**For those that were taken aback by the development in the last chapter...remember that maturity warning in chapter ten of the last story?...yea, no further explanation needed**

**Enjoy**

Chapter Three: No Reason

It wasn't until he had time to get the room to stop spinning that he managed to take in the interior of the house. A long wooden table had been set in the center of the dining room, capable of seating six comfortably. A marble top island was placed near the table, as part of the joined kitchen, the blackened wood paneling along the cabinets and cupboards accenting nicely with the black appliances. A small entryway past the kitchen led into a large open living room with a lower set floor, complete with a stone bordered fireplace along the far wall.

A tan suede L shaped couch came around from the off set, hugging against the left wall. A plasma T.V sat on a glass entertainment stand in the right corner of the room, ensuring any glare coming in from the sliding glass door would not affect the picture. Bucky took notice of two things that seemed to strike him as odd. One of them was the small boxes in the living room that were packed with what looked like picture frames, and the other was the fingerprint scanner mounted on the handle of the door in the dining room, that likely led to the garage.

They all sat around the table, Steve and Jamie on one side, Stark and Sam opposite of them, leaving Kade to sit on the opposite head of Bucky; giving her ample opportunity to glare at him. Stark above the others seemed to be thoroughly enjoying dinner.

"I will admit, I'm not overly big on spaghetti, but this sauce is amazing, what's your secret?"

Kade laughed softly, unsure if it was just an attempt to break the awkward silence or whether he was being genuine.

"Lean ground turkey…and oregano" she replied.

"Mom's a good cook" Jamie added, taking a mouthful of spaghetti from his fork.

"I'll second that" Sam stated.

Bucky nodded gently, all too familiar with her abilities in the kitchen after being able to make tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches with next to nothing.

"Nice place you got here" Steve stated, not wanting to let the silence return.

"Thank you…truthfully it's rented out like this, save for the personal belongings…makes it easy" her tone softened at the end as she averted her eyes.

"How long have you been living here?" he asked.

"About six months"

"We move around a lot" Jamie remarked.

"Jamie" Kade warned.

"Sorry" Steve said, not wanting to get the boy in trouble.

"It's not your fault, just part of life" Kade replied.

"So…where do you work?" Stark asked.

"I'm an online contractor…I write security and encryption software for companies to use on their websites"

"So you're good with computers?"

"Yea…I'd say so" she laughed.

"Mom used to be a computer hacker" Jamie piped proudly.

Kadence turned to glare at him, not needing any further words to implement a silent threat.

"Shutting up" he remarked.

"A computer hacker huh?" Stark suddenly looked thoroughly intrigued, likely only due to his empty plate.

"Keyword there…used to…past tense"

"I doubt that"

She eyed him dangerously, and it seemed more than one in the room picked up on the sudden edge of tension.

"I think we're getting a little off topic here" Bucky finally remarked.

"Agreed" Kade added, stabbing at her spaghetti.

"Oh no I think we're on perfect topic, because now, your name is ringing a very distinct bell. You're Kadence Jestings…otherwise known as the Jester…the computer genius that not only broke through the department of defense like it was child's play, but single handedly hacked HY-"

"Stark!"

The warning came from Kade, Steve and Bucky at the same time, instantly hushing the billionaire.

"I think I should probably be excused now" Jamie stated, seeming lost against the hostile voices of the adults.

"I think that's a good idea. Go wash up, I want you in bed by eight thirty, you have school in the morning" Kade remarked.

"Brush my teeth tonight and make it nine?" he asked, hopefully.

Kade raised her eyebrows at him questionably.

"Please?" he finished.

"Fine" she breathed.

Jamie bounded toward her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Love you mom!" he stated quickly, darting off for the stairs.

The four men watched as Jamie disappeared behind the wall, Sam shaking his head as he returned to his plate.

"Seven years old and already a con-artist" he remarked.

Kade took a napkin to her cheek, wiping the excess of Jamie's spaghetti laced kiss from her skin.

"Understatement of the year" she stated.

"It's a hereditary trait, he must get it from his dad" Stark jested.

The jest earned him glares from both Kade and Bucky.

"Back off Stark, I think you've made your point" Steve warned.

"What I want to know is why you looked…shocked about all this…" Stark continued, ignoring Steve completely and turning his attention to Bucky.

