The cab was already waiting for them when they reached the bottom of the stairs. Bucky, being the gentleman he was, opened the door for Ella before sliding in next to her. It was a snug fit, their thighs and shoulders pressing up against each other in the back seat. She didn't mind at all.

"Where to?" the driver asked in a thick accent.

"The pub down town!" Bucky informed him.

The cabbie gave a grunt of understanding and started down the puddle scattered streets. It seemed as though they were the only souls alive tonight, there were no other cars on the street and everyone else seemed to have retired for the night. Ella kept her gaze on the window, watching the unfamiliar streets as she tried to take it all in.

Bucky looked over at the girl, a fond smile on his lips. He liked seeing her face light up at the new sights. She looked like the carefree young girl who he had taken dancing all those years ago.

But something was new.

Halfway hidden by the collar of her dress was slightly raised skin, pink and discolored. His curiosity got the better of him as she brushed aside the collar, revealing the scar completely.

Ella started at the sudden touch, eyes flickering from Bucky's face to where his gaze was focused. She sighed slightly, lips pursing. This wasn't going to be fun to explain.

"Is… this looks like a-"

"Bullet wound?" Ella finished for him. She shrugged lightly. "It is."

Bucky looked taken aback for a moment, unable to process anything. "Wait…" he started. "You're telling me that you got-" he lowered his voice when he felt the cabbies eyes on him from the rearview mirror. "You're telling me that you got shot?"

Ella nodded meekly.

"How the hell did that happen?" he hissed quietly. "You were never anywhere near gun fire!"

"It was a freak accident!" Ella responded in a hushed tone. "Right after Steve got the procedure done, there was a HYDRA agent waiting to kill the doctor that helped to create the serum. I was in the cross fire."

Bucky dragged a hand down his face, still trying to comprehend this new information. "You got shot. With an actual bullet from a real gun."

"Yes!"

"Did it hurt?"

"Of course it hurt!" Ella said, grabbing the collar of her dress and yanking it back over the scar. She raised a brow at Bucky. "But I'm alive, aren't I? There's nothing we can do about the past, right?"

He still looked unbelieving about the whole thing, eyes wide and lips parted slightly. He raised a brow and looked to his side. "You know… I haven't been shot and I was on a battle field."

"I know." Ella said. "I thought that when I realized what had happened. It's rather funny, isn't it?"

Bucky didn't look even close to being amused, causing Ella's lips to purse tightly, sighing in defeat.

"You didn't bother to tell me." He said at length.

"It never came up!" Ella shot back quickly. She was getting frustrated with this whole conversation. "What did you expect me to say? Oh, it's nice to see that you're safe Bucky! And by the way, I got shot by a Nazi while you were gone!" she huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why does it matter so much?"

"Why do you think I went overseas?" he asked. "Because I wanted to fight Germans? Because I wanted to show off? I went to keep America safe… to keep you and your brother safe!"

Ella found that no words would come to her. She watched Bucky, seeing him lean forward and rest his face in his palms. He looked so dejected… so sad in her eyes. She suddenly felt sorry for the tone she was using with him.

"It seems like I failed at that." He murmured.

Ella's brow furrowed. She tentatively placed a hand on his upper arm, trying to offer what comfort she could. "Bucky… there's nothing you can do about it. You can't control everything that happens. Some things are just out of our hands."

He didn't look at her. Ella couldn't even tell if he heard her or not. She firmly reached out and took his hand into her own, squeezing it tightly before intertwining her fingers with her own. She rubbed calming circles on his palm with her thumb.

"It wasn't your fault, Bucky."

His gaze was locked on their hands before meeting her eyes. He saw nothing but sincerity in the blue depths. He used his other hand to cover hers, nodding slightly. "I'm just glad you're here."

"I'm glad you're here too." Ella said.

"Don't worry," he said with determination. "I'm not going anywhere any time soon."

She felt her lips quirk upwards, a sigh of content escaping her lips. She was glad to be by his side. She was glad that he was safe… well, for now at least. It was only a matter of time before he and Steve were off to go fight again. She wasn't sure if she would ever be ready to be parted from them again.

