A/N: Thank you so much for one of the user who left a long review. That means the absolute world to me. I'm very happy you're enjoying this story. I went back and corrected anything that had to be italicized. For some reason, the flashbacks (which I initially did have italicized on Pages) didn't transfer onto here that way, hence the confusion between past and present. I also want to thank the lovely Spanish reader. Thank you so so much.


Discoveries


You're in the shower when his arms come up around you and you feel him suck in a sharp breath.

You slowly fall into his embrace, a wide smile taking over your face.

"Hey, you." he whispers against your temple, his voice still rough and deep from having just woken up, "Morning." He mumbles, holding you even tighter against his chest.

You moan delightfully, running your right hand over his arm, letting it linger over his skin.

"Good morning." You let out a soft moan as you feel his lips on your neck. You tilt your head to the opposite side, letting your head fall back against him. His lips trail down over your shoulder.

"Last night was amazing." He whispers.

You moan.

"It was." You say.

"You're absolutely breathtaking."

"Bucky." You sigh in contentment as he continues to leave kisses over your shoulder until he settles his chin on it.

You spin around until you're facing him and you take this moment in. The hot water cascades over the both of you and he's staring at you, mesmerized.

You raise your hand to the side of his wet face where the water has soaked him and you lay your fingers on his temple. He raises his own flesh hand to your chin, running his thumb over your bottom limp which is now swollen.

Something weird happens then. Maybe it's mythical, all you both know is that it isn't normal. A cold rush passes between the both of you and he feels deep happiness and calm. The strange part was, so did you. It was as if you could feel everything he was feeling, everything he had felt in his past life.

"Bucky, what is that?" You ask, terrified.

You felt similar feelings to this when you first started spending time together, and he had always felt greatly affected by your empathy, but this was different. This was that, magnified by a hundred. You could literally feel his pain being wiped away so strongly that it felt like you were in his shoes. At that moment he somewhere knew you could feel it too and it brought tears to his eyes.

"I don't know," he whispers.

He leans down and captures you in a deep kiss. You see a flash a blue light up behind your eyes and you feel his torture inside of you. You can feel him pouring his relief into you and his feeling of liberation. It isn't until his tongue touches yours, and he's got your legs hooked over his waist that you realize it's you transferring the feeling of freedom into him.

He feels it escaping you and it warms him from head to toe. He becomes addicted to it, even if what's happening terrifies him and you both know you need to acknowledge it.

He cups your neck as he deepens the kiss even more and you feel his grip tighten on your thigh.

You can feel the tip of his dick at your entrance and you rub yourself against him. It takes a few seconds before you feel him pushing into you.

The sound of the water dropping over you is cathartic to your ears and his own harsh breathing seems to mingle through. It was amazing. Everything about this was.

You can now feel the presence of his metal arm to your right and you knows he's using it to as leverage against the tile behind your head. His other hand leaves your neck to grab your thigh. He pulls aways just enough to lean down and kiss your collarbone, his thrusts not faltering.

It doesn't take too long for you both to feel your climax approaching and he's staring back into your eyes. You can see a look of awe on his face, and you grab his face again with your free hand.

"How are you making me feel that?" He asks you breathlessly. You don't say anything, instead you focus on that feeling, letting your eyes travel over his face. He leans his forehead over yours and you both focus on your pleasure until it finally erupts into a white flame, making you both groan. He's panting over your and his grip on your thigh doesn't let up.

Somehow, the water is still just as warm, not having run cold yet. You lean forward and give him one more lingering kiss.

His hand lets up on your thigh to go into your hair this time, and he's tilting your head up to look up at him.

"You make me feel better." He says.

"You said you have video footage?"

"Yes. From around the same time we got the intrusion alert."

"Roll it for me." Ashen commands as he stands up from his chair, pointing towards the screen on the far right side of the screen.

The other man complies. A video begins to pan out. It shows just the corner of the eight monorail station of the city. It plays for a few seconds, showing nothing except a brick wall and the tracks. Ashen looks at the man curiously, but the man motions for him to keep watching. With his attention back to the video, he sees two people run from around the corner and up against the wall.

