Sam woke them up the next morning dropping into one of the armchairs with a loud sigh.
''Well, isn't this cosy,'' he announced, Bucky shot up with a start, but Nancy rose much slower pushing her hair out of her face.
''Anything from Torres?'' Bucky asked noticing Sam was fully kitted out in his suit again.
''They're holding him at an army base off the m20, they've approved us leaving from there. So, there's a high chance they haven't just let you go, so getting out of London might be difficult.''
''Right so let's take stock,'' Nancy said now seemingly alert.
''Metal arm, I've got the shield and the wings, what can you bring to the table?'' Nancy sighed racking her brain.
''I've got a degree in English literature.'' She answered with a hopeful smile, Bucky snorted.
''Okay well we've got that too.'' Nancy left them discussing a plan to go and get packed. She entered her room, pink and white candy-striped wallpaper adorned the walls, the large mirror opposite her showed herself. She stood up tall shaking her head. This was crazy, and yet it was something she'd been trained for. She grabbed a hold-all and made her way through to her walk-in wardrobe. She picked things out for practicality, jeans, a jumper, some shorts and vest tops, Wakanda's climate being quite different to the mild spring in London. She looked over at her vanity, her grandmothers necklace still laid out from the night before. She slipped it into a jewellery case with some other select items. She wrote a quick note for her housekeeper, Samara, who was due later that day,
'I'll be away a few days, don't worry, I'll explain when I see you x'
She finished packing her bag and made her way back down the stairs, she could trust Samara to look after her home, but she still hated to leave it. She walked into the drawing room Bucky and Sam were both stood waiting for her. She smiled reassuringly at Bucky who winked at her as she came to his side drawing his hand into hers.
"We were thinking how to get to the airfield, I don't feel like calling a cab, it could too easily be hijacked." Sam started Nancy opened her mouth with a suggestion, but Sam cut her off, "Before you suggest it we aren't taking the 'tube' either."
"I wasn't going to suggest that the underground doesn't go out that far." Nancy smirked with raised eyebrows. "Actually, I was going to suggest we take my car."
"You have a car, you didn't think of mentioning it sooner?" Sam said rolling his eyes.
"Alright so we'll take the car." Bucky said smiling at her.
"Well actually, we'll take the car," she indicated to herself and Bucky, "it's a two-seater."
"Great I'll fly above, make sure no one's on your tail." Sam sighed, Bucky's smile grew wider. Bucky thought he heard Sam mutter about what kind of car only had 2 seats, this made him chuckle.
They made their way to the back of the house where a door led to the garage. Nancy left Samara's note on the kitchen counter where they'd find it. Sam looked disapprovingly but Nancy insisted they can be trusted. Her car sat covered in the garage she carefully drew back the cover and Sam let out a low whistle. Nancy smiled stroking the blue chrome finish.
"Isn't she a beauty," she mused fondly.
"It's a nice car." Bucky nodded attempting enthusiasm.
"You even know what kind of car this is Buckaroo?" Sam asked a look of offence on his face. Bucky exhaled loudly,
"Yes, its, um, a two-seater." Nancy busied herself filling the boot and left Sam to explain.
"It's a Mas-er-ra-ti." Sam said sounding out each syllable, "It's not just a car." Bucky nodded in response and made his way round to the driver side door.
"Oh no you don't James Barnes. My car, my rules, I drive." She dashed over, blocking his entrance to the car.
"Sweetheart- "
"No no no don't sweetheart me, have you ever even driven a car in this country, this century at least?" Bucky held up his palms in surrender and made his way to the passenger side. Sam clapped his partner on the shoulder as he strode past, lowering his goggles.
"Shouldn't be too hard to follow you, she's not exactly subtle." Indicating to the sports car.
"No, but she is fast, hope you can keep up." Nancy grinned wickedly.
Getting out of London was simple enough, Nancy was comfortable enough on its busy congested roads. Driving with Bucky was a very different experience, he looked around constantly, watching every car that joined the road, looking out for anything close to suspicious. Nancy was calmer, driving was simple to her and when they hit the motorway she pushed the car into 6th gear.
"So, should we talk about how you're about to meet my dad?" Nancy said brightly turning briefly towards Bucky.
"I hadn't really thought about it." This was true, with his whole priority getting her safely to Wakanda he hadn't for a moment thought of the ambassador and what he might say or do to him should he find out. Nancy had been gracious in accepting him just as he was, past and all, somehow he thought no father would want their daughter to be bound by the fates to a 100-year-old ex-assassin. In fact, he was surprised every day how Nancy had managed to take it in her stride. It was simple to her, he wasn't that man anymore, the winter solider wasn't her soulmate, Bucky Barnes was. He found himself staring at her again, where others found it unnerving, Nancy never mentioned it, she caught him and smiled taking one hand off the wheel to squeeze his, holding it tightly for a moment.
"It'll be fine, I'll handle him, and he'll understand, he'll have to." She kept her eyes on the road, she hadn't a clue what her dad would say.
"Will he?" Bucky said quietly.
"I'm not letting you go." She responded firmly.
Bucky felt a warmth wash over him, like sinking into a hot bath.
He then heard Sam's voice in his ear,
''Two SUVs just joined at the last junction, they've been on your tail for the past couple of miles, could be nothing I'm gonna send redwing down, get a lay of the land." Bucky relayed the information on to Nancy whilst looking out the back window, Nancy saw the two silver cars in her rear-view mirror. She saw a lorry in the left had lane behind her, she quickly darted out in front of it, the two SUVs carried on the lorry blocking them access to the middle lane. They overtook, one pulling in ahead of her. The other attempting to remain level, a BMW frantically flashing its headlight behind it.
