A/N: So when I first got the idea for this story, it started with the fight scene you'll read about soon. I knew I wanted this to be 'one' of the main events in this story. One of the things that everything led up to. The why's and how's would take place after. So I'm so happy to reach this point, you have no idea. This section has been written since I first started this piece. Wow. So it's a surreal moment for me and I'm excited to present you with it. It's fairly long, coming from me, that's saying a lot. I hope you enjoy it and the ride that comes after. Because we are NOT DONE YET! (Shameless plug, yeah that's right I did it)

Again, thank you to everyone reading, leaving likes, kudos, bookmarking, faving and commenting on this. All of our little chit chats in pms and comments are always great and I appreciate everyone one of you, even those who just stop in to read ;)

As always, read, review and enjoy!

Hey btw, you can find me on tumblr vamporchid. Tumblr and I did a thing, want to know what I see in my mind's eye when I'm writing this fic www. Canva design / DAB-5yBeJ9w /view I put together images of how I picture things would look. Hope that's fun for you all to look at. (Remove the spaces from the links)

Disclaimer: I own nothing accept Chrissy and my ideas. The rest belongs to Marvel/Disney.

Chapter 25: Creed and Dogma

Jake hasn't been around all afternoon, his food hasn't been touched and he has yet to bark at the horses.

Chrissy tries everything. Shaking his treat tin, calling his name and even squeezing his favorite noisy bear. Nothing. No dog barking. No excited pooch running out to greet her. Just, nothing. "I can't find Jake." She informs the Soldier as he carries lumber into the workshop. "I'm worried."

"Alright. He can't have gone too far." He offers a reassuring smile as she makes her way closer, but deep down he has that sinking feeling. "Why don't you check the house again. And then call Frank. Maybe he's seen him around. I'll check out here." Bucky rubs her arms and offers that same smile.

"Ok." Chrissy does as he suggests and checks the inside of the house again. She looks under Steve's bed and even in Clint's room. "Hmmm…" Then she darts down to the basement and checks in Tony's bedroom. "What the hell? Jake where are you?" Making her way back upstairs she looks out the window to see Bucky checking the workshop and the barn. Hands on his hips, he heads towards the fence and starts whistling and calling the dog's name over and over. Nothing.

After she gets off the phone with Frank, Bucky decides to approach Chrissy and inform her of what he has been finding on the property the past few days. He explains why he hasn't said anything, he didn't want to worry her. "I'll go look for him in the fields and surrounding tree line. He can't be far." Feeling horrible, Bucky takes off into the forest in search of the retriever.

Chrissy stays behind, standing on the deck. Waiting.

Bucky said it would be quicker and safer if she stayed home. Maybe Jake will return on his own, best to have someone here waiting for him.

If something had felt off the last few days, then this was definitely a cause for concern. Bucky finds yet another animal carcase. This time it's a cougar. Same as all the other animals, throat torn out and left for dead. His eyes scan the field and forest line. Cautiously he makes his way back to the Chevy. Just as he turns the key in the ignition, he hears a whimper. The wind picks up, maybe it's nothing more...another whimper, no a low whine.

The Soldier quiets the engine. His ears straining to decipher what direction that sound came from. Then he hears it again. Bucky grabs his rifle and heads out into the long grass. Weapon pressed against the dip of his shoulder, he slowly makes his way through the newly growing vegetation.

"Oh no…"

Jake is lying on his side, his chest rising and descending quickly. He's bleeding, but Bucky can't tell from where, the poor dog's fur is matted with blood and dirt. The Soldier kneels down beside his canine friend. "Hey pal. It's ok." The animal lifts its head slightly. Bucky sighs as he removes his plaid jacket and wraps the animal in it as carefully as possible. "Alright. I gotcha. It's ok buddy."

The retriever lets out a low whine as it licks its chops. Jake attempts to wag his tail to show his gratitude, but he lacks the energy to do so.

"I know." Bucky slings the weapon over his shoulder and carries Jake to the truck. "Lets go get Chrissy and then take you to the vet ok?"

The drive home is quiet. Sally is keeping Jake at the animal hospital for the next few days. Just as a precaution. She assured her friends that Jake would recover, but she just wants to make sure that none of his wounds become seriously infected.

Chrissy stares out the passenger window as Bucky continues the drive home. The silence is really unsettling. Is she upset with him? After all, this entire situation probably wouldn't have occurred had he informed her of the strange things happening with the animals lately.

Bucky leans to the right and grips Chrissy's knee as he continues to keep his eyes on the road. "Sorry." He clears his throat. "I should have said something about what I had been finding. I just...was trying to keep you safe without having you worry." Her well being is the most important thing to him. He was only trying to avoid scaring her at the same time.

"Yeah. You should of said something." His fingers tighten, preparing himself for a scolding. "I know you had the best intentions...but wasn't this something you had made clear? Can't protect someone by lying to them." He doesn't respond. She's right on both accounts. "But I get why you didn't say anything." A small sigh leaves her. "This wasn't your fault. Jake isn't one to stray far...something must of caught his attention. He was probably just trying to be a good guard dog." She snickers and wipes her eye.

"Hey. It's ok to be pissed off or angry. You're allowed to be mad at me." Bucky looks over at her. She's still looking out the window, not really looking in his direction. "Want me to sleep in my room?" A serious tone to his inquiry. He can't blame her if she doesn't want to be near him at the moment.

"No." Chrissy places her hand over his. "I'm not mad at you. Only with whatever hurt Jake and whatever is killing all the wildlife. Even if I was angry...it's not good to go to bed when you're still upset with someone."

"Alright. I'm sure that's something you'll have to remind yourself of in the future." He snickers. The Soldier lifts her hand to his lips and kisses the top of it quickly. "Tell you what. Tomorrow morning I'll go out and find this damned animal. Before I do, I'll call Tony and see if there's something he can do with Charlotte."

