Recollection ★ Bucky Barnes

The Winter Soldier

The drive back to Washington D.C. was much quicker than the drive to Brooklyn had originally been. Hallie had been in quite the hurry to get home. Marlena believed her haste had everything to do with finally being able to come home, so she didn't question it. On the other hand, Hallie was quiet majority of the ride back home, and that gave Marlena the chance to sleep as she had originally planned on doing during the journey to New York.

In reality, Hallie wanted to return home so she could separate herself from Bucky, as well as figure out what it was that Dylan had been bugging about over the phone. It had the normally calm girl rather stressed out, and she hated it. She wasn't sure how dangerously terrible this information could end up being, but as long as it was enough to remove him from Marlena's existence she was intent on finding out.

Hallie nearly let out a sigh of relief as she finally pulled up to the familiar, two-story house. She parked the car and shut off the ignition before turning around in her seat. Marlena was fast asleep against Bucky's shoulder, and Bucky was working on trying to wake her up. She knew it would do him no good, though. Once Marlena fell asleep it was hard to get her back up, so he would probably end up having to carry her inside the house.

"She won't wake up," Hallie said monotonously, attracting Bucky's attention. "When she does wake up, though, tell her that I said thank you for bringing me alone and that I love her."

She tossed the keys at him before hopping out of the car, leaving Bucky in a state of confusion.

"Where are you going?" Bucky asked as she pulled the trunk door open.

Hallie grabbed her suitcase and looked at him. "I have some important business that I need to attend to. Don't forget to tell her."

She slammed the trunk door shut, giving him no time at all to respond. She hurried over to her car and pulled the driver's side door open, tossing all of her luggage into the backseat. The moment she had the car started she took off down the street to her house.

It took about ten minutes to reach her house on the other side of the city. She almost scoffed at the sight of Dylan's car sitting in front of her house, and she shook her head before pulling into the driveway. Her parents weren't home, just as they normally weren't, but she didn't seem to care much. If they knew Dylan was at their home, let alone sitting in front of it, they would be sure to have a conniption fit about it, and Hallie definitely was not in the mood for it.

"Have you been waiting there for me?" Hallie asked as she grabbed her purse from the back. She would worry about the rest of her luggage later; she had more important measures to deal with at the moment.

"Yes, but I've only been here for about fifteen minutes," Dylan chuckled as he strolled up the driveway. "I didn't think you'd get back that fast."

"What can I say? I'm quite the lead foot," Hallie replied as she pushed her front door open.

She sighed in relief and practically ran into the living room. She was glad to finally be back in the comfort of her own home, despite how much she enjoyed staying in such a wonderful hotel and being in such a wonderful city.

"Well, I'm glad you're back," Dylan breathed as he sat down on the couch beside Hallie. "That means I can finally tell you what it is I needed to tell you."

He moved to grab her laptop off of the coffee table, but she was quick to reprimand him. "Excuse you, but that is a nine-hundred dollar laptop. I don't need you manhandling it," she countered as she pulled it out of his hands.

He rolled his eyes at her and took it back, not even bothering to pay attention to her protests. "If you want to know exactly what the hell is wrong with Marlena's little man friend, then I suggest you stop and leave me to it. It'll be much easier for me to show you rather than explain it to you."