Connections

43: Peggy Carter

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Steve, Sam and I arrived in London the next week. I sat next to Sam for Peggy's funeral. She was someone I looked up to. A strong leader in her time and even after. I felt my eyes begin to water as I watched Steve walk down the aisle with other hold Peggy's casket. Even now I could see he loved her so much.

We sat quietly as the priest announced her niece would come up for the eulogy. We all looked up surprised as a familiar blond stood up at the podium. It was Sharon. I watched as her gaze shifted towards Steve looking a little nervous. Sam looked over to me looking confused.

"You didn't tell us?" He whispered.

"I knew her as Agent 13. I'm just as shocked as you are." I answered. Sharon gave her beautiful eulogy. Her words rung in my head even after. "compromise where you can. Where you can't, dont." How true Peggy's words felt especially at a time like this.

After the funeral I headed back to Sam and Steve's hotel room. I just layed on top of the sheets staring at the ceiling. My head went back to Bucky. If I signed those accords I wouldn't be able to continue to search for him. I felt the bed shift a bit as Sam laid on his back next to me. He tucked his arm behind his head and rested his other one on to his stomach.

"What on your mind?" He asked sounding a bit concerned. I sighed and focused harder onto the ceiling.

"If those accords go through I'll be trapped in the compound and lose Bucky for good. If I don't follow them I'll be a criminal." I said simply. My voice was quiet. I didn't want to lose the last chance I had to find Bucky. I was so close.

"Yeah maybe that's not a bad thing." Sam said simply. I shifted my eyes to him as he stared up like I did. "You've spent the past two years looking for him. Each time you got close he slipped away. Maybe this is a sign to stop. Let him come to you when he's ready."

I took a deep breath. I shifted over to my side and looked at Sam. His eyes shifted to me.

"He remembered me, Sam." I said quietly. "Not like last time at the Smithsonian. He really remembered." Sam eyes widened as he rolled over as well. I tucked my arm under my head and circled my finger over the blanket under me. " I almost had him until that grenade went off."

Sam let out a deep sigh and looked around the room. I could tell he was processing what I just said. For the past few years Sam only new him as a sleeper agent. He honestly thought Bucky would never remember.

"Why would someone try to stop you from finding him?" Sam asked. I looked at him as his face became serious. I've been asking the same question over and over again. Why? What do they want with him? Before I could answer the tv got louder. A breaking news report flashed onto the screen. Both Sam and I sat up in the bed and stared at it.

A video flashed across the screen of a large building. It was the UN building in Vienna where the Sokovia accords summit was held. I starred as videos of the parts of the building were turned to rubble. Large fires and smoke coming out of it. People running.

"Police have released a video of the suspect." The news anchor said. The video changed to a man dressed in all black walking by a white van. It paused before zooming in on his face. It looked exactly like Bucky. "Who they identified as James Buchanan Barnes, The Winter Soldier."

Sam and I both turned to each other. My breathing became short. Why would he do this? He seemed to be fixing himself. Maybe this is why whoever it as wanted to keep me away from him. So they could use him for this. Sam sighed before looking at me.

"I'm going to go grab Steve." He said. I nodded. My sight didn't leave the image of Bucky. I heard the door slam beside me as the new anchor continued to talk. Why would Bucky do this? I refused to believe this happened however, the images on the screen were proving me wrong.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I snapped out of my head and quickly grabbed it. Aiden's name flashed onto the screen. I quickly pressed the answer button and pulled it up to my ear.

"You seeing the news?" He asked sounding a little worried.

"Yeah I see it." I said, my voice cracking from trying to choked back tears.

"Great, now look at your phone." He said. My eyes twitched. I pulled the phone away from my ear. I looked down at is as an image of Bucky appeared on the screen. I stared at it analyzing it. He was in the same outfit I saw him in last month here in london. I pressed a button to put the phone on speaker as I looked at the picture closely.

"I've been scanning the tips coming in about Bucky. Each one seemed like bull until this picture popped up." Aiden continued.

"When was this taken?" I asked, my voice shaking a bit.

"I looked into who sent it. Hacked their phone to see the timestamp of the photo. It was taken an hour ago. In Bucharest."

I felt my heart sink to my stomach as I looked back up at the tv screen. There was no way Bucky managed to make his way from Romania to London, then back in an hour. The flight alone takes three hours. I heard the door begin to open beside me. I glanced over as Sam walked in with Steve and Sharon.

"Thanks Aiden. Call me back if you find anything else." I said before hanging up the phone. Steve and Sharon ran to stand in front of the t.v. I sat down on the bed as I tried to process what was going on.

Someone was trying to frame Bucky. Why though? I tried to wrap my brain around it. I needed to figure it out before telling Steve. Steve sighed as Sam sat down next to me. I felt his hand begin to rub my back as he tried to comfort me.

"I have to go to work." Sharon said as she got off the phone and stared back at the screen.

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Steve, Sam, and I flew a jet over to Vienna. We managed to cut the flight down an hour making it as they were still cleaning up the scene. Sam and I sat in a bar together as Steve took off for a bit. The tv screens by the counter continued to show the news report. I just watch the images scroll by as Sam ordered us a drink. He handed it to as I took it in my hands.

"Here. You need one." He said simply. I looked at it before lifting the cup to my mouth and tilting it up. The cold shot of whiskey burned my throat as it fell down it. I let out a sigh as I set the glass down at the counter. I turned around as Steve came up and sat on the other end of the bar by Sam. All of us had hats and sunglasses on to cover out face. Sam took a bite of his food as he continued to look forward.

"She tell you to stay out of it?" Sam asked referencing the call Steve just made to Natasha. steve stayed quiet as sam nodded his head, "Might have a point."

"Look before you both argue whether we should do this or not," I pulled out my phone clicked on the picture of Bucky, "Aiden sent me this while at the hotel." I slide my phone across the bar. It stopped in front of Steve and Sam. I kept my head forward as they both looked at the picture.

"It was taken an hour after the bomb went off..." They both looked down before looking at me confused, "In Romania." I finished. Steve looked at it closely before sliding the phone back to me. Steve nodded as if understanding what was going on. Before any of us could say anything Sharron walked up to the bar as well.

"Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public." Sharron said looking forward. "Everyone thinks the Winter Soldier goes to their gym." She handed a file across the table to Steve. Steve grabbed it quickly, "My boss expects a griefing. Pretty much now."

Steve nodded as Sharron began to pull away from the counter. "You're gonna have to hurry. We've been ordered to shoot on site."

I shook my head as she walked away. Something was not sitting right with me on this entire situation. If someone wanted to frame Bucky...why? I looked over at Steve and Sam as they both nodded to me. We all quickly turned around and walked out of the bar.