Fragile - A Bucky Barnes Story

Get Here

Steve Rogers could literally kiss my ass at this point, but I still met him at the compound. I took the first plane out, of course I brought Hap with me because I wasn't going to leave him alone at the house or be without him for any time period because he had become my safety blanket.

All Steve would say was get here and when I asked for more detail, he just kept repeating it before he hung up on me.

Irritated didn't even begin to cover it. I think vexed would be a good word to describe it. He vexed me. I was bloody vexed by the Captain. He vexing pissed me off, actually.

I stood at the entrance to the headquarters double doors, holding Hap's leash and a rolling suitcase. I stared up at the building for a good five minutes before I stepped through the threshold.

"It better be a good fucking reason to get here," I grumbled to myself. Months of isolation had broadened my vocabulary to not only words such as vexed but a multitude of curse words. Usually I only spoke to the coffee pot but at least I learned something new.

I took the elevator up to the third floor and stepped out into a silent room, though there were many bodies occupying.

"Lucky!" Sam called out with as much enthusiasm as his face portrayed, he threw his hands out wide as he walked over and gave me a tight embrace. He looked down at my confused sidekick and chuckled. "Who is this pretty boy?"

"Hapless," I spoke blankly as I looked around at the few other faces.

"Lucky and Unlucky, huh?" Tony strolled over with his signature gait as he held out a hand for me to shake. I let go of my suitcase handle and shook it quickly. "I've heard a lot about the famous Lucille Edge, world renowned telepath and head shrinker."

"We have met, once," I murmured looking away from the playboy with a bored look on my face. "I did live here for like nine months."

"Oh," he stuffed his hands back into his suit pants pockets and took a step back. He shrugged his shoulders and offhandedly murmured. "I'm very busy."

"Why am I here?" I grumbled as I turned towards Sam, since Steve wasn't present to explain why I had to fly so far in the middle of the night.

"He finally found him, Lucky," his face turned solemn as he spoke with his hands stuffed in his jeans and his shoulders slumped.

"Found who?" I asked, mentally numbing myself for his answer. Steve wouldn't have called me all the way to New York because he found Bucky. He had to know that would cause immediate anger. I could probably shut down Steve's brain and make him think he's a chicken if I wanted to.

"Bucky," Sam answered hesitantly, shooting Natasha a nervous stare. Natasha took a deep breath and stepped forward with a small grin.

"Привет красавица," she called out in her native language before she reached her hand out and I took it hesitantly. "Bucky isn't okay."

"What do you mean?" my heart seized but my face hardened. My hand tightened around hers instinctively and Hap stood at attention at noticing my body language.

"You know that Steve and Bucky fought before Bucky left," she began, only continuing when I nodded once. "Bucky thought it was better for you. You know he blames himself for the leaves falling in Autumn. He thought what he told you, whatever it was, was too much and he told Steve that he needed to go and make amends with those he had wronged and he would only come back when he completed his list, when he could be a good enough man for you."

I nodded again. I had heard something similar from Steve. Hence unabashed anger against my lavender fields.

Bucky could be so fucking stupid sometimes.