#janeyfoster

He stared at her a beat– the blue of her eyes, framed in longlashes, and the pink of her lips, a bloody red from where she’d chewed them up.It wasn’t so long ago that she was just another unfamiliar face he had to keepan eye out for. 

( A woman was standing in the kitchen, a poptart in one handand an absurdly large mug of coffee in the other. Her hair was piled on top ofher head, leaning precariously to one side, and her eyes were narrowed intoslits, dark bags underneath them. Rather than greet them, she grunted, and thenwalked off, slippers shuffling across the floor. 

Bucky stared after her. “Who was that?” 

“Darcy,” Steve answered. “She used to be Doctor Foster’sassistant. She works for Pepper now.” 

Sam chuckled. “She got into a Twitter war with Stark, caughtPepper’s eye, and she ended up hiring her. Now she’s the social media coordinator.Darcy’s the reason Stark’s accounts go dark every once in a while. She puts himon time outs when he hasn’t had enough sleep.” 

Bucky hummed. “She lives here, too?”

He didn’t miss how Steve and Sam glanced at each other, but choseto ignore it.

“Yeah, Buck. She’s a couple floors down. She’s got an office on 8,too. If she’s not there, she’s usually in Foster’s lab.”

He crossed the kitchen to pick up the box she’d left behind. “Whatwas that thing she was eating?” 

“A poptart.” A grinning Sam followed after him. “You wanna tryone?” 

Bucky stared at him suspiciously, but nodded. 

“You’re in luck then…” Sam plucked the box out of his hand andturned it around for Bucky to see. Sam in his full Falcon suit was printed onthe front. “You like it extra toasty?” )

After that, he’d see Darcy around but wasn’t sure how to talk toher. She was loud and confident and always seemed to know what she was doing.She was warm and friendly and would talk to anyone. It didn’t matter theenvironment or the group of people, she made herself fit. Whereas he alwaysfelt off and disjointed, like a puzzle piece that was put in the wrong box.

In the end, it was Natasha that suggested he teach Darcy how toshoot. At the very least to defend herself against any possible attack. 

( “It’s Bucky, right? Or do you prefer James?” 

He didn’t jump. He’d heard her footsteps coming for a while. Thecommon room saw a lot of visitors; sometimes he sat there just to get used tobeing around people again. He just wasn’t expecting her to talk to him.“Yeah.” 

She blinked at him. “Yeah you’re okay with Bucky or yeah youprefer James?” 

He pursed his lips. “Bucky’s fine.” 

Her lips twitched. “No argument here.” 

“Huh?” 

Waving a dismissive hand, she moved to take a seat beside him atthe kitchen counter. “Natasha sent me your way. She said you needed totalk to me about something? I hope it’s not about opening an Instagram account,because listen, I’m all for you sharing all of that–” She motioned to hisface, “–with the greater public. But we need to work on your publicpersona a bit. Good looks can only get you so far before people startmaking ‘reasons your fave is problematic’ posts.” 

He stared at her. “I didn’t get half of that,” headmitted. 

“Natasha said you wanted to see me. Let’s start there.” 

He frowned. “Uh, she said you needed training.” 

Darcy stiffened. “I what now?” She pulled back. “Ithought I made it clear in my work contract that I wouldn’t be playing Spy vs.Spy.” She stood. “No. Nope. Not gonna happen. I can’t even jog withoutdoubling up on sports bras. So whatever workout you have in mind, it’s gonnahurt. A lot. Count me out.”

Before she could reach the door, he called out, “Shooting.” 

She paused. “Huh?” 

“I can show you how to shoot. A few defensive moves, too. If youwant.” 

She pivoted back to him, curious. “And that’s it? No fivemile runs or wheatgrass shakes?” 

“The hell is wheatgrass?” 

She grinned. “I like the way you think, Buckster.” 

Confused, and uncomfortable with the fact, he sat up a littlestraighter. “When’re you off work?” 

“What, today? Five, usually.” 

He nodded. “Meet me at the range.”

With a salute, she winked. “You got it.” 

As she walked away, Bucky shook his head. What the hell was hegetting himself into?)