Before she knew it, the cabbie pulled up beside the pub. Bucky thanked him profusely and paid him with the British money which he didn't quite understand and probably over paid him for the short drive. Honestly, he couldn't care less.

"So, you guys are making plans to leave again, right?" Ella asked as Bucky held the door open for her.

The pub was filled with people, celebrating life while they could. There were plenty of soldiers there, singing along while the band played. Pints of beer were being downed by the dozen and they never seemed to run out. Ella only spared them a brief glance before looking towards Bucky, waiting for his response.

"Yeah." He said. Bucky saw Steve sitting at a table with the men he planned to recruit. He met his eye briefly, giving a brief nod.

Steve stood and hugged Ella briefly, teasing about how she finally managed to look better than homeless. It was fun banter to listen to. Exactly what you would expect from siblings as close as they were. Steve greeted Bucky quickly before heading back to the group of men. Bucky waved a smiled at them, having grown close over being held prisoner by HYDRA. It was a wonderful bonding experience.

Bucky came to Ella's side, placing a hand on the small of her back and leaning in close so she could hear him above the music. "Let's head back there. It's quieter."

Ella nodded, trying to hide the shiver that went up her spine at his touch. She turned her attention towards something else. "Is this what you're going to wear for missions?" she asked, picking at a stray thread on his uniform. "It won't be warm enough."

Bucky laughed at her motherly nature. "No… I'm getting something made. It will be warmer, I promise."

They sat down at the bar, a man taking their orders. Bucky asked for whiskey while Ella asked for a bottle of Coca-Cola. She couldn't imagine drinking any more alcohol for a while now. She was on a self-prescribed detox. There was little conversation as they waited for their drinks, an awkward silence between them. Ella was thankful when the bar tender placed her drink in front of her. She wasted no time taking a long, slow drought out of the bottle, savoring the sweet drink. It reminded her of summer when she was a kid.

"It should be dark blue." Ella found herself suddenly saying, surprising both her and Bucky.

"What should be dark blue?"

"The uniform you're having made." She explained further.

"Why blue?"

Her gaze locked with his as she swallowed thickly, repeating what he had told her earlier that day. "It would match your eyes."

There was electricity between the pair, neither of them could look away from one another. Ella licked her lips nervously, feeling rather self-conscience under his gaze. She could feel her heart hammering against her rib cage so loudly she feared he would hear it.

Bucky felt just as nervous too. She had distanced herself from him last time they had begun to become close with no explanation. He feared rejection again, but the way she was looking at him now confused him to no extent. Why was this so complicated?

"Bucky," Ella began. "I-"

Steve chose that moment to walk into the connecting room. Bucky followed Ella's eyes before landing on her brother, his entire demeanor changing instantly.

"See?" he said. "I told you… they're all idiots."

Steve smiled wryly and took his seat next to Bucky. "How about you?" he asked. "Are you ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?"

Bucky gave a breathy laugh. "Hell no." he said, surprising Ella. She could've sworn he would follow him to the ends of the earth. "That little guy from Brooklyn…" he continued. "Who was too dumb not to run from a fight, I'm following him."

A smile grew on Ella's lips. That sounded more like it. "You do remember how much trouble following Steve got you into, right?"

Bucky took a swing from his whiskey. "Old habits die hard, I guess." He leaned in closer to Steve. "But you're keeping the outfit, right?"

"You know what?" Steve said, glancing over his shoulder at a poster with his face plastered on it. "It's kind of growing on me."

Ella couldn't help the laugh that bubbled from her lips. He wasn't singing that tune a few weeks before. He seemed to have adopted the persona of Captain America very easily. I guess that was to be expected, from a man who felt so passionately about his country. Steve was the perfect candidate.

Slowly, the singing and the hum of conversations faded away. Ella raised a brow, expecting the worse. In almost perfect unison, the three of them leaned back in their seats to get of glimpse of what was happening in the connecting room. The two men instantly sprung from their seats when they laid eyes on Peggy Carter, who looked ravishing in a fitted red dress. Ella saw how she commanded attention and respect… I almost made her a little bit jealous.

