Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

Hidden (lady/moon)

Phil nodded. "i know." he admitted as he stood up and followed Phil. "...if anyone listens in? peeps or eavesdrops... i will hang them by their balls, outside the jet. and for those who don't have balls? well, you won't like what happens either." he warned before turning to follow Clint.

he shook his head. "no. you see. James Barnes is my best friend Bucky. we all thought he died. he didn't. he was found and turned into a Hydra assassin after they wiped all of his memories. you've seen that. haven't you?" he asked softly. "that's fine." he promised. "i'd like to check up on him myself." he admitted. "come on. we'll look together." he promised as he followed her, letting her lead the way. "...what will you do, if it turns out he's on no ones side?" Steve asked after opening a door and nearly got buried in mops and brooms. "what happens when you learn just what happened to him? what happened to you?" he asked her, once he managed to get the brooms back in place. "...Sarah... Bucky Barnes isn't your only father." he admitted softly.

he nodded. "all good points." he agreed. "she'll probably choose whoever the Asset chooses." he admitted. "yes. well..." he shrugged. "you want her to trust you, she'll know if your lying. i might have made some fucked up choices for some fucked up reasons. i lied, i cheated, i tortured and killed and hurt people who i actually liked." he admitted. "for a cause i thought was right. because i hated all the wrong people for the wrong reasons. i don't want her to have to go through that." he admitted. "no one should have to go through that."

"Barnes raised her?" Phil asked, looking honestly shocked. "well. lets get him up and talking then." he agreed. "and since we want him to like us, we won't even hit him." Phil decided, sighing a little. "might as well just question them both at the same time." he decided. "May? go and let Ward back into his cell and put Barnes in there. make sure he stays in his God Shackles. i don't want him tearing a hole in my ship." he admitted. "Tony? would you go and get Captain and the girl here? i'll take them in to talk to Barnes together." he decided. "might as well let them talk for a bit and i know Steve wants to speak to the man too." he admitted, rubbing his face. "Clint?... i know we need to talk." he admitted, staring at his specialist. "i know i made a mess of things and i'm sorry... you can beat me up once i'm sure we're not all going to die in our sleep, okay?"
 
“Yes he did. For 18 years. Then they separated them. Ward suspects that’s how she’s been controlled, part memory wipe, part promising to let her see him.”Tony said smirking, because it was such a rarity to see Phil Coulson actually shocked. “I will.”May said as she left to get things ready. “This is going to be such a mess.”Tony muttered as he walked out again. Clint tilted his head watching Phil, features so carefully blank you’d think Loki was back in the driver’s seat, instead of a archer mentally shutting down to deal. “Okay.”he said simply, nodding towards the door. “You better go supervise. Three super soldiers in a room together is bound to be ugly.”he muttered.


“...”Sarah stared at the other, shuddering hard, looking away. Trembling a little as she remembered not only watching the memories get wiped, but what it felt like. Because while she wasn’t supposed to remember, they couldn’t do it well enough to make her forget everything, so she remembered what it was like to feel the memories slip away. “You mean, what will I do if he’s not on your side? He’s on mine. That’s all that matters.”Sarah shrugged, because it had never occurred to her to wonder if he would abandon her. James had come for her, had remembered who she was, had remembered where to send her if she needed to run. Laughter bubbling out as he was nearly buried in mops she sighed quietly, not willing to look at the questions he brought up, not until she saw James. “,...His name is James.”She corrected as she continued on tensing, responding to a threat even before Tony rounded the corner. “Cap?Agent’s waking Barnes up and wants you two in there with him.”Tony said yelping as Sarah pushed past him, returning to the room she'd woken up in, assuming that was where this Agent was. "Little eager isn't she?"Tony muttered sounding like his normal sarcastic self, but without the usual snarky mood behind it, simply talking because he was worried.
 
he blinked again. "wow. that's. uhm..." he shook his head. "that's just sick." he finally decided. "i can't imagine what that poor girl went through." he admitted. "it is going to be a mess." Phil agreed. "but we have to try." he admitted with a sigh as he watched Clint. "...Clint i..." he paused and then paled at the idea of three Super soldiers in a room together. "oh hell this was a bad, bad idea. bad bad bad." he muttered, racing out of the room, distracted as Clint had probably intended.

he shook his head. "i know Bucky isn't on my side right now. Hydra hurt him. pretty bad." he admitted. "he didn't even know me." he admitted, looking pained. "but i want to be on your side." he admitted. "i want to help you, and Bucky too." he knew that Bucky would never leave her, never abandon her. not when he went through so much to get her to safety. "....it's not nice to laugh." he grumbled as he struggled with the cleaning tools. "his name is James Buchanan Barns. Born in Shelbyville, Indiana in 1917 March the Tenth. in 1930 he moved to Brooklyn, which is why he talks funny." Steve admitted. "he saw me getting my ass kicked and joined me in the dumpster they'd dumped me in. as soon as he was old enough, he was enlisted into the Army, just like his father and eventually became Sergent. in 1947 he fell. and was thought to be dead." Steve admitted. "i thought he was dead. days later i was frozen. turns out, he was too." he admitted before huffing as he watched Sarah take off.

