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rosepetals-flyingbirds · 4 years

Text

Tortured Souls. (1)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader.

Warnings: Injuries, violence, language, mentions of human traffic and prostitution.

P.S: The words in italic are the video footage.

WC: 6,213.

2008.

You glanced at the papers above the large glass table inside Tony’s mansion in Malibu. Pepper was closely watching the situation.

“I don’t want to be related to them.” You stated reading the familiar names on the black lines.

Tony signed the papers with a smile. “Okay, so by now on, you will be Y/N Stark.” Tony responded and gave you a hug.

Pepper was watching you carefully feeling it all was not something Tony would normally do, but she wasn’t in the hell you two had met.

Present days.

“Y/N!” Was the only thing that could leave Tony’s lips before he saw you -his best friend- being held back by two Hydra’s agents, both of them holding guns. The one in your left with a gun on your head and the right one with the gun on your ribcage.

Your face was swollen after so much fight with at least twenty agents by yourself.

It wasn’t supposed to be like that, was supposed to be a small mission, pretty cut and dry. And with that in mind, the only ones that went to the mission were you, Tony and Sam.

Steve asked Tony to go along but Tony declined saying that was a small visit to an abandoned ex-Hydra base in the middle of Russia, somewhere close to Uchami. And the three of you would head there only to search for any last equipment they kept hidden.

The place ended up being filled with new Neonazi’s group and well… shit.

You and Tony went under and Sam kept in a distance to give a ‘shield’ in case anything appeared. When you two were below the floors you’d found a recent technology aside from the old ones and you instantly got ready for the worst.

Five Hydra’s agents appeared out of nowhere fully armed with guns and knives. Tony and you got ready and fought against them but more and more agents showed making you both sore.

You called Sam over the earpiece and his voice saying “Yeah, I figured it out” chimed on yours and Tony’s ears aside with grunts, shots, and screams making clear that other men had found him too.

A lot of gunshots hit Tony’s suit making it damaged and after a while even slower, your body became slower as well after so many fights and cuts.

Your gear was pretty much as Natasha’s one but you along with Bruce and Tony you made an upgrade on it using some Asgardian’s powerful crystals -which your friend Thor gave you a months ago-. The crystals managed to make the gear able to heat outside making any hands against the outside of the material burn, or with the other button the possibility to trigger electroshocks helping you win more time against the person you would be fighting with.

Your strength and tricks started to end and after long fights, you and Tony got surprised with the agents holding you.

Tired, swollen and the worst feeling for a professional assassin… scared.

“Listen we can fix it, just let her go neither of you has to die,” Tony said with his eyes moving in pure desperation trying to solve the issue.

Both men grinned. “Wow Iron Man saying that has no need to violence himself, that’s gold.” He mocked Tony and held his gun closer to your face making you whimper at how firm he was forcing the cold pistol on your skin.

You tried to find a way out of the situation.

You had fought with robots, aliens and numerous other agents. You couldn’t die at the hands of some random Hydra followers.

‘Maybe if I hit the left man’s head along with the right man’s feet would give me a second to grab their guns and shot them.’ You thought.

You prepared for doing so you, clicking on the right button leading 10,000 volts to both bodies able to kill them burning they hearts, but it wasn’t the right voltage since they just retrieved and when you tried to punch or kick them Tony shot the right man but the left hit the floor as well.

A strange feeling erupted in your body and you felt your gear wetting. When you took a deep breath and slowed your levels of adrenaline the pain spread through your body making your knees weak.

You slumped and you saw Tony running to you and Sam’s wingman flying above. Sam came running tired as you with cuts and blood on his face, he lowered his body to help yours, he grabbed your arm and leaned your body on his.

Tony was speechless seeing someone he loves hurt and dying in front of him always made time stop. Your eyelids became heavier and your head cloudy and spinning. “Y/N Y/N stay with me, don’t you dare to die.” You could hear Tony’s voice but his face was blurry.

“How could I, you wouldn’t live without me, Stark.” The last thing you could hear was Tony screaming to F.R.I.D.A.Y find the nearest hospital and send Bruce and Helen Choo faster as possible. You felt your body being moved to the quinjet and the rest was only dark.

…

Inside the quinjet Bruce called Tony and told him it would be better if they take you to Washington since they have an especial floor for SHIELD agents in the hospital when they got hurt, and would be complicated to Tony in the top of his mind screaming at one Russian hospital to someone help you even knowing the people native language aren’t English and no one is obligated to know a foreign language.

Over the hospital, Tony on the way he is has reserved the whole hospital level floor for only you. Bruce and Helen came and analyze your injury. The bullet got on your right kidney making the organ swollen. They moved you to the surgery and Sam called your friends to tell them what had happened.

…

“What? No no no, where are you guys? I’ll go there right now.” Natasha picked the phone and walked frenetically leaving her previous spot on the couch aside with Wanda and Vision.

“What is happening?” Wanda asked standing up on the couch with Vision doing it as well.

“Y/N she got an injury at the mission with Wilson and Stark. They’re in Washington and Bruce are there already, apparently a bullet had hit one organ and they will make a surgery.” Natasha said and leave the living room to grab a jacket and left the place. “You guys want to go too? I’m leaving now.” She asked the couple on her front. Natasha is a great agent, she is the Black Widow for God sakes. But hearing you are hurt brought feelings to her exactly how she had felt when Fury’s got injured when… When he was the Winter Soldier target.

Wanda took a deep breath and tried to find the best option. “No, will do no good if all of us go there, we will stay here and wait for news.”

Vision agreed with her and shook his head. “Yes, you should call Captain Rogers and Seargent Barnes to go with you, you should not fly in that state and I have quite sure both of them will be completely desperate when they hear about Y/N’s state.” Just when Vision finished his sentence Steve appeared sweat after his gym workout.

Steve retrieved and tried to understand what they were meaning, you went on a mission and the only reason that would make Natasha like that would be a bad one. “What? What happened to Y/N. Where is she?”

After Wanda told him exactly what Nat had told her he took a deep breath and asked for five minutes because he would take a fast shower and talk about it with Bucky.

Bucky felt his heart being ripped out of his chest and thrown through the window. He starts to make Steve and Natasha hundreds of question but both of them didn’t acknowledge much, so he controlled his brain and operated the quinjet towards Washington.

…

Your surgery was occurring and apparently, everything was going well, you were anesthetized and out of any sort of pain.

When the surgery had ended Helen and the other doctor came to talk to Tony and Sam that were taking care of their own injuries. “How is she?” Tony asked even before Helen could fully pass through the door.

“She is stable. The surgery had gone well gladly her suit had helped to undo the pressure of the shot, it has hit her right kidney and we had to remove it. Gladly it wasn’t the whole organ but it will be at least 40% slower than the normal, we are happy that it was that one and not her stomach or liver. She will have to take care of her left kidney to make sure it works and don’t occur any possibility to stop, because if it does the other one wouldn’t be able to work all the function with only 40% of it. She was pretty lucky.” Cho explained and Sam and Tony shook their head meaning they understood.

The second doctor cleaned his throat. “The surgery was a success and she will be moved to one of the rooms, we used a large portion of anesthesia, so she will take a few more hours to wake up.”

“Okay,” Tony answered abruptly and rubbed his face.

Sam looked at Tony and rolled his eyes. “Thank you, doctor,” Sam said and handshake both doctors' hands giving a small smile in form of appreciation.

They left and Sam sat in the hallway chairs close to Tony. “It’s all my fault.”

“No man is not. I was there too.” Sam said and lowed his head, clearly tired of the whole situation.

Tony let a sarcastic laugh and stood up, he started to walk in the corridor forth and back, making lazy circles on the floor. “No Sam she asked to let Steve go with us and I said no! If he was there maybe she wouldn’t be on that damn table.” Tony’s breaths were more rapid and disorientated now.

“Man she is okay, come on have tons of people around the world living with one kidney, at least the one injured still works, slower but it does. She is okay, you heard what the doctor said Y/N had luck and she is stable.” Sam explained and tried to convince himself that his friend would be okay, he was scared as well but he couldn’t join Tony in the desperation time. He let a small chuckle and started to laugh while scratched his hair.

“What the hell you’re laughing at?” Between circles, Tony was currently making on the floor he asked pissed.

“Is just ironic, I mean the number of times she handed us water saying we needed to have our kidneys working cause when it stops we are screwed, and now her own it’s.” Sam thought about the dark irony.

Tony let a chuckle. “But still not funny, stop.” He said but let a tired groan as well before closing his eyes and moving his head to try to hide his teary eyes. “That’s great I already have tons of guilt on my back and now I have ironical Y/N’s accident too.”

…

Around thirty minutes had passed until Natasha, Bucky and Steve arrived in the hospital. “Hey, where is she? How is she?” Natasha ran into Tony and Sam searching for answers.

Sam looked at the three of them and lowered his head. “Stable, they made the surgery and happily they didn’t have to remove her whole organ or something, the jumpsuit helped a lot in the bullet impact,” Sam explained.

“What do you mean the whole organ? Which organ it had hit?” Bucky asked, in the years he worked with Hydra he knew how to take care of his injuries or what procedure would have to happen if any injury were fatal.

Tony avoided their eyes, Tony didn’t approve your friendship with Bucky, he hates the fact that he was the one whose hands killed his parents, and since you are his family he fears Bucky would take you from him as well.

Sam explained the situation and that you were okay, and actually, that one wasn’t even close to the others injuries you had received in that style of life.

“When she will wake up?” Steve asked and darted his eyes over Tony understanding his behavior. Sam saw what Steve was observing and nodded his head in silent agreement that it was not only about your situation but as Bucky presence as well.

“The anesthesia may fade in more a few hours, the doctor says she is okay and the only issue ahead is for her adjust her life towards it since she drinks a lot of water and take a healthy style of life, he said it wouldn’t be a hard adjustment,” Tony explained while avoided everyone’s eyes.

Steve took a deep breath and thanked the skies for the good news. “You two should go home and take a shower, eat something. We will stay here and we will call if something happens.” Steve surprisingly calm told Sam and Tony. Sam nodded and started to leave but Tony didn’t even flinch just took the hospital lonely ally.

“Tony, when she wakes up is better if you’re well. Go home.”

“I need to be here when she wakes Steve! It was my fault.”

“Stop with the self-destructive thoughts Tony, I wasn’t there but I know all of you too well. Whatever had happened it wasn’t your fault.” Natasha intervened in the conversation and moved to watched both men expressions. “Go home and come back after some rest, we will call if anything happens.”

…

When the anesthesia left your body you awoke feeling light-headed and funny.

When your eyes opened you saw a figure sat beside you, as your eyes tried to adjust to the light your vision was sort of blurry but the red hair gave the answer you needed.

“Hey Y/N/N, how are you feeling?” Nat grabbed your hand carefully to not to misfit the IV.

You groaned at the sparkly light. “Good, I guess. Where’s Tony and Sam?”

“They went home, I am not sure if in the Compound or at their respective houses, but either way I had to make sure both would take a shower and clear their heads, especially Tony.” You let a chuckle at her response, of course, she would handle the situation and send they home.

“I was really worried when I passed out, I swear we checked the place, Nat, it was supposed to be clear and abandoned for God sakes! I was so tired already and Tony was too, and his suit was basically without energy which it’s ridiculous cause the thing is almost indestructible,” You took a deep breath, Nat held your hand tightly and smiled at you to ensure you it was all okay.

“Sam was on the floor above and I and Tony were basically the subsoils and when they came I felt not in such a danger because at least Tony was with me but Sam was alone upstairs and it was terrible all I thought was ‘I need to fix this and reach Sam to help him’. We fought really hard, I mean you can see by the colors on my face, but was so many of them, I mean how many missions us and SHIELD had done to get rid of them and is like they are cockroaches, more and more every day. And had a time my gear wasn’t working anymore, I mean you know the upgrade I had made should kill someone with just touching me, but just sent some weak electrical shocks but then the gun had fired and it was too late, I still sort confused about what had made them die, I guess one of them had been shot by Sam’s wingman, and the other by Tony. But anyway, here I stand.”

Natasha chuckled and nodded her head. “Yes you do, but I have to be honest Y/N, when Bruce called me and told you got shot and it had hit an organ I almost freaked out, seriously! I mean you are one of my closest friends and I’m so glad it wasn’t fatal, and you and both Tony and Sam are okay.”

“Thank you, it will take more than a bullet to kill me.” Both of you laughed and she rolled her eyes.

Bruce came to see you along with Cho and the other doctor and talked to you about the surgery and how things may go now. You thanked both and apologized if Tony had acted bossy, they chuckled and left the room.

A nurse had come and helped you take a shower and cleaned up your stitches.

When you got back at the bed you thanked her and she left but you could see she was nodding to someone in the door, after her smile you saw the giants super soldiers walking in.