"…unless…you didn't know…you didn't tell him?" Tony asked, wide eyed in disbelieve as he turned toward Kade; who looked ready to reach across the table and stab him with a butter knife.

"You see that is why I decided to get into a committed relationship, because you never know when an old lov-"

"Enough!" Kade barked, slamming her fist into the table.

The items on the table rattled against the impact of her hit, but while it was subtle, Bucky swore they moved ever so slightly toward him; as if pushed by an unseen force. He said nothing, looking up at her and noticing her right hand wrap around the leather bracelet as she took steadying breaths to calm herself. She suddenly pushed her chair back, abruptly getting to her feet and taking her plate to the kitchen. The utensils clattered against the plate as she set it down into the sink, resting her hands on the counter as she took a deep breath. Kade turned to them, leaning against marble counter and crossing her arms over her chest.

"You want to know why I faked my death, I'll tell you. Even with the information I leaked, I knew it would take time before HYDRA fell completely…and as long as even one agent remained, I wasn't safe"

"Your death was a public announcement, the U.S president aired a speech about it" Steve argued.

"HYDRA agents fake their deaths all the time…even with those circumstances they wouldn't be convinced…not really. They'd keep an eye out…watching…waiting for me to be stupid enough to screw up and when I did, they'd make it their life's mission to ensure my next funeral…wasn't fake…"

Steve nodded softly, accepting the information.

"…so I left DC, went into the wind, covered my tracks…stayed low" she finished.

"It's been seven years…HYDRA is gone, they aint comin back" Sam stated.

An amused smile crossed her lips and she gently shook her head, not removing eye contact from him.

"You really believe that? Deep down? Because I don't" she remarked.

Kade released her arms and walked back into the dining room, taking a few items from the table to go back to the kitchen.

"There are a little over two hundred agents that have not yet been accounted for in the arrest records, and that's global arrest records. Those two hundred can still pose a viable threat if they wanted to, if even to show the world that HYDRA can't be killed"

The four were silent as she went back to collect the last few items from the table and return them to the kitchen.

"So there you have it…anything else you want to say?"

Tony made a gesture to open his mouth when Steve silenced him.

"Not a word Stark…you've said enough"

The billionaire almost looked offended but spoke up nonetheless.

"Thank you for dinner?"

Kade rubbed her tongue behind her teeth for a moment before she let out a sigh.

"It's late, you all are welcome to spend the night here…there's a guest room down stairs…the couch and recliner should be enough for the rest of you"

With that, she retreated for the small set of stairs, leaving the four still sitting around the dinner table; exchanging glances.

"You really don't know when to quit do you?" Steve grumbled, getting to his feet and taking his plate with him.

"Hey, we finally got an explanation" Stark argued.

"We're guests in this house, we should act like it"

"Fine by me…" he stated, getting to his feet.

"…I will act like a guest, and take advantage of the guest room" Stark finished.

Tony took up his plate, dropping it off at the sink and moseying over toward the bedroom door, closing it behind him.

"Is he ever not a dick?" Sam asked, shaking his head.

"Sometimes…but not very often" Steve remarked.

Bucky sat there, ignoring their conversations, too focused on the table cloth that was visibly bunched up in front of his plate.

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Kade rinsed her toothbrush under the faucet before tossing it back into the cup at the edge of the sink. She held her hair back as she leaned down, taking a mouthful of water from the spout, swishing it around to clear the excess toothpaste foam before spitting it into the sink. Cutting the water off, she slowly stood up straight; gazing into the mirror silently. Without realizing it, her fingers began to trace over the leather bracelet. Even when sleeping, she refused to risk taking it off.

She stared into the mirror for several minutes before she sighed in exasperation, abruptly turning to leave; shutting the bathroom light off as she did. Kade left her bedroom and headed down the small hallway, knocking briefly on a partially open door before she opened it. Jamie was parked in front of the small T.V in the right corner of his room, focused intently on the video game he was currently playing, and by the looks of it, already changed for bed.

"Lights out kiddo"

"Almost done" he answered, his fingers going mad on the controller.

She brought her attention to the screen, recognizing the bit graphics of an old Super Nintendo game that she used to play when she was a kid; it seemed Mortal Kombat had not yet lost its luster with the next generation.