"thanks Tony." he stated before shrugging. "he raised her i guess." he admitted with a shake of his head. once they where in the common area Phil led them to the interrogation room. James was looking around, as calm as ever, no doubt thinking he'd been captured by Shield or Hydra and was about to be tortured for Sarah's location. he twitched when he saw her and Phil held Steve back. "Miss Taylor. you can have ten minutes alone with him." Phil promised her, Steve scowling before nodding and stepping back out, Bucky snorting. "they are recording every bit of this conversation." he admitted, examining her. "have they hurt you? are you okay?"
 
“Yea. Pretty much. But it’s hydra, do you really expect differently?”Tony muttered. “...”Clint smirked, pleased that the distraction had worked, settling in to wait and see just how badly this was going to all go.

“...If you haven’t noticed, I’m not overly nice as a whole.”She pointed out before tilting her head, wanting to hear the lie, but not hearing it. Ward was right, she could tell when she was being lied to, but not hearing it, she was feeling out of sorts. Nodding tightly at the words, willing to accept it for now before rushing off. “Welcome. And he did. For 18 years. They made him forget her, you broke whatever programming he had in place. Made him start remembering I think.”Tony muttered confirming what Sarah had told him as they headed for the common area.

Sarah nodded a little at the promise of ten minutes looking around the room, before her eyes found James face. Moving over to him, looking him over. “Yes but they can record gibberish.”Sarah smirked before slipping into that easy mash of both Russian and Romanian, and every language in between littered with a brooklyn twang she’d picked up from him, knowing that they’d probably be able to translate it given time, but well, it made her feel better, and a little vindictive, switching languages on whoever was watching. Because for them, it hadn’t been math problems or words that he’d taught her, he’d played language games with a child bright enough to form a sentence using four or five different languages to do it. “No, I haven’t been hurt more then knocking me out to get me on the plane. And I’m fine. Well. Confused. Meeting the Captain and the others are confusing. I don’t,...I don’t understand why everyone wants something from me, papa.”
 
Steve snorted. "no. i suppose not." he agreed as he shook his head. "i honestly never pictured Bucky as the paternal type, but he raised her well." he admitted. "i don't think i broke anything." he admitted. "i think that they just miscalculated." he admitted. "i'm not sure. i suppose i won't be until i talk to James." he admitted.

James grinned a little at her, smile sharp and dangerous. "that's my girl." he admitted as he smiled at her. "good. i was worried. who has us? Hydra or Shield?" he paused. "well, they're the same thing really." he admitted, throwing a little Finnish into their speech just to throw the people off. "the drugs they shot you with won't have hurt you, though i bet they where surprised when you woke up a lot sooner than you where supposed to." he admitted before he sighed. "Listen. i want you to pay close attention. there are a lot of people who want you. Hydra, Shield, the CIA, the FBI. it's because of who your parents are." he admitted. "i am one. the other was Steve Rogers, Captain America. they had hoped that they could recreate a compatible, functional Serum through the birth of... well, you." he admitted. "i should have told you when you where younger, but we where always being watched. they took you away from me when i started breaking through my programming in an attempt to get you free." James admitted. "some people, like the Avengers, will protect you if you can find them. some various singulars from Shield will be willing to help you, but you have to be very, very careful of who you trust." he ordered.

"the wrong people will kill you at best, brainwash you at worst. they can, and will torture you, experiment on you, or...." he swallowed hard. "or turn you into breeding stock so be very careful. i taught you how to survive, do so. and if you can, find Steve Rogers. he's incapable of doing bad things. it's ridiculous really but he's your best shot at freedom. do you understand? i know he's probobly like, ancient by now. if he's even still alive..." ah, so Bucky didn't realize that Steve Rogers had been frozen too. he thought this Captain America was a fake, a clone or a trick. no wonder he didn't feel bad about trying to crush Steve's windpipe.
 
Sarah’s answering smile was just as sharp and dangerous, “Shield, I think. At least in part.”Sarah frowned a little thinking before smirking. “They were. Got tagged with a overgrown puppy as a guard when I started wandering around.”She said before pausing, staring at him, eyes widening at his words. So. The captain hadn’t been lying. He really was her parent. “...I’m sorry....Papa...I know they took you away because I was finally old enough to function on my own...I’m sorry...”She muttered staring down, fighting tears before startling. “They’re here. The avengers I mean. Should....Can I trust them?”She asked eyes darting around, anxiety tightening her features a little, bouncing between spanish and old norse, before reverting to russian, the mother tongue he’d taught her first, he was scaring her enough that she couldn’t keep up the game before startling, eyes widening as she turned to face the door. “He’s not. He says he knew you. He was frozen to.”She said turning to look at him again, studying the door for a long moment before deciding they really couldn’t hurt her for getting closer, before reverting to the innocent teen she’d been when she’d lost him the first time, instead of the 26 year old who knew she needed to hold it together, slipping closer, nudging his arms up so she could slide between them, nearly climbing into his lap in her need to be held, because in james’ arms, she had never had to worry about being safe, she’d known she was protected with him.
 
