Ma'am
They pulled up to a small house with a large secluded property that may have once been a farm. A woman came out to meet them. “What took you so long to get here?” He stepped out of the car and gave her a hug “We had to make a stop. Got stuck in traffic for a while and my friend got a bit stir crazy.” She looked over at Bucky and noted the light bruises around his eyes and nose. “What happened to him?” Sam laughed “He tried to save his meal from a horse at Assateague.” She shuddered “I still have a scar from that one that bit me. Horses are horrible. Well, aren't you going to introduce me?”
“Give me a minute I was getting there I was gonna wait till we saw Ma so I could do it all at once.” She gestured to the house and they went inside. There was an older woman sitting at the counter cutting vegetables. “About time you showed up. We were wondering if we would have to eat without you.” He gave the woman a kiss on her cheek. “Ma, Regina, this is James Barnes.” He held his hand out but Regina went straight for a hug. “Sam’s told us so much about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.” He nodded to Mrs Wilson “Nice to meet you Ma’am” She shook her head “Don’t Ma’am me, call me Ma.” Bucky blushed “I’m not sure If I can do that Ma’am.” She patted his hand and chuckled “We will work on it. You look like you’re dealing with a broken heart. I’ve got just the meal for that.” He shot Sam a betrayed look. “He didn’t tell me anything, I know these things. Now Sam,get him settled. We can talk over dinner.”
Regina led them down the hall to the guest rooms. “You guys picked a good week to come. Farm fair is this week. I was planning on going tomorrow night if you want to go.” Sam shrugged “Could be fun.” Bucky got the feeling Regina wanted to speak with Sam alone. “I’m gonna go get cleaned up.” He disappeared into the guest room and closed the door.
“Why are you bringing your work with you?” Sam frowned, “He’s not work. He’s my friend. I promised Steve I would take care of him.” She crossed her arms. “He is the reason you nearly threw your life away. You weren’t there with Ma to see her turn on the tv and see from the news that her son is being arrested for helping a murderer who you now say is your friend and you bring to MY home.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “He is not a murderer. He was cleared. He is an abused,abandoned POW. He was manipulated and tortured for 70 years. I trusted Steve and He trusts Barnes. Trust me. Spend some time with him. He’s a good guy. He needs some normalcy.”
Bucky curled up on the bed as he listened to Regina. She was right. He was a murderer. No amount of exceptions and excuses could change that. He killed people. Some of them he remembered and others were just nameless bodies in the pile. He would never be anything more than a monster. He could hear a door slam and someone stomp off. He covered his face with the pillow as sobs wracked his body. He wasn’t sure when he fell asleep but he woke up to someone quietly knocking on the door. “Hey, we are almost ready for dinner if you would like to come out.” He looked up at Sam. “I don’t think I’m going to. I...have a headache.” Sam opened his mouth to protest but he nodded instead “Well if you change your mind come on out. Text me if you need anything.”
He woke up again at about 2 am and silently walked to the kitchen for some water. He was startled when the light came on and Sam’s Mom stood in the doorway. “You don’t need to be afraid of me. Sam has told me you have been through a lot. I know my baby did right by protecting you.” He broke as he fell into the chair “I’m so sorry. You almost lost him because of me. I had no right to drag him into everything. He could have been here, home where he needed to be. Not out wasting it all on me.” She pulled a chair up next to him and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. “No one has ever made Sammy do something he doesn’t want to and you should know that by now. I understand that my Gina said some rather hurtful things and you might have heard them. Don’t pay any attention to her. She means well but she lets her mouth go before she puts her brain in gear.”
He looked up at her “She didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. I am a murderer. No matter what way you slice it I killed people. I pulled the trigger,I planted the bombs,and I used my hands.” She rubbed up and down his back. “Sounds like you still have a lot to forgive yourself for.” He shook his head. “There’s nothing to forgive. It won’t change a damn thing. The body count will always be there.” She got up from the table and fixed a glass of water for him. “You don’t forgive to change what happened, you forgive to move on in life. You can’t begin to move on if you are still dragging that weight around. Clearly Sam is able to look past it all. He sees a good man and I believe him.” He took a couple sips of water. “Thank you ma’am, good night.”
She reached out and grabbed his arm. “Not yet. Eat. You missed a nice dinner.” She was already pulling a plate from the fridge and sticking it in the microwave. “I don’t want to have to beg honey. I promise it won't kill ya. It might put some meat on your bones but it won't kill ya.” He ate the plate of food quietly as she watched over him and once finished he thanked her and got up to go back to his room. “Good night James. Tomorrow is going to be better just wait and see.”
He woke up a while later to the smell of breakfast cooking and music playing in the kitchen. He got changed and quietly made his way outside. Regina was at the stove swaying with the music as she cooked. Sam and his mother were nowhere to be seen. He didn’t recognize the song playing but he liked it. He stood in the doorway listening and watching until she suddenly turned around. “Oh, I didn’t think anyone was up yet. Um.. breakfast will be done in a bit.”
