AN: Thanks to you all who helped me out the last chapter! So this is what I decided to do here...

Chapter 5: This is War

Bella's eyes swam with a flurry of emotions as she looked into Bucky's deep blue eyes. She nuzzled her hand into his palm, brushing her lips against his rugged hand. "Question is, if I deserve you. We've got to at least live through this shit storm first,"

"It's a date," Bucky replied causing Bella to laugh. "I like flowers," She chuckled, only for it to turn into a pained laugh. "Ouch," She grumbled, her hand going to her side, but her smile never wavered.


Bella pulled the hood over her head, slipping on the sunglasses, looking over as he did the same. She slipped the black leather glove on both of his hands, grabbing his hand as they headed into Walmart. They kept their heads down and made their way to the clothes, grabbing more clothes to blend into like hoodies and sweats. They grabbed a few pairs of sunglasses and different pairs of shoes.

As they were walking past the hygiene aisle, they grabbed the essentials, Bella unbothered at this point at grabbing feminine products. Bucky grabbed a more upgraded First aid kit. They threw everything into the buggy and that's when Bella paused.

She picked up a bottle of blonde hair dye scrunching her face up. She also found a pack of clippers, looking at Bucky. "If you dye my hair, I'll cut yours," She didn't have to see his eyes to know he was scowling at her.

She tossed that into the buggy, and they made their way to the home section, grabbing blankets and pillows. They then headed to the food section, stocking up on snacks and easy-to-make foods, and one of those portable burners along with a pot and silverware. On their way out, Bucky grabbed a few burner phones. Four for each of them. One extra for the truck. They paid and quickly left. Bella helped load everything into the truck, hopping into the driver's seat, pulling out of the parking lot, and headed for the gas station. "Why so many burners?" She asked.

"In case we ever get separated. Use it once, and then we toss it. Keep the other on you," Bella nodded. "This one stays here. Emergency purposes," There was a gas station right around the corner, and it was early in the morning where the streets weren't so busy. Bucky had driven them to Idaho and got about an hour in before he stopped.

She pulled into the gas station and filled up, Bucky waiting beside her, looking around as discreetly as possible. After she filled up, they walked inside together, nodding toward the cashier. Bucky grabbed the two gas canisters, and they made their way towards the front.

Bella glanced up at the television playing in the background, her jaw dropping as their pictures were up on the screen. They were wanted for the deaths of Bonnie and Clarence Henderson. A shiver ran down her spine, and she pulled on Bucky's hoodie, making him glance up as well.

The cashier smiled at them, handing them their receipt. He noticed their glancing and turned off the tv. "Sad huh? Those poor people. They don't look like killers though. I mean…I don't think they did it. I heard the victims were CIA retired, and was helping them. There's footage of her walking in the store the night before she was killed, and some guy approached her. Terrorist type. I think the government is trying to cover it up. So where are ya'll headed?" Bella and Bucky looked at each other before she responded. "Road trip. We're headed up to Washington," The cashier nodded. "Sweet. I heard it's cold as shit. Colder than here," Bella shrugged.

"We like it," She mumbled, putting the receipt in her pocket. "Well safe travels," Bella nodded with a smile, a sigh of relief leaving her as they got back outside. Bucky put the canisters into the back, this time driving back to the motel.

"Do we really have the government on our asses?" She questioned, looking at him as he drove. "I have no idea. It seems like it. This is why we need to get to Steve. Someone on the inside is working with HYDRA or running it. I don't know who, but I know that he'll find out,"

Bella held onto the door handle as he made a sharp turn. Bella looked out the window as they passed the motel. "Bucky, that was our turn," She stated concerned. "Look forward. There was a black van out there with a red star on it," Bella swiped a hand over her face, "Shit. How in the hell do they keep finding us? Does the car have a tracker on it or something?" Bucky shook his head, "I disabled it. Dammit," He let out a breath, shaking his head.

"A-Are you chipped?" She asked alarmed. Bucky looked over at her, frowning. "I would remember," Bella pulled her bottom lip into her mouth. "You said that you don't remember much of your time there. It makes sense," She says, already seeing the guilt in his eyes.

