The next morning started much like other mornings except today Madison would be joining her dad, Bucky and Sam for their morning run. Steve was concerned that the super soldier serum she had inherited from him at birth that was kicking in stronger everyday might actually mess with her balance. So running could be a good way to push the limits to be sure she was progressing safely. Plus, he was actually looking forward to jogging alongside his daughter for a little while, to get to know her more.

Seemed everyone had time with Madison but him, and Steve wanted a chance to change that. The small group took off at a steady jog down the compound's access road. Bucky and Sam dashed ahead, both trying to outdo the other as they laughed and poked fun at one another.

Steve took this moment alone with Madison to start up a conversation he had been putting off for a while. "He's happier now," Steve said, motioning towards Bucky who was dodging Sam's jabs at him.

"I've not seen him smile that much since before the war," Steve added.

Madison only smiled, not really sure what to add to her dad's comments. "I'm sorry we've not really had time to talk since you got here."

Both continued to jog in silence. Madison was struggling with how to answer the man who was and wasn't her father. "I never asked if I could call you dad ya know." Madison's smile was infectious as Steve could only smile back in return.

"I would have no problems with you calling me dad," Steve said as he tweaked Madison's elbow with his fingers.

Laughing they continued on the route. "He deserves to be happy." Madison was trying to pick her conversation with her dad carefully. She knew he was walking a fine line attempting to balance dad and friend. "I know he's still got a lot that he wants and needs to tell me about his past," Madison noticed how Steve took a deep breath as she mentioned Bucky's past. Almost like it was a sore subject for even him. "But I know that no matter what he says, it won't change my feelings for him."

Steve looked over at his daughter. He saw nothing but sincerity on her face as she promised her loyalty to his best friend. "I wish you already knew all of his story from your own universe. It would make it so much easier on him if you did. Just know that what he did, it was never his choice in the matter."

Madison continued to run in silence as she listened to her dad explain Bucky's typical behavior. "He'll attempt to blame himself for everything. Sometimes I think he likes to beat himself up just so he feels like he's paying his dues for it all."

Madison didn't like to think of Bucky as hating himself. But she also knew he had a dark past that he was constantly struggling with and wanted to tell her about. He would tell her in his own time. She just hoped he wouldn't wait too much longer. She didn't like feeling this distance between her and Bucky but she was certain that once Bucky unburdened himself of this weight, he would be much freer with her to pursue finally their relationship.

Steve and Madison continued to laugh as they watched Sam and Bucky dodge blows with one another as they ran. Steve smiled as he watched his friend finally acting again like the young man he grew up with instead of the solemn soul that had come out of HYDRA.

It didn't take long before the group made their trip complete with a last minute sprint for the flags poles that were anchored in the center of the front yard. Steve, Bucky and Sam were all in awe as they watched Madison sprint past them the final few steps to claim the victory. Nor were they ready when she seemed to get dizzy and stumble a bit.

Bucky reached quickly for Maddie, steadying her as he gathered her in his arms. She was still breathing heavily as she laughed, brushing it off saying they must have pushed her too hard to win. "I'm the new kid, you're supposed to let me win guys," she laughed as she sat slowly down on the steps of the compound to cool down.

Never leaving her side, Bucky watched as Maddie gulped down water from her bottle and then turned and gave him a sweet smile before pecking him on the lips. "I think I'm going to go inside and take a shower before we start with anything new this morning," Maddie declared as she rose to her feet. Resting her hand on Bucky's chest, Maddie hoped he understood what she was trying to say as she stared at him from under her lashes.

Bucky lifted her hand and kissed her palm gently before allowing her to slip away to go inside. Together the three boys sat on the steps of the compound and enjoyed the sun as it rose in the sky casting its pastel hues across the horizon.

Before long the three men split up, each going their own way. Steve was going to go talk with Tony about his next 'experiment' for Madison and Sam had a project in the garage that he wanted to work on before training began for the day.

That left Bucky sitting there, lost in his thoughts. Before long he moved to the grass to lie on his back and study the clouds that passed overhead. When he closed his eyes Bucky could easily picture Madison smiling back at him. If this was really what everyone felt when they were in love, then he didn't understand why everyone wasn't doing it.

Closing his eyes, Bucky's mind began to wander and he allowed himself to imagine a life with Madison. Something beyond the compound and training for missions. For the first time in a very long time Bucky felt himself feeling hopeful for a future that didn't constantly involve fighting. His smile grew even more as he imagined a shaggy brown-haired little boy running around chasing lightening bugs at night, screaming for his mama when he finally caught one.

