The next two weeks passed in what one would consider to be normal. Bucky and Evelyn went on quite a few dates. They had a coffee date and talked about their hopes and dreams for the future. They went to the movies and Evelyn cracked jokes throughout the whole thing about Bucky's age. Evelyn had even talked Bucky into ice skating.

Nat was the one to approach them the first week. She was handing out fliers for a missing dog and talked to the couple as they walked through the park.

"Any news?" Nat asked, her normally red hair, short and blonde.

"We need information on the Power Broker, anything you can find," Bucky told Nat.

"And little Pierce. We didn't even know he existed," Evelyn clung to Bucky's side.

"Check your mailbox in two days, everything you need will be there," Nat hugged the pair and whispered in Evelyn's ear, "You know this looks real, right?"

Evelyn whispered back, "I'm in deep."

"Be careful, both of you." Nat left and moved on passing out her fliers for the missing dog.

The second week Bucky had taken Evelyn to the museum. There they came across a horribly hidden Steve Rogers.

"You are the absolute worst at undercover," She laughed as she stood next to him.

"Is the information we got you helping?" Steve asked while they observed an exhibit.

"You're not going to like her theory," Bucky admitted to Steve.

Truth was Evelyn thought once again S.H.I.E.L.D had been compromised by Hydra. She was convinced that a former agent was the Power Broker and she had a solid lead but if it was true, it would be really bad.

"We'll have to catch up, go over it, meet me in two days, you know where." Steve instructed before he left.

Bucky and Evelyn met with Steve two days later at an old apartment. It was dusty and gloomy but Evelyn didn't say anything. Bucky and Steve spoke, going over plans and options for extraction from the mission.

"You said Shaw had a theory?" Steve finally asked, remembering the girl was there.

"I also said you weren't going to like it," Bucky advised his friend.

"Just hit me with it," Steve waved her on.

Evelyn was thorough. She had charts and pro/con lists, she had hypotheses and reasons for every thought she had. She had even practiced how to approach Steve with this information.

"When's the last time you talked to Sharon Carter?" Evelyn asked Steve.

"Just a few days ago actually, she's going to be in town and wants to do dinner," Steve sat back, looking at Evelyn's evidence.

"Before that, when did you last hear from her?" Evelyn tried to keep it professional.

"There is absolutely no way, Evelyn, no way." Steve stood from his seat and towered over the girl.

"Back off, pal," Bucky warned, stepping between them.

"She's S.H.I.E.L.D royalty. Peggy founded SHIELD. You can't be thinking Sharon is the Power Broker." Steve shook his head.

"Look, she knows you have Bucky, she also knows Pierce is around, this is dangerous for us and it's not a coincidence that she's coming to town around the same time the Power Broker is due to arrive. And look at this," Evelyn showed him pictures of Sharon with former criminals.

"She arrested them!" Steve argued.

"Yet they all seemed to get out on a technicality," Evelyn looked at Bucky for help.

"Someone needs to check with Selby in Madripoor," Bucky told Steve. "We obviously can't but if anyone knows anything, it's Selby."

"I'll send Sam," Steve sighed, "You guys need to be extra careful. If Sharon is the one, she'll know exactly what you two are up to."

"She doesn't know me," Evelyn shrugged.

"But we have to assume she has access to all S.H.I.E.L.D files," Steve reminded her.

Bucky's jaw clicked in irritation. He didn't like the idea of Evelyn being in danger and this mission kept getting more dangerous.

He knew now, even though it had only been two weeks, that he was ridiculously in love with her and nothing would take him from her, especially not Hydra.

Steve left and Evelyn and Bucky lingered.

"So what is this place?" Evelyn asked.

"My place from the 40's. It's basically condemned now but it was mine before," Bucky shrugged, leaning in a doorway watching her clean up all of her paperwork.

"What are we going to do now?" Evelyn closed up her bag and stood from the table she had sat at.

"I think I promised you ice cream if you didn't threaten to stab Steve," Bucky held his hand out for Evelyn and the pair left the apartment.

They had an easy routine. They spent so much time together they now moved as one. Bucky helped her in the morning with cooking breakfast. He talked her into letting him cook dinner. They were like magnets. When one moved, the other moved in response.

They watched a lot of movies, they talked about everything. They went out too, keeping up Evelyn's princess persona. They danced in clubs, they went to fancy restaurants. They shopped.

They were also constantly touching. Nothing had progressed in the physical aspect. Bucky was always kissing her forehead, her ring, her shoulder as he walked passed, honestly, anywhere but her lips.

