A/N: Good morning, everyone! There is a lot of Daphne/Bucky fluff in this one, which I unashamedly love. So, enjoy! :)

Big thanks to: Smile. Smile. Twitch, Cherokeefox20 and puppylover8392 for favouriting/following. Cheers, guys :3

Review Response(s):

NESSAANCALIME6913: Absolutely. I am a firm believer in that.

Lara Barnes: I admit, it's a lot of fun with the Bucky/Daphne stuff. It's a bit different to when she's with James, which is a lot of fun to write. Glad to hear you still love it. :)

Eryniel Alasse: Aww, thanks. Glad to hear it :P

angelAnabiel: I guess you'll have to find out ;)

20 - Now You Know What I Am

We headed out for our first base raid two days after Phillips dropped the bomb on me about my baby, though only after many meetings over what the plan was to be. For once, the esteemed Colonel stayed out of it, trusting the eight of us to come up with something good.

The first Hydra base's location was not known precisely, and we had an area of around fifty square miles to search. Looking at the map, my own, intimate knowledge of how Hydra worked meant I could cross of a few places from the list. Most of the areas we'd be searching through were either forestland or empty farmland.

We'd been hiking through this particular forest for around an hour. The group was spread out over about a hundred metres to cover more ground, and also so everyone could be linked in some way. On my left was Jacques Dernier, and on my right was Steve.

I came to sudden stop, noticing the rest of the guys do the same one by one. I looked around me, feeling the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. My grip on my pistols tightened, before a slight shift in the branches of a tree to my left caused me to lift my gun and fire a single bullet. There was a grunt of pain, before a man tumbled out of the tree.

I ran towards him, holstering my gun, while the other guys raced to meet me. Grabbing the guy's head, I forced his jaws open and then shoved my hand in his mouth, pulling it out a moment later, along with a little capsule which had been stuck to the back of one of his teeth.

"Cyanide capsule," Steve said with a slightly knowing grin, and I glanced over my shoulder to wink at him, before crushing the capsule between my fingers.

I turned back to the man. "Where is it?" I demanded.

The man spat at me. "You are all fools," he growled in German.

I bared my teeth at him. "You are the fools if you think you can escape," I said in return, and the surprise in his eyes told me he hadn't known I spoke his native tongue. "Where is your base?"

The man spat on the floor. "I will never tell you." I looked over his outfit, noticing the thin material. Not exactly ideal for a shaded area.

I smiled at him. "That's fine. You don't have to." I straightened up, drew my gun, and shot the guy in the forehead.

"Any luck?"

"It's not in a forest," I told Steve, putting away the smoking weapon again and ignoring the looks on the faces of a few of the men around me. "His clothing is too thin for it to be in an area under constant shade. It'll be one of the farming areas I pointed out earlier."

Steve nodded. "Fine." He looked around him. "We should find somewhere to rest for the night - it'll be dark soon."

We camped out in an old barn that night. After carefully scoping out the ransacked farmhouse next to it (the others thought I was going overboard, but, as I pointed out to them, an abandoned building would be the ideal hiding place for a secret base), the guys laid out their coats and jackets to use as makeshift pillows, and settled in for the night. I, on the other hand, knew what sort of horrors sleep would bring, and so I decided to stay up and keep watch to allow the others the chance to rest.

Two hours later Bucky came and sat beside he without a word, placing his jacket around my shoulders as he did.

"I'm not cold," I murmured with an amused grin.

He shrugged. "Makes me feel better," he said by way of an explanation. I didn't understand, but nodded anyway and kept hold of the jacket, trying to ignore the scent that was so very James as it drifted up my nose, even if it was masked by hints of straw and sweat. "You should be sleeping, Evie."

"I figured that one of us not sleeping at all would be better than all of us sleeping badly," I said simply. "You know what I'm like at night."

"Yeah, but I'm right here. I can calm you down."

I shook my head. "I'm not gonna ruin the night just for a bit of rest. I've gone longer without sleep - I'll be fine."

"How long?"

I chuckled. "That would depend entirely on your definition of sleep," I said. "I was placed in a state of physical lock-down. My body didn't function, just like it doesn't when you're asleep, but it's not a natural sleep."

"Do you count that as sleep?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Then how long?"

I stared at him, before slowly admitting, "Years."

Bucky did a double-take. "Years?" he echoed, frowning.

I nodded. "Yeah. So I think I'll be okay for one night."

Bucky settled into a shocked silence, no doubt mulling through his thoughts. I let him sit and stew, not wanting to divulge any more details just in case doing so would mean he'd make the link between Evelyn and Daphne too early in the future. I was already getting too careless with my words around him, but I couldn't help it. James had always been someone I could trust with anything. I was seeing the same trait in Bucky, so keeping stuff like this from him... It was growing more and more difficult. It went against every instinct I had.

