NEW YORK
"Is there a reason you're on this mission with me?" Sam asks.
"Bucky didn't want to go," Shannon reminds him as she tightens her tactical vest.
Bucky insisted on her wearing tactical gear, which she thought was ridiculous. She's dressed completely in black. Jeans, black turtleneck, vest, and combat boots – and two ankle holsters for knives. Shannon insisted that it was overkill, but Bucky grabbed her by the chin and said, "You can never be sure with Zemo."
And, so, she relented. Whatever Bucky wants, Bucky gets.
"He told me he was finishing Dune," Sam mutters. "Like it's some school project."
Shannon giggles.
"That sounds like my Bucky... you hungry?"
"I could eat."
She pulls out two square bars from her backpack and tosses one to Sam. His eyes go wide.
"Oooh! Are those the infamous protein bars Bucky eats?"
"Yup. I made them for him from scratch because the ones he used to buy tasted like cardboard. He always complained about them, so I made him something he'd actually like."
Sam snickers and bites into his after he unwraps it from the tinfoil and saran wrap.
"Damn, Shan. These are good. You should sell them."
"And run a second business?" She laughs. "I don't think so."
"You could put me on the wrapper," he offers. "I'd want a cut of the profits and to get them for free."
"You already eat at the restaurant for free! And your picture is everywhere!"
"You know Sarah tried to send me my tab for all the food I've eaten there the other day?"
Shannon doubles over laughing.
"Oh, I know."
Torres sticks his head out from the cockpit.
"Lady? Gentleman? We've arrived."
Shannon's eyes go wide with excitement and Sam lets out a resigned sigh. He looks up at her with a confused expression.
"You're really friends with this dude, huh?"
"Yeah," she whispers. "I take chances on people, Sam. Most of the time, I'm pleasantly surprised."
Shannon twists the wedding ring on her left hand. Sam stares at it as it glints beneath the light. He smiles softly.
"All right."
His distaste for Zemo has waned over the years, mostly because he's just too busy to hold a grudge like that. That, and, Zemo hasn't tried to escape.
The helicopter lands and Shannon and Sam disembark. It's still light out, but not for much longer. The sky glows an ominous orange that Shannon finds both beautiful and a little unsettling. It reminds her of the opening scene in Apocalypse Now. She and Bucky just watched it a few weeks ago.
When they step outside, Zemo is waiting for them, still in his prison jumpsuit with a bag of clothes in his hand. Sam described him as having a big, bushy beard – Bucky actually called it a Rasputin beard – but it's absent now. She suspects that the Dora watched him closely as he shaved it down to stubble. His hair is somewhat slicked back, but part of it still falls in his eyes. It's no longer so closely cropped to his head. Apparently, someone only comes around once a year to provide prisoners on the Raft with haircuts. Otherwise, they just have to let it grow and deal with it.
Zemo is flanked by Ayo, Okoye, and Shuri. Shuri and Shannon greet each other with big smiles and rush toward one another.
"Shannon!" Shuri squeals. "When I heard you were coming, I had to make the trip to say hello in person."
"Hi, Shuri!" She laughs, wrapping her in a tight hug. "It really has been too long."
"You look beautiful!"
"Yeah? I feel like G.I. Joe," Shannon laughs. "And you're one to talk about beauty, look at you!"
Shuri shrugs and grins.
"I figured I'd better start at least dressing like a Queen."
Ayo and Okoye smile.
They hug again and Shannon pulls away.
"Once all of this serum crap is over with, I was thinking the three of us—" Sam coughs loudly and points at himself. Shannon chuckles. "My apologies, Cap. The four of us would pay Wakanda a visit and you can meet Sammy in person."
Shuri laughs softly.
"I would love that. We'll make plans when things settle down again." She turns to Sam, her expression suddenly serious. "Do you have the tracking device?"
Sam nods and hands it over. Shuri gives it to Ayo to attach it to Zemo's ankle. It's a small strap with a tiny rectangle on it. Shuri pulls out what looks like a phone and activates it. Zemo's tracking device beeps and he looks down, shrugging. Shannon gives him a small wave while Ayo and Okoye hand him off to Sam. Zemo stands in between him and Shannon, who reaches over and gives his hand a small squeeze. He chuckles.
"Hello, Mrs. Barnes."
Shuri's expression is flat and unreadable as she looks at the three of them.
"You're all aware of the consequences of breaking the rules."
Shannon, Sam, and Zemo nod. Shuri clasps her hands in front of her.
"We'll see you back here in two months."
"Understood," Sam replies. "Thanks again, Shuri."
The three of them turn and walk toward the helicopter. As they board, Zemo turns to Sam.
"Thank you for this," he says softly.
"It was not my idea," Sam informs him. "But you were helpful last time, even if you pulled an El Chapo on us."
"Well, to be truthful, I didn't think that I would get caught." He sighs softly. "That was my youthful arrogance."
