The hot water poured over Jenny's head in the shower. It was already warm in the house, but she didn't care. She just wanted to burn away her humiliation. Bucky had disappeared into the basement, and she had sat on the couch with her face in her hands for several minutes until the doorbell rang with their respective suitcases.
She thanked the delivery person and pulled them inside, dragging hers up the stairs to Sam's room, then clamored for the bathroom to get clean.
The shower was of little refuge though. Of course Bucky wouldn't want her once she decided to push back. It was inevitable. She felt like a bulldozer, ready to run over everything in her path, even though she'd barely made a move. She stepped out of the tub and toweled off, staring at herself in the mirror, already sweating in the mugginess of the bathroom. "You have to pull it back." Besides. What was important now was finding Max, what Leviathan was up to and if he was involved.
Then it hit her. What had Max asked her for in his room? She couldn't quite remember. For her help in discovering what Bucky was involved in and reporting back, which she scoffed at now. How naïve and rude she was. But there was something else. Something that was just out of reach.
Downstairs the door opened and shut to the kitchen. She wrapped herself in a towel and hurried to her room. She could hear Bucky and Sarah talking in the kitchen. It was early afternoon and already scorching, so she pulled on some shorts and tucked a sage green tee shirt in. Her hair was almost dry already, so she left it alone and swiped on some mascara, though it didn't matter. She had no one to impress here. She also suddenly didn't want to go downstairs and face them. But she was an adult. And she had a job to do, albeit she didn't really know what that was anymore.
She walked down the stairs, and entered the kitchen where Sarah was making sandwiches. "Hungry?" she asked.
"Starved," said Jenny. "Heard from Sam?" she asked Bucky. She tried to make it sound as casual as she could. He looked out the window, his blank face back in place. No emotion, trained and nonplussed.
"Yes. He sent back 'Twenty four hours', but I don't know when he sent it. Could be anytime."
Jenny was both thrilled to stay a little longer, and exhausted by the idea of staying in the house with Bucky if he was going to give her the silent assassin treatment again. But she couldn't say anything, it was her fault.
"Good. That's good."
Sarah looked between them and raised her eyebrows, then went back to cutting the sandwiches into triangles. Bucky took his and thanked Sarah practically clamoring toward the basement stairs.
Jenny sighed. "Can I help?" she asked Sarah.
"Nope. Let's eat outside under the grove."
They took their plates out the door and sat at the picnic table under the oak trees. "So sounds like the world is being threatened again," said Sarah taking a bite.
"He told you?" asked Jenny.
"I got the gist."
"Worried?"
"Every time."
"Me too."
They ate silently. Jenny thought about some of the government officials she could call. Pull some of the strings she still might have because of her connection with her grandfather. But they were few and far between, and she didn't think she'd have much pull with them either because of her name.
"Something happen this morning between you two?" Sarah asked.
Jenny swallowed. "No."
"Wish it had?"
Jenny's face turned bright red, and it wasn't the weather.
"Ah," said Sarah.
"I don't really blame him. I've been awful to him." Jenny squished her sandwich in her hands, her regret filling her again.
Sarah leaned forward and shook her head like she didn't want to say what she had to. "Can I be blunt?" she asked.
Jenny swallowed. "Shoot," she said, steeling herself.
"What you really need is to make a decision. You're only hurting yourself."
She let out a breath, feeling tears prick her eyes. The truth of it sank down deep. "Well, that was… blunt."
"It's my superpower," said Sarah.
"It's a good one."
"Sorry if I stepped on your toes."
Jenny shrugged and took a bite of her sandwich, but she barely tasted anything.
A school bus pulled up behind the house on the road. Cass and AJ ran out and across the grass to them. They plonked down and both reached for Sarah's sandwich.
"Uh uh," she said pulling her plate away. "You have two hands, go make one yourself."
"But yours taste better," said Cass.
"Can we go fishing?" asked AJ.
"Homework?" asked Sarah.
"Already done," said Cass.
"If you promise to actually do your homework after dinner then yes. Don't forget, we have your band concert tonight too."
"Alright!"
"Miss Jenny, do you wanna fish with us?" asked AJ.
Jenny choked and dropped her sandwich on her plate. "You want me to?"
"Yeah! Do you know how?" he asked.
"I've never been fishing. Is it hard?"
"I'll teach you," said AJ.
She grinned. "Deal," she said, and they shook hands. Cass gave her a look of exasperation and went into the house, while AJ skipped to the shed and pulled out two poles.
"You're sure making friends," said Sarah. "That's high praise from AJ."
"Cass isn't so sure."
Sarah nodded slowly. "He's afraid of letting anyone in, he's been left too many times. First his dad died, then his grandparents. Now every time Sam leaves."
Jenny felt her heart drop again and looked at the basement window where Bucky waited for Sam's message.
