I am so sorry about the lack of updates, guys! I'm trying to get back into the swing of writing in general, but my muse has been spotty and best. However, I am trying, and I think I have a plan for at least the next couple of chapters, so we'll see how it goes.

Chapter 10: Coming Back

"Why do you never turn on your phone, old man?" Darcy groused, shoving her cellphone back into her pocket. "I'm sure they're fine, Beth," she said certainly, flopping down onto the couch beside Beth. "Steve becomes a nostalgic old geezer and goes on random walks through Brooklyn sometimes. He probably just dragged Bucky out with him while we were shopping." That said, she called out, "J, do you know where our guys are?"

"Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes are currently riding the elevator to this level of the Tower."

Darcy nodded, springing up from the couch a she told Beth, "Then I will leave you to your soulmate. Personally, I may have a few words for mine."

"Do think going out was unsafe for them?" Beth asked worriedly.

Darcy shook her head. "Not for those two. For us mere mortals? Yes. But they're covered thanks to the super serum, and the way Steve tells the story they'd die for each other if trouble came up. They're remarkably big boys these days; I think they can take care of themselves and each other. Granted, they can't remember that this is actually the twenty-first century and these days we keep our phones on, but give them a bunch of Nazi terrorists and they're good to go!"

Beth smiled and stood up from the couch, hugging Darcy at the door before she left. "Don't be too hard on my big brother, okay? I'd guess he's probably all sorts of absentminded thanks to having Bucky around again."

"You've got that right," Darcy chuckled, returning the hug with a smile. "I guess I'll play nice enough."

Darcy walked across the hall to hers and Steve's apartment, and Beth didn't even bother to shut the door to hers and Bucky's place, seeing as he was probably going to be entering in under a minute. She still jumped when the door was closed while she had her back to it.

She whipped around where she was in the kitchen, planting her hands on the counter to save herself from tripping over her own feet at the movement and gasped, "Bucky! I didn't even hear you come in!"

"Apparently I'm good at not being heard," Bucky replied, taking another step forward. Beth closed the rest of the distance between them and he pulled her into his arms, confessing in an almost sulky voice, "I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to get you back from Darcy."

"I'll always come back to you, silly man," Beth promised, kissing him as she wound her arms around his neck. But then she couldn't help adding, "As long as I know where you are, that is. After last night, Darcy and I got a little concerned when you and Steve both disappeared on us."

"Aw, I'm sorry," Bucky gave her another peck on the lips in apology. "I dragged Stevie out to get a surprise housewarming gift for you."

She was instantly wary, asking, "Bucky Barnes, what did you do?"

"Why so nervous?" he asked with a breathtaking smile.

"Because I've heard tale that you and Steve can become a bit of a dastardly duo without a mother hen to watch over you."

"I'm the mother hen out of our 'dastardly duo'… so that I recall." He frowned for a second, and at the look of uncertainty on his face Beth almost regretted bringing it up, but then the look was gone from his eyes and he winced, admitting, "Although this is going to be something that you either love or hate, I guess."

"What is it?" Beth asked again.

Bucky grinned a little impishly at her before turning his back to her and crouching down on the floor, tapping his thigh as he whistled, "Come here, boy!"

"Bucky…" Beth drawled hesitantly – as a black ball of fur darted into the room and jumped into her soulmate's arms. She gaped, and when the fur-ball stilled in his arms, she saw it for the Scottie that it was.

Dog and man both looked up at her with equally wide puppy dog eyes – Not. Fair. Bucky. – as Bucky asked hopefully, "What do you think?"

Beth grinned, folding herself Indian-style onto the floor beside Bucky and running a hand through the dog's silky fur. "He's cute. What's his name?"

"Toto," Bucky replied, sounding like he was slowly relaxing. He was anxious, she realized. Giving her a gift – wanting her approval but risking not getting it because getting a dog hadn't been a direct order; it had been thinking for himself – had made him honest to goodness afraid. The thought made her want to cuddle him, not the dog, but it was Toto he was handing off to her as he said, "I thought the name fit for us – for you – since, you know, you're… 'not in Kansas anymore, Toto.'"

