AN: Hello! So, I have this idea. I was thinking I could make a small spin off story that has very small ties to this story but it would be a Rumlow/OC pairing and the OC would be a HYDRA agent who sticks with her gut about HYDRA, meaning she does not become a good girl at the end. IDK is it too dumb? I also plan to go back and fix some of my unfinished works. Would we rather I do Meeting of Minds or Worse Than Nicotine? Let me know in a PM or in a review.

Mila got the protein bars and drinks out of the car. She bought enough snacks to feed a small army when she made a pit stop to fuel up at a gas station. Bucky was eating and writing in his journal there was no doubt that he had only one mission tonight and that was recording his thoughts. Mila didn't mind this gave her time to work on some of her research that she wouldn't need to do since you know she was pretty much guaranteed to be fired from the Smithsonian. It was still relaxing to read through some digital books and make notes in her own work regardless of that fact. As she read through the WWII articles she began to drift to the idea of Wilbur. She looked through her files finding the PDF she was looking for. She hazarded a glance Bucky's way finding him to be deeply involved in his own journal. Her eyes were trained to the screen once she settled that he wouldn't come over and read the PDF.

My dearest sweetheart Bet,

My mind is always thinking of you and dreaming of the life we will have after this war is over. I worry about the horrors you might face in Europe and hope that you never have to see the effects of the war like I have. The fighting over here under MacArthur is terrible. He doesn't seem to have the slightest clue on what he is doing most days. I try not to dwell on the terror of that thought. But every night I stare at your picture and know that we will one day get to have a family of our own and that is enough to ease my fears. In fact, it gives me courage to fight. I know you wouldn't think of looking at other men while you are so far away from me my love, but it still worries me because you are so beautiful and I know how weak these men can be. You're my sweetheart and I know how thick headed you are, so please be careful over there. Don't try showing off to prove yourself and don't get messed up with those men's mind games. I love you sugar. You're all mine.

Missin you,

Wilbur

Mila shook her head reading the letter from her ex. God he was an asshole. Even when he was trying to be sweet he was being possessive. He was discouraging. She didn't even know why she dated him. It was just some other pathetic attempt to make her father proud. Her sister Eva was married with a kid, why wasn't she? Her lips curled into a smile when she thought about her nephew and how well he had taking a liking to Bucky when they visited the family. Hell that was probably Bucky's last Christmas thinking about it. She went to look over at him but jumped when he was standing behind her.

"What's that?" He asked pointing at her laptop.

"My laptop?"

"No, I know what a laptop is, I'm not that dumb. What's on the screen. Is that another letter I wrote to Rebecca?" He kneeled down to her level to get a better look.

"No!" She said minimizing the file.

"What the hell are you hiding?" Being used to people hiding things from him was no new concept but that didn't mean it wasn't hurtful, especially coming from a woman who he was once in love with.

"It's nothing." She said pulling up her own research.

"It was clearly something." He stood up and crossed his arms.

"It was a letter from Wilbur to me." She looked up at him worrying for his reaction. She remembered how it went down years ago when he found out about him. She hoped he reacted better this time.

"Who is Wilbur?" He asked.

"He was my sweetheart." She spoke the words mildly ashamed that she admitted that.

"During the war?" He uncrossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

"Yeah, the first part of it anyway. You came along and made me rethink that choice." She absently played with her hair that had fallen out of her ponytail throughout the day.

"Why?" She looked up at him smiling.

"Because he was an asshole and you… you were so damn sweet on me. You made me realize that some people want you to be happy regardless of what you do. You never thought I was just some stupid girl who should mind her place in the man's world. You helped me see my own value that I long since forgotten about." By the time she had finished talking Bucky was sitting next to her and seemed to process the words not believing her could make someone feel good about themselves. For years he was just a weapon to destroy, how could HYDRA so easily turn him into the opposite of everything he once was? His didn't know where his next question came from but it seemed logical to ask.

"Did I make you happy?" He watched as Mila looked surprised at his question before a slow smile formed. He loved it when she smiled.

"More than anything." As she said that she slid her hand into his and laced her fingers with his.

"Do you think I could do that again?" He was hopeful that he could at least be half the man she used to love. He seemed like a decent guy after all. He glanced down at their hands and tried to focus on how nice it felt to have flesh to flesh contact with her.

"I know you can." She gave his hand a light squeeze which caused him to smile. Then she perked up a bit shuffling closer to him.

