Lost and Found

Anymore

A/N: words: 1870. Again, THIS FIC AHHHH. I love it so much and I just started. This is great. This is probably my favourite part so far. Yeah, enjoy! 

It had been around three weeks since Sam started looking alone, and Sam was tired. Barnes was nowhere in sight. Sam had been really caught up in his search. Some nights, he didn't sleep. And he still got nowhere, cold leads, Barnes has changed his vendor now, which was helpful. Sam was just confused. He understood wanting space, but this search has gone on for months now, Sam being alone for about 3 weeks. He thought Barnes would be open to coming back with him, going back to whatever home he could salvage.

Then, it hit Sam like a train. Barnes didn't want to be found because he didn't have anyone to find him, no one to call home. He felt a pang in his chest. No one to call home. Sam didn't know how much that hit him until now.

Sam shook off whatever feeling he got from this thought and began his day as any other. He hacked into some security systems with ease the previous week, so he opened up his laptop and started there. Just generic places, coffee shops, grocery stores, stuff like that. Yet he found nothing. Sometimes he saw someone resemble Barnes, but it was never him. He glanced over at the building beside him. The apartment complex, of course.

Sam grabbed his laptop in a hurry and began typing, breaking past every firewall with general ease. He can't believe he just let this sit under his nose like that. He took another glance over and saw someone leave through the doors. It's worth a try, Sam figured.

Sam hopped out of the car, and started for the door of the apartment complex. He opened the front doors and scanned the room. No sign of Barnes. No sign of anyone, really. Looked a bit nicer than his hotel, so he'll take his chances.

Sam started knocking on every single door, asking if they knew Barnes. Everyone who actually answered simply shook their head or said a simple 'no'. Ok, Sam was seriously tired, and frustrated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bucky heard a knock at the door and froze. Rent wasn't due for a couple of weeks, and the people here weren't exactly friendly. Not friendly enough to come and knock on the door like that. He stayed completely still, listening as the footsteps faded down the hall, and sighed in relief. He didn't know what that was about, but he wasn't about to find out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After about 20 minutes of walking through the apartment complex, Sam found nothing. No one knew Barnes, and most importantly, Barnes wasn't there. Sam clambered back into the seat of his car, feeling a tension in his back and neck as he did so. Apparently sleeping upright for 3 weeks doesn't do good things for your spine. He winced in pain, scrunching up his nose in discomfort as he turned his neck to see the computer screen. Still no sign of Barnes, anywhere. Sam rubbed his forehead in annoyance, and exhaustion. And, something else. Sam couldn't place it, but everything about this day felt off, like he was supposed to be somewhere. But Sam didn't know where. Sam shook it off and focused on the screen, but he doubted he'd get anywhere. He tried looking back at local's Instagram photos for any sign of him. Nothing. Unsurprisingly nothing.

Sam pulled out Barnes' old files from the 30s and 40s, reading about his life, reading headlines from the war about him, the war hero. Sam had to admit, the guy was a heartbreaker. His charming smile could woo Sam, and the steel blue eyes sparkled on their own. Sam shook from his daze and refocused. He's just trying to find the guy, not marry him. Sam read about Steve a bit, too. Clearly, he's just as much of an idiot now as he was back then. Sam chuckled and smiled softly as he read on.

It made Sam remember his days in para-rescue. The military. And his thoughts drifted to Riley, to missions, and a wave of nostalgia hits Sam. The first time he received the wings, how thrilled he was to be a part of something. Something bigger than himself. The proud smile he wore all those years. As risky as the job was, Sam loved it. But, all things come to an end. As Riley hit the ground, Sam knew this was it. This was the end of his service. But, at the time, he couldn't come to peace with this revelation. Thought he was being dramatic. But a little while later, he accepted what he needed to do.