"If none of that works?"

With a loud exhale, Bucky checks the rear view mirror and seems to become fidgety. "I'll find it...but if I don't." Licking his dry lips he pulls the truck into the driveway. "I'll contact Logan."

"What?"

The truck is put into park and the engine turned off. "You're safety. The safety of the people who come here...is what matters to me." The Soldier clears his throat forcefully. "My pride…stubbornness...fear, or whatever, will have to be put aside." A hand rubs over his mouth. "Other than myself, he's the only other person I know of that would be able to track this thing."

"Bucky he might not…"

A small laugh. "For me. No. For you..." He glances in her direction. "I'd have to not be present when he's here. Honestly, it's one of the only reasons I haven't called yet. Not too fond of the idea that I would have to leave your side." Bucky pulls the keys from the ignition and leans back. "But he'd keep you safe."

"Bucky…"

"I'm gonna find it Chrissy. Might take a day or two. But I'll find it." The Soldier reassures. "Until then. You keep Connors gun…" Chrissy starts to interrupt him. "No!" He all but snaps as he grips the steering wheel, forcing it to creek. Jaw tightening and teeth clenching as he gets himself to calm down. "Don't...please just do this for me. Just stay at the farm. Keep his gun nearby. I know you can take care of yourself. Please, just...do this. And don't argue with me about it, because it's not up for debate." This is an order. She's not used to taking them. Wow, he's not good at these type of situations.

Chrissy crosses her arms and nods her head. "Fine." A quiet, aggravate response. Alright, now she's upset with him. "Whatever you say." Who can blame her. He's practically forcing her to become a prisoner in her own home.

"It's only temporary." A quiet breath leaves him.

"Sure." She exits the truck and slams the door a shut.

Groaning, the Soldier runs his hands over his face and through his hair. What the hell does he do about this? Combat tactics, gun fights, hand to hand, fine, perfect he can deal with that. This domestic stuff. Arguing. He doesn't like it. He assumes no one does. But it's not exactly familiar territory. Not something he really knows how to go about fixing. Chrissy's already in the house so he makes his way there as well. Standing on the porch he waits and listens. His gut telling him that something is in the woods, far off, but watching.

"Charlotte. Don't let any animals that don't belong to this farm near this house." Bucky removes his boots and coat.

"Understood."

There's noise coming from the kitchen, lots of it. Chrissy must be baking, at 8pm in the evening. Maybe she's just breaking dishes, he winces as a loud clatter is heard. Bucky knows it's her way to blow off steam. Should he go talk to her? Apologize? Deciding to leave Chrissy to her devices, the Soldier heads upstairs to their room. He finds Connors gun and starts taking it apart to clean it and make sure it has a full clip.

Two hours have passed, Bucky figures Chrissy's had enough time to cool down. When he enters the kitchen, she's leaning against the island waiting for the cookies in the oven to bake. A glass of wine in hand, her back to him, she looks tense.

"I'm not mad at you anymore." She tilts her head back and laughs. "So you're safe. And stop sneaking up on me." Chrissy informs without even glancing in his direction.

Bucky wraps an arm around her shoulders and kisses her temple. "Here. Cleaned it up." He holds the weapon by the barrel out towards her.

Chrissy deposits her wine onto the counter. With a defeated exhale, she grips the handgun and then takes it from his hand. "Thanks." This thing, although it's been in her possession for years, still feels foreign to her. She places the weapon onto the counter. "I'll put it somewhere safe."

"Are you sure you don't want me to sleep in a different room?" He rests his chin on the top of her head. This seems like the right thing to offer. Right?

Chrissy grips the front of his shirt and leans into him. "No...you're warm. You jerk." She sighs, still worried about Jake. Large arms squeeze her gently. A timer goes off, the loud buzzing causing Bucky's muscles to stiffen. "Cookies are done." She giggles and pats his chest.

As she takes the tray of baked goods out and replaces it with another, Bucky notices a bottle of wine nearly empty. With a scowl he finds the cork and forces it back into the bottle with his metallic thumb. The glass of alcohol, yeah he's dumping that.

"Hey!" Chrissy slaps his left arm lightly.

"Go take a bath. I'll clean up." The Soldier starts putting away the containers of sugar and flour. "I think I can handle taking out a tray of cookies all by myself."

"Don't kill the the timer." She giggles and then places a kiss on his cheek. With an annoyed puff of air, Chrissy takes Connors gun and leaves the kitchen.

Once she's upstairs, Bucky stands outside on the deck. Listening for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing. Good. Then, he hears something. Shit. The timer. He darts back inside on time to pull the tray from the oven. Alright, these ones might be a bit crispy. He exhales a breath of air that blows his bangs out of the way. Chrissy will never let him live this one down.

Bucky still hasn't found that damned animal that's stalking the property. And now, it's raining, that doesn't help her mood. At least it's a sign that spring is in fact on it's way. As she stares out the window, Chrissy realizes that she hasn't checked the mail in a few days. Damn. She decides that she'll call Sally to check on Jake after she dashes out to the end of the driveway to get her mail before it's starts down poring. Bucky said not to leave the farm, the end of the driveway is considered that, right?

This was in fact a bad idea. As soon as she reaches the mailbox, it starts to poor heavily.

"Damn it!"

Chrissy's soaked through when she reaches the house. She calls the vet's office who informs her that they can pick up Jake tomorrow afternoon. "Perfect! Thank-you so much for taking care of my big boy." It was just the thing to lift her spirits. Chrissy ends her call and then quickly, she heads up to her room with the intent to change into warm clothing. As she struggles to remove her soaked jeans, she hears the front door to the home shut loudly. What the hell? Footsteps are quickly making their way up the stairs.

