Lucy stared at Bucky as he drove the bulky white minivan down the highway. She was curled up in the passenger seat facing him as she contemplated his figure. It was so.....odd to see terrifying soldier Bucky driving a soccer mom vehicle.
They had left late that morning from the Petrov's penthouse apartment. Katarina had fussed over them, making sure they had everything they would need when going on the run. The list included: baby wipes, a homemade recipe book, cue-tips, a book titled the Brothers Karamosav, an iPod full of a variety of music, a lighter, a handgun (for Lucy), mace (also for Lucy), washcloths, sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, lotion, contact info for Katerina, and condoms (for them both).
Lucy had tried desperately to return both the condoms and the hand gun, but Katarina would have none of it, and Lucy was tired of arguing. Luckily Bucky hadn't seen either yet. She wasn't quite sure how he would react and frankly didn't really want to know.
Nicoli had given them Lucy's forged papers, a burner phone, and the keys to a white minivan they were currently in. He had told Bucky that it was fully armored, had switching license plates for a quick getaway from police, and could even change color given an hour or so. He winked as he added that it had plenty of room for a growing family.
Lucy was convinced that the two of them were being shipped by the Russian couple. After that they had stopped at the storage facility and picked up their camping gear, making them all ready to go on the run again.
So here they were in the white minivan with Bucky driving down the highway. She looked at the screens on the back of their seats, perfect for entertaining wayward children. Lucy couldn't keep in the snort that she let out.
Bucky looked at her sideways before flicking his eyes back to the road.
"I was just thinking all we need to do is pick up a few kids and then we would look like a family," Lucy responded, in answer to Bucky's unspoken question.
"That would be considered kidnapping, and that's more illegal then I would like to be," Bucky replied deadpanned.
Lucy couldn't help the burst of laughter that escaped at the unexpected response. "I wasn't thinking kidnapping." She finally replied when she caught her breath.
"Then what were you thinking?"
Lucy flushed at the suggestive question and shrugged her shoulders.
"Do you want to see what music Katarina provided for us to listen to?" Lucy said to change the subject to something she felt she could handle.
Bucky grunted. So they were back to that. Lucy shook her head and reached into the bag that Katarina had put all of their necessary running away gear in. she grabbed the iPod that had slipped to the bottom of the bag, judiciously ignoring the gun and condoms. She would find a way to surreptitiously throw away the condoms later, and how to break the news to Bucky that she now had her own gun.
Lucy tugged the iPod out of the bag and figured out how to connect it to the car's sound. She hit shuffle and almost banged her head against the car window when the first song that came up was "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" by Elton John from The Lion King soundtrack. Bucky looked over to her, with a raised eyebrow.
"Not my idea," Lucy said defensively.
She switched the song and grimaced when the next song was "Secret Love Song" By Little Mix and Jason Derulo. She changed the song quickly and got "Love On Top" by Beyonce. She clicked next again and "Kiss the Girl" from The Little Mermaid came on.
Lucy face palmed out of aggravation and sheer embarrassment.
"There seems to be a theme here," Bucky said with a quirk of his mouth.
Lucy could see the humor dancing in his eyes.
"It's not my fault, I didn't ask for this, but seriously Katarina and Nicoli have the subtlety of a herd of elephants," Lucy complained, sliding down in her seat.
He shrugged. "They always wanted me to find my soulmate, they can't help themselves. They want everyone around them to be happy."
"It's a sweet sentiment and all, but it's fucking annoying."
"That's the first time I think I've heard you swear."
"I don't usually but people butting into my personal life irk me."
Bucky smiled at that. "Me too." He said quietly enough that Lucy almost didn't hear him.
They fell into companionable silence once more continuing to listen to love song after love song. Lucy got fed up when "Marry Me" by Jason Derulo came on. She flipped off the car's sound system, succinctly ending the music foray.
*******
"Hey, Bucky?"
"Yea?"
"Can I use the burner phone and call my mom?"
It was evening now, Lucy had grabbed a quick catnap for a while and they were now cruising down 81 going north, having been on the road for roughly 5 hours. The route was starting to look familiar to Lucy, meaning they were in Virginia now, her home state. Lucy ached to see her parents but didn't want to put them in danger.
Bucky responded with a grunt, driving down the now darkening roads. It wasn't dark enough for the headlights yet, but it was getting close. He grabbed the burner phone out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her.
She looked at the black, nondescript, flip phone; considering it. She opened it and typed in her parent's landline number. They wouldn't get cell service if they were at the farm. She waited a breath and pressed the send button before slowly raising the phone with shaking fingers to her ear.
The phone rang twice before it was picked up with her mom's worried voice coming through the speakers. "Lucy?!"
"Hey, mom," Lucy replied tears coming to her eyes.
"Oh my god, baby. Are you alright? Where are you? Are you hurt?"
"Woah mom slow down." Lucy laughed in relief. "I'm fine, can't say the same for my apartment though. I'm somewhere safe, but if you guys knew where that could put you in danger. I made a friend, he's been taking care of me."
"You said you made a friend who is it?"
Lucy looked over at Bucky. "I don't think he would appreciate me giving out his name, but I'm safe with him. I promise. How are you guys? How's the farm? Did the boys get the fields prepped in time for spring?"
"Yes, yes everything is fine here. Maggie is getting rounder every day. She looks like she is about to pop. Keeps complaining about her swollen feet but Roger's got her well taken care of."
"I can't believe she's already in her third trimester. I'm excited for them both, and can't wait to be an aunt to another one."
Lucy's mom was speaking but the girl's attention was diverted by Bucky swerving off the highway fast.
She looked behind them and spotted the two black SUVs barreling down the road.
"Hey, mom. I'm gonna have to call you back another time. I've got to help my friend lose so-" Lucy was interrupted at the sound of gunshots, and the ping of them hitting the van. "-me unwanted company. Bye, mom." She quickly hung up and tossed the phone at her feet so she could reach into her bag and grab the gun that Katarina had given her.
"Where the hell did you get that?!" Bucky bellowed as he swerved around a corner and onto a back road in the rural southwest of Virginia.
"Katarina," Lucy replied as she undid her seatbelt and turned her body around so she was facing the rear of the car.
Bucky let out a heavy sigh. "God damn that woman." He muttered under his breath as they swung around a curve.
Lucy braced herself with one hand against the window and a foot against the car seat back.
"Do you know how to check your magazine?" Bucky was now speaking to her.
"Nope," Lucy replied with a bright smile, eyeing the chasing cars, and the men firing bullets from them.
"Pull back fast on the top of the gun, a round should pop out, if it does then you're good and you can start firing. Remember-"
