Present day

New York City- USA

"I know where Atwood is. You know she's still a senator right? She is one of the few in power that benefited from the blip. I guess using a global catastrophe to better yourself is second nature to a Hydra pawn," there was a brief pause before she continued, "Want a hand getting to her?"

Bucky couldn't help but shake his head at her. It was 3am and she had just let herself inside via the window. She hadn't greeted him or even waited for him to invite her in. Instead she started mid conversation, marching straight into the kitchen and began to search for something to eat. If she had noticed his disheveled post nightmare state she didn't say anything. Not that she looked much better. Her hair sprung out in multiple directions as she pulled a tupperware box from the fridge. Her powder blue jumper and fluorescent orange cycling shorts the only colour in the dull room. He knew her well enough to know she had been pulling an all nighter. If the comfy clothes didn't give it away, then sickly sweet smell of energy drinks that clung to her like perfume did.

"I'm not meant to break the law."

"None of us are meant to break the law Bucky, that's kind of the point," she quipped back with a wry smile.

Cece had stayed the night, although neither of them slept. The pair sat across from each other, at the table that Cece had arranged to be delivered the day before, her tablet illuminated in the centre as they planned their attack. Though Bucky was quick to remind his guest that they were not attacking the senator, he just needed to talk to her. His words had pulled a light chuckle from her. By morning the pair had a full proof plan. They sat silently on the lower levels of a multistory carpark, neither of them looking out of place in the shadowy corners. Stale food and empty plastic packets littered the floor of the beat up muscle car. Bucky knew better than to ask where she had gotten the vehicle from. He had seen her drive four different cars this month alone. Each time he got the same response, a declaration that it was a trophy from the blip.

A faint beep signaled their target's arrival. Bucky took the earpiece that was presented to him and watched the red dot move across the transparent screen. It had taken him a while to get used to the strange contraption Cece used. It wasn't tech he expected to see outside of Wakanda. She had left her standard tablet at home along with the many devices she owned or at least had in her possession. Some had even ended up staying permanently at his, which surprised him once he realised she always had access to a device. She had laughed at his dumbfounded expression the first time she had unhooked her silver bangle and pulled it in half. The bars straightened and a thin screen clicked into place. The window-like material springing into life as she started to tap away. It had surprised him even more when he realised it also worked while still on her wrist. Which was how she was wearing it now, one silver half hung around her wrist as the second half hugged her arm just below her elbow. The eerie glow encasing her entire lower arm. As the dot danced across her sleeve, she nodded towards Bucky letting him know that the target was alone. He stalked off using the shadows to conceal himself.

"Finished yet?"

He sighed at her questioning, a small part of him missing the fact people never used the question for his efficiency. How it seemed to be all she did. "Yeah just like you said," He muttered as he moved away from the car and out of sight.

Silence fell between the two as they waited for the senator to return. Her visit wouldn't be too long, they had picked this spot for multiple reasons. It was an easy area to control, exits and entrances where manageable. Plus it was the shortest appointment scheduled on her planner. Cece smiled to herself as the tiny red dot returned to her screen. The woman might have had questionable morals but she was nothing if not punctual.

"Ready for some fun?" She could barely contain her giddiness. She had missed being out in the field. She had spent far too much time behind a desk in the last few years for her liking.

"Cece," his words laced with an unspoken warning.

"Relax I'm not breaking your rules. no one is going to get hurt," he scoffed back at her words.

Seconds after her promise screams ripped through the air. Bucky shot round the corner and watched as the car, and passengers, were thrown from side to side. Black tracks from the tyres snaked over the car park's surface as the silver car spun. Until finally coming to halt a metre or two from his feet. Bucky didn't hang around. Two purposeful strides and he was within reaching distance of the window. The sickly faces of disorientated passengers peered back at him as he knocked on the glass.

"Remember me," Bucky asked over the hiss of the electric window. Cece could hear the distinct sound of the safety being taken of a gun. Followed quickly by a startled cry and the tell tale crack of bone. Though she wasn't overly worried knowing that neither sound had come from her companion.

