Red Thorn

Chapter 27

December 2016

Bucky had been following her for a while now, in fact ever since she'd left the Compound. He'd watched as she parked Lola then made her way to a jewellery store, though he couldn't quite make out what she'd bought. He was even there, sat on a bench opposite the cafe as she bought a coffee, conversing, much to his surprise, with the barista. Bucky kept his distance when she got back into her car and headed for one of New York's many cemeteries. Tailing someone on foot was one thing, you could dip into nearby alleys and duck around corners, even change your disguise, but in a vehicle was another. It was a much easier thing to spot especially when she knew his bike, when it used to be her bike. So, he followed from further back and by the time he parked up, she was nowhere to be seen. 

The supersoldier scanned the headstones, looking for any that he might recognise and give him a clue as to why she was there. But then he heard it. Red's quiet voice coming from...from a tree?

"Hey, Dad..."

Dad? 

Bucky tried to get a closer look at the name on the gravestone. 'Philip J Coulson' He'd heard about him whilst he was at HYDRA, before Maria Hill and his untimely death during the Battle of New York at the hands of Loki he was Director Fury's right hand man. He was in charge of all things Avengers Initiative and was Agent Barton and Romanoff's handler. 
But why did Red call him Dad?

"Sorry it's been so long," she said. "But I brought Lola to see you and before you get your pants in a twist don't worry, no one touches her but me, especially not Stark." Red hesitated for a moment. "I...I hope you know that I didn't just forget about you, I was away for a while, six months actually, and that was just after the team got back from a couple of weeks in Wakanda. You would have loved it there."

The supersoldier stood as still as he possibly could. Did she know he was there? No. She couldn't. If not she wouldn't be saying all these things. But with her enhanced hearing, the slightest movement on his part and it would be game over. So, instead, he just stayed there and listened as she talked. 

Red explained everything about Wakanda, about why they were there and that she actually had a preexisting relationship with the country, not forgetting the arguments it caused with Steve. Next was her six month sabbatical from the Avengers and Bucky finally found out where she'd gone and what she was doing during his time in Wakanda. Apparently she had gone to help someone called Daisy, a friend from the sounds of it, though she didn't delve much into the details of how she knew her and Bucky could only assume that Red had told Coulson the story before.  She then went on to tell him about Peggy's passing and how beautiful her funeral had been. 

"It's nearly Christmas now," she told him, "And someone at the Compound is pretending to be one of Santa's Elves, I'm not sure who, but I have to admit that I kind of love it. I get the feeling Christmas is going to be great this year I just...I wish you were here to celebrate it with us."
Bucky was sure he heard her voice crack at the end, but then she went completely silent. He peaked up into the tree but she was nowhere to be seen. Where had she gone? After making sure the coast was clear, he turned to head back to the bike only when he did Bucky found himself with a dagger pointed at his throat.

How did she?

He let out a heavy sigh. "How long?"