Chapter 47: Stubborn Love

The car ride was quiet, and tremendously awkward. Whoever they were supposed to meeting would not be ready until tomorrow, which meant they had to deal with a long night before...whatever was happening. Steve insisted on driving, even though he had no idea where he was going. Sam sat in the front seat, looking at the horizon and occasionally sending a glare via the rearview mirror to the two in back. Bucky and Mika sat cramped in the back seat, a place not built for anyone bigger than a toddler. But she couldn't find it in herself to care, just happy to be back next to Bucky. He kept his metal arm draped across the back of the seat, trying to create a little more space in the tight area. He still didn't trust himself to be next to her, was still afraid that his brain would betray him at any moment. Even with her beside him, he still felt nothing but the cold numbness associated with the ultimate disappointment in himself. She seemed to sense this, reaching across to take his hand and interlace their fingers. Today was one of the scariest days in her life, and she was not about to let go.

Mika gave Steve directions, her accented voice easily sounding over the pop radio station playing songs none of them knew. She couldn't understand any of them, but she knew Bucky could, and based on the odd looks Steve gave the radio at times, he could as well. At one point, he reached over and turned it up, the bubbly voice of a woman echoing around the tiny car. Mika had no idea what she was saying, but she occasionally heard the words "Captain America" or "Winter Soldier," so she knew at least what they were talking about. Steve and Bucky were both very serious for a moment, the other two looking between them as they waited for an explanation. They sat, tense, as the woman babbled for upwards of two of the longest minutes of their lives, Sam and Mika holding their breath and feeling quite out of the loop.

Then, Steve let out a snort of laughter, and Bucky's eyebrows shot up towards his hairline. "What?" Sam asked, looking between the two. Steve held up a finger, listening further as the woman's voice rose in pitch and volume as she argued with her co-host. He didn't answer until music started playing again, an old American love song crooning through the speakers as Steve shook with laughter and Bucky leaned his head against the headrest and heaved a sigh. "What's going on?" Sam asked again, a little more emphatically this time.

"Apparently the radio girl thinks it's very romantic, what's going on." Bucky deadpanned, since Steve couldn't get any words through the laughs. Sam looked at him for a long moment, trying to decide if he was joking or not. Mika felt like telling him that when Bucky was being funny, it was much more obvious, but decided to keep her comment to herself.

"Romantic." he finally said, disbelief coloring his tone. Steve finally collected himself enough to say,

"Apparently she's very upset that they won't let us just retire and be old together." he explained, shaking his head at the absurdity of the situation. The love song still played, and felt even louder now. Mika bit back a giggle, but Bucky looked so annoyed that she was quickly losing her resolve.

"Oh, God." Sam said, rolling his eyes. The bridge of the song played, emotional and strong, making Steve's laughter return and Mika have to press her lips together to keep from joining him.

"To be fair," she said, her voice cracking a bit in her mirth. Bucky looked at her out of the corner of his eye, waiting for the comment she was going to make. "Bucky was already really old and retired." That was enough to make Steve lose it and Sam groan in frustration.

"You had to add the 'really' in there, didn't you." Bucky said, pinching her fingers slightly. Her only response was more giggling, which joined Steve's. Soon Sam couldn't hold himself together any longer, shaking his head as he started laughing as well. Only Bucky kept it reigned in, though one corner of his mouth was lifted in a smile that he was trying to hide.

"God," Sam said as the laughter finally quieted down. "This really is the dumbest thing we've ever done, huh?"

"Oh, by far." Steve agreed, his posture finally relaxing into the tiny driver's seat. It was funny for Mika to watch him, because so many of his mannerisms reminded her of Bucky. Even if he didn't quite remember the way it used to be, and even if Bucky felt like he was a completely different person now, it was obvious that they'd been close at one point, as close as brothers. She found herself hoping that they could achieve that again.

Darkness had already fallen by the time they pulled into Nicoletta's drive, following the winding gravel road to the little cottage. Lights shone through the windows, spilling out into the night like a beacon of hope and safety. Mika hated to do this, hated to bring her sister into this, but it was the only option they had. Tomorrow the other people would arrive, and then it would be off to...wherever they were going. They'd been sparse on the details, and she hadn't had a chance to sit down with Bucky and find out what really happened. They were barely out of the car before Nicoletta came running out the front door, tears streaming down her cheeks almost as fast as the words coming out of her mouth. She ran right past Sam to jump into Bucky's arms, not noticing the look of surprise on his face as she held him tightly.