"Don't do that to yourself. None of that was your fault," She said sternly. "Drive. I saw the sign for a hospital not too far away, we'll get a doctor to X-Ray you or something," Bucky shook his head. "Too risky, we're going to have to do it ourselves," Bella's eyes widened. "Ourselves? Do you even know where they stuck you?" Bucky pulled over to the side of the road, turning around to grab one of the knives they bought.

"You're going to have to do it, I don't know…" She reached over, grabbing his face. "…I'm not cutting your arm open," She frowned, and he removed her hands, placing them on his arm. "Feel down my arm, please," She stared into his eyes, swallowing before nodding. Her hand shook as she felt down his arm, staring from his shoulder. Halfway down his bicep, she squeezed.

She rolled her finger around, looking at him. "This feels a bit…different. Keep your finger here," She felt down the rest of his arm, finding that it was the only patch of skin where it felt raised. "How deep do I need to go?" She asked. "An inch maybe," Bella frowned, her face scrunching up. "You so owe me," She murmured, and dug the knife into his skin, making a small incision. She looked up at him, closing her eyes.

"I have to dig it out, don't I?"

"Sorry doll," Bella took in a deep breath, holding his arm with her left hand, reaching her fingers into the incision with her right. She gagged as she could feel the muscle in his arm. Her fingers wrapped around a small, flat, square. She pulled it out, holding it in her hand. "Shit," She whispered.

She held it in her fist, then went to the first aid kit to wrap his arm. She wiped her hands of blood clean and even wiped off the chip. She slipped it into her pocket, something telling her she'd need it. "Let's get the hell out of here," She murmured.


Bella opened the bathroom door, smiling at Bucky. "I'm going to make something to eat," She squeezed his shoulder in passing, leaving the bathroom. Bella flipped on the tv to monitor the news and their current situation as she pulled out some of the items they got from the store to make a quick meal.

She heard the shower cut on, and she started flipping through the channels. Every major station had them wanted for murder, and she could only shake her head. She planned on making some soup and grilled cheese.

She kept her eye on the tv off and on, her mind wandering to Charlie and if he was okay. She prayed in her head that he hadn't been swept up in this world and that he was safe. "Breaking News. Steve Rogers, A.K.A. Captain America, is now a wanted fugitive…" Bella's eyes widened.

The water shut off in the bathroom, and she called for Bucky. He came out with a towel around his waist. She gestured towards the TV and his brows raised in surprise. "If he's on the run too, which I'm assuming he is, where would he go?" Bucky scrubbing a hand down his face.

"I don't know. He'd probably go underground, but I don't know how when S.H.I.E.L.D. probably knows everything about him. D.C. is still our best bet, and we'll work from there," She cut down the TV, fixing him a bowl, and left it out for him.

They didn't bother with two-bedded rooms. It made things crampier, and if they needed to leave in a hurry, there wasn't so much congestion in the way. They both sat against the headboard, eyes on the TV as they kept track of how close the authorities were on to them.

As of now, the FBI and the CIA were still in Oregon, searching the state for them. They planned on heading out early tomorrow, as it only took about 6 hours to get through Idaho and to Wyoming. From there, they'd travel straight on through to D.C. without stopping.

They cleaned up what they used, packing their bag back up for tomorrow. Bucky slipped a gun under her pillow so that he could reach for it if the situation called for it. Bella kept a smaller, sturdier gun for her hands on the dresser.

They kept the TV on, but with the volume low. Bella had fallen asleep first, her front facing the door as Bucky stayed up for a few hours, memories upon memories flooding his brain in bits and pieces. He wasn't sure when he fell asleep, but his dreams were anything but peaceful.

Bella had awoken to a chill in the air, blinking slowly to gather her bearings. She quietly got out of bed, and made her way to the thermostat, turning up the heat. She waited for it to kick on, only to realize it was broken. Taking a finger, she pushed the curtain to the side a bit to see that it was snowing outside.

She never really liked snow, but she watched it fall for a few minutes before making her way back to the bed, rubbing her arms. She noticed that Bucky had a frown on his face as he slept, his face contorted in pain. He was mumbling something she couldn't make out.

She sat up on her knees when she got in the bed, gently shaking him awake. "Bucky, wake up," She whispered softly as to not startle him. He woke with a start anyway, his metal arm flexing before grabbing her wrist.