The sight of relief on both faces imitated a great feeling in your heart.

“Thank God you are really okay!” Steve kissed your head and forehead and hold your hand carefully. Bucky stood at the other side looking at the machines monitoring your heartbeat along with other things (as saturation, pressure etc). “We stood here with you but the anesthesia took a little longer, Natasha made us go to the cafeteria to eat something and when we got back she and Bruce were talking outside and we got worried but she told us you were taking a shower so we had to wait.”

You smiled feeling surround by love.

“Yeah, I am okay. I’m glad I had Tony and Sam back there and also glad cause we had such good team of doctors and nurses here, they made an awesome job.” Steve nodded and sat beside you on the bed, you moved a little to let more space to him.

Bucky was still quiet, you moved your free hand and grabbed his metal one which was covered with a glove. “I’m alive, you know.” He chuckled and made a face you couldn’t describe, was a mixture of relief but despair.

“Yeah you are, but just because of a few inches.” His voice dry and deep. You knew he couldn’t take it well, he always worries too much, especially with you and Steve and you know that he might be feeling mediocre not being there to help you in the moment of necessity.

“Come on Bucky I am here! And in our line of job isn’t the first and definitely will not be the last time I get hurt.” You dropped both hands to move your body and adjust your pillow, which Steve helped.

With the medicine being diminished, you could feel the stitches and other uncomfortable pains.

He retrieved his hand and placed it in his jacket pockets. “I think I left my phone in the cafeteria, I will be back.” He told without looking in either yours or Steve’s face and left the room.

You let a puff of air and shook your head in disapproval, why couldn’t he be happy like Steve was?

“He didn’t bring his phone right?” You darted your eyes to Steve, he chortled and tilted his head in that lovable way he does.

“You know the answer.” You nodded.

…

Back at the compound, you felt like a baby being taken care of so many people, of course, it was loveable and cozy but you could move without the need to be monitored 24/7.

The first week had passed by and what you felt aside of Tony’s self-guilt nature was Bucky’s absence, on the day you got back two weeks ago he had left for a solo mission, and when he got back of the job he took another one and went aside with Sam and Steve.

You know he takes missions like that just when he wants to run away from something, but you didn’t want him running away from you.

…

Three weeks had passed. Bruce told you were already great and everything was working fine, happily you didn’t have to go back to the hospital, only down at Tony lab did the job.

Upstairs in the main living room, you saw Steve’s worried expression while talked with Tony with a tablet in hand. “What is going on?” You asked when you realized Steve and Tony’s expression was of worry.

Tony kept quiet and slid his hand on the device opening the information on the flat screen. You saw names in a language that remind you of Ukrainian you darted your eyes to Tony and he touched a few buttons on the digital screen and it translated into English.

You got surprised when you saw names you had read before and on the left top it was written ‘Agent Y/N Stark’. “What is this?” Your heartbeat increased remembering the names that had on the screen. Could it be?

Steve sat on the couch, rubbed his face and pinched his nose, the definition of a worried Steve Rogers.

“When you stood at the hospital and I went back home I called Fury and told them what had happened, I asked for an escort back at the place since we’d saw computers both old and new,” Tony explained and tab a few more things on the tablet. “A few agents went there and unfortunately two had died in a confront between other people that stood there, they had sent more to grab their technology and ran, knowing we had found the place. Gladly SHIELD got there before their plan could work. Under Fury’s orders, SHIELD took everything and even brought one Hydra agent to make interrogation about other places and such. But since Ross saw your name there he reported it to Fury analyze what he did and went to the interrogate the agent.”

“And?”

Tony kept quiet so Steve answered your question. “And they are hunting you Y/N.”

“What? Why?” Bruce asked and you kept silent.

The reason they were seeking you wouldn’t be so pleasant to hear.

Tony rose his eyebrows and played the footage of the interrogation, Fury was the one making the questions in the room.

“So Mr.Artem Melnikov, apparently we had found many pictures and information about an Agent called Stark on your small group of ‘friends’. Want to clarify why though?” Fury entered the room with the outlaw file in hands, he pulled the chair and sat right in front of him.

The man smiled and looked up at Fury, Artem face was beaten and sore, his upper lip cut but he stood with a cocky grin on his face. “Your Agent had caused big troubles for us, all of your precious Avengers to be honest, but she pissed more people than the normal.” His accent let clearly where he was from, Ukraine.

You felt tense and confused, Steve was watching the footage as well but you could feel his eyes returning to you every now and then wondering if you knew what all of that was about, maybe he was trying to see what you were feeling about that new ‘information’.

Differently from Tony and Bruce that had their eyes fixed on the screen.

“And why is that?”

The man kept quiet and played with the handcuffs on his hands.

Fury questioned the man once again but he just scoffed and kept quiet. Fury titled his head and the door opened with two security guards with shock stick’s, the guards move closer to the man and Fury nodded. Both men touched Artem’s arms electrocuting him.

The sound of scream made you retrieved and sat on the couch beside Steve, the scream remained you of the old footage you had seen of Hydra doing with Bucky when he was kept in captivity there, the scream made your heart flinch but you needed to remember that this man might have done things like that with other innocent people, people like Buck.

“Had that man called Mikhail, he,” Artem darted his eyes towards the camera and shook his head. “I’m dead anyway.” He chuckled. “He was the owner of a teenage prostitution cartel in Russia or some shit like that, he used to sell drugs but he saw some good investment in those girls.”

“Where the girls were from?”

“Everywhere! Mexico, Russia, Brazil, United States, Turkey, you name it! And apparently, that Y/N girl had crossed paths with him, he studied him, she’d met him and Ukraine and played mommy and daddy.” Fury rose his eyebrows and processed the information.

The memories returned to your head and you could feel the tension in the air.

None of them had known about the ‘job’ you had done, only Nat.

“Care to explain? I need more than ‘played mommy and daddy’.”

“She helped him to traffic, she moved to his house in Russia, she helped with money, she played the best friend until she became his girlfriend. They walked together and she was always with him at conferences, always! She knew everything.”

“Y/N what the fuck is he talking about?”

Fury scoots closer to the table and gestured to the man to continue. “Until one day his workers started to disappear one by one, like dust! Mikhail was the definition of a mad man, but for her he made everything, he was so lost under her spell that she could do anything and he would believe. He had contacts with other cartels all over the world, and she made him ‘see’ that he should be the only one, so he destroyed all the others. One by one under her orders. It was a genocide and then one day he disappeared, along with all her information and pictures with him. I got called by my brother that used to work for him he wasn’t that close was more of a security and maybe that is why she hadn’t killed him- to check his house, when we got there he was in his bed naked with each member cut out, and was written in his chest ‘trafik bol'she nikogda’ that in English is something as ‘No more traffic.’ ”

“Mr.Artem, do you want me to believe that Y/N herself destroyed that man you just mention along with each possible cartel of sexual traffic?” Fury questioned Artem’s response, moreover how could he believe in a killer who supports Hydra?

“I think you know how a woman charm can drive a man until destruction Nick Fury what would be the other reason why you send your precious Natalia Romanova in tons of missions?!“ He asked Fury with a smirk on his face. “And I didn’t have the pleasure yet but I heard stories about Y/N’s charm and beauty, heard in the streets that Mikhail killed his own brother when he had looked at her and told something about her much money they would make selling her as a harlot too.”

“Ok, let’s say I do believe in your story… ” Fury stood up and walked around the room studying his movements. “How come me or SHIELD, or any journal didn’t know about that massive destruction? ”

“Oh come on, you didn’t even know it existed. I bet still exist a few more, but we can’t change that. I mean, prostitution had occurred in that shitty world even before the technologies, do you expect it to be extinct now? You would be surprised to know how many powerful men paid tons just to have these pretty little girls with them! But, trust me sex was the least horrible thing they did, I lot would pay just the beaten them or kill them slowly.” With the final answer, Fury punched the man’s face and the footage ended.

“Care to explain?!” Tony asked before throwing the tablet on the couch.

You swallowed the lump in your throat, and took a deep breath; That solo mission had happened years and years ago. “You heard Tony, it was a mission!” You stood up and walked out of the room, just the questionative faces of these men made you sick.

“You are not leaving before we solve this. F.R.I.D.A.Y. lock all doors.” He ordered and the intelligent system obeyed solemnly making impossible for you to leave the room.

You rolled your eyes and glared at Tony. Steve and Bruce stood silently solving the news but of course Tony was overreacting. “What you gonna do? Lock me here until we tell each other our secrets and paint each other nails?”

“Play how much you want princess, but apparently you are in danger which put all of us in danger too! And I think that maybe, just maybe I deserve some sort of explanation!” Tony screamed and his eyes were wide.

Bruce and Steve kept silent, Steve played with his fingers with his eyes gazing a spot on the floor as it was the most interesting thing in the world. Bruce with his arms crossed taking all the information in. Tony rubbed his hands on his face and sat on the opposite couch from Steve taking deep breaths.

“Please just hear me out.” The words left your lips and the three of them nodded their heads. The explanation lasted a couple hours but you came clean them.

Each reaction was a mix of surprise, worry and judgmental.

You had explained that you did what you did to finish all the traffic. And you got involved with that horrible man because you had to sneak into the system somehow and destroy it. You couldn’t just grab a gun and shot everyone.

“So now Hydra has your files and wants you, it doesn’t make any sense.” Bruce broke the silence and Steve nodded, Tony chuckled and walked into the kitchen to grab a drink.

“Banner is right, it doesn’t make sense, Y/N do you think that Mikhail guy was somehow interconnected with Hydra?” Steve asked and grabbed Tony’s tablet, he gave it a few touches but he didn’t know how to use the device which brought a smile to your lips. “Tony can you please drop the alcohol and help the situation?!” Steve used the “cap voice” which made Tony roll his eyes.

He gave a sarcastic laugh and walked back to the area. “What do you want?”

Steve shook his head and left a puff of air. “I want you to search for any trace of that guy.” Steve pointed to the TV referring to Artem. “See if he has any friends or henchmen and if Mikhail had any Hydra connection, anything that can help us end this.”

Bruce looked at the new info that was appearing on the television, he gave a small smile adorned with sarcasm. “So apparently Hydra was interconnected with them, of course, that freaky organization adores being the bad guys in every possible scenario. You did know that?”

“I didn’t even know Hydra back in the day, but now it makes total sense.” You answered and rubbed your head playing with your hair.

Tony scoffed. “I can’t believe you did that Y/N, in exactly what moment you did those things that I didn’t know about? I basically am with you every single day, and when I’m not I call you every single day!” He shouted the last part but you can’t blame him to feel the way he is feeling.

“It was in that year I asked you to allow me to make a travel to Australia to work in the zoo there, come on Tony what sort of agent I would be if I couldn’t make the phone calls vivid?” Tony steamed his nostrils, he was not your real father, but he sure as hell acted like one should act. “Either way is past now, we need to end this and end Hydra once for all.” You felt bad lying to him, every time he called you in that time you felt a kick in your heart knowing you were lying, but your plan was much important to give up.

Bucky entered the room and made you flinch.

He looked completely exhausted. Deep dark circles under his eyes, his hair oily and dirty, a few cuts on his face. “What are you guys talking about?” Bucky asked and you avoided his eyes.

You two hadn’t talked in weeks.

“A possible mission!” Steve answered his friend.

Tony felt uncomfortable and left the place telling F.R.I.D.A.Y. to unlock everything. Tony didn’t forgive Bucky yet, he tried though. You two had talked and you explained it wasn’t Bucky but Hydra that did so, after a time he agreed with you but the tension stood palpable whenever both of them were in the same room.

You couldn’t blame Tony for feeling in the way he does, but of course, you couldn’t blame Bucky either, you just hoped one day both of them will be at peace.“I have a thing to do, bye.” You excused yourself from the room. The topic and Bucky being there made impossible for you to think straight.

Why Hydra got involved in this and how they found you? You used a completely different name, your Russian was perfect and that job was almost 3 years ago. Why now?

Bruce saw Bucky’s hurt expression and tried to help the poor man. “Apparently have a Ukranian guy named Artem that are after Y/N, Tony found some files on the Hydra base Y/N got injured in, they have her name there and they want her.”

The mention of Hydra always makes Bucky angry. All the pain he went through with those people makes him feel all sort of hatred. But he wonders why they want you, of course, you’re part of the team but why they are talking only about you? “Why they want her?”

Steve shook his head and rubbed his face. “Ask her.” He walked out of the room to try to figure a way to solve that problem, Steve Rogers wouldn’t leave a friend in need.

Bucky battled his thoughts. He misses you, of course, he does, but he can’t take the vision of you laid on that hospital bed out of his mind. He can’t forgive the fact that he wasn’t there to take the bullet for you. He hates himself for it.

He left the main room and walked to your room level. Your room was at the same level his was, but with him having an apartment in Brooklyn close to Steve he spent the last weeks there, well the days he wasn’t on deadly missions.