"I have an idea. We've had enough of dwelling on the past today how about we try and enjoy some of the perks from the present?" As she spoke she opened up new windows on her laptop. Bucky tried to follow along with what she was doing but couldn't understand. Sure he knew the basics of computers as he needed to for some of his missions but as far as their recreational purposes, he was clueless. Finally she seemed to slow down with her clicking and had an array of pictures she was scrolling her mouse over. "Alright pick one."

"What is it?" He asked unsure of what all his choice entailed.

"Movies. You know like The Wizard of Oz? They have so many movies out now you wouldn't believe it. I've got some saved to my laptop. Pick one." Bucky looked over the titles under the pictures and honestly didn't know which one to pick. What if he picked a bad movie? Well, she said they were her favorites so he couldn't go wrong. He stayed focused on one movie, mainly because he remembered going to the movies with his dad to watch Captain Blood so a pirate movie appealed to him. He pointed at the newer movie and which caused Mila to laugh.

"Pirates of the Caribbean? Classic." She said clicking on it to begin. Mila laid her head on his shoulder and they watched the movie in silence. Bucky seemed impressed overall while they watched. Mila just tried to enjoy this small peace that he had. When the pirates turned into skeletons Bucky couldn't prevent the awestruck 'What the hell' that escaped. Mila had to explain how special effects worked in the movies now because Bucky was convinced the skeletons could have been another HYDRA science experiment. Bucky was thrilled with the ending and began assessing the entire film asking random questions that Mila tried her best to answer. When the movie was over Mila suggested they watch the bonus features just so he could understand how the process worked. He agreed. Mila remembered him being a little geek during the war. Watching Howard Stark tinker on his experiments and listening to her when she rambled on about new medical discoveries. "You are such a nerd." She said with a laugh while he clicked to watch more of the bonus features.

"A what?" Mila rolled her eyes. Right that word wasn't around when they were.

"A geek." She offered.

"What did you call me?!" He looked flat offended. Mila shook her head and covered her face with her hands.

"It has a completely different meaning nowadays. I am not saying you bite the head off of chickens." She looked from between her fingers and saw him nodding slowly. "I swear." She put her hands up in defense and he smirked.

"I believe ya." He found himself staring at her and remembering little things she would do that would drive him wild. The way she bit her lip, when she smiled and showed her teeth, the way her little eyebrows furrowed when she was deep in her work. He let out a small sigh and Mila bit her lip beginning the process of driving him insane. He wanted to snap out of it he shouldn't be getting involved with her when he wasn't the man she loved. He found his escape glancing at the laptop. "Can we watch another?" Mila snapped her head back to the laptop and checked the battery. She shook her head looking sad.

"Battery is nearly dead. Guess we have to find something else to occupy our time." She closed the laptop and leaned forward on her knees putting the laptop back in her backpack. That meant unintentionally Bucky got a nice view of her rear end and the smooth skin of her thighs that her shorts left exposed. Bucky didn't know what made him do it but he reached out and grabbed her hips after the laptop was in and pulled her back to sit on his lap.

"Like what?" He whispered wrapping his arms around her waist. He could feel her pulse quicken and her breathing became slightly heavier.

"What did you have in mind?" She asked turning her head back to look into his eyes. A playful smirk was the only answer he gave. Using his right hand he pulled her hair and draped it over her right shoulder to expose all of her neck to him. He lightly kissed the skin there waiting for her reaction. He felt unsure of himself without her guidance. He was met by the smallest whimper when she discovered he wasn't going to keep kissing her on the tender spot of her neck. So he continued. His kisses became fevered as he trailed up to behind her ear and when he took the time to stop he saw another ugly scar at the base of her hairline which made him stop. Mila slowly opened her eyes and turned around. "What is it?" She asked. Bucky lightly traced the scar with his finger which caused Mila to shiver and close her eyes.

"How did you get this?" He asked barely above a whisper. Mila grabbed his metal arm that was still snug against her waist and wanted to burry herself in the safety of his embrace before she gave any details.

"The Red Room."

"What did they do?"

"They made me a machine. Took away my humanity. I became an empty shell." She felt Bucky's right hand slip from her neck to wrap around her again. She gratefully held his arms tight against her. "They wanted compliance. They saw how brainwashing had been unsuccessful with you because of emotions, so they took mine away. I don't ever want to experience that again." She was crying tears falling and hitting his metal arm. She wondered if he could feel that.

"I won't let it happen." He spoke lightly into her ear.

"Thank you." She leaned back into him and just let his warmth keep her grounded in the fact that she was no longer that machine from the Red Room.

….