he nodded. "good. you have a chance then." he muttered in Celtic before he snorted. "a pup hmm? is he cute?" he teased with an impish grin before he shook his head. "they took me away because i almost broke you out." he admitted. "you where old enough to function on your own, so i tried to set you free and they caught us." he admitted as he stroked her hair. "that's why they sent you to that collage. they could further train you while keeping you under their direct control. they've probably fucked with your brain a couple hundred times by now." he admitted before he blinked at her. "...you mean that blonde monkey i got so close to killing was actually Steve!?" he demanded, looking rather horrified. "...oops." he trusted her to know. he lifted his arms and let her lay in his lap and closed his eyes, holding her as best as he could. "i have missed you so." he whispered, letting her cling to him. "how long did they say you could have with me?" he asked, chuckling when she answered. "it's been eleven, i think their tender hearts have been touched." he admitted. "listen... you need to understand, i have done bad things... i might not be able to be with you anymore." he admitted, closing his eyes. "i might go to jail, i might even die for my crimes..."
 
“Adorably so, actually.”Sarah snorted a little in amusement, before sighing softly, frowning as she tried to remember that. Tried to remember almost escaping, shaking her head. “I don’t...remember that part...I just remember...you leaving.”She swallowed hard, leaning into his hand before nodding. “Yes. It is. He’s very forgiving though. Seems to want to help.”Sarah twitched a little, sighing softly as she leaned into him”10 minutes.”She muttered against his chest before frowning, pressing closer to him. “No. I wont let them. If they want me to play nicely with them, then they’re just going to have to accept your staying to.”She said having reverted to english for that, knowing the others were watching. Not about to move until they came in and told her to move, or separated them. “Besides, the blond puppy might have a problem with your execution you know.”She muttered knowing she was going to bribe, beg, and barter for whatever she needed to save the man she was holding onto.

“....I might get sick. I’m serious, Rogers, this much emotion is sickening.”Tony grumbled as he stood next to his best friend watching the scene in front of him on the video feed, tilting his head. “Though you should go in, have a small family reunion going on. I’ll see about convincing Coulson to release them into our custody.”he said already turning to look at the director standing next to them, giving him that ‘I’m tony stark, and you want to do what I want you to do’ smile.
 
he chuckled. "Blondes always are." he teased with a grin. "no, i don't imagine you would. they strapped you into the machine that messes with your head as soon as it failed and left you under for way too long." he admitted. "they where punishing me by making you hurt. they didn't care if they caused Brain damage so long as you where still functional." he admitted. "i didn't leave you know. i fought hard to stay with you. they put me on ice as soon as they'd finished wiping your mind and when i woke up... i didn't know you anymore." he admitted. "Steve has always been far too forgiving." he admitted with a shake of his head. "Sarah..." he complained, looking amused. "please try to remember that i tried to kill... personally tried to kill two of the people outside that door." he admitted as he stroked her hair as best as he could. "even if they don't kill me, i'm too dangerous to keep around." he admitted. "you need to take the chance you have to live a life worth living." he muttered.

Steve huffed. "Tony stop being a dick." he ordered with a chuckle. "it is kind of sweet. i think i'm getting diabetes." he agreed. "i'll give them a bit longer." he decided, Phil chuckling. "Tony. right now, you are the worlds leading authority." he admitted. "the Avengers don't answer to anyone. if you want him, take him, i certainly won't stop you."
 
“Oh.That makes sense.”Sarah muttered shuddering a little at the idea, before raising a hand to punch him lightly in the ribs, “Don’t care. They can take that deal or they can shove it up their ass. There has to be a benefit of having the good captain as a sperm donor. Using it to get what I want is it.”Sarah said, showing every sign of being just as stubborn as Steve when she dug her heels in.

“Uh, no. You worry when I stop being a dick. And I’m getting cavities, seriously.”He snickered before smirking at phil, “Oh good. No arguments then. I’m taking him. And you. And the rest of your team. While this plane is awesome, seriously, I want a plane like this, you’d do better with a safe home base, not to mention I want to put Ward in a room with those two for awhile, just to see what happens. So. You’re moving in to.”Tony said sounding for all the world like he was having a conversation with himself in that he was answering questions and deciding what phil and the others were going to do, without giving him time to say anything. “It’ll be fun. Like the world’s best sleepover. Could you imagine the games of ‘I’ve never’ or truth or dare?It’d be epic.”
 
he grunted as he was punched. "Helpless here." he complained. even though it was a dirty lie. he was The Asset after all, he was never, ever helpless. "sperm donor? Pet, i don't think he even knew they had his seed." he pointed out, looking amused. "i know he would never have given his own permission for something like this. they stole his spunk to make you." he teased. "you should be flattered."

Steve snorted. "this is true." he admitted with a shake of his head. "she just hit him... she just hit the winter soldier." Phil muttered, a little stunned. "wait. what? my team isn't going anywhere." he protested before pausing. well, Tony wasn't wrong. they could do with a home base, before Skye murdered someone and Fitz started going off about monkeys. "...Ward remains locked up." he stated sternly. "you have no idea the level of treachery he is capable of." he admitted as he shook his head, looking amused. "you might actually get them to play. Skye certainly would and i'm sure Fitz and Simmons could be talked into a game or two." he admitted. "alright. it's a deal." he agreed. "we'll need a place to park the Bus. and you can't touch Lola or i'll chop your fingers off. and if you speak to Fitzsimmons make sure you don't make them cry." he ordered. "and don't corrupt anyone either.... and i want a look at the Falcon's wing specks."
 
