Project Inheritance

Chapter 1

A/N:  I'm sorry the summary is terrible. Honestly, I'm just jumping into this, I hope it's okay and that someone out there sort of likes it! Basically I wanted to write the Papa Wolf trope with Bucky for REASONS.

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If only there was a way to blend in with the grey couch so completely that he would disappear from this conversation...

"I'm sorry, but what exactly does this have to do with anything?"

"Understanding your intimate connections to people is important to understanding yourself, don't you think so? Especially relationships that could be positive."

Bucky blinked. That sounded...incredibly fake. He had gotten used to Dr. Raynor asking bizarre or intrusive questions during their sessions, but this was a bit much. A lot much. Also, she wasn't his official therapist anymore, so this whole conversation was wild. He leaned back further into the couch, settling one ankle on top of the opposite knee. "So. You're asking if I knew someone in the biblical way eight years ago because it's...important." He lifted an eyebrow. "And I'm supposed to believe that's not at all out of left field."

Her eyes narrowed. "The biblical way. Honestly, James."

"Hey, you're the one beating around the bush. Intimate connections."

Dr. Raynor shifted, resting her elbow against the armrest of her chair. "Is it so strange? Exploring your past relationships?"

"I think it's strange that it's coming out nowhere. Like your phone call."

It had been a month since the international situation with the Flag Smashers, which meant it had been a month since he had been in a therapy session with the doctor. He had really thought that they were done with their sessions. He had left her a going-away gift, after all, even if he was the one going away.

Working with Dr. Raynor had seemed to help at first, but then...yeah. But just talking hadn't been so bad, and he missed that part every now and then. When she had called randomly a few days to set up what she had called an exit session, he had agreed.

Now he was wishing he hadn't picked up the phone.

Dr. Raynor sighed and clicked her pen. She hadn't actually been writing with it, and she didn't normally play with it when they were in a session. Was she nervous?

She had started out with more normal questions about his current life but then she had steered into the land of off-the-wall. First it had been questions about his dating life now (very sparse) then back to dating in the 40's (very expansive though he wasn't about to tell her that) and then an abrupt switch to the very specific time frame of eight years ago.

Something wriggled in the back of his mind, trying to connect the vague dots he had been given. Instead of a catch-up conversation, this felt more like she was gathering information.

"You were a free man then, right? Surely there must've been someone."

"I was too busy not getting caught to really think about dating," Bucky said, uncomfortable but trying not to show it. Besides, what woman would have wanted to date a brainwashed broken man on the run? "I was a little caught up in staying away from what was left of HYDRA."

The doctor tapped her pen on her knee. "Not even a one-night stand?"

Bucky gave a humorless incredulous laugh. "What are you trying to get at? I feel like this is awkward for both of us. Really, really awkward. Is this all you wanted to talk about?"

Raynor wrapped a hand fully around the pen. Click. "Has anyone from that time tried to contact you?"

"There wasn't anybody during that time," Bucky said firmly. "I've told you, after I left the U.S., I just moved place to place and didn't talk to anyone." Back then, he had felt like an exploded jigsaw puzzle trying to put itself back together, and he hadn't wanted anyone else to get caught up in that damage. He rarely stayed in one place for more than a few weeks. Sam had once said it had been like trying to track down a paranoid chameleon with an attitude.