Winter & Summer: A Marvel Story in an Alternate Universe!

Chapter 22

Bucky felt a light tap on his right shoulder. It was a stranger - a hunched-over, older gentleman perhaps in his mid-70s, who simply stopped to say, "Thank you for your service, Sergeant Barnes."

Bucky lightly smiled and nodded, responding with a soft "you're very welcome" before the man went on his way.

It wasn't uncommon for Bucky to be stopped on the street, especially now that he'd been out in the light more often, and far less shy about hiding his metal arm. Whereas Sam was often met with cheers and requests for selfies, Bucky's interactions with civilians were far more subdued and respectful, like this one.

It was an early evening in New York City, and Bucky was still suited, having just completed an assignment. He was pretty tired and starved; a burger sounded good right about now.

Post-mission dinners were mostly eaten alone these days, and generally accompanied by a side of deep contemplation over complicated feelings - and just straight-up wallowing. The old man's gesture earlier, while appreciated, didn't do much to lift Bucky's spirits.

As he shuffled toward the neighborhood burger joint he knew was just around the corner, he suddenly stopped - realizing something that made him feel even worse.

Summer's apartment was directly across from the restaurant.

Of all the burger joints in all the world... Bucky chuckled to himself. Without a good reason, other than perhaps out of impulse, he delayed his dinner, moseying over to the opposite sidewalk on the street where she lived.

Slowing his pace as he approached the building, he recalled the night he first brought her there - when Summer opened the window and cheerfully waved goodbye as he stood in that very spot.

Bucky shook his head, that ever-nagging inkling to call her striking once again. Looking left, right, and upward, as if Sam would suddenly show up to scold him, Bucky whipped out his phone and made another mindless attempt to reach Summer.

Strangely, it wasn't her voicemail that answered the call this time. Instead, it was an error tone and a robotic woman's voice saying, "We are sorry. Your call could not be completed at this time. Goodbye."

Bucky's brow furrowed as the call immediately hung up. He tried again. The same message.

"Hmm," he reacted, squinting at the screen before lowering his phone and looking upward toward her window. He stared for a minute - then noticed something.

The window was half-lifted, but the glass was shattered, leaving a jagged pattern on the bottom edge - as if someone had attempted to open the window from the outside with enough force to break it.

A sense of tension suddenly gripped Bucky's chest. Something was wrong.

Still suited with his earpiece on, Bucky radioed a message back to headquarters.

"Scarb, you still there?"

"Maybe," Agent Scarborough answered, shutting off the light in her office for the end of her shift. "Why?"

"Is Summer out on assignment right now? Do you know?"

Scarborough raised her eyebrows, hesitating a moment before responding. "She clocked out and should be back home as far as I know," Scarborough said. "Why do you need to know?"

"I don't think Summer's home, Scarb," Bucky replied, the concern in his voice growing more apparent. "I'm outside her apartment and her window's broken."

"Her window's broken?" Scarborough echoed, shuffling back to her office and flipping the light and computer back on. "Wait, what are you doing in front of her apartment?"

"I was going to get dinner across the street, I just...it's not what you think, Scarb. Please. Is there a way you can check on Summer?"

"I can only track her if she's wearing her suit," Scarborough explained, pulling up their system's tracker as quickly as she could. Finally, the digitized map appeared, and to her relief, it indicated Summer's location - and Bucky's - with two blinking red dots. But Scarborough's jaw slightly dropped when she realized the distance.

"Uh, Bucky," she said, "the tracker's showing her way far out on Long Island."

"Long Island?" By now, Bucky had begun walking away from the building, toward the parked motorcycle sitting idly down the street. "Any idea why she'd head that way?"

"Not a clue. Her last assignment's closed. If she were going anywhere else, she'd communicate it with S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Hey, can you ping me that location?"

Suddenly, Scarborough heard the muffled rumble of an engine on the other line. "Did you just hijack a motorcycle?" she asked.

"I have to go after Summer," Bucky said firmly, revving up the bike.

A slight smile crept upon Scarborough's face as she hit send on Summer's location. "Ride safe, Bucky."

And Bucky turned the bike toward the street, whisking out of Manhattan toward Summer's direction.