“You are just a helpless little kitten aren’t you? Poor you. I shall have to try and be nicer.”Sarah rolled her eyes before squirming out of his arms, laughing. “Probably not. And I’d be more flattered if I didn’t know you are just as weirded out by it as I am. I mean come on, you and steve rogers had a love child, without ever playing tonsil hockey. You can’t tell me you don’t find that weird.”Sarah said breezily, with the effortless words of a woman who’d long been the only person allowed teasing him about anything, and she seemed to be accepting her status as both their daughter easily....she’d crash later, for the moment she was dealing.

“...She did....and commented on his sex life....I feel like we walked into the twilight zone...”Tony stared before smirking. “Yes you are.”Tony said smirking as he watched phil accept the idea before smirking. “He’ll stay locked up. Never said I’d let him out. Just that I’d put them in a room with him. He was...there a few times. I get the feeling neither winter nor mini would appeciate seeing him again. You might enjoy seeing that.”Tony smirked before perking up. “Really?I’m totally trying the games. And yes, Cap, you get to learn them to.”Tony said sounding pleased with himself before frowning at Phil. “...So many rules. I should make rules. It’s my tower, I should make rules for you....lets see...talk to Clint. Let me make bets on who kills who first, or who’s going to bloody Ward up first, or if Skye’s going to teach my AI badass new skills or...” “Tony, shut up. Just because you’re excited about having him back, doesn’t mean you get to be weird.”Natasha drawled rolling her eyes, knowing this was tony’s way of saying he was glad phil was still alive, tilting her head. “We’ll put the plane down at Stark’s mansion out of the city. There’s enough cars at the place to ferry all of us to the tower without being obvious.”
 
he chuckled a little. "i am a helpless little kitten. look how sweet and innocent i am." he stated before he cleared his throat. "uh... well... actually." he cleared his throat again and then. "Steve and i where lovers. in the war." he admitted. "...often, actually. like. every night." he admitted, flushing harder as he remembered that they where being recorded. "you need to get get some sleep. they'll be in soon to question me." he admitted. "i don't want you to be here, in case they decide i need to be tortured." he admitted.

Steve was bright red as he watched the screen and Phil looked at him, more than a both shocked as Steve cleared his throat and tried to banish the red in his face. "we have. yes. the twilight zone." Steve agreed. "and we will never, ever repeat any part of this conversation, ever again." he ordered before shaking his head. "Ward has no contact with either of them, ever. hes Hydra, and high up. he might find a way to make Bucky Barnes do what he tells him." it never occurred to him that Ward might listen to James. without a handler, Ward had no idea what to do or who to listen to. he did consider it though, once Tony completed the thought. "was he? well... i might consider it." he decided with a smirk. "i'm not sure i want to." Steve admitted, even if he knew he was going to play just because he liked some of the games Tony had introduced him to.

"seriously stark. don't touch Lola." he ordered sternly. "i was already planning on talking to Clint. who is going to kill me first." he stated simply. "then it will be Steve who kills you for making jokes about him and James, James is going to bloody ward first.... if Skye doesn't get there before him. and of course Skye is going to teach Jarvis things. she's on my team for a reason you know." Phil scoffed before he offered Natasha a sheepish smile. "good morning Agent Romanoff." he greeted before he nodded. "go and tell Agent May?" he asked. "i have to go talk to Clint." he admitted with a sigh. "Agent Simmons? please be on standby for medical assistance." he ordered before heading to find Clint while Steve knocked on the door, warning Sarah and James that he was walking in.
 
Tony slid his eyes over to look at his friend without actually turning to look at him. “....Should I move them on your floor then?I mean, you do have a guest room and a bed big enough to hold two super soldiers.”Tony muttered already ducking away to avoid the smack he knew was probably coming. Dancing a few steps over he sighed, “Do. Consider it. They might have a better chance of getting him to talk.”Tony shrugged a little, smirking at steve’s words. “You know you do.”He added because he knew despite the other’s denial, he had indeed enjoyed some of the games.

“Fine. I wont touch Lola.”Tony rolled his eyes smirking at the rest, rolling his eyes a little. “I will.”Natasha said looking worried even as she left. It would take phil a little while to find his archer, the man having retreated into the closest version of his nest that he could find on the plane, the balcony above the gym. Barely looking up when phil arrived he sighed quietly. He should have known that not even international assassins and new sleeper agents would keep phil coulson from finding him for long.

“....”Sarah stared at her father, flushing herself as she considered that. Because for 18 years, she’d never known her father to show any interest in dating, much less sex. Not realizing that if he had felt the need for relief, he’d simply waited till she was at school to go find some. This was weird, to consider her father having sex. Glancing towards the door she thought about what the recording meant, what it was going to mean to being here. Switching back to russian from english she sighed quietly. “He wont be the same person. Or probably be as accepting of you either. Don’t...you love him papa, don’t let it be a weakness.”She muttered though still flushed and features blank, her eyes were dark and worried about how the knowledge of what the two best friends had been to each other, changed the balance of power. “...Fine.I’ll leave when they get here.”She said in a way you knew she wasn’t happy about it.

