Everything // TFATWS

08

Bucky walked into the main room with a sour expression. He caught Rori's eye and his expression softened.

Dr. Raynor walked up and said, "Sam. Rori. I've heard a lot about you two. I'm Dr. Raynor. I'm James' therapist."

"So nice to meet you," Sam replied. "Thank you for getting him out."

"That was not me."

"Christina," John called. "It's great to see you again."

"You've got to be kidding me," Sam muttered. "You know him?"

Dr. Raynor shrugged. "Yeah, we did some field ops back in the day."

Rori let out a sigh and muttered, "Can't we be rid of this guy?" She gave him a look and walked up to Bucky and the two had a quiet conversation.

"I heard you were working with Bucky, so I thought I'd step in," John told them as he walked closer. "Bucky's not gonna be following a strict schedule any longer."

"We haven't finished our work," Dr. Raynor said. "Who authorized this?"

"He's too valuable of an asset to have tied up. So, just do whatever you got to do with him, then send him off to me."

"Got some unfinished business, him and I. You too, Wilson. Miss Matei, you as well. I'll be outside."

John walked away.

Rori narrowed her eyes at his retreating figure and yelled, "He's not an asset!"

John turned to her said, "Yes, Rori, he is. Do you know the meaning?"

"Yes I do, which is why I know he's far from an asset. He is a person like you and I, and if I so much as hear you call him such again, I'll dunk your head in a bowl of sticky flour."

"Is that a threat?"

"Perhaps."

John looked at Bucky. "You'd better tell her to watch her mouth and control herself. Things don't end well if someone messes with the government."

Bucky stared John down with narrowed eyes, but said nothing.

"What? Are you too scared to say something?"

"Rori can speak for herself," he answered.

Dr. Raynor said, "James, condition of your release, session now. You too, Sam, Aurora."

"That's okay," Sam replied. "I'll be out here with..."

"That wasn't a request."

They made their way to an interrogation room.

Dr. Raynor pulled up another chair and set it between two chairs. Sam and Bucky sat in the side chairs while Rori sat in the middle chair. "So... Who would like to start?"

"All right," Sam said, "look, Dr. Raynor? I get it, why you want me to talk to Freaky Magoo and the baker over here. But I'm 100% fine."

"It is my job to make sure that you're okay. And so, yeah, this may be slightly unprofessional, but it's the only way that I can see if you're getting over whatever's eating at you."

"This is ridiculous."

Bucky nodded. "Yeah, I agree."

"See?" Dr. Raynor stated. "Making progress already. So, who wants to go first?" The three remained silent. "No volunteers? Wow. How surprising. Okay. We're going to do an exercise. It's something I use with couples when they are trying to figure out what kind of life they wanna build together. Are you familiar with the miracle question?"