I've had the end of this chapter waiting for ages, but I didn't know what I was planning to write for the first half, though I knew where this chapter was going. I still feel meh about this chapter though.

I'm not going to hold onto it for any longer though and am just going to post it. Sorry in advance for the crappy writing and the shitty spelling. I hope you enjoy it though.

Love you 3,000.

Comet96.

Nat's reply was almost ten seconds after I sent her my text.

You get used to it.

What if I didn't want to get used to it? Had I made a mistake in allowing Bucky to keep me with him? Would I end up getting Stockholm Syndrome after spending more time with him?

If Barnes is remembering his past, he'll be in soldier mode.

Soldier mode. I knew what she meant by that. She always said that Steve was focused on the job and was respectful when he was in soldier mode. Calling it soldier mode just pissed off Steve.

Was I to expect that from Bucky? A soldier intent on finishing his mission. Wasn't that the Winter Soldier too?

Sighing, I pulled back the towel on my hand, flinching as the fabric pulled at my skin. The gash on my left hand was ugly, small pieces of the mirror sticking out of my knuckles. I have to say that I'm slightly impressed with how hard I hit the mirror. For it to cut into my knuckles it had to have some power.

"Effie, are you alright?" Bucky asked again through the door. I suppose I had to answer him. I wouldn't be able to clean this on my own.

Picking up the towel, I held it under my hand to collect my dripping blood and walked to the door, slamming it open.

"Look," I started, glaring up at him. "I need you to clean and stitch my hand. After that's done, we'll both go to sleep and in the morning we'll drive to a private airfield I know, and we'll fly to France to case the Hydra base." He slowly nodded his head, his hands reaching for my hand, but I stepped away from him. "No talking, Bucky, understand?" A sharp nod and he flung his arm to the bed where he had already set up the medical supplies.

I gave him another glare as I shuffled my way to the bed, huffing in annoyance.

What a prat.

I released a yawn as I rubbed my eyes trying to remember what had woken me. It was still dark in the room, so I assumed it was still night time. That, or they had blackout curtains in the motel, which I doubted.

"Ma'am, Mr Barnes is experiencing a nightmare," Frankie announced, causing me to jump at her voice.

"What?" I asked groggily before realising what she had said. Snapping my head to look at Bucky, I was shocked to see him thrashing in his bed. "Buck?" I whispered, hoping it would be enough to wake him.

Of course, it was just pathetic to think it would work. Shaking off my covers, I slowly got to my feet, not wanting him to wake up and be startled by my moving.

"Ma'am, I suggest it's best to leave him to his nightmare."

"I can't do that, Frankie. It's horrible. He's in pain," I hissed at my AI as Bucky cried out in anguish, his body raising him his bed, his back arching. "I've got this covered." Grabbing a metal disk from the bedside table, I carefully made my way to Bucky.

The second my warm fingers brushed against his metal arm, Bucky was awake. His eyes snapped open, the sharp blue looked so cold and I knew then that this wasn't Bucky, but the Winter Soldier.

"Shit."

Three seconds it took him to have me pinned to the floor, his metal hand wrapped around my neck.

Maybe Frankie was right.

I should have left him.

"You're my mission," his hissed, his fingers tightening as his eyes locked with mine.

"Buck, you need to let go," I croaked out, wheezing as I spoke around the tightness of my throat. "Please."

"Your father asked me to keep you safe. Not to sleep with you." What? Tony had never asked him to keep me safe. And what did he mean to sleep with me? I was the one that insisted we get two double beds.

"Bucky."

"Go back to your room Roseanne."

Holy Fuck.

He thought I was my mother. Did she sneak into his room to sleep with him? While she was pregnant with me?

Gross.

"I'm sorry," I croaked, moving my hand until the metal disk was pressed against his chest. "Sorry." I flinched as the electric current ran through him, making the metal of his fingers loosen up as he fell on top of me, knocked out.

"It seems you have everything covered, Ma'am."

"Fuck off, Frankie," I whispered, struggling to move under Bucky. "You really need to lose some weight, buddy."

How was I going to be getting out of this one?

I could call the reception and ask for help, but the lady was already suspicious of us when we asked for two beds when it was obvious we were married.

Bucky started twitching, his face scrunching up in pain and I knew he was having another nightmare, even though he'd been electrocuted. Shuffling under him so I could lift my arm, I slowly ran my fingers through his hair, trying to soothe him.