Starting a little at the knock on the door she shifted to stand between james and the door, even if she’d been ordered to leave, she wouldn’t leave until she knew who it was. Shifting so that james was mostly hidden behind her, she looked up at the blond as he stepped in, and standing there between them, it was obvious that she was their daughter. Coming nearly to Steve’s chin in height, she was blond and tan, lean muscles making her look sleek and lithe, and while she had steve’s coloring, she was built like bucky, compact and slender, power in a small frame. But it was bucky’s icy grey eyes that looked up at steve, with both wary anger at not knowing what was going to happen, and wary curiousity to know the man in front of her.
 
Steve narrowed his eyes at Tony, the look unreadable. "it was a long time ago Tony." he admitted, his voice strangely blank. the way it was when he didn't want to talk about something. all of the Avengers had gotten the 'shut up right now' tone from Steve. though none as often as Tony. not that it was a surprise. "i'll do that." Phil agreed, grinning as Steve shrugged. that was as good as admitting the super soldier had enjoyed the games. particularly the ones where he got to kill things in violent manners. Steve absolutely loved the X-Box. "who in the hell is Lola?" Steve demanded. "oh, that would be Coulson's car. it's vintage, Howard Stark made it personally. it's Coulson's 'baby'." Fitz explained, looking amused. "...oops." Steve muttered. "....maybe he won't notice." Steve muttered looking quite sheepish.

Phil studied Clint from a distance. "i like it better when your hitting me." he admitted. "can you come down? i really want to explain." he admitted as he examined the Tablet. Skye had loaned it to him. on it was everything she and he knew about the procedures that had been used on him to bring him back to life. if he was going to trust anyone with this, it was Clint. "please, Clint..."

he chuckled. "Steve was the only person i ever wanted." he admitted softly. "even as a kid. i was a womanizer to the extreme, but i never... you know?" he asked with a smile. "Steve used to crack up when he realized i couldn't 'get it up' for a girl.... he stopped laughing when i started bringing boys home. not that i could get it up for them either." he admitted, speaking in a mash up of six different languages now. clearly he didn't want anyone but her to hear all this. "i'm not the same person as i was either. it was a long time ago." James admitted, echoing what Steve had told Tony. "we're both too broken for such things now." he admitted, smiling at her. "thank you." he turned when the door open and examined Steve who walked across the room and snagged two of the chairs, offering one to Sarah by placing it next to Bucky before dragging his chair over more so he could sit facing them.

"as of right now, you have no options." Steve explained simply. "you do not get to negotiate, you do not get to ask for a different option, you do not get to bargain. there is only this option." Steve stated simply. "since the events in DC, no one within Shield can be trusted." Steve admitted. "Hydra appears to be everywhere, and i cannot trust that if i hand you over to someone else, that you won't in turn be given straight to Hydra. so. that means that as of this moment, you are prisoners of the Avengers." Steve explained simply. "you, James Barnes, will wear those cuffs at all times until my Genius can create new ones that will allow a little more freedom." he knew Tony was already working on designs. probably some sort of super magnet bracelet that could be activated at the push of a button or something. "as for Sarah Taylor. as far as we know where you go, she goes. so She's coming to the Tower as well." Steve admitted, examining Bucky. "...once we land, and we have those new cuffs, the first thing your doing is taking a shower. you stink." "yeah well, you smell like roses and daffodils." Bucky quipped back. "no torture for me then huh?" "as if it would work." Steve stated, rolling his eyes. "no. no torture for you. i'll have someone take you back to your cell so you can get something to eat. we'll be landing in about an hour."
 
Tony shrugged a little as he realized he was being looked at, not bothering to answer. He knew the tone, knew when to listen to it or when to push it. He wasn’t stupid, he knew this wasn’t a subject to push right now. “Some girl probably.”Tony said before looking at Fitz, groaning. “Dammit. I like cars.”he whined a little at the forbidden fruit of driving lola. That was just mean.

Clint stared down at the man, sighing quietly before landing lightly on the floor next to him, smirking slightly before settling a hip against Lola’s hood. He was such a ass when he was in a mood. “....Does this mean you’re dropping us off and leaving?”

“...Ewwww. I don’t want to know. Please. It’s bad enough I know about my roommate’s sex life, I don’t want to know yours.”She whined in russian a little, but there was a quiet pain in her features, knowing what this had to be doing to him, knowing he’d lost the one person he had cared for. Looking at the chair offered to her she raised a eyebrow before gingerly sitting down in it, and at steve’s words you could hear her grinding her teeth, getting ready to protest that they couldn’t baragain or have different options. Before realizing in that moment, that steve really was a good guy. That he had no intention of handing them over. While she didn’t trust him, or anyone of them, she knew he wasn’t lying about giving them a place to stay and that it wasn’t a trick. “...I was thinking he smells more like apple pie really. And sort of like to much gym time.”She wrinkled her nose a little, it was obvious her sense of smell was strong, strong enough that even three people in a room after a fight could be hard on her, it was amazing she managed to be in any fight at all, when her senses were under constant assault. Studying the other, she frowned a little. “I want a room with him. I’ll go to the tower, but I don’t want to share with anyone else.”She said, well, at least she was accepting where they were going, even if she was going to be demanding about what she wanted.
 
