Hello Sergeant (Bucky Barnes)

Hello Darling

James' POV

I stared at Sarah in amazement, reaching my human hand out to her. She took my hand and I pulled her into my lap.

"It's not like you volunteered to be Zola's guinea pig, James," Sarah said. "According to the other POW's, everyone else that went into that room died; I'm convinced that sheer Barnes determination kept you alive there. Hydra experimented on you two years before your death. Whatever they did made it so you're here today, so how can I hate you? Jace certainly doesn't."

"Yup. Totally don't hate you," Jace said, smiling slightly. "I wish you had your memory back so you could tell me all kinds of cool stories about when you were a Howling Commando with Cap, but I'm glad you didn't really die, James."

"Who all knows about this?" I asked, concerned about the boy's safety being around me.

"The fewest people possible. Director Gregg, Director Fury, Maria, the Avengers, Jace's parents, and now you."

"And if Hydra takes me again?"

"If they have you, why would they want a teenage boy that kind of looks like you?" Maria said.

"It's not like he hasn't been training since he was a kid to be an Agent," Sarah said. "You watched him today, does he stand a chance against most attackers?"

I thought about that and nodded. "Unless they are like Natalia or I, he should be able to stand his ground. I would rather he be killed than captured, though. Some things are worse than death."

"You would know, unfortunately," Sarah said, putting her hand on my cybernetic arm.

"There's something else, James." Natalia pressed her lips together and tucked her hair back behind her ears. "We were sent to bring you all to a meeting. Peggy Carter wants to see the three of you – today."

Sarah shared a look with Natasha and Maria before looking up at me. "You better go get cleaned up, James. We don't want to keep her waiting."

*   *     *

As I looked out the window of the SUV, I still couldn't believe I was going to see my Peggy again. Sometimes it felt like the almost 70 years it had been since I had last seen her, other moments, it was just yesterday.

I let the other conversations wash over me as I thought about Peggy. There was a lot that I didn't remember and a lot of random bits that didn't quite make sense. I thought about everything I remembered about her: the way she felt, the British way she spoke, her determination to be as good or better than most men, her loyalty.

The vehicle came to a stop in a parking lot, and we all got out. I reached for Sarah, needing her to ground me as my anxiety increased. What if she didn't remember me? What if she didn't want anything to do with me now that I was maimed?

I watched as Maria signed us in. There was a lot of security around here and my surroundings didn't make sense. Most of the people I saw were elderly, in wheelchairs or using walkers. The ones that weren't severely crippled were workers with uniforms and name-tags. Sarah glanced up at me often, smiling reassuringly even though I could tell she was trying to contain her curiosity as well.

"What is this place?" I asked her as we maneuvered past a worker pushing an old man in a wheelchair.

"This is a nursing home – a place that cares for the elderly. These people can't live in their own homes anymore because they either can't take care of themselves or they need medical supervision."

"Why are we here? Why would Peggy have us come here? As a diversion?"

I looked down at Sarah, not sure what the expression on her face meant. "James, do you know what year it is?"