She hid her wince as his grip was tight and a bit painful. Once he realized where he was, he wrenched his arm away, scooting away from her. "I'm sorry Bella," He whispered, audibly swallowing. "It's okay," She soothed. She hesitantly ran her fingers through his hair, her heart lurching at the pain-filled expression on his face. "Hey…" She whispered, laying her hand on his shoulder, guiding his head towards her.

She closed her eyes as Bucky seemed to break down, his arms circling her waist, his head in between the curve of her neck and shoulder. Bella leaned down so that she'd be sitting on her thighs. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he cried.

She held him to her chest, rocking him back and forth, shedding her own tears with him. For his pain, and the pain of his past victims. "I'm so sorry," He whispered into her neck, and she knew he was talking about the things he did. "Shhh. Shhh," She whispered in his ear, situating herself so that she was laying down, and she pulled him down with her.

She ran her fingers soothingly through his hair as he held onto her. "It's all over now," She murmured, turning her head so that she could kiss the top of his hair. She held him throughout the rest of the night, her own vengeance growing at his pain against the people who made him into a heartless killer.

"Don't leave me in the dark," He whispered brokenly, and Bella wasn't even sure he was aware he even whispered it. "I'm with you till the end of the line," She responded. She wasn't aware how much that meant to him, and in the back of his head, he remembered telling Steve the same thing many years ago.

They had fallen asleep like that, and Bucky was the first to wake in the early morning, Bella curled against his side, her hand on his chest. He ran a hand through her silky hair, the blonde strands taking some time to get used to. It was temporary and would fade in a few months.

He preferred her mahogany brown hair, but she was hardly recognizable. He gently moved from under her and went about unsetting his traps, and packing up any of their belongings that they didn't need. He looked down at his hands, closing his eyes as he could almost feel the blood on them.

"Hey…" Bella's faint voice reached his ears, and he turned to look at her. She tilted her head to the side. "Are you alright?" She questioned, concern in her eyes as she gazed at him. He was about to nod before he really thought about it. Was he really alright?

"No, not really. Everything just keeps coming in flashes," He murmured, his brows furrowing. "I don't really know how it feels, but those lives can be avenged when HYRDA is finally taken down. It wasn't you. None of it was you, you have to remember that or that guilt will drag you down a long, painful, road. They can't get you anymore,"

She moved from the bed, grasping his hands. "I may be just a human with this weird ass ability, but I'll do everything I can to make sure they can't ever have you. You've endured enough," She raised her hands to his face, swiping her thumbs under his eyes. "In your heart and soul, you're a good man, and no matter what they've done to your mind, they can't take that from you,"

She stood on the tips of her toes, and Bucky dipped his head a bit, her lips pressing against his forehead.


Jackson, Wyoming-Departing

"Like a circus?" Bucky asked, tilting his head as he turned down the volume on the radio. Bella let out a laugh, her grip tightening on the wheel as she tried to keep her composure. "Yeah, that's Britney Spears. I think that's enough pop music for you today," She chuckled.

"Right about now, I'd be in my classroom, teaching high schoolers classical literature,"

Bucky turned his head towards her, "Why did you decide to teach?" Bella shrugged. "I always liked learning as a small child, and I literally had a bookshelf full of classics like Romeo and Juliet, even if I find it to be the most dramatic play in all of history, but Wuthering Heights was my favorite in high school. My copy was so worn out from how many times I read it. I still have it actually, back at my Mom's. It's all tattered…." She murmured, a small smile on her face.

"What's your mom like?" Bella glanced over at him, a small blush on her face as he was staring intently. "Um, flighty. As a kid, she was always doing something new every month. One month it would be yoga, and then she would find that boring and decide to do martial arts. She's very impulsive. Still to this day. She was very forgetful at times. I sometimes think she wasn't ready to have me when she did. She's young at heart. I used to go to the store, um, cook sometimes, and I was the one really taking care of her. She had a lot of boyfriends, and when I was 17, she met Phil. He made her so happy. I was going to move to Forks then, but I got accepted into the college there and moved into a little apartment on my own. It was nice, and they've been together since. We don't talk much though, and I doubt she even knows I'm missing unless she watches the news,"