"Oh my God, are you okay? I've been so worried, I thought you were going to get back hours ago!" she rambled in Romanian, her voice an octave higher than usual. She pulled back, running her hands over his cheek and looking at him much too intensely. "You're hurt! And you look tired. Oh my God, you must be starving. Come on, come inside. The food's almost ready and there's coffee in the kitchen."

"Okay, who is this now?" Sam asked, alerting Nicoletta to his presence. She audibly squeaked, pulling back from Bucky and trying to hide how startled she was at the interruption. Mika stepped around the car, putting a protective arm around her shoulders.

"This is my younger sister. Who's helping us despite the severity of the situation." she said, levelling him with a stern gaze. Even if Sam was on their side, thus far he'd shown an attitude towards Bucky that she did not appreciate, and she was not going to allow that attitude to carry over to her sister. He perked an eyebrow at her tone, but before he could say something biting in return, Nicoletta patted her stomach and stepped out from under her arm.

"That's alright, Mika. You've all had a terrible day, it's understandable." she said, giving them a brilliant smile. Sam and Steve both grinned in return, giving in to their instinct to view her as kind and harmless. "I'm Nicoletta."

"I'm Sam, this is Steve." he introduced them, and Mika noticed his demeanor had changed drastically. She sent a warning glare his way, which he dutifully ignored.

"Thank you. For giving us a place to stay tonight." Steve added, making sure at least one of them remembered their manners and making Nicoletta's smile grow even wider.

"We should go inside." Bucky murmured to her, making her clap her hands together and turn as she tried to look at everyone at once.

"Right, yes, well the house is a bit of a mess, I hope you don't mind." she said with a grimace, gesturing for them to follow her. They filed into the cottage one by one, Bucky, Sam, and Steve all taking one last cursory glance before ducking in the door. The cottage was small but warm, and they could smell whatever delicious food was cooking away in the kitchen. She turned to Mika and Bucky, "You two can share the art room, then someone can take the couch and someone can share my bed."

"Nicoletta." Mika said shortly, and the younger woman looked at her innocently.

"What? We're all adults here." she said in Romanian, an impish grin on her face. Mika opened her mouth to retaliate, but she was cut off by her sister addressing the group again. "Why don't you all go get cleaned up, food will be ready by the time you're done."

"Yes, thank you. Again." Steve said, showing a gentler side of himself than they'd seen thus far. He and Sam headed in the direction she pointed them in and Bucky moved towards the art room she'd mentioned earlier, but Mika didn't move. Instead, she went to her sister and hugged her tightly. Whatever ire she'd had earlier about the sharing-the-bed comment melted away, and she was suddenly so glad to have her so close.

"Thank you, Nicoletta. I'm so sorry about all of this." she said softly. Her sister hugged her back just as hard, her voice muffled by Mika's chest as she said,

"No worries, my love. That's what family's for." She rubbed Mika's back in a soothing manner before tugging away. "Now, go tend to Bucky. I've got to finish cooking."

"You're an angel." Mika said, kissing her cheek. Nicoletta dramatically wiped her skin, throwing her sister a wink as she turned to go back into the kitchen. Mika noticed Bucky waiting for her, leaning against the door to the aforementioned room. She went and took his hand, squeezing his fingers tightly. "Are you alright?"

"No." he admitted. He wanted to lie, wanted to be the strong and sure person that she knew him to be. But she also knew him to be honest, and there was no way he could hide his feelings from her. She deserved better than that. She gave him a sad smile before tugging him into the room.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." she said. Nicoletta's art room was aptly named, as every surface and cranny was filled with paints and pencils and brushes and canvases, with piles of sketches underneath it all. It had the appearance of a room once meticulously organized, but had since dissolved into chaos. Josephine, Mika's favorite painting, was displayed proudly on the wall above the daybed tucked into the corner. Once the door was closed behind them, Bucky stopped, letting Mika's hand fall from his.

"You don't have to do this." he said softly, defeated. She gave him a confused look, almost wondering if she'd misunderstood him.

"Of course I don't. But I want to." she replied. She didn't like the vibe he was giving off - it was usually one she got right before a break up. She crossed her arms over her chest, licking her lips and trying to bolster her courage. She finally asked, "Is this because of what happened today?"

"Yes." he replied. He'd mentioned that most of the day was blank, meaning he didn't remember her meeting with the Winter Soldier. Part of her selfishly wished he never would; she didn't hold it against him, but she knew that he would hold it against himself.