Ashen's eyes squints as he asks the other gentleman to pause the screen. He slowly walks over to the screen, realizing what he was seeing. He's furious.

"Sir."

"Looks like we have some guests. An Avenger," his jaw clenches as he tilts his head. His stomach tilts, "and a girl."

He recognizes you immediately. He could never forget those eyes.

"Should we call a search? If someone sees an avenger in here—"

"No." He says bluntly. He clenches his teeth and then relaxes his jaw again. He finds himself walking up to the glass where he can see the city. Part of him is partially afraid while the other is almost impressed. He eyes the city from above with distinctive interest. He knew what he would have to do in order to protect what he had planned.

"Sir—"

"Not yet."

It had to be the right time.

Almost coming to a close on your mission, and you were both laying low for the remainder of the mission, until it was time to take Ashens.

You had finished one of your books a few minutes ago and now you and Bucky were in bed just talking.

"—and then I'll give him Ashens tracker," Bucky says, "I'm stronger, I can at least get past some of the guard men on my own, I think."

You stomach flipped at the thought.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I want you two safe. I'll be fine, too. But you two are my main concern."

You give him a small nod.

He lets out a small breath as he plays with your hair on your neck. It gives you goosebumps how nice it felt. You close your eyes, enjoying his touch. He says your name gently and you look at him again.

"We need to find out what that was, in the shower before."

You nod again.

"I know." You suck in a deep breath, "I never experienced that before. At least not to that degree."

"But you have experienced it before?"

You try to think about you might've always felt a strong empathy for people, but it only become stronger after Will and Bucky.

"I might have. But not like this."

He watches his hand as he plays with your hair.

"When we get back to camp, we'll talk to the others. Maybe…" he takes a deep breath as he watches your face, "Maybe you have something. Like a gift, I don't know."

"Like an Empath?"

"We'll find out." He drags his thumb down until it's over your cheeks. Your thoughts run wild as you think about that possibility. You're thinking of different scenarios for everything. You're thinking about Ashens, about what the hell happened in the shower, and now your new relationship with Bucky. "What do you want for dinner tonight?" With the change in topic, he's looking straight at you like you're the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.

"What?" Your mind had been distracted and you hadn't heard a word.

He gives you a sweet smile that has the edges of his eyes crinkling up.

"I asked you what you want to eat tonight? What are you in the mood for?"

"Oh. I don't know. Do you want me to make pasta again?"

"No. No, you should rest. What about something small from room service? Maybe pizza?"

Your stomach churns at the thought of pizza.

Not again.

You sit up, your right arm draping over your stomach and a sour look on your face.

"Baby?" He sits up with you and brings you into his arm. He plays with your hair, "You okay?"

"I'm fine, I think I'm sick again. I'm sorry."

"So I guess that's a no to pizza, then?" He asks playfully. But you aren't laughing.

Instead, a slap of fucking damn reality hits you you in the face and you find yourself frozen. Your eyebrows are furrowed together as you realize you had been so distracted by your own drama of a life you didn't even notice you hadn't gotten your period. That with your nausea and your sudden weight gain. You feel your heart hammering away inside of you as you try to rack your brain for when it might've happened. You both have always been so careful. Except for that night after the gala, and literally just last night.

Bucky says your name and you look up to meet his eyes. He looked at you concerned.

You had to tell him, but you also wanted to be one hundred percent sure first, even though it was blatant obvious.

"Yeah, I'm fine," you bite your lip and give him a tiny smile, "no pizza, though. How about sliders and fries?"

He gives you a genuine smile followed by a soft kiss.

"Sliders and fries, it is."

You give him another smile, but once he's turned away from you and getting out of bed your smile slides off your face. You run a hand up your face and you let out a long deep breath.

You were pregnant with Bucky's baby.

You're both on the couch, Bucky's arm wrapped around you. You're finishing up a little movie when he reaches over for the remote and turns it off. You look over at him, confused.

"It wasn't done."

"I know. Come here." He pulls you in tighter by your waist until you're fully sat in his lap. He squints up at you, "I was hoping you could help me with something."

