Bucky confessed that he had hardly been paying attention to what was on the screen. Looking to the clock above her TV, he saw that it had just struck one a.m. Neither of them had said anything since their sudden declaration. Bucky had to admit that he felt relieved. He had thought for a while that they might not have been on the same page. He had wondered if he was the only one who felt some kind of attraction. But he wasn't. Evelyn had rested against his side and he had felt slightly awkward for a while, having someone pressed up against him. Eventually he found that he quite enjoyed her weight. It was almost comforting.

Eventually her weight had increased, however, and he found that her hand dropped his. Looking down, he saw that she was firmly asleep against him. He contemplated letting her stay there, but her neck was at an awkward angle and he knew that her bed would be comfier. He carefully stood up so as not to wake her, replacing his shoulder with a cushion to keep her there.

He closed the curtains in the living room before heading to her bedroom. He didn't snoop or overstay his welcome. Instead he switched the on the lamp at the bedside table, noticing her alarm clock, a book on the American Revolution and hand cream. He pulled the duvet down on her bed and walked around the large double with the big material headboard to her window. Closing the curtains, he pulled them firmly together and headed into the living room.

Evelyn was exactly where he had left her. He gently manoeuvred her into his grip, but she was still dreary, mumbling incoherently as she stood up and Bucky guided her to the bed. He suspected she had hardly slept the night before and eventually exhaustion would catch up with her. She collapsed into bed and he draped her duvet around her, seeing her stuff a hand under her pillow.

"Do you want to go home?" she asked him, eyes still closed.

"I'll sleep on the sofa," he responded.

"Thank you," she said and Bucky nodded. He reached down and took her glasses from her face, folding the frames up and resting them on top of the book she had been reading. Switching the light off, he headed back to the living area and pulled his jumper from his body, placing it on top of his leather jacket with his gloves. He contemplated settling down on the sofa as he tossed his shoes under the armchair, but he sunk too far into the plush material.

Grabbing a cushion, he turned the TV off once he found the remote hiding underneath it. He switched the lamp off and moved to the floor, laying down with his normal arm under the cushion. He grabbed the blanket from the stool and draped it over himself before closing his eyes, knowing that he had to get some sleep.

….

Evelyn awoke with a start, the noise of screams entering her ears. She bolted awake, gathering a breath before she climbed from her bed and grabbed her glasses, slipping them onto her eyes. She winced as the daylight shone through her curtains and placed a hand to her forehead, stumbling into the living room and away from her comfy bed. The screaming stopped and Evelyn looked around, wondering where the noise had come from. It was only as she looked down when she saw him. Bucky was on the floor, sat up and panting for breath, sweat dripping down his forehead. Evelyn rushed forwards, her hair having fallen from her ponytail as she brushed it from her eyes. Dropping to her knees between him and her coffee table, she took hold of his upper arms.

"What happened?" she asked and Bucky looked to her, taking in every detail as he grounded himself back in reality. He moved his own hand to her cheek, holding it as his other hand took hold of her shoulder. "Bucky," she said his name and he could tell she had been frightened.

He had hoped to wake before her. And he had hoped to wake peacefully. Granted he would have had the nightmare, but he had longed for it to be a silent one, not one where he woke up screaming in terror.

"Talk to me," she urged him, squeezing him tightly.

"Nightmare," was the only explanation he could offer her as his breathing finally calmed and she moved a hand up, using the back of it to wipe the sweat from his forehead, seemingly unbothered by it.

"Okay," Evelyn said with a nod. "It's okay now."

"I know," Bucky told her and she smiled to him, trying to be reassuring as she noted the dog tags around his neck. She looked down to them for a brief second before averting her gaze back up to him. She moved her hand from his forehead and took her turn caressing his cheek, her fingers feeling the tickle of his stubble and the arch of his cheekbone.

"I'm sorry," Bucky said to her, his voice slightly hoarse.

"You don't need to apologise for having nightmares," she promised him in a gentle whisper. "Come on, I'll get you a glass of water."

She pretended to help him to his feet, but he was more than capable of lifting himself up. She padded over to the kitchen as Bucky straightened out his shirt and grabbed his jeans, pulling them quickly onto his legs after having kicked them off in the middle of the night. Evelyn finished pouring the water only to turn around and see that he had lifted his shirt to fasten his belt. She could see his abs pretty clearly as he hunched over and she almost dropped the water she was holding.