He moved closer to the table and sat down cautiously. “Good morning.” She forced a smile on her face.”Good morning. Do you want something to drink? We have tea, coffee, ovaltine..-” He cocked his head “They still make that?” She looked at him “What Ovaltine?” He nodded “Yea...Stevie used to love it when we could afford it. I didn’t think it was still around.” She pulled a canister from the cabinet. “Do you prefer it hot or cold?” He thought for a moment “Hot please.” She nodded and proceeded to pour some milk in the mug and place it in the microwave. “So you really are from the 1920’s? It’s not some weird exaggeration?”
“Yup. it's true. Was born in 1916. Amazing what science can do ain’t it.” She turned to face him as she cooked. “That must be so weird. To suddenly exist in a world like this.” He shrugged “Weird stopped phasing me when I saw a guy rip his face off and I met a talking racoon.” She cringed “you saw a guy what?” He chuckled “Saw a guy rip his face off. Thought I was having a stroke or something but it was real. You ever heard of Red Skull?” She nodded “yea the bad guy in those hokey movies sam used to watch.”
“Exactly except- wait movies? What are you talking about?” She turned the heat down on the stove “You don’t know about them?” He shook his head “They made movies based on the comic books and the old movie reels.” Bucky was baffled “Why am I just learning about these?” She shrugged “not sure, you can find clips of them on youtube and I’m sure Sam still has the movies we could set the VCR up later if you like.” She pulled out her phone and brought up a few videos the first dated 1943. The film was grainy and old “Oh...my...god...is that..STEVE?!?” She chuckled “As far as I know yes that's the man himself.”
He couldn’t stop the giggles as he watched Steve stomp around a movie set and “rescue” a damsel from Hitler all while singing about war bonds. “The Smithsonian failed to mention this.” She smiled “I think they wanted to preserve some of his dignity.” Bucky snorted “Well he definitely lost it here.” The clip ended and she found one from a few decades later, 1960’s. He watched as the clip showed “Captain America” saving the day from Red Skull. As he punched goon after goon each hit was covered by words on the screen describing the sounds. She took the phone and put it back in her pocket. “I’m sure Sam will show you the rest.”
As if he knew they were talking about him Sam appeared in the room a moment later. “Morning. Surprised to see you two up already.” They both shrugged “I figured I would let Ma sleep in since she took care of dinner last night.” Sam sat down at the table “How’s the headache?”
“Better thanks. Regina said to ask you about some old movies you used to watch.” Sam grinned “You asking about the Captain america movies?” He nodded “yea that would be it.” Sam laughed “Steve never showed them to you?” He shook his head “Nope although I saw some clips I can see why.” Sam was still grinning “Oh well now I have to show you. We can dig them out after breakfast.”
He grabbed Bucky’s cup and took a drink expecting it to be coffee. He quickly spit it in out. “Are you drinking chocolate milk?” He took the mug back and crossed his arms “It’s Ovaltine for your information.” Regina rolled her eyes “Get off your ass and get your own coffee Sam.” He nodded as he pulled out a cup and began to fix his own. “Seriously though you are supposedly the world's toughest assassin, sorry ex-assassin and you are drinking ovaltine?” He nodded “It’s good. Me and Stevie used to save up for it. He loved drinking it when he was sick.” Sam smiled “I love how you do that.”
“Do what?”
“When you have a memory about Steve before he got the serum you call him Stevie. You do it when you are worried about him too. It’s cute.” Regina raised an eyebrow “The stevie you were just telling me about was Steve Rogers? I mean now it’s kinda obvious but it’s hard to think of him when you say Stevie.” Bucky nodded “That’s because the Stevie I’m talking about was tiny and barely 90 lbs soaking wet. Stevie is a tiny little punk with a chip on his shoulder ready to take on the world or die trying. Steve is a giant punk with a chip on his shoulder ready to take on the world and die trying or give me a heart attack in the process at least. Two sides of the same stupid coin.” Sam laughed “He does have his moments doesn’t he.”
Sam's mother appeared in the kitchen a moment later. "Good morning good morning we've talked the whole night through" at this she patted Bucky's cheek "good morning good morning to you." He couldn't hide the smile. "Nothin could be grander than to be in Louisiana." She wrapped him in a hug "Oh I could just eat you up. Polite and cultured."
"Good morning ma'am" she rolled her eyes and roughed his hair up. "I said don't ma'am me. Call me Beatrice." She husked as she wiggled her eyebrows seductively.
"MA! No.Down." Regina hauled her into a chair and gave her a look while Sam was quietly short circuiting. Bucky grinned "Well alright then Beatrice it is or i could call you Bea." She began to fan at herself as she cackled "oooooh I like this one can we keep him?" Sam groaned "Barnes I swear don't you so much as look at my mom sideways." He threw his head back and laughed. "Worried you might have to call me daddy Wilson?"
"Oh if he won't i will!" Regina choked on her breakfast "MA! Stop makin a fool of yourself."
Breakfast was full of talking and a bit of bickering between Regina and Bea but it was nice. Bucky sat quietly taking it all in as Sam glared at him occasionally. They helped clean up and then Sam took him to the basement to look for the Captain America tapes. He grinned when Sam opened a box with his name on it at right in the top was a tattered and worn Bucky bear. "Aw Sam you do care." He quickly shoved the bear out of sight trying to pretend it didn't exist. "Not another fuckin word barnes.