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“Winter Soldier, it is time for your next mission. Standard equipment. A simple perimeter evaluation. Do you understand?”
“I understand.”
“Good.” The restraints were released; the Soldier stood in one movement, turning to the handler. “Suit up, I will escort you.”
“Understood.”
~~~
“Where is he?”
Maria looked up from her computer, closing the work she had previously been doing. “Agent Barton, take a seat.”
“Where. Is. He?” Clint asked again, sitting down opposite Maria. He had favoured his left side as he hobbled in, a broken leg almost healed.
“Fury is occupied,” Maria spoke as she remotely locked the door to her office.
Clint rolled his eyes at her answer. “You know I don’t care about Fury.”
“I am aware, yes.” Maria closed her eyes for a moment, before looking straight through Clint. “Barnes was sent on a recon mission ten days ago. We lost contact nine days ago.”
“Extraction plan?”
“You and I are both aware of extraction plans on ops like this.” Maria rolled her shoulders, while Clint remained unmoving. “Several agents were sent to his last known location. There was no sign of him.”
“He’s an Avenger. Avengers don’t just disappear.”
“No. But former Hydra agents do.”
Clint sat up straighter, leaning on the desk towards Maria. “What do you know?”
Maria produced a file of paper, and handed it to Clint, who immediately began reading. “There have been rumours of several Hydra cells with the capability to reinstate the WInter Soldier to his, well, ‘former glory’ is the term they used. I’ve had teams clearing through these rumours; none have proven to be true.”
“You sent Bucky to this one,” Clint spoke as he continued reading, knowing that maria would know what he was referring to. “Why?”
“Our strongest intel was for that location. Barnes volunteered.”
Clint looked up then, intel file back on the desk. “He volunteered?”
Maria shrugged. “Forced himself onto the mission, I would say. He seemed to know something that he wasn’t sharing. Did he tell you anything?”
Clint shook his head. “Just said he was going on a simple op. Didn’t say anything about Hydra.”
Maria pondered that information, before seeming to come to a decision. “As Barnes is officially an Avenger, his disappearance would constitute an Avengers matter. But,” Maria held up a hand when Clint opened his mouth. “You can’t go. Barton… Clint, you are recovering from injuries which would have put anyone else out of commission for a month.”
“I’ll fly the jet then. Give us the coordinates Maria.”
Maria turned on her computer again, typing a couple of key codes. “I’ve sent them to the jet. Based on what we know of the location, which is little, I would suggest taking a small team. Infiltration would be the best way to find Barnes.”
“Thank you Maria, I owe you one,” Clint nodded as he rose from the chair.
“More like one dozen,” Maria muttered, before louder, “One more thing?” When Clint turned around, Maria gave him a small smile. “Be careful. There’s no telling what you’ll find there.”
~~~
“Sector three four secure.”
“Good. proceed to next sector.”
“Acknowledged.”
The Soldier walked along the top of the base, scanning the woods which spanned for miles.
No body means no death.
The Soldier shook his head; for the past three days, the voices in his head had been growing louder and louder.
The Hawk is still alive. He’s coming for you.
NO.
The Soldier had killed the Hawk. The Soldier had killed Barnes.
All that remained was the Soldier.
Then why do you still have the memories?
The Soldier paused, looking at his right hand. There was a tan line around one of his fingers.
A sunny day.
A smiling face.
A pair of blue eyes smiling at him.
A movement of fingers between the pair.
NO.
The Soldier resumed his surveillance, ignoring the pressing voice at the back of his head.
If this is Hydra, why do you still have your memories?
~~~
“Barton? Since when did you call meetings? And in the Quinjet?”
Clint was sitting in the pilot’s chair, looking at the assembled Avengers; Tony, Steve, Natasha, Sam, and Rhodey.
“Bucky’s missing,” Clint spoke, causing his audience to straighten up and listen. “And SHIELD can’t go in. Or won’t. He’s an Avenger, and we don’t leave each other behind.”
“What’s the plan?” Steve asked.
Cap asking me for a plan? Clint shook his head, not giving himself the time to ponder that turn of events. “Infiltration. We can’t go in blazing. We just don’t have the intel. Nat and Steve’ll infiltrate, locate Bucky. Once we have at least a facility plan to work off of? We’ll bring in the cavalry. Summer solstice, so we’ll have plenty of light to work with.”
Steve nodded, putting a hand on Clint’s shoulder. “You heard the man. We fly in five.”
~~~
“Sector three eight secure.”
“Continue.”
“Understood.”
The Soldier turned his head when he thought he heard a footstep, but there was nothing there. He continued his perimeter sweep.
They don’t trust you. They have you out here doing nothing so that they can figure out what to do with you.
The Soldier stopped, and closed his eyes.
Stop.
You know I won’t. You don’t belong here. You know I’m right.
The Soldier shook his head, and continued on his perimeter sweep.
~~~
“Aerial recon shows nothing besides the empty base,” Tony spoke as he typed away on a tablet. “And satellites show nothing at all. Something’s down there.”
“Nothing new then,” Steve stretched his neck as Clint landed the jet. “Alright, we all know the drill. Stay in contact.”