Bucky frowned at that. "It's okay though…" She whispered at the end, and he couldn't help but reach over to grasp her hand. She cleared her throat, wrinkling her nose as she focused on not crying at that moment. She loved her mother, but Bella wasn't sure if it was as deep for Renee. She squeezed his hand, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry," He apologized. Bella shook her head at him, giving him a watery smile. "Don't. It's…my dad is the only real family I have, and I spent second to none around him as a kid. Mom was selfish like that. This may sound weird, but this is the most excitement I've had in my life, and that's saying something considering we've almost died a few times, minus the gore,"

Bucky didn't know whether to laugh or look at her like she's crazy. He settled for a chuckle instead. He fiddled with the radio again, stopping on a channel. The person was talking really soft and talking about murder. "What's this?" Bella turned it up a bit, looking over at him. "A podcast. It's when someone talks about something, to put it in simplest terms. They're talking about true crime. I never really get a chance to watch a lot of tv, but these are nice,"

Bucky let it play, listening to the person speak, kind of enthralled by it. "You don't have to listen to it," She laughed, and he stopped her from changing it. "No, it's kind of interesting," Bella held back her hand in a surrender motion, continuing to drive.

After 3 hours of driving, Bucky had taken over so that Bella could get some rest. She had reclined the chair and was laying out straight, her feet kicked up on the dash. Bucky continued to listen to the podcast, finding one thing he actually liked about the modern world. He found that he wasn't the only one with sleeping problems. Bella had tossed and turned in the seat, mumbling something too soft for him to understand. Her face would contort into a frown and then she'd sigh. He could only imagine what was going through her head. He didn't wake her though as her little bouts of sleep would even out, and she'd be sleeping peacefully once again.

He drove through the night, getting them through Wyoming and into just the northern part of Nebraska. When daylight hit, they pulled over on the stretch of road, and Bella made them a quick bite. It was better for the truck to be stationary rather than moving.

He got a chance to learn a few more things about her. He learned that she liked holiday Christmas movies, and her favorite time of the year was Spring. She liked taking long walks over fancy dinners. Her all-time celebrity crush was Johnny Depp, and he made a mental note to watch these Pirates of the Caribbean movies she raved about.

He realized that as a person, he craved this. He wanted to do these things that normal people did, knowing that he would never be completely normal, but he wanted to do them anyway. He wanted to experience life that wasn't all about fighting, but then again, he wanted to fight, fight for a bigger cause than himself.

He wondered if he could have that. Two lives in one.

He could finally be open and talk to someone other than Steve that would listen, even if they didn't completely understand. He told Bella as much as he could remember from his time before the Winter Soldier, and he was slowly getting his life back as his memories flooded in and tried to find their place in his mind.

Bella listened, patient as ever, watching him with such fascination it was almost unreal. She realized that Bucky was a soft soul, a good man, hardened by torture and pain. She decided that then there she'd follow him to the end of the Earth. Till she grew old and unable to do a damn thing with frail bones.

Underneath that hard shell, he was adorable, a sweetheart if she could be honest. She wished to ease his pain but knew that all she could do was offer her support. He needed someone, someone that wouldn't leave him alone in this world. He needed someone to fight for him.

So she would.

She didn't want to leave him alone. She wanted him. From the moment they locked eyes, she wanted him. She didn't voice these feelings of course, the time was never right, and out on Bonnie and Clarence's back porch, she wanted to kiss him. There was something about him that made her want to turn into a puddle of goo.

It could have been his eyes or his voice. It was his touch more than anything. There was a sureness about him when he touched her. He was always gentle yet firm if need be. He held her like he needed air to breathe, and he kept her close. To his heart, a place where not all men let be seen so easily.

Everything seemed to click into place when they met. If she rules out all of the death and near-death experiences, she could say that her life was 10 times better. Back in Phoenix, her life was boring. Her ex-boyfriend was a sweet guy sure, but she never saw her life going anywhere. When Charlie got really sick, she knew the town of Forks wouldn't be anything but a place to her.

All the men were the same, small town, too much gossip. Not to mention vampires. With Bucky, she felt free, her life felt somewhat exhilarating, and she could actually see herself doing something with someone. They were very similar, quiet types, and yet have learned to read each other like a book. They sometimes didn't even need to have a conversation.

When she'd look into his eyes, it was like he was seeing the light for the very first time. She loved hearing him laugh and seeing him smile, even if it wasn't a full smile. He had a long way to go before he'd fully be healed, and Bella wanted to be there for that process.