"Got him" Jamie breathed, quickly saving his game before killing the power.

"Finish your homework?" she asked as he scrambled off the floor.

"Check"

"Put your dirty clothes away?"

"Check"

"Teeth"

Jamie stopped in front of her, flashing a huge toothy grin.

"Check…good" she remarked.

The boy climbed into bed, yanking his covers down to slide underneath them, all but falling down on the pillow as Kade pulled the covers up over him; sitting down on the side of the bed.

"You did good tonight, you behaved yourself with our guests…I'm proud of you" she commented.

Jamie smiled up at her, his eyes sparkling. Kade felt a familiar tingling in her chest, a feeling she could only associate with the pride of a parent. She leaned down, placing a kiss on his forehead and sitting back up.

"See you in the AM"

"Yep"

Kade gave him one last smile and got up off the bed, heading toward the door.

"Hey mom" Jamie called softly.

She stopped with her hand on the door knob, looking back at him.

"Who was the guy that sat across from you at dinner?"

A lump lodged itself in her throat, making it impossible to speak for a moment. She swallowed hard, trying to relieve herself of it, while also trying to maintain her composure.

"His name is Bucky…he's a…friend of mine…why?" her voice was only slightly raspy, and she prayed he didn't pick up on it.

"No reason" Jamie replied.

Kade sighed softly, realizing that for now, she was in the clear.

"Good night Jamie" she stated.

"Night mom"

She reached over and switched the light off as he curled up in his blankets. Kade quietly shut the door behind her, standing by it for several minutes, trying to recollect her thoughts before she made her way downstairs. Kade rounded the corner and walked toward the sink, stopping in her tracks to see the counters completely cleared. She moved toward the dishwasher beside the sink, seeing the activity lights on. A soft laugh bubbled up from her throat and she shook her head in amazement.

"Sorry about Stark…" Steve remarked, coming up from behind her.

Kade flinched and turned to face him, no doubt slightly started by his sudden appearance, but recomposing herself quickly.

"…he can be a real jerk sometimes but he's good to have around in a pinch" he finished.

She nodded her head in agreement, smiling softly.

"I've dealt with my fair share of pompous jerks…Tony Stark is no different" she chuckled.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced…Steve Rogers" he stated, offering his hand.

"Kadence Jestings…" she replied, taking his offer with her own.

"…but you already knew that"

"It's good to finally meet you in person…or at least…alive" he joked.

Kade smiled as they broke their handshake.

"I want to thank you for dinner, and for letting us stay here tonight" he stated.

She looked out through the small open window above the sink, seeing Sam nestle down in the recliner, curled up in a large blanket.

"Well, you guys did come across the country to get here…it's the least I owe you"

"You don't owe us anything…actually it should be us owing you" he suggested.

Kadence turned a questioning gaze toward him, urging him to explain.

"It's thanks to you that HYDRA has been crippled…and that Bucky was able to take part of it" Steve explained.

She took a deep breath, crossing her arms over her chest.

"His hatred for HYDRA runs deep, it probably always will…but that's something more than just two of us have in common"

Steve only gave a short nod in agreement, and the two of them exchanged uneasy glances; neither wanting to bring up too much of their past to explain themselves.

"I'm gonna step outside for a few minutes, get some fresh air before bed" she stated, wanting to break the silence.

"Sure thing…good night"

"Night"

Kade followed Steve into the living room, but turned right toward the sliding glass door. She stepped out onto the back porch, feeling the hot dry air of the day slowly fade into the cooling kiss of nightfall. Quietly shutting the door behind her she walked over to the bannister, kneeling down at an overturned flower pot, lifting it up ever so slightly to retrieve a pack of Marlboro's and a small BIC lighter from beneath it.

She pulled a cigarette from the pack, holding it between her lips as she slid her thumb across the spark-wheel, drawing in a slow breath until the cherry formed. Satisfied, she tossed the pack and the lighter back into its hiding spot and turned to take a seat on the rail. She took the cigarette between her fingers, pulling it away as she let out a slow exhale; releasing a thin streak of smoke from her lips.

"You're stressed" he stated.

Kade snapped her attention forward, watching him emerge from the shadows like he did in the abandoned house; but unlike the time when they first met…she had no fear of him at all.

