You knew that the day had to come. Even now, standing in the doorway of Tony's office, silently watching him gathering his own nerves even though he would never admit he was doing it, you hoped that a call would come in at this last possible second and call it all off. It took all of your will to swallow down the lump of emotions in your throat when he leaned down to press a quick kiss to the picture of Maggie that adorned his desk, the small and weathered bear from his childhood propped gently against it. He was acting like he was never coming back, and dammit if it wasn't making you feel the same.

"Dad, you've gotta stop. If you send us both into a panic attack, Steve's gonna lose it. We're all in the same boat here."

"Okay, okay, I know. I just hope that we're ready," he sighed, taking his place next to you at the door, looking back at the room with a final nod of approval. "But, no time like the present to find out, am I right?"

"Yeah, it's gonna be fun. We always have just the best time fighting Hydra, remember? It's like a family pastime."

"Sure," Tony scoffed, turning to leave and wrapping your arm in his to lead you to the rest of the waiting group, "nothing but happy memories with that bunch. You know that they're going to take full advantage of the fact that we've been out of commission for a while. We're like a bunch of rusty parts barely turning the gears."

"Pfft, I've got this. I'll just flip my shit and go rogue, works like a charm. Plus, added bonus," you smirked, "I usually get amnesic afterwards, so there's delayed guilt."

"That's not funny," he answered flatly, stopping abruptly in his tracks to look at you with his best fatherly disapproval; it was unnerving how this exact look could make you feel like a misbehaving five-year-old all over again.

"Sorry, sorry," you waved apologetically, "just trying to lighten the mood a bit. I won't make that mistake again." You silenced and started out again towards the hangar bay, taking the rest of the walk without saying anything more until you reached the doors, resting your hand against it with a pause before allowing him through. "Dad, we're all okay...we're ready. I just need to know if you're ready."

"Always."

"Dad..."

"Did that not come across as genuine? I really meant it to be, I swear!"

"Mmm hmm," your sneered, pushing the doors open with a heavy hand, holding it for him to pass by though he didn't immediately take your offer. "Well, go on," you urged, "Steve looks like he's about to take off in a sprint to get there before we can even get the bird in the air."

"(Y/N), I meant it." As he looked at you, still holding his stance, his eyes searched yours in earnest to find your understanding and belief that he so eagerly wanted and needed to see. He fully believed that he was ready, and that you all were, but knowing that you believed it too was the final thing that he needed before he could get into that suit again after all this time.

"Alright, I believe you," you finally relented, "but I can guarantee that convincing Steve won't be nearly that easy."

"Easy? That was not easy," he chuckled. "But you know what will be? Getting back to work. We all just need to find normal again." Tony pushed past you and through the door that you continued to hold for him, crossing the hangar bay quickly to a waiting Steve, soon to be joined by the rest of the team as they awaited their orders from the Captain. The faces that stared back at him were both eager and a little nervous, but he knew with every fiber in his being that the group would find their rhythm and be back to their ass-kicking selves in no time. "Call it, Cap."

"Right," Steve sighed, bringing the tablet in his hands to life with a few taps of his fingers; he tried to move fast enough so that you wouldn't see the shake in his hands, but he knew better and saw that you had caught it. "Buck, I've got you with me, Sam and (Y/N) together, Tony is with Barton, and Nat is paired with Scott. Vision and Wanda, I want you two to hang back until we need you, but I'm hoping this is a quick smash-and-grab and we'll be out before that happens. If this doesn't go as planned, Bruce will be our last resort. Questions?"

Bucky looked around as everyone agreed with Steve's plans with silent shakes of their heads to his offer, feeling almost hesitant to be the one to stir up trouble in the cohesiveness when they were all just anxious to get this mission underway. He considered letting it lie, but almost unconsciously, he felt his hand raise up in question, "um...actually...I have one."

"Yeah, Buck, what's up?"

"Why am I paired with you? It doesn't make sense."

Steve's spine straightened and his jaw set at the insinuation that he had made a bad tactical decision, especially when the question was coming from Bucky of all people; the only way it could have been worse is if it were from you. "How so?"

"Well, you and I are pretty equally matched in skill set, so wouldn't it be better to put you with Nat or Scott to make a better balance and mix of ability? And besides," he paused, taking a deep breath to keep his nerve, "while you were gone, (Y/N) and I worked really well together, so I think we should be paired."

