Love's New Hope

Breaking Free

Steve glanced over at Bucky. His best friend hadn't said a word the entire flight, choosing to hide his face with his mask to avoid talking.

"Ten minutes." Tony called from the front of the Quinjet.

Steve nodded and got up. He, Bucky, and Sam were going in first, dropping from the sky and essentially hoping for the best.

"Buck?" Steve asked quietly, putting a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "You gonna be ok?"

Bucky sighed and removed his mask. He gave Steve a serious look. "I'll be ok when we bring Natasha home."

Steve nodded, understanding his friend's situation. "Then let's bring her home."
*
Twenty minutes later, Steve and Bucky were methodically working their way to the prison area of the facility.

"Just like home." Steve joked as the last HYDRA agent in a large group was knocked unconscious.

Bucky rolled his eyes in response, choosing not to lift his mask and give Steve the snarky remark that he so justly deserved.

"Natasha?" Steve called when they finally reached the prison block.
*
Natasha didn't even blink when she heard the gunshots outside. Jenkins, on the other hand, who was there playing a complicated cross between chess, checkers, and trivial pursuit with Natasha, jumped about three feet in the air.

"What in the world?" He looked around, uselessly as there were no windows facing the direction of the gunshots.

"That," Natasha said, reclaiming one of her captured pieces while he was distracted. "Would be our ticket out of here. It's only a matter of time before James and Steve make it down here."

Jenkins eyed her. "Were you expecting them?"

"Sort of." She grinned. "Steve and James really aren't the type to leave their comrades in a dank dungeon. Especially when said comrade is pregnant."

Jenkins rolled his eyes. "You and your annoying friends."

"Why? Afraid they aren't going to rescue you too?"

"No. I'm afraid that they'll get me shot while we're trying to escape."

Natasha opened her mouth to reply, but she heard a familiar voice.

"Natasha?" Steve called.

"Down here!" Natasha shouted going for the door, then thinking better of it, knowing that Steve really wasn't one to mess with opening doors.

And sure enough, the door came crashing in off its hinges. But a very different figure than she was expecting walked in.
*
The moment Bucky had heard Natasha's voice, he'd taken off down the corridor, ignoring everything around him till he reached her cell door. He made quick work of it, simply kicking it in.

He walked in, gun still held at the ready. Then his eyes landed on her. She covered her mouth, eyes filling with tears, but she still smiled, relieved beyond measure. And that was all it took. Bucky stalked over to her, ripping his mask off as he went. When he reached her, he cupped her face and kissed her, pouring all of his love into the display of affection. Natasha's arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer.
*
Jenkins eyed the destruction that Bucky had caused trying to reach his wife as Steve walked into the now useless cell.

"True love, or some such?" Jenkins asked, slightly distastefully, of the Captain.

Steve grinned as he watched Bucky kiss Natasha. "Something like that. Probably a little stronger than the fluff they promote these days."

Jenkins nodded, then turned back to the couple, who were still kissing. "Are you two going to do that all day, or are you going to actually complete this rescue mission?"

Bucky finally released Natasha and gave Jenkins a dirty look. Natasha chuckled at her husband.

"Maybe we should get out of here before HYDRA gets more people in here." Natasha said gently.

Bucky sighed. "Fine, but when we get back to the Tower..."

"I'm all yours." Natasha agreed. He took her hand tightly and led her out of the cell, giving her a gun and picking up his mask as they went.

Jenkins turned to Steve and made a gagging noise. Steve just chuckled and motioned for Jenkins to lead the way after the couple.
*
After a long plane flight where Bucky glared at anyone who got within three feet of Natasha, they finally made it back to the Tower. Once there, Jenkins insisted on checking Natasha over before Bucky could take her.

Natasha had to bite back laughter at Bucky's indignant look as Jenkins ushered her into the checkup room without him.

"Well!" Jenkins said huffily. "That boy of yours is so overprotective! I don't know how you stand him! Really!"

Natasha smiled. "I think it's sweet. He and Steve were really the only ones who cared when I was a kid. This is just kind of a transference from then."

Jenkins rolled his eyes. "Well if you ever need a break from that, push him off the roof."

Natasha laughed. Jenkins had become almost like a father to her in the months that they'd been at HYDRA, but seeing him this protective was funny.

"Don't worry, I will."  Natasha promised, though she knew that she would never do anything to hurt Bucky.
*
"Finally." Bucky said when he and Natasha made it back to their floor. He took Natasha in his arms and began kissing her. "I thought those guys were never going to give us some privacy."

Natasha chuckled. "You do realize I don't solely belong to you, right?"

Bucky gave her an offended look. "Are you trying to imply that I'm a little protective?"

Natasha kissed his neck and worked her way up to his jaw. "Yes," she whispered finally when she got up to his ear. "But I think it's extremely endearing."

"Good." Bucky said, gently running a hand down her back. "Because until the baby's born, I'm going to be with you 24/7."

Natasha pulled away a little. "That's not necessary, James."

Bucky sighed. "It might not be necessary, but it's what's going to happen."

"James, I really don't think..."

"No." Bucky said firmly, tilting her chin so that she was staring directly into his baby blue eyes. "Listen to me. For almost two months, I was scared to death that you were dead, that I wasn't able to protect you. But now you're finally back, and I'm not letting go of you. Someday I'll be over it, but for now, where you go, I go. It's nonnegotiable."

Natasha searched his eyes for a moment and saw all of the sadness, hurt, and worry that he'd dealt with during her kidnapping. She hadn't dealt with that, knowing that Bucky was out there and would save her. But Bucky had had no guarantees of her safety, and it'd been killing him.

"Fine," She said finally. Relief flooded over Bucky's face. He'd been expecting a fight. "But," Natasha added. "On one condition."

"Name it." Bucky said, too relieved to care right now.

"Cut your hair and shave." Natasha said with a smile. "I like 40s James better than the Soldier."

Bucky chuckled and kissed her. "Deal."