Kindred Spirits

From Afar

  Colonel Phillips signed Andy and us on as a strictly off the books recon and special ops team. He allowed us to stay off base, though I was there enough that I might as well have stayed anyways. I was the go person for the group, facilitating communication between Phillips and Andy. We developed a system, Steve having remembered where most Hydra bases were located from a map in the isolation ward. Our job was to scout these locations as discreetly as possible, confirm Hydra presence and report back.

  We had also been given intel on a few higher ups and scientists to locate. We would tail them, making note of the people they met with, where they stayed, and trying to ascertain their movements. We chose to divide and conquer, carefully shifting our groups after each tailing, so as not to arouse suspicion. Joe typically stayed behind, agreeing that keeping him out of sight was probably in our best interest to keep him from being targeted.

  I acted as the de facto leader, Andy gladly taking a backseat as I became the unofficial face of our little group. I attended the meetings, giving input where needed, staying silent mostly. Anytime I wasn't held up in boring ass meetings, I was sparring with Steve, which meant inadvertently seeing Bucky as well.

  He didn't approach me often, though he did watch me, almost burning holes into my back with how intense his stare was. I pretended not to notice, thankful that multiple millennium had given me enough familiarity with my body and mind that I could operate on full autopilot as I considered the blue orbs attempting to unlock my soul.

  I carefully danced around direct interaction with him, only addressing him when in a group. I refused to admit that a part of me wanted to give in, to allow myself to get close to him. I spent many sleepless nights remembering what had happened the first and only other time I had given my heart to someone else. My mind replaying the thought of Lykon, cold in my arms, blood running from his mouth. The scars on my heart refusing to heal like any other injuries I sustained.

  My hand was forced, however, when I walked into an empty sparring room one day. I began to warmup, though I was interrupted by someone being shoved through the doors just before they slammed shut, a loud click indicating they were locked. The man looked up, revealing the startled blue eyes of the man that had been plaguing my mind and heart since I had rescued him in Italy.

  "You'll be let out when you can talk to her like a big boy, Barnes!"

  I heard the boys laughing, and I rolled my eyes as I stood up with my hands on my hips.

  "You realize that I could just kick this door open?" I called out, walking closer, the threat in my voice clear.

  "C'mon, be a good sport, Ash!"

  "The day someone has a say in what I allow to happen in my life is the day that I die, now open this fucking door." My voice was deadly calm, a voice I knew could send a shiver down any man's spine. There was silence for a moment before the lock was unlatched and the doors thrown open.

  I knew from previous experience that my eyes were cold and calculating as I examined the men in front of me, black with rage. I stepped forward smoothly, prowling towards Dum Dum and Jones as they shifted uneasily.

  "Any of you try something like that again and I will permanently ensure that you are unable to have children, got it?" My voice shook with barely restrained rage. I watched as they nodded vehemently.

  I huffed as I turned on my heel, marching down the halls, no longer in the mood for sparring. I made my way out to the small parking lot, finding my bike and eagerly mounting it. I was almost on the street when Bucky stepped in front of me.

  "Wait! Please, wait," he yelled, gasping as I stopped my bike from running him over. "I didn't have anything to do with that, I swear."

  "I know you didn't," he looked confused, "You seemed to be perfectly content watching me from a distance."

  He blushed, reaching a hand up to rub the back of his neck. "You always this blunt?"

  "Being alive over 5000 years leaves little desire to beat around the bush, Barnes."

  I watched him carefully before letting out a small sigh. "Come on," I nodded him to the space behind me.

  "What-" "Andy's not the only one with property in the English countryside."

...............................

  I brought us to a smaller manor than the one Andy had, closer to a cottage than a manor. The grounds were better kept than Andy's though, and a small car in the driveway answered why. I killed the ignition on the bike, leaving space for the car to leave and moved towards the door. An older man stepped outside, his eye lighting up at the sight of me.

  "Ah, my lady, you have returned!" He rushed over, pulling me into a hug as a let out a small laugh.

  "Glad to see you hard at work, Collins," I pulled away as I looked him over, "Any problems with that knee?"

  "Some soreness when there's a storm about, but nothing the doctor's been concerned about. And who's this strapping young lad?" He eyed Bucky suspiciously before looking back at me. "Not going to have to defend your honor anytime soon, am I?"

  "I think that we can both agree I can defend my own honor just fine, Collins. Now, you can go ahead back home to Molly, I'll try to stop by for dinner later in the week."

  "Ah, she'd be happy to see you, the boys have been hounding her about you for months."

  Bucky stood by my side as I saw Collins off, waving at him until his car was down the driveway. 

  "Come on, I'll give you the tour."