Chapter 2

Bucky had already been up for nearly an hour when he heard a knock on his hotel room door shortly after six thirty the next morning. His sleep had been disrupted by another nightmare, another reminder of a violent and bloody past. When he was awake he could keep the memories at bay, but his mind tortured him with images of the pain and death he had caused when he tried to rest even now.

Opening the door, he found Sam holding two paper coffee cups, and he took one with a grateful nod as he moved aside to let the other man into the room.

"You got back late last night," Sam said, as Bucky closed the door.

"Good morning to you too," Bucky retorted, turning and giving his friend a glare as he raised the coffee cup to his lips. There was silence on the other side of the room as Sam watched him, sipping at his own coffee. "What? I walked back. And what were you doing, waiting up for me? Did I miss curfew?"

"Torres sent something over for me to take a look at," Sam told him, letting the silence hang a bit as he drank his coffee.

The two of them stared at each other, and Bucky narrowed his eyes slightly in Sam's direction trying to figure out what the point of their current conversation was exactly. Sam, however, kept his expression blank as he stared back.

"Ok, so I got back late," he responded. "Is there a reason we're discussing this?"

"Are you going back over there today?" Sam asked, and Bucky regarded his friend for a moment.

"Sam, I'm not sure what you're implying, but we had a couple beers and talked. Nothing happened."

He waited, knowing the conversation was likely not over. He had come to respect and appreciate Sam's advice and opinions, but he could feel his annoyance growing over Sam questioning his intentions with Kelsey.

"You need to be careful with her," Sam told him. "Whether she admits it or not she's in a fragile place right now."

"Do you really think I don't know that? Let me say this again, nothing happened."

Taking another sip of coffee, he hoped that would be the end of it. What he had said had been the absolute truth, nothing had happened. He had kept a respectable distance from Kelsey the entire evening, taking extra care to avoid dwelling too much on the fact that she was undeniably pretty or that there had been something endearing about the way she had tucked her hair behind her ear when she became unsure of herself. Her lineage and the loss she had experienced in the past week were always in the forefront of his mind.

"Kelsey is alone for the first time in years," Sam said, and Bucky ran a hand over his face trying to find some patience. "She needs to figure out what she wants her life to look like now and not start relying on either of us to fill the void Steve left behind. The last thing she needs is you turning on your old man charm."

"My old man...I dare you to go say that to her," Bucky answered. "She's a grown woman, Sam, and, given her line of work, I'd say a damn smart one. I think she's well aware of what she does or doesn't need."

"All I'm saying is her head's not on straight right now. I don't want her...or you for that matter ending up hurt because of that."

"Relax, Sam," he said. "I'm going over there to help her sort through some of Steve's stuff. That's it. I'm flying out tomorrow night...you can stop with whatever this is."

He could feel Sam watching him as took another sip of coffee, but eventually the other man's posture relaxed, signaling to Bucky that he was dropping that particular topic. There was a small part of him that would have liked to see Kelsey's reaction to Sam implying she should be handled delicately. He had a feeling that like her grandmother there was a firecracker hidden under a demure facade.

"What time are you heading to the airport?" he asked Sam, steering the conversation safely away from Kelsey.

"As soon as the shuttle gets here," was the answer.

"Come on, I'll drive you," Bucky said, putting down the coffee so he could grab his jacket. "You can tell me about whatever it is Torres is working on."

Kelsey had been up early, despite her body's protests to stay in bed. The week had finally caught up with her physically, but she had been unable to quiet her mind enough to go back to sleep. After trying for nearly forty five minutes she had finally given up and opted to shower and get an early start on sorting through the things that were left in her grandfather's room.

She had pulled her hair up in a high ponytail, opting for a plain dark green tank top and black capri leggings for a day of work. A hoodie lay discarded on the chair that sat near the window, her phone sat on the nightstand, big band music playing from the speaker. There had been a music podcast her grandfather had been particularly fond of and it became a Sunday tradition to listen to it together.

She was folding shirts and placing them in a box when she thought heard the back door open. She had been humming along softly to a familiar tune, and her voice trailed off as she listened for further evidence that she had a visitor. She had told Bucky on the phone she would leave it unlocked and just to let himself in through the kitchen and so it wasn't a surprise when she heard him call her name.

"Last door on the left," she called back.

