Author's Note: After watching Captain America: Civil War I was disappointed that we didn't learn more about where Bucky had been for two years. How had he stayed under the radar? I wanted to understand a little about how he got his memories back. How had he gone from the ruthless soldier we saw in CA:TWS to someone that was functioning in society? This story is my attempt to answer some of these questions.

In this story he will experience confusion, hurt, comfort, a slow burn romance, and friendship. There will be pain too. After all, the Bucky in CA:CW didn't seem to be living a fairy tale.

I wanted to set the story someplace a little different from some of the fanfiction I've read. The story is set it in Montana, USA.

Colleen, the heroine of the story, is not a veteran or a trained psychologist. She is an ordinary women dealing with normal dilemmas that meets an extraordinary man who changes her life. She doesn't have any super powers and won't be rushing off to join him in battle with the Avengers.

This is my first multi chapter fiction. I hope you will submit constructive comments. Thank you!


It Always Ends in a Fight

Prologue

Bucky's eyes darted around the wrecked dining room. The other people in the room were still and silent. The only noise was Bucky's labored breathing. He wasn't badly hurt nor had the fight been particularly exerting. It was his emotions that caused him to breath fast and loud. He tried to take a deep calming breath but the smell of smoke from the gunfire and the blood from the people lying around the room only deepened his emotional distress.

He held a pistol in his steady metal hand. He used his shaking right hand to wipe the moisture from his face.

Bucky jerked when a buzzer sounded in the kitchen. He turned towards the noise and slowly walked into the adjacent room. The fragrance of cooking beef filled his nostrils. Bile rose in this throat at the scent of food mixed with death.

He paused before he mustered the courage to looked at the person on the kitchen floor. His breathing became more labored as his emotions nearly overwhelmed him. He gingerly stepped over the person and turned off the buzzer and oven. Dealing with the appliance seemed trivial and dumb to him but he found a small measure of comfort when the buzzing stopped.

He stepped back over the crumpled form on the kitchen floor looking again at the destruction in the dining room. He closed his eyes and tried to center himself.

After a few beats of his heart, he opened his eyes and turned to the phone hanging on the kitchen wall. He picked up the receiver and dialed 911. After three rings a women said, " Sheriff's Department, what's your emergency?" Bucky slowly placed the headset on the counter leaving the connection open.

His mind was filled with a few simple thoughts that had begun to repeat. He had to go. He couldn't stay. He couldn't be caught. He wouldn't become the Soldier again.

His eyes turned to the pistol in his hand and he considered dying in the kitchen. He wasn't sure what stopped him. He finally moved again, taking measured steps towards the back door of the house.

He stepped outside as the wind blew through the aspen at the rear of the house. He paused and stared up at the darkening sky. He gulped in lungsful of clean air. A few drops of moisture landed on his upturned face mixing with his tears. A clap of thunder jolted Bucky again into action. He walked quickly towards to the truck and climbed inside – stashing the pistol under the seat.

He had to go. He couldn't stay. He could not be caught.

He put the truck in gear and headed away from the ranch as rain began to fall.