Once the jet landed, Steve and Natasha made their way to the base from opposite sides.
Clint busied himself by running diagnostics on the jet.
Sam came and sat in the copilot's chair, while Tony and Rhodey ran through suit-related matters.
“If you say it’ll be alright, I will punch you,” Clint spoke before Sam could.
Sam held up his hands in surrender. “I wasn’t going to say anything.”
“Sure you weren’t,” Clint muttered.
“We’re going to need some help,” Natasha’s voice came through the comms.
“That didn’t take long,” Rhodey observed, putting on his helmet.
“We didn’t expect such a heavily fortified outpost, did we?” Natasha retorted between grunts.
“Sooner would be better than later, gentlemen,” Steve’s voice came through.
“You heard the man,” Tony spoke through the Iron Man armour. “Let’s go.”
Clint retrieved a tablet which showed the team’s lifesigns, so that he was at least close to the action.
~~~
“Soldier! Take out the aerial targets!”
The Soldier did not take out the aerial targets. There was something familiar about the red and grey flying through the sky.
You know them.
The Soldier looked around the outskirts of the base, looking for the most innocuous part.
There.
The trees were slightly bent out of shape; hardly enough for someone to notice. But for someone who had learnt that trick? Blindingly obvious.
Go. Now.
The Soldier abandoned his post, and stalked his way to the trees. On his way, he pulled free the communication device in his ear, and crushed it under his heel.
~~~
“Barton, there’s no guarantee some of these people won’t get out and find you. Might want to grab your bow. Just in case.”
Clint rolled his eyes, holding onto his bow tighter.
As if I wasn’t already holding it.
Just to be sure, he began twirling an arrow in his fingers as he watched the tablet and the door of the jet. He really wasn’t expecting anyone to approach the jet.
He definitely wasn’t expecting someone to walk right in, no weapons.
Clint was standing, the arrow was nocked and aimed, before Clint even looked at the intruder. And then the intruder spoke in a broken voice.
“Clint?”
~~~
Seeing the Quinjet, the Soldier knew what he would find inside.
Though he was surprised to see the arrow aimed at his face.
“Clint?”
The Soldier was gone, and Bucky reached up to hold his head. “You’re dead. I killed you. I killed you, and I left you, and I was going to kill everyone, and-”
“Hey, hey,” Bucky stopped, and opened his eyes. Clint was standing in front of him, arrow dropped to the ground, and hands up. “I’m alive.”
Bucky shook his head. “That’s what they want me to think.”
“They?”
“Hydra. I was never free. They, they…” Bucky shook his head, and dropped his hands to his sides in fists. “We were on a mission together, just the two of us, but I killed you.”
“We haven’t been on a mission together for months.” Clint’s lips turned up in a smile. “Not alone, anyway. They banned us, remember?”
“There’s never a need for two snipers.”
Clint nodded. “Yeah. What was the other reason though?”
Bucky looked to the left for a moment, before looking back at Clint, eyebrows furrowed in thought. “We wouldn’t stop flirting over comms?”
Clint nodded again, smile growing. “Exactly. Drove everyone insane.”
“Steve hated it,” Bucky reached up to wipe away the tears in his eyes. “It’s really you?”
“It’s me,” Clint held open his arms; Bucky rushed forward, throwing his own around Clint. “Ow.”
Bucky pulled back, looking up at Clint’s eyes. “Ow?”
“I, um, broke my leg two weeks ago?”
Bucky let go of Clint so that he could push Clint into the pilot’s chair; Bucky sat in the co pilots chair. He took hold of Clint’s hands again, staring at them.
“You need to rest then.”
“I’ve been resting. Someone went missing on me.”
Bucky looked up at Clint, but only saw a smiling face. He shook his head. “Same old Barton.”
Both of them turned when they heard the landing whirs of War Machine. Rhodey retracted the helmet, and looked between the pair. “When you went quiet, we grew concerned. Nice of you to tell us you found him.”
“I didn’t. He found me.”
Rhodey looked at Bucky. “Good to have you back.”
“Good to be back.”
~~~
On return to the Tower, Bucky went into surgery to make sure that Hydra hadn’t done anything internally to him.
Clint waited outside the operating theatre, using the crutches that he had been ignoring for the past week.
“You should be resting in bed too, Mr Barton.”
Clint looked up at Helen Cho, a smile on his face. “You know me Doc.”
“Allergic to a bed?” Helen raised an eyebrow, before sitting next to Clint. “How is the leg healing?”
“As good as it ever does,” Clint shrugged, before tipping his head to the doors opposite. “How is he?”
“No internal damage. He was given a variety of drugs, not all of which I’ve been able to identify yet. Combined, they seem to have acted as a combination of truth serum and hallucinogen. We’ll know more after identifying the drugs. For now, Mr Barnes is under sedation, until he wakes up naturally. The more rest he can get, the better.” Helen looked at Clint pointedly at the last bit.
“So no ‘I’m so glad you’re alive’ sex?” Clint asked with a straight face.
Helen stared impassively back.