Averting her gaze, she tried to act nonchalant, but Bucky noticed the colour rising in his cheeks and he finished straightening himself out. He took the water from her as she stood before him, thanking her and downing it in one.

"I was thinking about heading out for a run," she said to him, needing some fresh air. The idea of Bucky sitting in her living room in just a top and his boxers making her more flustered than she cared to admit.

"I can join you," he said.

"You have no running stuff."

He arched a brow. "Do you think I need any?"

"Perhaps not, but you would look odd. You don't have to come, you know. I will be fine on my own and besides, you'd lap me instantly."

"If I promise to keep pace?" he asked her.

She sighed. "You're really going to be this protective, huh?" she checked, folding her arms over her chest and looking at him. He placed his glass down onto the coffee table and nodded, hands going to his hips.

"Until I find out what Dominic is playing at, yeah," he confirmed.

Evelyn was about to try and argue, but she didn't bother. Instead she shrugged and flapped her arms by her side. "Fine, but you are not coming like that. My dad keeps some of his running gear here for when he comes to visit. We were both training for a half marathon and I gave my parents a drawer to keep some stuff in so they only had to bring carry on luggage on their flight."

She moved into her bedroom and Bucky took that as an invitation for him to join her. He followed her, watching her move into a drawer and pull out a pair of shorts and a long sleeved running shirt.

"You'll have to keep your own trainers," she said to him. "I don't think a pair of my old ones would fit you."

"Could be uncomfortable," he confirmed and took the clothes from her, giving her that lopsided smile before heading into the bathroom to change.

Evelyn closed her bedroom door and leant against it, shaking her head back and forth and burying her face in her hands. She told herself to snap out of whatever was going on in her mind before she changed quickly, tying her hair up. She slipped her trainers on and met Bucky in the living room. She tried to ignore the muscles in his legs as she grabbed her keys from the sideboard in the kitchen.

She held onto the doorframe and reached behind her, kicking her ankle up and grabbing it with her hand, stretching slightly.

"I usually just run up to the Lincoln Memorial and back," Evelyn said to him. "It's about six miles."

"I can hack that."

Evelyn snorted. "I'm not doubting you can, it's me who struggles with it," she warned him and reached for her phone. She pushed her keys into a pocket in her leggings, zipping it up.

"I promise I won't laugh," Bucky told her.

"Better not," she warned him, "or I might not let you take me on that date after all."

She bit her tongue, wondering if she had said the wrong thing. She never flirted. She didn't even know how to flirt. She had been in bars before on dates, but she had never been aware of anyone flirting with her. She was completely useless. Bucky could see the hesitation in her face after she had said it. She avoided his gaze and he smirked, moving towards her. He peered down and lifted her chin, curling his finger beneath it.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," he breathed in a warning and opened the door, not needing to look behind to see that was blushing again.

….

The run to the Lincoln Memorial was easy for Bucky. He was jogging at a leisurely pace, moving out of people's way when he had to. He tried to stay in step with Evelyn, not wanting to run off from her. She was in a world of her own, insisting she put her earphones in and listening to music. Truth be told, she just didn't want Bucky to think that she could run and talk at the same time. Plus she hated the sound of her own panting as she ran.

Once the Memorial was in sight, Evelyn slowed down, hands on her hips as she began walking. Bucky jogged backwards, watching her for a few moments as she pulled her earphones out, letting them dangle on the chord around her neck.

"I need a minute," she urged him.

"As long as you need."

"This isn't fair," she complained, tugging on the sleeves of her top so that they covered her fingers. "You're not even sweating. You don't even look like you've used up any energy."

"Benefits of being me," he told her.

He fell into step next to her and they headed on the walk down the Reflecting Pool, other joggers running by them in the early morning sun. Evelyn finally gathered her breath for long enough to form a full sentence without wheezing.

"So," she said to him, "we should probably come up with a plan."

"What for?" Bucky wondered.

"Well, Dominic, of course," she said to him.