She couldn't help but chime unhelpfully into his earpiece, "Thought no one was meant to get hurt?"

He didn't answer her. Forcing a smile on to his face, which he was grateful Cece couldn't see, he leant forward to look directly at the corrupt politician. Once he had her attention he recited his rehearsed words, "I am no longer the winter soldier. I am James Bucky Barnes and you're part of my efforts to make amends."

"That sounded painful."

"Shut up," he snapped back at her teasing tone.

"I think you mean thank you," he hummed back at her through closed lips not bothering to reply to her properly.

Several armed police officers barreled past him on the stairs. When he finally opened the car door he paused. Staring down at her from the open car door with a frown. She had reclined the seat completely and was laying completely horizontal, except for her feet. Flowered boots pressed into the steering wheel lazily. She looked far too comfortable. He shook his head at her before sinking into the passenger seat and slamming the door shut. The entire car rocked from the force. She tutted, letting the seat spring back into a seat position and started the engine. Mission completed and all before lunch.

August 2015

Bucharest- Romania

Eyes narrowed as her target moved back into sight. The bustle of the busy market below drowned out by her even breaths. She knew she had to take her time, make it count. One shot was all she would get. She pulled the trigger. The bullet soared through the air and pierced the window with ease, the glass hadn't even fully shattered yet and her target had already moved, fractionally. He leant back slighting, the projectile skimming his forehead, leaving a slight graze in its tracks. Then nothing. She watched him as he tilted his head, listening, assessing the situation. Then in a slow controlled movement his head turned stopping as the sun reflected off the end of her scope like a beacon. He had spotted her.

A torrent of curse words slipped from her mouth, not all of them English, as she sprang to her feet. She hadn't even made it to the edge of the roof when heavy boots slammed into the concrete behind her. A gun settled against the back of her head but the trigger wasn't pulled. That surprised her. With another even breath she turned, her hands held in the universal sign of surrender. As she turned fully the gun pressed into the skin between her eyes.

"I know you," he muttered through gritted teeth. A flash of something, not quite recognition but something, washed through him. He knew this person, but the who, how and why were lost to him. The feeling of a half remembered memory itched at the back of his mind.

"Well would you look at that, the rumours were true," she chuckled lightly. Her shoulders relaxing slightly despite the gun still pressed firmly to her head. Something was wrong though, she looked familiar but her voice seemed different. He couldn't remember her well enough to know what was different though. Was it the accent? He frowned as she continued. His eyes not leaving hers for a second. "This is so not what I expected. I just assumed someone had you running around cleaning house."

It was the accent he confirmed to himself. He had seen her before but the last time she had spoken with a series of dropped Hs and soft Vs. He continued to stare at her, his gaze hardened as he tried to pull the memories closer to the surface.

"How. do. I. know. you?" He finally asked, each word forced through clenched teeth as he clawed for an answer. A familiar swell of frustration filling his gut.

She smiled at him knowingly. As if she could see the inner storm raging in his mind. And she could. It wasn't hard to see the frustration sweeping into his eyes as she held his gaze. She supplied him with a single name, Doctor Hugo Barreau, hoping it would trigger some sort of reaction from him. It took a moment to register her words but when he had his confusion merely doubled.

"Paris?" He mumbled to himself. The word seemed to hold more questions than answers. He pulled the gun away from her, he didn't want to shoot her. He wasn't a killer any more and her relaxed posture suggested she wasn't a threat any more either. A siren echoed through the streets below and birds chirped overhead, completely obvious to the pair on the rooftop.

—-

"Fancy meeting you here," greeted the figure next to him as they slid onto the vacant bar stool.

He didn't bother turning his head to look at the stranger, the mirrored panelling behind the barman showed him exactly who it was. The woman from the roof. she looked different this time. Her braids weren't concealed by a hood this time as they sat piled up an oversized bun. A few stray braids tumbling over the padded shoulder of her jacket. The electric blue threads that had been weaved into them popped against the dark leather.

"Your Romanian is good," it sounded more like an accusation than a complement.

A smile pulled at her lips as she leant into him, the action was friendly and wouldn't have looked out of place to anyone else in the room. but it put him on edge. Once close enough she whispered, "I would hope so, it's part of my programming."