"Okay, sure," Steve nodded hesitantly, "I see your point, but this is the plan that we're going with. Thank you for taking the lead while I was gone, Buck, but I've got it and think that this is the best way to go." Without anything further, he darkened the screen and tucked the tablet under his arm, cutting through the group and moving to the jet for departure. All Bucky could do was shrug when Sam tried to offer more explanation, casting a glance your way that didn't escape your notice; he looked almost sad, and the two of you shared a wordless understanding that the days of working side-by-side were likely over.

~~~

After an uncomfortably quiet flight that felt as if it would never end, when it came time to disembark, the team spilled out from the jet urgently to both get back to work and to get away from each other. Tony was acting like the suit was foreign to him now, struggling to get FRIDAY to work in sync with him like before, leaving Clint to offer to take the farthest side of the perimeter on his own just to not have to listen to the bickering. Nat and Scott argued about pretty much everything until he finally just shrunk and ran, and even though you and Sam were getting along, there was no coordination as you worked, tripping over each other until he eventually just gave up and took to the sky for your own safety; at least until another flyer nearly took him out when he wasn't paying close enough attention.

"Watch out, Wilson! You can't be up here if you aren't calling out your patterns!"

"I did, Stark!" Sam snapped back. "Maybe you just aren't listening! Nothing's changed has it?!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Guys, come on," you broke in, "just focus on the job and fight with each other later!"

"But I was up here first!"

"Dad, it's a big enough sky-"

"So you're taking his side?" Tony huffed, the sound of his repulsors firing in the background. "The loyalty really has fallen apart around here."

"Stark, don't be such a whiney little bitch," Sam retorted, but when a new problem suddenly arose that needed your immediate attention, he didn't get much farther in his argument.

"(Y/N), I need you on the south perimeter, I'm outnumbered," Bucky broke in over the comms, sending you into a sprint at the sound of struggle in his voice. Steve was supposed to be at his side, and he had said that he was outnumbered, not they; it made your heart pound so forcefully with fear that you could barely hear your own voice as you spoke.

"I'm coming to ya, Buck. Where's Steve?"

"He's...here..."he grunted between hits, "but I need you."

You were so intensely focused on getting to Bucky that it never occurred to you that you should be prepared for the sight that you were about to stumble upon. Your steps were quick and accurate, landing between pieces of fallen debris and around fallen Hydra guards expertly, allowing your body to shift and turn with precision that brought you to arrive at your friend's side within seconds. When you arrived, however, the scene wasn't playing out like you had imagined it in your mind as you ran; the enemy had been readily halted, and the hit that Bucky had just taken was considered friendly fire.

"Hey, maybe watch where you're throwing that thing?"

"Well then stop smacking me with that damn arm."

"Come on, not you guys too?" you groaned, pushing yourself between Bucky and Steve, your hands pressed against their chests to keep them apart. They both pushed against your hold but you were able to stand firm, planting your feet to give yourself a little extra leverage. "What the hell is going on here? Buck, you said you were outnumbered?"

"I was, until Captain Control Freak over here decided to flip out and act alone."

"I told you that she wasn't working with you and you just couldn't let it go, could ya?" Steve growled, pushing against you more. "You need to get it out of your head that she's ever going to be that close to you, understand?"

"Oh my god, Steve, are you still on that?" Bucky scoffed, throwing his hands up in defeat. "It's been months, and I've told you a million times that it's not like that! (Y/N) and I-"

"There is no (Y/N) and I," Steve hissed, his eyes growing dark. "I don't care how well you work together, or how spectacularly perfect everything went with you taking my place while I was gone, but those days are over. I never asked you to do any of that, and I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere, so back off."

"You're being an idiot," Bucky shot back, now pushing harder to break your hold.

"Excuse me?"

"You're both being idiots," you insisted before Bucky could say any more, still struggling slightly to push against them, "stop trying to fight! In case you hadn't noticed, we're still in the middle of a mission! If you want to act like petulant children, then do it on your own time!"

"I didn't start it!" Bucky snapped, waving his hand at Steve to lay blame. "He's got his head stuck in some stupid idea that there's something going on in my head about you, and you know what? Fine! He's right! But if he would just ask me what it was instead of making accusations then I could set him straight so he could stop being such an ass-"

"Cap! We've got a major incursion surging from the east, and I think we need to fall back," Clint announced to the group, "Sam's grounded, and I just barely got us both out alive. We're in over our heads."

"Sam?" Bucky gasped in a confused shock, his heart dropping like a lead stone into his stomach. He turned and ran back towards where you had left his teammate behind when he called for you, not pausing when you called out to him to wait for you. "Come on, (Y/N)! Steve, let's go!"

When you took off to follow Bucky as ordered, you paused when Steve wasn't moving and turned back to him to convince him once and for all that he was truly being the idiot that you had said he was, before this rift between him and his best friend caused harm to anyone else. Sam was already falling victim to it, and you wouldn't allow for any more if you could do something about it; even if it wasn't exactly your place to say.

"Steve Rogers, move your ass. Now," you commanded sharply. "Bucky isn't interested in me at all, so drop it. If you would open your eyes for one second, you would see pretty damn clearly who has his attentions. He's just too scared to tell you because he doesn't want to lose you in the process." You waited for a second to pass before turning away again, running to help your friends with or without Steve. Had you waited just a moment longer, you would have seen the realization strike him full on, but instead, you allowed a cautious smile to cross your lips when he ran past you fast enough to leave a breeze in his wake.

"And there it is."