He walked to your door and could hear your muffled sobs. His heart clenched and he swore it was the most painful thing he had ever heard.

He raised his wrist and prepared to knock on the door, but he couldn’t. He took a deep breath and walked away leaving you crying alone.

…

You were crying because your heart felt heavy. Everything you did to kill all of them and they are back? Maybe you weren’t as efficient as you thought you were.

Everything was overwhelming you, the last mission where you barely died, the fact that Bucky wasn’t talking with you, that Ukrainian man searching you along Hydra, the face of disappointment towards you in Tony’s features, your past coming back and the fact that you’ll need to tell them about it make you sick.

You just wanted to move on, to live a happy life and forget about the terrible past.

But how?

…

Please tell what you thought about it. Write me a whole report, guys. :)

#bucky x reader #buck barnes x reader

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ladywinterwitch · 4 years

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Run Away (Four - How fast the night changes)

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Avenger! Reader

Summary: You and Steve complete each other. Your love is that strong and devoted kind of love that pushes people to things like marriage, making a family. You couldn’t imagine that a baby would be something you really wished, until the possibility wasn’t your choice anymore.

Warnings: angst, swearing, mentions of death, descriptions of violence, mention of blood, sadness, feels, fluff, the pov switches a bit in this one.

Word Count: 4211

A/n: Part three of Run Away. I’m already sorry for this chapter, but I’m also not :D Enjoy. Previous part and series masterlist. Is the title a tribute to One Direction? Damn right it is.

After talking to Steve, you decided that it was better that the whole team knew about it too. First, because you considered them family, second, to avoid baby jokes, that had already happened. And even if you were okay, it was still a sensitive topic for you.

You two had actually talked again about it, considering that now it was very much clear that you did want to have a family. So you started to consider the options, like adoption or a surrogate mother. Even if you were more inclined to an adoption, because as an orphan yourself, like Nat, you knew that unfortunately there were many kids that needed a family. But you were still thinking about it, considering. You weren’t in any rush after all.

But right now, two months later, it was probably the last thing on your mind. The team had been able to track down the same men that had committed that slaughter in Budapest, and found out that they had another base in Ukraine, where they were right now. Another facility, similiar to the other one. This time they were prepared though. And there were many of them. More that you expected.

You found yourself surrounded by weapons and guns. You were teamed up with Wanda, Natasha, Thor and Bucky. Steve, Tony, Sam, Clint, Vision and Bruce, well, Hulk, were in a different positions. You were doing quite well, the men were decreasing quickly and the bruises were few and not severe.

At some point you four men surrounded you, you passed your gaze to each of them and around you, quickly thinking about a solution.

-Y/n!- Wanda called you, and before you knew it you were raised of a few feet above the ground, a magenta colored aura all around you.

You stretched both arms and shot the men one right after the other, as soon as you were finished Wanda brought you back down on your feet carefully. You gave her a quick smirk and then returned back to work. A few shots and kicks after all men seemed to be dead or at least uncoscious.

-We are finished here, what are your positions?- the norse God asked next to you.

-We found some prisoners and their little plaything too. It seems they were playing the little chemist. We’ll analyze it at the lab.- You heard Tony say.

-Basically, we can go home. I’ll call Maria to send some SHIELD agents to clean up. Meet at the quinjet in five.- Clint added.

You and the others went outside the building as you were told, while Steve, Bucky and Bruce stayed inside . You saw Tony flying down carrying two people, same with Vision, while Sam was holding a woman. They all placed them down and Wanda and Clint went to check if they were okay. Suddenly you heard shots from the com.

-Steve? What are those shots? What’s happening?- you shared a look with the others, who looked panicked and without thinking twice you ran back inside.

You climbed the first two stairs levels and entered in a room. And then you felt it. A sharp and quick hit that took your breath away. Your mouthe went agape and your hands covered your stomach, you looked down and saw your hands soaked in blood. Then you looked up to your right, a man smirking wickedly at you with a shotgun in his hand. You tried to reach for him, but he escaped and you fell on the floor.

You weakly touched yourself and you felt your suit soaked with blood, and felt three bullet holes. One on your right side, one on your stomach are and another one a little lower in your belly. Before you could try to talk, your eyes became too heavy and closed.

Hulk broke a wall, jumping down to the ground, Steve and Bucky on his shoulders jumped down afterwards.

-All okay cap?- Sam asked and Steve nodded.

-Maria said that the agents are on their way, so we can go home. Eveyone’s ready?- he asked while attaching his shield to the back of his shoulders. Natasha had just finished to do a quick bendage to one of the prisoner’s leg, when she came back to join the others that had just finished working too.

-Where’s Y/n?- she asks, her senses suddenly on alert. The captain shares a look with Bucky.

-What do you mean? She was down here with you. She should be.- he says, his heart starting to beat faster. They all looked around but she wasn’t there.

-Where the fuck is she?- he growled at Thor, the first poor victim that he found on his way.

-I don’t know, she went down with us but…-he stopped and Wanda talked.

-She heard the shots. She must’ve came back inside.- Steve and Bucky ran inside, while Sam and Tony flew up to check the now roof-less the higher floors.

As soon as the two men stepped into the first floor’s room they found a man, calmly sitting on a chair, a shotgun in hand. Both pointed their guns at him istinctively.

-What are you doing? Your companions are dead, don’t you have the good nerve to try and run?- Steve hissed. Bucky checked the room with his gaze, and he froze when he saw what was in the corner of the room, a few feet away from them.

-Steve..- he muttered.

-Answer, you bastard!- he screamed, not really hearing Bucky that didn’t lose any more time and shot the man in the head. His smug grin now an horrific mess on his mutilated face. At that point Steve turns to him and sees what he saw. His wife, on the ground in a pool of blood. They stumble and run to her, falling to their knees.

-No, no, no, what have they done to you?- Steve panicks while Bucky calls for backup, saying that they need a doctor immediately.

-Y/n? Baby, love? C'mon please don’t do this to me.- he cries and Bucky feels the need to vomit, but doesen’t leave his side.

The rest of the team arrives quickly saying that the helicarriers are landing right now. Everyone remains shocked at the sight. Natasha actually almost faints and Clint has to take her. Wanda starts sobbing while Vision tries to calm her down.

Steve takes her into his arms, picking her up but Tony stops him and takes her, flying out quickly. Everyone follows suit. When the iron man lands he founds Bruce, now turned human and a little lost. In the moment he sees Tony with the girl in his arms he orders him to put her down.

He does and Bruce immediatly zips down her catsuit, exposing her bra covered breasts. He places two fingers to her neck and feels pulse, weak, but it’s there.

-Tony go and take here the quinjet, right now.- he flies off. Bruce takes off his shirt and rips it into bands. The rest of the team arrives running.

-Steve, try to talk to her. Bucky, press here, Thor here and Nat here.- he indicates the three bloody bullet holes. They comply quickly, pressing down firmly.

-Love, please don’t do this to me. Wake up, wake up, wake up.- he cries desperately and Bucky tries to calm him down, but he nearly growls at him like an angry wolf.

-Don’t fucking try to tell me to stay calm when my wife is dying.- he hisses with gritted teeth.

In that same moment Tony comes back with the quinjet and they take her on the veichle. They put her on a medical bed, then take off completely the top half of her suit.

-Okay, she’s losing too much blood and I have to take out the bullets. So, you two- Bruce he points at Steve and Bucky, -Take off your shirts and put those into your arms. Nat, Clint, help them.- he orders.

They do as they are told meanwhile Wanda, Thor and Sam keep pressing her wounds.

-But how do we know if her type of blood matches?- Bucky asks franatically. He doesen’t even flinch when Nat punctures his forearm vein. Clint does the same to Steve and their blood start to drip in the transparent sacks.

-Because the super soldier blood is basically perfect, it adapts to everything. Now let me work. Tony, bring us home as fast as you can.- no one talks after that. Nat takes Wanda’s place. Bruce punctures both Y/n’s wrists and the two supersoldiers blood start to get to her.

Bruce first removes the first bullet, cleaning the wound, and leaving to Nat the stitching work while he starts to work on the second, and then the third. Now the only ones left are the two men, which didn’t say a word, especially Steve that was almost under shock, and Bruce that now was stitching the last wound more calmly.

He checked her pulse and sighed in relief. She had lost a lot of blood, but she was doing okay now that Bucky and Steve were giving her theirs. She was asleep, but her pulse was there, even if a little slower than normal. At least she was alive.

-She’s stable now. You two just have to stay here until we get home, I fear.- he says, tired.

-It’s not a problem.- Bucky answers. They were seated on each of her sides. Nat had taken off her ruined and dirty suit to clean her a bit with a wet cloth while Bruce was working on her wounds. Now she had only her panties on, the bra was taken off too because it empeded a complete blood flooding, which was the last thing she needed. Both Bucky and Steve looked away respectfully, even if the second was her husband and had seen here naked a ton of times. The only thing covering her was a thermal blanket.

Bruce went out to have a break, he had worked for two hours and a half non-stop and in any case now he had done all he could.

-She’s gonna be okay, Steve. She’s strong.- the brunette says. But the blonde one looks in front of him with an empty gaze.

-I don’t understand. Why was she alone? Why wasn’t I there to protect her?- he said, guilt dripping from his words. Bucky’s heart shrinked. Between seeing his best friend like that, and his other best friend with three holes in her chest on a medical bed, he really was on the edge of a mental breakdown.

-It wasn’t your fault. Period. Just focus on her. She’s safe now.- and with that he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Both Steve and Bucky were quite tired when they arrived home. Both from the travel and the fight and the fact that they had been giving away blood for nearly five hours, the quinjet’s speed reducing the flight from twelve to eight hours. Even for their superstrenght that was a bit much, so they couldn’t wait to rest, but Steve refused to leave Y/n’s side and Tony insisted that and immediate briefing happened, so exactly ten minutes after their arrival they all gathered in the meeting’s room.

Tony had immediately called Pepper when they got on the quinjet and made arrangements for a medical room in the infirmary. So, ss soon as they landed Y/n was brought there. Bruce checked all the vitals, and demanded that she was left alone to rest after Nat and Wanda changed her in an hospital gown. Steve was very hesitant, but Bucky reassured him it was the best thing right now.

The team met, still in their suits. Bruce listed all the substances and the experimental files that they could find, then said two words about the identities of the men, especially the one that shot Y/n. Apparently he was one of the bosses. The reason why he decided to shot y/n and not run were unknown, but Tony guessed that he already knew tht he wouldn’t get out alive.

-So he said ‘well, let’s just shot one of theirs before going’.- Sam spat angrily. At that Natasha looked away, Bucky’s jaw clenched and Steve was fuming, but didn’t say nothing: he didn’t have the strenght.

-Bruce, how is she?- Thor asked. Banner sighed.

-It’s a miracle that she’s alive, honestly. Three bullets in her chest, abdomen and right side. She lost half of her blood. It was dangerously quick, but thanks to them- he nudged his head to the pair of super soldiers, -Her blood is almost completely recovered. There aren’t internal bleedings, the medications are fine and she’s not as pale as before. I can’t say for sure when or if she’ll wake up.- he explained, almost breaking to the last phrase.

There was a moment of silence before Steve stood up, his chair schreeching, and went out of the room, the door slamming loudly.

-The meeting’s over. Get some rest, we’re taking a few days off.- Tony says lowly.

Steve went straight to the gym, punching the box sack. He had to cool off in some way. He was hitting, kicking and pushing again and again until he felt two arms closing around his middle. He was breathing harshly and that embrace almost seemed to break his rage, making him break down.

He turned around and saw Natasha trying not to cry. He hugged her tightly, and like that they were calming each other down.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, then the redhead noticed that his hands were a bad shade of scarlet, full of little cuts and were bleeding a bit.

-You idiot.- she huffed out leding him near the emergency box near the locker room. She sat him down on a bench and started to disinfect his cuts. He didn’t even flinch.

-I should’ve been with her.- he mutters suddenly. She shook her head, not looking up.

-It’s not your fault. She wasn’t on your squad. She should’ve been with us, outside. I didn’t even realized that she wasn’t there. I should’ve checked, anyone else could have.-

-I think that we’re almost too used to each other being able to take care of ourselves. It’s a little her fault, a little mine, a little of the team. But you fucking know who really has the fault here? That damned piece of shit.- she used a little too much force and made him hiss. She stopped, surprised by her lack of concentration.

-I’m-I’m sorry Steve.- she said softly. He shook his head.

-It’s okay. It’s over now. All that matters is that we’re here for her.- he breathed out. Natasha threw the cotton in the trash and washed her hands.

A week passed, and she still hadn’t wake up. Bucky went to her almost every day, talking a bit, telling what was happening. Natasha went every now and then, mostly to freshen her up. The others went two or three times, just to see how she was doing. Steve, after a week, didn’t see her at all.