"What happened wasn't your fault." she said certainly. Part of her knew he wouldn't believe her, but she had to say it anyways. He shook his head, and she stepped closer to him. "It wasn't. It wasn't. You didn't do what they say you did. You are not who they say you are."

"But I am. I still am. I always will be." he said. Now he knew, no matter how much time passed, no matter where he went or what he did, Hydra would always have their claws sunk into his head. No place - and no one - was safe. He sounded so utterly crushed that her heart nearly broke.

"No, you're not." she said, stepping up to him and putting her hands on his cheeks. "I know you. You are sweet, and smart, and caring, and strong-"

"Not strong enough." he interrupted. This was the point that both their stubborness would get them into trouble. He didn't see the man he'd become, and she didn't see the danger in him. He raised his hands to her wrists to pull them away, but she held onto him steadfastly.

"Bucky, we're going to get through this." she said, including herself in no uncertain terms. He shook his head again.

"The things I've done, the things I have to do now...I can't take you with me." he said, and before she could answer, he added, "And it would be safer for you if I didn't come back."

"Did you mean what you said this morning?" she countered. He'd remembered their morning halfway through the car ride here, remembered her dancing around her kitchen and remembered his last words to her before he went to what he was certain was his death.

"Yes. I did. And I still do." he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "Which is why I can't put you into any more danger."

"And I get no say in the matter?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. His eyes searched her face, wondering what on earth he did so right to earn her loyalty like this. That's when he noticed the shadows on her neck. He thought he was imagining things, his hand lightly brushing her hair away. She closed her eyes and winced as he did so, not in pain, but because she knew that this was not going to help her case. She didn't see as his gaze sharpened, but she could feel it as he lightly touched his fingertips to her skin. The memory came to him then, the vision of her face turning red and her fingers scrambling as she tried to escape his hold. She could barely choke out his name because he was gripping her neck so tight.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed in English, practically jumping away from her as the memory surface. She didn't move, she just opened her eyes and looked at him sadly, her mouth open even though she couldn't think of what to say. He was so startled, he didn't think to speak in Romanian again, instead speaking with his native language. "Mika, how can you - I - I could have killed you!"

"But you didn't!" she said in Romanian, wincing immediately because that was not what she wanted to say, and that was certainly not the right thing to say. Bucky lost any sense of calm he had, pacing around the small room with his hands in his hair. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this panicked, and this ashamed. "Bucky, listen-"

"No, no. I can't - you almost died, and it would have been entirely my fault. How can you be here with me? Fuck, how can you even look at me after what I did to you?" he asked. He felt rattled to his bones, and couldn't decide if his insides were frozen or on fire or completely liquefied.

"Because that wasn't you!" she exclaimed, as if the answer were obvious. She still spoke in Romanian, not thinking she could make her point otherwise. He scoffed, his eyes rolling skyward.

"Yes, it was." he replied. It was him. It was always him. Even if he didn't want to, even if he couldn't control it, it was still him who did it.

"No, it wasn't." she said fervently, stepping up to him. "Bucky, I know that you would never hurt me-"

"I already have!" he pointed out, gesturing at her hip. This time, it was her turn to roll her eyes.

"That wasn't hurting me. Do you want me to tell you about all the bruises I've gotten from sex? Cause I will, if it will help you feel better." she said. She didn't want to be so crude, but she also didn't want to see him beat himself up over something so trivial. He let out a noise of frustration.

"You're not understanding. Mika, I am a killer. No matter what I do or don't do, I can do nothing but kill and destroy. I thought I could escape it, but today...today showed that I never will. And that will do nothing but harm you." he said, his voice cracking at the end. He felt so raw, so broken, as he laid out his deepest fear here in front of her. "I could have really hurt you today. Killed you. And that would have ended me."

"And you're not understanding either." she argued. "I'm not afraid of you. Even after today. The person I fought earlier? It didn't even look like you."

"That doesn't change anything." he said, his pacing finally still. She took a deep breath, her mind racing as she tried to come up with something, anything, that would make him understand her side. She knew where he was coming from, she really did, but she still felt nothing in her heart for him except for love.

"Take off your shirt." she said, a last ditch idea coming to mind. She'd hoped his healing was not too fast, and that she could still make her point. Otherwise, she didn't know how she was going to convince him that she was here for the long haul.