"Captain."

"Agent Carter."

Peggy peeked behind Steve, seeing Ella sitting at the bar sipping her soda. She gave a small smile. "Ella. You are looking much better. It's good to see you back on your feet."

The blonde waved daintily. "Thank you, Agent Carter. Your dress is lovely, by the way."

She nodded her head in thanks before looking back up at Steve with wide eyes. "Howard has some equipment for you to try." She said. "Tomorrow morning?"

"Sounds good."

Ella bit her lips to keep from grinning like an idiot. That might have been the closest Steve has ever been to setting up a date with a woman before. Bucky must have been thinking the same thing because he met her eyes with a knowing smirk. However, her brother still looked very awkward around Agent Carter, much to Ella's dismay.

"I see your top squad is preparing for duty." The Agent said, trying to fill up the silence in the room.

"You don't like music?" Bucky asked.

"I do, actually." Peggy said, eyes never leaving Steve's. "I might even, when this is all over, go dancing."

Ella shifted in her seat, watching the scene play out with bated breath. C'mon Steve! She thought to herself. She's giving you a hint! Take it!

"Then what are we waiting for?" Bucky laughed. He was good at this kind of thing, taking the bait when it was placed in front of him. But really, it was just a reflex. He didn't want to go dancing with Agent Carter at all. He would far rather go dancing with Ella again. His brows furrowed slightly. Where did that though come from?

"The right partner." Peggy said, quoting Steve's own words before the procedure.

Ella wanted to hit her brother, do something to let him know that she liked him! But god, was he oblivious!

"0800 Captain." Peggy said before swiftly turning heel.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be there." Steve called after her retreating form.

"I'm invisible." Bucky blurted out the moment she was out of earshot. "I'm turning into you. It- it's like a horrible dream."

"Don't take it so hard." Steve said, clapping him on the back. "Maybe she has a friend." He joked before going towards the table where his new team sat. "I'm going to have a few more drinks with the boys." He informed Bucky, who simply nodded.

He watched Steve for a few more moments before turning towards Ella, who laughed at his bewildered expression. He slid back into his seat next to her, finishing the last of his drink in a gulp and shaking his head lightly.

"Don't worry about it." Ella said, placing a hand on his shoulder with a laugh. "There's someone out there for you, I'm sure."

Bucky simply shrugged. "I'll get over the rejection, I'm sure. Besides, Steve deserves a nice girl."

Ella nodded in agreement. "Agent Carter is wonderful for him." She said, before adding softly. "I wish I were like her."

His forehead wrinkled, turning his stool so he was facing her completely. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged lightly, placing the bottle on the bar. "Well, I mean she's very lovely and people really respect her. Didn't you see what the bar was like when she walked in? She had everyone's attention without saying a word. I think that's pretty great, don't you?"

Bucky shifted in his seat, licking his lips before speaking. "I mean, you're right… but I don't think you should want to change. You didn't see it but there were plenty of eyes on you when you walked in too. The only difference was that you had someone walking you in."

Ella made a face. "How does that change anything?"

"It's like… some unspoken code between men." Bucky started, trying to find the words describe it. "If you take a girl somewhere and another guy makes a move on her, it's basically an invitation to beat his ass."

Ella threw her head back in a laugh. "Oh really? How come I've never heard of this?"

"Like I said… it's a guy thing."

Ella responded with a roll of her eyes. She brought the straw to her lips and finished off what was left of the soda with relish. She let out a small sigh of content, putting her elbows on the bar and resting her chin in her hands. Ella peeked at Bucky from the corner of her eye. He seemed bored, tilting his glass on the edge and peering into it.

"You know… you can go hang around the rest of your team. I was thinking of heading back anyways." Ella said, standing from the stool.

Bucky sprung up as well. "I'll take you back."

A waved a hand through the air, dismissing the thought. "You don't have to do that. I can get back on my own."

"But I want to." Bucky said, perhaps a tad too quick. He shifted slightly, biting the inside of his cheek before nodding towards the door. "Come on. It's no problem… really."