"Is there any way you can track her?" Steve said following Tony around in his lab. He was moving around with such focus Steve was certain that he was only listening to every other word. Tony scribbled something in a notebook.

"Who?"

"Betty!" Steve said exasperated. Tony sat down in a nearby chair and typed some figures into the computer.

"Maybe…" He trailed off looking at the screen before pushing himself in a different direction away from Steve. Steve was getting really pissed with this game.

"Look I need to find her before the C.I.A. does." Tony spun around momentarily taking his focus off of the piece of technology from Sam's Falcon wings in front of him.

"I'm sorry do I have time to fight the C.I.A.?" He spun back around and tinkered with something. When he was about to push off in the chair again Steve held the back of the chair preventing him from moving.

"Can you help me or not Tony?" Steve waited for Tony to meet his eyes. When he did he could see how upset the Captain was.

"Look unless she has her phone on her, I can't do much. I need something to track. I don't have a picture either so I can't do facial scans. I'm sorry Cap." Steve sighed and slumped against a lab table.

" Well how long will it take to fix the wings?"

"About four hours, but if I upgrade them it'll be about twelve." Steve shrugged.

"I guess upgrade them"

"Look, I may not be able to track her but maybe JARVIS can run though news stories and see if I can at least get you some leads. JARVIS?"

"Already on it sir." The AI spoke making Steve smile. "Do you want to wait in your room while I search Mr. Rogers?" Steve left without a word. He didn't really understand technology and it made him dizzy trying to follow Tony around in his lab. Besides it was getting late and Steve was worn out from his drive. Once Tony was certain his friend was gone he asked JARVIS to call Natasha. After a few rings her voice filled the lab replacing the usual volume of JARVIS.

"What Stark?"

"Well, you were right. He came looking for her." Tony said still working on the Falcon wings.

"I told you he would. Did you tell him anything?" Tony pulled a handheld torch out from one of his drawers.

"Nope. Tried to seem helpful without getting too involved. Why didn't you tell me she worked for HYDRA?" He turned the torch on pulling some goggles over his eyes.

"Wasn't important to her surgery."

"Well it would have been nice to know more about who I was working on." He started welding pieces together and momentarily couldn't hear Natasha on the other end. When he was done he asked her to repeat herself.

"Can you track her I said."

"Well of course. That thing is still in her head. It'll probably take days but I would still need a general location to begin looking."

"I can get you that."

"So what's the plan you swoop in and nab her? Then what? I thought we had this secret pact for a reason. Mainly, the lady doesn't want to be found."

"Well if I can keep tabs on her I can help her. I used to have more constant contact with her but know I don't think she will be returning my phone calls." Tony nodded still analyzing the pieces of the wings.

"Well, you're probably right. I'll see what I can do." He said waving his hand motioning for JARVIS to end the call. Tony put his tools down and leaned back in his seat. He was settling on the idea that this would be a long night.

…

Mila was tucked safely in Bucky's embrace and for a moment she could have sworn it was just like old times.

"You should get some sleep." Bucky's voice rumbled in his chest where Mila had laid her head.

"I'm not sleeping on that bed. It's disgusting." She said.

"Well what's your bright idea?"

"I was thinking I could sleep in the car."

"Yeah that'd be comfortable." HEe said with a chuckle. She pushed herself up to look him in the eyes to send him her best threatening glare. He didn't seem too fazed.

"Well I could always use you as a mattress." She offered.

"I'd be fine with that." He shrugged. Mila shook her head and put her hands on his shoulders.

"I don't think you'll like it."

"You don't know unless you try right?" The corner of his mouth tugged into a smile and Mila laughed.

"You are a huge dork." She stood up and Bucky's face dropped. He rather liked her being so close. She walked over to one of the windows in the cabin and peered out. Not that it mattered she couldn't see anything but her reflection. There was only a small oil lamp lighting up the entire room now that her laptop had been put away. She turned and looked the cabin over. There was a small kitchen and a fireplace in the open floor plan. "Think you can start a fire?" She said nodding over to the stone fireplace. Bucky tilted his head and got up.

"I can give it a try." He walked over to the abandoned pit and looked into it. Kneeling down he didn't he could see the ashes were nearly white from years of no fire and he wondered if the chimney was blocked, because if it was they would die in the middle of the night. He only knew that because it was one of the many ways he had killed a man years ago. Then as if he had been shoot he sprung up and looked at Mila.

"We can't start a fire. The smoke would give us away." She hit her forehead with her hand. Of course. That would have been a fatal mistake. She put her hands up shrugging.