"What?" he asked, the question enough to distract him momentarily from his panic. Was she thinking about…? "Mika, this isn't the time for-"

"I'm not trying to seduce you, I'm trying to make a point." she said, stomping her foot for good measure. Bucky eyed her for a long time before reaching up to pull his shirt off, his right shoulder screaming at him as he did so. He vaguely knew he had dislocated and reduced it, but he couldn't remember the context yet. His ribs and sternum were still broken, but were starting to knit back together. There, on his chest, was a horseshoe shaped bruise.

"I got into a fight. I know that." he said, even if the details were still fuzzy. She reached down and untied her boot, pulling it off her foot and holding it up to his chest. The heel of it matched the bruise perfectly, the sole lining up with the fracture in his sternum. Huh. So that's how that got there.

"And how does that shoulder feel?" she asked lowly. How did she know…? Unless…ah, yes. That's right, she'd twisted it out of the socket. Exactly as he'd shown her to do. "You're looking at this the wrong way. You see it as you hurt me. But I see it as you protected me. I never could have protected myself if it weren't for you, if it weren't for everything that you taught me."

"But if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have been there to begin with." he said. He still had to fight her on this, because he was still a danger to her. He didn't care if her argument made sense; his did too.

"You didn't make me get on a plane and come here. In fact, you told me to stay behind, remember? Even then, you were trying to protect me." she said, dropping her shoe to the side. She gently touched the bruise on his chest, which was much more tender than he cared to admit. She'd kicked him hard - really hard. And even amongst the panic and disappointment in his heart, he couldn't help but feel a little proud of her too. "Are you afraid of me? Or mad at me? Does this make you want to leave me?"

"No." he said. The idea was absurd. She gave him a pointed look, and he realized what she was trying to say. And that he'd unwittingly agreed to her point.

"Bucky, this morning you came home and said they'd found you. Then you said you loved me, and left me behind before I could say that I love you too. And then I had to listen to a billion gunshots outside of my apartment and wonder if you were dead or alive. And then I got to watch on the news as they arrested you for something you didn't do." she was rambling, she knew, but she didn't care. She needed him to see, needed him to understand. "I'm not afraid of bruises, Bucky. I'm afraid of losing you."

He was silent for a long time, and she didn't dare move or breathe as the wheels turned in his mind. "This isn't something I'm just going to be able to get over."

"I'm not asking you to." she said. She knew that, just like everything else, this would take time. She didn't mind that. "I'm asking you not to give up on yourself, or me, or us, because of something that was out of your control."

She put her hands on his shoulders, and this time he let her. He wanted to kiss her, wanted to hold her close, but the memories were still too close to the surface, so instead he simply leaned his forehead against hers. He could still feel her pulse under his hand, strong and frantic as she tried to escape the Soldier. He was unbelievably proud of her, but he was also still unbelievably disappointed in himself. She'd won the discussion today, but she wouldn't win it tomorrow. He didn't know what was waiting for them in Siberia, but he knew he was not going to risk taking Mika there.

"I can't take you tomorrow." he whispered. "What could be waiting for us...it's too dangerous. This time, Mika, I need you to stay here. But if…" he wanted to say if I survive, but knew that would not go over well. He changed his sentence midway through it. "If you want me to, then I will come back to you."

"I do. I want you to." she said fervently. Somehow, now she understood the gravity of what was coming. And even if last time he said he would come back, this time it actually sounded true. She bit her lip then. "Can I kiss you?"

"Just once." he said, quirking up one corner of his mouth. He tried to say it lightly, but it was still true. He didn't trust himself around her, not yet. She leaned forward just enough to press her mouth to his, and the act was so sweet and so simple that for a brief moment, he was able to forget the hell he'd endured the rest of the day. One little kiss was enough to convince him that maybe, just maybe, they could come back from this.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up. I'm sure supper is almost ready." she said, tenderly running her hand through his hair. She hated seeing him so down, but knew that he was strong enough to pick himself back up - and she'd be right there beside him to help. He let her lead him to the bathroom, sitting on the commode as she dug around for a rag that wasn't covered in paint or charcoal. The sink was also a kaleidoscope of colors, where Nicoletta clearly rinsed out her brushes and paint cups. She finally found a clean towel, wetting the edge of it and carefully scrubbing away the dried blood on his forehead. He sat perfectly still, letting her clean away the evidence of his sins and wishing he could scrub them from his heart too.