She could hear his footsteps as he made his way down the hall towards the bedroom, and she looked up at the door as he entered the room, giving him a small smile. He returned it with one of his own, and she noticed how his features relaxed when he smiled, his eyes softening as he looked at her.

"Good morning," she said. "Did Sam make his flight?"

"Yeah," he told her, "I dropped him off about an hour ago. Looks like you've been up for a while."

He motioned towards the closet behind her and she glanced over the shoulder as he moved around the bed and grabbed a shirt to help her with the folding. Most of the hangers were empty and one of the boxes was already taped shut where she had pushed it against the wall.

With a shrug she turned her attention back to folding and said, "It was really quiet when I woke up this morning. It's the first time I've been alone in this house in...I don't even know how long. I may start leaving a tv on or something."

"The tv is a good one to try," he said, and she glanced over at him for a moment. "It helps the silence not be so oppressive."

"Good to know," she responded softly, dropping another shirt in the box. "I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually...it's just really strange right now."

"Are you planning to stay here?" Bucky asked, as she started on the next shirt.

"Honestly...I don't know," Kelsey told him. "I haven't really thought much beyond sending in the paperwork to transfer the deed to my name. I mean...as a kid there was part of me that would fantasize about being here with a family of my own some day. Living here on my own wasn't really ever something that ever crossed my mind. Not that basically starting over on my own in my thirties was a part of my master plan either."

"Try doing it at one hundred," he said smirking at her and Kelsey felt a laugh escape her lips.

"Okay, you win," she said, returning his smirk with one of her own before dropping another shirt in the box. "Although you seem to be doing pretty well. I mean...you've got a place to call home and Sam and his sister nearby."

"Yeah...the last six months or so have been good," he told her, placing the shirt he had been folding in the box before grabbing another.

"I know the road to get there wasn't easy," Kelsey responded. "It's good you have some peace."

"Some days are easier than others," he admitted, as Kelsey started to reach for another shirt.

She stopped though and turned back to look at him and asked, "What do you do on the rough days?"

He looked over at her, as if weighing his next words carefully before he said, "Take it one step at a time."

"Sounds like a solid strategy."

"One I generally need constant reminding of," he quipped, and she gave him a small smile before they turned back to the pile of clothes waiting to be folding.

She reached out to grab the next shirt in the pile when she felt his left hand brush against hers. The metal was cool against her skin, and she noticed he pulled back the moment he realized he had touched her. Grabbing the top shirt from the pile, she glanced over at him and noticed his eyes quickly darted away from her when her gaze met his.

"Sorry," he said softly, still not looking at her as he grabbed a shirt.

"It's fine," she answered, trying to read his expression as he focused on folding the shirt. "It's vibranium?"

"Yeah," he said, glancing over at her finally. "Did Steve tell you that?"

"No, just a good guess," she told him, and she could have sworn she saw his posture relax slightly.

When the last two shirts had been placed into the box, she grabbed the packing tape from the nightstand. Bucky held the flaps for her as she sealed the box and she gave him a small smile of thanks before grabbing a permanent marker and labeling the box 'clothing.'

"Where do you want the boxes?" he asked as she put the cap back on the marker.

"By the front door. There's someone coming from the church to pick it all up tomorrow night when I get home from work."

While he went to work moving the boxes out into the living room, Kelsey turned back to the closet. On the shelf above the hangers were various boxes of different sizes. She grabbed one carefully, setting it on the bed before pulling the flaps open. Inside were photo albums, each one labeled in her grandmother's familiar neat handwriting. The one near the top was labeled Kelsey Rose and she took it from the box before sitting on the edge of the bed and opening to the first page.

The first few pages contained baby photos, mostly of her with her parents. She had only ever known them through photos, the faces smiling up at her from the photos weren't a part of any of her memories. She flipped through a few more pages, looking up for a moment when she saw Bucky come back into the room. She pushed the box towards the middle of the bed, making room for him to sit on the edge.

"I'd wondered where he'd hidden these," she told Bucky as he sat next to her, looking at the photo book she held in her lap. She turned the page and a grin spread across her face as she looked at the photo, a slight laugh escaping her lips.

"Are you using the shield as a sled?" he asked, the disbelief in his voice causing her to laugh harder.

