Chapter Text
August 17th 2014
A thick file thuds down on the girl's desk. Looking at it, she stops typing and leans back on her seat.
“We’ve spotted him.” The word ‘him’ had a certain twist to it that Andie couldn't quite place her finger on when Steve first says it, ‘him’ could mean anything... until she looked up. The silent plea in Steve’s beryl blue eyes meant only one thing. Bucky Barnes.
She raises her eyebrows at Steve, one of many silent conversations between the two of them.
“I would confirm it personally, but I’m too close to the situation.” Mumbles Steve in an unsuccessful attempt to act assertively.
“I just don't want to do it.” Clarifies Sam from next to Steve before Andie can even look over to him.
“I’m guessing this mission is under the government’s radar?” She queries, picking up the sleek file. The vague murmurs from Steve answer her question clearly as she flicks through the file, “Suppose I’ll just find my own way to... Bucharest? Jesus Steve how did he even end up in Romania?”
“Andie, I know I’m asking you a lot here-”
“You are lucky I like you so much”
*2012*
“You are lucky I like you so much” Steve chuckles as he walks into the small lab of the Stark tower that Tony allowed Andie to work in.
“I’ve been making some small adjustments to your equipment, that’s all! I just want to help”
She tosses him the refined suit and shield and watches as he carefully runs his fingers over the material.
“I know you want to fight kid, I respect that more than you can know... but I understand why your dad won’t let you, not until you are eighteen at least.”
She groans and looks around the workshop. All these experiments and projects on making their weapons faster and stronger, but she still didn’t feel like she was doing nearly enough. All her dad spoke about was the importance of protecting the world and as soon as she wants to contribute, that’s his breaking point?
“Steve, I’m smarter than half the guys in shield!”
“Brains don’t matter so much when there’s a gun to your head.”
“So many minors fought in the war!”
“And how did that go for them?”
“Jesus Steve, you won the war!”
“Winning a war isn’t always the best outcome. Your dad can’t lose you and I won’t let you die because you want to fight. I won’t do it.”
She sighs and takes a small step towards him before promptly wrapping her arms around his waist. A silent conversation was spoken between them in that moment. An understanding.
*2014*
Sam scoffs at her words, “You’re lucky you have Tony’s money to fly you private to Europe.”
“That comment just took $100 off your birthday present budget.” She snaps back.
She arrives in Bucharest and takes her place behind a small fruit stand, one that the subject they hope to be Bucky visits daily.
“Bună dimineaţa,” a deep voice grumbles.
She looks up to see ‘him’. A tall figure, beefier than she remembers, wearing layers of t shirts and jackets, including a deep red henley. She looks down at his hands and sees leather gloves. It’s him.
“Bună dimineața, dragă, ce mai faci?” She chirps back. Once she knew it was him her goal was to evaluate his well-being and safety and based on his dry expression she was going to have to make this trip many times.
“Doar cinci prune, vă rog”
Slowly, in the hope of getting more out of him, she places the plums in a bag and passes them to him. He grunts something incoherent and quickly paces away.
On the plane journey home Andie can’t help but wonder what Bucky must have been like in the 1940’s before the cruelty of life struck his soul. She had seen pictures of him in history books and museum walls, but she is finding it increasingly impossible to comprehend the fact that Sargent James ‘Bucky’ Barnes and the man she just interacted with are the same person. The tricks of life are something that she wished she understood the patterns of, maybe then she could stop them.