Opening his eyes, Bucky knew what had to be done…but it was a conversation he wasn't sure how to approach much less what to say. So, he did the only thing he could think to do in a moment like this, he sought out therapy. But no, Dr. Rainer would not be who he would turn to in an important moment like this.

Rising to his feet Bucky walked into the garage with a purpose. It took him only a moment to find what he was looking for and once he did he strode over to his destination with a purpose, pulled up a ten gallon bucket, flipped it over and sat down, ready to talk.

Sam sat slowly up from his place on the floor and proceeded to wipe his hands of the grease he had accumulated from under the car he had been working on. Bucky sometimes took a minute or two to figure out exactly what he wanted to say. He wasn't a man to mince words that was for certain. So Sam knew he had to be patient.

"Can I ask you a question," Bucky finally asked as he played with his fingers on his vibranium arm.

"Sure," Sam replied, resting his forearms on his raised knees. Bucky had his full attention.

Bucky gently bit down on his lower lip, focusing on the concrete at his feet instead of looking at Sam. This was something Sam realized he did when he was nervous to speak. "Do you think I'm too old for Madison?"

This definitely wasn't what Sam thought the conversation would have been about but he adjusted quickly, shifting gears more to a wingman approach to advise rather than a retired vet counselor.

"Well you are technically 105 years old," Sam said as he smirked already anticipating the reaction he would get from his stoic friend to which he did not fail. Bucky looked up at Sam with the same frowning cat sad face he always had when he didn't hear what he needed.

"I'm sorry I asked," Bucky said as he jumped up ready to storm off.

"Awe man come on, I'm just yanking your chain," Sam said laughing to himself. "Sit back down, chill out and let's talk okay" he motioned towards the bucket Bucky had just vacated.

Sam watched as Bucky took a deep breath, letting out a sigh before sitting back down to his seat. It was hard for Sam not to tease Bucky. It's not that Bucky didn't notice beautiful women, he did, and lord knows the women always seemed to notice Bucky, but what was different was that Bucky rarely ever acted on his attraction to them. Believe it or not the Winter Soldier was a bit on the shy side.

The way Steve would tell it, ole Bucky Barnes was quite the ladies' man in the forties. He would have a new gal every weekend it seemed. All he'd have to do was cut on the charm, flash those baby blues her way and give them the sly smile and they would be puddles at his feet. But this Bucky…the one that had been suffering from years of pain, torture, brainwashing, nightmares, sporadic insomnia, and massive amounts of guilt from the parts of his past he did remember, this Bucky was practically thunderstruck when a pretty lady noticed him.

Sam was brought back from his thoughts when Bucky shuffled his feet to get more comfortable as he waited for the answer. He had to approach this from a point of view that Bucky couldn't argue with. He couldn't give him a reason to talk himself out of making a move if he really was did want something serious and long-term with Madison. And unless his radar was badly in need of repair Sam was absolutely certain that Madison was interested in Bucky as well. So it was just a matter of getting these two shy birds to make a move on one another and get this love nest to rolling.

"You were captured by Hydra after the train incident when you were twenty-seven right?" Sam asked, trying to do the math in his head from what he remembered of the story Steve had told him of the accident.

"Yeah. I had just turned twenty-seven that March and fell that November," Bucky answered trying to see where Sam was going with this.

"So in all reality you aren't but about seven, maybe eight years older than her since she just turned twenty in March as well." Sam could see the confused look on Bucky's face meant that Bucky wasn't getting what he meant. "Hydra has always put you back into cryofreeze after each mission you were sent on, a way to keep you under their control, right?" Bucky could kind of see where this was going.

"So, yes, technically you are one hundred and five years old, but you could also make the argument that you haven't even hit your thirties yet. Plus, women today date men much older than them anyway….and doesn't everyone always say that age is just a number anyway?" Sam was trying to build a full proof reason that would leave Bucky with no way to argue himself out of this.

Sam didn't hate Bucky. Sure it took some time to warm up to the silent staring giant, but once you got past that he really was an okay dude. Plus, Sam was aware for the most part how much pain Bucky had been through in his life.

