We had decided on a place to meet, a town halfway between where the motel was and DC. James made me dump my cell phone, I could tell he was annoyed that I insisted writing down all of my phone numbers on a sheet of motel paper before he destroyed and dumped it on the roadside. It slowed us down, he said; we had to make the meet on time or the plan was off the table and we moved on. He was concerned that someone might be listening in on the call or could track our location. I hadn't even considered that, I guess that's why I never applied for field work. He didn't speak to me on the bus journeys to the town; it was like we were complete strangers. Once we arrived at the rendezvous point he stood out of view and left me alone, sitting on the kerbside of the supermarket parking lot. It was busy, people milling about, even though I couldn't see him I felt him watching me. I picked up a discarded lolly stick and began digging at the mud and grass in between the cracks of the kerb stones to give me something to occupy me as I waited. Eventually two sets of feet paused in front of me; I dropped the stick and looked up. There they were, Sam and Steve. I was relieved to see them both. Sam held out his hand for mine and hauled me up, pulling me in to a massive hug.
"Hey Lucy" he greeted me. "Glad you're ok".
"Hey Sam" I replied hugging him hard, it felt good to see a familiar friendly face.
"Are you alright?" Steve asked me as I let go of Sam.
"Yes" I answered and he held out his hand for me to shake. "You're alone?" He looked around the parking lot.
I shook my head and I nodded to where James had approached us, unnoticed by the two of them. James stood to the right of them, his stance defensive but not hostile. They both turned to him and the four of us stood around in a little group. The display of testosterone was ridiculous. Steve and James just stared at each other silently; the tension was unbearable.
"This is uncomfortable" I finally said, rolling my eyes. "Sam, I'd like you to properly meet James Buchanan Barnes. James, this is Sam Wilson, my friend from the VA hospital", I introduced them. They didn't speak they just nodded, weighing each other up.
"Hello Bucky" Steve greeted him suddenly, he held out his hand for James to shake but he didn't take it.
"I intercepted a HYDRA agent in the early hours of this morning. He was going to kill her. I believe she is still in danger, there will be others" James said to Sam completely ignoring Steve. I could see Steve's hurt expression and it made my heart sink.
"Well let's go" Sam announced and walked ahead leaving us to follow. James took me by the elbow and pulled me along, casting Steve a wary look as we left. I glanced back and saw Steve hesitate, hands on his hips looking down at the ground as we walked off.
The car ride back to DC was painful. Steve rode shotgun in the black SUV and Sam drove us home. James and I sat at the back. He was utterly silent, if it wasn't for his brooding presence next to me I wouldn't have known he was there. After I filled Steve in on everything that had happened in New York he fell silent too. Sam and I tried our best at some conversation but nothing could lift the tension in the car.
Once in DC we pulled up in front of a hotel not far from what remained of the Triskelion. A man in black suit was waiting for us and ran up towards the car. James was immediately on his guard.
"He's one of ours", Steve announced.
"Yours? Did you bring SHIELD on this?" James was angry. Without thinking about what I was doing I placed my hand on his. I saw that Sam noticed the easy contact in the rear view mirror.
"It's for her protection" he explained turning in his seat to face us as the man made to open my car door. Suddenly James moved across me and held on to the door handle preventing the agent from opening it.
"What are you doing?" I shrieked.
"I agreed to meet you, just you", James reminded Steve sharply.
"It is just me Bucky. This guy, he's just here for Lucy. He and Sam are going to check her in to this hotel, make sure she's safe and then it's just you and me. And we can talk" Steve told him carefully.
James considered this for a moment but still held on to the car door.
"Do you have a weapon?" James addressed Sam. He nodded in reply and after a beat James let go and the door opened.
"Good evening Miss King. I'm agent Merriweather. If you'll come this way please" The black suited man held out his hand for me to take. I hesitated. I realised that after James had his talk with Steve he was free to up and leave and I didn't know when I'd see him again or if at all. The thought of that made me feel suddenly sick and my heart felt as if it was being squeezed.
"Wait James" I whispered urgently. "After…will I see you again?"
"Goodbye Lucy", was all he said in reply.
And then suddenly I was out of the car and being ushered up the steps to the hotel doors. I heard the SUV speed off and I turned round but all I could see were tail lights.
I floated through the rest of the evening as if everything was happening to someone else. In the hotel room there was another agent, a woman with red hair, she didn't tell me her name but I knew her. She asked me a hundred questions about my time working for Pierce and then a hundred more about what happened in New York. I didn't feel like I was in protection, it felt more like interrogation. When I became upset, Sam stepped in and said I'd had enough. She softened then and said that she'd 'take care' of what transpired in New York and that I could call my parents and tell them I was safe. They were relieved to hear from me, I couldn't answer any of their questions and the redhead agent had to take over from me and fed them a bunch of lies I had to ask her write down so I could repeat them later on. I didn't tell anyone about the flash drive. Eventually she left and then agent Merriweather stood outside the room. I told Sam I was going to take a bath and I stayed in it until the skin on my fingers and toes were shrivelled. When I emerged in fresh pyjamas provided courtesy of the remnants of SHIELD, Sam was lying on one of the twin beds eating fries and flicking through the television channels. I stole the plate of fries from him and sat on other bed.
"Look at you, hanging around with spies and bad ass assassins. Making enemies like HYDRA" Sam smiled. "And here's me thinking that you were just some quiet electronics geek from the 8th floor".
"Jerk" I felt myself smile and I threw a French Fry at him. "I am just an electronics geek".
"Seriously. Are you ok?" He asked sitting up.
"Seriously? I don't know. Someone tried to kill me, that's…I don't even have the words for what that is" I sighed and lay back on the bed.
"You and the Winter Soldier? What's with that?" Sam's tone was full of disapproval.
"I don't have the words for that either".
"You seem pretty comfortable with him".
"Hmm" I replied not committing to anything.
"He's dangerous".
"He saved my life Sam" I reminded.
"That's what worries me".
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked annoyed.
"Lucy, just don't go hero worshiping this guy. He's not a guy you want to get warm and fuzzy over".
I didn't say anything because I knew it was already too late for me to stop that from happening.