Phil shook his head. "no. i have manipulated Tony into offering us a place to stay." Phil admitted, watching Clint, his eye twitching when he saw the man leaning against Lola. he didn't say anything though. "i'll be around for a while. until another mission comes up. and since Shield is down that might be a while." he admitted. "besides. i don't think i could leave you again." he admitted, swallowing thickly. "i died you know." he admitted. "i know it's a shitty excuse but..." he offered the other the Tablet. "it's the only one i have. i was afraid to see you because... i was different. somehow and i knew it and i was... afraid..." afraid Clint wouldn't want him anymore. because he was different. he was... broken now.

he snickered a little at her whining and shook his head. "you are such a brat." he complained affectionately before looking up at Steve.Steve in fact, could hear her grinding her teeth and suddenly knew why Tony was such a dick all the time, this was kind of fun. "....you've been reading way too many comic books." Steve complained dryly before he shrugged. "i don't think i like the shower in this place. it's... really.... odd." Steve admitted, sounding a bit baffled by it really. of course, being that it was a Fitz creation, it was going to be weird. "we can manage that." Steve admitted. "my Genius is..." he paused and then. "he's freaking insane, so instead of getting rooms we all get our own floor." he admitted. "it's... weird. he's weird. the whole freaking world is weird." Steve admitted with a shrug. "you'll have to understand though, James is going to be monitored very closely, he won't be allowed to go as he pleases and neither will you. it's a probation of sorts." he admitted. "you'll have everything you need and most of what you want, but you ARE prisoners." it almost looked like it hurt him to say that. "until we can be sure your not going to kill us in our sleep, we have to keep ourselves safe, and that means a lot of restrictions for the both of you."
 
“...I’m sure that’s what Tony would say if I asked him.’Clint snorted in amusement, at both because he knew tony had probably demanded that phil stay at the tower, and because he knew that it was bothering him that he was leaning on lola. “....I know. I did watch the video...of what happened on the helicarrier.”he swallowed thickly, looking down at the tablet, frowning a little. Because this was hurting him badly, wasn’t sure if he could accept this, and he knew he was different to. But maybe...they could work this out? “It is a shitty excuse, but its the truth. If you were lying, you’d think of something better.”Clint muttered not looking at the tablet, not ready to look at whatever it was, knowing it was going to be bad.

“Comic books are awesome, and just at my reading level.”Oh, the lie that was. Such a whooper. She’d been reading classical novels at 6, comprehending what she was reading. The fact that she enjoyed comic books the most was a dirty little secret that only her and james knew. “....Maybe it’s not them that’s weird, just you.”Sarah said smiling vaguely before her eyes darted around the room, turning her head just enough to look at james, anger flashing across her features as quick as heat lightening before it was hidden again. Well, it was obvious she was well trained to hide, but strong emotions were shattering what control she did have. Moving to get up she paused at steve’s side, “Then you are no better then they are. I’ll see you when we get to the tower, Papa.”She muttered as she moved to the door, pausing long enough to let tony disengage the lock to let her out. So obviously lumping both the avengers and her former hydra keepers into the same pile of people not to trust.
 
Phil shrugged. "so long as Tony thinks it's his idea what does it matter?" he asked with a grin. "i really wish you wouldn't do that." he grumbled as he watched Clint's leather pants leave smudges on Lola's pretty varnish. he'd have to polish her later. "yes well... what you didn't know is that i was dead for four days... or that's what they claim anyway. it's hard to sift through all the bullshit and lies." Phil admitted, rubbing his chest. "i still don't know the full truth of what they did to me. what i do know is bad enough." he admitted. "honestly, i don't know if i could lie to you." he admitted as he watched Clint. "not after all that's happened... sometimes, thinking of you is... probably the only reason why i'm still alive and sane." he admitted. "read the Tablet. i want you to know." he admitted. "so far, only i and Skye knows whats on there. once your finished reading, the information will be destroyed. i don't want it getting out." he admitted.

Steve snorted. "if you where in Shield's Specialist training Program. i highly doubt that." he admitted. "not to mention your Bucky's daughter, he probably read you Mobey Dick and a Midsummer nights dream as bedtime stories." he admitted. "well. i did come from the thirties." he admitted as he shook his head. "i'm sorry Sarah." Steve stated softly. "i know it sucks." he admitted. "but i have to keep my team safe, more than anything. if it makes you feel better, you and James won't be the only people on restrictions. Phil might trust them, but i don't." he admitted. he had made the mistake of trusting the wrong people, he wasn't about to do it again. all of Phil's little 'ducklings' would have the same amount of access Sarah and James did. very little. oh they'd be able to go where they wanted, for the most part. but they wouldn't have access to any of the 'toys', wouldn't be allowed in private floors unless it was their own. wouldn't be allowed into the R&D sections. he wasn't about to let anyone walk off with Stark Tech. and he wasn't about to allow anyone to slit someone elses throat either. "she'll calm down." James promised. "she always does. she's got a mean temper." "yeah... so did you." "still do." "...come on. lets get you back to your cell. you look like shit. you need a big meal and a nap."
 
