Chapter 59: Retirees

I have a very unfortunate news for you all. My Patreon account was terminated for reasons I don't know, and their's a very less chance that I am getting it back.

That's why I sincerely apologise to my Patreon members and I hope them to join my new account until, I recover my old Patreon account.

A/N: Another Steve POV. He and Bucky couldn't stay cooped up in that Tower forever!

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C-CRASH!

Bringing the sledgehammer down on the boulder and watching it shatter into a dozen smaller rocks, Steve Rogers smiles at the satisfying pull on his muscles. Winding up, he does it again, shattering each of the smaller rocks into even smaller rocks. It takes some time of course, but eventually he has a whole lot of gravel, which he then collects into the wheelbarrow that's pretty much completely full at this point.

As he finishes clearing the last of the gravel off of the ground, Steve straightens up and wipes the sweat from his brow with the back of his wrist, just below the work glove he's wearing. Then, he looks out across the spectacular vista in front of him and has to admit… this was the right move for him and Bucky both.

It's funny, for all that he'd been propped up as some All-American Hero after getting the serum and becoming 'Captain America', there were a lot of things that people considered quintessentially American that Steve had never got the chance to experience. Like living on a farm. Having been born in the city, specifically in Hell's Kitchen, Steve had never really gotten the opportunity to experience that rural lifestyle. Bucky neither.

But now here they were. Tony had set them up with a farmstead in Iowa, a place where they could lie low and maybe just live a little bit. Steve had to admit… it was kind of great. The two hundred acres of land was less than the average size of an Iowan Farm apparently, but still more than he or Bucky really knew what to do with.

Of course, it was also pretty overgrown and unused, hence Steve having to shatter boulders if they were ever going to get around to planting any crops. Not that they knew for sure whether they were going to go that route yet. If they did, any crops or maybe farm animals would be for their own personal fulfillment, not to start a business like Steve knew most farms did.

They were still hiding from HYDRA and SHIELD after all, though fortunately no one was looking for Steve. Bucky on the other hand… well, at least Tony had actually been able to give Bucky a hand in that department. Literally.

Steve snickers at his own joke, eyes dancing with merriment as he drops his sledgehammer on top of the homemade gravel, grabs the wheelbarrow by its arms, and begins wheeling it back towards his and Bucky's house. He was going to have to find a way to fit that joke into conversation with Bucky when he got the chance. He had a feeling his best friend would get a kick out of it, even if it was a little bit at his own expense.

Still, HYDRA was hunting for the Winter Soldier. And from what they knew, the Winter Soldier only had one flesh and blood arm. The other one was completely metal, made of some seriously strong stuff and overdesigned to all hell. But that wasn't quite true anymore. Bucky's metal arm was gone, and in it's place Bucky had a new flesh and blood arm, regrown by some of Tony's medical technology.

Steve didn't pretend to understand it, not really. Tony had made sure to make it clear that Bucky wouldn't be able to regrow other limbs after the procedure was done though. It was just the one arm and then the effect would wear off within twenty-four hours. But even with that understanding… it was still incredible, wasn't it? Bucky had two arms again. Two real arms. And he was one more step away from being HYDRA's legendary assassin.

Still, it was also kind of insane what Tony was capable of. But then… the whole world had gotten a lot more complicated since Steve had flown the Valkyrie into the ocean. It was all just… too much. That was why, when Tony had offered them this farm, even though Steve and Bucky were city boys who had never worked a day on a farm in their lives… Steve had still jumped at the chance.

For Bucky, it was just another layer of obfuscation and security, and Steve didn't begrudge him that. But for Steve… for Steve it was a chance to get away from it all. The world had become way too much in the last seventy years. Always online. So much entertainment to catch up on. So much that Steve just simply couldn't really wrap his head around.

It was a lot more manageable out here on the farm because out here they were mostly off the grid. They still had a lot of the modern amenities if they wanted them, courtesy of Tony. Like electricity that was powered by a generator the genius had set up in their basement, which needed no fuel and would likely never run out of energy. They also still had JARVIS, whenever he was necessary.

But beyond that… they didn't spend nearly as much time on the computer as they had back in Stark Tower. They still watched movies but didn't tend to watch much television. And ultimately, they spent their days working on the farm and their own projects, away from the insanity of the world around them.

If HYDRA knew where the Winter Soldier was, they would stop at nothing to try and retrieve him, something that Steve knew terrified Bucky something fierce. And if SHIELD found out that Captain America was back in action, they would stop at nothing to try and recruit him… something that Steve had ultimately decided didn't need to happen.

