Anamnesis [Lacuna #2] {Completed}

Chapter Twenty Two

"Viraag (n.) the sadness caused by separation from the one you love"

~Bucky~

They were silent most of the way into the city. Bucky couldn't stop rolling Cara's words in his head. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the weight of truth they had carried.

            "Are you okay?" Erin asked as they walked through the busy streets of D.C.

            They had taken Cara's car and parked it somewhere just outside of the city. Since it was getting colder outside, the tourist season was coming to an end and they took special care to try and blend in as much as possible.

            "Yeah," He said, putting on his best smile. "Why?"

Erin looked at him skeptically, "You didn't say much all the way here," She paused. "I'm sorry about... about Cara. I know she can be a lot."

Bucky didn't answer. "So what was it that you wanted to show me?" He asked trying to change the subject.

Erin shot him a look. She gave him that look every time she knew he was trying to change the subject and let him, but they weren't done talking about whatever it was he tried to change the subject about. "My grandpa and dad had a small apartment he would sometimes work from when he wasn't at S.H.I.E.L.D. My dad and he started working there together some time ago. I checked with Cara and she's kept the apartment paid for. Everything they had is still there. I want to check it out and maybe I can give you some answers to your question last night."

Bucky suddenly remembered how awful he felt after accusing her father about his research. He remembered how painful it felt when Erin had left the room, like a part of him had been leaving too.

            They came to a stop on a busy street corner. There were small vans and shops across the street selling I <3 D.C. shirts, mugs, and other trinkets.

            "I'm going to go get a hot dog real fast." Erin said spotting a hot dog cart across the street, "Do you want anything?"

            Bucky shook his head, "No, I'll be right here." He smiled at her.

            She smiled back and made her way towards the cross-walk.

            Bucky turned his attention to a table near him that was selling mugs, sunglass, shot glasses, and various other things. He kept glancing up at Erin to make sure she was okay. He tried to keep his head down, he didn't know how trained the eyes of D.C. would be.

"She's very pretty, Soldat." A chilling voice said behind him.

            Bucky didn't flinch, but he couldn't shake the eerie creep that went up his spine as he heard that Russian accent. "What are you doing here?" He demanded roughly. He tried to keep his tone neutral and continued looking at various knick knacks on the table.

            "So you are remembering." Bucky could hear the sneer behind the man's words.

Bucky forced himself to look up and over. Standing next to him was a man he had only recently began to remember. Borya Volkov.

"You know, when I heard that the Winter Soldier had come out of hiding and was currently unemployed, I thought it would be fun to do business again, like old times." The former KGB assassin threw him a vicious grin.

            "Not really my line of work anymore." Bucky said, still keeping an eye on Erin across the street.

            "We both know this isn't a life you can simply walk out of. Pravvy, Soldat?" Right, Soldier?