Unexpected news
Bucky's mobile rings with the ringtone he has set to alert him to the news related to Sam, he takes it out in a hurry and opens his eyes surprised by the headline "Emotional reunion between Captain America and Sergeant Barnes" with a frown opens the news. There are several photos of Sam and him, from that same day. Except it's not him. He drops a curse and immediately calls Sam, but he doesn't answer. Try again.
"Damn, Wilson, pick up the stupid phone," he says desperately.
At the third failed attempt, he decides to call Joaquín, knowing that with the army planes he will arrive faster.
"Torres, I need a means of transport to get me to Delacroix as soon as possible" He doesn't bother to say hello, but the boy doesn't seem to care since he doesn't either.
"What's the matter? Is Cap okay?"
"I don't know Can you come? I'll tell you everything along the way."
He stays with Torres and Bucky prepares by arming himself, while calling Sam again. It is when he is ready and impatience and worry gnaw at his guts, when he realizes that Sarah and the boys could also be in danger so this time he calls Sarah instead of Sam.
"Sarah, are you home? Are AJ and Cass with you?"
"If we are at home, what happens?"
"I don't know, exactly, but I need you and the guys to stay there. Close everything well and do not open anyone. It doesn't even Sam and me, you forget that, especially Sam and me."
"Bucky what's wrong? Are you and Sam okay?"
"It's complicated, but don't worry. Everything is fine and it's going to be even better. Listen, if you see me tell me "Password" just that word. I will have to tell you the name of the video game that I give to Cass and AJ for Christmas, they will know the answer. Don't ask me what it was, just say Password and I'll give you the solution. I agree? Only then will you be able to open."
"You're scaring me"
"Sorry, I don't want to scare you. Not really, it's just a security measure. Probably unnecessary, but prevention is better than cure, don't you think?"
"I guess," Sarah replies, not very convinced.
"Sarah, trust me"
The woman sighs
"Okay, I trust you" her tone is resigned and Bucky hates having worried her, but now they are safe and that's what matters.
The plane ride doesn't last long, but Bucky finds it eternal and Sam still doesn't answer the phone. The concern in Torres and in him is clear, but they can do nothing until they arrive. Bucky's mobile continues to ring with news about "his" reunion with Sam, but they are simply other media echoing the news, there is nothing new, Bucky looks at the photos and it is now when he realizes how close his other self and Sam are in the photos, they hug and even look at each other with an intimacy that they have never had and Bucky tries very hard not to be jealous of himself.
Joaquin stops the plane just above the "Paul & Darlene", they have agreed that he will return in 1 hour and will call for reinforcements if he does not hear from them before. Bucky jumps out of a plane without a parachute again for Sam and hopes that the man and the imposter are still on the ship. Fortunately it is. His double is between Sam and him.
"Get away from him," says the original Bucky pointing the gun at him, the man smiles, but before anyone can say anything else, he falls forward unconscious. Bucky sees Sam with a determined look on his face and a lamp in his hand.
"Nice hit, cap"
They tie the man to a chair silently, Sam trying to ignore the disappointment that the only time Bucky Barnes has been about to kiss him wasn't really him. Bucky trying to control his troubled heart by being in front of Sam again, after almost 4 months. Four long months.
"How did you know it was me?"
Sam shrugs, he could tell him a lot of things to explain. He could say "the other you was about to kiss me just when you arrived", "now I know I would recognize you in any situation because, even if they have your face, nobody is like you", "even if we haven't seen each other for 4 months, I've been looking out for you and I know how you look", "this man was shocked that we hadn't seen each other in almost 4 months" or "he looked like he had missed me", but he doesn't say any of that instead asks
"How did you know he was here?"
"I saw a piece of news"
Sam nods, he's not used to how quickly information is shared, but he doesn't get caught off guard either. "I was worried and you wouldn't answer my calls."
Sam looks at his phone
"Sorry, I didn't realize I had it quietly"
Bucky downplays it, but the conversation reminds him that he has calls to make. He asks Sam to call Sarah to reassure her, while he talks to Torres and informs him that they have cut the suspect down and interrogated him before seeing what to do with him. The calls serve to calm their interlocutors, but the two of them still do not know what the hell is going on.
"Do you think he is a Skrull?" Sam asks.
"Could he keep the shape while unconscious?" Neither of them knows the answer to that question. Although these beings have been living on earth for years, the population has discovered them relatively recently and not much is known about them yet. However, that's not what matters to Bucky.
"What did he want? What did he tell you? He hasn't done anything to you, right?"
"No, he hasn't done anything to me. We've just talked" for a moment, Sam wonders if he should tell her they had been about to kiss, but dismisses the idea.
"To get information out of you?"
"Probably" Sam mumbles "and it has worked. He hasn't talked much about him, but he was very interested in knowing things about me and my life. Also from Sarah and the boys" rage has been taking over Sam as he spoke to think that he has endangered his family. He knew there was something wrong from the beginning, but he had been too worried about the man in front of him to pay attention to it. Bucky puts a hand on his shoulder.
"I won't let him do anything to you and your family" looks furiously at his other self, still unconscious, and Sam realizes that although his anger is directed against himself as naïve, Bucky's is directed at his other version. The man looks back at Sam and his expression softens, he seems to ponder and Sam is fascinated by the small changes in his face until Bucky finally speaks "although I don't think he wants to hurt you, at least, not physically."
Sam ponders about it and realizes he's right.
"It's true, he hasn't tried to do anything and he's had several chances. We've been close enough, even embraced. He could have killed me if he wanted to or kidnapped, but only... He just seemed glad to see me, almost as if he was relieved. It wasn't like he wanted to hurt me, quite the opposite. Even when we have heard your footsteps he has stood before me, as if he wants to protect me."
Bucky nods in relief, but confused. Sam dying at the hands of someone with his face, would only be surpassed in his nightmares by him killing Sam, but he still does not understand what is happening or why that man is there. It's Sam who finally asks the question they both have in mind.
"But then what does he want?"
"To you, Sam" the answer comes from the other Bucky who has awakened without either of them noticing.