Blue || Bucky Barnes

15. A Fallen Comrade

Narrator

Buck sits on the other couch watching the fire while Leia dozes off. His mind is a whir as small snippets come to him. He knows that man, the blonde one from the Helicarrier. He can't quite put his finger on it but he recognizes him.
Bucky sits back just thinking, trying to make sense of the mess in his head. He watches the fire, staying awake on high alert.

-

"So you've experienced this sort of thing before?" Nick Fury walks up to Steve and Sam who're looking at the falsified gravestone.
"You get used to it." Steve says.
"We've been data mining Hydra's files. Looks like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship." Fury says. "I'm headed to Europe tonight. Wanted to ask if you'd come."
"There's something I gotta do first." Steve responds.
"How bout you, Wilson? Could use a man with your abilities."
Sam looks from Steve to Fury. "I'm more of a soldier than a spy." He says.
"Alright then." Nick nods glancing at his grave. He shakes Sam's hand and then Steve's. "Anybody asks for me, tell them they can find me, right here." Fury says to the two men.
"You should be honored. That's about as close as he gets to saying thank you." Natasha Romanoff walks up to the men as Fury walks away.
"Not going with him?" Steve asks her.
"No."
"Not staying here."
"Nah." Romanoff shakes her head. "I blew all my covers. I gotta go figure out a new one."
"That might take a while." Steve says.
"I'm counting on it." She smirks. "That thing you asked for." Natasha pulls out two brown files. "I called in a few favours from Kiev." Steve looks down at the Russian words on the front covers.

"Will you do me a favour? Call that nurse." Nat smiles.
"She's not a nurse." Steve mumbles.
"And you're not a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."
"What was her name again?" Steve scrunches his brow.
"Sharon. She's nice." Natasha smiles. They look at each other for a moment before she places a light kiss on his cheek. As she turn away she says, "Be careful Steve. You might not wanna pull on that thread."

Steve opens the files and sees pictures of his best mate and project partner paper clipped into each and loads of pieces of paper with scribbles all over.
"You're going after them?" Sam walks up to Steve.
"You don't have to come with me." Steve's attention is fixated on the file.
"I know." Sam says. "When do we start?"

-

Bucky's eyes open as a light comes through the small window, though he hasn't slept a wink. He looks around and sees Leia stretched out on the small couch. Bucky sits up and his mind wanders once again. Even on Leia's watch his brain was so alive last night that he couldn't get a single bit of shut eye. He keeps thinking of that man. He needs more information. Something that will help him understand better.

An idea comes to him and he stands up quickly. Bucky walks to the door as he clasps the navy hat over his hair and is on his way. He makes his way through the city on foot making sure to keep his head down and out of sight. Eventually he arrives at his destination and suddenly becomes hesitant. As they were driving the day before he'd noticed a sign for a Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian. The sign pictured the man he was sure he knew. Now he stands outside and the nerves come crashing down on him. He keeps telling himself to pull it together as he walks through the massive doors.

He keeps his eyes down as he follows the signs to the exhibit. The first thing he sees is the large wall displaying portraits of seven men. In front of that stands six mannequins with old outfits on.
Bucky looks over the portraits and sees the man he knows. He's looking forward, hard faced. To the right of that man is one with short brown hair. Bucky turns around quickly walking further into the exhibit. He reads about the familiar man. Steve Rogers is his name. The man took part in a project where he was administered a serum that turned him into a soldier. Bucky's mind is struggling to comprehend the information as he tries to put the pieces together. He wanders through the busy hall looking over the other exhibits.
Finally his eyes fall on a glass panel. He sees a black and white image of a man and he has to hold in his gasp. It's a picture of a man who looks exactly like him. He reads over the information slowly.

'A Fallen Comrade
James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes

When Bucky Barnes first met Steve Rogers on the playgrounds of Brooklyn, little did he know that he was forging a bond that would take him to the battlefields of Europe and beyond.

Born in 1917, Barnes grew up the oldest child of four. An excellent athlete who also excelled in the classroom. Barnes enlisted in the Army shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. After winter training at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, Barnes and the rest of the 107th shipped out to the Italian front. Captured by Hydra troops later that fall, Barnes endured long periods of isolation, deprivation and torture. But his will was strong. In an ironic twist of fate, his prison camp was liberated by none other than his childhood friend, Steve Rogers, now Captain America.

Reunited, Barnes and Rogers led Captain America's newly formed unit, The Howling Commandos. Barnes' marksmanship was invaluable as Rogers and his team destroyed Hydra bases and disrupted Nazi troop movements throughout the European Theatre.'

Bucky's lips part breathing heavily. That's him, he remembers, Steve was his best friend. He remembers the battle of Azzano, where they were outnumbered and taken prisoner. He remembers the mad scientist, Zola he recalls, torturing him and isolating him. And then he remembers Steve finding him. Last time he saw the guy he was so skinny and all of a sudden he was much taller and broader. Bucky's heart beats rapidly as vague disjointed memories emerge in his brain. His jaw clenches as he breathes quickly. His feet turn quickly and he hurries out of the exhibit.

Bucky wanders towards the exit where his attention is caught by a small shop with merchandise. He walks in surrounded by the many other people. Bucky finds a small notebook with a pencil attached to the side. It's a brown leather and looks clean and crisp. There's a similar black one next to it and he picks both up. He stashes them in his jacket under his arm quickly, shoving his hand back into his pocket. He sneaks out of the shop untracked and leaves the museum as quickly as he came.

Eventually he comes across the line of abandoned houses and walks in. He hears boots thudding above him and they come down the stairs.
"Bucky!" Leia comes down frantically. He doesn't say anything just watches her movements. "You idiot!" She shoves his metal shoulder. "I thought they'd taken you! Why the hell would you leave without telling me!" Leia's eyes search his features for something, anything, but he gives her nothing.
"I had to go somewhere." He mumbles walking past her.
"Well can you at least tell me next time, I was really worried." She stalks after him.
"Okay." He says quietly.
"Okay."

Suddenly they hear screeching of tires outside the houses. They look at each other with wide eyes. How could they have found them?!
"Go!" Leia points to the back door. Bucky takes off and Leia grabs the backpack she'd found in Bucky's absence this morning. The front door crashes open and she hears men talking.
"The trackers led us here. Turn the place upside down!!"

Leia runs after Bucky and out into the yard. Hearts beating in their throats, they each vault the low fence and run through the streets. They hear bangs behind them as the Hydra agents break further into the houses. Their suits, there must be trackers in their suits! The pair run as if their life depends on it... Well it kind of does. Eventually they come across a park with a fair amount of trees lining it. Merging into the tree line they disappear.

Bucky stops running and Leia does too. Leia dumps the bag on the ground leaning up against the tree.
"You wanna tell me where you went this morning?" She turns to her left.
He shakes his head no. "I got these though." Bucky pulls the two notebooks out.
"Oh cool." Leia takes the black one flipping its pages. "Can I have this one?"
"Yeah, I already wrote in this one." He holds the brown one. The corner of Leia's lips turn up in a tiny smile. She stashes it in the empty backpack along with Bucky's.

"We can't stay here." Leia mumbles.
"I know." Bucky agrees pausing for a moment. "I know somewhere."

-