When he and Steve had set out to find Bucky, after so many years of having believed he was dead, in his search Sam had stumbled upon some old recording files that had been kept on Bucky. The torturous screams that man made as he was electroshocked would forever haunt his memories. It didn't help that sometimes Bucky would scream the same way during some of his nightmares at night to serve as a reminder. That was why Bucky had chosen the lone bedroom down the hall because he was afraid he would become too much for the others to have to listen to on those nights. Bucky even went so far as to asking Tony to soundproof his room because of it. It didn't always work.

"What's going on in that big cyborg brain of yours?" Sam asked Bucky jokingly.

"I'm thinking," he said, not meeting Sam's eyes.

"Come on brother, you know I'm right. Of all the women in this world, you choose to become attracted to probably the one woman out there that could actually best understand you and your situation. Trust me when I say that if you really like her, it will be worth taking the risk." Sam's insistence and reassurance seemed to be what Bucky needed to hear to give him that last final push to take action.

"I'm going to do it. I'm going to tell her the whole story," Bucky said, standing quickly from his seat and clapping his hands together. "Shit! What am I going to do exactly," he said, running his hand through his hair that had fallen into his face. He turned to Sam for more help.

"Chess," Sam suggested. "You love it and can never seem to find anyone else willing to sit there long enough to play, maybe you could suggest a game? It will give you time to talk and to think through what you want to say without the awkwardness a regular conversation might lead to."

The smile on Bucky's face told Sam he had hit pay dirt. Bucky loved strategy games. The more it made you think the more he spent on them. He turned to rush out of the garage only to stop a couple feet away. Turning back he asked, "What if she doesn't know how to play?"

He really was clueless about twenty-first century women. "If she doesn't, then you get to spend time teaching her. It's a win-win, trust me."

Bucky's face lit up again realizing this would work in his favor. Chess was a thinking game and offered room for as little or as much conversation as the two parties wanted. He could do this. He was pumped and ready to make his move.

Rushing to the garage door he stopped short again and turned back to Sam, "Hey Sam," he called, waiting until he had Sam's full attention.

"Yeah," Sam said, waiting for yet another silly question to answer from his friend.

"You are a really good friend. Thanks," Bucky said, offering Sam a smile before dashing down the hall, back towards his room.

Sam stood there slightly stunned. That was high praise coming from Bucky. He didn't claim many people as friends, and it looked like at least in Bucky's eyes he had just been promoted.

Sam continued to work for about thirty more minutes on the car he was under before his little talk with Bucky. After cleaning up he started making his way back to his room to wash up. As he got closer to his room he could hear someone softly talking to themselves in the corridor. Rounding the corner he saw the culprit.

Bucky stood outside of Madison's bedroom door debating what to do next. Little did he know that Sam was actually watching him have his mental debate with himself from across the breezeway. "Come on Bucky. Take a chance and just knock," Bucky whispered to himself.

Sam watched as Bucky's hand hovered mere inches from the door as though mid knock. He had been working with Bucky off and on for a few months now. Bucky wasn't one to overly share his feelings with anyone, even Steve who everyone knew, had to know Bucky best of all. So for Bucky to be really stepping out of his comfort zone to reach out to Maddie, even if it was just to play a game of chess, well, this was a huge step for him to be making. Sam was actually pretty proud of him.

You could see the tension in Bucky's shoulders as the tips of his fingers on his left arm gently fell against the door. It wasn't really a knock. Maybe Bucky had chickened out and was about to turn around, I guess we'll never really know because it only took a couple seconds for the door to swing open and a smiling Madison could be seen standing on the other side of the door.

She looked really glad to see Bucky, Sam realized. Sam could hear Bucky ask Madison if she had time for that talk now. Even from this far away you could see the expression on Madison's face change slightly from happiness to concern and love. Sam wasn't sure if Maddie and Bucky had declared their love for one another yet…hell some might look at them having only known one another a couple weeks and say it was too soon anyway…but whatever this was, it was fun to watch it unfold.

Slowly Sam backed up into the shadows of his darkened room to give them back their privacy as he saw Madison step aside to let Bucky in. It didn't surprise him though when she seemed to look directly at him and mouth the words, 'thank you' as she shut the door. Yep, that was settled for Sam…Madison would be good for Bucky, he was sure of it and he would be damned if he would allow anyone to mess this up for his friend.

In Maddie's Room

Bucky looked around Maddie's room. It was full of different shades of purple, something he realized later was her favorite color. Neither of them had really spent much time in this room, most times they slept in his room or apart, which thankfully didn't happen often.

"Whatcha got there," Maddie asked, indicated the large wooden box Bucky had tucked under his arm.

