Broken But Strong (Bucky Barnes fanfic)

7. Ciao, Roma!

Alice hailed a cab and on the way home was trying to wrap her head around things, that had happened today. She knew that it'll be hard for Bucky, but as she said to Agent Hill - she wants only the best for this man. All these months will be enough for him to return back to normal life and even go back to field. Girl handed driver the money and went to her apartment to start to pack her stuff. She took her black suitcases and started to put in her clothes and other stuff like jewerly, shoes, toiletries, hair straightener, blow dryer and other. The rest of her things she put in her black duffle bag.
When Alice was finished, she took a long shower and washed her hair. She set her alarm to 5:45am, put on her navy blue pyjamas and went to bed to rest for a few hours.
~~~
Tony put all of the papers in manila folder and took an elevator to go down to his garage. His black car was already waiting for him and he got in. He knocked on Steve's apartment door and patiently waited for the blond supersoldier to let him in.
"Tony? What are you doing here?" Steve frowned.
"Nice to see you too. And yes, I'd like to come in," Tony chuckled, going in.
"Ugh, yeah, come in," blond lightly shook his head and shut the door.
Billionaire headed to the living room and flopped on the couch, before dropping the folder to the coffee table. He took a look around.
"So what do you want?" Steve sat on the other end of the couch, but then saw the folder and reached for it.
"I want answers at first," brunet put his foot on it.
"What answers?" blond frowned, leaning back in the cushion.
"What did you do to Alice?"
"She went to you?"
"Not directly. She went to my tower for a briefing and I met her."
"What briefing?"
"Answer my question at first and then I'll let you to see this."
"Alice took Bucky to Central Park today and he freaked out. She calmed him and then they came back. I got pissed off and, when came back, I yelled at her and told something I didn't want to," Steve ran his fingers through his hair, avoiding eye contact with brunet.
"What did you tell her?" Tony shifted on the couch, narrowing his eyes.
"I told that if she'd be more careful, her parents would be still alive," blond whispered, hiding his face in his hands and resting elbows on his knees.
"What? You know damn well it's not her fault," Tony's 'brother instincts' kicked in.
"God, I know and I'm so sorry."
"Alice didn't tell me anything. She even defended you. Thank you for taking the last bits of my sleep for at least six months," brunet stood up and left Steve's apartment.
Steve rubbed his face and took the folder. He read Alice's report at first and then went through the rest of the information.
"What's that?" Bucky leaned over blond's shoulder and grabbed the report.
Captain jumped a bit and didn't manage to snatch the sheet back.
Brunet's face fell reading it, tears swelled up in his eyes and Steve's as well. Bucky sat on the couch and with a shaking hand took the folder. Steve didn't even try to stop him. He knew he would have to tell him that anyway, but wanted to do in a gentler manner.
"What is it about her parents?" Bucky coldly asked.
He was hurt and tried to not express his emotions and feelings much.
"It was her 18th birthday and also her graduation day. She went on a restaurant with her parents to celebrate that. On the way back home Alice was driving. It was the green light for her and she drove over the crossing. Then a truck, whose driver was drunk, collided with her car in the passengers side and the impact pushed her car in the opposite road and collided with another car. Her parents died before they even reached hospital. Doctor told that Alice even might not make it till the morning. But she did and spent two weeks in coma. After that all she joined SHIELD's academy and that's where she met Tony, and you know the rest of the story," Steve didn't even look up.
He felt more guilty than he was already. Bucky on the other hand was so shocked that couldn't move. It put all of the piecies together for him - why she never talked about her family and birthday, hated hospitals and was slightly panicing on the crossings and explained her nightmares. That's when he saw how strong she actually was - Alice didn't brake, but kept going on in spite of everything. She always was smiling and it was impossible to tell how broken she actually was. Immediately Bucky took her as his role model. He wanted to make Alice feel proud of him.
"Buck, I'm really sorry for what I said. I lost control and-" Steve looked up at Bucky.
"Неважно," brunet grumbled, putting folder back on the coffee table. (Never mind)
Steve reached his hand to squeeze his friends shoulder, but man stood up, avoiding the touch and went to the kitchen to take a bottle of beer from the fridge. Blond sighed, picked all papers together and carried them to his bedroom, putting them in his safe. He heard Bucky going back to his bedroom, closing the door behind him.