"What makes you say that?" she asked, returning the cigarette to her lips.

"You only smoke when you're stressed" he retorted, slowly walking over to lean against the bannister beside her.

She laughed softly, exhaling smoke as she did.

"A week or two in Russia and you think you know me?"

"I know enough"

"Bullshit"

Kadence glared at him, and he just glared right back. After a few moments of silence, she turned her gaze away, taking a drag from her cigarette.

"He's mine isn't he?"

She scoffed and hopped down from the railing.

"As if that wasn't already obvious, Stark practically made a spectacle out of it!" she spat, amused he had to ask.

"When?" he hissed sternly, as if trying to keep the conversation under control.

Kadence was quiet for a moment, rubbing the sides of her forehead with her free hand; keeping her back to him.

"Two months after I left DC, I was in New Mexico, following up with a contact to get a passport and ID for New Zealand…thought I caught a stomach bug, and knew they wouldn't let me fly if I was sick so I went to get it treated…that's when the doctor told me I was two months pregnant…you can imagine my shock…I was on birth control, every six months like clockwork…go in, get a shot, go on with life…but apparently having a super soldier partner negates that"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You think it was that easy!?..." she snipped, wheeling around to face him.

"...hey, haven't spoken to you in a while, by the way, you have a son…that's not something you tell someone over the phone or in an email…trust me…I must have made countless tries…I just…I couldn't"

He noticed the slightest break in her voice, and she lowered her eyes; taking another drag from her cigarette before flicking it out into the yard.

"Raising a child on the run is no easy thing, I was scared to death…for both of us…but if given half a chance to go back and change anything I wouldn't, because that boy is the best thing that has ever happened to me, so if you wanna be mad at me, you can go right ahead and be mad, because I don't give a fu-"

She was abruptly cut off when she felt his lips on hers, his arms wrapping around her body and holding her against him so forcefully. Her thoughts came crashing down around her, feeling nothing but the warmth of his body against hers, the possessive claim of his lips; she didn't think she'd miss it this much until she had it again.

He felt her go rigid against him, but slowly melt right into his hold. Her mouth parted gently, allowing him to deepen the kiss. The faint taste of toothpaste mixed with the aftertaste of her cigarette was not the most favorable of mixes, but he didn't care. Bucky felt her arms finally circle around his abdomen, her fingers gripping against the cotton shirt like she was holding on for dear life.

Kade's head was reeling and her knees started going numb. Her heart was pounding against her ribs so hard she thought it was going to burst out of her chest; but the sparks flying in her brain was just a bonus to the feeling of pure ecstasy that was coursing through her veins. She wasn't sure how she noticed it suddenly getting brighter, until an electrical humming echoed into her ears.

A loud pop and the shattering of glass seemed to startle both of them, forcing them apart to stare blankly in the dark at where the porch light used to be; small threads of smoke still drifting from the charred coils. She was only mildly out of breath, glancing around at the bits of blackened glass by the door. A lump formed in her throat and she pushed herself away from him, taking a step backward and raising her hands in a gesture of defeat.

Bucky looked on puzzled as her whole demeanor changed in an instant, backing away and looking as if she was going to break down crying. Kade finally made a move for the door, ignoring his warnings about the glass as she danced around it; pushing back the door hastily and darting inside. She retreated to her room and had all but slammed the door by the time he got back inside.

"What was that all about?" Steve asked, partially sitting up from his spot on the couch.

"Nothing, just go to sleep" Bucky sighed, closing the door behind him and locking it.

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Kade pressed the band-aid into the ball of her foot, surprised she came out of that mess with nothing but a small cut on the bottom of her foot. Satisfied with her first aid, she brought her foot off the sink, gingerly walking over to her bed; turning the bathroom light off as she went. She crawled over her bed, reaching for the small phone on her nightstand. Retrieving the device, she sat at the head of the bed, flipping the lid open and quickly going into messaging folder, creating a quick text and sending it to one of the few contacts on her list.

'Message Sent'

With that, she shut the phone, holding it in momentary thought before she leaned over, plugging the phone back to the charger. She double checked the clock, making sure the alarm was set before she nestled herself beneath the covers, curling up tight and praying for sleep.