Sorry for the short Chapter. But thank you Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967 for being such a faithful reader! I appreciate it! Happy reading!
"Leviathan!" She gasped. Her mind raced back to Shield history, something her grandfather made her go over and over. The 1950's Russian Terrorist organization was almost as diabolical as Hydra. "But I thought Peggy Carter and SHIELD wiped them off the face of the earth?"
"Well if Hydra is an indicator, a regime can grow under any organization."
"Any organization? You mean the GRC?"
"Maybe."
"God." She put her hand on the railing. "What are you going to do?"
"I need Sam. He can get me in touch with the right people. I've already tried the government officials I know, but a pardon doesn't get you very far in Washington with an alias like mine."
"Pricks," she said.
Bucky smirked. "Not so long ago that you thought the same."
She looked out over the water and scratched her arm. "I was wrong," she said finally.
Silence hung in the air between them. Something pinched her arm and she looked down to see a massive mosquito. She swatted at it and felt another on her shoulder.
"Let's get you inside," said Bucky. "They're about to swarm."
"Yes please."
They walked down the dock, just like after their dance, close but not touching. She went inside, and Bucky paused in the doorway.
"Hey," he said. She turned and caught his eyes. Tender and glass blue. "Thanks."
She nodded. "You're welcome."
"Night."
"Night."
She walked up the stairs but paused on the middle and looked back. He was still in the doorway. She turned around and ran the rest of the way up.
….
Jenny woke up later than she'd meant to. She looked at the alarm clock, breathing in the fresh salty air already warm, blowing through the open window. She'd slept better here than she had in years. Reluctantly, she pulled on her clothes from yesterday. She'd sweated in them for three days now, and she felt a mess.
The door to the bathroom was ajar, and she pushed it open, only to find Bucky shirtless in a towel. She stared dumbfounded for a moment, her eyes wandering over his muscles as he toweled his hair. His metal arm sat on the bathroom counter. A ball of nerves bundled in her stomach. Every line of flesh, every bulge and valley and peak was perfect. His skin was taught over his brawn. Her heart beat fast and loud in her ears. He didn't seem to have noticed her, so she slipped out and ran silently down the stairs into the kitchen. There was no one there. She grabbed a banana and ate it casually as Bucky bounced down the stairs in a fresh blue tee shirt that made his eyes sparkle. Probably one of Sam's. Bucky made a circular motion with his left arm. It went all the way around like a windmill as if he was snapping it into place.
He came into the kitchen and leaned on the counter on the opposite side, grabbing a plum. "Morning," he said.
"Morning." She hated how clean he was compared to her. He was perfect, glowing, skin bright and hair mussed. Her hair was flat and greasy, and she was pretty sure she smelled awful.
"You get a good look?" he asked grinning.
Jenny scoffed setting down her banana. "You jerk," she said, a smile playing on her lips.
"I was the one minding my own business. Guy can't even coif his hair in peace."
"Sometimes I forget you're from the past until you say things like that," she said teasing.
"What? Guys don't coif anymore?"
"I don't know actually," she laughed.
Jenny turned away and filled a cup with coffee from the half full carafe and sipped it.
"Your things should be here in about an hour," he said taking a bite of his plum. She whipped around. A drip of juice rolled down his chin, and she almost reached out to wipe it away.
"My things?"
"I had them shipped from the hotel."
"How?"
"I need my stuff too you know."
Relief didn't even begin to describe how she felt. "Oh my god, thank you." She rested her hand on his forearm, and felt a shock go through her. She pulled it away quickly. "Where are Sarah and the boys?" she asked.
"School. Work."
"Of course. I feel like we've been out on the road so long, regular work doesn't exist anymore."
"It never did for me."
Her mind wandered back to when they'd had coffee together in the hotel conference room. It was the most comfortable she'd felt on the trip so far. She was fascinated with early century life, and Bucky had lived at least twenty years there. She realized she was desperately curious about it. And him.
So much that it overtook her and she grabbed onto his sleeve, dragging him over to the couch. He followed surprised and sat down next to her.
"Tell me about your life," she said. She leaned her head on her hand on the back of the couch and tucked her legs up. He smelled so good from his shower. His own dark musk was still on him, but over it was a spicy body wash.
He snorted. "Which part?" he asked.
"Whatever you want to tell me."
He sighed, shifting on the sofa. "The best part of my life is knowing Steve."
She sat up a little and paused letting it sink in. The sweetness of the sentence touching a place she hadn't accessed for so long. "I want to know," she said.
"Why?"