He didn’t knew why he found it so hard to go see her. Nat and Bucky would encourage him every now and then, but he always declined. But today, he decided to go. It had been probably the worst week of his life, and he didn’t know if she would come back to him. He didn’t knew how he would go on at that point. Ha had lost so much, so many times. But he couldn’t bare the idea of losing you.

The captain opened the infirmary room door, and almost changed his mind when he saw her on that bed, all machines attached, still uncoscious. He swallowed and closed the door behind him, gowing slowly towards her, putting the bouquet of flowers that he had brought for her on a vase near the window. Then he sat next to her, on a chair.

He looked at her and actually felt relieved that she didn’t look that bad: her incarnate was healthy, her cheeks of a dusty pink as her plump and soft lips were. He noticed that her long hair were clean and soft, her eyes had a bit of mascara on, and he knew that probably Nat had done that knowing how much she hated to be completely without make up in public. Never the less Steve tought that she was the most beautiful creature in the world.

He took her hand in his and his heart swelled a bit when he felt her quite warm. Not a fever warm, just a…human warmth. Very different from when he held her the last time, bloody and white as snow.

-Hey doll.- he croaked smiling a little. -I’m sorry that I didn’t came before. I couldn’t do it you know? I almost lost you…and actually I don’t really know if I’ll ever have you back.- his words made his chest clench, but he refused to break down right now.

-But I couldn’t live without seeing my best girl.- he caressed her hand softly, making abstract patterns on the back.

-Life is quite boring now, you know? Everyone’s really concerned about you, baby. Bruce says you’re doing great but…- he shook his head.

-I don’t know how much to believe it, honestly. I mean you’re still here and not in bed with me, you know what I mean.- he chuckled lowly. He cleared his throath.

-Uhm, I actually wanted to bring your Ipod, I’m sure you’re missing your loved music.- he smiled, -But I can’t find it. You’ve always been good at hiding things, not emotions though. But things…-he grinned laughing a bit.

-We should call Sherlock Holmes to find ‘em.- he shook his head amused.

-But, I promise that I will buy you a new one. I will actually buy you an entire planet, if you’ll wake up.- he brought a hand to his face, sniffing slightly to make the tears go away. He stayed silent for some moments, before picking up his album and pencil.

-In the last period I had in me a wired desire to draw again, you know? It’s been a while since I had the time. I remeber that you loved my sketches. You always praised them like they were the most beautiful art, when in reality it was probably just a flower vase or a fruit bowl.- he laughed again lovingly. -So yeah, I decided to give you some company, and maybe something good may came out of it, uh?- he said taking one last look at you. Then he made himself comfortable and started to let out his thoughts through the pencil.

He kept drawing for a couple of hours, the time passing like a flash. He looked at the clock and saw that it was dinner time and the team would be probably be waiting for him. So he closed the album, and took the pencil, shoving them both under his arm. Then he stood up from the chair, the wish of staying with her strong.

But in the end he just leaned in, kissed her lips softly, whispered an ’I love you’ and got out of the room.

He went to his room to drop off the album, then went down to the dining room. Everyone was seated and went quiet when he arrived.

-Wow, well good evening.- he spoke ironically. A wave of guilt washed over the team and everyone started to act normally again. Bucky leaned his head to his right side, with an empty seat. Nat at his side looking at him with a little smile. Steve went to sit next o him and served himself some food.

-I went to see her.- he said with a low tone. The couple stopped to look at him.

-That’s good, Stevie.- Bucky said squeezing his shoulder lightly.

-She looked good.- he said biting his lip nervously. Natasha nodded with a smile.

-She does, Steve. Trust me, I have seen people on a coma before, she does really look good.- she reassured him and he just nodded distractly before starting to eat.

The dinner went smoothly and he even did a little small talk with a couple of the guys. Then they proposed for a movie, but he politely declined and went to bed. He fell asleep almost right away.

Your eyelids fluttered slowly and it took you a few seconds to understand where you were. You sat on the bed and looked down at your wrist and and body, taking out the thick needle from her vein, hissing a bit. Blood started dripping from the little hole, but you didn’t care. You had an hospital gown on, but you understood that you wasn’t in a real hospital. You recognized the breath taking sight of New York from the window and the Stark Industries labeled machines.

You didn’t have any problem walking, you may have dared to say that you were feeling better than ever. The air was fresh and her lungs felt really light, she could see much more in the dark than it was normally possible and she felt really hungry, but good. She felt strong.

You found the interructor and turned it on, then took off the gown to look at you wounds, but remained shocked when you saw that instead of three holes, there were just three little lines, the scars already thin and almost invisible.

You wondered how much sleep you got to be fully recovered like that. Then You put on the robe again, but this time in reverse, so her back was fully covered. You latched it like a bath robe and didn’t care for the quite deep neckline that was shown, as long as everything elese was covered. As soon as you took the doorknob and bend it to open the door, a loud alarm made you step back for a moment, covering your ears with your hands, hissing at the loud noise but went out anyway.

Steve was harshly woken up by an alarm and cursed while getting dressed with a pair of sweatpants, still shirtless, but he didn’t give a damn. He looked at the time on his phone and saw that it was four AM.

He went out of the room and saw that the others were going up too, the alarm going off a few minutes later, making everyone let out huffs and words of relief. They stepped out of the elevator and Steve’s knees almost gave out when he saw what was in front of him.

Y/n was sitting on one of the couches, Tony stood in front of her, Bruce sat next to her with a hand on her back. She had the hospital gown in reverse on and a blanket on her shoulders. When she looked up from her glass of water, she saw him. She placed the glass on the table and stood up, making the blanket fall off. She walked quickly to him and then basically threw herself in his arms. He embraced her, with a couple silent tears of shock rolling down his cheeks.

-Steve- she said sweetly, and he could feel the emotion in her voice. He breathed deeply into her soft hair.

-You came back to me..- he murmured. She separated a bit and smiled at him, he cupped one of her cheeks with his hand. She leaned in his touch.

-You had doubts, captain?- he chuckled and suddenly a sob grabbed the attention of the room, until then focused of the two. It was Wanda, who was covering her mouth with a hand to not make noise. Y/n laughed lightly and went to hug her, comforting her. Then everyone took a turn, she asked if she could go to bed, but Bruce told her that he preferred to do some tests to see if everything was okay.

-Better safe than sorry.- he shrugged.

-Alright. But first, can I change? I’m feeling a little exposed over here.- the gown reaching under her butt miraculusly, her breasts were barely covered, and Steve was getting quite protective, covering her with the blaket at every move.

Natasha went to grab underwear, a shirt and some yoga pants for her and brought them to Bruce’s lab. She and Bucky wento to sleep again, and Steve remained inside with you.

Banner did a few blood tests, sight tests, asked if you had any pain or headaches, then he put a band aid on the hole that was left from the IV.

-The results are gonna be ready tomorrow, now go rest you two. You both deserve it.- he smiled.

-Goodnight Bruce.- you responded sweetly.

You went back to their room not able to keep you hands off each other.

-I love you so much.- you said in between kisses. Now they were in bed, under the sheets and cuddling.

-I love you too. You don’t know how much I missed you.- kiss. -I almost lost you. Why did you went back on your own?- he asked.

-You were still inside and I heard gunshots. You weren’t responding and I kind of panicked. Then that man took me unprepared at my back and…- you paused, closing you eyes for a few seconds. -It was all so fast. I was so scared, I barely had the time to process what was happening.- you whispered. He had his brows knitted in sadness.

He hugged you closer to him and kissed your head. -It’s over now. I kinda want to kill you for how irresponsibile it was, but I understand. I won’t lie, I would do the same.- he confessed. There wasn’t a point in being tough and reprimanding you when he very well knew that he would’ve done the same. Now he just wanted to hold you and finally have a moment of peace.

Plot Twist :O What do you think about what happened? Why did y/n become how she is? Find out in the next part. Hope you enjoyed it, and if you did maybe leave a feedback? <3

Taglist : @polarcrystall @a--1--1--3 @silver-winter-wolf

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fernwehbookworm · 4 years

Text

Woke the F*ck Up- Chapter 14

February 23rd, 2018

The news hit the next day. Lena Luthor was missing. Last seen getting off a flight at National City Airport. No one saw the car she got into or how she left the airport. Pain lanced through Kara's heart. The blurry image Winn managed to 'acquire’ from the NCPD shows Lena still in a beautifully elegant dress from the pictures from the gala in Metropolis. She had no luggage. She must have left the fundraiser and headed straight for National City.

Kara felt like a coward. Cat had tried to convince her to go. To see Lena face to face but Kara couldn't take any more rejection. Lena had never called or even text. That was clear enough for Kara. So Cat went alone, to auction off the original for the CatCo cover that broke the record in sales the first day. Kara promised Cat ten percent commission on every other painting sold. The only reason Kara could think of for Lena to come so suddenly is to see her.

If only she had gone to Metropolis. Then Lena wouldn't be missing. Kara suspected Lillian. How else would the crime boss get to a vigilante whose mother was halfway across the world taking the honeymoon she and Jeremiah never were able to take, whose sister was an FBI agent, and whose friends were vigilantes with her. Plus Lena was her daughter and could probably serve other nefarious purposes as well.

With determination, Kara strode to the hidden panel in the central command table and pressed he palm to the reader. A green light scanned her hand and the panel opened with a small gush of air.

“Whoa, I didn't put that there. Where did that come from?” Winn exclaims, sitting up in his chair, dropping his feet to the floor from where they had been perched by a computer.

“I put it here. I may not be you smart but I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Plus Alex has the same model and helped me to install it a while ago.”

Kara begins unloading the contents of the compartment on the table. Winn shoots to his feet and James turns from where he has been studying the layout of the Cadmus base.

“Kara, I thought you didn't like guns.”

“I don't like them. Doesn't mean I don't know how to use them. Alex made sure of that.”

“Kara…” James says disapprovingly.

“Don't fucking start with me James. Lillian has kidnapped Lena and now that woman has gone too far this time.”

“You have no proof Cadmus has Lena,” James says.

“Lillian knows who I am. Of course she has Lena. This is personal now. She has been trying to take my city, she sure as hell won't take the woman I love.” Kara pauses as the word leaves her lips and knives through her heart.

“Kara, I thought you were past this. I thought that’s what all the therapy was for.” James says. Kara looks at him hard.

“Therapy was so I could handle everything in a healthy fashion. But I do love Lena. How we ended sucked, and it will take time for me to move past it, but I blaze like that leaves its mark. But I will not leave the woman I love in the clutches of her evil mother and a criminal organization.”

Kara begins strapping her collection to her uniform. Two handguns at her hips, a smaller one strapped to her right thigh, mirrored by an array of throwing knives on her left. Smoke and flash-bang grenades are loaded into the pouches at her waist. A shotgun is slung to her back. An ammo belt slings across her body as more ammo weighs down her utility belt.

“Kara I don't like this.”

“Have I not made it clear enough? James, you are only here to make sure you don't kill yourself doing this on your own. Because you threatened to do it on your own. I couldn't look my cousin in his eye if anything happened to you. But you are not my friend. You have done nothing to act like a friend. All you've done since the day I turned you down is mope and try to tell me what to do like some Alpha male who got his favorite toy taken away. Don't forget it was me that saved your ass. I don't fucking want you here. But you are because you are Clark's and Winn's friend for some ungodly reason. I couldn't give two shits what you think. And you can stay behind for all that matters.”

Silence falls after the angry ringing of Kara's words. James walks slowly away and back upstairs to the gym. Kara lets out an exasperated sigh.

When she’s dressed, she calls Alex to start forming a plan with the DEO. This was too big for just herself. Winn begins searching their known Cadmus bases for any new activity.

February 24th, 2018

Lena sits strapped to an uncomfortable chair for hours. Her mother seems convinced that that Power Girl would show up. Lena was much less sure but her throbbing lip from her mother smacking her across the month was enough for her to save her breath and any more unnecessary pain. By Lena’s best guess, a payment of three million dollars would be made to her kidnappers in less than twenty-four hours. Another two would be paid with her safe return. She had read the paperwork when she was made CEO, apparently, it was standard for Luthor’s to have their lives threatened. She could hear boots striking the floor outside the empty sounding room. Men patrolling, and, as near as she could tell, one would cross from one door to the other in the room to check her binding. It was getting colder and the dress left too much of her skin exposed. Chills ran down her spine and goosebumps rose along her arms and legs.

Silence stretches on, only timed by the repetitive hard soled shoes striking concrete. Lena’s eyes grew heavy from lack of sleep and the darkness of her blindfold. She dozed, only coming awake every time a knuckle-dragging, brute tightened her ropes. She thought of Kara in the silence. Leaving her, sleeping with Veronica, then never calling. She hoped Kara could forgive her. Or would at least talk to her. Everything was so messed up, her whole life was messed up from the moment the Luthor’s adopted her. Time ticked by slower and slower until Lena couldn't even tell if it was passing or standing still.

