Torn {Bucky Barnes FanFic}

Chapter 6

"Nat," I said softly, "We've been trying to track him down for months. He doesn't want to be found, and even if he did we're nowhere near close to getting his location."

"But you didn't have this before." She pulled out a small flashdrive and slid it across the table to me.

I picked it up slowly. "Natasha, what is this?"

"I was going through some of Bruce's things a few weeks ago and I found this. I just had a feeling that it would help us find him, so I took it," she said quietly. "Then I tried to figure out what it had on it, but it's encrypted. Like US government encrypted."

"So you want me to decrypt it."

"Cara, I have a feeling about this," she whispered. "Please. You're the only one I can trust with this."

I hesitated and tapped the flashdrive against the desk gently. "You know Tony is better at this than me."

She nodded solemnly, "I don't want Tony getting involved. Please, Cara, just try. If it's nothing, it's nothing. But it could be something."

"Okay," I said quietly after a minute. "I'll do my best, but don't expect too much."

"Thank you," she smiled kindly and stood up. "Let me know if you find anything?"

"Of course."

****

Around six thirty that night I headed up to my room to get ready for my evening with my brother. As I washed my hair in the shower, my mind wandered from Bucky to what Natasha had said to what Tony and I were celebrating tonight. After I had finished showering and gotten dressed, I braided my hair quickly and headed for the roof, draping a warm coat over my arm. When I had reached the roof exit, my phone began buzzing in my pocket.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

I smiled at the sound of Bucky's voice. "Hi."

"How are you?"

I glanced towards the door above me. "I'm alright. You?"

"Not bad," he sighed lightly. "Listen, I'm going to dinner with Steve in a few minutes, but if you want to stop by later tonight...?"

"I've actually got this thing with Tony, it's kinda complicated and I'll explain later," I told him. "It might go late, but if not I'll definitely call or stop by, I promise."

"Steve's coming," he said quickly. "I've gotta go. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Buck."

I hung up the phone and dropped it back into my pocket as I started up the stairs. I pushed the door open and was instantly greeted with shockingly cold air. Tony stood in the center of the roof, a bonfire pit and a few chairs in front of him

"We're lucky it's not too windy tonight," I said, sitting in one of the chairs.

He smiled and poked the fire with a stick before shoving it into the flames. He reached down and pulled out a bottle and two glasses from next to the pit.

"I remember him talking about this one at some party," he said, pouring me a glass. "Let's hope it's good."

I took it and waited until he had some for himself before speaking.

"What do we drink to this year?"

He sighed. "What we drink to every year. Mom and Dad."

I echoed him and raised my glass slightly before taking a sip. This was one of our little Stark traditions. Every year on the anniversary of the accident, Tony took a bottle of scotch from my father's prized collection, we went to the roof, built a bonfire, and drank. As I brought the glass to my lips again, I suddenly became extremely aware of the ring that I had worn on my left pointer finger since I was thirteen. I began twirling it around my finger absentmindedly, staring out at the skyline at the same time.