My Little Soldier

Chapter 10

Long chapter

Monday began rather slowly. Sam got Bucky ready for therapy while he got himself ready for work. Once he left Bucky with the nanny and got to work, Sam did his usual get coffee, file reports, look into old cases.

"Working through your break, are you?" Nat asked from behind him. Sam looked at his watch, it was his break. "Do you want to get lunch?"

"Yeah, I guess I can get something for Bucky to eat when we get home. Is Steve not coming?"

"Sick again."

"Of course." They clocked out for lunch and took Sam's car to the Maximoff's restaurant.

Once they got their food, Sam decided to go home to put Bucky's food in the refrigerator because there is someone at the department who eats lunches that aren't claimed.

They arrived at Sam's house. Sam went in to put the food away when Nat came in holding his mail.

"Sam, have you seen this?" Nat asked.

"No, why are you going through my mail?"

"I'm nosy. But this is a notice for that someone passed the family evaluation." Sam dropped the soup bowl he was holding, luckily it was plastic and sealed.

"Who?"

"Brock Rumlow." Sam was immediately confused.

"That man has a criminal background. There shouldn't be an application from someone with his history." Sam began to panic, Rumlow was a known drug dealer and carried a weapon on him at all times. Sam didn't feel comfortable knowing someone that dangerous could house someone as fragile as Bucky. "I'm calling the adoption agency. He can't take him." Sam immediately called the adoption agency and asked to talk to Ms. Mable.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Ms. Mable, it's Sam Wilson. I'm fostering James Barnes."

"Oh yes, I was getting ready to call you about the good news."

"Yeah, about that, the man that did the application is a well known drug dealer in my district among other things."

"His background came back completely clean and his drug test was clear."

"Ms. Mable, I am telling you I have police record of this man. James cannot be released to him."

"Mr. Wilson unless you can provide evidence of Mr. Rumlow's supposed drug problem then I cannot do anything but continue with the adoption. Child welfare already did a check on his home and the people he is around, he is a good match. All he needs to do is complete the training then James will have to be released. I'm sorry." Sam hung up on her and sat on the chair.

"Sam?" Nat asked. Sam looked at his watch, it was only eleven. Bucky should be done with physical therapy in an hour.

"Something isn't right. Rumlow shouldn't have an application. Let's go to the police station."

Sam got his keys and sped down to the police station. When he arrived, he immediately went in the criminal database and searched Rumlow's history.

It was clear. Completely clear.

He tried to find any paper copies. Nothing. "That's impossible. He has had a record since he was fifteen years old, why is it just gone?"

"Sam."

"There's nothing to stop him from taking Bucky, Nat." Sam put his head in his hands. "I don't know what to do." Sam felt a lump in his throat beginning to form. He couldn't do anything that wasn't going to be a breach of contract and illegal. He couldn't keep Bucky from a potential adopter. Nat hugged him and told him she would figure something out. Until then, Sam had to give Bucky away.