A/N: I'm really changing things up here. I hope you guys enjoy. Special thanks to ohmicrofilm, artemis7448, my 2 Guests, Cat, LadyStrider17, and Lexnewt for reviewing. I always appreciate the feedback you guys.

Disclaimer: I own what is mine.


Chapter Seven

1923 Kingston, New York

Magic

Elena stared with wide blue eyes as she watched her father uncurl his palm. The quarter he had been twirling through his fingers was gone. She gasped in surprise making Samuel hardpress to contain his chuckle. He had done these tricks for Fergus once upon a time, but his eldest had long since lost any interest in his father's silly magic tricks.

His five-year-old, however. Samuel grinned as Elena snatched his hand to look it over. Her sharp little eyes were looking for the lie – trying to understand where he had made the coin go. He made the coin reappear again as she turn his palm over and chuckled at her stymied expression. His smart little girl.

"Again daddy." Elena demanded as she slipped the coin from between his fingers. She looked at the little piece of silver as if it held all the answers in the world. Maybe it did.

Samuel smiled amusedly as he reached down to wrap an arm around his little girl and place her on his lap. She curled into his side almost immediately as she looked up him pointedly. He raised a sardonic brow, "Again? Pigeon, I've done this four times already. Aren't you getting tired of it?"

"No. Again, show me." Elena demand again with a slight pout. This time it was Samuel's turn to giver her a pointed look. She huffed as she continued, "Pleasee. Please, daddy."

Samuel sighed at his princess and gently snatched the quarter from her small fingers. He tapped her nose, "One more time, Pigeon. Then it's bedtime for you."

"But!"

"No buts little girl." Samuel said sternly. He was more aware than most that the blue-eyed pixie on his lap had him wrapped around her little finger, but he knew better than to let Elena have her way with everything... even as she pouted up at him. He sighed tiredly and held up the coin in an effective distraction from his bedtime decree, "Alright, pay attention."

Elena nodded seriously as she watched the quarter spin through her father's fingers again. He hoped that fascination never left her eyes.


1937 Brooklyn, New York

"I thought penguins lived in Antarctica."

Bucky rolled his eyes as he adjusted his bowtie. Admittedly, he did feel a little ridiculous dressed in the monkey suit he had been given for work. His usual slacks and button down had been traded for fine black woolen pants and a cotton shirt so white he thought it would blind someone. Luckily, his tie and vest detracted from the startling sheen, "Yuck it up, Stevie. At least I have a decent paying job for once."

"I give you an hour before you deck someone." Steve drawled as he watched Bucky finish getting ready. He wasn't quite sure how his best friend had landed a job as a server for some hoighty toighty event, but he knew Bucky would be gritting his teeth all night. Steve remembered all to clearly the one time Bucky had spent the day with him on Columbia's campus. The day had gone well for the most part, but not even Steve could keep Bucky from hearing the snide comments some of the more wealthy students made about the scholarship kid in class. And Bucky said he had a short fuse?

"Your faith in me is astonishing." Bucky retorted as he smoothed his hair back, wincing as he caught sight of the healing scar on his forehead. He was thankful that it was summer and the slight tan he had developed from working outside had minimized the obviousness of the pink tissue. He would have to be more careful when he chose his boxing matches in the future. It didn't matter that the purse had been good or that he had lost in the end - he had been out of commission for a few days as he allowed his ribs and hands to heal from fighting the Goliath himself, "Besides it's not like I have time to stand around and listen to anyone gab. I'll be too busy running around with trays and glasses."

"Mmm." Steve hummed in faint disbelief before he slumped onto Bucky's bed, "Don't break a rib again. It's been nice not having to listen to you whine about sitting, standing... you know breathing."

"Stevie, I'm not gonna get in a fight." Bucky murmured exasperated before he caught the mischievous twinkle in his best friend's eye, "Punk."

"Jerk." Steve replied automatically with a shrug, "Last time you said that you ended up at Mac's and came back looking like a punching bag."

"I was a punching bag." Bucky muttered under his breath before a small smile twitched at the corners of his lips. It had been worth it though, as he remembered the grudgingly concerned ocean blue eyes that had belonged to his guardian angel. The delicious blush that had spread across her cheeks when her teasing directness suddenly turned to unexpected shyness.

"Uh huh." Steve smiled knowingly as he watched a familiar spark enter his friend's gaze. He had been trying to get details of the mystery boxing girl out of Bucky for weeks, but he was being unusually quiet about the girl, "You ever gonna tell me about this dame?"