Darcy didn’t take to guns like she did her taser, but he had afeeling that had more to do with wanting to avoid taking human life. She wasthe type of person that stayed behind in a dangerous situation to savevulnerable animals than her own ass. There was a part of him– a very largepart– that admired that about her. He’d seen too much death. His hands werepainted red with it. Nothing he did now could wash that away. It was the samefor a lot of the people on the team. They’d seen and done things they couldn’tget rid of. Couldn’t scrub clean from their memory. So, it was nice to bearound someone who was a little less jaded. 

Getting together with Darcy was never in the plan. Gettingtogether with anyone seemed too far out of reach. Some days, he didn’t feellike a whole person. Fractions and fragments of who he’d been and who he turnedinto, just floating around in a misshapen package. Nobody deserved to put upwith that. But there Darcy was, happy to take on the challenge. 

( “Never took you for a coward, Barnes.” 

He paused at the sound of her voice, flipped the safety on his gunand dropped it on the counter in front of him. Turning to face her, he raisedan eyebrow as she crossed the otherwise empty gun range to meet him. Orchallenge him, more like. “What made you change your mind?” 

She snorted. “Generally, when a woman asks you out for dinnerand you say you’ll be there, you show.” 

Technically, she’d told him she was making spaghetti and if hewanted a bowl, she had an extra chair at her table. He was gonna go. He plannedto. Showered and picked out one of his better shirts to wear. Next thing heknew, he was at the gun range, spaghetti-less.

He looked past her shoulder, focusing on a distant mark on the farwall. “You think I stood you up?” 

Darcy crossed her arms and shrugged. “I think you’re avoiding theinevitable.”

“Yeah? What’s that?” 

“If I have to tell you, then it’s going to take a lot more than mygrandma’s famous spaghetti recipe to knock some sense into you.” 

His gaze darted toward her. “Maybe I lost track oftime.” 

“Or maybe you thought the guns were getting lonely down here.” Sheshrugged. “Look, I’m not going to chase you. If you’re not ready for this, it’scool. But I don’t want to play any ‘will they, won’t they’ games. So, I likeyou. And I think you like me.” She paused. “Do you?” 

His tongue dragged across his lower lip before headmitted, “Yeah.” 

“Okay. Well…” She smiled. “You should do something aboutthat.”

He took a deep breath. “I’m not good at… I don’t remember howto…” 

She nodded and took a step toward him, and thenanother. “It’s okay.” She reached for his hand and folded their fingerstogether. “We can take it slow, figure it out together. Step one…” Shegave his hand a tug. “Spaghetti.” 

He looked down at their hands, and then to her, smiling encouragingly.And he took a step forward. “I can do that.” )

Darcy had to go looking for him at the gun range more than a fewtimes. He was comfortable there. It was familiar. Didn’t matter what gun hepicked up, he always hit what he wanted to hit and where he wanted to hit it.Shooting paper was simple. At various points in his life, shooting people hadbecome too simple. It kept him up some nights. Mostnights, if he was honest. 

He wished he could say that he was all healed up. That a fewyears of therapy and having Steve in his life made up for all that time in cryoor under the thumb of HYDRA. But he was walking scar tissue. Some days werebetter than most. Some days he even believed he could have it all. Othershe just couldn’t.

( “You can talk to me, you know that, right?” 

Bucky looked up to find Steve hovering nearby, that hang-dog lookon his face that reminded Bucky that things were different, that they’d neverbe quite right. That too much time had passed. They’d each done too many thingsto be the people they once were. But, here they were anyway. And even if hesometimes felt like the living embodiment of Steve’s attempt at salvation, itwas better to be here than where he was. 

“I know,” he said. 

“Do you?” 

He looked up, meeting Steve’s heavy gaze.

“I know it’s different. That I didn’t go through what you did. Andmaybe I can’t understand it, not completely. But I want to try, Buck.” He shookhis head. “I’m here. I’m always gonna be right here.” 

Bucky ground his teeth. “Easy to say, not so easy to followthrough with.” 

Steve’s brow furrowed.

“We both know there’s no guarantees out there, not living thislife. The things we do, nothing says for sure we walk away from that fight intact.” His arm whirred, cogs and wheels moving together and apart. “Youwanna be here, I get that. But there are some things you can’t make better. Andneither can I.” 

Steve let out a long, heavy sigh. He crossed his arms in thatdefiant way of his. “I think you’re wrong.” 

“Yeah, well, we won’t know until it’s too late, right?” 