Clint smiled. “Fine, fine. I know the drill. He moving upstairs?”
Helen nodded, standing up and handing Clint the crutches. “I’m sure you will meet him up there, and insure that the both of you get the rest you both need.”
“As you wish, Doc.” Clint took the crutches, and turned towards the elevator.
“I’ll be by in the morning to check.”
“Yes ma’am.”
~~~
‘Mission two three.’
‘The elimination of target, codename: Hawkeye.’
‘Welcome home, Winter Soldier.’
Bucky woke having already sat up in bed, breathing heavily. He looked around the room, a basic hospital room.
Seated next to him, was Clint, still asleep. His head rested on his arms, which were on the bed.
Bucky’s heart rate dropped at the sight, reaching out to put his hand on Clint’s head.
At the contact, Clint’s head shot up, his eyes opening in the next moment.
“Wha?”
Bucky shook his head fondly. “Hey there.”
Clint stretched out his neck, watching Bucky. “How long have you been awake?”
“Just woke up. Surprised I didn’t wake you.”
Clint rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at the bed. “I’m not. I, um, haven't really slept the past two weeks. First I broke my leg, then you went missing. I guess,” Clint looked up at Bucky, expression open. “I guess I’ve gotten used to sleeping with you.”
Bucky shifted over in the bed, making room for Clint, before patting the space. “Come on then.”
Clint got up onto the bed, fitting himself at Bucky’s side.
“Perfect,” he mumbled around a yawn, before falling back asleep.
“Bucky pressed a kiss to the top of Clint’s head, before also falling asleep.
~~~
Steve closed the door behind him, turning to see Bucky holding a finger to his lips. Steve nodded, sitting in the chair next to the bed. He smiled at Bucky.
“How are you?” he whispered.
Bucky rolled his eyes, arm wrapped around a sleeping Clint. “You spoke to the Doctor before coming in here. You know how I am.”
Steve sighed. “Buck…”
Bucky rolled his eyes. “I’m fine Steve. I’m still me. And I still remember when we were seventeen and-”
“That’s enough,” Steve stopped Bucky from talking any further. “How’s Clint?”
“Clint’s tired,” Clint answered without opening his eyes. Steve looked apologetically at Bucky.
“Sorry for waking you.”
Clint opened his eyes, and sat up so that his unbroken leg hung over the side of the bed. “I was awake before you walked in. So what happened when you were seventeen?”
Steve glared at Bucky, who was laughing from his position behind Clint.. “I’ll tell you later.”
“Buck…”
Bucky rolled his eyes, before pressing a kiss to Clint’s cheek. “Sorry babe, looks like the boss has spoken.”
“So it would seem,” Clint replied. “We’re fine Steve. You talked to Helen; Bucky’s body has flushed the drugs from his system, and the serum’s taking care of the physical injuries.”
“And the mental side?”
Bucky let his head drop onto Clint’s shoulder. Clint reached up to pat his head. “It’s been a day, Steve. We’ll get there. Don’t worry, you’ll have a sniper back in no time.”
“You know that’s not my main priority-”
“Steve,” Bucky looked up, and gave his friend a reassuring smile. “It’ll take some time, but I’ll be fine. Okay?”
“Okay. I’ll check on you when you’re back at home?” Steve asked as he made his way to the door.
“Sure thing.”
~~~
The one benefit of having a fully-functioning hospital in the same building as your home? Home is an elevator ride away.
Clint has always appreciated this about the Tower. Bucky also appreciates this.
As soon as the door opened on their floor, both men felt instantly calmer. Three steps in, and a dog was jumping up at Bucky.
Bucky bent down to pet Lucky. “Nice to see you too, Lucky.”
“The dog likes you better,” Clint pouted, making his way to the couch. Once he was sitting on it, Lucky bounded up to sit on his lap.
“Or the dog is smarter than you, and waited for you to not be reliant on your crutches,” Kate made her way out of the kitchen, three mugs of coffee in her hands. She passed one to Clint, before giving the second to Bucky. Her mug was practically empty.
“Thank you.”
“No problem. Lucky was a breeze to look after,” she took a seat opposite Clint, while Bucky sat next to him.
“Of course,” Clint used a free hand to pat the dog. “He’s the best.”
“Yes, he is.” Kate pulled out her phone, and typed a couple of things on it. “Now, I’ve got to go. I can’t spend all my time looking after your dog. See you both around.”
“You know you love him,” Clint called to her retreating body. She offered a wave as the elevator doors closed.
Clint put his mug on the coffee table, closing his eyes. “It’s good to be home.”
“Yeah, it is,” Bucky smiled as Clint began to snore. His phone, which was sitting on the coffee table, vibrated a moment later.
HAWKEYE:
[We still on for tomorrow?]
Bucky frowned for a moment, and pulled up his calendar in his phone.
CLINT’S BIRTHDAY was displayed for the next day. Bucky looked at Clint, who was still asleep, and smiled.
ME:
[Of course. Where would I be without the world’s best taste director?]
HAWKEYE:
[And don’t you forget it. Two o’clock?]
ME:
[Sounds like a plan. See you then.]