Safe Haven | B. Barnes

nat r.

The notorious redhead slipped off her shades and studied the large house. Last she checked, Sam Wilson had a sister that fostered a handful of kids in the house as a sort of home. As the second tracker proved, the men came here. A place to hide right under the government's nose. Clever.

With her hip, she nudged the driver's door closed and cautiously approached the steps as she eyed the porch entrance for cameras that could be recording. None found. With casual strides, she climbed up the steps and lifted her hand to ring the doorbell. Before her finger could put pressure on the small white circle, the door flew open and an angry Steve Rogers appeared. "I thought I told you not to put trackers on us," he growled. Natasha smirked, "I know. It's just a habit I guess." His scowl deepened, "What do you want?"

Nat shrugged, "No hi, no 'how are you doing'?"

"What do you want, Romanoff?"

The spy-assassin sighed, "I just wanted to know where you guys were hiding, some people were starting to get suspicious at the cafe so I thought it was best that we meet here." Steve frowned, not in anger but in thought. "Is there something going on?" Sam asked from somewhere behind Steve's well-built frame.

"I'd love to tell you, boys, but Steve here doesn't seem too keen on letting me in," Natasha replied and stared at Steve with raised brows and an expectant look. Steve sighed and stepped back, allowing the woman room to get in. Quickly scanning outside, Steve shut the door behind him. Stiff as a tree, Bucky towered Nat, blocking the entrance to the living room. "Excuse me, Barnes," Natasha said lowly.

With a disapproving frown, Bucky stood sideways and allowed her in.

She scoffed, Like two peas in a pod.

"So what's the news?" Steve asked, wasting no time. Nat sat on one side of the couch closest to the door. "The day Elliot was brought back, somehow the female cop made the connection and must've spotted the car you were driving behind the house as they drove away. Apparently, someone called in that black Camary as missing and now they want to question Margeret Wilson."

Sam crossed his arms and furrowed his brows, "And you know this how?..."

The agent smiled a sly grin, "You know me, Sam. I have my ways." After an awkward moment passed, Bucky cleared his throat, "Marge won't be back until Monday evening."

"I'm just the messenger but," Natasha paused dramatically, "I do have a way out." All three men were listening intently.

"Tony has-"

Steve groaned and crossed his massive arms over his chest. "As I was saying, Tony is willing to help. Under one condition," she paused and looked at the WW2 sargent, "Barnes-"

"No," Steve's stern tone pulled everyone's attention to him. "No. We already ruined the Avengers over this and the accords, my answer is still no."

Natasha exhaled through her nose, "Tony is going to speak with an ambassador and see if they can come to an agreement of some sort that as long as Barnes stays in the HQ, he won't be bothered by the feds. However, we aren't sure if that'll be the terms of the agreement or if the ambassador will even agree. Until then, you're to stay here," She directed her last phrase to Bucky who was thinking about everything said.

"I have something that will assure you that Tony isn't the enemy anymore," she began, earning curious and suspicious looks.

Natasha went back outside and quickly brought in a long, rectangular case. Setting it on the dinner table, she snapped the locks and opened it.

Inside was the near exact replica of Bucky's Hydra assigned arm, resting in a cutout of black Styrofoam with other gadgets around it. The only difference was that it didn't have Hydra's was the missing red star. Though Bucky didn't show it, a sickness settled in his stomach.

"Tony worked with Helen Cho to recreate this and added a few things." Nat reached over and grabbed a thin looking remote and aimed it at the arm. With the press of a button, the cold, gray metal began to disappear as a blue graphic shield came over it. In less than two seconds, the metal was now disguised in a fleshy color hologram.

Bucky looked up at Steve and back down at the arm. "Why?" Steve asked.

"Who knows, maybe the guilt was eating him. He got your letter, by the way." Natasha motioned with her head to Steve. For a long, pregnant pause, nobody said anything. "I'll come back tomorrow to pick Barnes up and take him to Stark. He'll install the arm for you. Until then, keep this here, it's collecting dust in the trunk," Nat closed the lid and shoved it over with one hand to Bucky.

With a wordless exit, Natasha Romanoff left, leaving the men in deep thought.

"What do you think, Steve?" Bucky glanced over at his best friend from the past. "If there's one thing I know, Tony rarely does favors for people he holds grudges against. He wants something from us," Steve said with cold, calculating eyes.

Sam heaved a sigh with a distant stare at the metal case, "You think it's true?"

"Maybe. But one thing's for sure, I'm not letting  Bucky leave alone. We could have someone come and watch the kids but if we leave the kids might tell," Steve pondered.

"So what are you suggesting?" Bucky asked as he subconsciously moved away from the case and went to sit against the edge of the couch.

"We'll go, Sam can stay. Just let the kids know that they need to be on their best behavior, no cops no fuss," Steve said as he looked directly at Bucky.

Bucky merely nodded in agreement.