Clint raised a eyebrow as he glanced down at the car, swallowing thickly, it was obvious he wanted to be vindictive, leave smudges worse then what he was already leaving but...pushing away from the car he sighed quietly as he looked at the tablet he was holding and phil. “...I’ll read it. Back at the tower. I...I have a feeling I don’t want to be reading this where someone could watch....”He paused raising a eyebrow as he watched the blond super soldier stalking past the door, sighing quietly. “...This is such a mess.”He muttered shaking his head a little.

“....Moby dick gave me nightmares and Midsummer’s night dream made me want to marry puck.”Sarah muttered angry not because they were were being restricted, but because she knew she could be free to do what she wanted. That they both could, but james had long been the shackle used to cage her, to keep her from bolting when she got tired of what hydra wanted. Ward had been right, james was the leverage they’d used to make her behave, and she was feeling pissed that he still was being used for that purpose, not believing that they didn’t want something from her.

When they arrived at stark mansion tony was a ball of excitement as he walked down off the plane, snickering slightly at the sight of james being led out by steve and ward being towed along by may. “I feel like I should buy you all stuff in prison colors.”The billionaire said ignoring the glares that got sent his way, waving a hand towards the fleet of sports cars waiting for them, or the two SUV’s. “Now, Cap, I’ll let you make the choice on what vehicles to take, stay all together, or split up?”
 
Phil sighed, relaxing a little. "you can sit in her, if you like." he offered. "just don't push buttons... she tends to shoot things." he admitted, Watching Clint. "...that sounds fine. if you think someone else might try to get it? destroy the device immediately." he ordered. "and i do mean destroy, memory chip, sims card, hard drive, mother board, all of it." he ordered, hesitating as he watched Sarah skulk off. "... a big one." he agreed. "but, it's one we can fix, i think." he admitted softly as he looked at Clint, reaching out and taking his hand. "i love you." he admitted. "i always have and i always will... even if i was selfish and afraid. that will never change." he admitted before he walked out to check on things.

Steve's lips twitched. "of course you'd want to marry Puck." he muttered, shaking his head before helping Bucky to his feet. "hey i'm sorry, about. you know... trying to crush your throat in... i didn't realize you where you." he admitted with a grin as Steve huffed and gave James the equivalant of a weeks worth of calories.

"we stay together." Steve ordered. "i don't want certain people slipping away." Steve admitted, his eyes flicking, not to James or Sarah as most people would expect, but to Ward, who just grinned. "we'll split up both teams into the two cars." Phil ordered. "May, i want you with Ward." he ordered, glancing at Steve who nodded. "Take Natasha with you, between you two i think we can keep Ward in line." "Ward? Grant Ward?" James asked, looking surprised. "that's not your name." he protested. making everyone pause. Ward just stared at James, shocked. "what? of course it is." Ward stated, looking at James as if he was crazy. "you've never met me. how do you know me?" "of course i met you! i trained you!" "Garret trained me." "....oh hell..." James muttered, staring at Grant with dawning understanding. "they used it on you." "....lets continue this conversation once we get back tot he tower." Steve ordered. wondering what it meant that both Sarah and James both knew Grant Ward, intimately. Grant actually knew Sarah, he just didn't know it.
 
“I remember.”Clint muttered but didn’t move to get in the car, nodding a little. “I’ll destroy it so completely not even Tony can put it together again.”Clint snickered a little before sighing. Curling his fingers a little around phil’s, he swallowed thickly, quiet as he watched the other leave, before whispering.”Love you to.”he muttered.

Natasha’s smirk widened as she looked at ward, “Just some eye candy to stare at then.”She smirked, proving that May had told her about what Ward had said. Startling a little at James’ words she paused looking at them. “.....I think I’m glad he doesn’t remember more...”Sarah muttered looking around her with wide eyes, because she could almost remember, she remembered Grant. Could remember him being there with her when she was still young enough to be utterly cute and following after him like a puppy when he was at the house for training. Could almost remember more, but it was gone, just like his own memories of it. “Let’s go. Tower and then we’ll sort this out.”Tony said already hustling everyone into cars.

When they got to the tower it wasn’t to the penthouse levels that tony took them, because while he wanted them to be welcomed, he wasn’t stupid enough to let them all into his private rooms just yet. Instead settling them into one of the free lower level apartments, though it was bare of personal touches, it was still furnished with furniture and more enough space for them all. “Now. Can we sort this out before we send everyone off to their very comfortable apartments, I personally, would like to get some sleep. I haven’t slept in days.”And indeed, the genius was looking a little tired around the edges, which meant it was nearly at the 50 hour mark for being awake. the only thing keeping him awake was coffee.
 
Phil chuckled. "is that possible?" he asked, wondering if something could indeed be that destroyed. he felt hope bloom in his chest when Clint's fingers curled around his. it wasn't words he wanted to hear, but it was something.

