Winter Soldier (Book One)

Chapter: 12

DAY: 7

Lark

After another couple of hours we finally landed. But we couldn't get off the plane. Bucky and I had to be searched over again, just to stand up and head towards the exits.

Jack stood outside talking with a man in a black suit and sunglasses, his face had a large welt on the side from where Bucky managed to connect it with his fist. Had to admit, there some pride in seeing him suffer, even if it was just a little bit and even if it wasn't my doing. I was reassured by Bucky that Jack was nothing more than a pest to be swatted away.

"Lark Treadwatter and James Barnes, correct?" A woman said behind us. We both turned. Maria Hill, stood there with a pad in her hands and a comm link in her ear. She looked like she meant business.

"Yes," Bucky answered.

"Great, if you'll follow me we'll transport you to Fury." she said with a practiced smile. She stepped around us and walked out of the plane, down the steps. Bucky followed behind me.

"Your father has been worried sick about you, Lark." Agent Hill said as we walked across the runway towards a car. "He's been calling day and night this past week asking where you've been, who you've seen. I wouldn't be surprised if you were in for a long conversation, both of you."

I looked over my shoulder at Bucky and he just raised his eyebrows and shrugged. I turned back and she opened the door and stood beside it.

My father stepped out and folded his hands together in front of him. Fury appeared on the other side.

"Lark, I see you're doing well." Fury said from the other side of the car as he leaned against the roof of it.

"You too." I called over, folding my arms across my chest. There was that sharp twinge of pain and I flinched, dropping my arms instantly.

"Okay?" someone whispered behind me. It took me a moment to figure out that it was Bucky, and the thought of him speaking like that to me made my insides melt and my bruise ache even more. I just nodded.

"Sorry about killing you," Bucky then called over to Fury. I almost turned in astonishment.

"What did he just say? Did you brainwash him, Lark? Or did I just hear him apologize?" Fury asked as he shut his door and walked around the car towards us.

"Nope, no brainwashing of the sorts." I answered him. I looked at Bucky, who was grinning only slightly.

"Well then, I don't know whether to be pissed or just confused." Fury said in front of us.

I felt my heart beat quicker as I stood there in front of Fury. Being in the same room as him was terrifyingly strange. Fury had that sense about him that he wasn't going to put up with anyone's bullshit, not on his own turf at least. "You both have come a long way. Dodging bullets, missiles, knives. I'd say I'm surprised no one is laying in a pool of their own blood but Lark looks pretty damn close to that."

Bucky tensed up beside me and I glanced at him quickly. His eyes were on me, his face was blank; expressionless. I could tell that his thoughts were racing around in his head, knocking against the barriers that still blocked all of his memory from resurfacing the truth.

"I understand that Agent Romanoff greeted you yesterday." he started to say. "Luckily you made it out alive; who knows if you'll see tomorrow."

"Why'd she come after us?" I asked Fury, "Besides the fact that she was pissed."

"This topic is best said in private without all the ears and eyes that are already watching us." he answered. "Get in the car and we'll take you back to our base. It's a safe location and I know how much you two are tired of running and jumping about this city."