Bucky quirked a brow at Steve as he shrugged, "There's nothing to tell, Stevie. She got me a rag from the bar and bitched me out about fighting a guy twice my size. Nothing happened."

"Yeah, cuz that's why you smile whenever you think about her." Stevie returned drolly, not believing a word Bucky said. Something had happened, "You don't even smile like that over Mitsy Collins and she's been running you in circles for weeks."

Bucky held in a sigh as he thought about the small redhead down the block. Mitsy had been ignoring his attentions for awhile now, but she did it in a way that said she was unwillingly interested, "Ah Mitsy..."

Steve snorted at the disgruntle look and wistful tone with a shake of his head, "You're hopeless."

"Says you." Bucky said as he grabbed his wallet and coat. Where had he put his keys?

"Where is this party anyway?"

"Manhattan. Some ritzy duplex or something." He answered as he caught sight of his keys on the dresser, "I need to get out of here if I don't want to be late. You gonna be up when I get back? We can go grab drinks or go to Johnny's meet a few girls?"

Steve rolled his eyes, neither option sounding particularly appealing to him, "I have to study."

"Study? Stevie, it's Friday night – go and do something fun for a change." Bucky urged as he tried to get his surrogate brother to leave his hermit ways.

"Studying is fun."

"For who? A monk."

"Well a monastery would be more peaceful than living with you."

"Oh real nice. See if I get you a date again." Bucky sniffed in mock offence.

Steve grinned knowingly, "You will just to annoy me."

"Ain't that the truth. See you later Brother Steve." Bucky called as he headed for the door, grinning as he heard Steve's muttered oath. Yeah, that nickname wasn't going away anytime soon.

xXx

Manhattan

Elena bit back a sigh as she stared over the gleaming wooden balcony of the Lansington's Ballroom. The crystal chandelier obscured her from view of those down below as she watched the colorful patchwork of expensive dresses and jewelry shimmering in the low lamp light, accented in stark contrast by the black and grey suits the men wore and glinting silver of the waitstaff trays.

She didn't want to go down there.

As beautiful as the room was, as beautiful as the people looked – it was all such a lie. A beautiful, beautiful lie. She swirled her champagne, tempted to down the entire flute.

"I hope you don't plan on drinking all of that." Elena glanced up to see Howard strolling toward her. She frowned faintly, not sure how she had missed her cousin's arrival, "You'd have to leave your hiding place to get more after all."

"How'd you know I was up here?" Elena asked quietly as Howard joined her in viewing the masses.

He smirked and gave her a pointed look, "An engagement party for Lucille Lansington and George McAllister which has your mother in attendance and who is more than likely waiting for the opportune moment to berate you for not snatching Georgie boy for yourself... The odds were in my favor that you would be hiding up here."

"I'm not hiding." Elena grumbled as she sipped at her champagne. More than aware her cousin was right – she would have to leave if she finished off the glass, "Don't suppose you brought a bottle with you?"

"Sorry, I had a hard enough time sneaking away from your mother's watchful eye." Howard cringed as he remembered his aunt's heavy gaze, "Swear, Aunt Vitoria could make the devil pause."

Elena snickered quietly, "How long do you think I can get away with being up here?"

"Not long. Lucille's the type to notice an absence – not to mention that Uncle Leo's here and wants to speak with you." Howard murmured as he watched his cousin's shoulder's slump with disappointment. He knew better than anyone that she had hoped her departure from Kingston, from her mother would mean the end to this part of her life. Life had its own plans for his cousin, "Brennan's here too, by the way."

Elena groaned and pressed the flute glass to her forehead. Sometimes she was sure the world conspired against her. Her mother and the man that wanted to marry her all in the same building, "Does he know I'm here?"

"He knows your mother is." Howard stated wryly as he tried to suppress a smile at Elena's suddenly horrified expression. The last thing in the world she needed was for her mother to meet Brennan.

"I'll give you a thousand dollars to kill me." Elena whispered desperately as Howard wrapped a hand around her arm to guide her downstairs.

"Ha, you'd have to pay me a few million to make that happen. Besides you will not leave me with Vitoria. I forbid it." Howard whispered back as they descended the stairs, "The quicker we get down there, the quicker we can leave right?"

"If only." Elena grunted.