"Yeah that was dumb of me. Sorry I've been out of the game too long." She rolled her eyes at herself not believing how stupid her simple suggestion was.

"That's not something to be sorry about." Bucky said leaning against the chimney letting his elbow rest on the mantle.

"I know it's just… I wish I could just pick the useful things from that life to take with me, but you can't pick and choose parts of a HYDRA life. You get the whole package." She put her head down and looked at her feet.

"Look, I know you said enough brooding in the past but maybe you can share another memory of us?" Mila smiled at her shoes and tried to remember where they were in their story. She didn't want to waste his request by giving too simple a memory but she settled that she should at least tell him about their first argument. It seemed fitting.

" So you know how you asked about Wilbur right?" She looked up at him seeing him nod. "Right. Well he was an asshole but he was by boyfriend the majority of the time we were in Azzano but when you found out about him you were livid."

Betty was as usual staying up later than she should have. She was writing in her new journal about the day's events hoping and rereading them to try and figure out what exactly her heart wanted. Ever since she had met Bucky she wanted him to be by her side even though she had Wilbur. Sure Wilbur was handsome but his attitude with her had worn on her nerves over the last few months. She suspected too that if they stayed together he would marry her the second the war was over. She didn't want to be stuck with Wilbur when a guy like Bucky so clearly wanted to have a chance with her. So she read her journal entry and settled that she would need to break up with Wilbur even if he was across the globe fighting in the jungles of the Philippines. Betty looked over Wilbur's letter as she wrote her own. She needed to be very clear about why they were breaking up. She kept it as simple as possible but a front and back page was maybe not as simple as she planned. As she wrote she did not to mention Bucky. Wilbur didn't need to know that the pair had grown closer in the two weeks following Colonel Phillips' initial visit. The pair ate side by side discussed how well fortified this base was and even found time to talk about things unrelated to the army. Things like where they wanted to visit when they got back to the states, what their favorite holidays were, who had the worst siblings, what they would do with their lives when the war was over, but also their biggest fears. Betty's was failure. She didn't want to be a disappointment to herself or to her family. Bucky's was losing those he cared about most. He wanted to make sure that everyone was safe even if it meant putting himself in harm's way. Betty finished her letter and walked across her tent to grab and envelope when she heard someone clear their throat. Betty jumped a bit and saw Bucky standing by the entrance of her tent. She sighed seeing it was only him and shook her head.

"You know men aren't allowed in a ladies' tent." She spoke knowing her warning would get her nowhere. This was the third night in a row Bucky had come in just to talk with her and enjoy her company. She put the letter in an envelope and set it in her small desk drawer. She would send it with the postmaster in the morning. Turning around she saw Bucky reading a piece of paper. "What are you…" He voice trailed as she answered her own question. He was reading the letter from Wilbur she left on her cot. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "That's not what you think." She spoke quietly. Bucky glared up at her holding the letter tightly.

"Oh really? Because this guy seems to really want to celebrate our allied victory by marrying you."

"Buck-"

"Clearly he doesn't know you that well. 'I know you wouldn't think of looking at other men while you are so far away from me my love.'. Oh but you aren't just looking are you?" Bucky said reading from the letter. Betty let out an angered breath and moved to grab the letter from him. He just held it above her head. "Am I just some damn joke to you?" He said clearly hurt. His eyes had tears in them and Betty tried grabbing the letter but she was just shy of reaching the letter that caused him the pain. She glared at him holding hand on his chest that she hand used to steady herself.

"Look. That man is an asshole. The more time I've spent with you the more I've realized that. I don't want to spend my life with him. If you read that letter alone you can see how he is controlling and selfish. You are the opposite of that." Bucky scoffed and turned his head not wanting to look at Betty. "I'm serious Barnes!"

"Then why didn't you tell me earlier huh? Why've you been keeping it a secret? Am I just your man over here until the war is over?" He put his arm down and let the paper fall to the ground. Betty shook her head and crossed her arms.

"No."

"Then what the hell am I? I thought we had something special going here! We were getting close. Talking about personal things. Hell both of us would get kicked out of the army for this shit!"

"I know that!"

"So why bother? Am I worth that risk when you got this guy?" He gestured to the letter and Betty bit her lip looking away.

"If you can't see that I think you are worth the risk than you are a damn idiot." She clenched her jaw and glanced at him. His face was growing red.

"But I'm second best right? You still got your hometown hero Wilbur." She let out a frustrated groan and walked away to grab the letter that she just wrote from the drawer and handed it to Bucky.