"Chrissy?" Bucky looks panicked when he rushes past the bedroom door. The woman is standing there in just a pair of underwear and a wet t-shirt.

Lifting a brow, Chrissy regards him. "Uh, is everything alright?"

He's staring at her, which causes her to blush. "I didn't know where you were...and…what are you doing?" Her half nakedness not seeming to bother him one bit.

"Well I went out to get the mail, and then it started to rain. Then I called Sally's office. I was just changing into some dry clothing." She tosses the wet jeans onto her chair. He's still staring at her. "What?"

He's suddenly really close, breathing is shaky. "You had me worried." He confesses.

"Sorry." Chrissy places a quick kiss on his lips. "Come on, I didn't go far. Next time I get the mail in the rain, I'll make sure to let you know." She giggles and attempts to move around him. Bucky places himself in her way. "I'm fine…this is ridiculous. I'm perfectly capable of..."

Lips crash down to her own. That was unexpected. Her arms are snaking their way around his neck and shoulders. His are already pressing against the small of her back. Chrissy's just noticing now that he's soaked through as well, he must have been out there looking for. Ok she feels a little bit guilty, but only a bit. He is afterall being a tad bit dramatic.

"I know I made you worry...sorry." She says sheepishly, but Bucky no longer seems concerned. However, he's still breathing deeply as he rests his forehead against hers. When his eyes open, Chrissy sees it, want, need, lust.

Her fingers gently start undoing the buttons of his shirt. "Is this alright?" The Soldier nods, shutting his eyes once more, his hands grip her hips. When the last button is undone, she slides the wet material from his shoulders letting it fall to the floor, a light soaked t-shirt still clings to his frame. Tenderly, she places a kiss on his lips. "Slow, ok?" Again he nods.

Her hands travel up his sides under the shirt and he really doesn't seem to mind that. Tensing only a little when she helps him remove the fabric, her hands are resting on his shoulders. He's trying not to look in her direction. Is he embarrassed? "Does this bother you?" She's dragging her fingers over his scars. "I can understand that. But this is part of you. A reminder that you're a survivor, and strong." Soft lips kiss the metal of his shoulder. "I have scars too remember?" She beams at him brightly while placing his metallic fingers on her abdomen.

"Yeah...but you're still beautiful. Inside and out." He smirks in a manner where she can't tell if he's happy or saddened. "Me...I'm..."

"One handsome devil. And one of the bravest, most selfless people I've ever met." His eyes meet her own and he kisses her deeply. She's pulled closer and can feel the uncertainty in his touch as he plays with the hem of her shirt. He wants this, but is afraid that he'll do something that'll cause her to change her mind. "You can take it off if you want. I want to be here with you, right now."

With her permission he slips the clothing over her head. Excited and scared, his lips tremble against hers. Maybe this is too fast and he'll scare her.

Chrissy does the only thing she can think of to calm his nerves, she runs her hands through his hair and pulls him down closer, her tongue pushing into his mouth to glide against his own. That's all it takes to make him feel at ease. To regain his confidence and groan into her waiting mouth.

Within a few minutes, she's looking up into his eyes, making sure that this is still something he wants. Chrissy unties his pants while he nervously watches her hands, next thing she knows he's placing them on the bed. The rest of the unwanted garments tossed to the floor. As they make love through the night, she pulls him impossibly close, gripping his hair, raking fingers over his flesh, causing him to gasp and moan. She keeps telling him things he doesn't believe he deserves to hear.

Bucky continues to remind himself of a few things. Like how much heavier he is compared to Chrissy, so don't crush her. Children, not something to worry about, so calm the hell down. No one's in a rush, so slow the hell down. It's been forever, that's fine, take your time boy. He also takes a few mental notes. Like how she enjoys being kissed below the jaw, loves having his arm wrapped around her waist as they move together. He's starting to see that this isn't just about the act itself either. Yeah he's enjoying every minute of it, but this is the closest he's been with anyone in over 70 years. Mentally and physically.

He's also learning a few things about himself. When her tongue dips into the ditch of his collar bone, that just about ends him. His left hand is far more sensitive to touch then he thought. He can feel the warmth of her kiss on his palm and enjoy the curve of her breast when he squeezes her skin. Midrift is sensitive and apparently ticklish, causing him to grin and laugh when she pulls his bottom lip between her teeth and rake her nails over his belly. And his gal is a hair puller, nothing wrong with that, but it's surprising and fun all the same. Guess she's bit of a sex kitten, who would of guessed?

He's so at ease. So comfortable.

This is the first time since losing his arm or his memories, that Bucky can actually remember not feeling degraded or humiliated when being nude in the presence of another human being. When her fingers tenderly trace over his skin or the lines of his muscles, it's in admiration. There's no malicious intent or examination going on here. The small whimpers and exhales of breath leaving her are because of the intimacy he's causing her to feel. Not because of pain or torture. He feels wanted, loved, cherished and above all, safe. Not at all like some test subject, that will have to suffer through yet another horrible experiment, just to satisfy the forever thirsty and curious minds of some selfish scientist pricks. No never again.

When he touches her in return, Chrissy doesn't recoil from him. Instead she holds him close and envelopes him in warmth. Thighs tight at his waist, keeping him near. She smells like the rain that's still falling just outside their window and she tastes like the honey she'd just had in her tea only a few hours ago. The soft noises they make and promises whispered to each other in the night will forever be imprinted on his soul. Past lives be damned if this is what his future looks like. He's not leaving her behind, his kitten. God she's going to hate that nickname, but it could be their little inside joke.

The sheets are entwined with their bodies as they lie in each other's arms. He's rubbing a thumb over her cheekbone, waiting for the hammering of his heart to stop. She's sleepy and comfortable resting against his shoulder and chest. He's still not sure how any of this happened. How could she possibly care for him this way, after everything?