The quiet lasted for several minutes, before Bucky suddenly said, "You know, I used to dream that I'd live in a place like this."

I blinked in surprise. "I'd have thought you to be the city type for your entire life."

Bucky shrugged one shoulder. "Well, sure, I expect it'll be hard to adjust to a life in the country, but it's always held a strange kind of appeal. Being out all alone with my family, having a couple dogs and maybe some horses. Chickens for eggs. A cow for milk. It just seems so peaceful." He smiled at the image he painted in front of us both. "I always pictured myself outside, maybe chopping up some logs for the fire, with my wife sitting on the porch and a babe in her hands, and two kids running around in the grass without a care in the world. None of the danger of city life. None of the pressure. Just... freedom to do whatever we wanted."

I smiled sadly to myself, wondering if that was the life that James still wanted to be able to live. When Bucky described it like that, it truly did sound like a beautiful life to lead. "Three kids, huh?" I asked, smiling.

Bucky chuckled. "Ah, well, that might change, of course. But there were always three when I pictured it."

"Boys or girls?"

Bucky laughed. "Oh, I've no idea. It changed every time. I'd like at least one of each though, I think. If I can."

I couldn't help but sadly note, "You'd be an excellent father, Bucky." And so would James. Though the two were very different, in this, they had something in common. I was glad that such a feat had managed to survive through all the torment under Hydra's hands.

"Thank you." Bucky paused, then hesitantly glanced at me. "What about you? How do you picture yourself in the future?"

I smiled sadly. "I don't, really. I spent far too long thinking my future would always be the same as my past and my present that the future you describe seems like an unachievable dream. If presented with the opportunity, I think I'd like kids one day, but..."

"But what?"

"But... after the first time..."

Bucky's eyes blew wide open. "There was a first time?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I, uh, lost it."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine. It was a long time ago."

"When?"

"Back in '37. Colonel Phillips, of all people, was the one to deliver the news. It's actually one of the things that kick-started our... I dunno what to call it, really."

"Relationship?" Bucky offered.

"Yeah, sure, let's go with that." I shrugged. "Either way, it wasn't the nicest way to start it off, but it's not his fault the child died. He just had to be the one to tell me."

Bucky nodded, face understandably solemn. "No offence," he said slowly, "but, by the sounds of things, you've had a really terrible life."

I couldn't help but laugh, though I made a conscious effort to keep it quiet, so the others weren't disturbed. "None taken," I said with a grin. "That's exactly how my life's panned out. Sure, it's had its highlights, but the majority of it was... pretty awful."

"But you're free now, right? You're away from the chains that held you back. So you can do whatever you like?"

I hummed. "I suppose so, yes."

"So, when the war is over, what are you going to do?"

I paused for a minute. "I... don't know. Fighting is just about the only thing I can do. And, being a woman, I can't exactly make a career out of that."

"No hobbies?"

"Never really have any time for them," I admitted. "I used to, but that was before everything just went downhill." I shrugged. "It's fine - I made peace with the fact I'm never going to fit in anywhere a long time ago."

Bucky nudged me with his elbow and said scoldingly, "Don't say that. You fit in fine. Nearly everyone you get to know thinks you're great."

"You know considerably less than half the people I've met," I pointed out dryly. "More often than I'd like, the guys I'm training hate me just because I'm a woman who can throw them on their asses."

"Ah," Bucky said with a grin. "Well, you've got to admit, it's not the best way to sell yourself."

I chuckled. "Never said it was. But the ones who accept that are the ones I really get along with. So it has its ups and downs." I looked up at the night sky, admiring the bright face of the white moon, before turning back to Bucky. "Get some sleep, Sergeant. I'll make sure no one gets the drop on us."

Bucky chuckled. "Oh, I've no doubt." I moved to return his jacket to him, but he just shook his head. "No. Keep it."

"Weren't you using it to sleep on, though?"

Bucky snorted. "This is a war, Evie. I've slept on worse than an old pile of straw. I'll be fine."

Slowly, I nodded. "Alright. Goodnight, Bucky."

"Goodnight, Evie."

"Don't call me that."

Bucky's low chuckle resonated all the way through the barn, and I couldn't help but smile. I listened closely for the distinctive sound of rustling straw, and when it came, I knew Bucky had returned to his spot and had laid down to rest.

The night passed slowly after that, and I could tell it was almost dawn when suddenly the landscape changed ever so slightly. I stood from my spot (Bucky's jacket falling from my shoulders onto the barn floor), narrowing my eyes toward the movement I was almost certain I'd seen, waiting for it again. When it came, I quickly spun around, moving between the Howling Commandos and carefully picking up a few of their weapons in order to increase my stock of guns, bullets and explosives. I then wordlessly started walking towards the source of movement.