Then it all rushed to start again as the first gunshot rang out. Shouting began, distant and muffled but marching closer. Then a different sound. One above her, someone trying to be quiet but the distinct sound of glass being scratched, then a soft thud right in front of her.

Kara lowers herself from the glass ceiling to the floor. Lena sits blindfolded and alone, tied to the chair. Her lip is split and swollen. Lena’s head jerks up at the soft sound of Kara touching down in the large, empty room. Kara switches on the voice modulator in order to hide her shaking voice.

“Shhh, stay quiet now. I’m here to save you.” Lena stiffens at the almost digital voice.

“Power Girl. You can’t be here. It’s a trap. Go Now.” Lena whispers harshly, leaning away as best she could. Kara ignores her and works her pocket knife under the ropes.

“I won’t leave you here.”

“You will. My mother wants you dead. This city needs you.”

Kara’s hands still on the thick rope that she is almost through.

“I need you alive.” Lena’s head blindly turns to Kara’s voice as she whispers from behind her.

“You don’t even know me.” Snap. The rope breaks and Lena reaches up to remove her blindfold.

“I am not going with you,” Lena says and stubbornly crosses her arms, settling back against the hard chair.

“Ms. Luthor, please allow me to get you to safety.” Kara shouldn’t have been surprised by this but she was a little dumbfounded that anyone would choose to stay in the clutches of a criminal organization.

“The moment I stand from this chair, alarms will sound and this place will be flooded with my mother’s heavily armed lackeys with one goal, to kill you.”

“I knew this was a trap for me. Your mother was using you to get to me, but do you hear that? That is the sound of a government organization who wants to imprison your mother for terrorist crimes infiltrating this base.”

“No.”

Kara squats in front of Lena’s chair.

“Lee, trust me please.”

Lena’s eyes snap up to finally meet Kara’s. All Kara can hear is her heart pounding in her ears as she sees the recognition flood Lena’s features. Each heartbeat feels like it stretches out for hours. Kara watches as Lena carefully lifts her hands to Kara’s face, long elegant fingers pulling off her mask. Kara closes her eyes as she waits. Silence.

Blue eyes meet green and Lena knows.

“Kara…” She whispers, more of an escaping thought than a word said aloud. Kara touches the button by her throat to turn off the voice modulator.

“Now will you come with me?” Kara says softly, she holds out her hand and Lena places the mask in her palm. Kara replaces it before holding her hand out again. Lena looks away, biting her lip in that cute way she does when she is really thinking. Without meeting Kara’s eyes again, she places her hand in Kara’s and allows Kara to pull her up. As soon as Lena’s weight leaves the chair, alarms blare and lights flash. Kara begins pulling the flash bang grenades from her utility belt.

“Close your eyes.”

Lena eyes Kara carefully, like a person approaching a wild animal. Lena closes her eyes as the pounding feet and shouts get closer. Kara swiftly pulls the pins on the two grenades and rolls them towards the doors. She pulls the night-night gun from her belt and covers Lena’s head. Each grenade explodes just as the doors open and angry shouts turn to pain and confusion. As the men scramble to try and see again, Kara begins dropping each one with some sort of gun with accuracy that amazes Lena. She switches one clip out for another and continues to fire. Now the men rounding the corner were just tripping over the bodies of their fallen comrades. But soon some did start getting through, closer and closer as more men and some women burst through the two entrances. Some even began to fire their weapons, Kara somehow always between Lena and the bullets.

“And your plan is?” Lena says from behind Kara.

“In process.”

Kara slips behind Lena, throws her last two flash grenades and quickly attaching her rappelling rope to Lena and hitting the button for automatic retraction. Lena lets out a small squeal as she zips up and out of site. James was waiting for her at the top, once he detached her, he used his own rope to descend, bringing Kara’s back down to her. James used his shield to block for her as Kara reattaches the grappling device and ascends as well, James close behind. The conflict still brews below as DEO agents begin following the Cadmus guards into the room. Kara hulls herself over the edge and onto the roof. She sees Lena standing stiffly, far away from the edge, her back was turned and her fists were clenched.

“Lena?”

“Just get me down from here. I-I hate heights.”

Kara nods, even though Lena can’t see her. James just uses the zip line they set up earlier to escape the boundaries of the warehouse fence. Kara walks up slowly behind the woman.

“I’m going to pick you up now. Keep your eyes closed if you want. It will be over before you know it.”

Lena doesn't say anything so Kara takes it as a sign that it's fine. Lena stiffens at kara’s touch but doesn't pull away. Kara wraps one arm around her waist and guides her to the edge, in one swift movement, Kara is lifting Lena and hooking the grappling handle to the line to descend to street level again. She touches down in the alley between two buildings and expects Lena to pull away immediately, but she takes a deep breath before she does. James nods to Kara from his own bike before kicking it into gear and riding off. Kara nods to her own red and blue one when Lena turns to her. Lena huffs a bit then rolls her eyes but walks toward it, getting on after Kara. It feels all too familiar and all too foreign at the same time.

Even though it doesn't look it, whatever Kara is wearing feels like armor, under Lena’s fingers she can feel dents that remind her too much of when bullets hit a wall. Lena’s mind is racing and it's becoming all too much for her sleep-deprived brain. She decides to focus on the soft purr of the bike beneath her while leaning with Kara on each turn. She occasional catches glimpses the armored man she can only assume is the man dubbed Guardian by the news. The passing yellow street lights begin to lull her into a daze as the stars try to shine down through the haze of city light. No moon tonight, Lena notices idley.

Without warning, Kara makes a sharp turn down a ramp and into an underground garage. It takes a moment for Lena’s eyes to adjust to the bright fluorescent lighting emanating from the center of the dark room. Computers take up a large space on one wall, tech is scattered about with abandon as half-finished projects litter any surface not taken up by various weapons and armor. Other available space is taken up by exercise equipment. In a darkened corner Lena thinks she can make out a bed. Kara cuts the bike and the engine stills. She gets off and offers Lena a hand, Lena ignores it and slides off by herself. She sees the back of a mousy brown head that turns to reveal Winn. Guardian lumes behind him, still masked but practically radiating distrust and anger.

“Why would you bring her here?” The distorted voice of the metal man asks.

“Because she deserves to know. Now take off the helmet James.”

Lena watches the man stiffen and practically growl before removing the helmet and slamming it on the table.

“What the hell, Kara?”

“You really didn’t think she could figure out who you are after knowing who I am and then seeing Winn? Get over yourself.”

“I came back to help you .”

“You came back because you want to be a hero. Don’t pretend it was selfless.”

Lena watched as James angrily turns on his heel and walks away. He enters another room and lets the door swing shut behind him. Lena feels extremely awkward and unsure.

Kara takes a deep breath, Lena watches her shoulders rise and fall. As her argument progressed, she had stepped between Lena and James almost protectively. Kara’s hands are clenched into shaking fists, she takes another breath and slowly uncurls her fingers.

“Sorry about that. James and I have not been seeing eye to eye lately, or ever.” Kara turns to face Lena with a half-hearted smile. She takes back off the mask and sets it on a nearby table. Instead of responding to her, Lena turns to Winn.

“Winn, it’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you safe too, Lena.” He grins at her but glances at Kara and decides to make himself scarce. He heads to the staircase leading to what Lena assumes is the floor above. Kara opens her mouth but Lena holds up a finger.

“I need a phone.”

“Why?” Kara asks.

“So that my mother does not end up with three million dollars thanks to my life insurance. Phone, now.”

Kara rushes to give Lena hers, then waits as Lena goes through at least ten security checks varying in voice commands and typed in passwords. It all seems elaborate but considering the amount of money on the line it makes sense. Lena eventually hangs up and hands the phone back. Lena avoids Kara’s eyes and sits in what she can only assume is Winn’s chair. Her head throbs from lack of sleep, and food, and much too information. This was all getting too much to process. Lena can feel Kara watching her, but Lena rubs her eyes hard and takes a deep steadying breath.

“You are Power Girl,” Lena states, trying to wrap her head around it. Kara nods as Lena's green eyes meet hers. It catches Kara's breath in her throat. Lena takes in the woman who held her heart, who stole it away from her chest before she even agreed to a second date. She stands with hunched shoulders, arms crossed, in her red and blue suit. Her blonde hair is braided and the tail is draped forward over her shoulder. Various dents and scrapes speckle the suit, bullet holes. That is why Kara danced around Lena like a tornado, every bullet fired hit Kara instead of Lena, yet here she stands, not even in pain.

“So all those missed flights, all the calls that were sent to voicemail, you were off saving the world.”

“Yeah,” Kara says softly.

“And… and that night. That was my mother, wasn't it? She did that to you. She made you miss your flight. And I…” Lena swallows hard and loses her voice as she pieces together the gaps in everything. Tears spring to Lena's eyes.

“We had finally found a Cadmus base. They were making a bomb. I was calling Alex for back up-”

“Alex?”

“Yes. She works for a secret government organization tasked with taking down Cadmus.” Lena rubs her temples. Her headache is pounding.

“So while I was calling Alex, I saw your mother walk into the room from my vantage point. I just knew she was the head of Cadmus once I saw her. She was going to get away before the strike team could come. I decided James and I could stall that long. But we couldn't. I lost conscience and woke up in a black ops site infirmary a couple days later. By then, I was too late.”

Silence falls heavy on the pair. The darkness of the room seems to be trying to suck out the lights that they sit under. It stretches for minutes. Lena hears Kara take a breath but before she can speak her phone rings.

“Alex?” Kara says into the speaker. A muffled reply.

“You want me to bring her to the DEO?... Yes… Okay…. See you in fifteen.” Kara hangs up.

“They need to debrief you on your kidnapping. Also, Alex wants you to be examined and make sure none of your injuries are life-threatening.”

Lena just nods and stands to follow Kara back to her bike. Lena can take in the sleek design now that there is light. This time Kara takes the time to hand her a spare helmet before hopping on. As soon as Kara grips the handles, the bike purrs to life. Lena is impressed. She may have not been interested in technology these past few years but this looks very high tech. Lena climbs on behind the blonde vigilante and resigns herself to more hours without sleep.

Kara takes more turns than Lena can count and after the first dizzying few, Lena closes her eyes and rests her head against Kara's back. She feels Kara stiffen slightly before relaxing. All too soon Kara pulls into a nondescript garage and is helping Lena off and supporting the sleepy brunette as they walk to the elevator. Everything else is very dreamlike as Lena fights to stay conscious. She is aware of figures in black moving about the most open space as Kara practically carries her to a central command desk.

“Kara!” A familiar voice calls. Lena tries to focus on the fuzzy face and recognizes Alex.

“What the hell happened to her? Why didn't you bring her here first?”

“I think she's just tired. And I wasn't sure if the secret government organization tasked with taking down the Luthor's would want me to bring a Luthor into it.”

Lena struggles to stand fully on her own two feet and focus her eyes. How many days has it been now? Two? Three?

“Agent. I have been drugged, tied up, kept without food and minimal water. Also, I don't know the last time I slept. So, if we could move along with whatever you want to do, by all means.” Lena is impressed with how clear her voice is.

“Come on. I want to examine you, we will get you a change of clothes, some food, and a bed. Once you've slept, my director would like to debrief you personally.” The redhead sounds cold but the idea of food and a bed is too much.

They stick Lena inside of some sort of on-duty room after Alex is sure her injuries are minor. It has a bathroom with a shower, a bed, and a small television. She takes the opportunity to rinse off at least some of the grime from the past couple of days and reemerges to a change of black sweats and black long sleeve shirt, both emblazoned with some sort of eagle logo. Gratefully, she puts those on and throws the ruined dress in the small trash bin. A soft knock and a man also dressed in all black is handing her a tray with a sandwich, chips, and a bottle of apple juice. Lena hardly gets halfway through it all before the bed is calling too loudly. The mattress is lumpy, the sheets scratchy, but her body doesn't care. It had been too long.

February 25th, 2018

In the morning, Lena meets the Director. A very serious man named John Jones. He asks a bunch of questions, most of which Lena has no answer for. She directs him to her CFO, reassuring him that Jess will be open with him in sharing the information he needs. Lena is released and an Agent is assigned to take her to the hotel of her request, A protection detail was also following in the car behind, they would stay with her until her mother was found. She had somehow slipped away in the chaos.

Despite being told she had slept twelve hours, Lena was exhausted. All she wanted to do was crawl into her bed back in London where she felt safe and loved with the Arias women. She slides her card into the door and when the light turns green she escapes into the room as men take up position outside the door.

“Lena!”Jess exclaims and throws her arms around Lena before she can even let the door swing shut.

“Jess!” Lena tightens her arms around her CFO and soaks up the warmth of someone who has always told her the truth, even when it hurt.

