Winter's Redemption [winter soldier//Bucky Barnes AU]

Chapter Twenty One

BUCKY'S POV

The train came to a screeching stop at the station. A half second after it stopped the doors slid open, and we hurried off of the platform to avoid any unnecessary attention- though there didn't seem to be anyone near or around the train tracks.

Since there was no one in the city due to evacuation, we agreed to use one of the local houses as a temporary base. After walking about a half mile from the train station, we chose a house that was in the middle of a small neighborhood. It was highly unlikely that anyone from Hydra would ever visit this location and it was more than big enough for a possibly long-term stay.

Tony used a special tool of his to unlock the door, and we were greeted with plain grey walls and plush furniture. A quick look around told us that whoever used to own this house had already cleared out their valuables, and all that was left was whatever they were unable to carry.

I walked down the hall and entered the living room area, which contained a corner couch, a coffee table and a TV. The shelves above the fireplace were bare. There were sun faded spots in the wall paint, hinting as to where picture frames used to hang, the haunting remains of a past life.

Making my way upstairs, I walked into the first bedroom I saw and placed my bags on the floor. Sarah came in a few seconds later and put her bags down as well. Her curly hair was drawn up into a ponytail, a few stray pieces escaping from the hair tie and hanging in front of her eyes, and I noticed that she wasn't wearing her usual small amount of makeup. She looked tired and I wondered if she managed to get much sleep on the train.

When we came downstairs, Tony had managed to get the TV to work, and Natasha was cooking something on the stove. The cabinets must've still held some pots.

I took a seat on the couch near Steve and Sarah sat to the right of me, her shoulder pressed against mine due to a lack of space. We agreed right before getting off of the train that we should begin investigating tomorrow, and allow ourselves time to rest and set up a base prior to putting ourselves in danger. So for the rest of the night, our only plan was to rest.

And besides eating the food that Nat had prepared, we truly did nothing. A few times we discussed what we might find tomorrow, and Tony spent a little more time researching, but he didn't turn up much. We mostly restocked our weapons and rested our bodies.

Later, around four or five in the morning, everyone decided to sleep once more before we set out. Nat and Steve had gone upstairs to sleep, Sam was asleep on the other side of the couch, and Tony was sitting in the kitchen, laptop still on but eyes barely open. Sarah's eyes could hardly stay open either and I was surprised that she had lasted this long after apparently not getting very much sleep last night.

"Sarah, get some sleep," I whispered to her, her head now leaning tiredly on my shoulder. She yawned and nodded, not saying a word and beginning the head upstairs. After much debating in my head, I decided to get up and follow her up the staircase to the bedroom, needing some sleep myself.

We drifted slowly into the room, and Sarah collapsed tiredly on the bed, wrapping herself in the blankets. She watched me come around the other side of the bed with half closed eyes. I smirked at her obvious grogginess and slid under the covers beside her.

I couldn't help but think about how thankful I was that I had found her. Looking back, I can't even begin to fathom what I would've done without her help. She had pulled me from the dark recesses of my mind, allowing me to breathe and function and think clearly. She had helped me stay sane in my hour of need. She had also, in a way, helped me find Steve again.

Her breathing evened out a few minutes later, signifying that she was asleep. I couldn't bear to pull the comforter from her so I lay without a blanket, warmed only by her body next to mine.

I wasn't cold all night.

---

The next morning, I was woken up by her calling my name in an attempt to get me up in time for breakfast.

My eyes shot open and were met with Sarah's wide blue ones as she stood over me. The dark circles were gone, and her eyes looked alive and bright and as if they'd finally gotten some rest. I was glad.

I took a deep breath and stretched my arms as Sarah smiled and waited for me to get up. I cringed as I stretched. My metal arm was pulling at the skin on my shoulder blades and it stung. She seemed to notice my wince, but decided not to say anything, and I stood up beside her. We made our way downstairs.

When we got to the kitchen, Sarah went to grab food, but Natasha caught me before I could follow.

"Go change, we are going to check out the building." She said, tossing me my uniform. I caught it and she walked out of the room, leaving me to briefly wonder when she had managed to grab it, but she was gone before I could even complete the thought. I pulled my shirt over my head and slipped the thick uniform on over my lower half, and then yanked it up all the way and walked out of the hall to find the rest of the team ready to go. Steve was in his spangled uniform with his shield latched on his arm, and he was going over what we were going to do. I stopped and listened. Once he finished, we set out.

Sarah fell in line with me. She was wearing one of Natasha's catsuits, and a loaded gun was resting in her palm. She gave me a nervous look and I hoped that our training sessions would be enough to keep her alive.

"Just remember everything I taught you," I told her. She nodded.

"I'll do my best."

We walked along the edge of the neighborhood road, just inside the tree line- hidden, but close enough to examine from afar. After walking for a few miles, we soon closed in on the road that lead to the base.

Several cars drove by. They were all pick up trucks, with their beds covered. There could be anything from ammunition to drugged mutants under the sheets, and I shuddered thinking about the possibilities. The back of mind wondered if I had ever been transported so inhumanly. I probably had been.

We continued to follow the road, and soon arrived at a huge, ten foot tall gate. Tony swore under his breath.

"Well how the hell we s'posed to get up there without being seen?" Sam asked. Everyone looked around, and Nat took out her compact.

"Now isn't exactly the time for a makeover, Romanoff." Stark said, raising his eyebrow. Natasha rolled her eyes.

"I'm not doing my makeup, you twat." she said. She opened up her compact and blew on the makeup. The dust swirled in the air and revealed glowing, thickly-clustered infrared lines in front of the gate. 

"I swear, I'm surrounded by idiots." she muttered. Steve glanced up and pointed.

"Look- that camera. It's making the infrared lines." he said, and I followed to where he was pointing. The camera was pointing away from us, luckily, but it had a red light on the side that was emitting the laser beams. Natasha blew more makeup and soon there was a section that was somewhat visible. Nat used her flexibility, stepping through the lines. Once she got to the fence, she searched for signs that it was electric. Finding no cause for concern, she glanced back at Sarah.

"Sarah, you want to come investigate with me?" she asked. Sarah looked at me briefly before nodding.

"Remember your training," I told her as she followed in Nat's path. She nodded, and soon her and Romanoff took off, running along the outside of the wall to search for an opening. The rest of us found a well-covered section of trees, and waited for them to return.