"There's no we, Evelyn," he warned her, his voice low and gravelly. She stood still then, hands folding over her chest as she looked up to him. He stopped, turning back around to face her and sighing. He folded his arms over his chest and shrugged. "I'm not dragging you into anything."

"And who said it is your decision?"

"Well, it is." Bucky retorted.

"It is me who Dominic threatened and so I am involved in this," she said to him. "Besides, I suspect that your way doesn't involve notifying the police, does it?"

"Their methods aren't as effective as mine," Bucky told her.

Evelyn's brows furrowed. "What does that mean?" she wondered and for a moment Bucky thought about how that would sound. He had been the Winter Soldier. He hadn't exactly been known for his negotiation skills.

"It means that I know ways to spy on people," he said to her. "I don't hurt people. That's rule number two in therapy."

"You have rules?" she asked him.

He nodded. "Number one is that I can't do anything illegal…number two is that no one gets hurts…and number three is to tell people I am no longer the Winter Soldier. It's for when I try to make amends for what I have done. But in this situation rule number three doesn't count and I am pretty sure I am close to breaking rule number one and two."

"Don't you dare," Evelyn warned him, beginning to walk again. "I mean it, Bucky. You're not getting into trouble over me."

"I only get into trouble if I get caught and I have to disclose it at therapy," he said to her. "Besides, I think my therapist might understand if I tell her that I've been helping out the girl who has been distracting me during my last session."

He waited again, unable to help himself from saying things to cause her to blush. She did so and he had to admit that he quite enjoyed it. She looked to the water and Bucky looked straight ahead.

"You were sleeping on the floor," Evelyn suddenly said, clearly uncomfortable with her being the centre of his attention. She looked back to him and he couldn't tell if she was red from the run or the compliment. He nodded, his jaw tensing for a moment.

"I can't sleep in beds…or on sofas…" he said to her. "I got used to sleeping on the ground when I was…him," he said to her. "Ever since then beds haven't felt right to me. They're too soft. It is like they are going to swallow you up."

Evelyn nodded. "I read about that," she said to him. "Soldiers who returned from war had gotten so used to sleeping on hard surfaces that it took them a long time to adjust back to normal life."

"Yeah," Bucky weakly agreed with that point.

There was a moment of silence before Bucky broke it.

"You didn't ask me about my nightmare," he said to her.

"I know," she replied. "I figured it is like everything else. You'll tell me if you want to or when you're ready. I mean…I hope eventually you do want to and you can trust me, but I'm not going to push you."

Bucky shook his head. "It isn't that I don't trust you," he told her. "It's that they can be difficult to relive or talk about. My head…things got scrambled in there and I have a hard time talking about it."

"You don't need to justify yourself to me," she assured him.

"I'm not. I just want you to know that I'm messed up…not normal…and you would do better-"

"-Ah!" she interrupted him, stepping in front of him and slapping a hand over his mouth as he stopped walking and she held her other hand up, wagging a finger. "What did we say last night?"

She moved her hand from his mouth and his lips tugged upwards. "We made a deal. I wouldn't push you away and you wouldn't hide what you wanted."

"And after almost…" she trailed off, checking her fitness watch on her wrist, "wow, less than nine hours, you have almost broken your end of the deal."

"Guess it's going to be harder to keep than I thought," he admitted to her. "Especially when it's-"

"-Ah!" she interrupted him again, shaking her head and walking backwards away from him. He followed, stalking forward as she grabbed her phone from her pocket. "If you keep on talking like that then I am just going to run away."

"You know it's the truth."

"Running away now," she called over to him and turned around and took off, holding her phone and putting her earphones back in. Bucky gave her a few seconds head start, watching her go. He continued to smile before he set off, still wondering what she could possibly see in a guy like him.

…

Evelyn had cut their run short a block from her apartment to pick up breakfast. She had ordered two cinnamon pastries and a herbal tea for her and a black coffee for Bucky. He wondered how she was going to pay before he saw her press her phone to the card machine. He hadn't seen that during his time in Wakanda. He took the coffee and pastry, sipping on the drink on the rest of the walk back to her apartment. He held her drink as she found her keys and let them in. She bid good morning to the man on reception who tilted his head and asked how she was doing. She told him she was good and asked about his wife and daughter. He told her they were fine and his daughter was preparing to apply for colleges. She wished them luck once the elevator came down and they stepped into it.