"Bucky…" Beth said again, not sure what else to say, she was thinking so many things at once. "Thank you," she finally declared, hugging Toto. "He's adorable." She grinned at the super soldier asking curiously, "Why did you choose a dog, though?" Seeing the beginnings of a frown on his face, she hastened to add, "Only because I'm curious. I'm very happy with him, I just… want to get to know you better." Bucky ran his hand over Toto's back, thinking harder than she thought would be necessary, before Beth tangled her fingers with his and asked, "Bucky?"

"I think I used to feed strays," Bucky said, out of the blue. He wasn't answering her question, Beth realized. Was he remembering something new – sort of new – then? Unsure what else to do, she went stock-still, not wanting to disrupt him, and just listened. "Ma would get upset at me sometimes," he recalled. "When she caught me saving bits from my plate. But there was just these couple of dogs – little ones like him –" he gestured to Toto with his free hand. "Who would hang around our apartment building. "They were just so scrawny and sick-looking. Somebody had to take care of them, so I tried my best when I could." Beth grinned, shaking her head in amusement as he snapped back to the present and looked at her. "What?" he asked, seeing her expression.

"Did you ever not take care of 'scrawny, sick-looking' things?" she asked fondly.

He caught on immediately, back to the Bucky of the night before as he pointed out, "Stevie is not a thing… but, no, not really. After meeting him, I guess I was hooked on it."

She arched an eyebrow, asking, "Should I be concerned that I'm blonde? Is that supposed to mean something here?"

"No," he shook his head, running his thumb along her jaw as he leaned forward to kiss her. "It means that I think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever laid my eyes on."

She kissed him slowly, both of them taking their time after having been apart practically all day, but when they pulled apart, she teased, "Does that mean that you think Steve is beautiful?"

"In his own way, sure," Bucky drawled before knowingly flipping the question back on her with a "Don't you?"

"In his own way, sure," Beth grinned, leaning in to steal another kiss and shut him up while Toto scampered off of her lap to explore the rest of his new home.

Before they could do anything besides kiss, though, the dog was back and making a leaping bound into Bucky's lap with a happy bark. Bucky jerked back from Beth in surprise, only just barely catching himself before he instinctually flung the dog away. He recovered from the near-slip-up quickly, and well, though, glaring halfheartedly at Toto as he muttered, "Killjoy."

Beth grinned, pointing out, "He was your idea." She reached for Bucky's flesh hand and held it, running her other hand over the dog's back as she said, "We're going to have to buy stuff for him pretty quickly."

"The shelter had dog food that it sold us – for some outrageous price that Steve claimed was normal these days – so that's taken care of. What else do you think he needs?"

"Isn't inflation wonderful?" she muttered with a grin. "But for Toto… bed, leash and collar, a couple of toys, food and water dishes, some treats maybe, etcetera, etcetera."

"Can you buy that stuff through your online shopping?" he asked, and she caught a wary glint in his eyes.

He was afraid of what might happen if she left the Tower, Beth realized, and with the thought she already started to feel the beginning of cabin fever. Which was ridiculous, given how big her new "cabin" – i.e., Avengers Tower – was, but still… She was used to almost nonstop going between classes and work and her apartment; it was going to drive her nuts if she was forced to a complete stop.

"Yeah, I could, but…" she drawled, hoping to negotiate a compromise. "What if you and I went out together and got the stuff? We could just find the pet supply store that nearest the Tower and go tomorrow morning maybe."

Bucky was plainly warring with himself over the idea – he didn't like it, but she wasn't likely to be talked out of it – until he muttered unhappily, "Okay, we'll go in the morning."

"It's a date," Beth grinned, leaning forward to kiss her soulmate over the top of Toto's head.