As soon as their feet hit the floor it was like a curtain had dropped. Elena's face went blank as she raised an indifferent brow and a benign smile. Howard smirked smugly and stuffed his hands into his pockets. The two cousins spared each other a quick glance before they departed in opposite directions. Mingling was now the name of the game – Elena could only hope that she'd manage not to run into her mother or Brennan.

She didn't notice when a certain server caught sight of her gliding across the ballroom or how his eyes widen in surprise when he took in her soft satin grey gown. She looked like a million dollars to him – he could hardly believe he was looking at the same woman he had met weeks ago.

Elena for her part was oblivious to much in the room as she counted the seconds by in her head. She smiled when appropriate, made conversation when needed. She even danced abit, but then her dance partner was her uncle and he could always coax her into doing things she didn't desire to.

"Now, where is my favorite niece's smile." Leonard Turner asked as he spun her around, "It's a party, my dear duckling. You should be enjoying yourself."

Elena gave him a pointed look as she followed his movements, "I'm your only niece, Uncle. And a duck can only enjoy so much when she's in a room of sharks."

Leo chuckled as he realized that Elena was looking at her mother, "You have never been one to be seen as food for the scourge, my dear. Though I take it your mother has been playing matchmaker again."

Elena shrugged, "I wouldn't know. The last time I spoke with mother she accosted me at Pierre's to inform me of this party and of my poor life choices. She also tried to get me to give her five-thousand dollars, but refused to tell me why she needed it."

Leonard frowned at that last bit of information as he tried to hold in a tired sigh. He would never understand what his brother had seen in that shrew of a woman, "Fergus is to be ousted from the family company soon. I believe that Vitoria has caught on to this fact."

Elena nearly froze in place as she looked up at Leo in surprise. Suddenly, everything regarding her mother's sudden reappearance in her life made sense. She was going to be ill, "What?"

"Your brother's been gambling again and not with his own money this time." Leo explained dourily. Seeing his niece's weary acceptance of that statement somehow made everything that much worse.

"I thought his wife had cured him of that particular habit."

"Apparently not – or it might be the fact that Liza has cast him and your mother from the house. According to Liza, Fergus has been keeping a lady in Jersey." The dull way in which Leo delivered that news let Elena know that he was ready to wash his hands of his nephew.

Elena couldn't help, but chuckle at the latest sordid turn the Turner household had taken, "You know uncle, now would be a perfect time to settle down, produce some heirs. Maybe then this family will have a chance at existing into the next decade, let alone the rest of the century."

Leo snorted, slightly affronted, "You have a cruel sense of humor, Ducks."

"Don't I ever." Elena murmured as the duo finished their dance, "I should fill in Howard."

Leo nodded in understanding as he passed her another glass of champagne, "Do that. Your mother is at you ten, Ducks. Good luck."

Elena didn't even glance to her left as she disappeared from her uncle's side. Despite his warning about Vitoria Turner, Leo did not know about Brennan and too late did Elena notice him in her path. Her eyes widen as she caught sight of him looking at her and like a scared rabbit she veared to her left and attempted to put as many people between them as possible. She felt panic blossom in her stomach as she tried to find a good hiding spot and silently cursed her cousin for making her come downstairs. Elena wouldn't normally call herself a coward, but when it came to overly persistent Frenchmen she couldn't run fast enough it seemed.

She turned down a random corridor of the Lansington home as she heard footsteps quickening behind her. She quietly cursed as she searched for a door or even a damn window to dive through. She didn't make it far before she felt a hand grip her wrist and tug her into an empty room. Elena yelped in surprise and turned, fully prepared to give Brennan a piece of her mind. Her mouth snapped shut, however, as her gaze met a familiar pair of steely-blues. She couldn't help, but stare in astonishment as Bucky quickly snapped the door shut behind him. He held a finger up to his mouth to hold off any comments she wanted to make. A few minutes later they could hear steps echoing down the hall they had just left.

"Well, well maybe it's you who's my guardian angel." Elena whispered softly as she heard the footsteps depart from the hall.

Bucky smirked as he leaned back against the door, "Yeah well you looked like you needed some help."

Elena nodded slightly as she tried to formulate words. It wasn't often she was at a loss, but she honestly never thought she would see her boxer again, "Not playing at being James J. Braddock tonight?"

Bucky's eyes glinted with humor as he shook his head, "Fraid not, sweetheart."

"Mmm, I'm not your sweetheart." Elena corrected with a tilt of her head and a sly smile. She finally overcame her shock enough to fully take him in – it registered distantly that he was working with the wait staff tonight, but damn did he look good, "You clean up well. The lack of blood does wonders."

