illuminate. (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter Nine

"The world is full of evil and lies and pain and death, and you can't hide from it. You can only face it. The question is, when do you, how do you respond? What do you become?"

~*~*~*~

New York City, New York. May 2017.

You waved goodbye as the Quinjet engines fired up. Sam gave you a thumbs up and Steve saluted you as the hatch closed. He had also given you a letter and a cellphone for Tony Stark in case you were able to get it to him somehow. A sad smile graced your lips as you watched the jet disappear with your friends into the overcast sky. Being around Sam and Steve once more reminded you how much you missed being a part of the team. But, you had a job to do. Slinging your go-bag over your shoulder you made your way to The Rogers Tenement Building. The place where your and Bucky's partnership solidified.

A familiar figure in an iconic black leather jacket leaned up against the side of the old apartment building turned museum. They stood up on your approach, "I see you haven't been staying out of trouble."

"Now, that's the pot calling the kettle black, dontcha think?" you quipped.

The raven-haired beauty smirked and held her arms out. You embraced her in a quick hug, "How are you, Jess?"

"Just peachy," she deadpanned. "You?"

"The same."

Jessica nodded and pulled a bottle of whiskey out of her jacket. "You wanna talk about it?" She twisted off the cap and took a swig then offered you the bottle.

You shook your head, screwing the cap back on the bottle. "Sure, but let's get back to your apartment first. New York's not New Orleans, and I can't risk getting arrested for public intoxication.

Jessica shrugged and then nodded her head in the direction of Trish's old Lexus sedan, "Come on."

Two glasses of whiskey later, you explained everything that had transpired since you last saw your friend outside Luke's bar in the East Village. Jessica sat and listened intently. She seemed to be grateful to have something else to focus on other than her own intrusive thoughts.

"Damn, and I thought I had a rough these past three years," Jessica said, downing the rest of her whiskey.

You felt the corner of your mouth tick upward in a slight smile. "By the way, I never did thank you for what you did about my sister's case."

Jessica waved your gratitude away with her hand, "Don't worry about it."

You sighed and ran your finger around the rim of the glass, "What happened to Trish?" you asked, staring into the amber-colored liquid. "I saw the video you posted on the New York Bulletin's website." Your eyes flicked up to meet hers.

Jessica was silent for a moment. She took a giant swig from the whiskey bottle before speaking again. "After the whole cluster with Kilgrave's return, she underwent some experimental procedures like the ones they performed on me when I was a kid." You nodded. Jessica has emailed you a few times asking you to look into various people connected to her now late mother and the laboratory group conducting illegal human experimentation. She sighed, pushing her hair behind her ears, "She wanted to help people and thought she needed powers to do it." You frowned at the sentiment. "Somewhere along the way, she became the bad guy."

You sighed downing the rest of your whiskey and held your glass out to her for a refill. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Jessica nodded as she obliged you, "That it is."