planned, it's a shift change. They're going to break in during that brief interval of surface time. Their window will also include Thor's entry. As he won't bother waiting for an open door, maybe it's better if the Raft is on the surface. Steve keeps asking him how Thor's gonna get there, and to be honest, Bucky only has a vague idea. However he does it, will probably be a sight to see.

They land on the deck in the middle of a storm – the rain is heavy, but there's no lightning. Yet, Bucky thinks. So no alarms are raised as the three of them sneak in through the rain, into a door, following a guard, who doesn't bother to turn to check whether he knows the people behind him, he's so eager to get in out of the rain.

Bucky almost feels sorry for him as he shakes the rain off his cap, trying to wring it out. Almost. Then the guard turns around and his eyes widen, as he opens his mouth to yell a warning. But Steve's too fast for him, grabbing him by the tac vest and slamming him against the wall of the small service corridor they're in.

"Hey! Eyes here!" Sam snaps, and the guard looks at him, terrified. "Do you know who I am?" The guard licks his lips, which are trembling. Bucky hopes he's considering what to say, 'cos 'a traitor' or 'an enemy of the state' is not gonna go down well.

"Captain America?" the guard asks, and Sam grins.

"Good answer. Now, you gonna co-operate, or are my friends here gonna have to persuade you?"

Steve draws back, and Bucky folds his arms, making sure the guard sees the metal one. The guard's eyes widen even further, and he looks at Bucky, terrified, Bucky, the only one of them who isn't wearing some kind of mask or goggles. The guard nods, not trusting his voice, apparently.

Bucky feels it when Steve untenses, and realises that his sweetheart must feel sorry for this mook. He would roll his eyes, except he's doing the stone-faced Winter Soldier thing.

"Is there somewhere we can lock you up, son?" That's so Steve, Bucky thinks. He's definitely in the wrong century for that kind of compassion.

"Yeah, why don't we get him a warm blanket, too," Bucky murmurs. "Come on, just cuff him – I'm sure he has something like that on him, don't you?" He's trying to keep the poison out of his voice, but it's hard. It's hard to feel something for these guys who'd lock him up and keep him locked up and beat him until he isn't a person anymore, all in the name of making a living.

Steve gives him a puzzled look, but Sam doesn't bother, just cuffs him behind his back. They find a small storeroom and shove him in, start walking towards the control room. There's no-one there. They look at the monitors which show that the cells are mostly dark, with no guards around. So, they were right. This is a trap – a trap for them, with Banner as the bait.

They don't say anything, though – exchange looks and make their way down into the cell area. The problem, Bucky knows without saying, is that they don't know where Banner is. They'd been hoping he'd be in one of the cells, so they could get him out and leave a scorched earth behind them. Ok, yeah, they'd rescue the guards – who could maybe avoid a prison sentence if they ratted out the ones in charge – but the Raft was going down, literally. Still, finding Bruce is the priority, and it isn't looking promising.

Steve and Bucky take a running jump down over the railings, and Sam rappels down, not wanting to open the wings in such an enclosed space. Bucky has his gun strapped to his back – the Paratrooper, that is. Everything else is strapped to his legs and the small of his back, where he also has a grenade he's hidden from Steve – and so does Sam. Steve has his shield and his fists.

With an air of theatricality, the lights go on, one by one, and a small army pours out from side doors, holding automatic weapons, all pointed at the three of them.

Bucky wants to cheer. Finally, a fight! He tries to feel guilty that he's going to beat people up, but he needs this.

The three of them move like they've been a team forever. Bucky punches and kicks, not bothering with the projectile weapons in a melee where a ricochet could easily kill one of his team-mates. He doesn't break out his knives, though he's tempted. But he doesn't want to see Steve's disappointed look.

Sam is doing the same, using the shield some, but mainly relying on hand to hand, because the guards can't get enough distance to shoot.

Steve, though – he's poetry in motion, the way he's always been, and that's not just because we're doing it, Bucky thinks, already visualising Natasha's sarcastic eyeroll. He kicks, punches, uses the shield in improbably moves that still work. He vaults over people, kicking them in the head on the way down, using the momentum to fling the shield like a discus, clipping heads on the way around.

