Lacuna [1] {Completed}

Chapter Seventeen

"Forelsket (n.) the euphoria you experience when you are first falling in love."

Erin and Bucky walked into the kitchen for breakfast together the next morning. Their fingers brushed as they walked towards the kitchen and Bucky gently gave her hand a squeeze. She looked over at him to find him smiling at her. She couldn't help but smile back. Erin felt like she was breathing new air and a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Nothing could surprise her today, not with Bucky by her side.

That was what she thought, until she walked into the kitchen. She stopped in her tracks to find Nick Fury sitting at the table, deep conversation with Steve.

The whole team was there. Sam sat back and eyed Fury skeptically. Scott looked mildly confused and Wanda's expression was as unreadable as Natasha's, who was back sitting next to Clint, looking like she was the only thing keeping him from flying across the table and sticking an arrow in Fury's one good eye.

"Well I'll be damned," Fury said standing up from the table when he saw Erin and Bucky walk in, "I wasn't sure I believed him when Rogers said he had adopted a McCall."

"Fury," She said back, bitterness in her voice, "Aren't you suppose to be dead? That's why you couldn't bother coming to my father and brother's funeral right?"

Fury looked away.

Bucky put a steady hand on Erin's back, letting her know he was there. Slowly, Erin's blinds of anger disappeared and she was able to think straight again. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought him," Natasha confessed, "We've been stuck for too long. I thought he could get us out."

"Believe it or not," Fury said looking back at her, "I'm here to help."

Erin directed her gaze at Steve and he nodded confirming what Fury said.

"I've heard something about a mad scientist running around? Cap filled me in on what's happened since they picked you up in Romania." Fury said.

"We haven't had a chance to talk about what happened..." Steve said referring to Erin's journey through Bucky's memories. "Did you see anything at all that could help us?" Steve asked, directing the question at Erin.

Erin swallowed and looked at Steve. Over his shoulder in the middle of the table, someone had put a vase of flowers there. A memory triggered in Erin's mind. "I know who D.K. is, and I think I've met him before."

*****

"Dr. Krav?" Steve questioned after Erin explained how she connected D.K. to the memory of the man she had seen yesterday.

Erin nodded her head, "It was the only name I heard. I saw the work he did on Bucky's arm and know how to replicate it."

"What makes you think you've met him before?" Bucky asked.

Erin took a breath. She had never told anyone what happened after her grandfather's funeral. "When my grandfather died, I was sent flowers. There was a card signed D.K. Whoever they are must have known my family. The note said 'Deepest condolences D.K.'. The same flowers were sent after my father and brother's funeral. I must have come into contact with them sometime in my life, maybe even on a consistent basis."

"Are you sure it's the same person?" Sam asked, "I mean lots of people send flowers when family members die. You probably received more condolences from people you've never met than people you have."

"That's what I thought, but these weren't sent to my family, they were sent to me specifically. I found them in my room after the funeral and my mom didn't put them there or tell me anyone put them in my room. I've been sent the exact same arrangement three different times. Once after my grandfather's, again after Dad and James's," She looked at Clint and Wanda, "And the same arrangement was waiting for me before I left Romania with you all."