The next morning, Madison took a town car to the SHIELD building in D.C. Once a month she was expected to check in with the nearest office for a physical and psychological evaluation, just to make sure she was in peak condition mentally and physically. When it was over, she returned to the Compound, feeling like everything had gone well. As she set down her bag in the entryway, she noticed that the group was gathered in the living room—Steve, Wanda, Vision, Sam, Tony and Bruce Banner—everyone, except Bucky.
She walked over to them, their eyes shifting toward her as she subtly searched for the missing man. "What's up?" she asked.
"Our recon op this weekend got cancelled," Steve replied with a sigh.
Her brows knitted together in surprise. "What? Why?" She knew how important this op was. Sharon had filled her in when she'd joined the team—a British man, Thomas Catesby, with deep pockets and an even deeper influence on the British government, was looking to secretly overthrow the monarchy once and for all. He had an important meeting scheduled in London on Saturday and a gala planned for that evening. The group had arranged to fly in Friday night, do recon on Saturday, then fly out Sunday. Not attending or getting information from these events could hurt their mission in the long run—their mission being to protect the monarchy, for its collapse would ultimately affect the United States.
"We've been made," Sam said.
"What do you mean?"
"Somehow Catesby found out that we were going to be in London, so our cover's blown," Steve said. "We had to back out."
"That's ridiculous," she said. "This is too important to miss. How the hell did he find out?"
Steve shook his head. "I don't know, but we're out."
"When you say he 'found out we were going,' who are you referring to?"
"Uh, well, everyone sitting here, I guess. Why?" he asked, suspicious.
Madison looked around the room, taking in their discouraged faces. Sucking in a deep breath, she stated, "I'll go."
Everyone appeared stunned and somewhat speechless. Finally, Steve said, "You can't go alone."
She gestured outward with her hands. "Why not? I've done this sort of thing before. I go in disguise, get my information, and leave."
"All it takes is one slip, one rat—possibly the same one who made us—and you're done. Catesby has killed people for less. Obviously he doesn't do it himself, but he has the ability to make people disappear," Tony protested.
Madison heaved out a sigh. "I need you to trust me on this. Let me prove myself, that I can be an asset to this team. People know your faces—you're famous. I'm not. I can do this."
When Steve began to protest again, a deep voice said from the kitchen, "I'll go with her."
They all turned to see Bucky standing against the sink, a glass of water in his large hand. The neck of his white t-shirt looked damp and his forehead shone, probably from exercising in their private gym.
"Are you sure you're up for it?" Bruce asked, eyeing him skeptically. "We haven't implemented the procedure yet. You're still susceptible to activation, should someone want that. You know it doesn't take much…"
"I know," Bucky said, setting down his water, perhaps a little too hard. The glass cracked. He slowly released a tense breath and glanced at Madison. "I know." His voice was softer this time.
She had to look away from his intense gaze—so much heartache and fear in his beautiful eyes. It was a huge risk for him to go outside the Compound with the Winter Soldier still inside him, but he was willing to do it for her. No, wait…for the group. Not just her. She had to resist the urge to slap her forehead.
"No one knows I'm off ice," Bucky continued. "It gives us the advantage."
"You'll watch out for her?" Steve asked now.
As he nodded, Madison said, half-joking, "Hey, guys, I can take care of myself." When they ignored her, she gave Bucky a sincere smile. "But I welcome the help."
The corner of his lips curved into a faint smile, a sight that made Madison's heart do a small flip.
Steve didn't notice their slightly flirtatious exchange as he continued on to say, "I had told Sharon I would visit her this weekend, so I'll fly you over there on Friday. Be ready to go at 1300 hours?"
"Sounds good," Madison replied, turning away from the group and Bucky, purposely avoiding his gaze as she walked by. Any more looks like that from him and she'd be a puddle on the floor.
Friday afternoon came faster than Madison could have hoped. She and Wanda had spent Thursday raiding Natasha's closet while the redhead spoke to them via video chat. Madison needed a designer suit for the meeting and a dazzling dress for the gala, and Natasha knew exactly what to lend her.