"Chrissy…"

Her eyes are shut but she smiles. "Yes?" She purrs against his skin as he drags his thumb over her bottom lip.

"I'm pretty sure…" He clears his throat and presses his chin against her forehead. "I'm horrible at things like this...but you already know that." Bucky lets a long breath escape his lungs, she's so patient with him, as always. "I love you. I think that's what this is." The Soldier places the palm of her hand over his heart, that's still beating incredibly hard. "Right?"

Bucky shuts his eyes, listening to the noise his own heart is producing, content with the sound. Chrissy kisses his jaw. "That's up for you to decide, but it's a safe bet." Her kisses trail down to his neck and chest. "You know I love you Bucky." Settling against him, she presses her ear to his chest. "And mine's doing the same thing."

He smiles at the thought that he can love and receive it in return. Skin is still humming and hot when she falls asleep against him, he's pretty sure he probably won't be able to sleep after something like that. Chrissy's smooth and naked against his hard and marked frame, but she's tired, he reminds himself, and he's not going anywhere. This is something he plans on doing again. He kisses the top of her head. The way the metal of his left arm looks wrapped protectively over her frame, doesn't bother him as much as it might have before.

The shower is running when Chrissy wakes up. Stretching, she looks at the alarm clock, 6:43 am. "Ick." She sighs and then decides to curl up under the sheets. Chrissy's contemplating getting out of bed when the Soldier exits the washroom in a pair of jeans, drying his hair quickly. "Hey." She says softly.

With a small smirk he sits down on the edge of the bed, leans over and presses a kiss to her lips. "Hey yourself Kitten. Was trying to let you sleep in. We were...up pretty late. Or early. Which ever way you wanna look at it." He grins, metallic hand rubbing small circles over her bare back.

"Did you just call me kitten?" She laughs and raises a brow in his direction.

"Uh, yeah." He laughs. Chrissy looks amused, but also confused. "You have claws. I have marks to prove it." He lifts her hand to display her fingernails. "And you purr sometimes." He clears his throat and shrugs, a side grin appearing as he tries not to laugh. "That and you're a bit of a minx…"

"Bucky!" She's giggling. "I thought it was a cute and endearing nickname. Not some kinky...thing…" She pouts.

"It's cute. It suits you." He's still smirking.

Chrissy laughs. "The word cute leaving your lips...now that's endearing." The man on her bed rolls his eyes. "I'm gonna get up and make us some breakfast. I want waffles."

Bucky stands up and pulls a t-shirt over his head. "Alright. I'm gonna go let the horses out into the field while you do that." She knows that's also his way of saying he's going to scout the rest of the farm quickly just to make certain everything's alright.

"Ok." She watches Bucky as he ties his hair back and then heads downstairs. "K. Time to get up."

Just as they finish eating, they hear the horses let out a squeal of surprise and then a bunch of galloping. Bucky rushes out onto the deck, he licks his lips and looks over the field in the direction where the horses are running away from. "I can't see anything." He huffs. Returning to the house, he quickly heads into the livingroom and fetches the Timberwolf. Back on the deck he rests the barrel on the railing. Looking through the scope he scans every inch of the field.

"What the fuck?" He zooms in. "Son of a bitch." He grunts.

"What?" Chrissy waits patiently behind him.

"Dallas is down." He says softly and stands up. "It's a mess. I'm sorry." Bucky grips her arm gently and makes sure he has her attention. "It's close. I'm going to go put Dallas out of his misery. And then I'm going to find that thing and kill it."

Chrissy nods. God damnit. Another one of her animals? Seriously? She's never been a violent person, but she wants this thing dead.

"You know where all of my stuff is stashed. Stay in the house. Get Connors gun. If I'm not back by nightfall call Logan." The Soldier presses a kiss to her forehead.

"Ok." She rubs the hand on her arm. "Please, be careful."

"Always."

Tony's sitting at his desk, staring out the window when Ross finally shows up in his office. The older man sighs, drops a folder on the desk and takes a seat. Wincing when he adjusts his position, the Iron man grins. "What's this?"

"Because of your...alterations." The older man begins. "We've been able to keep an eye on Sergeant Barnes with high precision. Even if he ever decides to join the Avengers, he's still a liability. We can't let the knowledge that's locked away in his mind fall into the wrong hands. But it's also something that we need as well. It's the key to disarming Hydra, infiltrating them properly."

"I can't say that I don't agree...but the man did prove himself and his loyalties time and time again...what more could you want?" Tony's tired and sore and quite frankly just not in the mood for a long boring debate.

"There's always going to be a chance that he'll take off and disappear again. This is something we need to prevent, at any cost. Not only is he a valuable asset because of the information he retains...he's living proof that threats to this nation and the U.N are still very much real and present." Ross can see that he has the other man's attention. "Even if he did vanish, we'd have a way to find him, it would take a bit of effort to round him up. I'd rather it not come to that." The tone in his voice, he's hinting around and can tell that Stark understands him.

"What are you saying?" Tony sits ups and crosses his arms. "You'd use Chris or Steve as bait? A way to lure him out of hiding? You think any of us would let something like that happen?"

"That's not what I'm saying at all. Besides, Barnes isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Is he?" Ross lifts his brow and remains patient. Tony remains silent. "We were hoping something like this would happen. Things will fall into place much smoother now. We really prefer to not have to use force with him. He'll cooperate much easier now. That Soldier has had enough done to his mind, I'd rather if we didn't have to use those same measures on our part. Besides, he doesn't have to be here at the facility for this to work."

