The Winter Soldier and the Waitress

Chapter 5

James.

Grace called him James now and Bucky felt that burst of emotion every time she did. It had been a very long time since anyone close to him had called him James. If he was honest, he'd say it was before his world changed. Before HYDRA, before the Winter Soldier. Before the killing. Before the dark spot on his soul.  He was just James. It's what his mother yelled from down the stairs to wake him up when he was going to be late for school. It's what his dad called him during another one of their talks about how one day he  would understand how tough life can be if you didn't know where you're going in life. It's what his sister whined whenever he made fun of her. 

Bucky wasn't prepared for the emotions he felt at just hearing her say that name as if he was just that guy again. That's when he realized how much he felt like that guy when he was with them. She somehow brought him back to the man he once was and it was making him fall more in love with her. He just hadn't worked up the courage to tell her.

A finger snapped in front of Bucky's face, snapping him from his thoughts and bringing him back to the moment. The moment in which he was supposed to be focusing on the team meeting Tony called. When he finally realized he'd zoned out Bucky glanced around the room to see everyone gone but Tony and Steve.

"Looks like he's back." Tony said and Bucky glanced over to him before standing to his feet to leave. "So I hear you had a pretty informative dinner the other night." Bucky stopped and looked over to Tony with a quirked brow before looking over to Steve who let out a sigh.

"Wait, is that what that was about. You two came over there to question her?" Bucky asked.

"It's wasn't like that Buck. Sam inviting himself and me to dinner was just Sam and his shenanigans, but I did see it as an opportunity to really talk to her in a more comfortable setting." Steve stood to his feet as well. Bucky shook his head. "I just wanted to see if maybe she knew more about her sister then even she knew."

"Which she didn't." Bucky said turning to the men. "Grace hasn't spoken to anyone from her family since they turned their backs on her. All of this is just stirring up emotions she's trying to get over."

"We know that, but we think there's someone else we should be looking into." Steve said and Bucky turned to him. "Her father."

"The General?"

"Well he's not a General anymore." Tony said before swiping up the holographic monitor. "He's actually the ASDIO. Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Oversight. Got the gig right after his wife died."  an image of the man appeared and Bucky took a step forward. He'd actually never seen Grace's father. He hadn't seen anyone from her family. All the pictures in her apartment were of her and Trey, and a few that included him. Bucky looked over to the older man, as he stood up straight behind Secretary Ross.

"I don't get it." Bucky said glancing back to Steve and Tony.

"Neither do I." Tony said with a shrug. "But I plan on finding out. I'm going to meet with Harris in DC. I mean one has to wonder how a government official has one criminal daughter while the other lives paycheck to paycheck as a diner waitress."

"Tony," Steve warned before turning to Bucky. "Tony is right. I think we're not seeing something here with Grace. And the fact that her sister and father may have some sort of involvement. We have to get down to the bottom of this." Bucky turned back to the monitor.

Bucky slid a hand across his face. This just felt like another can of worms they were opening up that could just once again blow up in Grace's face. He didn't want to be the source of any more of her pain

"Fine," Bucky turned to Tony and Steve. "When do you leave?"

"Plane leaves in a couple of days." Steve said and Bucky let out a sigh. "That a problem?"