"Read this damn thing." He took it from her and ripped the seal open and read the letter. Betty sat at her desk turning the chair to face Bucky as he read. She never released the tension from her jaw as she watched him dissect the letter. As he read the front and back he seemed to calm down from his anger. He glanced up at her and then back to the letter letting his shoulder slump.

"You didn't mention me?" He asked when he handed the letter back. She stood to take back her letter letting her hand brush against Bucky's intentionally.

"No. He doesn't need to think I was cheating on him the whole time. That's the stupid shit he jumps to." She folded the letter back up and placed it on her desk.

"Why weren't you honest with me?" Bucky said lightly grabbing her arms. She shrugged and looked into his slightly puffy eyes.

"Guess I was just being stupid." Bucky smirked.

"I thought I was the one with all the stupid. Looks like I've been a bad influence on you." He proposed tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, maybe you should stop hanging around me." Her words and actions contradicted each other as she moved her hands up his chest making the space between them smaller.

"Do you want that?" He asked clearly meaning something different as his eyes darted to look at her lips that were plump and begging for a kiss. He tilted his head at an angle to allow him to swiftly move in for said kiss.

"Maybe you could convince me otherwise?" He fingers gripped the fabric of his white army issued shirt as she raised a brow daring him to kiss her.

"I think I can manage that." He offered letting his one arm fall from it's hold on her arm to the small of her back while his other slid up her shoulder and lightly wrapped around the tender skin of her neck. He closed his eyes but before he could relieve the tension that had been growing between the two the morning alarm went off across the camp making the pair jump. Betty closed her eyes cursing under her breath as her head fell. Bucky laughed a bit and scratched his neck. "Don't suppose we'll be getting that moment back huh?" He asked. Betty looked up at him with a half smile and shook her head no. Bucky shrugged putting his arms out to accept his defeat but quickly pulled her head back to him to kiss the top of her head before he disappeared mumbling about rallying the troops. Betty just stared at the entrance to her tent with a blush growing hotter as she thought about the moment that almost was. She ran her finger through her hair and decided that she better get ready for the day because like it or not they to meet with Colonel Phillips at 0500 hours and the morning alarm rang at 0400.

Every officer in the Battalion was inside the tent Betty and Bucky stood side by side opposite of the table where Phillips was. Spread across the table was map with a flag placed where the base they were at was and the HYDRA base they needed to break into was.

"Alright men. The last Recon squad returned last night and this is the plan we have come up with: Lieutenant McKay you will take the Blue and Delta squadrons up through this pass here. There is a small group of HYDRA men that stand guard but taking them out will be no problem. They have maybe thirty men at this pass. Lieutenant Falsworth you will take the Alpha and Red squadrons up the middle making sure to flank out about twenty men on the right. Recon said there is a hill in the woods that these men make tactical use of. And Sergeant Barnes." Bucky snapped his head up. "I've seen you shooting on the range. I want you to lead the rest of the 107th on through this pass following the river and at the bend you will flank out to the hill where your men have a vantage point to attack. Any questions?" Betty look at the map and dared to speak up regardless if her only job was to stand there.

"Colonel Phillips if you take the White, Star, and Glory squadrons past that bend they are at risk for an ambush. If you look at the-"

"Now look here missy. I've had my recon boys gathering information and tracking patterns for the past two weeks. This is the plan we will follow. It's the best plan. All three companies will converge here at this point to charge the front of the building where the number will be on our side."

"But sir-"

"Raden! Just cuz your daddy was the best damn soldier doesn't mean you compare. Now you keep your comments to yourself. Unless someone else here want to listen to your babble." He crossed his arms and looked at all of his officers whose eyes were all focused on the map. Betty sighed and glanced at Bucky. Even he was focused at the path he would need to lead the troops on and not Betty. She rolled her eyes and looked at Phillips.

"Yes sir." She stated not at all happy with Barnes not taking her side. The meeting didn't take long to dismiss after that to which Betty stormed off and Bucky tried to catch up to her.

"Betty." He called. She stopped and spun around to face him.

"You know that he has set the men up to fail. If you look at the map, the path you are on is giving HYDRA vantage over you! It's not the other way around." Bucky sighed and shaking his head looking around.

"Look I'm a soldier, I follow orders. That's what Phillips wants me to do, that's what the rest of the men are depending on me doing so that's what I will do." Betty let out a frustrated yell and walked away before she hit a fellow officer. Surely that would get her kicked out of the army.

AN: Well thanks for reading. Please leave a review with your opinions on my earlier mentioned idea and on this story.