Chapter 21 - Hawaii
Bucky whips around and swiftly steps in front of the computer screen when he hears the door open. "Oh, it's you," he says relaxing slightly when he sees that it's Natasha, "did you find her? How'd it go?"
"I found her, and we had a pretty decent conversation. She pulled out a gun but never shot." Natasha shrugs, "She'd like to speak with you."
"That's a good thing, right?" Bucky turns back to the computer and closes down the program he'd been messing with.
"I think so. Before you go in there, tell me, what were you doing?"
"Nothing," he says a little too quickly. Natasha gives him a stern look and he fidgets a little before continuing. "Just leaving a gift for Tony."
"Go on," she urges, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.
"I may have programmed JARVIS to play the chicken dance whenever Tony enters the living room?"
"Is that a question?"
"No? Please, just don't tell him and don't change it!" He gives her a smile he scoots around her to get to the door. He hears Natasha laughing as he heads
down the hall.
Bucky runs his hand through his hair as he heads down to Natasha's office. When he pushes the door open, he sees Jamie sitting in one of the chairs, face in her arms on the table, crying. He places a soft, gentle hand on her shoulder and she looks up at him with red eyes. He gives her an encouraging smile, "Hello."
She weakly smiles back, "Hi." She wipes her eyes. "We've not officially met before. I'm Jamie Jankins," she holds her hand out for a hand shake.
Bucky kneels down on one knee, "I'm Bucky Barnes," he gently moves her hand aside, "we're family," he embraces her, letting her know that he's forgiven her.
"I'm sorry for trying to kill you and poisoning your friend," she says, pulling away.
"It's not your fault." He pauses then rephrases, "Well not entirely. I won't deny that you did it and that it was terribly wrong of you, but you had been given negative influence. All is forgiven. Promise me that you won't try to do it again though." He stands from his kneeling position and moves to sit in the other chair.
"Of course, I won't!" She looks him over, "It's hard to grasp that you are my great, great, uncle," she chuckles, still shaken up, "you don't look much older than me."
"Yeah. It's been strange for me too, waking up in a new time and all," Bucky shrugs, "you get used to it." After a pause he asks, "So, what are you going to do now?"
"I suppose the only way to truly escape Hydra is to move and change my name. I've always wanted to live in Hawaii."
"Hawaii? Lovely place. It's a little too warm for me and definitely too sandy for a metal arm," at her raised eyebrows he adds with a shrug, "I had a mission there once. My handler probably spent weeks cleaning my arm out, or they could've just replaced it. I'm not sure. I had been sent to kill an ambassador."
"You talk as if the fact that you killed people, and forgive me for speaking out of turn, doesn't bother you. How is that?"
"Jamie, every time I think of what I did, it hurts. I still have nightmares. But I am sorry and for me - I wasn't in control of my own mind when I did those things. So, it was the men in Hydra who truly killed all those people. That doesn't make it any easier though."
Jamie nods. "I understand, I think."
"Good. I think Steve will have no hard feelings either. He is still in the hospital recovering though. You don't happen to know an antidote for the poison you put in his water, do you?"
Jamie shakes her head "It was to kill you, I never needed to know that part, sorry. Is there a way I could apologize to him as well?"
"Sure. We could head over there now," Bucky gets up and heads to the door. Jamie stands and follows.
When they walk into Steve's room they find him sketching. He looks up, "Hey Bucky! How ar... who's that?" he asks as he catches sight of Jamie.
"Steve, this is Jamie. My niece." Bucky gently pulls Jamie in front of him "Jamie, this is Steve."
She waves shyly at him, "We've met in passing."
"So, you're the one who tried to kill Bucky? Twice! That poison wasn't meant for me was it?!" Steve sets aside his sketchbook and crosses his arms.
"Yes. I am." Jamie hangs her head, "I came here to apologize."
"Why should I forgive you?" Steve asks receiving a shocked look from Bucky who starts to open his mouth, but Steve gives a slight shake of his head.
Jamie keeps her head low, "I'll understand if you won't. Either way, I can't change the past, but I won't mess up the future."
Steve gives an approving nod, she wasn't arrogant enough to think she deserved forgiveness. "Sit down," Steve gestures to the chair. Bucky motions for Jamie to take the chair then sits on the foot of Steve's bed. "What happened?"
"Well, it started four days after I began working at S.H.E.I.L.D. and I was the last one to head home. That's when I first met Clyde Hanler. He told me..." and Jamie told the whole story of what she'd done for Hydra in the past three years up until how they'd tortured her last night. "I ask again that you forgive me," even if she wasn't forgiven, it had felt good to talk to someone.
"I forgive you," Steve says. He looks at Bucky, "we have room in the tower if you need a place to stay, right?"
Bucky grins at Jamie, "Told you that he'd forgive you. I'm sure we can find her a closet or something on one of the ninety-three floors. If you change your mind about going to Hawaii that is."
Jamie smiles, "You don't know how much this means to me. I have a place to stay for the time being, but I think I will still go to Hawaii, there is an amazing aquarium there that I visited when I was a girl. I've heard they take volunteers."
Steve smiles, "Once I get better, I can fly you there myself."
"Thank you," Jamie says as a few tears trickle down her cheeks, "I haven't been this happy in years."