The thing is, the guards keep coming. Bucky isn't tired, neither is Steve, but Sam is unenhanced. Where the hell is Thor? Bucky's just wondering whether they should call a strategic retreat, when, as if he's been waiting for his cue, Secretary Ross strolls out, clapping, very slowly.

"Not the slow clap? Monster." Shuri's voice sounds absolutely disgusted in Bucky's ear, and this time he doesn't manage to supress an eye roll.

She must either be measuring his responses or she's psychic, because she clears her throat and mutters "Release the drones," then, in an even lower, and, paradoxically, more excited tone, "I always wanted to say that!"

Bucky makes sure everyone's looking at Sam and Steve – they're wearing the more eye-catching uniforms – before he flicks out his right hand in an expansive gesture. Five flying objects escape from his sleeve and zoom around the room, fixing themselves to various walls, while another two move towards vents in the ceiling and floor, heading towards the other levels, scanning for Banner.

Ross is looking very pleased with himself. "Could we have made it any more obvious, that this is a trap?" He glares at Bucky. "Your containment pod is up and waiting for you."

Bucky snorts, proud of himself for his steady voice, and, he hopes, amused expression. "Is that what this is all about, Ross? I stood you up, back in '16, and now you finally got me?"

"Kinda needy," Sam chimes in, lips curling in a smile, or a sneer, as he leans back, arms still crossed.

Ross's eyes narrow, but he ignores their banter. He gestures to a guard, who approaches, automatic rifle pointed at Sam, and Bucky – Bucky loses it. He feels the rage building in his stomach and chest, and as he stalks towards them, from the corner of his eye, glimpses a couple guards backing away, paling.

"No, you piece of shit!" Bucky snarls at the guard, ignoring Shuri's urgent voice in his ear. He grabs the butt of the rifle in his metal hand, slamming it against his forehead, baring his teeth in a parody of a grin. "You point that thing at me, you hear?"

"Bucky!" Shuri's getting frantic.

He's pretty sure Sam's about to grab his shoulder, and he won't be responsible for his actions if that happens. Instead, the hand on his arm is Steve's, and the familiarity of it drains most of the rage out of him. Not all, though.

"The cameras are up, Buck," Steve says, not even raising his voice, and his words ring out like a bell, anyway.

Bucky lets go of the rifle, and the guard backs away, face a mask of terror, just as Ross says, "What are you talking about? What cameras?"

Steve takes over, as planned. "The cameras over there, there, and there," he says, pointing to various corners of the room, "transmitting everything to a special emergency meeting of the U.N., who are going to be very interested in what's happening here today, especially as this," he emphasises, swivelling an index finger to encircle the cells, "was not even implied in the Sokovia Accords."

Ross doesn't seem to take any of this in. Ok, Bucky thinks. Weird.

Instead, he looks Steve up and down, upper lip curling. "Who the hell are you?"

Bucky manages to control his expression. They've planned for this, even rehearsed it to a certain extent. Let's see if this Steve is any better at lying through his teeth.

"I'm Steve Rogers," Steve says, folding his arms, and that just makes Ross's upper lip curl even further under his bristling mustache.

"Steve Rogers is dead – I had a report from his funeral."

"And you believed it?" Steve's tone is one of polite contempt, if such a thing is even possible. "I wanted to retire after Thanos, but apparently I don't get to do that yet, especially when the Secretary of State goes above and beyond his purview, arresting a Nobel prize-winning scientist, without cause."

Ross's sneer grows more pronounced. "Really. You're Captain America."

"No," Steve answers, shaking his head. "This," he says, gesturing at Sam, "is Captain America. I'm retired. Or, at least, I was."

Ross narrows his eyes, probably thinking it makes him look intimidating. Then, he seems to reach a decision. He turns to the armed men standing all around.

"Detain them," Ross says, gesturing at Bucky and Steve. He points at Sam. "Shoot him."

The guard closest to Bucky gapes. "But sir, the cameras!"

Ross sneers. That seems to be his default expression right now.

