Chapter Text
Tony growled under his breath as he finished scanning the floors with the heaviest damage. The building was, thankfully, structurally sound, but two whole floors would have to be completely gutted to start renovations.
It had been two days since the battle in the tower. It was all one could hear about when watching the news. Videos and pictures of several of his friends, including Steve and Thor who had helped the reinforcement troops subdue and collect the remaining HYDRA soldiers that night, were everywhere.
The government had finally condemned HYDRA and Pierce was in custody. How long THAT would last was another story. Tony worried that with his money and connections Pierce would be able to manage some sort of house arrest and then vanish. Ross had already gone missing. Tony was not naive enough to believe that Pierce and Ross were in charge of all of HYDRA or that HYDRA was only in the US. No, this was far from over, Bucky had confirmed the existence of HYDRA factions all over the world.
But one problem at a time. Xavier had graciously offered rooms at the mansion for some while Tony had bought out two floors of hotel rooms nearby. Time to get everyone back together. He flew back to Xavier's mansion.
***
Darcy reached for her mug on the coffee table in front of her but it was quickly picked up and handed to her. She smiled up at Steve, the big worry wart. "I could have reached it."
"But you don't have to. I know Loki mostly healed your side but you're still supposed to take it easy." He kneeled in front of her and adjusted the blanket on her lap.
Darcy could only give a fond, exasperated sigh. Steve and her dad had taken to treating her like a porcelain doll and it had been cute. For about an hour. Now she was beginning to realize she was going to have to put her foot down. She heard what could have been a smothered chuckle from the other side of the couch. Bucky was also "enjoying" the slightly smothering attentions of one mother hen super soldier.
"Steve, I will take it easy. But I need to also be moving around to keep from getting stiff and sore. I promise not to lift anything heavy." She placed her palm on his cheek and leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the lips as he pouted slightly. "Thank you for taking such good care of me."
Darcy gently pushed Steve to the side as she slowly stood. Loki had been able to heal her injuries to a certain extent. She was still sore but the wounds themselves looked weeks old. She was grateful to him for speeding up her recovery but now she needed to somehow make Steve and her father realize she was much better. Steve stood with her and when he moved to help her walk she turned and pushed him onto the couch.
"I'm just going to the bathroom and then I'm getting another cup of coffee."
"I can get the coffee for you."
This time Bucky didn't hide his chuckle. It took Darcy a supreme effort of will to not roll her eyes. "No, I need to walk and move around. I will be back in a few minutes." She shuffled out of the room as Steve watched her go.
"She's fine. The wounds weren't deep to begin with."
"She was shot."
"She was grazed."
Steve huffed and leaned back. Bucky smothered his grin. "I seem to recall a little stubborn punk who refused to be hen pecked even when he could barely get out of bed."
Steve looked at him with wide eyes, "You remember more?"
Bucky nodded, "I've been remembering a lot. Some things I'm not sure are memories or what..." He faintly blushed at some of the erotic images in his head. Those had been a recent development. Images of pale skin and roaming hands, his name being whispered with a sigh...he'd been waking up with a hard on more often than not. The 'dream' the night before had been especially vivid with a small Steve giving him a blowjob...he shifted on the couch.
Steve eagerly turned towards him, "Anytime you want to talk about what you're remembering, I'm here."
Bucky nodded but didn't say anything. He was more than half convinced they WERE memories. But if they were, and he and Steve had been more than friends, why hadn't he said anything? And how did he feel about that? Did he find Steve attractive? Yes, he could admit that to himself, but he also found Darcy attractive. And some of the erotic memories were of women. He was aware that one could be attracted to both sexes. It just wasn't something that was talked about.
A few minutes later, Darcy returned with a cup of coffee in one hand and a doughnut in the other and a worried Tony guiding her with a hand under her elbow and a worried look on his face.
"Seriously, dad, I can walk on my own. Been doing it for more than two decades now."
"But you were SHOT."
"Grazed." Darcy and Bucky said simultaneously.
"I am fine. The wound is healed and I needed to get up and walk around for a few minutes." She kissed his cheek then sat between Steve and Bucky on the couch. Steve immediately tucked a blanket across her lap. "I'm fine," she repeated, "I have two super soldiers to keep me company, fresh coffee and SPRINKLES!" She waved the doughnut in front of Tony. "My favorite!"
Tony sat across from her with a worried look on his face. "It's just, you scared me, kid."
Darcy smiled at her dad. "I love you, too, dad. But I'm fine now and need to get up and move around so I don't get stiff. Between you and Steve I'd be laid up on this couch being hand fed for months."
Tony frowned but let it go. "We can move back into the tower soon. There are two floors that will need to be gutted and renovated and that starts later today. Loki, Natasha and that Remy fellow are doing a thorough sweep of the building. Looking for hidden nasties HYDRA might have left behind. Once they give the all clear we can head back."
"Have you heard anything about Ross?"
"No. And that worries me. And I'm not entirely confident Pierce won't manage some sort of house arrest and disappearance."
"Ross is dead," Xavier announced as he rolled into the room. "It was just announced. His body was found this morning. It appears he had been tortured to death."
"Any idea who did it?" Steve asked.
"Do we care?" Tony shrugged.
They all sat silently as they recalled the nature of the experiments HYDRA had been performing on mutants.
"Reap what you sow," Darcy muttered. She was unable to dredge up any sympathy for the man. Not after seeing the videos of Bucky's torture and reading what others had endured.
Xavier folded his hands in his lap, "I have some idea who might be responsible. But without proof I will not speculate and see no reason to voice my suspicions."
"And I say 'good riddance'," Tony shrugged and stood. "I have to talk to Pepper. She's been getting demands from the media on the identity of the hotties with the shield and hammer and the others."
Darcy chuckled as Steve groaned and covered his face. "It'll be like the USO shows all over again. Is there anyway to avoid telling them who I am?"
"Unfortunately, some people are already comparing the mystery shield guy with Captain America. The internet is a blessing and a curse. Best to come clean and introduce you and Thor and maybe a couple others." Tony gave him a sympathetic look. "We'll get with Pepper and have her arrange a small press conference with handpicked reporters. Ones we know will spread the facts and not speculation."
Tony bent over and kissed Darcy on her head. "Be kind to your old man and take it easy, ok?"
"I will. Promise."
Tony and Xavier left and Darcy put her cup on the coffee table. She then leaned her head on Bucky's shoulder while laying her feet on Steve's lap. She snuggled down, stretched an arm across Bucky's waist and closed her eyes.
"Comfortable?" An amused Steve asked her as he placed his hand on her calf.
She smiled, "Perfectly."