After a few moments Jess seems to recollect herself and tries to pull away but Lena tightens her hold.

“I am so glad to see you,” Lena says softly.

“I was so worried when we got word that you were missing. I thought… and God I hate that I thought it… that maybe you went off the deep end of a bender.”

“Well, that does sound like me. But no. No drugs, not since I moved in with Sam and Ruby.”

Finally, Lena pulls back and lets Jess go. Her former assistant walks further into the room and hands her a change of pajamas that were already laid out next to a change of clothes for the next day. A new phone is charging on the hotel desk. Jess catches Lena eyeing it as Lena buttons up the sleep shirt.

“Don’t worry. I pulled your last backup from right before you left London.”

Lena nods and stifles a yawn. Jess ushers her to the bed and actually tucks her in. Lena is too tired to be embarrassed to care as Jess strokes her hair back before turning off the lamp.

#supergirl #supercorp #kara danvers #lena luthor #singer #Vigilante #au #fanfiction #WTFU

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peraltasames · 5 years

Text

if a great wave shall fall

Pairing: Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago

Desc: “Amy, sorry to wake you,” Terry says quickly. “There’s an active shooter at the grocery store on St Mark’s...Jake responded to it.”

Notes: title from wherever you will go - the calling (but the charlene soraia version is better). you might cry.

Read on AO3

Jake and Amy’s apartment

12:02 A.M.

Amy jolts awake to the found of her phone ringing. Not her morning alarms, not her eight month old baby, but the distinct sound of the ringtone reserved for one person only - her boss, Captain Terry Jeffords.

She reaches across the bed, the other side still empty, to grab her phone. “Hi, Captain, how can I...” She pauses as she glances over at her alarm clock. She’s not on call to come into work. There is no logical, work-related reason for her captain to be calling at this hour. “Wait, Terry, why are you calling me after midnight?”

“Amy, sorry to wake you,” Terry says quickly. “There’s an active shooter at the grocery store on St Mark’s...Jake responded to it."

After she hears her husband’s name, her world goes completely still for a few seconds. It’s long enough that she doesn’t fully absorb the rest of Terry’s words.

“He...he what?”

“He’s not by himself in there,” she hears him repeat, a bit slower and more gently. “He’s got a good team, all highly trained in situations like this. But we don’t have any updates just yet.”

As Amy’s brain goes into panic mode, she closes her eyes tightly, trying to visualize how to deal with this particular issue. It’s an emergency. Who do I call in an emergency? Jake. Who do I call if Jake is the emergency?

“I’m coming to the precinct,” Amy says, quiet but firm. “I just need to call my brother to come watch Abby.”

“Of course, Amy. I’ll call if I hear anything before you get here.”

She thanks him and ends the call, instantly going into her emergency contacts and selecting the second name on the list.

“Amy, what the-it’s three in the morning-“

Her brother, Nic, was the obvious choice when planning for an emergency such as this one. The rest of the squad were out of the question, as they could easily be involved in whatever reason Jake is unavailable. Karen lives twenty minutes away and her parents are in New Jersey, but Nic is only a five minute drive from them, making him the perfect candidate to watch Abigail. Of course, she hoped she would never have to actually call him - so much so that she never exactly told him he was their emergency go-to.

“Jake responded to an active shooting.” Her voice is still steady. She’s trained to deal with crises. “I need to go to the precinct. Can you please-“

“Oh god, Amy, I-I’ll be right there.”

The line goes dead, and Amy only allows herself a moment to try to remember how to breathe before she jumps into action.

She goes through the motions of packing an emergency bag, rummaging through the things in their bedroom: anxiety medication, phone chargers, badge and gun...

As she grabs the badge from her bedside table, her eye catches the framed photo right beside it, a moment captured by Gina’s phone of their first kiss as husband and wife. It wasn’t the professional photograph she had planned, but it’s her favourite picture ever taken of her and Jake.

Jake. Her husband. The father of her child.

It suddenly clicks that he’s actually in real, mortal danger. This isn’t just a worst case scenario, it’s the worst case scenario. The absolute worst thing that could possibly happen is one bullet away from becoming reality.

She slowly sinks down until she’s on the floor, her back against the side of their bed as the tears begin to flow. She doesn’t have time to break down, she knows that. She’s a wife, mother and sergeant - not one of those roles does she take lightly, not one leaves room for her to be weak. She’s supposed to be strong.

The opening of her bedroom door brings her back to reality, her head jolting up from where it was positioned in her hands to see her brother. His brows are furrowed with deep concern and his sweatpants and messy hair indicate that he got here as fast as is humanly possible.

“That was really fast,” she remarks, her voice trembling more than she thought it would as hot tears continue to stream down her face.

“I might have broken a few traffic laws. You can get me out of a ticket, right?” Nic smirks slightly at her horrified look. The Santiagos do not break traffic laws. “Kidding.”

Her older brother plops down on the floor next to her, putting a hand on her knee as she moves to get up.

“I need to go-“

“You need to breathe for a second before you operate a vehicle, Amy.”

She shakes her head, aggressively wiping away her tears. “I need to be there. I need to figure out what’s happening and - and I need to be a good wife and sergeant and mother and - and I need to buy more mushy peas in the morning because it’s all Abby will eat this week and now I have to go-“

“Amy, breathe.” Nic shifts over so he’s facing her, forcing her to look him in the eye. “You are strong. That’s never in question, okay? The fact that you’re breaking down right now does not make you weak, it makes you a normal person who’s going through something totally terrifying.”

She nods, letting a small sob escape her and leaning back against her soft comforter.

“I didn’t kiss him,” she says suddenly. “I…I always do, but I had just gotten Abby down for a nap and I was in the shower when he left.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Nic says comfortingly. “You’ll get to kiss him.”

“He only took a night shift because he’s been trying to get more overtime ever since we found out I was pregnant. I told him he doesn’t have to, but he wanted to start a college fund for Abby.” Amy runs a hand through her hair, shaking her head. “He spent all his money on massage chairs and take out when I met him, and now he’s…he’s such a good dad. I can’t do this without him, I can’t come home to her alone.”

“You won’t. Jake’s tough and he’s a good cop. He’s gonna be fine.”

For the first time in a life of relentless teasing and arguments, she really hopes her brother is right.

99th Precinct

12:28 A.M.

Nobody says a word when Amy comes running off the elevator wearing leggings and an NYPD sweater smelling faintly of cologne that is noticeably to big to be hers. Terry, Rosa, Charles and Gina are gathered in a loose circle of chairs outside Gina’s former desk in front of Captain Holt’s former office that is now Terry’s. She has no idea how everyone got here so quickly, but the many cups of coffee and the bags under her friends’ eyes indicate that they all rushed to the precinct as quickly as she did without the added step of having to find someone to watch their children. There’s just about nothing that this group of people wouldn’t do for Jake Peralta, she realizes.

Amidst the silence, everyone rises from their seats and within seconds she’s being pulled into a hug by Charles.

“He’ll be okay, Amy. It’s Jake, he has to be.”

Her husband’s best friend’s words resonate with her - Jake is always okay. He’s survived death threats and prison and countless dangerous operations just like this one. He hasn’t been taken from them yet, she hopes with all of her heart that he won’t be taken from them tonight. She hugs him back briefly and then pulls away to face her captain.

“Have you heard anything?”

Terry gives a solemn shake of his head. “Sorry, Amy, I still don’t know much. Holt said he’ll do everything he can to get an update, but there’s only so much even the commissioner can do in situations like this.”

She sits in the chair next to Gina, the extra seat obviously meant for her, trying not to glance just to her left at the pair of desks where she spent years stealing glances at the guy that she had a minor crush on (okay, it was pretty major by the time she admitted it to herself and full-blown obsession by the time she told him).

She keeps her phone in her hand and the volume on high in case Jake texts that it’s over or Holt provides an update to her directly. Her heart begins to ache a little more than it has been this whole time as the elevator doors open again and the commissioner of the NYPD himself steps out. Despite the considerable relationship he has with his old detective squad, he certainly isn’t obligated to give them an update in person. Unless it’s a bad one. She isn’t going to wait to find out.

“Have you heard from Jake?” she explains in a tone that lacks politeness and professionalism, but Holt does not seem to mind. His face softens when he sees Amy in her current state.

“As of right now there are two civilians wounded, no deaths and no officers injured.” Relief washes through her instantly and she nearly falls back into Gina, who keeps her upright with a hand on her shoulder. “Unfortunately the shooter has not been taken into custody yet, so Jake and the others are still there. It is unclear at this time when they will be out.”

The thought of waiting any longer without the certainty that he’s safe makes her feel nauseous, but Captain Holt - Commissioner Holt, but he’ll always be her captain - sits next to her and says “Peralta will be alright. I believe that his tendencies to make rash decisions without proper judgement have declined significantly through your relationship.” It eases her mind for a moment.

99th Precinct

1:22 A.M.

The precinct is colder at night. It always has been, and Amy’s always noticed it. She worked late often enough to realize the change in temperature, but it wasn’t until they were assigned to the night shift by the ridiculous Captain Stentley that she came to truly loathe how cold it got.

The moment she steps into the break room tonight and a chill goes up her spine, she feels a big wave of déjà vu hit, almost as if it’s a vision from her past.

“Hey, whatcha doing in here?”

She looks up from her spot on the couch, her face buried in a case file. Despite her fatigue and the general disheartening effect of the night shift, she’s still working as hard as she always does. It eases her heart and mind a little to see her boyfriend limping through the doorway with his cane, grinning at her. It’s his first week back at work in months, and she missed seeing him across the desk from her more than she realized.

“It’s a couple degrees warmer in here than the bullpen,” she answers, shifting over on the couch so he can join her.

“Yeah, it is actually a lot colder in here at night than I remembered it,” Jake agrees, plopping down next to her with a thud. “Wait, why aren’t you wearing a jacket?”

“None of my blazers really match this blouse, so-“

Jake’s already shrugging off his leather jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders and then pulling her into his side.

“Jake, we’re at work...” she trails off, looking up through the break room window. The majority of their colleagues are nearly asleep at their desks or currently absent. She knows for a fact that Captain Holt just took his break, so he won’t be walking in any time soon.

She doesn’t think anyone would really say anything, anyways. She’s sure they all noticed how little she smiled or laughed or showed enthusiasm of any kind over the six months he was in Florida, how she would decline invitations to hang out after work or quietly excuse herself when someone mentioned him.

“You’re so warm,” she says fondly, her face squished against his chest. She allows her eyes to flutter closed, immersed in his embrace. God, she missed him so much.

“And you’re freezing,” he says with a kiss to the top of her head.

Feeling completely relaxed for the first time that night, she begins to fantasize about the comfort of her own home - or his, she doesn’t really care at this point - awaiting her when their shift is done in just two short hours. “We should definitely take a long, hot shower as soon as we get home.”

His eyes widen. “Ames, that is hardly appropriate conversation for the workplace.”

“Oh, yes, there’s nothing sexier than helping my boyfriend bathe because he has a bullet wound in his leg-“

“And who inflicted that wound upon me?”

“I saved your life!”

They’re both laughing at this point, and she can feel his chest rising and falling in sync with his laughter, the sound bouncing off the walls.

Now, the room is painfully quiet as Rosa leads her to a chair, urging her to sit down and placing a mug in front of her. She appreciates the gesture, but her nerves certainly cannot be tamed by a cup of herbal tea.

“Thanks, Rosa, but-“

“It’s coffee,” Rosa interrupts her. “I know Terry said to give you chamomile tea to relax you or whatever, but we both know it’s gonna be a long night.”

Amy nods gratefully, taking a long sip of the hot, bitter drink.

“Remember the Brooklyn Heights shooting a few years ago?” Rosa’s voice cuts through the silence.

She’s taken aback by the question, nodding slowly. Of course she remembers it - the hours Rosa’s life was up in the air were some of the scariest of her life (until today, that is).

“Did Jake ever tell you he almost came to help me even though he was ordered not to?”

Amy’s heart clenches in her chest, trying to recall the events of that day after Rosa found her drenched in toilet water. She remembers going home, taking a shower, going over some wedding plans with Kylie over the phone, falling asleep early with Jake beside her. They barely talked about the shooting at all, let alone the fact that he almost went.

“No,” Amy says quietly. “No, he never told me.”

She can’t say she’s surprised, but it still hurts her to think that she could’ve lost him weeks before their wedding. She could’ve never been married to him.

“We went to Shaw’s that night and he told me what happened,” Rosa continues. “I think I was the only one that ever found out other than Holt. But you know what he said when I asked why he came to his senses?” Amy shakes her head, still looking at Rosa with watery eyes. “You, Amy. He said he couldn’t handle the thought of leaving you alone.”