Ella stared him down for a moment longer, clenching her jaw tightly. She knew that he was stubborn, extremely so. It was hard to get him to change his mind once it was set. It was the result of a lot of head butting when they were younger, but Ella usually lost. She huffed with a shrug. "If you're sure…"

The corners of his lips twitched. "Positive." He placed a soft hand on the small of her back, gently leading her through the crowd.

"Hey, Barnes!" one of the men sitting with Steve called. He was a bit red in the face, laughing heartily. He had beer in his mustache. "Wanna get in on a bet? We're playing a drinking game! Rogers thinks he can out drink all of us!" he laughed loudly at the notion.

Ella raised a brow and looked to her brother. He simply shrugged. "Serum." He mouthed over the noise.

Ella's lips parted in realization. The serum must make the effects of alcohol less on him. It made enough sense.

Bucky shook his head. "Nah, that's alright. I'm going to take Ella back."

"Lightweight." She heard someone mumble, trying to hide it behind a cough.

"Alright." Steve said. "See you later, alright?"

"Alright." Ella agreed. "Have fun. Make good choices." She knew he could either be very responsible or very stupid, it really depended on the time of day. He was prone to fighting when he was smaller, but the change seemed to have cooled down his hot head. She gave a small wave goodbye before letting Bucky guide her out of the busy pub.

The air outside seemed to have cooled down considerably. Ella shrugged on her coat, digging her hands deep into her pockets to keep her fingers warm. Her breath was visible in front of her eyes in small puffs. The cold nipped at her nose. She forgot that she wasn't in America and Britain was much cooler.

Bucky hailed another cab, letting Ella slide in first before following her into the snug backseat. He felt her shiver slightly next to him.

"You cold?" he asked.

Ella nodded slightly, clenching her jaw to stop her teeth from chattering. "Just a bit chilly."

He scooted a bit closer to her, pressing his side against hers to try and give off some warmth. He held his breath, waiting for her reaction. He hoped she wouldn't think he was being too forward. Bucky didn't want to scare her off. Ella was pleasantly surprised by his actions and against her better judgement, leaned in closer, pressing her cheek against his shoulder. The fabric felt old and well worn… it smelled slightly of pine and whiskey. An odd combination, but it seemed to work.

Ella took deep breaths, savoring the moment. "I really missed you." She murmured at length. "You know, when you left. You couldn't even imagine how I felt when I thought that you had… died." She choked out the last word.

Bucky didn't expect these words out of her. He tried to play it off with humor. "I'm sure you weren't missing me that bad." He said. "Your brother's Captain America! You were too busy traveling to worry."

Ella sniffed softly. "Yeah. It was just a blast watching my brother prance around in a silly costume." She smiled bitterly. "No. I worried too much for my own good." She paused. "I did write, you know. I sent it right before we left for Italy. I'm afraid you were most likely already taken prisoner by then. Didn't do much good."

He shrugged one shoulder, not wanting to disturb her. "Well, I got to see you when we got back to camp."

Ella made a face. "In a very bad state. I thought I booze would work faster, but it took a lot of drinking to get the desired effect."

Bucky laughed lightly. "Well, maybe it was beginners luck."

She felt her face begin to heat up in embarrassment. She couldn't believe she was having this conversation. "Well, how much do girls usually drink? Steve told me you were quite the ladies' man back in Brooklyn."

She suddenly felt stupid. Here she was, laying her head on his shoulder like they were sweethearts. Surely he would have a girl waiting for him back home. Still… it was a nice position to be in. She knew it was a bit selfish, but she felt like she deserved to focus on herself for once.

"Ladies' man?" Bucky scoffed unbelievingly. "Hardly. I only wanted to find a date for Steve. It wasn't all fun and games. In fact, it was kind of dull."

Ella hummed softly, acknowledging what he said, but not sure if she fully believed it yet. It would always be nice if it was true, maybe they would have a chance then. Surely he would never lie to her though… that she was positive of.

The cab pulled slowly to a stop in front of where they were staying. Ella first assumed it was some kind of apartment building, but it seemed that it was inhabited by members of the SSR and high ranking officers only. It was like a top secret hotel. Ella felt very out of place.

