IC Inbox (v1.0)

[jumpthegun]

You've reached Dr. John Watson. Please leave a message.

Comments

[armoured]

That's not what I said, I asked if you were sure. Mr. Barnes hasn't been reliable in the past for the truth, from what I've heard.

[jumpthegun]

Alphonse, there are films that have Bucky and Mr. Pierce in them where I'm from. You read my casebook. They're fictional, and I know far more about them than I should.

[armoured]

[Oh...]

Then why wasn't Mr. Barnes mentioned in your casebook at all?

[He knows why Pierce wasn't, that was before his time.]

[jumpthegun]

Because I made a promise to keep our discussions discreet. I didn't want even a chance that the Admin might see what I was writing about him, even if she could read our chat logs. Bucky's from the same universe as Captain Rogers, if that helps.

[armoured]

Fine, then I'll talk to him.

[Getting an opinion from neither of the people involved seems a good plan.]

[jumpthegun]

If you'd like. The man here now isn't far enough along his own timeline to know what happened to Bucky. But he can tell you how Bucky was before he changed.

[He realizes how terribly 'convenient' that sounds. No one to independently corroborate his story. Nat and Clint are both gone, and so is Charlie.]

[armoured]

[The does sound ridiculously convenient. Al is trying not to think the worse of Dr. Watson, but he's really not making it easy.]

Has Mr. Pierce hurt Mr. Barnes while we've been here? And if he has, then how?

[Come on, give him some proof here rather than hearsay.]

[jumpthegun]

Yes. I can't say how, though.

[Not for Bucky. But for himself, maybe...]

Mr. Pierce tried strangling me when we were in that white spiral maze. It wasn't physically provoked on my end.

[armoured]

There's a lot that you can't say, Doctor Watson.

[IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING.]

I'm sorry that happened. I think I should go now, though.

[He has to talk to Pierce about all this.]

[jumpthegun]

I'd ask that you not share with Mr. Pierce what I've told you.

[armoured]

Then how am I supposed to get to the bottom of who's telling the truth?!

[If text could be a frustrated yell, that's what this text would be.]

[jumpthegun]

You aren't. Like I said, Al, this isn't your problem.

[And good God, is this what Alfie felt like when John was snooping around him at first? Because he can understand wanting to strangle himself now.]

[armoured]

I'm sorry, Dr. Watson, but it's become my problem now.

[He will never back down.]

[jumpthegun]

[John bristles.]

Then I think we're finished talking. Good morning, Al. Keep warm today.

[armoured]

Good morning, Dr. Watson.

[And he'll hang up there too.]