"Your programming?" He muttered back matching her whisper.

He wouldn't ever admit it but he jumped slightly when she pulled away continuing their conversation at full volume. "We're not so different," she trailed off and gave home another knowing look.

The whirling storm of frustration was back as he questioned her again. Trying hard not to crush the glass bottle in his hand, "How do I know you?"

"I told you, Doctor Hugo Barreau," she paused when he didn't react. She knew he had remembered the name, he had even remembered Paris. She sighed, turning in her seat to face him fully, "he was my father."

The ex-Soldier dipped his head as the memory flooded his senses. A man on his knees, a gun pressed against his target's temple. The trigger being pulled. A scream. Wide eyes staring up at him as warm droplets of red liquid rolled down her face. Her tiny childish face. He flinched as a hand rested itself on his arm. Without lifting his head he eyed her through the curtain of long hair that had fallen over his face. His fingers itching to pull the gun from his waistband.

She just laughed, "would you relax, we did that whole tango years ago."

"I've met you more than, not many people survive meeting me once."

Her smile grew as she boasted, "Seems I'm special. You're writing them down right? Your nightmares, write them down it makes it easier to work through memories,"

"I don't have nightmares."

"Bullshit, I know what it's like to be wiped." His head had snapped up at that. She just smiled back suddenly looking a lot older than she was. "Your old employers aren't the only ones with the technology unfortunately."

—

The pair had become closer over the past month, not friends but definitely closer. Not that he had had much say in the matter. She had kept showing up, in bars, markets and eventually even at his safe house. He had been able to hide from countless people, entire teams of special operatives had struggled to find him, but he couldn't seem to shake this girl. He also knew she would have hated the fact he just called her a girl but that was what she was. A twenty something kid with more confidence than sense. And it didn't seem like she was going to stop interfering with his life anytime soon.

Which led them to this strange situation. With his back pressed firmly to the wall, he watched the intruder flit around the kitchen with too much familiarity. A plate of freshly cooked pasta dished up in front of him and a small TV playing in the background. Once again she had invited herself in and made herself at home in his one room apartment. He ignored her snide comments about his poor living conditions and the endless streaming commentary she gave as she cooked.

She let out a sigh and pointed a wooden spoon at his untouched dish, "It isn't poisonous, I mean if I was going to poison you I would have done it already."

"I didn't think it was," he mumbled back.

"Liar," she placed her own dish on the kitchen side leaning over the counter on her elbows. She made a show of taking a bite of her own food as if to prove it was okay to eat.

Her eyes trailed away from her food and onto one of the brochures she had found wedged into a notebook. At least he had listened and was writing it all down. Her fingers ran over the glossy cover, the smiling save of Captain America looking back at her. She may not have ground up in the United States but everyone knew who Captain America was. Hell most the work he had done had been on European soil. With one hand she pulled the leaflet open. There on the first page was a picture of Captain America and her current host. She glance between the him and the image trying to find similarities between the two. Perhaps it was the lighting but she really could see it. One had a bright easy smile, she might have even called it charming. The other was still glaring at a plate of cheesy pasta.

"James Buchanan Barnes, what a mouthful! So you really knew Captain America, just how old are you?"

"Older than you." He bit out. His food sat forgotten on the table as he pulled the paper out of her reach and carefully slotted it back into the book above the fridge.

"Yeah, I'd figured that out already genius," She rolled her eyes in an exaggerated show before pulling herself up onto the counter.

He might have forgotten his food back she hadn't, shovelling the pasta into her she watched him carefully. She might have made him dinner but that didn't mean she was completely at ease around him. She wasn't an idiot. Reckless, maybe impulsive but never an idiot. He had once been the winter soldier after all and she knew just how hard it was to break away from that kind of past. Neither of them spoke. He had settled against the sink, arms crossed and a heavy glare aimed at his unwanted guest. She continued to eat trying to pretend the fact that the knife block was within his reach didn't scare her silly.

"Why are you here?" The question was short and controlled but she could hear the underlying threat. She chose to ignore it.

