Love's New Hope

Nightmares Come True

Natasha smirked. "And Stephanie if it's a girl?"

"You read my mind." He inclined his head slightly. "You coming back to bed?"

"Not yet." She said, turning towards the window. "I just want to watch the night a little longer."

Bucky shrugged and stood next to her. "Then I'll wait with you."

She smiled and took his arm, leaning against him. The next morning, she would vaguely remember Bucky carrying her back to bed as she fell asleep, but for the moment, she was at peace.
*
"Well, Jenkins?" Bucky demanded the next evening.

"Hmmm," was all Jenkins said as he moved the some of his work related stuff around.

"'Hmmm'? That's all you have? You've been saying that for the last hour!"

Natasha chuckled. Bucky was being typical Bucky: overly protective and extremely annoying to doctors. After Steve had had so many problems as a child and the doctors were unable to help him, he'd lost any faith in doctors. He was only barely tolerating Natasha having daily checkups, and not very well at that.

"Don't worry, James." Natasha said calmly. "You know Jenkins never says anything until right before he leaves."

Bucky glared at Jenkins. "Jerk." He muttered.

In another room, Steve began choking on his lemonade as he started laughing at the same time as he was drinking.

"Turn it up!" Clint said excitedly. "This is usually where it gets good."

After the first few appointments, the rest of the Avengers has placed bugs and cameras in the checkup room to watch the show (they'd started doing this after Bucky had accidentally punched a hole in the wall). But now, it was more popular than movie night. Tony even recorded the sessions so that after Natasha no longer needed checkups, they could still watch them.

Loki crunched on popcorn as they watched Bucky try to not lose his temper with the infuriating doctor. "I love this." He said, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

Thor chuckled as he ate some of Loki's popcorn. "You always did enjoy the trouble people caused."

Loki snickered. "Mortals."

Sam gave him an annoyed look. "Asgardians die too, freak."

Loki shrugged. "Yes, but we live a lot longer."

Sam opened his mouth to respond, but the arguing suddenly moved from on camera to in the corridor. Tony quickly flipped from the live feed to The Flash.

"DC?" Rhodey hissed at Tony.

Tony shrugged. "Better than them finding out we watch them."

"And there's nothing wrong with The Flash." Loki protested. "It's a good show."

Everyone glanced at him.

He blushed a little. "Oh, look. Here comes Sergeant Diddlysquat and Ambrose Lee."

Thor shook his head. "Loki, I don't even know where you get these names."

Bucky and Jenkins walked in, still arguing. "She doesn't need to be moved!" Bucky protested.

"She's a very special case. She needs more care." Jenkins said, obviously annoyed with the Soldier.

"But..." Bucky was cut off as the power suddenly was shut off in the building. There was the quick sound of a scuffle and just as suddenly, light flooded the room.

But Jenkins wasn't there any longer.

Bucky and Steve's eyes met. "Natasha." They said at the same time.

They ran back to the checkup room, but Natasha wasn't there. All that was there was a small slip of paper, showing the identity of her kidnappers.

HYDRA.