"How do you do that?" Bucky asked her as she took a bite of her pastry.

"Do what?" she wondered from him.

"You remember every little detail about people…your doorman…the security guard…how are you constantly so happy?"

"Honestly?" she asked from him. "During the blip, I was miserable. I went to this support group and everything. We all realised how much we had taken for granted before the blip had happened…how we barely talked to people we had known before…how we could sometimes be rude and ignore people who were polite to us."

They stepped out the elevator and headed down the hall to her door. "When everyone came back I swore not to be like that again," she said. "I keep myself to myself, sure, but people have more in common than they think. It's nice when people remember things you've told them about your life…whether it is family, friends, work, whatever…a little conversation can go a long way."

"Yeah, I guess it can," he said and exchanged a meaningful glance with her as she opened the door to the apartment. "Do you realise how perfect you actually are?"

Evelyn laughed at that, tossing her keys on the sideboard along with her phone and earphones. She shook her head at hearing him say that, taking her tea from him and sitting down at the breakfast bar, pulling her pastry from the brown bag and setting it on top of it.

"No one is perfect."

"I've yet to see a flaw," Bucky responded, sitting down on the other stool and mimicking her actions.

"That's because you've barely gotten to know me," she responded earnestly.

"I guess so," he admitted, "so what dark secrets are you hiding under that perfect ray of sunshine act then, huh?"

"Oh, Mr Barnes," she teased him. "You'll just have to find out."

"I guess I will."

….

"Wait," Evelyn held a hand up, "Bucky…this can't be your apartment."

"It is," Bucky confirmed to her.

She looked around and her eyes widened. He watched her and he sighed to himself. He had contemplated not bringing her here, knowing what she would think. It was tragic. It really was pathetic.

"But…you hardly have anything here," she said.

There was a sofa with a pillow and a blanket folded onto it. A TV was sat on a cabinet and there was a laptop on the sofa. Apart from that, the space was empty. He had no possessions, not really. His bedroom had a small wardrobe with his clothes and his kitchen predominately consisted of hosting bottles of beer and ready meals.

"Yeah," he said, "I didn't know what to do with the space or how long I would be here."

"I see," Evelyn said, biting her bottom lip and he knew that she pitied him.

"You can say it. It's sad," he said.

"No," she said, "it just really makes me want to take you shopping."

"I tried," he said to her, sitting on the sofa and she followed him, flattening her hands on her jeans as she moved. "I just…I walked around completely lost. I've never had choice before, not really. Everything was dictated to me for almost seventy years that I don't know how to choose for myself."

Listening to him, Evelyn nodded. "You know, if it would help, I can come with you? We can figure it out?"

"One day," Bucky told her and he reached her for his laptop. Placing it on his lap, Evelyn pushed her glasses further onto her nose and looked at the device as he opened it up, logging on with no problem.

"Wait," she said to him, shifting closer to him so she could see the screen, her thigh brushing against his. "You can work a computer and hack into…what is that? Is that Dominic's email?"

"Yeah," Bucky told her with a shrug. "What about it?"

"If you can do all of this then why do you have a flip phone?" she demanded.

"Too technical," he mumbled.

Evelyn blinked, shaking her head in disbelief. "Everything you have just said is a complete and utter contradiction."

"Not really," he said. "I was trained to use computers to hack into things and get information. I was never trained to call or text people. Besides, why do I need anything other than a flip phone?"

"Because this is the twenty-first century," she retorted simply. "And you need a better phone. You might not want one, but I am going to insist that we go to the Apple store and get you one."

He wrinkled his nose. "But it is always rammed with people."

"You'll have to deal with it."

"I suppose you'll make it tolerable."

"Charming," she responded and he smirked before looking at the list of emails. "So what have you found? And how did you do this so quickly?"

"Will you be angry if you found out I looked into him that first night I saw him?"

"Why?"

"Because he was a creep," Bucky simply responded. "His work email is pretty clean, but the interesting part is that he has his own encrypted email. I suspect it is to deter people from hacking in, but it isn't that well protected. I was almost into it the other night before I came to see you."

"Is this what this is?"

"Yeah," Bucky said. "And there is only one email address emailing him…see."