"I went to the animal fare, the birds and the bees were there, the big baboon in the light of the moon was combing his auburn hair. The monkey fell out of his bunk and slid down the elephant's trunk. The elephant sneezed, and fell to his knees, but what became of the monkey, monkey, monkey, monkey?" I sang softly, hoping it would calm him down. Pepper always sang this song to me when I had nightmares.

Bucky tensed above me, a few words I couldn't understand muttered from his lips. I tried to move from under him so I could get him comfortable. If he was comfortable then maybe he'd be less likely to experience his nightmares.

"Don't be naive, Ethel," I grumbled to myself as I went over my thoughts. being comfortable had nothing to do with nightmares. "You're gonna freak when you wake up."

"What are we doing?" Bucky's voice cut through my sleep as his weight was lifted off me. I muttered some nonsense to him, bringing my legs up to my chest as I curled up on my side thankful that his weight wasn't on me anymore. "Effie? Why are we on the floor?"

"Nightmare," I grumbled, reaching up and pulling my blanket from the bed. "Time?" I asked out loud knowing either Frankie or Bucky would answer me.

"It is currently 5:47 am, Ma'am," Frankie replied her tone as professional as ever. "Your flight leaves at 11:35 am. It takes two hours and sixteen minutes from here to the airport without traffic."

"It's best that we start packing up," Bucky announced his shadow casting over me as he pulled my blanket away.

"No, no, no," I cried trying and failing to keep the blanket with me. "You're a meanie."

Even though I had my eyes closed I could see him rolling his at me.

"Ethel, get up and get dressed." He was stern and he reminded me of Steve. My heart ached a little at the thought of Steve.

"You're so grumpy," I muttered, climbing to my feet, waving my arms about as I tried to find my way around the room with my eyes closed.

I seriously wasn't looking forward to spending hours on end on a plan with him.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The metal of Bucky's hand was starting to grate on my nerves. My hand twitched as if to hit him and I was distracted from his tapping by a stinging pain in my hand. Glancing down, I noticed a small drop of blood coming from one of my stitches.

I still regret punching the mirror in Canada in my anger. I would rather it was Bucky's face, it wouldn't have done as much damage.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Would you stop that," I spat, finally having enough of his annoying habit. Who knew Bucky would have such annoying habits? I wouldn't have come on this little adventure with him if I had known.

"I didn't even realise I was doing it," he muttered his eyes on the building opposite the nice little coffeehouse we were sat inside.

"She's late," I muttered, glancing around the shop, taking a minute to look over the male barrister as he kept glancing at our table. I wanted to say it was because Bucky was intimidating, but the winks he kept sending me told me otherwise.

"Who's late?" Bucky asked, not bothering to take his eyes away from the window.

"Eva, she said she'd be in today at ten. It's now twenty-seven minutes past eleven and she's nowhere to be seen."

"Are you talking about that waitress?" He finally turned to face me, his eyes scrunched together in confusion.

"Of course, I'm talking about the waitress, and her name's Eva. She should have been here an hour and a half ago. I'm worried," I replied, sipping on my hot chocolate, grimacing at the bitter taste. Eva made a better hot chocolate than Adam.

"Maybe it's her day off," he replied, turning back to face the window. I rolled my eyes at him as I broke off a piece of croissant and threw it at him. "What?"

"Buck, nothing's going to change if you stop staring out the window. We've been in Paris for nine days now and we've done nothing but stake out that building and nothing's changed. You're making it too obvious that we're here," I told him, sneaking a quick glance at the said building, noting how it still looked the same.

"I recognize some of the men going in there," he muttered, his eyes following one man as he entered the opposite building. The building opposite us was posed as a law firm, but we both knew what it really was.

"Do you remember coming to this place before? Have you been to Paris?"

"No, I can't remember. I get flashes of the past, as you know, but I can't remember much." It must have been awful to not remember. At least Steve had the memories of his past. At least he remembered Bucky and Peggy. Bucky didn't have any of his past memories, he had had glimpses of people who'd tortured him and the people he killed.

"Bucky, things will get better. You've been writing everything down as I suggested?" After witnessing one of his nightmares, and how devastated he looked once he woke from it, I suggested he write everything down so he could make a log of everything he remembered.

"I have, I just don't —"

"I am so sorry, Adam," Eva said her French coming out strangled as she struggled to come in through the door as she juggled two bags and a buggy. Her daughter was sitting in the buggy, playing with a teddy bear as Eva slide through the door with effort.

"You know you're not meant to bring her here," Adam hissed, his eyes narrowing in on the baby. Eva clenched her jaw and darted her eyes to me.

"My mum's coming to get her in an hour, but it's not my fault her father didn't pick her up. It's not like she's going to be a distraction, Adam. This place doesn't even fill up until one, she'll be gone by then," Eva spat back, dropping the bags by a table and pushing the buggy next to it.