Still confused, Tony tilts his head to the side. "I'm not sure I follow." He sees Ross gesture to the folder. Stark opens the file, his jaw clenches. There's a few pictures and notes at the beginning. Chrissy's lying in the field, Cesar impaled and then a few written notes on the 'Soldier's' reaction and how he approached the situation. Tony lets an exhale leave his nostrils, but continues reading the notes, looking at pictures, he's becoming more and more angered. He doesn't like being reminded of these horrible things. Migraines, scribbled at the top of one section with a picture of Tony holding Chrissy's unconscious form. He turns the page, another picture, Barnes leaning over a bathroom sink, 'Signs of PTSD still present', point form notations and the doctor's personal input. Tony keeps turning pages and keeps seeing things that are causing him to become more and more agitated.

Then he lands on the most recent pictures. Black and white photos of Chrissy and Barnes. A few of them kissing, the way they look at each other, he was right all along. Tony sighs, these two polar opposites are head over heels for one another. The guilt that rises in his chest, he wants to be happy for her, but with this man, he's certain she'll only find more pain. A few more photos of them together, this time intimately, in bed, nude. Jesus, thank God they are covered with bed linen.

At first he feels an overwhelming anger as he stares at these pictures. How he wants to tear apart the man in the photos. This man that Tony said from the start that could be trouble, is pressed up against his friend, her hands gripping his hair and flesh, their lips locked. But then he realizes something, why the hell are these photos in his hands to begin with. This is an extremely private moment between a man and a woman. Even though he's not pleased about her choice in men, this is a sacred thing, for Chrissy and Bucky's eyes only. "What the hell is this?" His eyes leave the pictures and he quickly shuts the folder.

"Like I said, he won't be leaving anytime soon." Ross smirks.

"This is disgusting and degrading. It's not why I made those upgrades and it's certainly not something you have the right to look in on!" A hand brushes through his hair. "They're...well they were...and in her bed...and you have pictures?" Tony stands from his chair and heads for the door, folder in hand. "I want the copies of these destroyed. Now!"

"You seem to be confused, you have no authority over this or The Winter Soldier." The older man informs. "Besides, we've analyzed the footage countless times and he most certainly cares for the woman. There's no way he'd..."

"Are you kidding me?" Stark interrupts Ross's explanation. There's videos. He's going to be sick. Steve, he needs to tell Steve. "Destroy those videos, now!" Jaw set as he practically threatens the man before him.

"Why? Because two people are intimate on film? Please. This is not some sleazy workshop. This is factual and important research…" Ross buttons up his suit. "Besides, we're studying him. The more we learn about him, the more..."

"Nothing you can say will make this any less creepy." Tony decides to just find Steve. "This ends now."

The Captain rubs a hand over his mouth, still in shock. "Jesus...Tony." He pushes the folder away unable to continue looking through it, disgusted, not with what's in there, but why it's in there. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I didn't know they were going to do any of this…" He waves his hand in the direction of the folder. "I wanted to make sure she'd be safe. I didn't know they'd be looking in on the place twenty-four-seven." Tony clears his throat in an attempt to push back the gag he feels forming.

Steve doesn't even have the chance to be happy for his friends. Bucky has found someone to care for deeply enough to...and it's all been recorded, documented like some sick science experiment. This will destroy him, to know that he's been used as a lab rat once more. Not only that, he'll want to savagely kill anyone involved with this project. Why shouldn't he?

"You should've come to me with this before it got this far." Steve shakes his head, disappointed, again. "We have to tell them."

"I know." Tony's scared. He's already lost Pepper, he doesn't know what he'll do if he loses Chrissy over this as well. "She'll hate me." Tony rubs his fingers over his eyes. "I can't blame her. I feel disgusted with myself. Worse because I saw...well that…and I know that some creepy old scientists are just analyzing every minute..."

"Maybe she'll understand with time. She has a forgiving nature Tony." Steve sighs. "But you have to prepare yourself for the worse. This an invasion of their privacy...it's not something anyone should see...and to know that Ross has been directing an entire project around him, them...it's a violation."

It's not rape, they both know this, but it's pretty damn close. This couple has been victimized and violated and they don't even know it. Steve feels nauseated. How long has this been going on? From the day Bucky arrived by the looks of things.

"When were these photos taken?" Steve clears his throat, he can't believe this is a question he actually has to ask. The Captain leans forward resting his elbows on his knees.

"Last night." Tony sighs.

Steve wishes that this could have been something Bucky told him about, he could have patted him on the back, gave him a thumbs up and a smile. Good job buddy, I'm happy for you. They'll never have that conversation. Again, something important has been stripped away from his friend. The Captain's happy for his friends, but he's terrified for them as well.

"We need to get them out of there. Now." Tony nods, agreeing. Steve picks up his phone and dials Bucky's number. The man on the other end seems to be out of breath. "Buck? What's going on?"

"Something's off...was scouting. Keep finding mutilated animal corpses everywhere. All over the property...Steve, I'm heading back to the farm." The sound of the Chev's engine humming in the background is heard.

Tony can see the Captain become anxious. "What do you think is going on? You sound worried. Want us to head over?" Steve looks up at Tony.

"I don't know...maybe nothing. Maybe a wild animal. Just doesn't feel right. I'll get back to you." The phone call ends.

"Something's wrong." Steve stands and begins heading for the door. Suddenly, the alarm setup for Chrissy's bracelet begins going off on both Steve and Tony's devices. Sharing a look of concern the two men dash down the hallway. "Call Clint and Wanda, I'll get Sam."

There's a creek in the wood on the front porch, then a few footsteps. Bucky must of found and dealt with the animal quicker than he thought. Thank God. Drying a coffee mug, Chrissy makes her way to the living room. She doesn't see him wandering around, so she opens the front door and exits the house. Her eyes scan the horizon and she doesn't spot him anywhere. Strange. Something inside her screams to go back inside and get the handgun.

