Winter Is Coming (A Bucky Barnes Fanfic)

Chapter 24: Absolute Zero

"Snow was falling,

So much like stars

Filling the dark trees

That one could easily imagine

Its reason for being was

Nothing more

Than prettiness." -Mary Oliver

***

The man carrying the large money bag drops to the cement of the bank's roof, landing with an oof and a puff of loose snow.

Steve sighs and picks up the ratty bag. "I hate easy missions."

"I feel that," Harley says, rolling the man over with her boot and inspecting his wounds. "He's lucky I'm exhausted; otherwise, those would be third degree burns."

Steve hands the bag to an official and nods when he thanks them. "Just doing the job."

Harley and he depart from the roof, using the roofs close by to go back to headquarters.

"Is it just me, or do our missions seem to be getting less dangerous?" Steve asks as they stroll across the top of a restaurant.

"I agree. Last week we were catching some gangsters, and now it's a simple bank robber. What happened? I know there are bigger things out there," Harley says.

"Do you think it has something to do with Bucky?"

Harley almost trips. "What do you mean?"

Steve stutters to get an answer out. "I-I mean, like, do you think they're being more cautious because of what happened?"

Harley eyes him suspiciously. "Yeah, maybe..."

Steve nods. "I think that's it. I think his death showed that we're not indestructible."

"They should've known that; they shouldn't've needed a demonstration."

Steve cringes at her snappy tone. "I'm just saying."

Harley stops and faces him, crossing her arms across her chest and moving forward, causing him to back up until his heels dangle over the edge. "Steven Rogers, do you know something I don't know?"

"No," Steve answers. "What do you mean?"

"Why were you at Stark's last night?"

Steve fakes a laugh. "What, a man can't go hang out with another man without getting questioned? We just had a few drinks. Really."

"Steven."

Groaning, Steve takes a seat on the edge of the building and pats the spot next to him, brushing snow off the ledge. Harley sits down.

"You're not going to believe me, but that night, I thought I saw him."

"Bucky?"

"Yeah. I was there, and we were drinking, and I could've sworn I saw him walk out of a room then go right back in. I wasn't drunk, I can't be, but I swear that's what I saw," Steve explains. "I asked Stark about it, but he put me down. He let me search the room and everything."

Harley almost smiles. "I've seen him, too. I see him on the top of Stark tower, on the streets, or even during missions."

"At least I'm not the only one," Steve says, relieved. "But what made me think it was real was that when I saw him he wasn't the Winter Soldier. He was Bucky. His hair was cut, and he was wearing a suit like the one he wore to my mom's funeral."

Harley nods. "Same here. I think one time he was in his Winter Soldier attire, but the other times it was like I was back in 1942."

"How I wish I could be there now," Steve says, smiling at the sky. "I would give anything to be normal kids from Brooklyn again."

***

"It looks great in here," Steve says as he enters Harley's new apartment. "It's a little of both of you. Bucky and Harley mixed into a living space." If only it would occupy two people instead of one.

"Thanks. I just need to unload the rest of his guns," Harley says. "He had them everywhere."

"Typical Bucky," Steve chuckles. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, I just need to get my shoes."

Steve waited in the doorway for her. Stark was having an annual New Year's Eve party at his tower and had invited all of S.H.I.E.L.D. Steve had talked Harley into going when she was hesitant towards the invitation.

"Does Stark have parties a lot?" she asks when she reappears.

Steve nods. "For every season it seems like. Christmas, spring, summer, New Year's, even St. Patrick's day I think someone told me."

The duo depart from their apartment building to Stark's, riding over on Steve's motorcycle. Steve had donated Bucky's to a neighbor downstairs who had no means of transportation besides his feet.

Parking in a lot across from Stark's, they cross the street and enter the lobby. A sign instructs them to go to floor forty-five.

"Forty-five, Jarvis," Steve says as they get in.

"Of course, Captain Rogers. Good evening, Miss Conrose." The doors ding shut and they shoot upward. Harley glances at herself in the mirror and jumps, thinking she'd seen Bucky where Steve was standing.

"You alright?" Steve asks. Harley only nods, putting on a smile as the doors open.

Most of the time is spent drinking and waiting for the ball to drop on TV. Harley gets tired easily, wishing to go home but not feeling like it would be right to leave before midnight.

Over the course of four hours, she swears she sees Bucky at every corner. She saw him once peering out of one of the doors that lead to a bedroom, another time walking away from her, and another time at the bar. The apparitions are making her upset, so she sits alone at a round table and rests her eyes.

"You're not dead, too, are you?" A voice asks after a few moments. Harley opens her eyes to see Clint there, who takes a seat across from her.

"Not dead, just tired," she says. "How've you been?"

Clint shrugs. "As good as I can be I guess. Rogers said you're holding up well."

Harley nods. "I am."

"Glad to hear that," Clint says. "It's two minutes to midnight, why don't you come over and countdown with us?"

Harley grimaces almost in pain at the thought of starting a new year without Bucky.

"Or you can stay here, whatever fits your fancy," Clint says, giving her a reassuring smile and joining the crowd by the TV.

Harley would've gone and counted down, but she couldn't make herself do it. She couldn't celebrate.

"3! 2! 1! Woohoo!"

Everyone cheers and couples kiss. Harley frowns because the person she loves is

six

feet

under

the

snow.