Winter's Sunshine

32. Denial

"Calm down Buck", Steve said maintaining his calm posture.

Bucky slammed his hand on the glass table and glared at him angrily. "How am I supposed to calm down? Jen has been kidnapped, fucking kidnapped Steve. Do you know what that means?"

"Bucky, we will find her, don't worry"

"Don't worry? Steve, I could see her being dragged in the crowd. She was dragged right in front of my eyes. I could have saved her. I could have done something!"

"Bucky, it's-"

"It just happened so fast, I just- I can't believe someone took her away from me.", Bucky said tearing up a bit. "She said she loved me. She finally confessed her love for me and now she is gone."

Steve looked at his friend with great sympathy. Finally, his life was coming back to normal and now this.... , he thought.  "Natasha is on her case. Sam also is searching for her. Don't worr-"

"It's been three days!", Bucky announced collapsing on the couch. "Its been three whole days"

"I promise we will find her Buck."

"It might be harder than you think Stevie.", Natasha said entering the TV room.

"What do you mean?"

"Here", she  said throwing a file on the coffee table. Bucky grabbed it. "Jen, it's Jen's file."

"If that's even her real name"

"What?", both Steve and Bucky asked in unison.

"Your Jen, Jennifer Cooper does not exist."

"What? What are you saying?"

"Jennifer Cooper does not exist. Her file, everything in it, is fake. Her name, her academical background, her family, her home all is a setup. I checked it myself. Sam accompanied me too. Ask him if you don't believe me."

"Bullshit. What do you mean fake? What do you mean she doesn't exist? She was working with us for so long. What even-", Bucky said looking at Steve confused.

"So she was-", Steve started trying to make sense of the whole situation.

"Yup, just pretending. Possibly an undercover agent, maybe even Hydra."

Bucky felt the whole world collapse around him. He was shaken on hearing what Natasha had said. Jen? Hydra? He just couldn't believe this. No this can't be right. This is bullshit. Natasha must be mistaken. Jen has been kidnapped, Damn it. I should find her first.

"Nat are you sure?", Steve asked cautiously.

"100%", she responded eyeing Bucky.

"Nonsense!", Bucky shouted at her. "You are lying, this can't be true"

"Like it or not, this is the truth Bucky,"

"Steve? Say something"

"Bucky, I-", Steve started but fell silent.

"You too think Jen is hydra?", he asked with a heavy sigh. He left the room, filled with disgust. He walked to his room along the long corridor to his room, tears rolling down his face.

"Bucky..", Sam called out walking in his direction.

"Sam, Natasha said-"

"I know.", Sam whispered more to himself. "I know, even I can't believe it. But I checked everything myself. But all her info, her details are made up. I don't know how she got past the background checks."

Bucky shook his head in denial, "This can't be true. I refuse to believe this."

_____________________

Bucky went through Jen's file again and again. He read each and every detail about her. He looked up in the server for the tenth time now, reading about her, over and over again.

He couldn't believe Natasha was right. "This can't be true", he shouted for the millionth time."This can't be fucking true", he cried out loud.

Sam barged in Bucky's room and felt bad for Bucky when he saw him crying. He tried calming him down but failed again.

"We need to find her.", Bucky declared amidst his tears. "I need answers, Sam. I need to find her"

"I know Buck, we will. But is it even worth it?"

"What do you mean?"

"She must have faked being in love with you, I mean she did tell me she can't act on her feelings, maybe because of this very reason-"

"No, she didn't. She was not faking! She is not fake, do you hear me? Her love for me was real! I know it. I felt it. You won't understand." You can never understand

Sam knew it was a waste of time to try to convince Bucky otherwise. He patted on his back and got up to leave. "Sam?", he heard Bucky call out.

"Yes, Bucky?"

"You will help me right?", he asked. "To find her?"

Sam couldn't deny this request from his friend. He nodded and noticed a small smile form on his face. "Let's start tomorrow. Take some rest now."

"OK", Bucky replied wiping his tears.