"Thank you." he said quietly as she continued to gently clean his rapidly healing wounds. She responded by kissing the spot on his forehead that was previously bleeding from...oh shit. He'd been thrown into a helicopter windshield. Her lips barely ghosted over the tender spot, which was no longer bleeding but definitely still sore.

"Are you going to tell me where you're going tomorrow?" she asked, trying to keep her tone neutral and failing miserably. She doubted she'd be able to sleep tonight with how worried she was about him.

"Plausible deniability." he said, not looking up at her. Her hands hesitated for a moment before she resumed her task.

"Are you going alone?" she asked, her voice softer. She was afraid of the answer, and held her breath until he said,

"No. Steve is going with me." he said, and she felt like an elephant was removed from her chest. Knowing that he would have someone there - someone who could actually help - gave her a little more hope that things would turn out alright. Her throat was tight, so she simply nodded, focusing on her task at hand.

"This is the last of it." she said as she scrubbed one last spot. Nicoletta called to them from the door, letting them know supper was ready and to head on out as soon as they could.

"I don't have a clean shirt." he said as she wiped the last of the blood away. She paused, her fingers wringing the towel out under the tap as she thought what to do.

"What, don't feel like eating supper shirtless?" she asked, trying to buy herself some time. He grinned, letting out a breath of a laugh that wasn't entirely humorous.

"Full of shit." he said, shaking his head. She dried her hands on another towel before going to unbutton the shirt she was wearing, his eyebrows lifting at her actions. "I thought we agreed-"

"This is your shirt, dumbass." she said, grinning as she finished unbuttoning it. He dropped his eyes as she slipped it off, handing it to him and asking, "I thought you didn't mind nudity?"

"Don't want to make you uncomfortable." he said, taking the shirt from her. Before he could put it on, she put her hands on his face, dragging his eyes up to hers.

"Does it look like I'm uncomfortable?" she asked with a perked brow, a challenge in her eyes. She knew it would be a long time before he was ready for anything physical again, but she wasn't going to shy away from him. One corner of his mouth lifted, and he shook his head.

"No." he replied. She smiled, kissing his forehead and ruffling his hair.

"Good. Now let's go, I'm starving, so I know you must be too." she said, going to dig in her bag until she found another shirt, pulling it on as he opened the door to the rest of the house. Sam and Steve were already sitting at the table with plates of food, adamantly pretending that they weren't paying attention to them. Bucky and Mika joined Nicoletta in the kitchen, the former taking an extremely full plate from her and joining the others at the table.

"Everything alright?" Nicoletta asked quietly in Romanian as Mika served herself. Mika tried not to blush, but could feel the heat in her cheeks.

"How much could you all hear?" she replied, knowing the answer. The walls weren't that thick around here.

"Not the whole thing...but a good chunk of it. Luckily those two could only understand his half of it." she said, nodding her head towards the men at the table. Mika let out a breath; she didn't mind if her sister heard the conversation, she was probably going to tell her all about it later anyway. "Sounds like it worked out though."

"For now. I'm afraid the hardest part isn't over yet." she said, finally finishing filling her plate and going to the table to take a seat next to Bucky. She looked up at Steve and Sam, who looked much calmer and amiable now that they were bathed and partially fed. They both managed to give her a small smile, which bolstered her spirits a bit. She wanted to be friends with them, but she was still so protective and defensive for Bucky. She had a feeling that she and Steve were on the same side...her and Sam would just have to come to an agreement eventually.

"So, Nicoletta," Steve started as she sat down, his voice much more casual and less Captain-like than it had been earlier. "You're an artist?"

"Something like that." she said brightly, never one to boast about her skills. Mika thought that ridiculous, especially since her work was literally all over the house. It was quite obvious that she was talented.

"Not 'something like that,' she is an artist." Mika said, smiling at her sister. Nicoletta shot her a look, but before she could protest, Bucky added,

"And a damn good one." Her cheeks tinged pink at the compliment, and she cleared her throat before turning back to Steve.

"Are you an artist as well?" she asked, and Sam snorted into his plate, pretending that he was simply choking and not laughing at the thought. Steve gave a shy smile that did not match his commanding presence, shaking his head.

"I used to dabble, back in the day. I wouldn't say I was an artist." he said, digging back into his food. Bucky grinned in a way that made Mika think he had something to add, but he kept whatever it was to himself, relying on Sam to say,

"Don't let him be modest. He's got some skill." He looked at the art that was adorning the walls, grinning slightly as he added, "Obviously not as good as you, but he's alright."