Wards grin just got bigger. James nodded. "i thought they killed him after he helped me try to break you out." James admitted, sounding puzzled. "your talking nonsense, i didn't join anyone until i was sixteen." he scoffed. "i don't know either of you, i only met her once, and I've never met you." he stated to James, looking more confused than angry.

Steve approved of Tony's location. this would give the Ducklings the ability to go in and out as they pleased and not have the chance to get into the R&D sections. the levels of one through thirty where private apartments really. for people who worked there but couldn't afford their own places. levels forty one through fifty one was legislative. fifty two through seventy two was all R&D. eighty three and one hundred was all Tony's private labs, housing, and personal areas. the Ducklings would be restricted to levels one through ten. "...let's all get some sleep first." Steve decided. "we're too tired, it's been a very long week and i can't focus anymore." he admitted. "James, you come with me, Tony? take Agent May and Romonoff and out prisoner tot he basements-" which was where the cells where. all powerful enough to contain Loki of course. "-Clint? show Phil's people where their rooms are would you?" Steve ordered, James following Steve as the others all followed Clint. each apartment was like a luxury suite. there where only four apartments on each floor, so they where massive really.

"James, Sarah. this ones yours." Steve explained. "the fridge should be fully stocked but uf it's not Jarvis will have any food you want delivered. you and the rest of Phil's people are restricted to levels one through ten. James won't be allowed to leave the building at all." he warned. "but there's plenty to keep you entertained here." he admitted. "there are clothes in the closets that should be sized to you already if i know Tony." he admitted with a shake of his head. "don't worry about hot water restrictions. Tony has this weird water heater that never runs out or something." he admitted. "if you need anything, just ask Jarvis and he'll get you pretty much anything." Steve promised. "we'll be back in the morning to debrief. we're all too tired to do it right now." he admitted. "there's a map of the first ten floors in here somewhere." he admitted.

there was indeed a map. within the first ten floors was a communal kitchen, a communal gym, a communal living room, an indoor track, a swimming pool, a spa and massage parlor, and entertainment area, a pool hall, a bowling alley, a bar. they where actually on level ten, all the communal and entertainments where on floors below them. "there are other people living here, not on this floor, but on the floors above. the communal areas will have other guests. please don't beat them up even if they deserve it." he ordered. "Clint did that once and we never heard the end of it..." he grumbled as he unhooked the cuffs. Tony had actually designed them, on the plane. he was amazing, he really was. they looked like bracelets, but couldn't come off. a single order and they would snap together, hover in mid air, attach to something. anything they might need to contain and control James. "sleep well." he offered, leaving the room so they could settle in, James looking around. "...okay, this is kind of cool." he admitted as he headed for the showers and the bedroom which was indeed, stocked full of clothes that would fit him.
 
“I’ll be glad to lock the prisoner up.”Tony smirked looking pleased and eager to have someone in the cell, simply to test it. Cause they hadn’t had a reason to lock up anyone, so he was interested in seeing how it’d go. “Come on, ducklings.”Clint said rolling his eyes a little as he heard the protests as he showed phil’s people to their rooms, showing them around before retreating to his own penthouse suite, to overwhelmed to stay and visit. Needing space to think.

“...Thanks.”Sarah said tilting her head a little as she listened to steve talk, looking tired and worn down around the edges. Because indeed, the day was starting to take it’s toll, and the fact was, that she was finally starting to realize what it meant to have two fathers, to have these two fathers, and it was starting to knock her feet out from under her. “Goodnight.”She smiled slightly, knowing steve wanted something from her, and utterly unable to be angry with him right now, to tired to get worked up as she looked around. “I agree. For a prison, it’s not bad.”She snickered tiredly as she got ready for bed herself, settling in to sleep.

Only hours later to bolt into james’ room, eyes wide and panicked as she pounced on him, much like a child running away from a nightmare, hands roaming over his chest, not like a lover would, but more a desperate need to look for a wound, before calming as she realized he wasn’t hurt, and even expecting a violent reaction for startling him awake, it wasn’t enough to upset her as she calmed, realizing that he was fine. That they were fine, and that they were somewhere safe, for the moment.
 
"Ducklings!" Fitz protested, outraged. "well how do you like that! we're not Ducklings!" he complained. "shut up and move Duck." Phil ordered, Tripp biting back a laugh as Fitz sulked. he didn't try to go after Clint. doing so now would just make the man retreat further.he had to wait for Clint to come to him.

"uh. your welcome." Steve stuttered, a bit startled at being thanked. "sleep well." Steve offered her. "it's not really a prison you know." James admitted. "not when Ward is being put in the basement." he admitted, looking amused. "i bet you those cute little Agents we're sharing quarters with are having panic attacks knowing i could get into their rooms." he admitted, even if he knew Jarvis, whatever that was, program probably, or a person, was watching him and would stop him if he tried to get into another room that he wasn't allowed in. hours later he was up and ready to kill whoever was attacking him, realizing just in time that it was his daughter. "damn, Sarah. i almost knocked your head off." he complained as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "shh. it's alright." he promised her. "it's okay. we're safe. no ones going to hurt us." he promised. "go back to sleep."
 
Back
Top Bottom