"To be honest," said Sarah, "it's probably a good thing since you're leaving soon. I don't want them to have another temporary friend."
"I understand," said Jenny swallowing then realizing she hadn't even gotten permission to say yes to fishing. "I'm so sorry, I spoke out of turn. Is fishing ok?"
Sarah thought for a moment. "Sure, fishing is ok."
"Well, I guess I'm going fishing," said Jenny pushing against the table and lifting herself from the bench.
"Good luck," said Sarah grabbing their plates.
Before she knew it, Jenny was on the dock with the boys, casting for fish. Cass stood apart from them, throwing his line vigorously, trying his best to ignore them.
"No," said AJ giggling. "You have to hold it here, with both hands." He adjusted her grip and demonstrated how to rear back let the hook fly straight.
"Here I go," said Jenny. She threw the pole and the whole thing flew out of her hands backward. AJ erupted into laughter, falling against the railing while holding his stomach.
She ran and picked up the pole, barely making it back from laughing so hard.
Cass huffed and took it out of her hands. "You have to hang on. Try hooking your pinky here."
Jenny grew serious and held on the way Cass demonstrated and threw the line out letting the hook fly.
"See," said Cass. He went back to his pole.
"He's grumpy because he likes a girl at school and she doesn't know he exists," whispered AJ.
"Shut up," said Cass, and turned further away.
"A girl huh?" asked Jenny cautiously looking at him sideways.
"Yeah, Megan," said AJ. "He thinks she's so pretty."
Cass reeled his line in with a huff. "I'm gonna go do my homework,' he said. He grabbed his gear and walked up the dock to the house.
Jenny sighed as AJ started talking about what to do once she caught one. She felt a wave of guilt thinking about Cass doing his homework. She had been lax in that herself. She still had work to do, and she'd been willfully ignoring it. Now that she had her laptop back, she needed to get back to it.
"So yeah, then you just pull it up" said AJ. "I'll show you how to gut it. It's fun, you just…"
She and AJ stood quietly as the water lapped at the pilons and the crickets chirped in the grass. He leaned against her arm and she smiled. "Now we wait," he said.
Suddenly her line went taught. "Oh!" she cried. "I- I got one!"
AJ started jumping up and down. "Reel it in! Reel it in!"
He mimed how she should ease the pole back, then wind the reel three or four times, then tug again. Finally out of the water burst a little wriggling fish.
"Bring it here," said AJ.
She pulled it over the railing, grabbing the line. AJ expertly removed the fish and held it out to Jenny to inspect. "You did it!" he cried. "You got a Crappie."
"Thanks to your expert coaching."
AJ beamed and bent down and threw it back in the water.
"Why did you throw it back?" she asked.
"Too small. You'll get it next time. What you want is the right fish. The big fish. The fighters."
"Hm. Yeah, you're right."
"Course he's right," came an unfamiliar voice behind her. "Taught him everything he knows."
Jenny flipped around to see someone she wasn't expecting. A tall, dark and handsome Sam Wilson, grinning in a dark blue tee shirt. He looked every bit a super hero.
"Uncle Sam!" cried AJ. He ran into the new Captain America's arms, and Jenny stood dumfounded, holding onto her pole.
"Hi," he said walking toward Jenny while AJ clung to his wrist. "I'm Sam."
"Um… Yes, you are," she said lamely, taking his hand. It was warm and firm and she blushed. She always seemed to be blushing here.
"And you are?" he asked.
"Jenny- Jennifer, but you can call me Jenny."
A wide smile stretched across his face. "The famous Jenny," he said. "Nice to finally meet you."
"Famous?" she asked.
"My friend will not shut up about you. Text after text for weeks, 'Jenny said this, today she did that.' Famous."
Jenny put her hand on her cheek and pinched her lips together as Sam scrutinized her reaction. She'd never felt more uncomfortable in her life.
"Uncle Sam!" came a cry from the house and Cass ran across the grass.
"Hey big man," said Sam, and Cass flew into his arms.
"How long are you here for?" he asked.
"We'll see," said Sam.
Cass's face fell, but he squared his shoulders. "Ok," he said.
Sam turned to Jenny. "So where is our cyborg friend?" he asked.
"Basement," she said. "Waiting for a message from you."
"Messages are always better in person don't you think?" he said laughing.
"Surprise messages," said Jenny.
The boys dragged Sam up the dock to the house, while Jenny picked up the fishing poles and followed. There was no way she was going to be left out of this meeting.
Sarah had left her paperwork on the table and was already embracing Sam. "Why would you do me like this? I wasn't expecting you for another week."
"You know how I like to make an entrance," he said with a laugh. Jenny liked the sound of it. Like no matter what he had to do as Captain America, he was a soul that craved fun.
Thumping on the stairs from the basement met her ears, and Bucky burst out the door. "Son of a bitch," he said. Sam pulled him into one of those half-hug back slapping man embraces that gym bros were always doing. "You push me to the edge," said Bucky, punching him in the shoulder.