She'd be dead without him, and he'd be a man on a mission with no control.

She never believed in fate or destiny, but at that moment, she believed that this was where she was meant to be.

Right here.

Right now.

She cracked a smile at his attempt at a joke, her eyes softening as she looked him in the face.

She knew she'd be a fool not to love him.

How could one not?

They got back on the road, and Bella concluded that they had at least another 18 hours to go, and if they tried really hard, they could push it. It was currently 6 am, and Bella opted for driving in the day while he drove at night. They could be in D.C. by 1 a.m. the next morning. Traffic was running smooth, and they were going at a solid 75mph.

Bucky was starting to remember a lot more about his time before the war. She was sad to know that he lied to Steve, telling him that he joined the army willingly, but was really drafted. She asked if he missed that time, and he noted that both times had their ups and downs.

Being the Winter Soldier, he was slightly getting educated on the modern world to notice its changes, but nothing more than that when he would have his memory wiped. Bella was horrified to learn about how painful they were. They'd strap him up and over the last few decades, they started inserting a mouth guard into his mouth for him to bite on.

He remembered that it was excruciating.

Bella's heart clenched at the knowledge, wondering how someone could inflict such pain without batting an eye. He told her about Baron Zemo, a criminal mastermind hellbent on revenge.

He then started to tell her about a man, Alexander Pierce, who he can now distinctly remember being present during one of his mind wipes. Bucky was sure that Pierce was calling the shots somewhere from inside, and the more his memories came back to him, he knew that Pierce used to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

Everything was starting to make sense. Bella listened to every word he said, knowing that he was preparing her as best he could on what to expect.

Bucky wasn't sure when it became a thing, but he found them holding hands on a daily basis. Bella drove with her left, his metal hand in her right. She'd squeeze his fingers every so often. A constant reminder that she was there when he'd slip into a painful memory.

He looked down at her much smaller hand, a smile on his face. She wasn't afraid of him, and she trusted him inexplicably.

They rode down the highway, listening to podcast after podcast, song after song.


Now entering Washington D.C.

It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders as they crossed the line. He slipped the snapback hat on his head, keeping his head down as he drove, shaking Bella awake. "We're here. Keep your head down," Bella rubbed the sleep from her eyes, sinking low in the seat. They drove into the city, where Bucky pulled over by a phone booth.

"We need to find Steve's address," Bella sat up a bit, looking around. There were people everywhere, out and about, paying them no attention. They both hopped out of the truck, and into the small phone booth.

Bella pulled her hood over her head, looking around as he started flipping through the phonebook. "This is why we have the internet…" She murmured to him. "Nothing wrong with traditional," Bella snorted, leaning in close to him as he looked through the Rs. "1614 Connecticut Ave NW. Let's see your internet do that,"

Bella let out a laugh. "You're on," Their quick banter was over the moment they stepped out. "Stay here," Bella spoke, crossing the street really quickly. Bucky leaned against the truck, watching her from the corner of his eye as she approached someone, taking her hood down, swinging her hair out.

He raked his eyes over her, his tongue swiping over his bottom lip. She turned back around, jogging back across the street. "Head that way," She pointed, getting into the truck and Bucky slid into the driver's seat, following her directions.

"It's a set of apartments, can't miss it," Bella held onto the seat as he made a sharp right, and they could now easily follow the street signs. "Um, the last time you saw Steve, you two were fighting…what's going to stop him now?"

Bucky glanced over at her with a smirk. "Haven't gotten that far doll," Bella pointed towards a tall building, "Better think fast soldier," They parked out front, and Bella kept her head down as they got out, walking towards the entrance.

Bucky spotted a set of mailboxes with their apartment numbers. He tipped his hat down, grabbing Bella's hand. "3rd floor," They took the stairs two at a time, and they found his apartment at the end of the hall.

The door was slightly ajar, and Bella shivered, silently asking Bucky if they really wanted to do this. He pushed open the door, pulling out his gun. Bella eased in behind him, closing the door behind them. They rounded a corner to see a man laid out on the floor.

