Safe Haven | B. Barnes

big, brown eyes

"Can I trade with you?" Bucky requested from the back to Steve who was sitting in the passenger seat, but before a word could come out of Steve's mouth, Sam beat him to it.

"No."

Bucky frowned and slumped back in his seat. "Why?"

"Because the last time you had access to the front, you literally took the wheel. I'll have you know that accident cost me a fortune, Mr. Barnes. You're lucky my insurance covered most of it." Sam sounded as if Bucky should be grateful that the oh so graceful insurance paid for the damage Bucky caused. The driver explained all this and then some, occasionally glancing at Bucky from the rear-view mirror.

"C'mon, Sam." Steve began convincing with his easy-going smile, "That was what, three years ago? Bucky won't do that again. Besides, it's not like he's asking you to drive the car."

Sam had a perturbed expression as he glanced once at his friend. "No. It's not the wheel thing either, we're going to my sister's house." Sam gripped the wheel tighter.

A beat of silence passed before Steve blurted: "You never told me you had a family." As far as he knew, Sam's family was almost non-existent.

"You never asked."

"What does your sister's house have to do with me in the front?" Bucky picked up his only hand in question, but it was ignored, per usual.

Sam continued to answer Steve's question, "She runs a house that's for children who don't have the best of homes to live in." Sam kept a guarded expression.

Steve figured there was more than what Sam told him, but he didn't push it.

"Children?" Bucky piqued from the back. Sam's demeanor changed to annoyed and sassy. "Yes, James. Children. The little people, the offspring of love, kids."

Bucky lowered his eyebrows, "I know what children are, Samuel. I just..." his voice trailed off.

Sam smirked as a realization came to mind, "You, The Winter Soldier, high-class assassin, are scared of children?" Sam sounded like he wanted to hold back a laugh.

Steve rolled his head to Sam and raised his eyebrows, his way of saying stop. Bucky looked down at his fingers on his lap, "No, I'm not scared of them." he replied quietly, fiddling with the hem of his t-shirt absentmindedly.

"Sure." Sam drew out the "r" and was about the continue had Steve not cleared his throat for him to stop. Sam sighed in slight contentment but he stopped for Steve's sake.

"Where are we going?" Bucky changed the subject when he noticed that the scenery had changed from buzzing city life to less congested road with trees and fences.

"Home," Sam said that one simple word without relaying a single emotion. Steve noticed that the mention of this place was indeed important to Sam but it left the baggage behind, painful baggage. Steve turned away to look out the window to see trees and pastures fly by.

"Can you turn on the-?" Bucky began after a tense silence passed.

Sam lowered his head into his shoulders similar to a shrugging motion and let out an exasperated breath, thus causing Bucky to press his lips shut together. Sam's finger jammed the button of the radio in the car and simple oldies rock was playing.

The rest of the car ride was silent until Sam turned into a dusty road that seemed to go on forever.

Bucky's jaw tightened when a rather big house, almost like a retro yellow and brown house possibly from the Victorian era. It was once a small hotel kind of house that the previous owner bought for such an occasion, Sam explained as the two super soldiers marveled at it. It was at the end of the road and there was only a small meadow surrounding it with lines of trees in the far background. Something about it made him feel at home.