"It's because I love you," said Sam. "Now, what's this about a crazy magician?"
"Hypnotist," corrected Bucky. "Don't you pay attention to anything I say?"
"No," said Sam.
"So, shall we fill him in?" asked Jenny.
Bucky swiveled his head toward her. He nodded, his eyes dark.
Sam glanced between them as the Super Soldier bit his lip. "Lead the way Buck," said Sam. Bucky clomped down the stairs and they followed.
The basement was blessedly cooler than the house or outside. On one side old fishing gear leaned against the cement walls and boxes of Christmas lights and old knickknacks stacked in the corners. And on the other, Jenny had to blink several times. A large computer taking up the entire wall, sleek and gray stood as high as the ceiling, with a glowing disc above. She walked toward it, where the crusts of Bucky's sandwich lay on the desk. Sam threw them into the trash and gave him a little teasing headshake.
"This is amazing. Gifted from the GRC?" she asked in awe, taking in the machine.
"Some of it, but the software's all mine. Most is left over from the Avengers headquarters that I Frankensteined together. Even a hub for Redwing," said Sam pointing at Bucky.
Bucky rolled his eyes and slumped in an old wingback chair.
"What's the disc for?" she asked pointing to the circle on the ceiling.
Sam smiled. "Projection tech," he said. He took her shoulders and moved her into position in front of a camera, his hands lingering. "You connect via satellite, and it's like the other person is in the room with you. Their image shows up under the disc."
"I've heard about them, but I haven't seen a biometric projector up close," she said. "Does it have a delay in relay response down here?"
"Wow, pretty and smart," said Sam, his hands still on her shoulders.
A blush bloomed on her cheeks. At least someone in the room thought so. "You caught me in flattering light is all," she said turning around.
"Trust me, I'm not."
"Very smooth Sam," she said pushing against his shoulder. "Can I call you Sam? Do I call you Captain America? Sir?"
He laughed. "Sam is fine. But Sir has a nice ring to it," he said, his brown eyes twinkling.
"It suits you," she said, maybe a bit too cheeky, but it was fun.
"Can we get on with it?" said Bucky, a new edge in his voice.
Jenny cleared her throat. "Do you want to start, or should I?"
"You seem to have a rapport going already, so," said Bucky. He swiveled himself down even further into the chair.
Jenny stared at him for a moment and sighed. This was how it was going to be from now on apparently.
Sam shook his head. "All I've been hearing for two days is how you need to talk to me and now you're gonna ice me out?"
Bucky gave him his "kill" face. Sam shook his head again and gestured to Jenny to take a seat in his desk chair while he pulled out a metal one and unfolded it turning it backward. Bucky stared at his hands and made little huffing noises. Jenny decided to ignore him and launched into the details of the past few weeks. starting in Estonia with President Tarkov to where they'd left off with Nicole explaining what she'd found. Jenny left out the assignment from Max to watch Bucky however. It didn't seem relevant now that they had evidence about who he really was.
Sam sat in silence for a while. "Here's what we're gonna do," he said finally. "I'll get on the horn tomorrow with Senator Mitchel. Hopefully he can release me to investigate."
"Senator Mitchel, in charge of the GRC?" asked Jenny.
"What's wrong with that?" asked Sam. "He needs to know."
"Unless Leviathan is growing underneath them. I mean if that's the case, couldn't he be in on it?"
Sam pointed at her. "Good thinking. In that case, let me see about Council woman Patel. I trust her with my life." He paused and gave Jenny a smile. "You know, you'd make a great advisor. Ever think about work in the hero sector?"
"Come on," said Jenny a little blush heating her ears.
"What do you think Buck?" he asked.
Silence radiated from the chair for several beats. "I think you and I need to be discussing what to do," he said. Bucky turned his eyes on her and a cold chill went down her spine. "Alone."
He'd been rude to her before, but after this morning's rejection his words stung deeper, and she felt a prick of tears in her eyes. "You're right," she said trying to keep the shakiness out of her voice. "Sorry Sam." She lifted out of his chair. "Excuse me." She climbed the stairs back up to the foyer, and Jenny closed the door to the basement.
Cass was doing his homework while Sarah put away her book keeping from the table.
"Miss Jenny, wanna fish till dinner?" asked AJ. "Mom can we?" He took Jenny's hand and swung it back and forth, while she discreetly wiped a tear from her eye.
"Fine, if it'll keep you out of my hair while I cook," said Sarah, tapping her paperwork into a pile.
"Yeah! Come on," he said, pulling Jenny out the door. AJ handed her pole back, and ran down through the yard to the dock, where his tackle box still lay. There was nothing like a kid to lighten your heart and being here made her miss teaching like nothing had. She silently gave thanks to have something to keep her mind off the Super Soldier in the basement.