"Even if there are cameras, that won't matter very soon. U.S. Agent, a real patriot, and his team are rounding up traitors and terrorists as we speak. These men," he continues, like he's playing to an audience, "are trying to destabilise the U.S., to bring on chaos and destruction. Haven't we had enough of that? It was bad enough, apocalyptic enough, when Thanos killed off half the world, over three billion people. But then, these wonderful Avengers wait five years, five entire years, to bring everyone back. Is there anyone who doesn't know people who were hurt, who died in this, this restoration?"

Sam is opening his mouth to speak, and Steve simply says, "That's when we had the technology," in his valiant effort to say what the Avenger Steve would have said, but Bucky's frozen in place. Ross used very, very distinctive key words in his little speech.

Bucky puts a shaking hand on Sam's arm, and he turns to look at him. Bucky shivers. "It's HYDRA."

Ross grins, leans forward, carefully facing away from where he obviously thinks the cameras are, murmurs, "Cut off one head . . . "

Then, louder, "Son, you're obviously disturbed. I don't know what this little farce was in aid of, but I'm going to give you and your friends another chance. Surrender now, and we'll make sure you get a fair trial."

This time, it's Sam's turn to interrupt, and he does it with a spontaneous, throaty chuckle. "Man, you HYDRA guys sure are stupid."

Bucky barely has the chance to sigh in relief, that Sam believes him, that he takes his word for it, when he continues.

"Do you think we came alone? Just the three of us? Against all this?"

Bucky's sure that Sam's winding up to a snarky quip – he's not going to tell anyone he came across Captain America staring into a locker room mirror, muttering 'Here's the thunder!, no, that doesn't work' – but finally, finally their trump card shows up.

The storm outside hasn't let up. No-one's noticed, until now, when somehow, the lightning strikes are inside the room, arcing from one metal object to another, hitting the guards and knocking them out, still avoiding their little group. Ross looks wildly around him, as all his support vanishes, incapacitated. He's not holding a weapon, Bucky notices. Bet he wishes he had one, now. Too late, though. The blasting of thunder all around, inside the room, signals the end, for Ross.

Thor comes directly through the ceiling, through the reinforced metal sheets and ductwork and pipes, like a hot knife through butter, roaring as he lands. The sigil of Asgard, all glowing knotwork, flares up and vanishes, and in its midst a man is standing, wearing armor, a red cloak, one eye glowing blue, lightning coursing all around him. He's holding a huge axe, and the cloak billows around him, even though there's no wind.

"He really brings his special effects with him," Sam mutters, pissed off that he didn't get to deliver the line.

Ross is barely recovered, but he does his best, Bucky thinks. He points at Thor. "You, you . . . you can't be here! The Accords . . . you didn't sign . . . "

"Trouble me not with such trifles," Thor begins, and Bucky interrupts, not without some trepidation.

"Banner's in a lower level, in a lab! Shuri says they got him strapped down, and-"

But Thor is in a hurry, and simply goes through the floor. The Raft is starting to destabilize, and Bucky can hear various sounds of steel buckling under immense pressure.

Sam grins at Ross. "So. I'm gonna arrest your ass, now!"

"You don't have the authority to arrest me . . . " Ross's voice is shaking, and Bucky would feel sorry for the guy, except he's HYDRA. Is he never going to be free of these assholes? He shivers, even though he's not cold.

"I'm making a citizen's arrest, Mr. Ross. And I don't really need to do this, but I always wanted to. So, here goes. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. Anything you say, can and will be used against you . . . "

Bucky lets Sam ramble on, and turns away, only to be stopped by Steve.

"You ok, Buck?"

Those words. Bucky knows Steve means well, but it's like they send a torrent of icy water down his spine. It'll be ok, Buck, he can still hear the other Steve saying, and he looks up, into Steve's worried eyes. He has to bite his tongue to beg Steve not to leave him. Instead, he nods, not trusting his voice. As he looks away, avoiding Steve's eyes, Bucky notices that one of the guards is beginning to stir.

"Stay down!" His voice rings across the room. "The U.N. Peace Corps will be along any minute. They'll process you. You're in luck – they actually follow the Geneva Convention."

Other guards, some already propping themselves up on their elbows, show mixed reactions – some are contemptuous. Those are the real hardasses, Bucky thinks, HYDRA hardliners.