"I didn't think you minded the blood, doll." He cracked a smile as Elena scrunched her nose at the pet name, "While I took you for a well-to-do type, I didn't realize just how well-to-do you are. You look beautiful by the way."

"Thank you." Elena murmured graciously. She felt a faint blush spreading up her neck, she couldn't stop staring, "Did you get my card?"

Bucky paused as he snatched his wallet from his back pocket. She watched curiously as he slipped out her paper card, "Elena Marie Turner." His eyes flicked up to hers, "You don't look like an Elena."

Elena huffed a small laugh as she eyed him almost incredulously, "You kept it."

Bucky shrugged feeling a little chagrined, "Seemed like the thing to do."

"But you didn't come find me?" Elena asked curiously as she stepped into his space. They were doing a strange dance and she didn't quite know what she was doing anymore. His presence made everything strangely blank... peaceful...better. It shouldn't, she didn't know him.

"Was I supposed to?" Bucky asked teasingly as he smiled winningly at her.

"It's called a calling card for a reason." Elena countered amusedly before she stepped away. She need to clear her head. She felt almost dizzy with... something. For the first time she looked around and noted the room they were in was almost completely empty of furniture. There was a desk and little else.

Bucky seemed to notice her sudden distraction as he followed her gaze, "Most of the rooms in this place are like this. If it weren't for the gathering in the ballroom I would think this place was deserted."

Elena raised an amused brow, "Been snooping have you?"

"Apparently, people like me are only to be seen when necessary. I've only just found a few routes to...disappear." Bucky said almost bitterly as he stepped up behind her.

Elena closed her eyes at that statement. She really did hate the world she lived in – the empty room only proved the truth of her earlier thoughts. It was all just a beautiful lie, "How'd you know I wanted to hide?"

"Saw you come down the stairs earlier and then I saw this joker shadow your every step." Bucky stepped in front of her to lean against the desk. He looked at her speculatively, "You seemed intent on staying away from him. Thought I'd help."

"And I'm most grateful." Elena murmured, "You were watching me?"

"Mmmhmm."

"How did I miss you?" She whispered.

Bucky smiled faintly, uncertain why that quiet question pleased him, "You seemed intent on avoiding your fella and that witch of a woman in the blue dress. Just about dumped my tray on that woman."

Blue dress? Elena blinked before she realized who he was talking about, "I wished you had."

"I can still do that." Bucky murmured, more than willing to shake up the bash outside.

"No." Elena shook her head as she found herself leaning on the desk next to him, "No, I wouldn't want you to lose your job. I prefer this to you being beat to a pulp."

"Why's that, doll?" Bucky felt like he was flirting with danger when Elena looked up at him with her big blue eyes. She could make a man melt under that gaze.

"Just do." Elena murmured quietly, "I like you. Not so much the pet names, but I like you."

It was strange how that small admission felt like she had just given everything away. Elena felt her blush intensify for a moment and she had to fight not to look away from him. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She hadn't acted like this since her first crush when she was thirteen. It was ridiculous.

"Good." Bucky smiled smugly, "I like you too, Ellie."

"Ellie?"

"You look like an Ellie." He said softly, intrigued as she continued to stare at him. He felt as odd as she did. As if he was standing on one leg and was waiting for it to collapse.

And it did.

His eyes widen briefly in surprise when Elena suddenly grabbed the front of his shirt to pull him down into a kiss. Usually, he was the one to initiate anything like this, but he wasn't about to complain. Unthinkingly, his hands found her waist as he pulled her between his legs. Her fingers fluttered up to latch onto the small hairs at the back of his neck, sending chills down his spine. He nipped lightly at her lip and at her gasp of surprise he deepened the kiss. Gently guiding his tongue over hers, silently relishing in the taste of champagne that lingered.

All too soon she was breaking away. Her right hand still clenching at his shirt, but more to keep the distance. He smiled at her flushed cheeks and the heat in her eyes, "You're full of surprises."

"We should get back." Elena said smoothly, but not making a move to leave.

He raised a brow at her, "I don't know about that."

Elena chuckled lightly and finally pushed herself to stand away from him, "I do. We should go back and you should find me later."

Bucky paused as he studied her. He licked his lips and nodded, "I can do that...I can do that."

"Okay." Elena whispered as she moved for the door. She looked back at him as she bit her lip, "Later?"

Bucky smiled, wishing later was now, "Later."