"I think I was about four years old in that photo," she said. "I don't remember why my grandmother wasn't home, but it was just my grandfather and I. Out back there's a little slope near the back of the garden and I spent all afternoon out there sliding along on the snow and the ice."

In the photo she was sitting on the shield on the top of the small slope, grinning at the camera. Pigtails hung around her shoulders, peeking out from under her pink winter hat. Her nose and cheeks were already turning pink from the cold, but there was a huge smile on her face.

"I bet you had him wrapped around your little finger," Bucky responded.

Kelsey made a non-committal sound, although she knew he had been absolutely spot on with his assessment. She closed the book, placing it back in the box for later before standing up from the bed to grab another box from the shelf.

They spent the rest of the morning going through various boxes and drawers. They swapped stories, the conversation feeling easy and natural as they worked. Kelsey found herself smiling more than she had in weeks as she listened to Bucky talk about growing up with his best friend. Some of the stories were familiar, but the new details he provided brought fresh insight.

It was early in the afternoon when they moved the last of the donation boxes out into the living room. Looking at the boxes stacked near the door, she felt a sense of finality wash over her. She felt let out a slow breath, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"Kels, you okay?" she heard Bucky ask next to her, her mind vaguely registering the use of the nickname.

"Yeah," she said softly, "it just...I guess the reality of it all just finally hit. It's funny, I've spent a week dealing with all the details and arrangements, but this just feels more real."

She felt his right arm tentatively wrap around her shoulders and she could sense his uncertainty. She relaxed against him, accepting the comfort, and her head dropped to the side to rest against his shoulder. His arm tightened around her shoulders and they stood there for a moment.

"Want to get out of here for a bit?" he asked, and Kelsey picked her head up from his shoulder and glanced over at him giving him a small smile.

"Sure," she said. "A change of scenery would probably do me some good. Let me just go grab my phone."

Pulling away from him, she turned and made her way back down the hall to the bedroom. Picking up the phone from the table, she turned off the music before turning off the screen. She also retrieved Bucky's jacket from where he had left it before heading back down the hall.

After handing him the jacket, they made their way outside through the backdoor. Kelsey took her purse from the hook next to the door, retrieving her keys to lock up. When she turned around, Bucky had opened the passenger side door to the rental car and was waiting for her patiently. She couldn't help giving him a small smile as she made her way down the stairs.

"So, where are we going?" Kelsey asked as she approached him.

"I figured we'd just see where we end up," he told her, giving her a mischievous grin as she climbed in the car.

Kelsey felt her breath catch in her throat as he carefully closed the door once she was in the passenger seat. That smile was dangerous. She was quite certain she could have gotten lost in those blue orbs that lit up when he smiled like that. She shook her head slightly as he walked around the car, telling herself that it was just her mind trying to cope with a very stressful week.

When she had found Sam's number in one of her grandfather's journals she had sworn to herself that she would tread carefully with the two of them. It would be easy to allow herself to start to rely on one or both of them as a way to deal with her grief, and she was all too aware of how badly that could end for everyone involved.

Once they were both buckled, she settled into the passenger seat, happy to let him take her away from all the reminders for a few hours before she had to face her new reality alone.

Bucky really hadn't had a plan when they got in the car aside from getting Kelsey away from all the memories for a bit. Part of his decision had been driven by the fact that he had found it difficult not to notice the fact that she had seemed to fit perfectly against his side when he had tried to offer her some comfort. When her head had come to rest against his shoulder he had been unable to stop Sam's warning from their morning conversation from replaying in his head.

It also hadn't escaped his notice that when his left hand had brushed up against her skin she hadn't flinched away. Even with as welcoming as the people in Delacroix had been he still expected people to be uncomfortable with his vibranium arm. Yet, Kelsey had managed to put him at ease rather quickly, just accepting it as a part of him.

He had driven to the east until they ran out of road and found themselves staring at one of the boardwalks that lined the Jersey shore. The crowd had been light, most of the summer visitors had gone home as the tourist season was nearly over for the year. After finding a bite to eat they walked along the boardwalk, making small talk.