Suddenly Bucky's throat was very dry as he thought about how to go about all of this. Sam had made it all sound so easy, as though Madison would just listen and understand it all. But Bucky's thoughts were currently running in hyper drive going in a million different directions of what to say first.

"Chess," Bucky stammered out, "It's a chess board. Do you play?" He suddenly felt very shy around Madison. Why? This was the same woman who he had declared he loved earlier. He found comfort in her arms, she sought him out when she was scared…why was he suddenly doubting everything.

'Because she is about to find out what kind of real monster you are,' the dark voice inside his head began leaching into his thoughts. 'Who would love a killer, a murderer, a man that took pleasure in destroying lives?' The voice was practically screaming in Bucky's head, even closing his eyes tightly didn't seem to calm it. Bucky could feel his hand growing clammy and his heart felt like it was about to burst from his chest. His fight or flight senses were kicking in making him wonder if he could leave without Madison being too offended.

"Hey! Stop that!" Madison gripped Bucky's face firmly in her hands forcing him to face her. "Look at me," she whispered. Bucky could feel the warmth of Maddie's lips pressed against his forcing him to release the breath he had unknowingly been holding.

"Don't listen to that voice." Bucky's eyes slowly opened to find Maddie staring at him with tears forming in her own. "You are not a monster." Madison's impassioned plea moved Bucky's heart. She had heard his internal thoughts.

"You read my mind?" He asked, ashamed at what she had found.

"I try not to, but sometimes your internal voice is so loud I can't, not hear it."

Madison kissed Bucky gently again, this time her hands slowly slipped up his jawline and into his hair, pulling him down closer to her height. Bucky loved when Maddie kissed him. For once he felt desired by a woman and it was a glorious feeling.

Breaking the kiss, both young people felt light-headed and giddy with how much they wanted one another.

Maddie took Bucky's hand and led him over to the small table and chairs that sat in the corner of her room. "My dad and I used to play chess all the time. Steve Rogers is a mean chess master, so I'll try to take it easy on you," Maddie joked as she took the seat across from Bucky.

Bucky made quick work of setting up the board, opting to let Madison be white and make the first move. They were only about five moves in when Bucky finally started the conversation he had been dreading for several weeks now.

"What do you know about the Winter Soldier?" Bucky stared hard at the chess board instead of Madison for fear his expression would give too much away.

Move after move, game after game, Bucky laid his entire history out for Madison. He held nothing back. Every single detail he could remember, including the one on the helicarriers where he had tried to kill his best friend, her dad and Sam as they tried to disable the ships. He explained that he had killed Tony's parents as part of a mission to retrieve super soldier serum which was why he hated him so much. Even now, he was less hostile but could you really blame him? That Steve's loyalty to him had destroyed the team at one point. He even explained his role in Natasha's training in the red room as well as his attraction to her all those years ago. Needless to say the conversation was terribly uncomfortable during many moments.

But with each passing hour Madison sat there listening, making moves in the game, occasionally asking questions to clarify things, but overall just being the sounding board Bucky needed her to be.

"I wouldn't blame you if after all of this you end up hating me." The dull ache that filled Bucky's chest was making it hard to breathe as he waited for Madison's inevitable rejection.

The silence in the room was deafening. "No. You hate yourself enough for everyone involved. You won't be getting any from me."

Bucky quickly looked up at Madison, he couldn't have heard her right.

As the tears he had been holding back finally spilled over and down his cheeks, he basked in the warmth and strength of Madison's fingers as they tightly gripped his hand.

"You are waiting for me to judge you and tell you how horrible you are. I knew that when you walked in here. Well," she paused, taking a deep breath, "tell me what James Buchanan Barnes did and I'll judge that if you really want me to."

Madison scooted her chair closer to Bucky's so that she could reach him easier. She didn't like the distance between them anymore after everything that had been said. "But what you've told me, are the actions of the Winter Soldier."

Gently, Madison smooth Bucky's hair back away from his face and behind his ear. "And I'm not sure I could even hate him."

Bucky didn't understand. The Winter Soldier was a monster. He was a killing machine designed by HYDRA to do their worst. "Exactly," Madison said, pulling Bucky's hand closer to her. "The Winter Soldier was never of his own free will to decide to kill. He never made a death more painful or longer because he wanted it that way. You said yourself, he had missions. When the missions were complete he returned to base to report on them. A person who has free will makes decisions. They can be talked out of doing things. The Winter Soldier was always driven to that one goal. It wasn't until you came in contact with dad that there was even a slight chink in the armor. Until then, the Winter Soldier was like a machine, he only did what he was told to do. Bucky Barnes would have never done those things. He's a good man that loves unselfishly and completely. He's constantly trying to make amends for crimes he had no choice in. People that love you don't punish you for those actions because they know you better than that."