"Currently? Trying to enjoy a home cooked meal with my new best buddy. Have you always been this suspicious, I was working in Bulgaria when my scanners picked you up. So I thought why not have a break and settle an old score."

"So you did plan to kill me," his eyes lit up and her heart broke. Clearly the idea that she was trying to kill him made more sense in his warped mind than someone trying to be nice.

She placed her bowl down beside her and raised a hand. "Easy there, Yeah I had planned to kill you but not for the reasons you think. I'm not out for revenge okay. Like I said I'm over that,"

"Bangkok?"

There was a brief pause. He shook his head as if trying to dislodge something more. She slipped down off the counter and moved towards him slowly, like one would a cornered animal. One hand out in front the other resting by her hip ready to reach for a weapon if needed. Edging closer she peered up at him, his hunched posture making them almost the same height. She placed a hand carefully on his arm, trying to bring him back from the dark storm before asking if he remembered anything else. Did didn't reply straight way. Dipping his head lower, he screwed his face up keeping his eyes tight closed in an attempt to the hold the image for second longer.

"You were just a child," he whispered softly.

"Teenager," She corrected. " and I had experienced more than most adults. Anyway that isn't the point. I pulled the trigger because I wanted to destroy the weapon, not the man. You're not that soldier anymore."

He let out a growl and pushed past her. His hands ran through his hair as he started to pace across the tiny apartment. She had heard people compare him to a wild animal her entire life. People talked about him stalking his prey like a tiger, hunting like a wolf or being as strong as a bear. But right now in this dingy flat she finally saw the likeness. She saw a creature driven mad by captivity. At first she couldn't make out what he was mumbling to himself, it was only as she got closer that it became clearer. And for the second time that afternoon her heart broke.

"I am not the winter soldier, I am not the winter soldier, I am not the winter soldier…"

Present day

New York City- USA

She was cozy, a thick knitted jumper tucked around her, and a blanket draped across her lap. Bucky had already teased her for the vibrant polka dot pattern that covered her misshapen throw over, not that it bothered her. Colourful things made her happy. Colourful things were something she wore because she wanted to. Not because they made her blend in or because someone else wanted her to wear them. He had also been horrified by the idea of purposely buying pre ripped jeans when she had arrived in them. She had just told him he was showing his age.

Said ripped jeans hung over the edge of Bucky's arm chair. Her body stretched across the piece of furniture sideways, one hand drawn up over her head while the over pointed the remote at the TV. Nothing was on. She flipped aimlessly through the channels while Bucky plated up the leftover casserole she had brought with her. A familiar image filled the screen and her finger froze. She had never understood the American need to paint everything like the flag. Her finger moved to change the channel again when she finally processed the words on the scrolling ticker tape. She was up and out the chair in a snap. Her eyes wide as she watched the beaming politician introduce a new figure. She glanced between the screen and the doorway frantically not knowing what to do. Should she call Bucky? Did he know, would he want to know? The figure moved forward the obnoxiously patriotic suit clinging to his form. His face was partially obscured by the helmet which seemed pointless given the fact his name was written on the screen. His lips pulled back into a perfect American smile, as he waved at his adoring fans.

She finally gave in and turned to call out to Bucky. The words caught in her throat, he was already in the doorway. Two plates balanced perfectly on one of his hands and open beers clutching in the other. After a moment he moved into the room silently observing the stranger playing pretend on the screen in front of him. A stranger pretending to be his best friend.

"Hey, can I ask you a favour," when he finally spoke she could barely hear him over the TV. She wanted to make a quip. She wanted to say something about his growing IOUs but she couldn't. His eyes fixed on the screen, he looked tired. "I need you to find out where Sam Wilson is right now."

Wow I didn't think I would get responses that quickly! Thank you Lilygirl592, Littlebonsai, pamplemoussey, AquaJMgirl and lolololo5142 for the love!

Thank you TheMadTeaPartyCompany and csheets for the reviews! I hope you like this chapter, It is a little shorter than the last but i had so much fun writing it. Hoping for the next chapter to be done within the week. fingers crossed.