The tall grass and early hour helped create excellent cover, so I was easily able to sneak up on what turned out to be a man. He was standing at the crest of a hill, on the other side of which was a large crater. And sat perfectly in the centre was a series of square buildings. A series of buildings that, remarkably, disturbingly, looked familiar.

Knowing Hydra was close by was one thing. But seeing the Hydra base in front of my eyes did crazy things to my head. The hatred and desire for revenge ripped through me, burning even hotter now I knew it was because of them that James and I had lost our first child. I tied the guns I'd picked up to my back, and instead drew two knives from my belt. This would be all the more satisfying when I could watch the life drain from their eyes.

The scout was taken down first with a clean swipe across the neck. After that I ran towards the base, not even trying to be subtle, but somehow only drawing the attention of four men. They were dispatched just as easily. There seemed to be some kind of trigger a certain distance from the first building, because as I neared the base a loud alarm suddenly sounded, and then there were dozens of men - all carrying guns - running towards me. As much as I didn't want to, I put my knives away, knowing they'd be practically useless against so many men with guns in such an open space. Instead, I pulled the two machine guns off my back and started firing at the men, barely even giving myself the time to see if my bullets hit home before spinning towards the next man.

By this point they were starting to return fire, and every now and then I had to duck for cover. I cursed when one of my guns clicked when I pulled the trigger, before throwing it to the side. Empty. I darted out from my hiding spot around the corner of a building, sending a wave of bullets towards the men in front of me. All but three went down, but three more short bursts later I was alone.

I looked myself over, making a mental note of the two gashes on my legs and the rather minor shrapnel wounds on my arm, before I started scanning the bodies in front of me. I picked up two guns which were identical, before grabbing two more clips of ammo for said guns. As I headed towards one of the doors into the base, I reloaded both guns, before putting them on my back.

I drew my knives again, before slipping inside the base. I used the shadows to my advantage, my silent footsteps allowing me to get right behind all the guards in the building before covering their mouths with my hand and then slitting their throats. It wasn't long before I was stood in front of what was clearly the main control room. The door had a piece of glass in the middle, allowing me to watch as scientists and soldiers alike bustled around the room, frantically trying to hide things. I stayed outside for a long time, noting all their favourite hiding spaces - beneath four separate floorboards, behind a loose brick in the far wall. And, my personal favourite, sliding them under a small gap at the bottom of a particular wall.

After waiting another few seconds, listening out for any other company, I calmly walked towards the room and opened the door. The men in the room froze solid when they saw me, only to suddenly become confused. Clearly I wasn't what they were expecting. I moved calmly towards the first man, who was stood stock still, but I could tell he wasn't armed underneath his white lab coat. I subtly shoved my knife into his back, up under his ribcage and into his lungs and heart. He wasn't even flat on the floor before I slashed at the next man.

After that, the men started moving, either scrambling for cover (the scientists) or scrambling for their guns. I used the various desks and filing cabinets to shield myself from stray bullets, but it wasn't long before the men got a lucky few shots. Three bullets ripped through my hip, my abdomen, and my right shoulder. Another curse slipped my lips, before I spun around and threw some of my knives at the men who shot me, smirking when they sunk right into their skulls, killing them instantly. That left just the scientists, who were cowering in one corner. Six of them.

I dropped my remaining knife, drew a pistol, and then fired six shots. The walls were painted with their blood, but I didn't care. Ignoring the blood streaming out of the three bullet wounds in my own body, I started collecting the various files I'd seen them stashing away. Seven under the four floorboards. Three behind the loose brick. Two under the wall, which were a lot more difficult to grasp hold of.

With the twelve files in hand, I started walking back through the base, planting a few of the charges I'd pulled from Falsworth as I went. As I exited the base back into the night, I looked up and saw the Howling Commandos standing at the top of the hill. I couldn't see their expressions from here, but it didn't take a genius to know what they'd be. Shocked. Insulted. Disgusted. Ignoring the pang of guilt in my stomach, I started to march towards them, my hands beginning to shake with the effort of keeping hold of the files while my blood leaked from my body.

"Evelyn," Steve said sternly when I joined him, but I interrupted.

"We might want to take a few steps back, gentlemen." Surprisingly, they did as suggested, and barely ten seconds later a series of large explosions ripped the Hydra base apart. While the rest of the group watched the flaming inferno, I turned to Steve, pressed the files into his hands and said, "I may have taken a few hits." Then, as if my body decided to be dramatic, my tired legs failed and I slumped onto the ground.