~~~
Alice's bedroom filled the signal of her alarm. She sighed and turned it off. Girl had slept only few hours, because she struggled to fall asleep. Her thoughts all the time returned to Bucky. Alice stretched in her bed and finally got up. Still being in her pyjamas, she went to the kitchen and put on the kettle to boil for her coffee, which she made stronger this morning than usually. Girl went back to her bedroom and got dressed in a pair of black jeans, simple grey t-shirt and her black 'Vans' and gathered her hair in a ponytail. She put on her favourite watch and a ring, girl found while packing yesterday. It was simple silver ring and she was happy that found it.
The last bits of milk she poured in her coffee and made few sandwiches. Her phone buzzed and she opened the message:
"Hey, if you need, I can give you a lift ;) Marco"
"Thanks, that would be nice." Alice replied.
She was relieved that she wouldn't need to think how to get a cab.
"Send me your adress and I'll be there soon."
Alice did as he asked and quickly finished her breakfast. Then she washed the dishes and checked apartment for the last time. There was a knock on her door and she opened it.
"Good morning, Alice," Marco smiled brightly.
"Good morning. Come in," she opened the door further and man came in.
"Nice place," he took a quick look around.
"Thanks. So, do you want coffee or lets go?"
"Lets go. We should put some stuff in the plane anyway."
"Who's gonna fly it?" Alice took her duffle bag and suitcase, while Marco took her biggest suitcase.
"I'm also a pilot," man smiled again.
He just couldn't stop smiling around Alice. Man really liked her, but she behaved a bit distantly so he was determined to break her walls.
Girl found Marco quite attractive, but he seemed to be kinda 'macho' and it wasn't her type. It's not like she wouldn't let them to get to know each other, but she was sure she wouldn't date him.
"Wow. Every time I'm in the cockpit, I get confused by all those buttons, switches and screens," Alice chuckled, locking the door.
"I was in air force for five years. Planes have fascinated me since childhood and my dad is a pilot so it wasn't a big surprise for my family," they took the elevator to get to the first floor and went out.
Marco's car was just in front of the door and they put her bags in his car next to his.
"And how about you? Did you choose your career inspiring from your parents?" Marco closed the trunk and went to the driver's side.
"Not really," Alice evasively answered and sat in the passengers seat.
"Okay. We're gonna stop at Caro's place as well."
Man started the car and drove off. Caro lived in 10 minutes drive from Alice and they spent the way talking and getting to know each other. When they reached other girl's apartment, she was already waiting outside with an older man. Alice assumed it was her father, because they had the same smile. Marco pulled over and they both got out of the car.
"Hi," Caro smiled and threw her arms around Alice.
"Hi," a bit shocked, she returned the hug.
"Good morning, Giovanni!" Marco hugged the man.
"Hi! And you're Alice, right?" the older man turned to Alice.
"Yes, sir," she smiled and extended her hand, but man pulled her in a hug.
"Please call me Giovanni. And this trip is so unexpected. And for such a long time."
"I know, dad. But I have my friends and we'll be fine," Caro rolled her eyes.
"I'm just worried."
"And dad, if we don't contact for a while, don't panick. Not everywhere is good WiFi connection."
Alice saw how Caro hated lying to her father, but it was for his own good and safety. Caro was one of those Agents who had double life. After HYDRA compromised SHIELD, she managed to save her secret.
"Just use any chance to contact me."
"I will," she pulled her father in a bone crushing hug, kissed his cheek and got in the car.
Marco shut the trunk and went to the driver's seat.
"Keep an eye on my piccola," Giovanni said. (The little one)
"Of course," Marco and Alice answered in the same time and got in the car, waving 'goodbye'.
The rest of the drive went in a silence. No one said a word and it was quite comfortable. Alice took a good look on the city like she'd try to burn the sight in her memory. She knew it was useless, because city like New York is hard, no, more like impossible to forget. There were also photos of the city in her phone and she decided to change the wallpaper from forest to New York's landscape. Scrolling through the photos and trying to decide which one to pick, she found a photo of her and Bucky. Alice softly smiled, lightly shaking her head. Bucky was frowning, concentrating on his phone, the tip of his tongue stuck out. He didn't notice Alice took this selfie with him and nobody knows about it either.
"What's so funny?" Caro leaned forward and looked over her her shoulder.
"Nothing," she immediately scrolled past that photo and opened one of her favourite photos of New York.