You give him a small smile as you play with the fabric of his white t-shirt.

"Oh, yea?"

"Mmm, hmm. Do you…" his voice drifts off as he looks over your shoulder, smiling even more, "Do you remember that scene where Ross calls the radio and asks them to dedicate that song to Rachel for him?"

You tilt your head at him amused.

"Yeah."

"Well, I was hoping you could help me find it on that music channel thing you put that other song that one time."

You perk a brow on him.

"You want me to play U2?"

"If that's what it is, yes."

"Why?" You ask playfully, leaning in and giving him a peck. He reciprocates immediately, kissing you back.

"Because." Another peck.

"Because why?"

He pulls back and stares into your eyes, a serious look on his face.

"Because I heard it and I loved it, and it reminded me of us," he pushes your hair away from your face, "I want to dedicate it to you."

You feel your heart swell in your chest at his words.

"Bucky…"

"Please."

He doesn't have to ask you again. You get off his lap and find it for him on the TV. Once it starts playing he bites his lips and grabs your hand.

You're confused at first until he places the other hand on your waist.

"Dance with me."

"I don't think this is much of a dancing song."

"I don't care."

"But-"

He quickly captures you in a case that has you stunned. When he pulls away he continues swaying you. He looks down at you half amused.

"You really need to shhh."

You both don't say anything else as you both sway to the song. You were right, it wasn't much of a dancing song, but he still found it worth dancing with you to. Or at least holding you to it.

….through the storm, we reach the shore…

His face is against yours as you both slow dance, taking in the precious moment. In this moment you think about the emotions you feel within him and you push your positivity into him, knowing he can feel it, too. You think about your possible unborn baby and the man in your arms fathering him or her.

You wouldn't have traded this moment for anything in the world.

He peaks down at you where his head is tilted and you share an intimate look. You let out a deep sigh.

"I love you, y/n." His words caught you off guard and you find your feet stopping. The look he is giving you is intense, "I really do."

In that moment you know he means it not just romantically, but in every sense of the word. You take his face in your hand one more time, and you kiss him fiercely.

"I just don't understand why our son."

"You rather it be Sophia? Be thankful it's him."

"How could you be so…so heartless!" Her scream comes out angry.

Ashen throws his head back in laughter.

"Heartless? I'm saving our lives. I'm potentially saving yours. Although, it's probably not even needed," he gives her a daring look that leaves her even more angry, "You want me to set him aside, throw you out there into the dirt outside the wall until someone sick infects you, and then we do the same treatments on you and see if it also works the same way it did with him? You want me to do that? And then kill you both?"

"You're sick."

"You were made for this, you were made to be controlled and you will follow my lead. Our son will die and we will live, do you hear me? Nobody else can get a hand on him," he looks her up and down, "Not even the mightiest of the mightiest."

"What are you talking about?" He ignores her completely as she watches him walk into their shared bathroom suite. He leaves the door open as he looks at himself in the mirror, "You know I never wanted this life. You know that. You knew about it when you saved me, when you lied to me and told me you were good, and when we fell in love. You know where I stand and it's not — it's not—"

"You are Hydra!" He shouts, slamming a fist down on the bathroom counter. He walks back into their bedroom where he sees his wife sitting on the bed, sniffing. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "Our love wasn't a lie." She doesn't say anything to do that. He sits down next to her and runs a hand up her back, "I know we don't have the same views, and I know you hate me now," she scoffs and Ashen's jaw tightens, "but we have to do this."

She wipes the tears from her cheeks.

"I can sacrifice myself in his place. I'll do it. I have the same serum as him."

"I can't let you do that."

"Why not? I already couldn't do so much in my life. I wasn't allowed to do many things, things I wish I could do again, people I wished I could see again, I'm just asking for this."

Ashen's nose flares at the mention of your past and at the memory of the video he saw earlier today.

"He'd still be walking around with it in his veins," Ashens leans over and kisses the top of her head, "It'll be him. This conversation is over." He doesn't bother giving his wife a second look as her face crumbles again into more cries, "Go to sleep, Daisy."