A/N: Honestly, I'm just jumping into this, I hope it's okay and someone out there sort of likes it! Basically I wanted to write the Papa Wolf trope with Bucky for REASONS.

Project: Inheritance

Chapter 1

If only there was a way to blend in with the grey couch so completely that he would disappear from this conversation…

"I'm sorry, but what exactly does this have to do with anything?"

"Understanding your intimate connections to people is important to understanding yourself, don't you think so? Especially relationships that could be positive."

Bucky blinked. That sounded…incredibly fake. He had gotten used to Dr. Raynor asking bizarre or intrusive questions during their sessions, but this was a bit much. A lot much. Also, she wasn't his official therapist anymore, so this whole conversation was wild. He leaned back further into the couch, settling one ankle on top of the opposite knee. "So. You're asking if I knew someone in the biblical way eight years ago because it's…important." He lifted an eyebrow. "And I'm supposed to believe that's not at all out of left field."

Her eyes narrowed. "The biblical way. Honestly, James."

"Hey, you're the one beating around the bush. Intimate connections."

Dr. Raynor shifted, resting her elbow against the armrest of her chair. "Is it so strange? Exploring your past relationships?"

"I think it's strange that it's coming out nowhere. Like your phone call."

It had been a month since the international situation with the Flag Smashers, which meant it had been a month since he had been in a therapy session with the doctor. He had really thought that they were done with their sessions. He had left her a going-away gift, after all, even if he was the one going away.

Working with Dr. Raynor had seemed to help at first, but then…yeah. But just talking hadn't been so bad, and he missed that part every now and then. When she had called randomly a few days to set up what she had called an exit session, he had agreed.

Now he was wishing he hadn't picked up the phone.

Dr. Raynor sighed and clicked her pen. She hadn't actually been writing with it, and she didn't normally play with it when they were in a session. Was she nervous?

She had started out with more normal questions about his current life but then she had steered into the land of off-the-wall. First it had been questions about his dating life now (very sparse) then back to dating in the 40's (very expansive though he wasn't about to tell her that) and then an abrupt switch to the very specific time frame of eight years ago.

Something wriggled in the back of his mind, trying to connect the vague dots he had been given. Instead of a catch-up conversation, this felt more like she was gathering information.

"You were a free man then, right? Surely there must've been someone."

"I was too busy not getting caught to really think about dating," Bucky said, uncomfortable but trying not to show it. Besides, what woman would have wanted to date a brainwashed broken man on the run? "I was a little caught up in staying away from what was left of HYDRA."

The doctor tapped her pen on her knee. "Not even a one-night stand?"

Bucky gave a humorless incredulous laugh. "What are you trying to get at? I feel like this is awkward for both of us. Really, really awkward. Is this all you wanted to talk about?"

Raynor wrapped a hand fully around the pen. Click. "Has anyone from that time tried to contact you?"

"There wasn't anybody during that time," Bucky said firmly. "I've told you, after I left the U.S., I just moved place to place and didn't talk to anyone." Back then, he had felt like an exploded jigsaw puzzle trying to put itself back together, and he hadn't wanted anyone else to get caught up in that damage. He rarely stayed in one place for more than a few weeks. Sam had once said it had been like trying to track down a paranoid chameleon with an attitude.

"This is important—"

"I feel like it's more important to you than me right now." He put his foot on the ground again, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. "And this doesn't sound like you."

She sighed. "That doesn't mean it isn't important. Even if it's not for the reason I gave you."

"Mhmm. Well, it's been…weird." He stood up, nodded to the therapist, and headed toward the door. If he couldn't blend into the couch, he might as well leave. Thanks to Walker, the therapy sessions were no longer required and no one had bothered to check into that.

"James, wait."

His hand was already on the doorknob. Glancing over his shoulder, he raised his eyebrows at her. He needed something better than just her asking to keep him here.

The expression on her face was openly conflicted enough to stop him for a moment.

"Come on," he said, "What's going on."

She twisted the pen into her fingers and stood up, her hand curling into a fist. "I can't give you any details, but I'm telling the truth. These questions have a point."

"I'm not seeing it," he said, turning so his back was resting against the door. He could still leave at any moment. "Anyways, I've told you everything. That's it. I wasn't lying."

"You're…sure…?"

Bucky stared at her. "What the hell is all this about?"

Her hands moved around more than usual, as if trying to brush away his curiosity. "It's classified."

"Right. But if it's about me, and I'm assuming it is, I want to know." Especially given the lines of questions she had been asking him.

"I don't even know that much." She moved toward her desk and set down the pen, her back toward him.

He didn't say anything. Instead, he let the silence sink in, leveraging it against her in a way that usually wouldn't work with her.

Finally, for the first time since he'd walked through the door, she met his eyes. "But I also think keeping you in the dark about it was a stupid decision." Dr. Raynor crossed her arms over her chest, looking at him squarely.

"The GRC has started trying to find missing people based on DNA. Most of the time it's a volunteer sort of thing for people looking for their family members, but any orphan with one of the temporarily licensed foster units automatically goes into the bank in hopes that the child can be reunited with a family member. Any family member. For the U.S., other DNA databases that we already had compiled were also submitted. The government always likes making connections."

Bucky willfully had no idea where this was going. He hooked his thumbs into the pockets of his leather jacket.

"The system picked up on two submissions last week that pinged off of an unexpected DNA sample. Yours."

"So—" He shifted, his eyes locked on a spot on the wall opposite of him. "I have a great-grandniece or nephew?" Right, go that route, because it was easier than taking the information she had given him and connecting it to the questions she had been asking, creating an answer he wasn't quite prepared for. This was slightly more distant and made more sense.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dr. Raynor shake her head. "The matches were too close."

"That's not possible."

"It could be a fluke."

"That happened twice? You said there were two."

"Twins. They're seven. And that's all I know."

His brain buzzed out for a moment, making a near-silent noise like a coil whine.

Reaching up, she pinched the bridge of her nose, but overall, she seemed relieved as her normal stoicism took over. The subtle nervous movements ended now that she had that off her chest. "Look, James, I'm certain someone will contact you soon about this. I'm not sure entirely what's going on, but people are working on the situation."

The phrase 'working on the situation' didn't sit well with him. This wasn't a situation. This was two kids. Who were somehow connected to him. Since he had no idea how this was even possible, he focused in on a few direct questions.

"Where are they?" Bucky asked quietly, his voice a distant monotone. "What are their names? And who told you to have this conversation with me?"

"The only thing I can answer is the last one. It was a branch of the GRC. I told you everything else I know right now," Dr. Raynor said. "I was given limited information."

Bucky jerked a nod. The GRC did the DNA matching, so that would be where he would start. He would need help getting into their systems, but he knew someone he could turned to.

"James. I know that look. Don't do anything rash that you'll later regret."

He nodded again, turned, and opened the door.

"I won't regret it."