You're My Mission

We avoided the morning nurses by hiding in Peggy’s closet. The confined space was only just able to hold what little items of clothing Peggy still owned, so it definitely wasn’t big enough to comfortably conceal an almost six foot tall man made of muscle as well as me. But I couldn’t really complain. Bucky and I had decided that face to face was the least awkward, and I could feel his breath on my forehead as our chests pressed together. For a soldier who was a part of my mission, I was realising that I was starting to like him a little too much. It was a confusing mess inside my mind whenever I thought of Bucky. I knew I felt sorry for him and what he had endured, and I knew that returning him to Steve and SHIELD had become a personal desire as well as just a mission, but I couldn’t help question our developing relationship.

As Bucky inhaled and exhaled forcibly slowly, presumably to calm his nerves, I dismissed my feelings as simply a physical attraction and mentally ordered myself to stay focused. After all, my assignment was about to be completed. All Steve had to do was show up.

Shortly after a nurse had cleared the remainder of Peggy’s breakfast and ensured she had taken her morning pills, Steve entered the room. Bucky and I watched him through the panels in the door as he took a seat at Peggy’s bedside and asked her how she was, his voice a tragic mix of affection and desolation. I immediately understood their past relationship and grimaced at the painful thought. To distract myself, I turned my gaze back to Bucky. His body had continually tensed since Steve entered and his eyes were unblinking.

“Well, go on,” I whispered to try to encourage him to leave the wardrobe. Bucky didn’t budge so I gave him a poke towards the door.

“I- I can’t,” he stammered in a hushed voice, dropping his stare from Steve.

“You have to!” I hissed.

A second later the doors were pulled open, the light almost blinding me. The silhouette coloured and Steve was standing before us, gaping.

“Bucky?” he said with pure astonishment. I quickly stepped out of the closet and extended my hand to Steve, opening my mouth to introduce myself. “You- I’ve seen you before. You’re Hydra!”

My stomach fell at the announcement, seeing how Steve braced himself for a fight. All joy his bright eyes had held moments ago had faded.

“No, I was undercover in Hydra. Fury sent me to retrieve Bucky, but now I can’t find a way back into SHIELD, there’s nothing left,” I explained, turning my hands palm-up to show I was innocent and wasn’t about to attack him. With a glance to my left I noticed that Bucky had remained frozen in the closet.

“Fury knew it was him all along?” Steve questioned but I shook my head.

“I’m fairly certain he had no idea,” I replied and some stiffness disappeared from Steve’s face. He then turned to Bucky.

“Do you remember me?” he asked gently. Bucky’s blue eyes flicked to me for a brief second before looking back to Steve, eyes wide as though he was a deer caught in headlights.

“A little,” he answered hesitantly. I caught a glimpse of Peggy and saw that she was watching the reunion with a kind smile across her lips. “It’s been a while since I was wiped, so I’m getting more memories every day. Bits and pieces, from both lives…” Steve nodded along eagerly as his friend spoke.

“I’d like to help you remember things. I’m here for you, pal,” he said and Bucky’s face softened.

“Until the end of the line,” Bucky finished in a hushed voice. There was such warmth between them, despite the history and circumstances that had led to this meeting, and I couldn’t help but smile at them.

“Is there an underground headquarters, somewhere we can go to? A new director?” I asked, unwilling to break the moment but itchy from remaining in the same place for too long. I had seen the way Hydra could crawl everywhere, and I half expected a group of men to come bursting through the door and seize us.

“My arm,” Bucky added and Steve raised his eyebrows.

“And someone to take a look at his arm. It’s been a bit off since he pulled you from the water,” I deciphered his words for Steve.

“You did that? You saved me?” he spluttered and Bucky’s gaze dropped, uncertain of what to say or do. I almost laughed at how adorable they were together. “I thought I had hallucinated seeing you when I blacked out…” Bucky failed to break the silence himself so I inhaled.

“So can you help us?” I asked Steve. He ran a hand through his cropped blonde hair as he contemplated an answer.

“I’ve got a plan,” he announced before turning to me and extending his hand. “Steve.”

“Jennifer,” I replied before grasping his hand in a firm handshake.

“Thank you, Jennifer, for bringing back my best friend,” Steve said with a genuine smile.

“You’re more than welcome.” I grinned back at him. Even though it wasn’t Fury shaking my hand or praising me for my hard work, a sense of accomplishment still washed over me. It was followed by a wave of sadness as I wondered if my mission had truly been completed and if I was dismissed now. I looked across at Bucky, his timid stance not matching the man I had seen him be, and I knew I desired to continue helping him. I wasn’t ready to leave him.