Just as she turns to head back inside, a strong hand clamps around her throat, threatening to drain the life from her. The mug drops from her hands and shatters. "Don't make a sound." Low and threatening, but familiar. She can tell by the attacker's shadow that he's very tall and husky. Remaining calm, Chrissy does as the man commands. The fingers around her larynx squeeze a little more and she can feel sharp nails slowly dig into her flesh. Wincing and hissing when the skin is broken, Chrissy continues to remain still.

"Now, listen carefully. Your man is a bit busy following the breadcrumbs I left behind for him." The man laughs quietly, knowing full well she has no idea what he's talking about. "He'll be back soon, but that won't make a difference. I've been organizing a very special birthday present for a friend of mine. It's taken over a year and I'm not about to let you or your Soldier ruin it."

"Vic?" Her eyes widen, terrified. This man, Victor who she had gotten to know after all this time, rendered into a complete stranger within seconds.

Another low chuckle. "Yup. Victor Creed. Also go by Sabertooth. That one I'm sure you're familiar with." He presses the side of his face against hers and she can feel his breath on her neck. "I can hear your truck coming up behind the fields. Must of found the goodies I left for him."

Her pulse speeds up and she knows he can tell that she's starting to panic. She knows of this man and what he's capable of. Logan had recounted many stories of this man's brutality. They are in deep shit. Twenty minutes. That's how long she needs to stall. With slow cautious movements Chrissy activates her bracelet without Victor noticing.

"This is how we are gonna do this girly." He presses her close and forces her to act as a shield as they make their way farther on the porch. "Once he's outback, you're gonna call for him."

Defiant, Chrissy shakes her head. "No."

The brute squeezes tighter. "Either way this is happening. You're both going to die today. Now you can either give him a chance at fighting or I can sneak up on him and slit his throat." There's saliva dripping onto her face. He shakes her frame roughly. "But I need you alive...for a little bit at least." He licks her neck and she doesn't need him to explain further to understand. Oh God.

"There, he's pulling in by the barn. Once he's out of that truck, you call for him like a good girl and maybe...I won't be as rough on you later." He's taking in the scent of her hair as his other hand grasps her upper arm.

They can hear the door shut and the tailgate open. "Call for him...now." A whisper in her ear, a tear trails down her face. Then she thinks of something, maybe a way to warn him.

The grip around her throat loosens enough to allow her to scream. Gripping the hand at her neck, Chrissy musters up all the courage she can and yells. "James!"

"That's a good girl." Sabertooth smiles against her neck and slides a hand to her abdomen.

It takes Bucky less than a minute to appear cautiously around the corner of the house. He can't take a shot at Vic without the risk of hitting Chrissy, so he carries the rifle at the ready, pressed against his shoulder.

"Drop it dipshit." The other man smiles over Chrissy's shoulder and licks his lips. "And the rest of it. I can smell the metal."

Bucky does as he's told. He drops the C14 and pulls the handgun from the back of his pants and tosses it aside. Standing still, he awaits the mad man's demands.

"This is priceless. The Winter Soldier, reduced to a pile of waste. Over a woman!" Sabertooth's grip tightens on Chrissy when he sees the muscles in the other man's arm flinch. "Don't you move a damn inch!" Vic warns sternly. "You know I'm going to have to shower after I finish playing with your bitch. Your stench is all over her." He takes a deep inhale of her scent, nose pressed against her temple. "I know you two were going at it all night. Could hear you from the fields while I was working." He smirks when he sees the other man tense at this statement. "That's right. I've been watching this place for a long ass time."

Laughing loudly, Vic shakes the woman in his grasp. "What took you so long to fuck this bitch anyways?" He's trying to aggravate the other Soldier and it's working. "Doesn't matter babe. I'll show you what a real man is like after I'm done tearing apart your boy."

Bucky licks his lips and rotates his shoulders. This man doesn't intimidate him one bit. What he plans to do with Chrissy later on… the only reassurance right now is that means this brute plans on keeping her alive for the time being. The Soldier's eyes lock with the woman's. He doesn't need to utter any words of reassurance, she's well aware of what he's capable of. When his eyes glance down at her wrist, the small A shining brightly, he grins. That's my girl.

The Soldier readies his stance, bringing his right foot back. This man before him is massive, and maybe he plays the part of a dull minded husk well, but Bucky knows better. The man will use tactics, somehow he knows Barnes. And Bucky's willing to bet that this man won't charge him unless provoked.

"By the way, Hydra sends their regards." Victor's claws tear Chrissy's shirt as he slams her against the siding of the home, knocking her unconscious. That seems to piss off the Soldier, but he doesn't charge Sabertooth. "Come on you little shit. I've been waiting months for this."

Bucky's taking a few steps backs, he wants to draw Vic away from the house. He can see that the other man is getting tired of this game. Sabertooth wants to charge his pray, and Bucky's counting on it. "How desperate have they gotten, that they've had to send the lowest of the ranks to deal with me?" The other man snarls. "Are they even paying you?" Bucky scoffs. "Or is the wages from your delivery boy job all you get?" He's getting to the other man, he's marching forward, angered. That's a dangerous position for him to be in. When you're angry, you're not paying attention to what you're doing. Perfect.

"Must have been quite the kick to the balls. Having to take orders from a delivery service manager. Pathetic. And you did that for how long? Over a year? Either you're really patient, or dumb as fuck." That did it. Victor charges him and Bucky steps to the sides. The large man digs his heels into the dirt and quickly turns around.

"I think I'm going to enjoy this a little more than usual." Vic swings with a little too much force. The other Soldier easily dodges his punch.

Barnes hits the man in the gut, the ribs and the face. Knee, left hook, knee. Blood drips from the large man's mouth, a cut on his eyebrow heals before Bucky's eyes. Shit. The Sabertooth retaliates, his large clawed hands swinging left to right. Just as Victor brings down his hands to tear apart the man before him, the other Soldier dodges out of the way. Claws scrape and bust through the barn wall.

