A Strangers Hand

Chapter 3-1

It was 7am when you arrived in Riga, you tried to push the exhaustion away, knowing the jet lag wouldn't be doing you any favors after your sleepless flight. As soon as you landed, you called Sam, but it went straight to voicemail, you called unsuccessfully two more times before panic began to set in.

How were you going to find them? Sam gave you no information on the phone yesterday, so how would you even know where to look? Was this a mistake? What if Bucky doesn't want you here and that's why Sam isn't picking up? This was a mistake and you should have never even stepped foot on that plane.

You were seconds away from stepping in line to get a ticket for a returning flight when you heard a familiar voice, "Going home already?" You whipped your head around to see Sam standing by a vending machine with a sly smile spread across his face. You quickly walked up to him, shaking your head as he pulled you into a hug.

"How did you know I was here? I tried calling."

Sam nodded at you knowingly as he pulled back "I tracked your flight and Red Wing scouted you about an hour before you landed, so I've been here waiting."

"Of course, because just sending me a text telling me you're here, would have been way too simple." You laughed as he picked up your bag and headed for the parking garage. Once you were both settled into the back of the black SUV, you took a deep breath and prepared yourself for the inevitable conversation. "So, why am I here, Sam?"

He pressed his lips into a tight line and his brow furrowed like he was thinking about the right way to speak his mind. "I really screwed up, Y/N. I thought I was doing the right thing by giving up the shield. I could have never predicted they would pass it off to some kid who has no idea what it really means. Walker-" Sam took a deep breath and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck in concentration. "He's a problem. A big one. And this girl, Karli, she's a super soldier... like Bucky." Your heart sank at the mention of his name, but you quickly focused your attention back on Sam. "Her heart is in the right place, but she's misguided. She's just a kid, Y/N." You nodded and tried to piece together where exactly you fit into all of this, as he continued. "Walker is on a power trip and I know he'll kill her the first chance he gets, but I need to try and talk her down. I need to find a better way. Zemo thinks he can get me a moment with her but-"

Your eyes widened and you could feel unbridled rage crawling up through your chest, you tried your hardest to control your volume in the small quarters of the car, but there was no use. "Zemo? As in the same Zemo who tried to frame Bucky for murder? The same Zemo who caused so much chaos, he literally split The-" You took a deep steadying breath, trying to slow your racing heart. "If it wasn't for him, The Avengers would have stayed together. We...we could have won. Bucky wouldn't have-" You stopped yourself when you felt tears begin to prick your eyes. You sniffled the feeling away and looked straight at Sam. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Sam looked at you with understanding, which you weren't sure was helping or just fueling your anger. He lowered his tone and spoke calmly. "I know Y/N, believe me. I'm about as happy about it as you are, but it wasn't my call. Buck thought he'd be of help to us, in getting to Karli and so far he hasn't been wrong."

Your brows pinched in confusion. "This was Bucky's idea?"

Sam nodded. "That's why I called you, it's taking a toll on him. He'd never say it, but this whole mission has been hard for him. You know he's been seeing a therapist, so all those buried demons are being brought back to the surface. He's pissed at me for giving up the shield. Every time he sees Walker I know he's fighting with himself, to not shoot the guy where he stands. And I think having Zemo around is a constant reminder, not just of being The Winter Soldier, but of you." Your breath hitched and you prayed it went unnoticed. "You know, Zemo was the match that burned a lot of shit to the ground. But for you and Bucky, he was the reason you two ended up in Wakanda and I can see that's what hurting him the most. He needs you, Y/N."

You fought the tears you could feel beginning to well in your eyes and shook your head. "He doesn't want to see me, Sam. He made that pretty clear to me after he came back from The Blip. So what if you're wrong? What if he doesn't need me and I've come all this way for nothing? I honestly don't even know why I thought this was a good idea." You kneaded your palms on your knees anxiously and took a staggered breath. "I can't say goodbye to him again."

Sam rested his hand on your shoulder. "You won't have to."