Now, Madison boarded their private jet with those garments in hand. She stowed her things in the back and sat behind Steve, who was in the pilot's seat. Bucky boarded the plane a moment later, placing himself beside her. She admired how handsome he looked in simply a baseball hat, hooded leather jacket and jeans—until he made eye contact and caught her staring at him. She gave him a quick smile and began rooting around in her purse. She pulled out a weathered copy of Jane Eyre and opened it to her bookmarked page.
"Charlotte Brontë," Bucky said with a hint of a smile. "Even I've heard of her."
Madison glanced up and said, "She's my favorite. I've read this book more times than I am years old."
"There are millions of books in the world. I've never understood the appeal of reading something more than once."
She shrugged. "It brings me…comfort. When I'm stressed or scared, I just open it to where I last left off and start reading. I'm familiar with the story. There aren't any surprises. I know the characters inside and out…"
"Are you scared right now?" he asked quietly. It seemed like a forward question, but his genuine concern overshadowed that.
Madison chewed on her bottom lip and glanced toward Steve, who wasn't paying them any attention. She looked back at Bucky and whispered, "Can I tell you something I've never told anyone?"
His brow twitched, like he hadn't expected that response, but then he nodded.
"I hate flying." She followed her confession with an embarrassed grin.
Bucky let out a soft chuckle. He quickly wet his lips—an unexpected action that drove her insides wild—and said in a hushed voice, "Your secret's safe with me."
They landed in London a mere two hours later, thanks to their Mach 3 jet. It was well past dinnertime in Great Britain, but not quite that time back in the states. She hoped they would opt for some room service after checking in, and then call it an early night.
Sharon picked up Steve at the airfield, while Madison and Bucky took a town car to their hotel. The establishment was welcoming and, perhaps, historical, as it lacked the modern edge that most hotels had nowadays—and it was absolutely breathtaking. A beautiful crystal chandelier graced the grand lobby, which boasted a dark wood finish and gold accents. The twosome checked in and took the elevator to their room. Madison had been a little surprised to find out that they were sharing a room, but it wouldn't be a problem. There were two beds and two of them.
But there weren't two beds.
Bucky opened the door for her. Once inside, they both stood staring in alarm at the king-size bed. The rest of the room held a coffee-colored leather couch, television, and small dining set.
Madison was the first to speak. "I'm going back downstairs. We can get a different room…"
"I heard someone say they were full up. Football match."
She huffed out a breath. "Uh, well…we're adults. We can share the bed," she said with a shrug.
He waved her away. "Nah, it's all right. I'll just take the couch."
Madison frowned. She wondered if he was trying to keep things professional or if he had some kind of aversion to her. She wanted to assume it wasn't personal. It still hurt though.
Bucky dropped his bag by the couch and turned right around to go out the door. "I'm going to get an extra blanket. Be right back…"
"Okay," she responded, starting to open her bag on the bed. She pulled out a long-sleeve shirt and lounge pants. The flight, while short, had still left her feeling tired and uncomfortable. She longed to change, get a quick bite to eat and fall asleep watching something mindless. She stripped off her boots, pants and shirt, stuffing them into her bag. Before she could put on her new clothes, the hotel door clicked open. She grabbed her gun, not expecting him to be back so soon.
When Bucky came through the doorway empty-handed, she stopped aiming at him and aimed to cover her body instead. She imagined he got an eyeful of her black bra and lacy underwear before he even knew what was happening. His eyes got wide, then shut, as he spun around and put his back to her.
"Shit, James!" she exclaimed.
At the same time, he said, "I- I'm sorry!"
While she struggled to put on her shirt and pants, she asked, "How'd you get back here so fast? I thought you were getting a blanket."
"I was. I ran into the concierge in the hallway and he said there's a blanket in that closet." Bucky pointed to a nearby door.
Sighing, she said, "You can turn around now."
He moved slowly, not quite meeting her mortified gaze. She watched him take off his hat and toss it onto the table, along with his jacket and gloves. He raked a hand through his hair, his bicep bulging beneath the soft material of his burgundy shirt—a hue that probably matched her cheeks. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and gave her a feeble smile.
"Thanks for not shooting me."
After that, I might turn it on myself, she thought. Instead, she playfully rolled her eyes and nodded.
A/N: Thanks for continuing to follow along! Let me know what you think of the story so far and your hopes for future chapters! :D