Swallowing tightly, Steve gave a quick jerk of his head. “Theoffer stands. You ever wanna talk about what’s going on in your head…” 

“It’s not always about that. About the past. Sometimes it’s aboutnow. About who I am and what I’m doing… I don’t always think it’s real. ThatI’m probably back there, stuck in cryo, dreaming of better things orsomething.” 

“I’d tell you you’re not, but it doesn’t make much difference,does it?” 

“No.” Bucky stared up at him. “’Cause if it was a dream, you’d saythe same thing.” 

He nodded slowly, knowingly. “What about Darcy?” 

Bucky’s mouth kicked up. “Well, she’s even more proof, isn’t she?What’s a girl like that doing with someone like me?” He shook his head. “She’sexactly what my head would dream up.” 

Steve could do nothing but sigh. )

All things considered, Bucky felt lucky. He could’ve gone a fewmore years, for sure. He had more he wanted to do and see. More he wanted toshow Darcy. More he wanted her to show him. But it could’ve been worse. Hecould’ve died under HYDRA’s control. Could’ve gone the rest of his life neverrealizing what he’d lost or ever getting some semblance of peace.  

( “I can feel you staring,” she mumbled. 

“Can’t sleep.” 

Darcy cracked one eye open to look at him. “And you thoughtmy face might knock you out?” 

He half-smiled. “Didn’t want to wake you up getting out ofbed.” 

Humming, she turned over onto her side and reached for him,hooking an arm around his waist, her fingers drawing circles on his back. “Kindof you. But the intense staring overshadows any good boyfriend marks youmight’ve got for that.” 

“Guess I’ll have to earn ‘em back another way.” 

Stretching, she let out a laugh. “Was that the plan the wholetime? Wake me up for some nookie?” 

He brushed her hair back from her face, fingers tracing down herneck. “Unexpected benefit.” 

She covered his hand with her own and drew it down, pressing akiss to his palm. “You wanna tell me why you can’t sleep?” 

He shook his head faintly. “Not tonight.” He shuffled closerand squeezed her hand. “Rain check.” 

“Rain check,” she agreed. “As long as nookie is still on thetable.” 

He chuckled under his breath. “Always.” )

Bucky shook his memory off and refocused on the present. Darcywith a gun and any number of attackers coming their way. He’d taken out whoeverhe could, but they could’ve called for reinforcements since. 

Much as he complained that her accuracy with a gun wasn’t whatit could be, even a crude wound could give them a little time. For what, hewasn’t sure. The cavalry, maybe. For Steve or Sam or the rest of the mismatchedsuperhero gang to show up and save their sorry asses. 

“You squeeze, don’t–” 

“Don’t pull. I know.” She cast a frown down at the gun and thenpivoted to look at him. “I preferred your other lessons, just FYI.” 

He let out a huff of a snort. “Pretty sure you wereteachin’ me a few things, doll.” 

She grinned slowly. “You kept up.” 

He tipped his head back against a concrete wall and stared ather. Hair in disarray, clothes torn and dirty, spattered with blood (his orhers or someone else’s?). “Never wanted you to end up here…” 

“What, in an abandoned building, fighting off some HYDRAreject?” She shrugged. “The way of life, I guess.” 

He stared, unconvinced.

“Okay, so, not for everyone… But our immediate circle?Definitely.” Darcy shifted, moving across the floor to sit next tohim. “You know this isn’t your fault, right?” 

He grimaced. “Pretty sure they’re not chasing you down oversomething you Twittered.” 

“Tweeted. And yeah, probably not. But it doesn’t matter who they’reafter. Anything they do is on them, not you.” She met his gaze. “I knewwhat I was getting into. And I don’t regret it.” 

He didn’t either. He wished he could tell her just how much, butthe words buckled in his throat and snagged in his teeth. “You deservedbetter.” 

Darcy smiled. “Who said I didn’t find the best?” 

He shook his head, a quick jerk, and looked away. He could feelblood puddling underneath him, warm and wet. He could taste it on his tonguetoo, bubbling up his throat only to be swallowed back down. “You can do alot better than the mess I’ve got in my head.” 

Darcy reached for him, gently brushing his hair back from hisface. “You’re not perfect, Buck. I’m a far cry from it myself. But youmake me happy.” 

He blinked as his eyes burned. “You make me happy, too,” hechoked out hoarsely. 