They buckle into their seats and Zemo looks around.
"Is James not here?"
Shannon shakes her head.
"He's at home with Sammy."
"Ah, yes. I'm eager to see how much fatherhood has truly changed him."
"More than you know," Sam mumbles. Shannon smiles and nods. A few minutes after takeoff, she reaches over to pull Zemo into a gentle hug.
"It's good to see you," she whispers. "Even under these circumstances."
"You too," Zemo says softly. "Thank you for inviting me into your home."
"Hey, so long as you don't run off, I think it's going to be a pretty good two months," Shannon offers.
Sam rolls his eyes but says nothing while Shannon and Zemo fill the dead air in the cargo hold with conversations about books that they've been exchanging and reading over the past eight years. Despite Bucky and Sam's reservations about the whole Zemo situation, Shannon is hopeful that maybe, just maybe, if this goes well, maybe Zemo could have more escorted absences from the Raft. It's clear from his letters that he's going a little stir crazy. He tries his best to escape the monotony through books and listening to the radio, but he's emphasized the lack of human contact in his letters – and how deeply it depresses him.
Shannon feels for him. Her father used to tell her that she couldn't save everybody, and it's true. She can't. But she can sure as hell try.
~~~
DELACROIX, LOUISIANA
Bucky sits on his recliner with a massive copy of Dune in his hands and a pencil in the other. It's his fourth time reading it. The pages are frayed at the edges, and he's scribbled in the margins, mostly notes that only he can read. He started reading it after he had escaped HYDRA and lugged it with him to Wakanda. Shannon flipped through it once and handed it back to him with a shrug and a very confused expression.
Alpine is curled up on his chest, purring like a motorboat while Ace lays beside the chair, occasionally headbutting Bucky's metal arm to get some head scratches. Shannon and Sam volunteered to extract Zemo from the Raft and bring him here. Bucky isn't particularly fond of another trip in the same helicopter as Zemo. He had enough of that eight years ago. Sammy is watching TV on the couch, half-asleep. Bucky's phone buzzes. It's a text from AJ. The boys have been staying with them for the past couple of days.
Hey, uncle B. We're on our way back.
Perfect. How do you guys feel about pizza for dinner? The house is gonna be chaos with Zemo coming to stay.
Mom just texted me, she gets back tomorrow around 8:00. We can eat at home.
Nope. You really think your mom or your uncle would let me get away with not feeding you guys?
Lmao true. Yeah, sure, we're good with pizza.
See you guys in half an hour.
Bucky returns to his book. He barely gets a paragraph in before Sammy interrupts him.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, pumpkin."
"When's mommy coming home?"
"A few hours," Bucky replies as he flips a page. "You know we have a guest staying with us for a while."
"Yeah, Zemo!" Sammy exclaims. "Mommy told me about him."
"What did mommy tell you about him?" Bucky asks with a hint of suspicion in his voice.
Sammy shrugs.
"He's a friend of you and mommy's."
"Did she tell you anything else?"
"Yeah."
"What?" Bucky asks.
"I don' wanna say," Sammy mumbles.
Bucky dog-ears his page and closes the book.
"Pumpkin, you know we don't keep secrets in this house. Right?"
Sammy shifts in his seat and sighs.
"Yeah."
"What else did mommy tell you about him?"
"She said she wants you to be nice to him... 'cause he's been nice to us."
Bucky takes a deep breath, scooping up Alpine with one hand, and moving to the couch to sit beside Sammy. He sets the cat down on the coffee table and wraps his arms around his son.
"You know that Zemo and daddy didn't really get along, right?"
He nods.
"Mommy wants you to try, though."
Bucky smiles. He can't resist those big, pleading crystal blue eyes that are so like his own. Sammy might look like him, but Bucky sees so much of Shannon's big heart and her innate kindness in the boy. He's so gentle and sweet. All Sammy wants to do is love people and be loved in return. Bucky hopes the boy never loses that beautiful spark of humanity.
"Okay. I'll try."
He doesn't want his house to turn into a boxing ring. Sammy snuggles up against him. They watch TV – Sammy picks cartoons for an hour or so and then Bucky changes it to Die Hard. He can only watch so much Paw Patrol before he wants to stick his bowie knife through his eye sockets. Sammy doesn't seem to mind the shift in content. In fact, he loves this movie. While Sammy's attention is focused on the screen, Bucky pulls his phone out of his pocket. There's a text from Shannon.
On the plane with Zemo. Everything went smoothly. Be home soon.
Perfect. I'm ordering pizza for everyone.
You? Bucky Barnes? Are going to call a pizza place?
Well, I was going to order it online. You know I hate talking to people on the phone.
You hate talking to people. Period.
One mission with Sam and you're a comedian now, are you?
I've always been a comedian.
Bucky smiles.
Get home safe. I love you.
I love you too, B.