He pointed to the screen and Evelyn nodded. "TheCollector…" she read out the email address. "Who the hell is this?"

"That's what I am going to try and find out," Bucky opened up the email.

There was only one line of text and it was very specific and to the point.

"Eight p.m. Thursday. Goose Bar." Bucky read.

"Goose Bar?" Evelyn's brow wrinkled. "That is really posh. They have a wine list and they don't even tell you the price. If you go there it is just implied that you are paying for whatever you order and are rich enough to cover the bill."

"Well whoever your boss is meeting, it is tonight," Bucky told her.

"Great, so what? We go undercover?" Evelyn asked him and he closed the lid to his laptop and frowned at her. She knew what he was going to say and as soon as he opened his mouth she jumped in, holding a hand up to silence him. "This is my mess, Bucky. You have to let me come and help you."

"Absolutely not," he said certainly.

"But I want to find out what is happening," Evelyn said to him.

"And if this guy is dangerous?" Bucky asked her. "Evelyn, you're subject to an internal investigation at work. Just let Eliza Jonas think that is your only involvement. I don't want you getting in trouble for extra-curricular snooping, okay? Especially considering what I just did was illegal. Besides, I can handle myself. I've done this loads of times and I'm not having you near any danger."

"But-"

"-No," Bucky interrupted with a low growl. "I mean it, Evelyn. I am going to go and observe and that's it. But I'm not risking you."

"And if I just turn up?"

Bucky eyed her suspiciously. "You know, I think I've found a flaw. You're annoyingly stubborn."

"I take that as a compliment."

"Wasn't meant as one, sweetheart," he said and Evelyn looked to him. The term of endearment had just slipped off of his tongue before he could stop himself. It was like the old Bucky. He would have said something exactly like that. But while girls would have usually melted once he had said that, Evelyn slapped him on his normal arm.

"Do not sweetheart me when you're being rude," she hissed at him.

"No sweetheart when being rude, got it," he told her with a firm nod. "But the point still stands. I will lock you in your apartment if I have to. You're not coming anywhere near him because it could get you into trouble or, even worse, hurt."

Evelyn huffed at that and Bucky almost found her sulking to be adorable. He didn't push her any further, preferring not find himself with another slap around his arm. Instead he looked to her as she finally turned her stare back to him.

"You come straight back to mine when it's done, okay?" she asked, but it really didn't sound like a question.

"Another flaw," he said, "you get bossy when you're angry."

"Bucky!" she snapped his name.

"Yes, alright," he promised her. "I will come straight to you when it is done."

"I still don't like this," she responded.

"You don't need to like it. You just need to sit tight and we'll get to the bottom of this," he assured her. "Now come on, we still have just over six hours until eight p.m. and we're going to go for a walk because I'm not leaving you to stew or sulk until then."

"I don't sulk," she responded and he offered her his gloved hand. He helped her up from the sofa and kept hold of her hand, leading her from his apartment and grabbing his keys on the way.

"You do," he told her, "but you're adorable with it."

"I'm seriously about to hit you again," she warned him and he chuckled, smiling to himself. Whoever Dominic was meeting, Bucky was certain he could handle it. It wouldn't be a problem to him.

…

Bucky walked Evelyn back to her apartment, needing to make sure that she stayed there before he left. She had tossed her keys onto her sideboard and let out a long sigh, raking a hand through her hair and tossing it behind her shoulders. Bucky stayed by the door, knowing that he couldn't stay long. He had to go and do what he had to do.

"Listen," Bucky said, going all serious on her. "I need you to stay put. I mean it, Evelyn."

"I got it," she said defensively, "but I could come with you and just stay back."

"No," he responded. "I have this handled. Stay here and just wait for me to come back."

Evelyn scoffed and folded her arms over her chest. "What? And just be a good little girl? I'm not some damsel, Bucky. This isn't the 1940s."

"I know you're not some dame I need to rescue," Bucky said to her, sensing her irritation. She wanted to get to the bottom of this. He watched her for a few moments, seeing the turmoil in her face as he walked towards her, cupping her cheeks in his gloved hands tenderly. "You're strong, Evelyn, and I know that. But this is for the best. I want to keep you safe and away from danger. If they see you…or you get hurt…I just want you to live a normal life. I want you away from this."