"I read about that," Steve says, and he sounds thoughtful. "It sounds good." He glances up at Bucky. "Do people keep to it?"

"You're asking the wrong guy," Bucky shrugs. He wants to add more, that they certainly didn't give a fuck about all that when they sent commandoes with shoot-to-kill orders after him in Berlin. But hey. Let bygones be bygones, right? Old Father O' Shaughnessy would've told him to turn the other cheek, to forgive and forget.

He looks up at Steve, manages a smile. "I guess it depends on whether they consider a prisoner to be human or not."

Steve nods, brows pulling together. They're interrupted by Thor jumping up from a lower level, holding Banner in his arms like a bride. Bucky blinks once, twice, but what he's seeing doesn't change. No more green guy. Banner is now an average sized man in his forties, who only shares a vague resemblance with the gentle giant Bucky met, after the battle with Thanos.

Thor, now – he's barely holding on to his temper. Sparks keep shooting off his fingers into the air.

"Where are the medics?" he growls.

Bucky points up. Shuri's been muttering into his earpiece for a while, now. Another Wakandan jet has joined theirs, and is hovering in place, with a Doctor Cho on board, who's treated Banner before. And this is a Banner who needs treatment. He's barely conscious, but, as Bucky looks on, his eyes open into slivers, and he raises his hand, looking at it in confusion.

Ross has his hands cuffed behind his back, but, unfortunately, he isn't gagged. "We did your friend a favour! We made him human again, not that abomination he was before, more monster than man!"

Sam looks at him in shock. "You killed the Hulk?"

"No! At least, we don't think so."

Bucky can see that Thor's holding onto his temper by a hair. But then he looks down at his friend, who he's carrying like a sick puppy, and his face softens. He walks away a little, preparing to take off, and Bucky can hear his last words.

"Did I ever tell you about the hilarious trick my brother played on me, once? Well, he knew that I like snakes, so he turned into a snake and-"

The rest of the story is swallowed by the sound of objects flying around and breaking in the backdraft of his departure. Bucky has to smile. He knows that story. The number of times he's heard it from Banner, makes him realise that the man has really been missing Thor.

Steve still looks worried. Bucky's opening his mouth, when Sam taps his earpiece, and motions for quiet. He says roger that, and then turns to them.

"So, the Peace Corps is here. Now, they're not here for us, but let's not make a tempting target to some trigger-happy jerk, right?"

Steve nods, and they leave the way they came, releasing the guard from before. Sam flies up to the jet, while Steve and Bucky climb up rope ladders.

"So, anyone want McDonalds?" Sam asks, as he punches in the co-ordinates. Bucky and Steve must make the same disgusted face, because Sam snorts in laughter. "Just messing with you old-timers!"

Bucky raises a middle finger. "So, what, we're free now? All is forgiven?"

He knows his tone is pretty sharp, but he's kinda pissed off right now.

"Bucky . . . " Steve says, the tone – yeah, that's the tone Steve used on him back in '43! He's just about to retort that he didn't take it from Steve then, and he isn't gonna take it now, when Sam takes over.

"Listen," he says, sitting in front of Bucky and looking straight into his eyes. "Listen. I know this is fucked up. I know it's fuckin' shit. I know you feel like every time you get something, they take it away. But you gotta give T'Challa and the others a chance, man. They have more money than God, and that buys a hell of a lot of lawyers. Law firms, even. Do not fuckin' take off again. 'Cos this time we'll both chase you, and we'll be really pissed off."

"What?" Steve's glare could melt through steel. He cuts in before Bucky can ask if that's another speech Sam practiced in front of a mirror. "You ran away from me – from the other guy, I mean. That's not gonna cut it anymore, Buck. I got you now."

"Ok, fine," Bucky sighs. "Clearly, I'm not going on the run again."

Once they land, on top of the Tower, where a Quinjet landing pad is being multi-purposed for all sorts of aircraft, Natasha is waiting for them, arms crossed, small face set in a mutinous frown. Someone got her a teen-sized version of the Black Widow suit. Bucky's gonna have words.