Darcy frowned. “You’re starting to freak me out. I know thesituation sucks, but the team’s on their way. Sure, things look a littlesticky, but we’ve been in worse, right? Jane’s almost opened three black holesthis year. That felt a lot closer to death than this.” She smiled, but he couldsee her lips trembling. “And don’t even get me started on how many times Stark’sattempts at ‘fixing’ something ended up blowing up in our faces. I’mpretty sure I still have toaster shrapnel in my back.” 

Bucky dropped his gun in his lap to reach for her, metal fingerssmoothing over her cheek. “There’s gotta be a fire exit. If you can get toit, climb to the roof, hop to the next building over. It’ll be tight, but youcan make it. Get as far away as you can, call Steve, he’ll–” 

“Hey, hey, hey…” Darcy shook her head and covered hishand. “We’re getting out of here together.” 

He swallowed tightly. “No.” 

“What do you mean ‘no’?” She glared. “You think some tactically trained Naziassholes are how we go? Absolutely not. I’m making it to 93 and dying on abeach, drinking a Mai Tai and reminiscing about all the fun, crazy shit I did.And you, probably looking way hotter than any 98-year-old should, are going tobe right there with me, you got it?” 

“We gotta be smart. You got a chance here. You can make it ifyou just–” 

“If I what? Huh? If I just leave you behind?” 

He stared up at her, searching her stubborn, scared, angry face. “Listen,doll…” 

“No.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m not leaving you here. Ifthose assholes want you, they’ll get me too. And a face full of lead. BecauseI’m shooting anybody that comes looking.” 

He smiled faintly, mouth curved up on one side. “You aimfor their face, you’ll end up hitting their toes.” 

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Shut up. Besides, I usually aim forthe chest and hit their crotch. It has a lasting effect.” 

He snorted. 

Shuffling closer, Darcy pressed her shoulder to his and droppedher gaze to his arm, still pressed tight across his chest. “You wanna tellme how bad it is?” Before he could reply, she added, “No rain checks thistime.” 

Drawing a deep breath, he admitted, “Not good.” 

Her hand tightened around his, enough that the pressure sensorsalerted him. “Had a good run though.” 

She laughed, thick and cracked. “Did you?” 

“The beginning was pretty good. End wasn’t too bad either.” 

“Sure, just the 70 years in between. A drop in the bucket,really.” 

He half-smiled. “Could’a been worse.” 

Darcy turned to him, her brow furrowed. “Seriously? How?” 

“Could’a been 80.” He stared at her. “Could been a dream.” 

She blinked as her eyes filled. “It’s not fair… You gotout. You got another chance. And now… It’s over?” She shook her head. “Youdeserved better.” 

“I don’t know. I had it pretty good.” He licked his drylips. “I had you, right?” 

Her mouth trembled. “It’s not enough.” 

The pain was gone. It was a relief, even though he knew what itmeant. “It was plenty. Lot more than I ever thought I’d get.” More thanhe’d thought he deserved for a long while. 

“Bucky…” She turned over and pushed onto her knees. “Youcan’t go, okay? Steve needs you. I need you.” She put her gun aside and cupped his face, her thumbsstroking across the high arch of his cheeks. “I know I pretend nothing bothersme, but it does. Everything scares me. Growing up, natural disasters, heights,spiders, love. Being with you put a lot of that to test. It made me into abetter person. A stronger person. And I like to think it did the same for you.I think it still could. But you need to be here for that, okay?” 

He wanted to. God, he wanted to, so damn much. But his visionwas darkening around the edges and his body was growing number by the second.He coughed then, his chest jerking forward and blood dribbling down his chin. “Darce…” 

She let out a strangled noise. “No, please, you can’t dienow…” She leaned in, pressing her forehead to his. “It’s just the beginning.” 

He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed down the burning lumpbuilding in his throat. “Rain check, all right?”

With a strangled sob, Darcy nodded. “Rain check.”

He could hear thumping footsteps and muffled voices calling toeach other in the hallway then. He pulled in a deep breath, his heartstuttering, and he pushed his gun into her hand, staring up at her meaningfully. 

Darcy stared back for a beat. Stubborn and wild and wearing hertears like war paint. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and his cheek and hislips, and then she stood, raising both guns as she went.

What was left of the door flew open and bullets startedflying.