Hallowed (B. Barnes)

Chapter Fifty-Five

As the sun is rising outside, Sydney and Bucky leave the warehouse followed by Dean and Natasha, and Sam helping Ellie along after her ordeal. She's likely going to struggle with this whole thing, and it's not like she can talk about it with anyone. But instead of feeling sad, Sydney bounces alongside Bucky. This has been a good hunt with a good outcome so of course she's happy. Plus she is in a unique position to boast about what she's done, especially to Bucky.

"I killed Hitler. I killed Hitler. I killed Hitler" Bucky chuckles. "I think that entitles me to free drinks for the rest of my life, which will be a very long life" Sydney offers as she turns to face him. "I'm gonna get t-shirts made" He laughs and pulls her closer to him. Nearby, Dean is watching the two of them together. It's been a long time since he's seen Sydney laughing about anything. Definitely not in the two years she has been with them. Not since they were teenagers and even then, he can see the difference. The forced and fake laughter to make him and Sam feel better, to hide the pain that living the life they were living caused her. Here, now, laughing with Bucky, that's real.

"You know no one's gonna believe you, right?" Bucky asks and Sydney shrugs, touching his chest.

"But you believe me. You were there" He hums in agreement, watching her warmly, his fingers brushing over her cheek as she smiles brightly up at him. Whilst working with her has been great, he's enjoyed seeing that side of her, this Sydney that is smiling at him, is more the Sydney he lived with in Bucharest. This is the Sydney that he fell in love with. She looks so much younger than he's seen in the last day. Dean looks away from them and sighs. Sam's been right about them and he knows it. But there is that fear that sits in his chest. Fear of losing her again. After everything they have been through, the concept of her walking away hurts him, and grips him so tightly that he's been a dick towards her and Bucky. Even ignoring how much she's clearly happy to see Bucky, how happy he makes her. Dean lets out a breath as Natasha open the car door to release Christoph. Dean moves towards her, mostly to escape his own guilt over what's happening with Sydney.

"All right, let's go" Dean tells him as Natasha unlocks the cuffs.

"Hold up, you're not gonna kill me?" Christoph asks them.

"No, we had a deal. Besides, you got bigger problems" Dean explains. Christoph stares at him as if he cannot believe the words coming out of his mouth.

"The Thule that are left are gonna hunt you as a traitor forever. Our advice? Run" Sam explains as he opens up the otherside car door for Ellie to get in as Christoph gets out.

"Why don't you head back to Buffalo? Nobody goes to Buffalo" Dean offers as Natasha smirks slightly. Christoph gives them all look of disbelief before he hurries off, disappearing around around the corner. Dean snorts a little. Natasha pats Dean's shoulder and smiles at the two brothers.

"Well, this has been fun....and enlightening"

"Yeah" Sam agrees, his eyes drifting over to Bucky and Sydney. Something is going to have to give here. A choice to be made. Whatever comes of it, he knows that Sydney is going to end up being hurt. She'll loose Bucky or lose her family. Bucky glances over at Natasha who nods for him to join her. It's time for them to go back and report to Sword what they've found. He sighs and turns back to Sydney, and he can see in her eyes that she already knows.

"We have to report back to Sword" Bucky offers.

"So you're a g-man now?" Sydney asks. "Does it come with a uniform?" He chuckles and shakes his head.

"No, sorry" He answers, she huffs a little and shrugs. It turns from light to serious in an instant as it sinks in. His mission is complete. He has to go back. She has her brothers now. She looks down and closes her eyes, her jaw trembling as she gets upset. Bucky hates that this is happening again. That they have to part ways. "Syd" He starts but she shakes her head, then glances at her brothers and then back at Bucky. The two of them share a look before she rummages in the inside pocket of her coat before she pulls out a half-chewed pen. She holds out her hand to Bucky who hands over his flesh one. She turns it and writes the coordinates to the bunker down.

"Just in case" She whispers. They have separate lives now. She's hunting with her brothers. He's working for Sword. Though not for much longer if he has any say in the matter. He's spent two years looking for her, he's not about to walk away forever. He's not about to lose her again. Not after everything he's been through. He kisses her, holding her tightly to him as they both sink into it. He pulls back and swallows a little. He nods and she smiles sadly, touching his arms. Going back is going to be hard. But this is part of his recovery. He has to do what they say. Pulling himself away from her though, is hard. The hardest thing he is going to have to do. And he's already walked away from her once before. "Go" She breaths against his lips. "It's okay" She assures him sadly. He closes his eyes and then lets out an unsteady breath before he backs away, turning to walk towards his bike where Natasha is waiting for him. Sydney blinks and tears stream down her face. Sam steps up behind her and she hurries to remove her tears.

"He's not staying?" Sam asks her, and she shrugs.

"He has a job. A responsibility to the state...." She looks at him and gives him a sad smile. "He knows where to find me...."

"Syd" Sam whispers.

"It's okay" She stops him. "I know he's alive...and he knows I am...for now, that's enough" She touches his arm and he nods. He can understand that. She's spent two years not knowing where Bucky was or if he was even alive, so he knows just how much this means to her. But he also knows that this is for Dean too. Dean won't survive her leaving again. And she knows it. She could have gone with Bucky, but she won't, because she still feels guilty about leaving the first time around. She still feels guilt for a lot of things that have happened, believing that it all happened because she ran away with a boy.