Guns and Ammunition [] TFATWS

Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Five:

They were back in the air, to another destination Josephine wasn't sure of. She sat next to Bucky, watching as he cleaned his metal arm off with a rag. Sam was on the phone, pacing back and fourth while Zemo was getting himself a drink. 

Bucky's eyes were narrowed as he picked at the little gears in his metal arm, his focus incredibly sharp. She couldn't help but snort, watching with amusement as his gaze flickered up to hers. He paused, raising a brow.

The rag dropped to his lap, "You're staring."

"You're the only one who can stare?"

He pursed his lips, "I don't stare."

Josephine rolled her eyes, suppressing another laugh. She could see his jaw clench as he grinded his teeth, expression turning from contempt to something close to amusement. His eyes were stark against the dark circles under his eyes, but the blue always managed to be nothing but the lightest, steel blue. 

"Look whose staring now."

A soft smile touched his lips as he went back to scrubbing, ignoring Sam's continuous questions he was sending through the phone against his ear. He flopped down into a chair, sighing loudly as he glanced over at them, hanging up the device.

"Are you okay?" She questioned, tearing her gaze from Bucky. 

He sighed, "Yeah. Just thinking about all the shit Sharon had to go through."

Bucky pursed his lips, whatever glint in his eyes now diminishing as he continued to poke at his arm. "And Nagel referring to the American test subject like Isaiah wasn't even a real person." He broke off, sitting up as he turned to face them. "Makes me wonder how many people have to get steamrolled to make way for this hunk of metal."

"Well, it depends who you ask." Bucky replied with distaste, "That hunk of metal saved a lot of lives."

"Yeah, I get that, alright. Maybe I made a mistake."

Josephine couldn't help but smile, nudging Bucky's arm. "Ooh, are we gonna steal it?"

"Who said we?" Sam asked.

"I'm apart of this little group now." She nodded, "You have no choice."

Sam pursed his lips, eyeing Bucky. "Maybe I shouldn't have put it in a museum. I should have destroyed it."

Bucky's attention went to the other man in record speed, the rag in his hand dropped onto the floor at his feet. "Look, that shield represents a lotta things to a lotta people, including me. The world is upside down, and we need a new Cap, and it ain't gonna be Walker." He too sat up, leaning forward with an intense stare. "So before you destroy it, I'll take it from him myself."

Sam's phone buzzed from his lap, he sighed before answering it. Zemo shuffled by them, handing Bucky a plate while placing one down next to Sam. He took a seat next to her, leaning his arm against the rest. Josephine thanked him, staring down at the platter. Little finger sandwiches were placed in neat rows, she smiled picking one up and plopping it into her mouth. She was starving, not remembering the last time she had eaten. Her stomach rumbled in response, and she couldn't help but get two more down before Sam hung up and gave each of them a look.

"They found Madani. Dead." His voice was quiet, "She died in Riga, a city near the Baltic Sea."

Zemo nodded, "I have a place we can go. I, for one, am looking forward to coming face to face with Karli."

She pursed her lips, picking up another sandwich, "Where are we going?"

"Latvia." Zemo eyed the half empty plate on Bucky's lap. "Riga."

Josephine carefully placed it back on the plate, offering Bucky an apologetic look. Zemo stood up, marching and disappearing into the cockpit without another word. Sam only sat back in his seat, moving to face the correct way. 

"Here." Bucky held the plate up, "Have another one."

"I'm not hungry."

He shook his head, "Yes you are."

Josephine sighed, giving in as she picked it up and took a bite. "They're very good."

"Let's hope they're not poisoned."

She paused, staring at him, eyes narrowing to a glare. "Are you trying to get rid of me?"

A shadow blotted his eyes, only for a moment, just enough for her to catch. Did she know how badly he was afraid of such a thing? His notebook sat heavy in his jacket, still tucked away, hidden. The names weighed heavily, each a constant turn in his head. Stinson, her last name was the fourth to the bottom on the second page. The last two letters were blotted, the lead seeped into the worn page. Would she ever be able to forgive him? Could he ever bring himself to tell her the truth?

"Never." He watched her tuck a strand of black hair behind her ear, her eyes meeting his, always lit up. "Would you go?"

Her brows furrowed, "What?"

Bucky had been alone for so long, even with Steve, after his years with Hydra, he could never feel the same as he did when he was a kid. There was a hole there, ripped out by the command words forced into his head, of all the years his best friend thought he was dead. Of all the unforgivable things he had done. Maybe it would've been better if he hadn't survived that train fall, to never have to experience all that pain and torture. Even now, he did have Sam, but when they hadn't reconnected all he had was her. And for all that time, it was enough. She was more than enough. Yet, he knew when she walked away from him for the last time, he wasn't sure if anything would ever be enough again.