"And what about you?" she asked, giving him a sly smile. Steve turned to him with a cheeky expression.

"Yea, Sam, what about you?" he said, seemingly glad the tables turned to him. Sam didn't seem bothered by the attention, giving them an easy shrug.

"I think my talents lie elsewhere." he said, and Mika couldn't help the smile at his humble brag. Nicoletta and Steve laughed, and even Bucky was amused by the comeback. Supper was much less awkward than the car ride thanks to Nicoletta's cheerful disposition, and she was easily able to bridge the gap between the two sides of the table and make them think of something besides everything that had gone wrong that day. Mika liked to watch Steve, feeling like she was glimpsing into Bucky's past a little bit. He still looked to his old buddy as he made jokes, expecting his reactions or his sarcastic responses. And she could see the subtle change in Bucky too, almost like he was remembering who he used to be. She would never change anything about him, but it was amazing to see him loosen up just the tiniest bit, especially given what had happened earlier. For a minute, they could just sit and eat and laugh, and let themselves relax before they returned to the stress of what was to come.

"I've got the dishes." Sam declared as they all rested their silverware on the empty plates. He stood and started gathering them, despite Nicoletta's protest.

"No, no. You've all had a tough day. Let me take care of you." she said, also gathering plates and silverware. Sam shot her a look that didn't have any heat behind it, continuing what he was doing.

"Well I can at least help. And what are you doing, just sitting there? Where's your patriotic sense of chivalry here?" he said, elbowing Steve. Steve didn't move, instead just shooting him an innocent smile.

"Seems you've got it covered." he replied, clasping his hands on the table and idly rubbing his thumbs over each other. He and Sam seemed to have a wordless conversation for a moment before Sam hmphed, taking the dishes to the kitchen.

"Whatever. Drying and putting up is your job." he said, following Nicoletta back to her sink. Bucky scooted his chair back, standing up quite purposefully. Mika thought he was going to join them with the dishes, but instead he moved towards the front door.

"I'm going to check the perimeter. I'll be back." he said, pausing with a hand on Mika's shoulder and looking like he was going to kiss the top of her head, but deciding against it and simply walking out of the room. They heard the door closed behind him, and then it was just her and Steve.

"He does that at home too." she said quietly, unable to handle the silence between them. Steve nodded, licking his lips as he decided what to say.

"How is he?" he asked, and Mika thought that was quite the loaded question. She didn't know how much he knew - or if he knew anything. Clearly, he and Bucky weren't in contact anymore, but she didn't know the details.

"He'll be alright, I think. In time." she said, sounding a little more hopeful than she felt at that moment. "He won't tell me where you two are going."

"Plausible deniability." Steve said, and she smiled as she shook her head.

"That's what he said too." she replied, making Steve chuckle. It seemed they were still, on some level, on the same wavelength. She picked at her nail polish - or what little she had left after the stressful day. "You'll look out for him, won't you?"

"Of course." he said, so quick and so sure that she had no trouble believing him. Another similarity between the two of them. He sighed, looking over to see if Nicoletta or Sam could hear them before turning back to her. "I've been looking for him, for two years. Never found him."

"But you kept looking?" she asked, surprised. One day, she wanted the full story. But she knew she wouldn't get it today. He nodded.

"Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky. When I found out he was alive…" he paused, as if remembering something, but changed his train of thought. "He's different than when I last saw him. Better, I think. Not completely perfect, but...better. And I think I have you to thank for taking care of him."

"He did all the hard work. I just enabled a caffeine habit." she said, blushing at the compliment. Steve looked at her seriously, a smile on his face.

"I think you did more than that." he replied, pushing away from the table and standing up. "I'll make sure he gets back to you."

"Thank you." she said, watching as he went to go help with the dishes. She remembered then who exactly she was talking to, and let out a long breath. She'd managed to talk to two Avengers and an Avengers associate, all in one day. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew better than to think too hard about it. She got up and pulled on her jacket, going to sit on the front porch until Bucky got back.

Tomorrow was going to be difficult, she was sure.

Yikes, emotions! Thank y'all so so so much for all the wonderful reviews? I hope y'all enjoyed Steve and Sam in this, and that we're having fun in Civil War! And by fun I mean I'm still! So! Stressed!

Please take a moment and let me know what you thought about this chapter, I thrive on your feedback! Hope you enjoyed it!

-XM