"What was that?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"People don't smile like that seeing a photo of city."
"But I do," Alice shrugged and set it as her wallpaper.
"It's not over yet," Caro smirked and leaned back in her seat.
"Whatever," girl rolled her eyes put her phone back in the jeans pocket.
The streets were akready busy, so the drive to the private hangar wasn't very quick. Everyone in the car was pretty nervous, because they knew - if they fail, thousands of people will die. They had to do the best as always, but this time 'trust' was involved. And in mafia it's not that easy to gain it. Especially if you're from the outside. Their identities of course are made to match more mafia standards, but they knew very well, that they'll have to work off their asses, but on game are too much people lives and in long-term.
Marco stopped the car inside the hangar and they all got out. By the pile of boxes Alice saw familiar red suit and a man with brow hair sitting on one box with a tablet in his hands. She smiled and went to the man.
"Is that Tony Stark?" Caro nudged Marco's side, whispering.
"Yes," Marco's eyes widened, seeing Alice going to him.
"Which one is it?" girl asked, pointing at the suit.
"It's F.R.I.D.A.Y." Tony stood up, putting the tablet aside.
"I thought we took leave yesterday," she wrapped her arms around man's torso and hugged him tightly.
"Wanted to make sure my stuff is in good hands," he returned the gesture and kissed her temple.
Caro and Marco were totally dumbfounded seeing them hugging.
"You don't trust me?" Alice dramatically gasped, taking a step back and put her hands on her hips.
"You? Never," Tony snorted.
"You're lucky I love you. Otherwise you'd be dead," she laughed, patting his shoulder and went back to Marco's car for her stuff.
Caro and Marco snapped back to reality and started to take their stuff too and carry to the plane.
"Tony, why you didn't invent a thing that would put the boxes in the plane? Something that would use reactor's power or something like that," Alice frowned, taking another box.
"Not a bad idea. Come back soon and make it," he winked.
"Nah, make yourself."
Marco was jealous like hell, seeing how Alice and Tony talked and acted. He understood that her love for this genius wasn't in a romantic way, but their constant flirting and laughing caused him a blunt pain in his chest. Caro on the other hand was confused, how girl knew this billionaire so well. She already had thousands of questions for her, and with every second she was getting more and more impatien to ask them.
"It's the last one," Marco wiped sweat from his brow, after putting the last box down.
"Great," Caro sat down.
"I'm gonna start the plane," Marco went to the cockpit.
Alice went down the stairs and jumped in Tony's arms. She knew she will miss him very much just like Bucky. Billionaire knew how risky this mission is and the thought that she'll have to face mafia, HYDRA and God knows what else, made him shudder. She was the first woman he didn't desire but saw her as a sister and science buddy. Her mind and determination attracted him not her fit body, sparkling eyes or beautiful smile.
"Stay safe and contact me whenever you can, okay?" Tony whispered in her neck.
"Okay, and keep an eye on Bucky, please," Alice mumbled in his chest, trying her hardest to hold back tears.
"Anything for you. And stay away from that playboy," he rubbed her back and pulled away.
He had known from the very beginning that Alice truly cared for Bucky and never thought of him as her mission. Man knew that these kind of feelings can be unshared, but he hoped it wasn't like that. Tony wanted Alice to be happy and loved. He didn't really hate Bucky, but if that made girl happy, then he was happy too.
"Of course," she chuckled and kissed his cheek.
Alice went back to the plane, while Tony got in his suit. She waved for the last time and billionaire saluted in his suit. Laughing, Alice went in and flopped in her seat. Marco closed the door and girls put on their seatbelts.
"How do you know Tony Stark?" Caro started her question attack.
"We met in academy. No, we don't have a romantic relationship. And no, I haven't slept with him," Alice asnwered as if she had read Caro's thoughts.
"For how long have you known him?"
"For about two years."
"Have you met the rest of the Avengers?"
"Yes."
"Who is your favourite?"
"It's like asking a parent to pick a favourite child."
"Have you tried to lift Thor's hammer?"
"He offered, but I declined."
"Okay, put on your seatbelts, because we're gonna depart like now," Marco said and the plane took off.
"Ciao, Roma, I guess," Alice smiled.
"Ciao, Roma," Caro nodded and sunk deeper in her seat.

--------A/N-------

Thank you for reading and voting.
~Undi