"Sit back!" Bucky had his gun drawn pointing it at the driver's side window, aiming at the second SUV.
"Don't you dare hurt my car!" She shouted eyes darting left again before flying into the inside lane and up the slip road beyond. The two SUVs had no time to react and were pushed onwards in the throng of traffic.
"Please warn me before you do that." Bucky said, shaking slightly from surprise. He looked around confused. "Where are we?"
"Not far off now, this is a couple of junctions too early, we'll have to take the back roads, but that might actually be easier, now we know they're following."
"How are you so calm about this?" Bucky said, concerned at her blasé attitude.
"Compartmentalisation. My parent's divorce, Kit's death, the blip and now this. I just have to focus on one thing at a time." She said taking a turn off the roundabout, this led them down a side road. Bucky explained the new plan to Sam who then, reluctantly, gave up following the two SUVs. "I've been seeing a therapist since I was 10, she says I do it too much, pack everything into boxes and leave them up there." She tapped her temple, "I don't even notice I'm doing it anymore." Bucky watched her, a question burning on his tongue, what happened when you were ten, he didn't ask it, another time he thought. It was as if she read his mind though,
"It's nothing close to what you've been through of course, I mean I should be asking how you're so calm." She laughed almost half-heartedly.
"You think this is calm? I had a good therapist, and then there's you, you help a lot."
"I do?" Nancy said noticeably touched.
"Like my very own guardian angel." He winked at her.
"Bucky..." Nancy started no clue where her sentence was going. Her skin lit up with goose bumps under his gaze. She felt tears prick at her eyes.
"It's okay, we're in this together now." He curled a stray strand of hair between his fingers. The sunlight streaming through the wind screen lit up the copper tones turning her hair into a mane of shining metallic.
"I want to know who these people are Bucky, I want to stop them." She said defiantly.
"I'll stop them, I won't stop until you're safe. Katima said they wanted to ransom you for information and co-operation from your father." Bucky explained.
"You spoke to Katima?" She sounded surprised.
"Yeah, she sent us to rescue you, I didn't realise you knew anyone from Wakanda." He said apologetically.
"She's my dad's girlfriend, that sounds so weird, she's his partner, she's lovely."
"She did seem worried about you." Bucky said.
"Dads' going to be frantic." She sighed.
"Maybe we should leave telling him about us for a while?" He suggested dryly, this made Nancy smile.
"Don't chicken out on me Barnes." She smirked, "He'll only be more annoyed the longer we leave it."
"That does not fill me with confidence." He laughed lightly. They drove quietly down the twisting road. As they neared the airfield Sam dove down flying alongside their car. The gates granted them access on the first sight of Sam, they made their way up to where Torres was sat on the steps waving to them. Nancy tossed her keys to the nearest member of ground crew.
"Please look after her, I expect her back in one piece." The man looked as though all his Christmases had come at once, his mouth gaping at the Maserati. Bucky took Nancy hand as they walked towards the jet. Sam was already aboard, hanging out the military jet.
Before they could reach the stairs a loud gun shot fired behind them. Bucky instinctively spun round pushing Nancy behind him, a man stood all in black, skin milky white, he could have been 30 or fifty, a cloud of dark hair surrounded his head.
"Give me the girl!" He shouted, voice clear and calm.
"Not a chance!" Bucky called back, his own gun drawn "get to Sam now," he hissed behind to Nancy, she didn't move a muscle.
"Nancy, come with me." The man continued. Nancy stood defiantly, feet routed to the spot.
"Go now," Bucky said louder this time. More mean appeared now, each wearing the same masks as the men from the night before. They appeared from the same silver SUVs as they'd encountered on the motorway. The men held up arms against the military personnel of the airfield.
"Christopher is alive!" The man shouted. Nancy's composure broke.
"Liar!" She came out from behind Bucky and stared the man down. Bucky reached out catching her arm in his metal one.
"I'll take you to him." The man continued.
"Nancy," Bucky started, she looked over her shoulder and smiled. From above their heads Sam swooped down, the intruders so focussed on Nancy they hadn't been watching Sam. He gripped the black hair man by the shoulders and shot straight up in the air. His men followed them with their eyes. The brief distraction allowed the soldiers to overpower the masked men. Nancy ran up the stairs, Bucky helped her up into the jet, Torres was already initiating take off. Bucky brought her over to the bench, strapping her in securely. He knelt in front of her. Her head hung to her chest.
"Nancy, I'm so sorry," he muttered, cupping her face in his flesh hand.
"It's not your fault, that bloody bastard!" She shouted, Bucky saw Torres jolt at her outburst from the cockpit.
"Any chance he was telling the truth?" Bucky asked quietly, Nancy shook her head.
"Kits' dead, he's not coming back." She ran her hands over her scraped back hair. Bucky raised himself onto the seat next to her.
"You should have gone when I told you to." He Sid quietly taking her hand and running his thumb over her knuckles.
"I wasn't going to leave you there. All alone." Shook his head smiling, gently drawing her hand to his face and kissing her fingers. Nancy freed her hand from his grasp and cupped his cheek. "I'm not going to leave your side." She whispered. He lowered his forehead to hers, closing his eyes.
Sam entered the jet with a bang as he landed on the metal floor. The couple jumped apart quickly.
"I'm sorry, were you two having a moment?" He jested, raising his eyebrows at the pair. He closed the jet's side door and they all felt Torres increase the planes' altitude.