"She'll distract you, Eva. We've got customers." He nodded toward us and Eva looked over as well, her eyes lighting up upon seeing us.

"Ginny! Thank Christ you're here." She looked beyond happy that we were here, like always. It took me a moment to remember that I was going by Ginny to everyone besides Bucky and he was known as Harry. "You don't mind watching Roseanna for me until my mum gets here, do you?"

From the huge eyes of Bucky, I could tell that he wanted me to say no, but when I looked at Eva's begging eyes and then at Roseanna's chubby cheeks, I couldn't help but say yes.

"We don't mind, do we, Honey?" I said in perfect French, looking to Bucky knowing he'd complain about this when we got back to our hotel room.

"No, we don't," he replied fluently in a stiff tone, setting his gaze back out the window as I pulled out my laptop. I might as well try getting a call to Robbie to see what he'd been working on lately. I also needed him to send my postcard to dad in a couple of weeks, to let him know that I was okay and to give him a hint of where I was at.

I thought it best to send dad on a little goose chase so he wouldn't accidentally end up finding me.

"Here, I'll go heat her bottle up, but you can give her a cuddle while she waits." With a quick wave and a push of the buggy, Roseanna was in front of me, her wide eyes gazing up at me in fascination.

"Heya, little one," I cooed to her in her native tongue. I almost cringed at the baby voice I'd used. Even I had fallen into the pit of cuteness that was a baby. "Let's get you out of there." I wasted no time in pulling her out of the buggy and into my arms. As I held her to my chest, I couldn't help but smell her hair, happy when I realised she had that lovely baby smell.

"Did you just sniff her?" Bucky asked, his nose scrunching up as I glanced at him.

"She smells good," I muttered shifting her in my arms as I typed in my password and quickly sent a call to Robbie. "It's a baby smell, they all have it."

"Holy, shit, you two work fast," exclaimed Robbie in a joking tone as he flickered on my screen, his eyes looking at the baby in my arms.

"Do you like the new addition of the Edwards family?" I asked, poking my tongue out to Bucky as he huffed in annoyance. Roseanna giggled in my arms, her sweet little cheeks glowing red.

"Where did you two get a baby?"

"It's not like we stole her or anything, Robbie. Her mom works at the café we're hanging at." I couldn't stop the smile as I caught Bucky muttering 'hanging' under his breath. He'd been nagging me about my language for the last nine days. He didn't approve of the 'slang' used in this era. "We're just watching her until Eva's mom can come to get her."

"That's good, I'm not sure how your pops would feel about you popping out a tyke with an assassin."

"Robbie don't be rude. Pops would love any grandchild he has, no matter their father." I glanced up to see Bucky staring intently at me, his blue eyes boring into my green ones. It was slightly awkward eye contact and I quickly glanced back at Robbie.

"You know I've got nothing against –"

I glanced up at the loud bang that cut Robbie off, jumping up at Adam stood screaming behind the counter, as Eva cried out in pain. Jumping up, I held Roseanna tightly to me before handing her over to a reluctant Bucky and rushed over to help.

"What happened?" I asked almost forgetting to speak in French as I rushed around the counter, flinching at the large patch of red skin on Eva's hand.

"The machine blew up on her," Adam announced, stepping closer to me as I rushed to Eva's side.

"Phone an ambulance and then call your boss. He needs to know about this. Eva, come run it under the tap," I advised her, taking her elbow and leading her to the sink, running the cold water.

Eva cried out in pain as the cool water washed over her burn, but I could see the relief on her face.

"Is Roseanna fine?" she said, trying to distract herself from the pain. I glanced over at her daughter and had to hold back my smile when I saw Bucky smelling her hair.

"She's just fine, worry about yourself."

"I'll be fine, Ginny, go see to my daughter," Eva insisted, pushing me away with her other hand as she leaned against the sink. Giving her shoulder a firm squeeze, I slide from behind the counter and made my way over to Bucky.

"Did you just smell her?" I teased, slipping into my seat watching as he let Roseanna dribble over his sleeve.

"Shut up," he growled, shifting the baby on his lap.

"Can I hire you out? Get some extra euros, Nanny Bucky?" I was waiting for his reply but was only rewarded with a roll of his eyes. "I'm joking, Buck. It's nice to see you," I waved my hand at him as I thought of a word to fit him best, "normal. It's wonderful to see you looking content."

I hope you liked this chapter. I feel pretty shitty about it and want to apologize for it being shit. Sorry xx