It's Been A Long, Long Time ; Bucky Barnes

Chapter Eleven

2014 - Meanwhile in...

AN: This chapter has mentions of SA if you are sensitive I have left a note for when it starts and ends.

New York City is a big place. There are a lot of places one can hide, but Bucky went straight back to his best friend.

Steve got a knock on his window at around 3:00 a.m. The fire escape was easy enough to climb. Steve made his way to the window slightly on guard but with hope that it was Cara and Bucky. His smile grew when he saw James sitting on the stairs in the snow, it quickly faded when he realized his sister had not returned with his best friend.

Steve quietly opened the window and wrapped his arms around the man in front of him before he could even make it into the petite apartment, "Where's Cara?" Steve asked after pulling away from the hug.

"What do you mean? She's not here with you?" Bucky replied, his voice wavered slightly. Steve paused for a moment, "Steve, what do you mean?" the fear rose in his voice.

"S- She went to Sokovia, about a month ago. She went to look for you," Steve said. He rushed to the kitchen to grab the note she left for him. Steve handed it to Bucky, as Bucky read the words his heart sank; she went to the last place she wanted just to find him.

"I left Sokovia less than two weeks ago. How did she not find me? She knows my patterns, she knows where I would be," Bucky looked at Steve, "Something's not right." It was Christmas eve and Steve knew he wasn't supposed to look for her if she didn't return, but Bucky was with him. Which meant that Cara was alone in a city that brought her pain. They had no way to contact Cara, there was no way of finding her except for bringing Bucky with him to look, which was already too risky, "Steve, there's a Hydra base in Sokovia. You don't think..."

Steve's heart sank, what if Hydra turned her back into a weapon, what if she forgot who her brother was once again? "No, no. We can't think that way, I need to call Natasha." Steve picked up his phone and tapped on her name. It rang for a few moments before a very aggravated Natasha answered, "Nat!"

"What do you want, Rogers? It's three in the goddamn morning," Natasha said, anger in her voice.

"It's Cara, Natasha,"

"Oh my god, is she back?" Natasha said, sitting up in her bed, "Is Barnes back?"

Steve looked at Bucky, "Not quite. Come over."

-

After about twenty minutes of worried silence between Bucky and Steve there was a quiet knock on the door. Steve hurried to open it, he pulled Natasha into the apartment and when she saw Bucky sitting on the couch and the lack of Cara she realized what Steve was talking about on their phone call.

Natasha sat down, "Where is she, James?"

Bucky looked up at Natasha, "She never found me. I didn't even know she was looking for me until twenty minutes ago."

"Do we think she's still in Sokovia?" Natasha said with a sigh. Nat knew there was a Hydra base in the city, she knew of what could happen if they found Cara. She also knew Cara would have found Bucky, they knew each other too well for her not to, "Wait. Steve." Steve turned his attention from the ground to her, "What if that's where the scepter is? There's a Hydra base there, I've seen it in the files."

"We could kill two birds with one stone," Steve replied, feeling hopeful, "We need to talk to Tony and the rest of the team."

"Tomorrow," Natasha said, "It is Christmas after all."

Steve laughed quietly, "You can take my bed if you'd like to sleep here, Buck you can take the couch."

"That's alright. I have to get home," Natasha said before her phone rang, "Excuse me." Natasha stepped into the bathroom, her phone against her ear.