Hallowed (B. Barnes)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Sydney closes the car door as she climbs out of it and looks around the garage Sam's parked them in. It's underground, she knows that much. And filled with vintage vehicles. It's got a cold air about the place. Sam climbs out of the car behind her and glances to her face as she takes in the bunker. He keeps thinking he will blink and this will be some daydream, that his sister is not back in his life, that she's not alive and well.

"You live in an underground bunker?" She asks slowly as Sam takes her bag from the trunk of the car.

"Yeah" He answers and rubs the back of his neck. "It's....kind of family thing" She hums a little and looks at him. "We found out that our family has a link with the men of letters," He tells her. "They are this...organisation of..."

"I know who they are" She stops him, he cocks his head.

"You do?" He counters, she nods.

"Yeah. They are the brains to hunter brawn, right?" He nods in agreement. "So this is a men of letters bunker?" She asks him.

"Yeah, Henry was one, that makes us legacies" Sam offers, she scoffs and shakes her head. Typical. She is a legacy member of an organisation that tried to....well hurt her.

"Of course it does" She mumbles to herself as she heads deeper into the bunker. "If this place isn't depressing as hell" Sydney whispers as she heads through the halls of the bunker, it is literally dark and weirdly militaristic. The door shuts behind her with a heavy clunk as Sam follows after her. This whole place just gives her the creeps. She glances around and frowns a little hearing no other people in the bunker, she turns to Sam. "So where is he?" She asks.

"That's what I need your help with" Sam answers as he takes the lead and then heads into the library. Sydney raises an eyebrow because she has to admit that this is an impressive collection of books. "He took off" He admits. "But...Syd....he died" She raises an eyebrow at him. "He got the Mark of Cain to defeat this knight of hell, Abaddon, and then....well...it corrupted him, then he was killed....and then he took off...." She gives him a look, but people coming back from the dead, not all that.....unique in their world.

"The Mark of Cain?" She asks him. "Let me guess, some....biblical curse"

"Basically, yes" Sam agrees.

"Oh," She states and then takes a breath. "So why do you think I would have better luck finding him?"

"Not in finding him" Sam counters. "In talking to him, into getting through to him, getting him to come home" She snorts and shakes her head.

"It's been years, Sam, whatever bond we used to share, it doesn't exist any more...." Sam sighs and shrugs.

"We can still try" He argues. "We have to" She sighs a little and nods.

"Okay," She agrees. "Okay, but...if this doesn't work, if your grand plan of shoving his twin sister in his face, doesn't work...."

"I know" He stops her. "But hair brained plans are kind of a Winchester speciality, right?" She hums in agreement.

"Yeah, I suppose so" She states and then walks away. "I'm going to hit the shops" She offers. "I assume you have no food in...." She waves over her shoulder as she goes. Sam sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. At least she is here.

.....................

Sydney sits at the table in the library, her knees pulled up to her chest as she scrolls through the photos on her phone. This is all she has left of her relationship with Bucky now. She has no idea if he is alive, or dead, or captured. And to be honest, she is trying very hard not to dwell on any of those options. Especially the bad ones. She sighs and sets her phone down before leaning back in her seat, fingers pressing into her eyes. She's not going to sleep. She hasn't slept since, well, since Bucharest. And it's not like it can kill her to go without. She is just finding it difficult to sleep in an empty bed, and a bed that is not her own, not her sheets, not her walls. She lowers her hands and groans. Sam walks into the library rubbing at his eyes but pauses when he sees Sydney sat at the table, she waves a little, he offers her a smile and moves to the small drinks table.

"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" Sam asks as he pours them both a drink.

"Jet lag" She answers, he nods a little and moves to the table.

"Syd" He starts as he sets a drink in front of her before taking a seat across from her. "I know I already asked, but...." She sighs a little. Already knows what is coming. "I just..." He taps his fingers on the table. "Why didn't you ever call? Or text...or email.....why did you leave?"

"Sam, no" She scolds and gives him a look. "I know you mean well, but this is not something...I want to talk about....." She leans on the table a little and smiles at him. "I am proud of you though, Stanford...." She lets out a breath. "Wow"

"It's not like I finished....or got my law degree" Sam argues.

"Still got in" She counters. "Still....stuck it to dad" She draws her finger around the rim of her glass. They share a look, he might not know what happened to make her leave, but he can guess that John was the one behind him. Of course, he was. Sydney would never have left unless John had pushed her over that line. Unless he gave her no choice. "You know" She starts. "Bobby called me when...when Dad...died" She admits. "Called me to....come back" She shrugs a little. "Sorry I didn't...."

"It's okay" He whispers and picks up his own drink. "Been a rough twenty years for all of us, I guess." She gives him a sad smile. "Were you happy?" He asks her. "Wherever you were"

"Yeah" She answers. "I was...for a while anyway"

"What happened?" He questions and then realises. "Was it me?"

"No" She stops him. "No...it turns out that when you shack up with a former Soviet assassin...it can come to back to bite you in the ass"

"What?" He asks her.

"Long story," She tells him and then lifts her glass to her lips before she downs the entire thing. "Okay, I am going to try and sleep" She stands from her seat before walking away. Sam watches her go before frowning.

"What?" He repeats to himself.

...........

Bucky lays awake in his bed at the Avenger facility, it's a nice room, a comfy bed, there is even a tv on the wall. It's....nice. But it's not the same. The bed is cold and empty. The walls dull and boring. There are none of his goat items. None of Sydney's floral candles. Nothing to remind him of her and what they had. Bucky lets out a breath and sits up, resting back against the headboard. It's just not the same without her sleeping next to him. And it was for nothing. Everything worked out in the end. She probably would have been fine. He would have made sure she was fine. She could have stayed with him. But the risk at the time was too high. There is a folder that lays open beside him on the bed. Everything he has found so far on Sydney. And not surprisingly, there is not a lot. He knew there wouldn't be much to help him find her. She was running from her past. He touches the file and sighs. Someone knows on his door and Bucky sends a glare at it before standing from the bed to answer it. Steve stands outside of his door, he gives his friend a look and Bucky shoots him a glare back, knowing that Steve is here to talk him into going to sleep.

"Friday told me you were still awake" Steve points out, Bucky shrugs a little. "You're going to have sleep at some point"

"I'll sleep when I find her" Bucky argues.

"Buck, come on, it's going to take time....but you've got to sleep. I know you miss her, and I am sure she knows it too" Steve offers. "But you are going to burn yourself out and then you will be no good to anyone" Bucky lets out a breath and nods.

"Yeah, I know" He agrees. "Just feels weird....being in an empty bed"

"Do you want to talk about her?" Steve asks, Bucky shakes his head.

"No" He admits and then moves back to his bed. "Just want to find her" Steve watches him sadly before nodding, he knows how much Bucky needs this, and it upsets him that he can't help, he doesn't know the girl like Bucky does, only he can find her.

"Well, try to get some sleep" Steve warns him as he closes the door, Bucky closes his eyes listening to it click. He lets out a breath and sits heavily on his bed.