The front door opens. AJ and Cass step inside, tossing their backpacks onto the floor and kicking their shoes off. Shannon is anal retentive about where shoes go in the house, but Bucky doesn't give a shit.
"Hey, Uncle B!" AJ calls.
"Hey boys. How was school?"
"Good – oh shit, is that Die Hard!"
"Hey!" Bucky calls. "Language! There are children present."
Cass rolls his eyes.
"Bruce Willis says –"
"YIPPEE-KI-YAY MOTHERFU—"
Bucky's eyes go wide and he covers Sammy's mouth with one hand. AJ and Cass burst into giggles while Sammy begins to laugh hysterically with his mouth still muffled. He knows exactly what he said. It's not like Shannon and Bucky don't swear around the house, they're just careful about when they drop f-bombs. Bucky leans over.
"Don't ever let your mom hear you say that!" He whispers.
"Why not?" Sammy asks as Bucky pulls his hand away. "Bruce Willis says it!"
"That word is for grown-ups."
"They say it!" Sammy says, pointing an accusatory finger at AJ and Cass, who look away and pretend not to see it.
Bucky is trying his hardest not to laugh.
"You can say it when you're older."
"When I'm 6?"
"Sure," Bucky chuckles.
AJ and Cass pile onto the couch with them. Bucky orders a pizza that should get here just before Shannon, Sam, and Zemo arrive. Toward the end of the movie, the front door opens. Shannon enters first, followed by Zemo and Sam. Sammy bolts off of the couch.
"MOMMA!"
"Hi baby!" She laughs, crouching down to scoop him up. She groans loudly. "Ooohhh! You're getting so big! Momma's not gonna be able to do this for much longer!"
"No!" Sammy shouts. "Do it forever!"
Shannon laughs.
"I'll try my best, baby." Bucky watches as she turns to Zemo. There's a knot in his stomach while AJ and Cass watch with curiosity. They know who Zemo is through stories, and that's it. "Sammy, this is Zemo. He's a friend of ours."
Zemo smiles, his face instantly softening at the sight of the boy. He sticks out his hand.
"Hello, Samuel. Your mother has told me so much about you."
"You were in jail!" Sammy exclaims.
Sam and Bucky exchange a look that says, don't you dare laugh. Bucky disguises a giggle as a cough while Sam busies himself with taking off his tactical vest and stuffing it into a duffel bag to stop himself from laughing until he cries.
A knock at the door distracts Bucky from falling into a fit of giggles. He grabs his wallet and tosses it to Shannon, who opens the door and pays for the pizzas, lugging them inside with Sammy on her hip. Zemo reaches for her.
"Shannon, let me take those. You so graciously offered your home, the least I can do is hold the pizza."
She smiles.
"Thank you, Zemo."
"Careful he doesn't poison it," Sam mumbles.
Shannon elbows him as she sets Sammy down in one of the dining room chairs.
"Be. Nice."
AJ, Cass, and Bucky have already swarmed the dining room table, grabbing slices like starving teenagers. Shannon sighs, clearly annoyed as she leaves it to the men to grab plates and dish everything up.
"There had better be some left for me when I come back downstairs."
Bucky kisses her on the cheek.
"Don't worry. I'll put a plate aside for you."
She grins and runs up the stairs to change while everyone settles down at the table. Ace and Alpine trot over from their spot by the window to beg for food. Zemo looks down at them and smiles while Sam rifles through the fridge for drinks. Sodas for Sammy and the boys, beers for the adults. Bucky watches Zemo closely as he scratches Alpine under the chin and speaks to her in German. Alpine has no idea what he's saying, but she's loving every second of it.
"You have a beautiful home, James," Zemo says softly.
"It's all Shannon," Bucky offers. "She picked it out, decorated it, the whole thing."
He's trying to be polite. For Sammy's sake. And Shannon's. If this is going to be reality for the next two months, he should probably get used to it. Sam clears his throat.
"Once we're finished eating and catching up, I'd like to get Yelena on the phone and give Zemo a run-down of what's been going on before I fly to DC tomorrow."
"What's tomorrow?" Zemo asks.
"You've probably heard of the GRC's new bill to ban extremist groups, including religious groups.
"Ah, yes, after what happened with the Flag Smashers," Zemo replies. Bucky watches with curiosity as he cuts his pizza with a knife and fork. Sam was right, this guy is crazy. He wants to scream at him to just pick it up and shovel it into his mouth like everyone else at the table, but he doesn't. That's not polite. Sammy watches him with an odd fascination.
"You're supposed to eat it with your hands," Sammy offers, trying to be helpful. "Like this."
He picks up a piece of pizza as big as his face and shoves as much in his mouth as he can.
"Careful, Sammy," Cass laughs. "You're gonna choke, little dude."
Zemo chuckles softly.
"Thank you for the tutorial, Samuel."
Bucky winks at his son who smiles back as he chews.
Maybe the next two months will be alright.