Bucky held the door open for her as she stepped out. He paid the driver again, tossing the money through the window quickly before coming to Ella's side, the car going down the wet street. She was rubbing her hands together, trying to create warmth through friction. She didn't like the cold.

"Here," he said, taking her hands into his own, puffing warm air on them and holding them tightly. "Let me help."

Ella felt her lips curving. "Thanks, Bucky."

"Come on." He said. "Let's get you inside where it's warm."

He still held onto her hand, keeping it warm within his own. They walked up the stairs as if they were a couple. Only, things weren't as simple as that, unfortunately. Although Ella wanted it to be. Wait... did she? Is this what she wanted her relationship with Bucky to be? Ella was fuming so much that she didn't even notice that they stopped in front of her room. She blinked rapidly, clearing her mind.

"Thank you for the nice night." Ella said, turning towards him. "I had fun."

"Yeah." Bucky agreed, taking a step closer. "Me too."

To Ella, he looked a bit nervous. His eyes would flicker from hers and down her face. There was no way he was looking at her lips, was there? It sounded impossible, but it was right there in front of her. There was a flutter in her chest. His hand trailed up her arm, leaving a burning in its wake all the way up to cup her cheek.

"Can I- I mean, may I-?" his stuttering was cut off by Ella standing on her toes and pressing her lips on his softly. It was barely more than a peck, but it was nice.

"Yes." Ella breathed when they parted. "You may."

Bucky's face broke out into a huge grin before holding her face tenderly with both hands, kissing her more firmly. It was chaste, their noses pressing together, Ella smiling against his lips. She grabbed his shirt in her hands, holding onto the fabric tightly. Their mouths moved in synchrony, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. They breathed each other's air, personal space forgotten entirely.

Eventually, they parted, foreheads pressed against each other. They both were grinning widely, Ella's cheeks flushed a light pink. Did that really just happen? It couldn't be possible surely.

"I've wanted to do that for a while." He admitted softly.

"I think I did too."

There was a comfortable silence for a few moments, filled with the sound of their breathing. Ella didn't know what to say yet. What was there to say?

"Now what?" Bucky asked. "Where do we go from here?"

Ella exhaled loudly, chewing her lip as she thought. "I guess we keep it quiet for now. See where it goes from here. We shouldn't stress Steve out or anything before going out to battle, right? That make sense, doesn't it?"

Bucky nodded. "Yeah. It does." He agreed, releasing Ella from his embrace.

She fumbled with the keys to her room, opening the door a crack. Ella looked back towards Bucky for a moment, pressing her lips in a fine line. "So, I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Of course."

Ella smiled softly, feeling like she was a young girl again. She had to remind herself that she was a mature woman. "Alright." She pressed her lips onto his jaw again, feeling the light stubble he had allowed to grow. "I'll see you in the morning."

"See you then."

Ella shut the door softly, pressing her back against it and allowing the grin the spread widely on her face. She put her face in her hands and laughed to herself. She almost couldn't believe that happened! It was so sudden and yet so… wonderful! Ella kicked off her shoes and fell face first onto the bed, pressing her head into a pillow.

She felt like she wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight.

Authors note:

It's been a while, hasn't it? Or at least it felt like it. Anyways, some people asked for the playlist. It has songs that remind me of things that happened, are happening or are going to happen so not all of them are going to match quite yet.

A thousand years- Christina Perry
Skinny Love-Birdy
I will follow you into the dark- Death cab for cutie
Bad Blood- Taylor Swift
Aint no rest for the Wicked- Cage the Elephant
Bad Blood- Bastille
Bad reputation- Joan Jett
Like I'm gonna lose you- Meghan Trainor
Boogie woogie bugle boy- Andrews Sisters
Say something- A great big world
Cups- Anna Kendrick
I've just seen a face- The Beatles
Radioactive- Imagine Dragons
Friends- Ed Sheeran
Fever- Peggy Lee
Hero/Heroine- Boys like girls.

So I leave you with these. Maybe a few of them have some foreshadowing. But I'm not telling.

Don't forget to review!