The honest men and women in SHIELD might not know it, but Tony Stark was their best bet at a better tomorrow. Tony was the one who saved Bucky and healed his mind and body. Tony was the one who rescued Steve and Captain Carter from the ice. And Tony was the one who knew exactly what HYDRA was up to and was already in a position to stop them once and for all. He also had a kid now, a baby girl, and every reason to want to raise her in a world where HYDRA had been eradicated once and for all.

Part of Steve felt like he should still be involved, of course. HYDRA and the Red Skull were his enemies first, all those years ago. But that was a childish way of thinking about it, as Bucky had told him. And every day he spent out here on their new farm, that part of Steve got quieter and quieter.

Of course, as he's getting closer to the house, he does pause and frown at seeing an unfamiliar pickup truck in the front yard. His eyes narrow and he picks up the pace, pushing his wheelbarrow a little faster and a little harder until he reaches a giant mound of gravel. Bucky had a project he was going to use it for, so Steve had been gathering gravel the old-fashioned way all day long. Not even bothering to dump the wheelbarrow's contents, he just leaves it and his sledgehammer next to the mound and heads for the door.

He hears Bucky inside before he even makes it into the house of course, talking to a woman based on the voice. Was there anyone else though? Steve looks around, both outside and inside, straining his ears to listen for any breathing. Were Bucky and this dame truly alone? Or was this a trap?

As he lingers there at the door for a second, trying to figure out what to do… Bucky's voice suddenly calls out through the house.

"Steven? That you I hear at the front door? Come on in, our next door neighbor stopped by for a visit. We're in the kitchen."

… Bucky was using the name they'd agreed to use for Steve while strangers were over. He also wasn't using any of the code words they'd established, which meant things were probably safe.

He was Steven, Bucky was James, and they didn't mention last names, ever. Seeing as nobody should be looking for a living Steve Rogers anyways, it was decided that this was the best way of doing things so they didn't need to learn completely new names for each other. Just get used to using names they'd never really called one another by, heh.

Making some extra noise now that he's been called out by his best friend, Steve makes his way inside and over to the kitchen where he finds a lovely brunette woman sharing a cup of coffee with Bucky. Unable to help himself, Steve grins.

"Making friends already, James?"

Rolling his eyes at Steve, Bucky shakes his head.

"This is Laura, Steven. Laura Barton."

At being introduced, Laura sticks out a hand, which Steve is more than happy to shake.

"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"You too, Steven! I live just down the road from here with my husband along with our son and daughter. When I heard this old place had been bought up and refurbished over the past month, I thought I'd check in on you lot and see how you were settling."

Ah, well now he feels bad for making that 'friends' comment. Bucky was always a hit with the ladies back when they were growing up, but he wasn't the kind of man who moved in on another man's dame. Not ever.

"Well, that's very kind of you. We're still getting our bearings, truth be told. James and I both lived in the city for most of our lives so this is something of a change for us… but so far it's been a good one."

Smiling softly, Laura nods her head in understanding.

"I know exactly what you mean. A farm like this… it's the perfect place to get away from it all, isn't it?"

Steven beams at that.

"Exactly!"

They exchange small talk for a short time after that, with Laura talking a little bit more about her family and Steve and Bucky talking a bit more about their cover stories. Basically, Tony had set up fake identities for the two of them as small time investors who had miraculously hit it big but become disgusted with the way the modern world worked in the process and decided to go off the grid and live quieter lives.

Meanwhile, Laura's husband was apparently away from home rather often on work, but he tended to come back rather routinely, every few months. Her children, Cooper and Lila, were both getting to be that age. Lila was still under ten, but Cooper was into double digits now and acting out like apparently all preteens did at his age.

Steve wouldn't know, ultimately. Being a 'preteen' back in the 1930s hadn't really been a thing. Hell, most kids didn't get to be kids at all. They were tough times that made for hard choices and tough folks. Still, he wasn't jealous or anything like that. Rather, Steve was glad to hear that children had it easier these days than they had it back in his day. Way easier, thank God.

Finally, Laura has to depart, having spent about an hour talking to them both. On her way out, they pass through the living room and she pauses to admire what Steve's put over the mantle.

"That's beautiful."

Perking up, Steve looks to the Vibranium Shield that Tony had let him keep and Bucky had let him put above their fireplace. It was his shield to be fair, it would have felt weird to lose it… but at the same time, Captain America was retired and not coming back, so it wasn't like he needed it anymore. Still… he makes sure to give Laura their cover story.