"Who's he?" She whispered, going towards him. "Nick Fury," Bucky whispered, looking around the apartment. Bella bent down to check his pulse, finding that he was still breathing. "He's alive," She hurriedly took off her hoodie, pushing it against his front, helping him sit up. He groaned, blinking at her in surprise.

Bucky walked up behind her, and Fury's eyes widened. He tried to push her out of the way, but Bella shook her head. "He's not here to hurt you. He's different now. We need to find Steve. We know about Pierce. S.H.I.E.L.D. Please…how do we contact Steve?" Bella pleaded.

She leaned in close as he was trying to say something. "T-tell St-eve to t-t-trust no one," He suddenly dropped something in her hand, and Bella looked down to see he handed her a flash drive. Bucky was suddenly jerking her up as the door opened.

Around the corner appeared Steve, who first looked to Fury and then Bucky and Bella. Bucky mentally cursed at how the scene looked. Fury was passed out cold, bullets littering his body, Bella's hands covered in blood, and Bucky standing in between them with a gun.

"Steve…" Bucky started, but Steve dashed for them, and Bucky grabbed Bella's hand, pulling her forward, barely missing Steve as he headed for the window. Bella quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, shielding her face as Bucky crashed through the window, heading straight for the next building. They crashed through another window and Bella squeezed her legs around his waist as he ran through the hall. She could hear Steve right behind them, and she turned her head around, her eyes widening as he burst through a wall.

She hid her face again as Bucky went through another window, the two dropping on a building below. He came to a stop at the edge, and Bella slid off his back. She heard the whoosh of an object being thrown, and she shielded herself behind Bucky as he caught Steve's shield.

Steve stopped short in surprise.

Bucky tossed it back with force, pushing Steve back a few feet. They both stared at each other for a second, and Bella maneuvered herself around Bucky seeing that the dangerous part was over for the moment.

She held up her hands towards Steve, a frown on her face. "Please stop. He's not evil anymore. He's your friend, and we need your help," Steve looked from her to Bucky still surprised. "It's me. I'm no longer the Winter Soldier," Bella let her hands drop, reaching for his hand.

Steve ran a hand down his face, slowly moving forward. "It's really you?" He asked, his face cracking into a pained smile. "Yeah," Bucky whispered. They embraced in a hug, and Bella let out a sigh, a fond smile on her face.

"I don't understand. You attacked me, my friends, Fury…you didn't know who you were," Bucky pulled away and inclined his head towards Bella. "Thank her. She saved my life," Bella cleared her throat, sending Steve a small wave. She stuck her hand out, shaking his firm one. "Isabella Swan, it's nice to meet you,"

Steve tilted his head at her, "Isabella? The girl from the news? You're wanted for murder. Both of you are. What the hell is going on?" He didn't believe the news to be true, but there were a lot of things he still didn't understand. She looked away from him, her lips pulling in a frown.

"She didn't have anything to do with it. HYDRA killed them to get to us. It's a long story, but I'd rather not be out in the open to tell it," Bucky threw an arm around Bella's shoulders, pulling her to his side. They each looked up in the sky at the sound of whirring blades.

A large helicopter started to descend from the clouds. "Please tell me that's yours!" Bucky yelled over the blades. "I'd be lying if I did!" Steve replied, holding up his shield. Bella squeezed Bucky's hand in fright; her shield surrounds the three of them. Bucky suddenly swung her to his front, and she crossed her legs around his waist.

"Don't let go," He whispered in her ear, and Bella squeezed herself to him, tucking her head into his chest. He started off running, Steve running after him, taking notice that none of the bullets hit them. He left his shield up behind their heads anyway. "What's surrounding us?!" He yelled as they dropped down to the ground below.

Bella tensed up as Bucky's feet hit the ground, not used to the feeling of falling from the sky. "I've got you," He reassured her, an arm wrapped around her waist to keep her steady. "It's Bella," Bucky replied, looking to Steve who shot his eyes to her in surprise. "Come again?"

Bella lifted her head from his chest, seeing that they were in a small alley. They moved to the back of it, hiding in the shadows behind a dumpster. The helicopter flew over them and they heaved a sigh of relief. Bella slid down Bucky, holding a hand to her head.

Bucky tilted her chin up, checking her over. "What's wrong?" She let her head lean on his shoulder. "Migraine. Just takes some getting used to," She murmured, her nose going to his hoodie, and she took a deep breath. Steve watched their brief interaction with curiosity.