"You can't kill me." He laughs at the other man's efforts. The Winter Soldier is beating him in the face with his left fist. Sabertooth falls back onto his back laughing. Bucky quickly takes advantage of the situation and continues hitting the man in the face, blow after blow. He's still laughing. Even as the blood drips from his ears and eye sockets, the laughter continues.

Blue eyes grow large as Bucky realizes how seriously screwed he is.

Maybe if he cuts the guy's damn head off. Quickly his eyes scan the barn walls, for something, anything sharp enough. Catching him off guard, Vic slams the other man in the face with his fist. Barnes hits the opposite wall with a sickening thud. That's going to leave a mark. Bucky rolls onto his side in the dirt. Groaning, two of his ribs are fractured, of that he's certain.

"Right...time to die little man."

There's a knee pushing down on his chest. A large fist comes barrelling towards his face. Metallic hand stops the blow.

"As fun as this has been. I have plans, commitments to keep." Sabertooth glances back at the house and grins. "Tell you what. I'll be easy on her. Easier than I have been on others...She seems like a scrapper. Probably won't tear as easily as the last ones."

"You sick twisted fuck!" Bucky pushes back the hand and nails the other man in the jaw with his foot. "Might take me a bit, but I'll kill you!"

Sabertooth bellows. "Well come on then. I ain't got all day." Fingers wave the Winter Soldier over tauntingly.

Seeing an axe within reach from the corner of his eyes, Bucky dashes to the weapon and then quickly advances on the other man. Take his head off. Even if he can recover from that, it'll give him some time. Cut his fucking head off.

Barnes swings and misses. Vic lashes out and grazes the cybernetic arm, spark fly in the air. Bucky swings again and then brings up his knee, hitting the man in the jaw. Smiling, Sabertooth grabs a handful of dirt and tosses it at his attackers face. Leverage. Now with the upper hand, he head bunts the other man in the face and the axe is dropped from his grip. Victor grabs the Soldier by the throat and brings his other hand back, he's going to rip this man's heart out from his chest and watch the life leave his eyes.

"By the time Logan gets here. You'll be long dead." He smirks, drool dripping from his mouth like a rabid dog. "And you're woman...well, I'll make sure I bleed her the right way. It'll take a few hours...but he should have enough time to say goodbye." A cackle. "More than what she got with her dumb ass husband."

The Soldier's eyes grow wide. Connor. This man needs to pay, needs to die.

"Maybe...I'll rip out your heart and leave it on a plate for Logan to eat when he gets here. I have to admit, these past few months of setting this all up have been fun." As Victor brings his hand down a gunshot is heard. There's a hole in his left shoulder and he's forced to let the other man go. Turning around violently he sees Chrissy standing by the house, aiming at him with Bucky's handgun.

"Get away from him!" Four more shots are heard and everyone of them hit the man in the chest. But it doesn't slow him down, instead he now advances on the woman.

"Bitch!" He breathes out heavily. "I'm gonna make you suffer for that!" Claws are displayed for her to see. "Peel your skin off layer by layer when I'm done with you."

Bucky's on the man within seconds. Axe to the back of the knees. Once the man hits the ground, the Soldier is on him, breaking every bone he can. Ripping out every organ he can. It's not enough. Blood splatters everywhere as the crazed man only continues to laugh. What the fuck?

There's a violent wind that Bucky doesn't notice. Chrissy can see the Quinjet landing nearby. Before it's even on the ground, Steve's jumping from the hatch and Tony's flying over to her.

Victor is able to knock Barnes from him. Grabbing the man by the throat yet again, he begins to squeeze. A shield hits him in the back of the neck, causing him to stumble and drop his pray. His knees hit gravel, his face is introduced to Bucky's right knee, and then to Steve's shield once more. There's a high pitch sound as Stark lets loose a blast to the man's back.

"Now!" Tony yells and Clint lets loose an arrow that sticks into the mutant's side. Victor goes pale and then sags to the ground. "Wanda!"

The Witch is levitating some specialized equipment, restraints and what looks like a muzzle. With little effort, she has the man immobilized and restrained.

"Chris…" Tony leaves the protection of his Ironman suit and makes his way next to his friend. She allows herself to lean against the man. "You're bleeding. Oh god...are you… I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner."

"I'm alright…" She tries to calm herself. "Please...check on Bucky. He's hurt. I saw him get hurt." Her grip on Tony's shirt tightens.

"Steve's with him. He's ok. You're both ok." He tucks the crown of her head under his chin and rocks her gently. Looking up at the sky, he thanks whatever highpower for keeping her safe. Dread. He has to tell her. It's not the right time...it'll never be the right time.

Rogers looks over towards Stark and he nods. Tony knows what that look means. Steve's resting a hand on Bucky's shoulder. The Soldier's brow crinkles with confusion. Then Tony sees Barnes glance his way. Tony needs to explain this to Chris, now, before that man makes his way over here.

"Chris...I-I need to tell you something." She shifts in his arms.

"Right now?" She pulls away, shaky and scared. "I...can't it wait?"

"No." He whispers. "It really can't." He takes a deep breath and glances at Steve. Barnes jaw is clenching. "I…" He tilts his head back. "Charlotte. Shield...well Ross, has total control over her."

"What?" Chrissy's confused. "What does that even mean?"

His eyes are back on Barnes. "The upgrades, the failures when she went down. All planned. As soon as Barnes showed up, they wanted full access. Eyes on him twenty four seven." Tony swallows the lump. "I thought they would just monitor you...keep you safe...I didn't…"

Chrissy takes a step back. "What are you saying?" She can feel herself pailing.