Bucky was at a loss as what to say. He didn't expect Madison to be defending him much less the Winter Soldier. He watched as the tip of Madison's tongue slipped out to wet her lips before she said exactly what he needed to hear.

"I love you James Buchanan Barnes and no one's gonna change that, not even you." The feeling of Madison's thumb gently stroking his lower lip was the final straw to break Bucky from his trance. Quickly he pulled Madison onto his lap, her legs slipping along his thighs as her arms wrapped around him.

The grip Bucky had on Maddie's hair should have hurt at any other time, but in that moment it only reminded Madison how much she wanted to feel every inch of this man. Bucky groaned in pleasure as Madison began to grind her body against his. The heat from her core was driving his cock to harden like a rock beneath her. He wanted so badly to rip the clothes off that continued to block him from Madison's body so that he could bury himself deep inside of her. This woman, this amazing woman accepted him even after hearing it all.

Madison encouraged Bucky's hand as it slid under her t-shirt towards her breast. She could feel herself growing wet with anticipation. She didn't want to wait any longer. All she could think about in that moment was feeling Bucky's length slipping inside of her and how amazing it would be to feel his release as it coated her walls. To feel ribbon after ribbon of his cum as it coated the deepest most intimate parts of her. She arched her back, pressing her covered pussy into Bucky's hard jean covered cock. His fingers slipped under her bra and began gently pinching her nipple. Slowly he rolled the hard bud in his fingers. The lust in his eyes as he watched Madison's movements as she writhed on top of him made him want to say to hell with it and fuck her right there on top of the gaming table.

Maddie yanked quickly at her shirt, slipping the offensive garment over her head and to the floor leaving her in only the lacy white bra. Threading her fingers back into Bucky's hair, she gently pulled his face down to her chest, begging him for relief. She felt so close to release, she just needed a little more to find her ultimate high.

Bucky didn't need more encouragement as he allowed his mouth to close down on the supple mound of Madison's breast. The rose covered nipple he had moments earlier been pleasuring seemed to throb in his mouth as he circled it with his tongue. The harder he sucked the more Madison pulled at his hair. She finally said out loud what she had wanted so badly for Bucky to do but couldn't seem to allow herself to ask for it, "More Sarge, oh God, please bite me baby!"

Hearing Madison call him Sarge did something inside to Bucky. The scream of pleasure that filled the room as he gently bit down on Madison's nipple and breast sent tremors down his spine. He wanted more, to feel more and he wasn't disappointed as he felt Madison's small hand travel to the front of his jeans. He just needed her touch, not much, because he was sure he would erupt as soon as she touched him with how turned on he was at the moment.

He continued to nurse Madison's breast, circling her areola, flicking the tip with his tongue before massaging it with his hand. The cool air that hit his cock as Madison slipped his length out from his jeans and boxers made Bucky gasp at the sensation.

Madison's fingers began caressing Bucky's length, pulling and slipping up and down from base to tip. Panting against Madison's neck, Bucky tried to warn her that he wasn't going to last long if she kept doing that to him.

She continued to pump his cock, only to add her second hand to cup his balls. Wrapping his arms around her, Bucky held Maddie's body against his as she continued to pleasure him. He could feel his balls begin to tighten as his thighs bucked in time to Maddie's motions. It all came to a head when Madison slipped the hand that had been cupping his balls around to take a firm grip on his ass as she pulled his groin tight against her own. Bucky buried his face in Madison's neck as he called out her name as he came.

Spent, Bucky lay them both on the gaming table, as they breathed hard trying to collect themselves. He knew when he stood up he would have an absolute mess in his pants, plus Madison would need cleaning up as well.

"Am I a horrible person," Bucky said shakily while panting, "if I confess that all I want to do right now is eat you out?"

This made Madison giggle, which in turn of course made Bucky laugh right along with her.

Bucky Barnes was blissfully happy right now. He could die a happy man right in this moment and never need anything else. Pulling back to look Madison in the eyes, he had to make his declaration. "I love you Madison Rogers. And one day I'm going to marry you. You just wait and see."