I Know What You Did in the Dark Ch 11

Steve

"Seriously, the serum did that to me. That's why I can lap you silly, 'air man'" I laughed at the slightly soured look of Sam as we debated which branch of the military was more fit.

"Well, I don't see them handing that voodoo magic out at basic training, grunt." he shot back as I put my key in the door.

The lock gave easily, like it always did and I pushed it open as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Quickly, my hand went up to block Sam from entering, and he bumped into me gently from behind. "What's up?" he whispered, his tone and posture changing instantly. I glanced in his direction and a pistol was in his hands pointing at the ceiling, safety off.

"Something. It's not right." I replied cautiously, cursing that my shield was under my bed in my room. Keeping the lights off, I crouched down and did a shoulder roll into my living room, staying low. Sam covered me in the doorway with his weapon and swept the room, staying alert.

The window behind my couch was slightly ajar and the evening breeze blew in gently, ruffling the curtains. Glancing to my right, I signaled to Sam I was going to my bedroom. Everything looked in its place but I felt like someone had been there. I checked for my shield, sighing with relief that it was untouched. Pulling it out from under its storage place, I carried it almost like a security blanket.

Walking back into the living room, shield on my arm, Sam had something in his hand that wasn't a gun. It looked like a lump of dark colored cloth, "What's that?" I asked.

"Bucky's been here." Sam replied with deadly calm, eyes dark.

I can honestly say at that moment, I was terrified and elated at the same time. Bucky had reached out to me.

"You… you aren't seriously happy about this?" Sam then stated incredulously, shaking the rumpled clothes at me.

"Well, I sure as hell ain't mad!" I retorted finding my temper rising, "He came here. He reached out…" I trailed off moving to the window, gazing out into the alley. The thought that I was a sitting duck in the window and he could have a sniper rifle aiming at my chest right now didn't even occur to me. Glancing down, there was no red dot.

"I checked already. Nothing else is there. He's long gone… maybe." Wilson replied. There was a long pause between us. He put a hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at him, " Hey, I'm sorry, man. I… I forget that you and he were close. I only know the business side of him and it was not pretty."

A smile crept across my face, "It's ok. He's a real respectable guy once you get to know him." I turned to face Sam, "But I understand where you're coming from. I shouldn't be so rosy glasses."

"Then you know I'm already going to stay the night here, right?" Wilson stated, holstering his pistol.

"I thought you'd never ask." I replied slightly sarcastic, "Let me get you a pillow and a blanket. "We can strategize in the morning."

Lying in bed, my shield in the barest arm reach, sleep was elusive. The ceiling of my bedroom never was interesting until tonight and I studied it like I had a final exam about it. Bucky, I thought, tumbling his name around in my head like tossing a ball from hand to hand. His face was on the back of my eyelids and when I did drift off, Natasha's Red Room file was a newsreel playing non-stop. All that horror and pain that he endured, and now he had been here in my place. What was he thinking? Where was he? Certainly, if he wanted to kill Sam and me he'd have no reservations about it, but that wasn't his training.

Where are you Bucky? I want to help you, were the only thoughts that galloped through my head for the rest of the night. Tomorrow would be difficult.