Annie awoke with a start. Whatever she had been dreaming about had her heart pounding and sweat making her skin feel sticky. She sat up in bed and tried to piece together what she'd been dreaming about. She threw the blankets off and sat her feet on the floor, heart still thumping rapidly. The images of her dream wouldn't surface so she got up to take a shower.

Her day started at five AM and usually didn't end until almost two AM. She was exhausted.

Need Coffee.

The coffee maker wouldn't turn on so she started her shower without it. The hot water only made her want to stand under the spray for forever. Her legs felt weak, so she sat herself down in the tub and let the water wash over her. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. It felt so good to relax.

Some time later she opened her eyes. The water had gone cold and she realized she'd fallen asleep! Another round of rapid heartbeats. She'd be lucky if she didn't have a heart attack at this rate. She clumsily wrapped a towel around herself, leaving the water on without thinking. She ran and grabbed her cell phone from the bedroom. It was past eight in the morning.

She groaned and dialed her work number.

"Mr. Grant? It's Annie. I am so so sorry! I overslept. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

Her boss giggled, "It's alright, my dear," he said. His thick Scottish accent light and genuine. "I called Brad in to cover your shift. I'm just glad you're alright. I was beginning to worry. You take today off, lass. You obviously need the rest. We work you too hard here."

Annie sighed and thanked him before hanging up the phone. Her job at the restaurant didn't pay much, minimum wage, but it was a job she loved-unlike her nighttime activities. She cringed. She hated that it had come to this, but she had no choice. She couldn't see a way out.

He was choking someone. He felt the size of a throat in his grasp. Or wait, was he the one being choked? Suddenly he couldn't breathe. Everything was going fuzzy. Someone screamed. A woman? A man? Maybe a kid. This was a dream. He was dreaming and he needed to wake up.

Bucky's eyes flew open. His heart refusing to beat right. The adrenaline making him dizzy. He climbed onto his knees and thought about standing up until a wave of nausea swept over him followed immediately by anger. He was tired of living like this.

The unfairness of the situation had rocked him more than a few times. Today would be no different. Didn't matter how unfair. Didn't matter what was in the past. He was no longer the Winter Solider. He was just Bucky Barnes.

Wasn't he?

One look down at his metal arm told him it wasn't really that simple. He could take it off. After all, he'd put it away in Wakanda. Why did he feel the need to wear it here? Vanity? He actually smiled at that thought.

No. He wore it because he needed to wear it. Whether or not he was done being the Winter Solider, he had a feeling that the Winter Solider wasn't quite done with him. Yet. Would it ever really be over?

He breathed deeply and got onto his feet glancing at his watch. Time for another session with the doc. Joy. Honestly, they weren't that bad. The hardest part was the opening up. He was from a time when men didn't discuss their innermost thoughts. Not the way he was being asked to do.

After the session he roamed the streets, as per usual. His phone turned off. He never felt like hearing from anyone after a session. Once again he was feeling like a raw nerve. Steve may have been wrong about Sam, or not he really didn't know. But, like he'd already admitted that was what was bothering him.

Steve believed in him. Always had. Now Steve was gone, and not only did he not have his best friend he also didn't have the confidence in himself that Steve had bolstered time and time again. It was ridiculous really. A grown man shouldn't need reassurance.

But he did.

And he hated himself because of it.

Then, his eyes caught a glimpse of strawberry blonde hair. He looked around. This wasn't her usual neighborhood, and it wasn't even dark yet. It couldn't be her. What was her name again? A...something with an A. Curious, he followed her casually down the street.

Stalker.

He rolled his shoulders and ignored the voice inside his head. After all he wasn't even sure it was her. She stopped outside a small used appliance shop. Her nose scrunched up as she peered through the glass doors. It was definitely her. Bucky stopped.

"I think they're closed,"

He planted his feet and crossed his arms over his chest.

Shock paled her face. "You're are actually stalking me, aren't you?"

"No. I'm not stalking you. I live in this neighborhood. You don't. Maybe you're the one stalking me,"

She huffed, "Unlikely."

"Ouch,"

"What did you need with Timmons?" he asked, pointing to the small shop.

"I wanted to buy a coffee maker. Mine crapped out. My boss said this guy always has nice stuff for...not a bad price." She stumbled around a way to say "cheap" without sounding pitiful.

"Yeah, he's pretty fair. Closed on Fridays though. Wait- your boss? Like your..."

Pimp he wanted to say.

"Like my boss, you douche."

She tossed her hair over her shoulder and turned to keep walking.

"Somebody missed their coffee this morning!" he called after her. "Why don't you let me buy you a cup?"

He chuckled to himself. He never expected her to stop. When her feet slowed to a stop he quit chuckling fast. She wasn't supposed to say yes.

"Seeing as you're stalking me now, you can buy me two."

Bucky pursed his lips and considered, "Deal. Come on,"

They walked together to a small, uncrowded diner on the corner near Bucky's apartment. Sitting across from her in a booth he now realized her eyes were green with little golden flakes that matched the sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheekbones. Unlike their previous two encounters, she wasn't wearing makeup.

Her simple outfit of jeans and a red t-shirt was in stark contrast to her cocktail dress and stilettos. She was cute, he had to admit. Too cute to be a hooker. Clean too. Most workers were getting high on something these days. She didn't even smell of cigarettes.

He realized he was staring. It was a problem of his.

"Don't make it weird." she said casually.

"Sorry. I've been told I have a staring problem more than once."

She took a sip of her coffee. "Well, whoever told you that was spot on."

"Sorry- I've completely forgotten your name,"

"Annie," she said slowly.

"Right," he shook his head. "Are you working tonight?"

"You have no tact do you?"

He shrugged.

"Yes, I am. Why? Don't tell me you want to become a customer," her voice held humor, but there was a sadness behind her eyes.

"I don't pay for sex," he said simply.

"I'll bet you don't. You don't seem the type. Well, maybe you do,"

He was curious, "How so?"

"I'm not sure. Lonely, quiet, reserved...dangerous," her eyes indicated his arm.

"Oh that,"

"Yeah, that."

It's a long story. Definitely not suited for a diner."

Annie's eyes studied him for a moment before looking at her watch, "I gotta go. It's getting late." She stood from the booth and leaned her hip against the table in front of him, "So why did you want to know if I was working?"

"Curiosity,"