"What else do we have to do besides wait for Sam?"
He moved so he was facing her and took a deep breath, then looked directly into her eyes. "I loved him."
"I know."
"No. No one knows."
Her eyebrows went up. "Oh." A jolt went down her spine and she sat up straight. That he was trusting her with this overwhelmed her.
"I don't know how to explain it."
"You don't have to…"
"You're a lot like him you know."
"What?" she scoffed. "There is no way I'm like Steve Rogers," she said.
"You'd be surprised."
"Tell me."
"Your sense of Justice. If he saw something he didn't like, he'd fight like hell to make it right. You're also both stubborn as hell," he said giving her a little smirk. The joke wasn't lost on her, but she didn't feel like letting the levity distract from what he'd said. She swallowed hard, asking the question pressing on her. "Did he know? Did you guys…?"
"Yes. And no."
"He was all you had for so long." Her heart broke for him. Never getting a chance. But a shimmer of jealousy rose up under her ribcage and she picked at her nails. "Is that why you and Sarah didn't work out?"
"I don't know. I don't think so. I would have stayed if she wanted me to. But she didn't want me. So I closed that part off. Just like every other time someone's left. Just not enough I guess." He looked out the window at the water, and her heart started to race again.
'Too much' and 'not enough.'
"I understand," she said. "I understand completely."
"I know," he said turning back to her.
She stared at him. Then her phone rang.
They both jumped and she held her heart as she picked it up. 'Nic' registered on her screen. "I… I have to take this."
He nodded and stood. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him back down. "No, stay, this is important. Nicole! You're on speaker. Bucky's with me."
There was silence on the other line. Finally, "Why would you do this to me Jen? Hey Bucky…"
"Hi," he said.
"God, even his voice…"
"Nicole!" Jenny blushed up to her hairline. She chanced a glance at him, his eyebrows perplexed.
"Listen," said Nicole. "I did some down and dirty digging and found a lot. Are you sitting down?"
"Yeah."
"Now, this Juan and Russel joined at the last minute, I have their papers. They were assigned through 'Hogan Security'."
Jenny breathed a sigh of relief. Her solid team.
"But, I still have no idea who Max Hoffenn is. I did however find a Maximillian Fennhoff."
Jenny looked at Bucky as a wave of shock went down her spine. "Leviathan. Fennhoff as in Johan Fennhoff?"
Bucky punched his fist into a pillow on the couch. "I should have seen."
"Who?" asked Nicole.
"Leviathan was a terrorist organization in the fifties. Johan Fennhoff ran it. He was a master hypnotist."
"Well, it's not confirmed or anything, but hopefully it's a lead," said Nicole.
"Nic, you're amazing."
"Well…" she said. "This is actually really fun, I feel like an honorary Avenger or something. Listen, I'll do some more research, but are you guys safe?"
"I'm keeping her safe," said Bucky. His resolute tone made Jenny's mouth go dry. She'd almost forgotten what safe felt like. He seemed bigger than usual, the weight of him, sinking into the couch, forcing her to slide closer. His metal hand rested next to hers on the couch, as he still stared down at the phone on the coffee table. Their kiss in the elevator slammed into her mind. She suddenly wanted to push him back against the cushion and climb over him. Chase his Adam's apple with her mouth, kiss the life out of him. God what was wrong with her?
"Thank you for keeping my friend safe," said Nicole.
"Thanks for bringing us closer to the truth," said Jenny, staring at Bucky. Her pinky finger moved a fraction of an inch toward his metal one. He jerked his head locking onto the motion, and his lips parted.
"It's definitely a start," said Bucky. He looked up at her, his eyes holding confusion, a question.
"It's more than a start." Her finger just touched him, feather light, but enough to send a tremor down her arm.
"Listen, I have to go," said Nicole. "Keep me updated. On everything," she emphasized. The phone clicked off.
"You were right," said Jenny. "Leviathan."
"It's even more important to get a hold of Sam," said Bucky. "No one will believe me without him." He looked down at their hands on the couch again. She moved her finger over his, hooking them.
"It shouldn't be that way," she said.
Bucky stood and she followed suit. "I should go check Sarah's computer," he said. He turned and she grabbed his hand.
"Wait," she said quietly.
He rotated back and she was hit with the regret in his eyes. She knew what he was going to say before he said it. He removed his hand from hers. "Jenny," he said. "I can't. Not again."
Jenny's heart sank like a hot stone. She sat back down.
He pinched his lips together, his fingers flexing. Then walked away leaving her empty on the couch.