A/N: It feels great to be back! Thank you for all of the reviews, follows and faves! :)
Madison Clark shook Vision's hand, fascinated by his unique coloring—something she'd always wanted to see up close. She knew about all of the Avengers—who didn't—but pulling an all-nighter to get a crash course in their files helped provide a deeper understanding of their backgrounds. She barely resisted the urge to start asking him a string of questions. She knew there would be a better time and place for that, though.
"Madison is one of our top agents. She and I have been through a lot," Sharon said with a laugh. The two women exchanged a knowing look. "She'll be a great addition to the team while Natasha is away."
"It's good to meet you," Wanda said, smiling. "I'll need some help keeping these boys in check."
Madison grinned and was about to reply, but got that strange feeling like she was being watched. She glanced to her left and saw three men talking in the next room, their gazes directly on her. Her grin faltered. She knew all three would be very attractive, but nothing prepared her for their appearances in person. Wanda was right—this place reeked of testosterone.
But she wasn't complaining.
Directing her attention back to Wanda while she still could, she simply said, "I'm happy to help in whatever way I can."
Sharon held out her arm and began walking down the hall. Madison gave Wanda and Vision one more pleasant smile and then followed. The lab door slid open and they entered, their heels clicking on the white ceramic tiles. Madison clenched her jaw as she attempted to quell her nerves, then exhaled quietly, releasing the tension.
Steve held out his hand and she shook it, saying, "It's an honor to meet you, Captain Rogers."
He flashed his white teeth. "Call me Steve."
She swapped a handshake with Tony. "Mr. Stark, I'm a huge fan of your work."
"Thank you. And, uh, I'm sure I'll be a fan of whatever it is you do," he said with a mischievous sparkle in his dark eyes.
Steve scoffed. "Come on, Tony, we talked about this."
He turned up one hand, pretending to be surprised. "What?"
At the same time, Sharon smirked and said in a stage whisper, "See, I warned you about this one."
Madison mirrored the smirk and then locked eyes with the last man in the room. Something in his penetrating gaze told her that Sharon had warned her about the wrong guy.
When the room fell uncomfortably quiet, Steve began to say, "This is Sergeant James Barnes, but we all call him—"
"The Winter Soldier," Madison said, sounding somewhat in awe.
"Bucky," the dark-haired man supplied, his eyes slightly narrowed. "They call me Bucky."
She fought to contain the blush rising into her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I just…I've read a lot about you." She had found his file the most interesting, but wouldn't admit it—at least not to his face.
He briefly raised his eyebrows and a tight smile pulled at his full lips. "All good things I'm sure." His deep voice was laced with sarcasm.
Her gaze softened on him. She knew about Hydra, his framing in Vienna, and the truth behind Tony's parents' deaths—so many merciless deeds, caused by the use of only ten specific words.
"'The past does not define us; what does is only who we choose to be,'" she quoted.
"That's good," Tony said. "You get it off a fortune cookie?"
Madison laughed. "I don't remember where I saw it. It just stuck with me." She looked at Bucky once again and said sincerely, "It's good to meet you."
He gave her a single nod in response.
"So you're sure you're up for this? It can get pretty intense," Steve said. "I mean, if Sharon recommended you, then I won't question her judgment. I know you read our files—I read up on you, too. It was impressive."
Madison shrugged. "I'm not a superhero. I don't have a fancy suit. I don't have super strength." She paused. "But I believe I have the skills to hold my own. I'm here to help in whatever way I can, if you'll have me…"
Steve quickly looked at the other people in the room. When they didn't contest, he nodded and said to her, "Welcome to the crew."
After Sharon and Steve said a few words in private—and shared an awkward kiss—the woman left to catch a plane back to London. Wanda showed Madison to her guest room, which was far nicer than any hotel room she'd ever been in. The king-size bed was outfitted with cool-colored sheets and a leather-studded headboard. Large windows lined one wall, showcasing a spectacular view of the lap pool down below. Also on that wall, a sliding glass door led out onto a small balcony. There wasn't much in her room, but Wanda told her she was welcome to add personal touches since it would be home for the next few months.
Madison opened her suitcase and started to unpack. Steve stopped in for a moment and told her dinner would arrive at 1800 hours—Sam had dubbed Mondays Chinese night. She thanked him and he went on his way. After taking a few minutes to answer some emails, she decided to get in a few laps before their food showed up. She changed into her one-piece black Speedo bathing suit, and covered it with a pair of athletic shorts and a zippered hoodie. She grabbed a towel from her bathroom and took the elevator to the first floor.
The luxurious lap pool was bordered by tall hedges on one side and rolling green grass on the other three. A concrete patio edged the water itself, boasting a few lounge chairs for those who did not feel like swimming. She tossed her towel onto one of the chairs and stripped down to her bathing suit. After a few quick stretches, she dived straight into the crystal blue water—she never bothered stepping in inch by inch to get used to it. The cool liquid felt amazing, swirling around her as she cut through it using a simple freestyle stroke.
After about twenty minutes, Madison emerged from the pool. She began to walk toward her towel—and stopped in her tracks. Bucky stood with the towel in his hand, and held it out to her. She resumed walking and took it from him, hoping to appear casual and unfazed, even though her heart was knocking against her ribs.
"Going for a swim?" she asked. Her bathing suit was appropriate and covered quite a bit, but there was something about the way he looked at her. She might as well have been naked.
He smiled a little, blowing an amused breath through his nose. "No, I don't think Stark would approve of that." He held up his arm, which was covered by a long-sleeve shirt. His exposed metal hand shone in the sunlight. "He just gave me a new arm."
Madison watched him move his fingers with ease and said, "Technology's come a long way in seventy years."
Bucky slid her a sidelong glance. "Ain't that the truth."
If he wasn't going to swim, she wondered why he had come down to the pool. She went to pick up her clothes, but he reached out and touched her arm, his normal hand warm on her cool skin.
"What you said to me earlier…" He hesitated. "Do you really believe that?"
She frowned. "You mean, about not letting your past define you?"
He nodded.
"Of course. We've all done things we're not proud of, but we can't let those actions dictate our whole lives. Granted, your situation is a little different. But right now you, James, have control over who you are. What you do with that is entirely up to you. It has nothing to do with the Winter Soldier."
Bucky scowled at her and pointed at his head. "But he's in here. He's a part of me. When and where that guy shows up is something I have no control over."
Madison realized the conversation was getting somewhat heated and hadn't meant for that to happen. She'd heard that Bucky Barnes was the quiet type and rarely said much, so their current discussion surprised the heck out of her. She wrapped the towel around her torso and turned to face him again. It was the first time she noticed how tall he was—by at least a head. His broad shoulders rippled beneath the black shirt and for a moment she felt intimidated by his sheer size. She forced herself to meet his eyes, their cobalt color reflecting the pool water behind her. Instinctively she gulped, and saw something change in his gaze. His shoulders dropped on an exhale and something resembling apprehension flickered in his eyes.
Stepping out of her comfort zone and into the bear cage, she touched her middle and pointer fingers to his chest, feeling hard muscle underneath. "James is in here…and that's who I'm talking to right now. That's all that matters."
Before he could say anything, she gathered her things and brushed past him to go back inside the Compound.