Hey everybody! Thanks so much for your kind reviews and for reading my story! It's not perfect but it's been fun to write! I finally have time to write with school being on break for the Christmas holidays. I suck at updating, but I've had the writing bug lately, so lucky you haha! Some of you have asked about chapter one and how I was inspired for that chapter. I have always been so drawn to Bucky's character, mostly because Sebastian is such a talented (and underated) actor. I mean holy crapballs - he can emote so much emotion with just his eyes and the slight crease in his forehead! I was searching for fanart on pinterest (because I'm a nerd) and I saw a drawing of Bucky sitting on the floor, (tastefully) naked, with water falling on him. The puddle on the floor was shaped like the hydra symbol, and he looked so defeated and sad. Poor Bucky! Art has always been a passion of mine and this drawing inspired the first chapter of this story and it has grown from there. Anyway, I'll stop rambling. Please enjoy! - californiablueeyes

"Hey it's me." I said as the voicemail on Maggie's phone began recording. "We need to talk. Call me back at this number."

I ended the phone call and looked at James in the driver's seat. We didn't really have a plan until Maggie called us back. For now we were headed towards Boston.

"What do we do?" I asked him. "How do we get ID's and passports, or even a plane ticket? I don't even know where she is or what to plan for."

He glanced at me, and reached for my hand. I took his and sighed.

"Hydra has only been exposed for a few days. There are ways we can travel internationally without being detected."

"What, so we are going to steal a hydra plane?!" I laughed.

He didn't say anything but looked at me like it was the most obvious thing in the word.

"James." I said skeptically. "Please explain."

"When I was assigned a mission, there were safe houses, private airports, and military grade jets that were at my disposal in order to do whatever it took to get the job done. I know all of the access codes and we could easily hi-jack a jet and fly undetected internationally. No airports, ID's or passports needed. I know of several unseemly people in almost every country that could forge documents for us and I speak nearly every language."

"Holy Shit." I said. "Ok, well that makes this all a little easier, I guess."

The phone began to vibrate in my hand.

"Hello?" I said as I answered the call, putting it on speaker phone.

"Lenna?"

I nearly cried hearing her voice.

"Maggs!" I exclaimed. "It's so good to hear your voice!"

"You too Len, is everything ok? I saw what was happening in DC on the news but I couldn't contact you, thank goodness you're ok!""

"I'm safe, but we need to come to you. Where are you?"

"Bucharest." She replied. "Who are you with?"

"A friend." I said, glancing at James. "We are getting on a plan tonight or tomorrow. I can't talk much now, but I'll call you when we're in Bucharest. I love you Maggie, and we'll see you soon."

"I get it. Love you too Len, bye."

The call ended and my eyes filled with tears. James squeezed my hand.

"I haven't heard her voice in years." I said wiping my eyes with my free hand.

"You'll see her soon. Lucky for you I speak perfect Romanian." He half smiled.

"Isn't that convenient?" I smiled. "So where's your private jet?"

"There is a private Hydra airport and runway near Providence, Rhode Island. We can make it there in about an hour. Then it's about a 15 hour flight to Romania."

I looked at him in awe. "How do you know all this?"

He looked at me uncomfortably. "I was their weapon for decades Lenna. I know it all because I was programmed to. I was given every once of knowledge and training in order to complete my missions. To be their ultimate ghost assassin. To kill for them." He pulled his hand away from mine and put it on the steering wheel, gripping it tightly.

Of course. I could have kicked myself for asking such a dumb question. I swallowed and looked out the window ahead of us.

"I'm sorry, It was stupid of me to ask that question." I said quietly.

He glanced at me with concern.

"I am not mad you asked." He rubbed his forehead. "I'm – disgusted with myself." He sighed, his eyes on the road falling away in front of him. "If you only knew the atrocities I have committed- you would jump from this car."

I thought of the memories I had seen when we had kissed, and thought of what other memories were buried deep in the recesses of his mind. Memories he wanted so desperately to forget.

"You make me feel so calm when I'm with you, Lenna. From that first day in the infirmary you awoke something in me that had been asleep for so long." He glanced at me. "I couldn't understand your kindness, I had been treated like a dog for so many years. But then there you were, so kind, and calm, and soft and beautiful. You seemed so out of place in my dark and loathsome world. But there you were, an unearthly creature. I thought I was dreaming, or that I was with an angel in Heaven. But it couldn't have been heaven, my soul belongs in Hell." His brow creased in anger.

I reached for his hand and took it in my own.

"That is completely false." I said. "You were forced to do those things. It wasn't the real you."

"But I did them." He said glancing at me. "And I was good at it. And after awhile, I felt nothing."

I raised his hand to my lips and kissed his fingers.

"And now, you are turning away from all that. Changing your course and choosing your new path." He looked at me earnestly.

"I want to believe that." He said.

"It's true. The Asset is no longer in control. Bucky is."

Before I knew what was happening he looked at me suddenly, jerked his hand away, swerved off the side of the road, threw the car into park and yelled with such a rage that I had never seen in him before, "How did you know that name!?"

I stared at him with shock and wide eyes.

"I just-, I -" I stumbled over my words. I couldn't answer him without sounding bat shit crazy.

He got out of the car and walked about 20 feet before stopping and kneeling down in the tall grass that grew by the side of the road. He was holding his face in his hands.

I didn't know what to do, but despite my fear, I got out of the car and cautiously walked towards him.

"James," I said softly.

"I'm so sorry Lenna." He said ashamed. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm so sorry."

I knelt in front of him, and uncovered his face, taking his hands in mine.

"I forgive you, it's ok." I said soothingly. I touched his cheek and ran my fingers through his hair. "Come here."

I put my arms around his neck and he pulled me onto his lap, straddling him. He held me tightly breathing into my neck. I could feel his heart beat slow to a steady pace as he calmed down.

"My mind is still broken, Lenna. It's unpredictable and I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt you." He pleaded.

"I understand. It's ok, I'm fine James. I'm sorry." I rubbed his back and shoulders soothingly. "Let's get back in the car, and I'll drive for awhile, ok?"

He nodded, we stood, and I held onto his arm as we made our way back to the car.

Before starting the car, I turned to him in my seat.

"James, I will tell you how I knew that name, I promise you I will. But it has to be when we are safely out of the country ok? I don't want to lie to you and you deserve to know the truth. So when it's safe, and we are settled in Bucharest, I will tell you. Ok?" I searched his eyes pleadingly.

After a moment he said softly, "Ok."

I reached out and squeezed his hand. Then I started the car and merged back onto the road, headed towards Rhode Island.