They stopped across from a small amusement area, both of them turning to look out over the water. He watched as Kelsey leaned her elbows on the railing and he mimicked her posture, unable to stop himself from glancing over at her. She had closed her eyes, a soft smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"I'm pretty sure there is no sound on Earth that is more relaxing than the ocean," she said, opening her eyes and looking out over the waves. "I practically lived on the beach as a teenager...we would all sneak out with beer in our bags and stay out till curfew...when we weren't trying to sneak in after curfew. I was convinced I knew it all and filled with Jersey sass."

"I bet you were a handful," he said with a smirk, turning so he was leaning back against the railing.

"I'm still a handful," she told him, straightening her posture and matching his smirk with one of her own.

"I don't doubt that," he countered and he laughed when she gave him a playful shove.

He heard her chuckle as she said, "And here I am trying to be nice to you...so much for that charm I heard about."

Bucky looked over at her, noticing she was smiling playfully, her eyes lighting up for the first time in two days. He was pretty sure there wasn't a guy alive who would be able to refuse any request she made if she looked at them like that. Pulling his eyes away from hers he focused on the people riding the rides in the amusement area. From the corner of his eye, he saw her turn and follow his gaze. She started to move away from the railing, making her way towards the amusement area. When she neared the entrance, he saw her turn back to him, still grinning.

"Are you coming Barnes, or are you just going to stand there?" she asked and he smirked again as he crossed the boardwalk to join her.

For the next hour he let her drag him from ride to ride, eventually ending up on the ferris wheel to use up the last of the ride tickets she had bought. The sun was setting, and she sat across from him looking out over the water. She looked content, whatever worries or emotions she had been struggling with earlier in the day forgotten for a little while.

"What time is your flight tomorrow?" she asked, turning back to him again.

"Five," he told her, watching her nod as she turned her eyes back to the water again.

"Well, then I'll have to say my goodbyes tonight," she said after a moment, her eyes remaining fixed on the ocean. "I have to get back to work tomorrow. I haven't been into the office in two weeks. I'm sure you'll be glad to be back in your own space tomorrow night and not in some hotel room."

"Yeah...I'm sure Sam's got a couple projects he could use help with waiting for me."

"Is that all that's waiting for you?" she asked, looking over at him again. "I mean...out of curiosity. You mentioned Sam's sister before."

"Sarah and I flirted a bit when I first moved down there," he said with a shrug, "but we quickly figured out it was only because of our mutual desire to annoy Sam."

"Ah," she answered, smirking. "I find it difficult to believe there aren't any other women down in Delacroix you might be able to spend time flirting with."

He felt the ferris wheel stop at the top, letting off riders below. Dating for the most part had been a spectacular failure and part of him had just written it off completely. When he didn't answer he saw her look away again, tucking a stray strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear.

"Sorry," she said softly. "I wasn't really trying to pry or make you uncomfortable."

"It's fine, Kels" he told her, feeling the ride start to move again as they both fell silent.

Once they exited the ferris wheel they headed towards the exit. The cool night breeze had started to blow off the ocean now that the sun had set and Bucky saw her shiver a bit as they walked. Pulling off his jacket, he held it out while she slipped it on, and he gave her a small smile when she thanked him.

The ride back to her house seemed entirely too short, and he walked with her to the back door. She had slipped off the jacket, returning it to him before looking for her keys in her purse. There was part of him that didn't want to get back in the car and drive away knowing he wasn't entirely sure when he would see her again.

"Do you want to come in for a beer?" she asked when she found the keys and unlocked the door.

She looked almost hopeful that he would say yes. Yet, Sam's words from that morning once again echoed through his mind and he was quite certain if he accepted it would be a mistake.

"It's late...and I should get back to the hotel," he answered.

He saw her give a small nod, before she said, "Well...thank you for the company today. It was nice to get out and just let all of this go for a bit."

"You're welcome. You can always call me if you need anything."

"Yeah, same," she told him. "I'm really glad I got to meet you."

Before he could convince himself not to, he pulled her into a hug which she returned. They lingered there for a moment, and he felt her take a breath before she pulled away.

"I'll give you a call later in the week and see how you're doing," he offered.

"Sounds good. Have a safe flight home," she said in response as he started to move back down the steps.

When he reached the car, he turned back and gave her a small wave which she returned before climbing in. He saw her watching him as he backed out of the driveway, and he had to ignore the slight feeling of regret that they hadn't met in another time or place as he drove back to the hotel without looking at the house in the rear view mirror.

AN: Thank you so much for the follows and reviews!