This wasn't the type of place he expected to find a high-level drug dealer. The Brownstones on this street sold in the millions, and the community was well known for it's family-friendly charm. Bucky scoffed. He saw a black sedan pull in front of Dante's house. He waited. Why was he getting involved in this? He hated that he knew the answer.

For Annie. He barely knew her, and yet here he was...

Ten minutes later Dante appeared from the car. Bucky waited for the car to leave before he approached, just as Dante was letting himself inside.

"Dante?"

"Who wants to know?" The creep spun around to face Bucky.

In the harsh light of day this guy looked a lot less intimidating. His black hair was cut short. His pale face and bright smile didn't impress Bucky. But he thought of his hands on Annie the previous night and it was hard, harder than he expected to keep himself under control.

He could break this guy in half without breaking a sweat. He could wrap his hand around his throat and feel the life drain out of him, and he wouldn't even need to use his vibranium arm. Bucky rolled his shoulders and let the images fade.

"No one you need to worry about. Just someone here to pay a debt."

"Is that right? I don't know you,"

He was clever, Bucky thought. "No, you don't, but you do know Annie Reilly."

Dante placed his keys in his coat pocket and eyed Bucky carefully. "So, you've come to pay sweet Annie's debt." Bucky saw the bulge of a gun inside his jacket.

Use it. I dare you, he thought.

"Fifteen thousand should cover it."

Bucky clenched his fists and fought down old habits. "I was told it was ten."

"Yeah, well...I don't know you. I typically don't do business with people I don't know."

Bucky smiled maniacally. Before he could stop himself he was holding Dante three inches off the ground. "You'll do business with me. You'll take the ten grand. Most importantly, if Annie ever, ever sees your face again..." Bucky tightened his grip. Dante's face was purple.

He slowly sat him down, and tucked the money inside his jacket pocket. "Remember what I said, Dante," Bucky warned as he walked away.

It took longer than expected to deal with Annie's drug dealer. Bucky hoped to have it done before she headed out for the night, but when she didn't answer her door he knew he missed her. Finding her wasn't difficult. He'd become extremely familiar with her routine.

"Slow night?" he asked as he walked over to her.

"The opposite," she said flatly.

"Go home, Annie,"

"I can't."

"You can,"

Realization struck her, "Bucky, what did you do?"

A smirk spread across his lips. Annie wasn't impressed.

"Bucky!" She touched his shoulder as panic rose in her belly. "Bucky, he'll kill me."

"It's taken care of, I promise." He smoothed a hand over her hair and looked into her eyes. "He won't be bothering you anymore. He's been paid, and well...threatened."

Annie looked skeptical. Bucky pulled away and pulled the glove from his vibranium hand. Annie looked at him strangely.

"This helped convince him." He made a fist before stuffing the glove in his coat pocket.

"So, it's true." she whispered. "You're him."

He slowly put his glove back on.

"The Winter Soldier. I thought you were, but..."

"You didn't want to believe it. I get it, trust me. I wish I didn't believe it either."

With that revelation and Annie's silence Bucky backed away and turned to go. Why did her reaction sting so badly? How had he expected her to react? After all, he'd killed dozens of people. Famously.

Annie's head was swimming. "Wait!" She called after him. "Will you walk me home?"

A smile of pure pleasure tipped his lips. He got it under control before he turned back around. "Come on,"

He offered his arm to her, and she linked hers into his embrace. As they made their way to her apartment she wondered if all her troubles were really over. It seemed like too much to hope. Outside her door she handed him her keys and casually leaned her head onto his shoulder as he unlocked her door.

She stepped reluctantly out of his reach and into her apartment.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked.

It would be dangerous to accept, he knew. The problem was that he no longer cared. The years of isolation and denying himself anything worth having had finally reached their end as he stepped over the threshold of her apartment.

They stood awkwardly inside the door. Bucky kicked it shut and Annie pulled a few pins from her hair.

"I need to...I need to shower." she told him. "Just make yourself at home. There's...well there's nothing really in the fridge."

Bucky chuckled, "Don't worry about it. My place is the same."

He watched as she disappeared behind her bathroom door. She had a dangerous amount of trust in him. He sat on the couch and pulled out his phone. As he was ordering them some dinner he realized the bathroom door was ajar. He could hear the shower running and his mind began to wander.

He should just leave now. Before it was too late. Before he hurt her...or he was the one to get hurt. Before he could make up his mind Annie emerged from the bathroom in a wave of steam, wearing a robe and drying her hair. She padded her way into her bedroom.

"I hope you like Chinese food,"

"Why?"

She appeared wearing a long sleeved gray t-shirt and pajama pants.

"I ordered us some dinner."

She started to braid back her damp hair, and took a seat next to him on the couch.

"You didn't have to do that," she told him.

He just rolled his eyes in response.

"Seriously, you've done enough for me for one day,"

Her green eyes were staring at him intently and once again she was close.

So close.

God help him, he couldn't pull himself away. She felt it too. She must because her lips were inching closer to his. His heart was racing as he lowered his mouth towards hers.

"Delivery!" Two loud knocks sounded on the door.

Ugh. Dumb delivery guy!

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