"Ross. He's become twisted..." Tony's trying to remain calm. "I didn't know that they would abuse it...you need to believe me."

"You're...you're saying that they spied on him? On us? Every minute?" The man before her nods sadly. "And you helped them?" She whispers and takes another step back. Then it dawns on her what this means. "Oh God."

"I didn't know till this morning. He showed me a folder...it had pictures...I-I'm going to get the project pulled. I swear, I didn't know they were looking into your private life."

There's bile in her mouth. "My private life...There's pictures?" She snickers, eyes watering as she turns away. "And a project?" Her hand covers her mouth. She's going to be sick. When she blinks a few tears escape her eyes. Chrissy's clutching the material of her torn shirt closed, trying to cover her exposed skin. The blood is still trickling down her neck. Tony is speaking, she can hear the words, but she can't believe them. Suddenly this man, her friend, is a stranger.

"Chris...I didn't know...I swear." His arms are held out by his sides, he looks just as helpless, just as lost as she feels.

Eyes swelling with tears, she takes a few steps back. "Stay away from me…" A whisper of disbelief as her hand pushes on his chest. "Bucky? Where is he?"

Even if she ever manages to forgive him, Tony knows nothing will ever be the same between them. "I'm so sorry…" Filled with shame, his head hangs. His throat is dry. At the time when he installed those upgrades, he really did think he was doing the right thing. Ultron, Charlotte. "I wanted to keep you safe…"

"Nothing you say will fix this." Chrissy's eyes search for Bucky. Right now, she needs him. She spots Steve trying to hold the enraged Soldier back. Barnes brushes his friend aside.

"Buck! Don't, it won't change anything."

"Son of a bitch!" Bucky's fist connects with the Iron man's jaw.

Tony hits the ground, the back of his head slamming into the dirt. "Yup, I deserved that." Tony stumbles as he tries to regain his footing and spits out a mouth full of blood. Clint and Wanda are standing at the top of the hatch, wondering if they should intervene.

"I'll kill you." Bucky takes another step forward and is about to reach out and grab Stark when Chrissy places herself between the two men.

"Stop." She whispers softly. "Please…" Her forehead rests against his chest. She's angry, but she doesn't wish for this man to die. And Bucky, he doesn't need another dead body to add on his list of regrets.

Glaring down at the other man, Bucky wraps his arms around Chrissy's shoulders. "Only because she asked me to. Do you understand?"

"Yeah...I get it." Tony takes a few steps back, wiping the blood from his mouth. "I didn't want…"

"Shut up." Barnes warns between clenched teeth. "The only reason you're still breathing...is so that I don't cause her anymore pain."

Does he honestly believe he's the one at fault here? God this man has more issues than Stark thought.

"Can we go inside? I just...I need to sit for a minute and figure out what we should do." The side of her face is still pressed against his shirt, she's avoiding Tony at all costs. This betrayal, burns and hurts more then anything she can ever imagine. Knowing that their private life isn't as private as they thought, she just feels dirty and sickened. They were just nearly killed and now this.

Trying to calm himself, the Soldier nods and kisses the top of her head. "Yeah. I'm sorry." He looks down at her, and he's suddenly calm. "Here." He removes his stained button up shirt and drapes it over her shoulders allowing for her to slip into it.

Tony feels it, right there, the guilt in his chest. When Barnes looks at Chris and she stares back, the reality of how bad he screwed up sets in. He had that once, with Pepper and now it's gone. How could he ever take that away from Chrissy? Even if it's not with a guy he approves of, that man loves her. It's in his posture and the way he talks or moves around her. Barnes would die for that woman, almost had to.

"Are you alright?" She finally has a moment to check in with him. Bucky nods and licks his lips, pushing the hair from her face he examines her neck. Thumbs stroke her bruised jaw line.

"I'm good...come on. I want to take a look at those cuts on your throat." A sad smile as his teeth pull at his lip. Chrissy pushes up on her toes and kisses him gently, her lips quivering against his. "It's ok. I'm alright." He reassures. "It's you I'm worried about. Your head...you were out cold."

Chrissy wipes the moisture that's building up at the corner of her eyes. "I thought for sure you were going to be killed right in front of me…" Her face is pressed against his chest once more. A light sniffle as she tries to regain some composure. To watch someone she's in love with die, again. All because of Victor's sick twisted mind to cause Logan more pain.

"He's the reason Connor is dead...and he almost…" She's going to start sobbing any minute, she can feel the tremors taking her over.

"Woah. No. Not even close." Bucky squeezes her frame. "Didn't you see him? I literally beat his brains out. Twice. Saw it myself." He's trying for humor, he knows that's her weak spot. "And then they regrew or whatever. He heals way too fast, so he just looks like he had the upper hand. That's all."

"You're still shit at lying." She feels him tug at her shoulders and lead her back into the home.

"Tony, how was he able to bypass the…" The Captain begins to question his friend.

Letting out a puff of air, the Iron Man shakes his head. "I don't know." Hands gripping his hair, he takes a seat on the stairs. "There could be a mole...maybe he messed with the equipment, Charlotte does recognize him. I mean...does it matter? He got in. And now he's been apprehended."

"No I guess it doesn't matter how." Rogers grunts. "But he did. And you're gonna figure out how." The other man nods. "Tony, stay out here...or go home…" Steve warns gently. "You'll only make matters worse."

Raising a hand in the other man's direction Stark nods. "Yeah...figured that out on my own. Thanks." Tasting that much blood in his mouth, good enough for now thank-you very much. He's pretty sure he'll need to see a dentist after this.

"Clint, I want you, Wanda and Wilson to take that animal into custody. We're gonna hang back here. I'll keep you updated." The Captain rests his hands on his hips. "Maybe call Xavier on the way back. Let him know what happened here. See if he has any input."

"Roger that."