Once she composed herself, she turned to Steve. "The man in your apartment, Fury, he told me to give this to you and to not trust anybody. We found him like that," She handed Steve the flash drive and he put it in his pocket.

"Anywhere we can go?" Bucky asked as they slowly made their way from the alley, heading in no certain direction. "One place…"


"I'm still confused. You want two fugitives to hide out in my apartment?" Bella had to chuckle at the man known as Sam Wilson. There was just something funny about him. "I mean he has a point," She shrugged. "See?" Steve just gave Sam a look. "There's a lot we don't understand, okay? I need to get to the hospital, and I'll be back when I figure out what to do. Just stay put. They have nowhere else to go,"

Sam groaned softly before nodding. "Fine. If shit goes down south while you're gone, we'll find some way to reach you," Steve nodded, before looking to Bucky. "You want a drink?" Sam asked Bella, motioning towards the bar, and she nodded gratefully. "I could use 10," She mumbled, following behind him, giving Bucky and Steve a chance to talk.

Steve and Bucky stood off to the side, talking softly. "Is HYDRA the only thing after you right now?" Bucky ran a hand through is hair, "Yeah mostly. A vampire or two. Like I said, long story, and we don't have the time. What's the plan?"

Steve sighed, shaking his head. "I won't ask, and I don't have one yet. I'll figure it out on the way. Isabella on the other hand needs to be somewhere safe. We can't risk casualties," Bucky immediately shook his head. "No, she's safe with me and I'm not leaving her anywhere unprotected. She stays," Steve raised his brows.

"Is she….?" Bucky turned his head to see Bella and Sam taking back shots. "Something like that. She's all I got okay? She stays with me, and as you can see, she's quite useful. HYDRA wants us both dead, and considering we don't know who's who, we're safer together,"

Steve clasped his shoulder, nodding to show he understood. "I need to do something for me, a promise," Bucky hitched his thumb in Bella's direction. "Anything," Steve responded immediately.

"If anything happens to me, you keep her safe. I mean it. I also need you to check about her father, Charlie Swan. He was at a heart hospital in Seattle about a week ago. I need to know his status,"

Steve nodded. "I'm on it. I can tell you care about her, but I promise. I'll keep her safe," Steve slipped out the door and Bucky turned around, a chuckle leaving his lips as Bella's face scrunched up. He walked over to where they were, and Bella smiled up at him, clearly tipsy. "Hi Bucky," She leaned against him and he warmly smiled down at her. "Hey doll,"

He held her steady, looking to Sam. "How much did you give her?" Sam shrugged. "She just took the bottle and I let her drink. She needed one," Bucky hummed, inclining his head toward the couch. "Can I?" He asked.

Sam waved him on, and Bucky led Bella over to the couch, laying her down. He smoothed some of her hair back, grabbing the throw and draping it over her. He kneeled on the floor smoothing out the wrinkles on her forehead.

"What is it?" He asked, knowing she had something on her mind. Bella pulled on his arm, bringing him down closer to her. "I know I'm a little drunk, but I'm in love with you, and I thought you should know," She murmured against his lips. He rested his forehead against hers. "What happened to waiting?" He chuckled, his thumb caressing her cheek.

"Waiting just prolongs the inevitable, and I need you to know that's how I feel. We could die tomorrow…" She babbled, and Bucky shushed her with a finger. "I'll keep you safe, I promise," He stared into her eyes, hoping to convey that he felt the same, even if he couldn't get the words to roll off his tongue.

She smiled softly at him. "You're a good man," She whispered. He kissed her cheek, pulling away from her. She groaned softly, her pouty lips drawing him in. He refrained, laying her head on the pillow. "When you're sober doll,"

He slowly got up, and went over to the bar, pointing to the bottle. Sam slid it over, tilting his head. "About a week ago, you were a stone-cold killer. What's the story?"

Bucky poured himself a glass, holding it up. "Get comfortable…"


Bucky and Sam both looked up as Bella slipped inside with a box of donuts. She took off her sunglasses, tossing them a smile.

"Yes, sweet sugary goodness," Sam clapped his hands together, and Bella sat the box on the table between them.

