Amends (Sambucky)

Chapter Eleven

"There are five other groups who want to meet the powerbroker, we want to meet them first," Sharon informed as she stretched the blueprints for a building out, "I got these from our mutual friend. It's the layout of our first target."

"When do we get to meet this friend?" Bucky crossed his arms.

"Right now," Sharon stepped back from the coffee table and gestured at the door to the hotel bathroom, "He's a highly skilled pilot, with even more training in the field. He was really close with the powerbroker, even at some point their right hand man, but now he's helping us stop him. That's how he got the blueprints."

Bucky elbowed Sam gently, who stood a little taller and opened his eyes a little more. He had been dreading meeting this man; what if he didn't like the idea of Captain America's mantle being passed? It was too often that he felt like the bottom of the barrel, like he had something to prove.

But then he walked out, and Sam deflated. His sharp brown eyes, soft blond hair, and puffed out chest. A grey suit slicked over the thin build, each and every curve easing Sam's mind more until his body decided it was taking too long. Like it had a mind of its own, he cleared all the space between the two of them in seconds, before he could even get a proper thought out. It was natural.

Muscle memory.

"Wilson?" the man breathed, pushing Sam off, "Sam Wilson?"

"Riley? Yes! Yes, it's me, but how is it you—," Sam held his arms as he soaked every inch of him in, "You died. I saw it, Riles, I saw it happen! I was right there—,"

"Hold on," Bucky stepped between the two, "You know each other?"

"Know each other? Sam is my other half, best friend for years," Riley breathed, turning back to his friend, "I know it seems crazy, Sam, but trust me, I'm not dead. Just-,"

"The prophecy," Sam turned to Bucky, letting out a laugh,

"Oh my god, the prophecy is true! I knew it! Thank you, Lord, oh my-," Sam fell onto Riley, soaking in everything about him, "Oh my God, thank you, thank you."

A hint of a smile fell onto Sharon's lips, watching as Riley slowly returned the hug, most likely due to the shock. She glanced at Bucky, "What are the odds? I thought that guy in the forest was full of shit, but not many people can predict a dead man coming to life. I'll admit, he proved me wrong."

"Really? You believe him just like that?" Bucky tried to hide his surprise, "He's a fraud! Sam just said he saw him die."

"He's not a fraud."

"Like hell he's not."

Riley hesitantly glanced at the two of them, making Sam do the same.

"I know you aren't questioning my men, Barnes, so this is clearly a misunderstanding," Sharon threatened.

"I think I'm the only one who understands actually, Ms. Carter," Bucky pressed his lips into a thin line.

"I swe-,"

"Hey! Guys, it's alright. He was my best friend for years; I know it's him," Sam offered a reassuring smile to both of them, "He's clearly an asset, and it only makes things better that we know him. So, where were we?"

Bucky scoffed, crossing his arms. Okay, so he was wrong about Sharon, big deal, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out you shouldn't take advice from crazy people in the woods. And eighty years ago, Bucky would have told them that, but he's not sure that there's much difference between him, the crazy man, and the prophet, the crazy man in the woods. Maybe they were right, maybe Bucky was overreacting.