Whiskey | 18+ {Bucky Barnes}

Chapter Two

Hey loves! Quick FYI: Our duo (Erica and Bucky) speaks different languages on several occasions. I will state beforehand what language they are saying; it will be in English. Translation-wise, I don't want to get anything wrong, so the conversations in other languages will be in italics.

Happy Reading!

A week in Louisiana wasn't nearly enough time for Erica. Late nights are spent sitting out on the dock with Sarah and a bottle of wine, and other evenings sitting around a fire talking with Sam, Sarah, and Bucky. Letting Cass and AJ beat her at Mario Kart, listening to them tell outlandish stories, and the food, my goodness. Sarah had gone out of her way that week; she made something from scratch every day. Erica's absolute favorite is Mrs. Darlene's homemade buttermilk biscuits with homemade sausage gravy. It was a week of love, laughter, and good food.

She was only home two days and already missed the chaos; she missed Cass and AJ, even their bickering back and forth. She smiled fondly as she finished plating a sandwich; the front door opening pulled her out of her thoughts.

"I'm telling you, Sam, Redwing isn't a reliable source.", Bucky said, closing the door.

Sam looked annoyed as he dropped his backpack on the floor by the couch. "And I am telling you he is Buck. He's never been wrong before."

"He's a machine; it would be better if we gathered the intel ourselves.", Bucky said as he sat on the couch. "I still don't trust that thing."

"You're part machine, am I not supposed to trust you?" Sam sat down at the bar, grumbling something about a cyborg.

Bucky scoffed, "That's a real mature featherhead."

At that moment, Erica took back the thought of missing the chaos. She reached for a drinking glass as Sam reached for her sandwich. He snatched it up, taking a big bite.

Placing her hands on her hips, Erica scowled at him, "Gee, help yourself to my lunch, why don'tcha." Then, turning to the fridge, she pulled the fixings out. "Buck, you want one?"

Bucky stood up and walked over to the bar where Sam sat, eating his stolen sandwich. "Sure."

Sam stopped mid-bite. "Hold up, she gets to call you Buck with no problem?" he looked between the two. "Just like that?"

Bucky shrugged, "I like her."

Sam shook his head. "That just ain't right."

Erica laughed as she continued to make the sandwiches.

Sliding a plate to Bucky, which he thanked her for, she leaned up against the counter.

After a few bites of her sandwich, she said, "I read through some of the documents you gave me. I can honestly say I'm glad I was never around to meet Zola; that man was unhinged."

Bucky nodded, "You have no idea." He took another bite.

Sam placed a firm hand on Bucky's shoulder, comfortingly squeezing it.

"I know the last task force Hydra had been held in Siberia, but I feel like we should start at the beginning." She shrugged, "It's just a feeling; it's honestly up to you guys. I'm just along for the mystery."

"So, walk me through why you think we should start initially?" Sam crossed his arms, leaning back in the chair.

"Well, Hydra's main goal has always been to create the super-soldier serum. But, unfortunately, they had only successfully done that once." She glanced at Bucky, who had opted not to eat the other half of his sandwich. "We don't know; many have tried and failed, except Howard Stark. He, unfortunately, took that formula secret to the grave." She glanced at Bucky again; he looked out the window, unfocused. "Until this Negel fellow came around, he would have had the needed information. But with the circumstances in Madripoor last year, I highly doubt there is any information left."