"I don't want you to get hurt either."

Bucky had to admit that her concern for him was touching, but she had no reason to be worried. He had faced a lot worse before. He could handle himself.

"I'll be fine," he promised her. "And listen, I will come straight back here when I'm done, okay?"

"You better."

"Wouldn't dare do anything else," he said. "And tomorrow night I'm cashing in on that date you owe me."

"Don't try to distract me," she urged from him, folding her hand into a fist and pressing it to his chest. Leaning forwards, he felt her forehead press just beneath his neck as she leaned against him. He wrapped his arms around her, holding onto her tightly.

"It'll be fine. I will get to the bottom of this and everything will be as it should be," he said to her. "And we're going on that date. Now try to relax. I'll be back before you know it."

"I was supposed to talk to Lisa and Maria tonight."

"Then do that," he said to her. "And I'll be back soon."

"Be careful," she demanded from him again.

"Will be," he assured her and slowly untangled himself from her. He gave her one final look back before leaving the apartment. Evelyn contemplated following him and going to the bar herself, but she didn't. Instead she went to find her laptop to talk to her best friends, knowing deep down that Bucky had a point.

….

Entering the bar, Bucky tried to remain calm. He had quickly gone home to change, needing to blend in. He wore a black suit with shirt, brushing his fingers through his hair before heading to the location. He got there early and took his seat in the corner, staying out of sight and by the exit in case he needed to make an escape. He had dropped bugging devices around the bar on his way to the restroom, an ear piece sat firmly in his ear as he ordered a neat vodka, dropping a twenty on the bar and not bothering with the leftover change. He looked around, scanning for any sign of Dominic arriving. He had positioned himself so that they had no chance of seeing him.

It was a little after eight when Dominic entered. He sat by himself at the bar and ordered a whiskey. He downed it in seconds and Bucky kept his gaze on the door, waiting for his accomplice to come in and join them. But there was no one. Dominic ordered another whiskey and nurtured this one, swirling the liquid in his glass.

"I know you're here somewhere, soldier," Dominic whispered and Bucky listened intently. "Show yourself."

Bucky wondered if it was a trap. He didn't trust Dominic. Instead he remained seated. Dominic downed his drink and stood, paying his tab before leaving. Bucky followed him, keeping a safe distance behind him and lurking in the shadows. Dominic pressed his phone to his ear.

"He didn't show…who knows…you got her?"

As soon as Dominic had hung up, Bucky's hand was around his throat. Slamming him against the wall down an alley, his grip tight. Dominic struggled to breath as Bucky glared at him.

"Who was that?"

"He said you'd come."

"Who?" Bucky demanded.

"I don't know his name," Dominic said, pushing at Bucky's arm to no avail. "He never told me. He just got me to do…to do what he wanted…"

"You have less than a minute to tell me why you threatened Evelyn or I swear that I will leave you in this alley for dead," Bucky said. But he was lying. That wasn't him. He was trying to be a changed man. Loosening his grip, he let Dominic bend forward and cough.

"It's you they want," Dominic said. "They've been watching you since you were pardoned. They knew that getting close to you would be impossible. Look at you. You're one of the last super-soldiers remaining who they know about."

"Who?"

"An organisation," he said.

"What organisation?"

"I don't know," Dominic snapped. "They made contact with me when they saw you with Evelyn. They said that you hadn't spoken to anyone since coming back. You had no friends…no one…until her. They threatened me to help them get more intel on you. They know I've been embezzling money from donors."

"And how the hell would you get intel?"

"Evelyn's phone," Dominic said. "I bugged it while she was helping Rebecca with her event. I snuck into her office and did it then. They've been listening to everything."

"And Evelyn?"

"They wanted to use her," Dominic said. "She was the pawn in this game. They thought that they could use her to get to you. They suspected you would come quietly if you knew they had her…that you would turn yourself in for her."

"And what do they want with me?"

"Your blood," Dominic said. "They want your blood to create more of you."

Bucky felt himself chill at those words. They wanted him. He had been right. He was the one who had dragged her into this. He looked over to Dominic once more as the man leant against the wall and took deep breaths.