She promised herself she wouldn’t cry again, at least until she gets to hold him and inevitably breaks down in his arms (she has to keep telling herself that that moment will come) but Rosa’s revelation completely unravels her.

Rosa’s hand on her own brings her some comfort, the act of affection both rare and extremely appreciated.

“He wants to come home to you. And Jake’s stubborn as hell when he wants to be.”

Amy smiles fondly, nodding in agreement. It’s one of the things she loves and occasionally disdains.

“Yeah, he really is.”

24-Hour Grocery Store

3:14 A.M.

As soon as they get the call that the shooter’s been taken into custody, the Nine-Nine rushes to the scene of the shooting. Amy rides in the passenger seat of Terry’s car, her eyes shut tightly so more tears don’t escape as the words she heard through the speaker phone in the captain’s office replay in her brain.

Several officers down. Names and severity of injuries still unclear.

There were less than ten officers present, as far as she knows, which means there’s a significant statistical possibility that Jake is one of the several.

There are ambulances and squad cars surrounding the store, the flashing lights making Amy feel more disoriented as she jumps out of the car the moment they’ve parked.

Immediately, she spots a familiar face, Detective Ross Thompson from their neighbouring precinct, exiting the building. He’s uninjured, as far as she can tell, which first relieves her and then makes the calculation in her brain of the likelihood that Jake is one of the injured shift further out of her favour.

“Thompson!”

The way that the man’s face pales with fear when he sees her in a way that it shouldn’t at the sight of a superior officer with whom he has a pretty good professional relationship, but might at the sight of a dead man’s wife.

“Sergeant,” he says quietly. “Peralta-he, uh-“

A quick glance over his shoulder renders the rest of Thompson’s sentence obsolete. Nothing has ever shaken Amy Santiago quite as much as the sight of her husband on a stretcher, blood covering so much of him that it’s impossible to tell where he’s been shot.

Jake. She isn’t sure if she actually shouts his name or if it’s just echoing in her head the way that it has for the better part of ten years, but she manages to push past the crowd of cops and paramedics until she’s as close to him as possible.

“Jake,” she breathes, her hand clutching his where it rests limply at his side. He’s still wearing his kevlar vest, which has a mark from a bullet that surely would’ve penetrated his heart without it - she’s never been more grateful for an article of clothing. She’s close enough now to see the wound in his shoulder, where the paramedics seem to have finally stopped the blood - which is everywhere - from flowing. His name comes out like a whimper as she lets out the tears she was holding back.

“Ames?” His voice is so weak and small compared to the volume she’s used to. She squeezes his hand a little tighter as he looks up at her with wide eyes. She’s pretty sure that the look of fear on his face mirrors hers.

“Excuse me, miss, I’m going to have to ask you to step back so we can move him to the ambulance.”

Amy steps away reluctantly, only enough that the man and woman in paramedic uniforms can move the stretcher into the back of the vehicle. Jake’s groan of pain as she steps away makes her sob harder.

“Is he going to be okay?” she chokes out, following them to the ambulance parked just a few feet away.

“He’s lost a lot of blood, but we’re going to do everything we can to make sure he pulls through,” the male paramedic, a twenty-something with dark hair and bright blue eyes, informs her. “Are you his wife?” Amy nods. “You can ride in the ambulance with him.”

She climbs up into the back of the ambulance behind the paramedics, sitting as close to Jake as she can while the paramedics work around them, cleaning some of the blood off his chest.

“Why’re you crying, babe?” Jake’s eyes are barely open, his only real awareness seeming to be the fact that she’s there and she’s sobbing violently while she clutches his hand so tightly that both of their fingers are white.

She kisses the back of his hand a few times, comforted by the fact that his skin is still as warm as it always is. “I can’t lose you.”

“Not gonna…” he struggles to get the words out, his breathing laboured. “Not gonna leave you. Promise.”

He moves their joined hands almost like a handshake, a symbolic agreement that he will never leave her. She feels his grip on her loosen as he drifts off, and she holds on to both his hand and the vow that he’s just made to her. He’s not leaving her, definitely not tonight.

“I love you so much,” she whispers for no one to hear.

Brooklyn Methodist Hospital

7:21 A.M.

Mom

Just woke up to voicemail from Nic. Our prayers are with Jake. Call if you need anything, mija, we love you both very much. Xo Mom and Dad

Nic Santiago

Abby’s up and just had breakfast. All good here. Has Jake woken up yet?

Charles Boyle

Just got home. Don’t forget to text me when Jake wakes up and every hour after that with an update :)

Raymond Holt

Dear Sergeant Santiago,

Captain Jeffords has updated me on Jake’s condition. I will visit later today after you have both had adequate time to rest.

Sincerely,

Raymond Holt

Kylie

Your brother texted me. Is Jake okay?? Do you need anything?

Gina Linetti

you were passed out during my turn to visit, plz tell jake he’s not getting out of the $10 he owes me for buying pizza in ninth grade that easily. and ily both i guess

Karen Peralta

Just got your texts. I’ll be at the hospital as soon as I can - just have to find someone to cover me at work today. Give Jake a big hug from me. Sending you all my love.

Rosa Diaz

Say hey to Jake for me when he wakes up. Don’t tell him any of the lame stuff I said (yes, that is a threat)

Terry Jeffords

Thinking of you guys. Just got home to Sharon and the girls. Take all the time off you need while Jake recovers.

Amy wakes to an onslaught of text messages from her friends and family, her eyes adjusting to the harsh hospital lighting and the brightness of her phone screen. She realizes she’s only been asleep for about an hour, but it’s more than she thought she would be able to get in the uncomfortable chair next to Jake’s bed.

She glances over at her sleeping husband. If it weren’t for the sling keeping his fractured scapula immobile, he would be indistinguishable from the man she wakes up next to every single day.

Against her better judgement, knowing that she needs to let him sleep, she runs her hand through his hair. She feels a little guilty when his eyes flicker open, but it vanishes when he smiles at her. Her heart feels like it’s going to explode. She loves him so much.

“Hey, Ames” he says. His voice is hoarser than normal and still her favourite sound in the world.

“Hi, baby,” she says in a soothing voice, moving to sit on the bed in the space next to him. While one hand continues to stroke his soft curls, the other grabs his where it rests on his stomach. “How are you feeling?”

“I…can’t feel much,” he says, confirming for her that the drugs she approved that they give him are working. “Babe, where’s Abby?”

“She’s at home with Nic. He came over to watch her last night when I got the call.” Her voice breaks a little at the end of the sentence. She thinks it goes unnoticed until she feels his hand squeeze hers tighter.

“Nic’s watching her?”

Amy chuckles slightly. Apparently, Jake does not try as hard to hide the fact that Nic’s not exactly his favourite of her brothers when he’s on morphine.

“He’s a doctor, Jake. He’s capable of watching our daughter.”

“He’s also capable of judging my every move and acting like he knows everything.”

“To be fair, he probably does know a bit more about the effects that pizza bagels have on your health-“

“Well, I know more…laws,” Jake says with a huff, frowning. He looks like a five-year old that just got told it’s time for bed, and he’s completely adorable and she loves him so much.

“I bet you do,” she says warmly.

“I’m sorry I scared you. I tried to be careful for you guys.”

After Jake was rushed into surgery and she was reunited with the squad in the waiting room, Thompson filled her in on what happened. Jake had taken two bullets intended for a twelve year old boy, only one of them actually penetrating his flesh. It was the kind of decision that they’re often faced with in this job but never really prepared to make. As much as she hates the choice he made, she knows it was the right one and the same one she would’ve made.

“It’s okay, Jake,” she murmurs. They’ll talk about it more later, when the shock and the drugs and the initial terror have worn off. She leans down to kiss his lips gently. He kisses her back, his hand moving from hers to weakly cup her face. She pulls away and rests her forehead against his, her eyes still shut. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” he says with a quick kiss to her cheek. “’M sleepy.”

She pulls away as he closes his eyes, seconds away from drifting back into a deep sleep.

“Yeah, you should get some rest.”

“Need you,” he murmurs softly, but its still laced with urgency.

“I’m right here, honey,” she assures him. “I’m not leaving.”

He shakes his head, unsatisfied. “Need you here.” Jake shifts over in the bed to offer her more space, extending his uninjured arm so she can curl up with him.

“I shouldn’t…” she starts to say, but quickly decides that cuddling with her husband right now is a million times more important than some hospital rule.

She, very cautiously, climbs into the bed with him and melts into his side, her arm hugging his stomach. Her head tucks under his chin.

“I love you,” she says once again. “Forever.”

“I know, that’s why we got married.”

“Jake, please just let me be emotional for two seconds. My husband just got shot, it’s been a bit of a rough night for me.”

“Really? He sounds like a badass.”

Amy rolls her eyes, smiling against his chest at the sheer fact that she still gets to do that. “You’re such an idiot.”

He holds her closer, his cheek resting comfortably on the top of her head.

“I love you too, Ames.”

#otp: you're not allowed to fall in love with me #b99 fic #b99 #all of the angst #also i apologize sincerely for any grammatical errors it is very late #but i wanted to post before bed #myfics

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forthemultiverse · 6 years

Text

A Siblings Trust - Batsis!Reader

Requested by Carleyviolingirl28 :

So I was wondering if I could do a request for a middle sibling Batsis type of one shot where she is so focused on missions and school and her responsibilities that she neglects her health (like not eating or sleeping enough) and her brothers don’t notice until she passes out on a mission or something? And could you please include their reactions and what they would do to help her? Thanks!

I’m not sure I followed the request exactly how you wanted me to, sorry, but I hope you like it. This was requested on Quotev and was an interesting change for me; I hope I did Batsis justice since I’ve never written that before. Also, I’ve just started posting these stories over on Wattpad as well as Quotev so if any of you like reading fics on there, *awkward finger guns* I use ForTheMultiverse as my username on there too <3<3

Request are open in case anyone else is wandering :D

You heard the alarm going off the first time. That didn’t mean you were going to listen to it or get up. Not that you didn’t want to get up, you knew you had to, or else you’d end up being late to school, but you also figured that Alfred would eventually come and get you after noticing you hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. When you were late for school, you decided it was Tim’s fault. He’d told Alfred you’d gone in early because he genuinely thought you had. Apparently, it was a believable thing for you to do.

You just about scrambled through the hallway without being seen by anyone, arriving as the bell rang, signalling the end of the second period. If you could slip into the crowd, then no one would question the fact you’d just arrived.

“You look like a mess.” Tim mused, spotting you straight away. He was a few months younger than you, meaning you were in the same school year and most of the same classes. “I covered for you by the way.”

“Why’d you tell Alfred I would already be at school?”

“You’ve left without me almost every day this half term, and I’ve always found you in the library once I’ve got here!” he defended and you stopped walking. He was right. You’d been getting up at four thirty every morning. "See!” he took your stunned face as him being right, and you let him.

“What time do you usually get up?”

“Like six? I do casework for an hour then get ready.” There was a fifteen-minute break after the second period so he could quickly catch you up on everything you’d missed you’d missed.

“I get up so much earlier than you.”

“You go to bed before me though.” That only made you feel worse. You had to get up early to work on cases because you knew Tim was smarter than you. He would figure everything out if you didn’t work harder. If Tim stayed up later than you, he was getting the same amount of sleep as you but doing so much better than you were. He wasn't oversleeping or accidentally ditching school. He was coping.

“True…”

“Are you okay? You can go home, take the day off, I’ll get your work for you if you’re too tired?”

“I’m fine,”

“Fine?”

“Great.” Everyone knew that 'fine' never meant fine.

“Promise?”

“If you’re okay, I’m okay.” you nodded, he was scanning you for weakness, and you weren’t going to let him find any. If he wasn’t oversleeping, neither were you. “Promise.”

“M’kay…” he handed over a few sheets of paper for you to start filling in. He was technically your brother, and you loved him like blood family, but you couldn't bring yourself to say that you needed help. Your family was all about survival, and that's what you were doing.

Sadly, you couldn’t just zone out for the rest of the day to rest; you needed to help your youngest brother out. Damian didn’t like to ask for help, so you didn’t let him. You just saw Robin in trouble over lunch so disappeared from your friends to suit up. He’d probably be rude to you, but he was family, and you could see him struggling through the live video on your phone.

“What’s happening?” you asked through the comms

“White van has money in it, and the black van is shooting at me.”

“You get the money; I’ll distract.”

“I can do it on my own,” he growled as you appeared around the corner and swung from lamppost to lamppost.

“You don’t have to though.”

You got yourself ahead of the black van. Jumping over incoming bullets to land on the front - terrifying the driver and stopping the fire for a moment as one of the gunmen clambered into the seat and tried to hit you. Damian took the help and disappeared into the shadows. Maybe you should have given Damian the harder job; he was fully awake while you were off your game. But he was your younger brother, whether he admitted it or not, and as an older sibling, it was your job to protect him. No matter how much slower you were moving, or how sloppy your attacks were - you needed to defend him.

