The Family Business (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 31: You're Not the Only One

Cara turned her head to look at Bucky, his metal hand, clamped firmly on her shoulder still. He had an unimpressed look on his face and was wearing his blue and black leather jacket, black pants and boots, his newest uniform. Cara smirked turning back around.

"To get answers." She said.

"You're supposed to be resting. Recovering." Bucky said sighing.

"The short hair is growing on me Terminator. You taking a seat or are you looking to get your ass handed to you?" She said confidently, ignoring him.

Grumpily, he sat down without a word, putting the other headset on and flipping a few controls. Smirking she took off, a little shaky at first but getting the hang of it before they even passed the Statue of Liberty. Cara put it in stealth mode, switching to the autopilot and Bucky set a predetermined altitude for cruising.

"It's cute you think you can kick my ass by the way. On a good day I can take you down, let alone when you're already halfway beaten down." Bucky said.

"Oh please, you wish." Cara said, "besides, between Dr. Cho and Wanda, I'm basically a new woman."

Bucky cracked a smile at her unwavering defense.

"You've got spunk, I'll give you that. No wonder Steve is so head over heels with you."

Cara smiled, both at the compliment and the fact that Steve just couldn't help himself. She should have guessed however, he told Bucky everything.

"So how did you know I wasn't going to stop you?" Bucky asked.

Biting her lip, she responded with a knowing look before answering

"Because I'm guessing Steve told you to keep an eye on me and keep me out of trouble and it's easier to tag along then it is to fight your best friend's girl."

Bucky shook his head, smirking slightly as he looked away.

"So where are we really going?"

"Back to the Eiffel Tower. I need to look for clues. I saw where I was shot from, I want to see if our mystery assassin is as good as he thinks he is or if he left trace behind."

"How do you plan on just marching straight into the tower, they've got the whole thing is roped off and it's crawling with SHIELD agents investigating the whole incident."

"Pffft. As long as you follow me and do what I say, you'll be fine."

Bucky actually laughed now.

"Just because you're one of us now, does not mean you get to boss me around like Steve does."

Cara shrugged smirking at him, "okay, don't listen. Get noticed and have an agent call it in. Next thing you know I've slipped away and then you have to explain to Steve how you lost me."

Bucky's face fell before he sighed facing forward again.

"Damn, Steve didn't tell me you bite."

Cara playfully punched him in the arm, hearing the vibranium clang, shaking her hand out a little as Bucky laughed. The rest of the flight was mostly spent in silence except for Cara's occasional singing to songs playing over the jet's sound system. Bucky didn't sing once, barely cracked a smile except she caught him smiling a few times.

Assisting her with the landing, they cloaked the jet, landing it on the roof of a building nearby. They then made their way to the tower, staying out of sight. Just as Bucky had said, there were SHIELD agents everywhere. Quickly calculating, Cara came up with an idea, motioning for Bucky to follow. When they got close to one of the tower's legs they hugged against it, Cara popping her bow open. As she pulled out a grappling arrow she looked over at Bucky.

"Okay, you're  going to have to hold on, we're riding it up." She said casually.

Bucky looked from her to the arrow to the 1st level high above them, then back to her, slightly panicked.

"There is no way that thing is going to hold both of us."

"Sure it will. The momentum from the shot will help pull us up. You'll be fine as long as you hold on."

"Cara no, we can find another way up. We just need to-"

Not waiting any longer she turned, drawing her arrow back. Bucky grabbed onto her just as she released the arrow grabbing on to the trailing rope shortly after. They zipped off the ground and up the tower quickly, stopping just above the railing of the first level. They dropped down onto the walkway quickly making their way to the promenade, hiding behind a beam, peeking around it.

"I heard you squeak when we left the ground." Cara whispered looking around.

"I did not! Maybe you squeaked!" Bucky aggressively whispered back.

"Whatever you say... I won't tell Sam." She whispered back.

Just as Bucky was about to respond Cara grabbed an agent that was walking but, pulling them behind the beam. With her hand pressed firmly to his mouth she flipped around him with momentum, swinging up to his shoulders and brought him down to the ground with her body weight, choking him out with her thighs until he was out cold. Bucky stood with his mouth open hands held out in surprise.

"Holy shit Cara! You know they're on our side right?"

"Shush. Get his jacket and hat and sunglasses on on, keep your hand hidden. I'm going to climb up to where I was shot but I need you to stand where I was shot so I can get the right angle."

"Are you insane? This isn't a disguise, they're going to make me out immediately."

Cara smirked, "trust me they won't."

She jumped on the railing, jumping up to a beam above her, pulling herself up climbing and crawling in the metalwork as she made her way to the corner beam where her shooter had been. She climbed up until she got into about the right spot and started looking around. She was about to give up when she saw it.

A smaller beam was bent ever so slightly, opening up the line of site directly where she had been standing. She put her hands in to grooves where the attackers hands had bend the beam, before looking around for anything else. She noticed a long gouge in the metal running straight down one of the vertical beams. As she followed it down and down and down below the level one deck, it stopped 75 feet or so off the ground. Lodged deep in the metal was a knife she carefully pulled it out, struggling to do so, but got it out eventually.

She braced herself, making sure she was steady before she analyzed it. It looked familiar but she couldn't think why or where she would have seen it before. The Hydra symbol was engraved into the blade, handle wrapped in black leather. Then the light caught the star in the circle and her breath caught in her throat. Putting the knife away she repelled the rest of the way down the tower using an arrow.

Bucky had already made his way down the tower. Cara saw him discarding the disguise in a trash can as he made his way to cover at the rendezvous across the street. Cara carefully followed close behind. Once they met up, Cara kept pressing toward the roof, determined to get to the jet. The whole while, Bucky trying to get her attention, sensing the change in her mood. Once they were finally on the jet Bucky grabbed her pushing her up to the wall.

"Cara! What did you find up there?!"

She looked at him, pale in the face, and he could see the fear in her eyes. He softened his expression only slightly, easing up a little.

"Bucky, you're not the only Winter Soldier are you?"