"And you?" Bucky demanded. "Why did you do what you did to Evelyn?"

"They told me that if I could get her round to their way of thinking then she would be safe," Dominic said. "Figured that if she agreed to be used as bait then she would be safe. Turned out that she ran to you at any moment she could. They realised she was never going to come willingly."

"So what is the plan now? You lure me here for what reason?" Bucky demanded. "Because clearly your boss was never going to show up."

"Can you really not work it out?" Dominic wondered, brows knitting together. "They knew you would be here. They've bugged Evelyn's phone."

Bucky shook his head, grabbing Dominic by the throat once more, slamming him against the wall. "Don't think you're getting away with this," Bucky snarled at him.

"I know," Dominic said to him. "But funnily enough it isn't you I'm scared of. You'll be out of the picture soon enough because you care for her. I can see it in your eyes…you've known her a few weeks and already you've begun falling for her...they told me how you were at the museum and would stare at her…the pathetic, workaholic curator who we always joke needs a good fucking to loosen up."

Bucky lashed out then. He knocked Dominic's head against the wall and let his body drop to the ground. He was most certainly going to break rule number two. He left him there, knowing he would wake up eventually. Running through the streets back towards Evelyn's apartment, he swerved anyone who got in his way. He came to her apartment block and thankfully a woman was leaving through the main door before she dropped it and it locked. He caught it and took the stairs, knowing that he could be quicker than the elevator.

He slowed down as he headed down the corridor to her apartment. Reaching into the back of the waistband of his jeans, he felt for his gun. Pulling it out, he held it in front of him as he came to the apartment. The door was ajar. He pushed it open and instantly heard shouts. They were muted to a certain extent. He moved in and looked around.

The kitchen was a mess. There was flour that had been dropped on the floor, a mixing bowl broken on the wooden floor with cake mixture everywhere. Cutlery was strewn around, her cookbook dropped open and a barstool overturned. He moved further into the room, finding everything empty. There was no sign of Evelyn.

"Hello! Is someone there! Evelyn? We're calling the police!"

Bucky found Evelyn's phone on the floor and he turned it off quickly. Moving to the laptop, he came into view and saw two women on the screen. He recognised them instantly as Lisa and Maria.

"What happened?" he asked, foregoing any pleasantries.

"Bucky?" Lisa double-checked.

"Yeah," he responded.

"Prove it," Maria demanded.

He slipped his leather glove off of his vibranium arm and showed them. That seemed to placate them and he suspected that Evelyn must have told them about him that evening. "Where is she?"

"Someone came for her," Lisa said, both of the women looking hysterical. "She was baking and someone broke in. She tried to hide, but they grabbed her. She fought them, but they were stronger. She managed to rip their balaclava off and she shouted out his description."

"Clever girl," Bucky whispered.

"I wrote it down," Lisa said.

"And I called the police," Maria responded.

"She said that he had blond, cropped hair. He had green eyes and was tall…she said he had a beard and a distinct accent. She thinks it was English. She also said that he had a polo shirt with Mardox Science Division written on it."

Bucky nodded, memorising all of that information. "Mardox?" he double-checked.

"That's what it sounded like," Lisa nodded. "And I recorded the call as soon as he came in."

"The police said they should be there in minutes," Maria informed them, placing her phone to her shoulder. "What the hell is going on?"

Bucky gulped. "They've taken her to get to me," he admitted to them. "I'm going to bring her back."

"How?" Lisa demanded from him. "She's our best friend and she…she can't…"

"Listen to me," Bucky said, looking at the two women through the webcam, "I am going to do everything I can to make this right. I need to go before the police come and I become prime suspect number one and I can't help her. Just…trust me."

The two women didn't look entirely pleased at hearing that. But they did nod.

"If Evelyen trusts you then...we can extend the same courtesy," Maria said. Please find her."

Bucky closed the lid to the laptop and stuffed it under his arm. He rushed away down the fire escape stairwell. Pulling his phone from his jeans, he flipped it open and searched for the number that had been calling him but he had been avoiding. He pressed the phone to his ear and waited for the man on the other end to pick up.

"Long time, Buck."

"Sam, I need your help."

...

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone following and reading! I hope you're enjoying the story as things pick up. As always, let me know any comments/suggestions!