"And?" she says, when they're the only ones getting off the jet.

Steve smiles, and she kind of sags – the relief is too much for her. "He needed some medical attention, so he's on the other jet, with Doctor Cho."

Natasha looks to the side, blinking rapidly, holding back the sniffles. They go inside, because the jet's gotta leave space for the next one, and a Dora has been waiting to fly it away. As soon as it takes off, another one lands, and Natasha turns to look, eyes wide and glistening. Thor bounds out, and Banner follows him at a more sedate pace.

"He's . . . back? Back to being Bruce?" She sounds shocked.

The sliding doors open to let Thor and Banner in, and Natasha hugs Banner, only for her feet to leave the ground as he suddenly grows into a seven foot green figure. Bucky's heard a description of the transformation before, and is nervous – isn't the Hulk supposed to be uncontrollable? But Natasha is still clinging to the Hulk's neck, and the giant green figure shows no inclination to go on a rampage.

Thor looks from one to the other, puzzled. Then he turns to them.

"Does Bruce have a child? Why was I not informed?"

Natasha, eyes streaming with tears, looks at him. "Hey there, handsome. Missed me?"

Just like that, his eyes widen and his mouth falls open in shock. "Natasha?"

"WHY NAT SMALL NOW?" the Hulk rumbles.

Bucky and Steve, who've only ever heard the big green guy speak like a normal man, exchange looks. Sam puts a hand on Bucky's arm and gestures that they should probably go, and yeah. This is a private moment.

When the elevator opens, there's a pug-nosed man in his forties waiting to reach their floor. He looks at each of them in turn.

"Wilson, my man! The outfit suits you! Hey Steve, I . . . thought you got old." He looks puzzled, then shakes it off. "Barnes."

"Barton," Bucky answers. He never had much contact with the guy.

"They told me Ross tried to lock Bruce up, and – " Barton catches sight of the group just inside the platform, who're in a strange multi-limbed, multi-colored group hug. His brows draw together. "Who's the kid?"

"Yeah," Sam answers, drawing out the word. "It's a long story. Why don't you go over there, find out? We need some shut eye. Don't know about you guys, but I'm beat."

Barton takes that in, looks at the Avengers again, turns back to them. "Steve? Aren't you coming?"

Bucky winces. Steve smiles, his eyes kind.

"That's a long story too. Doctor Banner will explain everything, but I'm not this universe's Steve. But that's not important right now. You need to join them – they've got a lot to tell you."

Barton nods, clearly distracted by the little girl with long red hair. Bucky presses the elevator button as soon as Barton clears the opening, not wanting any more questions they can't answer. Then he turns to face Sam, who, for once, isn't meeting his eyes. Steve, wisely, keeps out of the way.

"You called Barton." Bucky doesn't mean to sound accusatory, it just comes out that way.

Not that it bothers Sam, any. "Yup."

"You didn't warn Natasha."

"Nope."

Bucky catches Steve's eyes, and Steve shrugs. He's about to read Sam the riot act, when Sam cracks.

"Seriously man, why the secrecy? What were we waiting for? Natasha's clearly stuck as a kid for a few years, so why not call her best fucking friend in all the world, who needed to know she wasn't dead? Don't tell me you wouldn't want to know, even if Steve here was a kid again."

Bucky's lost for words. Yeah, of course he'd want to know. He imagines a past in which Steve never came back from returning the stones – the idea of never knowing the truth . . . he shudders.

"Still, it wasn't her choice to call Barton."

"I know that. But she was so lonely; yeah, she had the kittens, but she needed more. None of us know her well enough to get past the whole kid thing. Barton is different."

Steve frowns. "Were they a couple?"

"No," Sam says, but he lengthens the word, ending in a question. "It's never really been clear to me, but I know they were family. And I definitely know he felt guilty about what happened to her on Vormir. He deserved to know, and make his choice."

Bucky nods, finally. No arguing with that. He stumbles a little, coming out of the elevator on their floor, and Steve grabs his arm. That's it – he's done. The whole mission, the rescue, it took its toll, and he needs . . . he needs. He grabs Steve by the neck and lays one on him, pushing him hard against the wall, and Steve doesn't even resist for a second. Big arms like steel girders clamp around his waist, pulling him close for delicious friction, just as Steve's mouth opens, drawing him in.