The bullet missed you because Damian was quick-footed, and watching your back from his takedown. You moved forward, onto the van roof. Tossing one Batarang into the glass and kicking a smoke bomb through the gap. The van swerved across the road, turning fast as it lost control. You tried to keep your balance, but your feet were sliding backwards as it hit the lamppost. The grip on your feet held you on the edge of the van, but bullets were flying everywhere. You ducked and kicked one of the guys as he stopped to rub his eyes. One down. The others weren't so stupid, managing to fire randomly, knowing they'd cause some kind of damage even if they didn't hit you, hoping they'd take a few civilians down before the police arrived. They wanted to make a point, and you couldn't think fast enough to stop them. The gunfire made your ears ring. The second Batarang left your hand, no real aim but managing to knock two guns to the floor before returning to your side - and you sent it straight into the smoke again. No clue what else todo

The smoke started to clear, and a stray bullet was a metre away from hitting you in the stomach. You froze. The first time you'd ever been entirely unable to move. You were tired and unprepared for the entire fight. Your brain raced over how you should have told Tim to go; you should have let Damian deal with this. You didn't need to be here. No one had called you into action. Your stupid sibling override was going to get you shot.

Something wrapped around your leg and pulled, slamming you into the broken van roof, and out of harm’s way.

“The Police have the money, let’s get out of here before you freeze again,” Damian snarled as he released your ankle.

You both got onto a roof when he finally said something.

“You don’t look good.”

“Whatever, wannabe Bruce.”

“You look tired and old.”

“And why do you care?”

“I don’t!”

“Awe! Do you care about me really, Damian? Do you not like it when other people try to hurt me?” you spoke with a baby voice and grabbed his cheeks, “Is the baby growing up?”

“I’m not a baby.”

“You’re like eight, that’s a baby.”

“I’m eleven!” he yelled

“What’s that? Six?”

“Maybe you're not sloppy; maybe you’re just unskilled, wouldn’t surprise me.”

“I was trained by Batman.”

“And he obviously didn’t care enough to train you well.”

“Don’t make me hurt you,”

“You couldn’t if you tried, maybe I should’ve let you take the bullet to teach you a lesson. Don’t think I’ve ever seen someone move as slow as you were.”

“Screw off Dami.”

“Tssk!” he stormed off, and you jumped off the roof to return to school, knowing you’d missed the start of your next class and won’t be able to get into the classroom until it’s over.

“Something is wrong with (Y/N)!” Damian announced as he walked into Dick’s apartment. Dick screamed a dropped his cereal bowl, not expecting anyone to come over that day.

“Learn to knock!”

“You should always be ready for an attack.” Damian shrugged.

“Not on my day off!” He grabbed a shirt and tried to shuffle some of the sprawled clothes out of Damian’s view. He didn’t need to know Babs had only recently left.

“You’re lifestyle has gone downhill.” Damian judged, “You are aware it’s midday, and you’re eating breakfast foods?”

“Cereal is for all times of the day.” Dick poured himself another bowl now his first one had gone on the floor, and joined his brother on the couch, “So, (Y/N)?”

“She overslept, her fighting was sloppy, she almost got shot, and something’s wrong.”

“And why do you care?” Dick felt pride in his chest, Damian did care about his siblings. “Are you warming up to the family?”

“No! I just don’t want her to ruin a mission!”

“Sure. If you’re concerned, why don’t you just talk to her?”

“She said I was eight and made fun of me.”

“She’s your sister, of course, she’s going to tease you, that’s sibling culture.”

“Then why am I told off for doing it?”

“Because you’re harsh and mean, she’s teasing in love; you can tell the difference by the tone of voice. You want to try talking to her again?” Damian scowled and shook his head. Talking to you again might make you think he cares, “So you want me to try?"

“You’re the oldest.”

“Go it.” Dick winked and waved him out of his apartment.

When Dick found you later that day, he was in civilian gear and offering to buy coffee. Tim had some club after school, so the two of you just drove to the nearest cafe. Dick was known to just randomly show up and do something he dubbed ‘Sibling Bonding’, so you didn’t think it was strange.

“How’s your day gone? Mine’s been good, I’ve had a day off, it’s always nice to have a day off and just catch up on sleep and stuff. It’s relaxing, don’t you think?”

That raised a red flag for you. Dick could be very subtle when he wanted to, but he was trying to cut to the chase without pissing you off.

“I’m fine, and I told Tim that, so if he sent you in, I appreciate the free coffee, but I’m honestly fine.”

“Tim didn’t send me, if Tim had sent me a message, I would have told him to trust you and been a whole lot more subtle.”

“Alfred?”

“I spoke to him, but only after Damian asked me to talk to you.”

“Damian?” you were shocked, the little monster was your annoying younger brother and a living nightmare. He may have saved you ass earlier, but you didn’t think him as the type to go to Dick worried about you. That was a you move. You looked out for your family.

“I’m your brother (Y/N), you can talk to me, and you can talk to him. If you just speak to him like an adult, he won’t be mean. He doesn’t try to be an asshole, and he does care really.”

“Very deep down.” you rolled your eyes.

“Very very deep down, but I’ve seen the nicer side.”

“I’m fine.”

“If Tim already to spoke to you, Damian came to me, and Alfred seems pretty concerned, I think that means you need to take a break.”

“Think about it yourself; someone was telling you that you’re tired, but who knows your body best?”

“I do.”

“Exactly, I know my body, I may look tired, but I’m not.”

“Oversleeping this morning?”

“I told Tim to wake me up! That was his sleep-deprived ass forgetting!” You lied a little. You didn’t want to admit you were weaker than your brothers. You all had the same schedule, you all worked hard, but you always felt like you were lagging behind. You could understand why Barbara had quit being Batgirl. It’s sad to realise you can’t actually help out as much as someone else. But you weren’t going to quit. You couldn’t. You’d be letting them all down, it would mean you’d wasted so much of your life to train for no reason. It would mean they were out there, risking their lives and you wouldn't be able to help them is they ended up in a dangerous situation. You’d drive yourself mad - staying up as late as you could while trying to maintain your grade average trying to solve cases and do homework and workout and keep up with Tim and stay ahead of Damian and not let Bruce down. You would be the first one out of bed each morning, first into costume if someone was needed on the field. You would work twice as hard as the boys, and you wouldn’t quit. You couldn’t let them see you as weaker than them, and you wouldn't let them be out there without you. Not a chance.

“Okay, you do know your body, but if you have another bullet scare like today, I’m going to Bruce, and you’re taking at least a weak to rest.”

“Come on!”

“That’s nice, that’s me being a good big brother and trusting you.” You nodded, but you couldn’t help but roll your eyes as he lifted his hand for a high-five “Family? What would you do if you were in my position?”

“Family.” you groaned and gave him the high-five, deliberately not answering the second question. You'd make sure siblings were okay; you'd make them rest. You wouldn't trust them the way Dick did.

You made it through the week, focusing on keeping your body going and not slipping up. You weren’t going to let Dick go to Bruce, and you weren’t going to take a day off. But everyone met for a change of patrol a week later, and you were sitting on the edge of the rooftop. You were rubbing your eyes and wishing you had coffee to wake you up. You hadn’t had time to grab anything to eat before heading out to meet everyone, and you were supposed to take over from Damian. You couldn’t let him stay out any later since he was still younger. You just hoped you could talk Dick into making a Fast food run or something.

“Who’s here?” Tim asked, landing last.

“Everyone but you,” Damian smirked, and Tim stuck his tongue out.

“Up (Y/S/N), you and me can take West High Street, Red Robin and Spoiler, use Wayne Enterprises as your base, Orphan and Signal can use here, Robin’s been patrolling all afternoon so he can head home and rest, Batgirl will be joining us later.”

As you stood up, your head was light, all the blood rushing to it. Your vision went, and you felt yourself trip back. Luckily Cass caught you before you fell off the roof.

When you woke up, you were lying on your bed, Dick asleep in the chair by the door. As you moved, he shot awake. All of his nerves and senses awake.

“(Y/N)! Thank god you’re okay.”

“I was always fine.”

“You passed out from standing off; you nearly fell off the roof.”

“None of you would’ve let that happen.” You shrugged, trying to get out of bed. He jumped forward and held the duvet down.

“Cass caught you, and you are not getting up.”

“How long have I been out?”

“A few hours,”

“Then there’s still time to get out there and help.”

“Not a chance.”

“Cass caught me; I’m not hurt. I can patrol. I know I’m fine.”

“I trusted you last week. We all trusted you! You said you were fine last week. You aren’t leaving this bed for a day at least.”

“You can’t force me to stay here.”

“Yes, I can.”

“Let me out!”

“I’m your brother, and I trusted when you said you were fine and you almost fell off the roof because you stood up. There is no way you’re getting out of this bed. Tim trusted you, Damian trusted my judgement.”

You noticed something different in Dick’s face. He was tense, and he suddenly seemed a lot older than you usually thought of him as. He was your brother, one of you guys, you forgot that he’d been doing this superhero thing a lot longer than you. He’d been the first. Your lies had made him trust you, and you’d almost gotten hurt. His decision could have got you hurt. Your choices made him feel guilty, which made you feel guilty - which of course you deserved to feel.

“Dick…” you whispered, “I was just doing what you all do. You all stay up as late, work hard, I’m just working harder to try and keep up. Trying to protect the others...”

“You don’t have to be me! You actually have the joy of not being me, the only one, the first Robin. There are so many of us that we always have someone spare for patrol. You could’ve just taken the night off.”

“But what if you all realised you didn’t need me at all!”

“You're our sister, blood or not; we’re always going to need you, mask on or off.”

“Wait, you’re trying to keep up?” Tim pushed the door open; he’d been eavesdropping the entire time.

“See! He now thinks lower of me!”

“I don’t think you’re less!” Tim shook his head and rushed towards the bed. He’d just finished patrol. “I want you to be healthy. I’m not healthy, that’s why I noticed. I set six alarms to make sure I wake up in the morning, one of them makes me coffee, so I don’t even have to move without caffeine in my system. I didn’t want you to be like me.”

“You’re the younger one, I should be setting the example,” you complained, flopping into your pillow.

“This is my fault.” He muttered, “If I wasn’t always trying to prove myself and be as good as you…” he was freaking out and ran out of the room, coming back in a few minutes with one of his coffee alarm clocks.

“No, Tim.” Dick made him take it from you, even though you clapped your hands and tried to grab it. “She needs rest, not a way to stay awake. Actually no, I’m taking that. You need sleep too, both of you are on bed rest until further notice.”

“Coming from you, you don’t sleep either!” You pointed out as Dick disappeared to take Tim’s coffee supply away.

“Yeah, because I got into the habit and adapted at a young age. I was the only one, remember.”

“I know, you said it like five seconds ago.” Dick snorted at your comment, and that made you feel better. “The extended families so big by now that no one should ever end up like this again.”

There was a long pause in the conversation as all three of you thought about that. From Kate to Duke to Carrie and Harper and the Fox Family. There was an awful lot of people running around Gotham nowadays. You had been so concerned about making sure Damian wasn’t going to get hurt that you’d almost been shot, you’d been so concerned about making sure you weren’t left behind whilst your brothers were in danger that you nearly fell off a roof. Damian had gone to Dick, which meant he was looking out for you - just in his own socially inept way.

“How does it feel to have started all of this?” You asked.

“If it's the reason you guys are collapsing, I'm not very proud…”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know, but as your brother, you should be able to tell me the stuff you can’t tell Bruce, you can admit you’re tired or need a break, or trying to balance too much. Siblings support each other. We're a family, so we help each other - whether that's by making you sleep, or pushing you away from gunfire, none of us have to do this alone anymore.”

“Where’s Jason at right now?” you asked out of interest.

“He came back to help cover patrol for a bit so we can all have a break, he’s joining us tomorrow night.”

“Seriously?” you sat up straighter. It was going to be the first time in a long while that all your brothers were in the same house.

“(Y/N)?” Damian opened the door carrying a bowl of popcorn, “I could hear all the noise through the rest of the house so thought you might like some popcorn.”

“Thank you?” You took the bowl from him, and he disappeared quicker than he had appeared. He really didn’t know how to handle being a brother and you immediately wanted to mother him.

“Told you he cared.” Dick smiled, grabbing Tim as he tried to sneak out.

“You’re benched too.”

“Not fair.”

“Not making the same mistake twice.” Dick mused, taking a fistful of popcorn, “Disney movies all day tomorrow? I’m taking the day off, follow my example?”

“You’re the oldest, so I guess,” you said, smiling and trying to sound as irritated as possible. Dick was doing what you would do, but with the heart, only he could have. All of your family had their way to show they cared, yours was working yourself senseless to protect them, but if they were taking tomorrow off too...you could rest. Everyone could relax.

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