The House in the Field

“What’s the mission?” Ava surprised all the members of the team as the question rang out through the coos of how good the milk was that she was feeding Ida. Each pair of eyes turned to face her standing in the corner of the kitchen bouncing about slightly to soothe the teething baby. It had been six months since she gave birth to the newest Barnes and she could hardly tear her husband away from their perfect little bundle. She tried her hardest to stay away from mission talks, but, she had to go into the unofficial meeting room, otherwise known as the kitchen, to prepare the little one’s bottle and couldn’t help but notice the fear and hesitation on her husband’s face.
“It’s just a retrieval mission.” Natasha smiled over at her, shrugging it off far too quick for it to be true.
“Oh I don’t believe that for one second do you baby?” Ava cooed looking down at Ida as she made her way over to the breakfast bar seeing the screen in the middle of them. She recognised that face and for a moment she almost forgot that she was holding the delicate human. She took a step back from her head spinning and her breath catching, Steve was up in a flash being the closest to her and grabbed Ida from her carefully. Grateful he’d took her Ava ran over to the sink as the bile rose past her lips, the silence in the room thick the scraping of Bucky’s chair sliced through it, as he rushed over rubbing her back whispering everything was going to be ok.
“You can’t Buck. He’ll kill you.” She whispered, wiping her mouth on the tissue she’d ripped off.
“I need to. He’s who caused all of this. Ava he’s my only tie to being him, getting him means I get my closure, we can be rid of the Winter Soldier.” He whispered stroking her cheek soothingly.
“He’s going to kill you. Maybe he’ll let you capture him and bring him in. Maybe you’ll get your answers. But, he will kill you.” She pleaded with him quietly. “Bucky I know you want to end this part of your life, but, sit this one out please I am begging you.”
“I can’t. It needs to be me.” He whispered too her. This was his first mission since Ida was born and he knew it would be hard for Ava to accept, he knew he had to say strong.
“You said retrieval?” She asked shaking her head looking over at Natasha as she looked down. “You’re bringing him in. You’re not even planning on killing him?” She asked shocked to the core as no one answered.
“It’s not our mission to kill. He will be dealt with by the state, correctly. Justice will prevail.” Steve told her as she laughed.
“After what he’s done? The only justice would be killing him! He is nothing but a sick twisted monster. He’s not even human! He’s nothing!” She screamed crying openly now. “What he’s put you all through” she pointed to the group. “After what he’s put Bucky through?” She shook her head as her husband tried to calm her down, but, she snatched her arm away.
“Ava listen to me, go back to our house you’ll both be safe there from him. Once it’s over I’ll come to you. I promise.” Bucky whispered looking over at her as she shook her head.
“Once he gets in your head, we won’t be safe anywhere.” She looked up at him and for the first time ever Bucky saw real fear in her eyes. She stared at him a little longer before wiping her face and walking over to Steve, carefully taking Ida out of his arms and walking out quickly from the room.

“Ava tell me where you’re going please?” Bucky followed her out as she kicked her bags into the elevator careful not to rock the car seat which the sleeping baby lay in. “She’s my daughter too and I have a right to know.” He was trying to keep his voice low and free from anger, but, he was finding it difficult.
“I promised you to stop you if you ever tried to hurt her. Think of me not telling you as a preventive measure of that.” She looked up at him.
“Ava I’m not going to hurt either of you. I knew you didn’t trust me from the start.” He finally snapped.
“I wasn’t talking about you hurting us asshole. I was talking preventative measures from me hurting you for being so goddamn stupid!” She snapped back pressing the elevator button before he could get in. She got to the bottom floor ready to get out quickly, but, he’d already ran down the flights of stairs and was stood there waiting for her. Arm blocking the door from closing. “Move it before you lose it.” She glared at him.
“If you think I’m not going to hurt you then tell me where you’re going.” He snapped back.
“Why so you can spill your guts out to him as soon as he gets in your head?” Her voice was dripping with venom.
“He’s not going to get in my head!” He shouted followed by a frustrated groan and she shoved his arm causing him to stumble forward giving her a chance to get herself and Ida out.
“Steve take your pants off and show us your patriotic underwear.” She looked over at the Captain who proceeded to fill out the request, Ava looking back at Bucky to prove her point. He knew full well in his right mind Steve would have laughed the request off and told them to calm down. “Yeah you’re right perfectly fine not going to get in your head one bit.” She rolled her eyes.
“You’re acting like a spoilt brat who’s sulking because she can’t get her own way. Ava we are both her parents I have every right to know where you are taking her.” He screamed at her as Steve and Tony looked at each other with stunned silence.
“Good luck James. I hope you’re as strong as you think you are. If you are then you’ll know where to find me.” She whispered over to him grabbing the sleeping baby and her two bags and walking out to the garage.

Notes