"Thank you! I had it custom made. I'll admit, I'm something of a huge Captain American fanboy."

Laura gives him a grin.

"I can tell. Most replicas of the Captain's shield add some sort of… extra bits to it. Yours is the smoothest recreation I've ever seen. Anyways, I've really got to be going. Thank you for the coffee, James. And best of luck on your boulder smashing, Steven."

With that, she gets in her pickup truck and drives off. Steve watches her go for a moment from the front porch before turning to Bucky and smiling brightly.

"Well, that went well, didn't it?"

"She had intelligence training Stevie. And I'm pretty sure she might have made us, at least partially."

Wait, what? Steve blinks as Bucky turns and stomps back inside. Suddenly feeling very lost, he follows after Bucky, who quickly makes his way over to their cabinet and pulls out the device that lets them talk to JARVIS. Truth be told, Steve barely knows how the damn thing works. He knows what buttons to press, but he prefers to let Bucky work the thing most of the time.

After a moment, JARVIS' voice fills the room.

"Good evening, gentlemen. What can I do for you?"

Bucky takes the lead, even as Steve stands there feeling somewhat forlorn. Were they really going to have to move already? Was it him? Was it the shield that had done it?

"Our neighbor is a woman named Laura Barton. She's received training and seemed to clock that our cover story wasn't airtight."

There's the briefest of pauses before JARVIS responds, his voice now colored with amusement.

"You were right to report this Sergeant Barnes, but at this time there is no cause for concern. Much like yourselves, Laura Barton, aka Agent Nineteen, is retired."

Steve blinks, even as Bucky narrows his eyes.

"Retired. What does that mean, exactly?"

"It means, Sergeant Barnes, that she is no threat to you. Her husband is still in that line of work, but he will not be a concern for you or Captain Rogers."

Wait, Laura's husband was a spy? Steve can't help but interject at that.

"Why won't he be a concern for us?"

Now JARVIS definitely sounds amused as he responds.

"Because Laura Barton has come away with the impression that while the two of you are not quite what you seem, you are also no threat to her or her children. She has a philosophy based around the concept of 'live and let live'. She considers Sergeant Barnes to be a soldier suffering from PTSD, and you Captain Rogers to be his friend and comrade looking after him. She pities you and will take no action against you at this time."

Oh. Well on the one hand, being 'pitied' didn't exactly make Steve feel good. On the other hand, it sounded like it was a good thing, this time at least.

"… Tony set things up on purpose like this, didn't he?"

Steve blinks, looking to Bucky with a furrowed brow before belatedly realizing his best friend is right. There's no way Tony didn't know about Laura before he set them up here. But… why?

"Did the two of you know that there are animals on Earth who seek the shade of larger animals to avoid the sun? The larger animals are usually herbivores, and do not mind too much so long as the smaller animals don't harass or otherwise try to harm them. Tell me Sergeant Barnes, Captain Rogers… do either of you have any intention of trying to harass or harm Laura Barton or her children?"

"What?! No, of course not!"

Steve's answer is instant, while Bucky just grunts and shakes his head, scowling at the idea.

"Then all will be well."

After a long moment, Bucky just sighs and nods.

"Fine."

Steve, meanwhile, looks to his shield above the fireplace.

"Should I… take the shield down?"

"That will not be necessary, Captain Rogers. Laura has no reason to believe you are a man thought to be dead for seventy years, or that the shield is the real deal. You may continue presenting it above your mantle as a wonderfully done replica."

Well alright then. JARVIS says his goodbyes and they put the device back in the cabinet. At which point, Steve scratches at his jaw, where he's in the process of growing a beard to better sell his disguise, the same as Bucky is doing.

"… Movie?"

"… Yeah."

And so they settle in to watch a movie from the 1950s. Slowly making their way up from after they'd both been left behind by society in different ways. It was easier this way, handling the last seventy years in small doses rather than being tossed right into the deep end. So, so much easier.

Honestly, Steve was kind of glad he and Bucky were retired. Tony could handle the messes of the twenty-first century… and if he couldn't, then he would ask Steve and Bucky for help. Until then… they were out of this game. And that really was for the best.

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A/N: Did Tony put Steve and Bucky in the farm right next to the Barton Homestead? Lmao yes. Yes he did. Was that excuse JARVIS gave Steve and Bucky the reason why he did it? I'll leave that for you all to decide~

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