A faint 'Ok, I guess I don't need to see any of this,' signals Sam speed-walking to his own apartment. Bucky's lost, lost in Steve and that's all he needs or wants, for now. Forever.

A few weeks later, they're walking in Central Park on a beautiful sunny day – the air is so crisp and clear, the light is warm and dappled through the trees, that Bucky keeps having to pinch himself, checking that he's not dreaming. The day he told Sam that he worries he's actually still in cryo, and this is all just a dream, was the day Sam set up therapy sessions for him. Steve too, but separate for now. Steve tries to argue that he doesn't need all that, and that during the war they didn't have time for anything but 'walk it off, soldier'. No-one's listening, though. Not even Bucky.

Steve walks towards him, holding two ice creams, one of which is already dripping all over his hand. Bucky'd lick it off if they were at home, and he smirks at Steve, who blushes, clearly reading it all over his face. Steve grabs his hand and they walk on, looking for a good bench where Steve can get some sketching done. Knowing Steve, finding a good place will take hours – he's real picky with his light.

Bucky looks down at their joined hands and smiles. Ever since Steve found out that men being together, being married, was not the instant prison sentence, or beating it would have been in their time, he took every opportunity to hold on to Bucky, as tight as he could. They get the occasional dirty look from people who don't think Steve Rogers should be doing that kind of thing, especially not with an ex-assassin and possible traitor. But Steve is practised in ignoring people who try to tell him what he should be doing instead of what he is. He's been doing that all his life.

They finish their ice cream and walk some more, until Steve spots the perfect bench, under some trees, with a view across the reservoir. Just as Steve breaks into a determined stride to make sure no-one else takes their spot, there's a little commotion behind them, and a winged figure flies over their heads and lands in front of them.

"Oh, no . . . " Steve sighs.

"Oh, yes," Sam answers, throwing two backpacks and what looks like a cymbal case at their feet. "We got a situation in Long Island. No one else is available. Suit up."

Bucky rolls his eyes. He picks up his pack – he knows it's his because some wag (Sam, he knows it's Sam) bought one with a big red star embroidered on it – and glares.

"Where, oh great genius Captain America, sir? We gonna strip down in the park?"

"Nah, man – quinjet comin'," Sam throws off, and Bucky's even more irritated.

He wants to argue some more, but a crowd is gathering, phones are coming out, and some teens (and not only teens) are taking selfies with Steve, who can never, ever say no, to anyone.

Just as Bucky's gonna punt a few handsy kids off Steve, a strong, hot wind blasts everyone sideways; finally, the quinjet is hovering overhead. Sam flies Steve up, Bucky takes a running jump and hangs onto a rope ladder, and they're inside. Lang is at the controls, and he grins at them, throwing off a terrible salute.

Steve turns to Bucky, looking worried.

"Listen Buck, I'm sorry – I didn't think it would be so soon, when I agreed to work with Sam and Director Fury."

Bucky rolls his eyes. He knows his Steve. "You're not sorry, ya big lug! You love this."

Steve's cheeks turn a faint pink, as he pulls the pants of his stealth suit on. "Yeah, Buck. I'm with my best guy and my new friends, and we're doing good work. Are you mad?"

Bucky considers it. He shakes his head, slinging his arm around Steve's neck. Steve's eyes brighten in recognition, remembering that day in '43, their last day together before the war really began, for them. They're so close they could kiss, now, and they would, except they're interrupted by a voice from the cockpit.

"Save it for later, guys. We got work to do."

Bucky rolls his eyes, ignores Sam, and grins at Steve, dropping a quick, stealthy kiss. "Sure, Cap. Let's go to work."

oOo

The End

Notes

As you can tell by the ending, I'm clearly not one of those fans who want Steve and Bucky to retire to a goat farm in Wakanda! I want what I've always wanted - the Avengers as a team, kicking ass and taking names, with movie and pizza nights in between. And that's how I wrote it, with Avengers 2.0, now with added Bucky.

Hope everyone liked the conclusion!