Siren

Dinner party gone awry

Staring silently at the man who should be in a prison cell but was currently sitting across from him, Bucky's glower turns into a grimace when he hears his best friend shouting through the phone. The other man standing next to him gives Buck a sympathetic look knowing that his friend and commander was likely to kick his ass the second he got here. Why you ask? It's because he might have helped Zemo escape from prison, but he had a good reason. Although, if the way Sam was tugging at his collar and the way sweat was beading across his forehead and upper lip was any indication Steve didn't think this plan was as good as he did. Sure Buck should have talked to him ahead of time, but they had a very limited window of time from the moment he talked to Zemo and the time he left the prison to set things in motion. And besides, it wasn't like he had been able to take his cell phone in with him. Still Steve sounded really mad.

Like madder than the time he'd been back in the spring of '31 when Buck had punched Ronnie Tettario for Steve who'd been about to have his much smaller self beaten into the dust. Steve had never liked him stepping in, but that particular day had been one that had his best friend madder than a wet cat because Ronnie had been talkin' out the side of his mouth about Mrs Rogers to Steve's face. Sarah Rogers was a sweet lady who had accepted his no good troublemaker self into her home with open arms like a second son and as such he felt like he had every right to step up and defend her honor as Steve did. His friend on the other hand hadn't felt the same. But Bucky just couldn't let it go. He couldn't stand there on the sidelines listening to his filth about the sweet Irish lady who'd become like a second mother to him and do nothing. It had taken weeks of apologizing and finally telling Steve he'd only step in if it was absolutely necessary for his safety. Granted, little Stevie didn't know that after he stood back like he said he would, Buck would go back around when he'd take him home so Mrs Rogers could patch him up and then beat the tar outta whoever was blockheaded enough to mess with his best pal. This left Bucky wondering how much trouble exactly he was in and how much he was gonna have to grovel for so he not only didn't ruin his friendship, but his tenus pardon.

Finally hearing a stern, "Don't go anywhere. I'm on my way", Sam hangs up the phone with a stunned and slightly sick looking expression on his face. Tucking his cell back into his pocket he spares Zemo an exasperated glance before plopping down in the chair next to the couch. "Buck, what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that he is our best chance at finding out what exactly is going on and with his connections we can finally find the Power Broker." Rubbing his hand along the back of his neck he hesitantly asked, "How mad is he?"

"Seeing as he was in the middle of Jun and Henri's dinner party at their place, I'd say pretty fucking mad. I mean can you blame him after what you two did? I don't care what connections he has." Pointing aggressively at Zemo who was still sat there silently, Sam raged on. "The man flipped the winter soldier switch in your head and framed you for the bombing in Vienna! He tried and succeeded in tearing the team apart for two years, Buck. If it wasn't for him we wouldn't have been fugitives on the run not able to see our families and go home."

The need to clarify that it was Henri's apartment not Juno's since she hadn't moved in yet sat on the tip of his tongue, but he figured it was better to shut up at the moment. Buck really didn't like how easily everyone had accepted the idea of her eventually moving in with the Frenchman. But that wasn't what was important right now. What was important was his friend was still pissed off that he'd missed out on two years with his sister and nephews because of the man sitting on the other side of this table. Two years of being chased after by every government all because he'd sided with him and Steve for what was right. It was a sacrifice Bucky could never pay back and would always feel behind on when he tried. The thing of it was, as much as he hated that Zemo was right and that they needed him, he had to do the wrong thing for the right reasons and hope he wouldn't end up in a cell right next to him.