"Were you followed?" Bucky asked, his eyes traveling to her. She shook her head, "No. I made sure. I think the helicopter from last night was more meant for Steve rather than us. Any word on him?"

She went to the bar, pouring herself a drink. Around a mouthful, Sam shook his head. "Nothing yet," She hummed, watching them both.

She had just raised her glass to her lips when she noticed Bucky tense up, his eyes going to the window.

A soft, yet high-pitched squeal was heard before Bucky stood, pulling Sam up. "Take cover!" He and Sam dipped behind the couch, and Bella dropped behind the bar, covering her face as a loud explosion went off, sending Sam's apartment into shambles. They each went flying in different directions, wood and furniture bursting on the spot, glass raining everywhere. The walls and ceiling even caved in, dropping and falling into pieces.

The only part of his apartment intact was the back wall and the front door. At first, nobody could move, too disoriented to do anything. There were screams and yells from either side, other residents confused about what just happened.

Sirens were heard in the distance.

Bucky was the first to move, having been crushed under a few pieces of wall and plaster. He moved the furniture off of him first. He looked to his right as Sam groaned out, his hand sticking out from under wall and wood.

"You alright?" He called out, to which Sam gave him a thumbs up. Bucky came to a stand, pulling Sam by the hand, moving some debris out of the way.

He helped him to his feet, steadying him. Bucky looked around, his brows crinkling. "Bella?" He called out, getting a groan in response.

To his right was where a lot of ceiling caved in, and where most of everything went flying. "Shit," Bucky walked his way over, tossing things out of his way.

Sam shook himself a bit, going over to help. "Bella!" He called out, going to the other side of the room, his eyes catching her hand.

"Bucky, over here," Sam dropped down low, tossing whatever was in his way, Bucky standing across from him doing the same.

Sam frowned as he realized a lot of everything had caved in on her. Bucky was in a frenzy, tossing everything out of his way, clawing through whatever was in his way just to get to her.

A large wooden beam was the last thing to move, and they both moved it out of the way.

"Oh shit," Sam whispered. Bucky dropped to his knees, running a hand through his hair.

"Don't touch it!" Sam warned, stopping Bucky from pulling the large piece of wood that was sticking from her lower abdomen. "We don't know how deep it is, and if we pull it, we could kill her," Bucky snapped his eyes to Sam, his eyes watering. "I'm not leaving her like this,"

Sam ran a hand down his face. "Okay, we lift her up, and maybe I can see if it's pierced through her,"

Bucky's hands shook as he scooped his hands under her, gently lifting her a bit. Sam ducked down, relief hitting him as it didn't seem to go through the other side of her. "She's clean back there,"

Bucky's lips pursed in a hard line, he gently lays her back down on on the floor. What's left of the front door is opened, and Bucky swiveled around, his gun drawn.

Steve raised his shield, "It's just me. I heard the explosion. We need to get you guys out of here," His eyes then dropped to the floor and he looked to Bucky.

Another person made their way in behind Steve, her eyes widening at the scene. "Nat, take them to the safe house," Natasha ran her eyes over Sam, and then Bucky, her brows raising at the fact that he wasn't trying to kill any of them.

"Okay," She replied immediately, frowning as Steve bent down, picking Bella up. "Get her to Banner," She advised, ushering Sam out the door, warily glancing at Bucky.

"Steve…" Bucky whispered, a tortured look on his face as he was unable to finish his sentence. Steve nodded, getting a better grip on Bella. "I promise," He eased past Nat, heading down the hall and rounding the corner.

Bucky followed Nat out of the apartment, a blank expression on his face as she led them in the opposite direction and down a stairwell that led to a section of the parking garage.

A black van was waiting for them, and she ushered them inside. The van took off immediately, and they jostled around a bit.

Nat stared at Bucky for a long while, handing them both some ice packs. It was clear to her that he was no longer a danger to them or anyone around him for that matter.

She could see the tortured look in his eyes as he stared into nothingness. "She's going to be okay," She stated, causing Bucky to look at her with such sadness and anger.

"Who sent it?" He asked. She leaned forward, her own face contorting in anger and displeasure. "S.T.R.I.K.E. Special Tactical Response for International Key Emergencies. They attacked Steve the day he was labeled a fugitive. They work for Pierce,"

Bucky leaned back, slowly nodding.

He was going to kill them all.