She wasn't much better, her hands were always wandering over his body. If she was within arms reach of him, she was touching him.

They went to bed together, they woke up together. They really did work as a unit. Bucky was the known one of the pair and Evelyn played her ditsy, superficial wife role perfectly. She knew when they were being followed, if they were being watched, she even spotted a sniper once.

Evelyn was convinced it was just a scare tactic but Bucky was livid over the fact. He ended up smashing their good plates on the kitchen floor. She cried as she swept up the pieces. She wasn't afraid of him but she was afraid of what they meant to each other.

One Tuesday of the third week the doorbell rang.

"Babe? Are you expecting anyone?" Evelyn called up the stairs to Bucky.

"No sweetheart," Bucky barrelled down the stairs just as she was opening the door.

"Oh babe!" On their porch stood a man holding an arrangement of beautiful roses, "You didn't have to." She grinned at him.

"I'd love to take the credit baby doll, but this wasn't me," He tipped the delivery boy and took the flowers, closing the door all before Evelyn's face changed to fear.

Bucky placed the flowers on their table and the pair just stared at them.

"Let's make a bet about who sent them," Evelyn placed a hand on his bicep.

"You are insane," Bucky shook his head, "Fine, you go first."

"My bet is the Power Broker. Sharon, she knows we're looking into her," Evelyn proudly said.

"And what do you get if you win the bet?" Bucky raised an eyebrow at her.

"A kiss, a real kiss, not a Soldier and princess kiss, an Evie and Bucky kiss," She leaned against him happily.

"Hmm," Bucky looked down at her and smiled, "Fine, I'll go with Pierce, they're a I know where you live and can get to you whenever I want to gift."

"And what do you get if you win?" Evelyn countered.

"A kiss. A Shaw and Barnes kiss," He wiggled his eyebrows and she burst into laughter.

"Well you check," She pointed to the card embedded in the flowers. Bucky stepped away from Evelyn and took the card in his hand and read out loud.

Mr. & Mrs. Barnes,
I would love to meet you on Saturday
For a bite and a catch up.
I think we need to talk.
S.C

There was a time and restaurant name on the bottom of the card.

"I hate when you're right," Bucky sighed playfully. "I was really looking forward to winning this bet."

Bucky placed his arms on Evelyn's shoulders and looked down at her and grinned at her. He leaned down and just before their lips touched there was another knock on the door.

"Are you sure you aren't expecting company?" Evelyn's head fell backwards in frustration.

"It's probably just some neighbor kid, ignore it." He went to lean down again but the knocking became more insistent.

Bucky placed his hand behind his back on the gun he kept on him at all times while Evelyn went for one of her handy knives. They approached the door and found one of Pierce's henchmen waiting on the porch.

"Really? House calls?" Bucky sneered at the man.

"Are you going to invite me in?" The man asked.

"No." Bucky told him simply.

"Boss wants an update, meeting tomorrow, same place as before," The goon warned. "And if you mess this up, let's just call this a warning."

Before Bucky could ask what he was talking about, Evelyn screamed. She had been grabbed from behind by another henchman. He had a tight grip on her arm and a gun to her head.

"B-b-b," She tried to stay in character but also almost said his name. Tears welled in her eyes as she tried to get to him.

Bucky was convinced she could get out of the hold (and was pretty sure she had a knife aimed somewhere on the man's body) but to keep up with her princess persona, he turned his gun on the man in the house. He found the man on the porch was gone. This man in his house was a sacrifice.

"You just signed your death warrant," Bucky warned. "If it isn't me, it'll be her father."

"We aren't afraid of a man no one's ever heard of," The man holding Evelyn laughed.

"Doesn't matter cause within the next five minutes you'll be dead," Bucky told him with a shrug.

It was true. The moment he touched Evelyn, the man was dead. Bucky didn't care that he was supposedly one of the good guys. She was his and would be treated as such.

"If you let her go, I'll make it painless," Bucky offered. "If you keep this up, I'll draw it out. I've been at this longer than you've been alive."

"I don't think so," The man dragged his gun down Evelyn's face to the corner of her mouth, "Open," He ordered.

"Sweetheart, no," Bucky told her.

The man tried to shove the gun in her mouth, making lewd comments about her oral skills as he spoke.

Bucky's grip on his gun tightened and he got more mad the longer this was drug out. He kept the gun aimed on the man using only one hand and reached into his belt for his knife. He flung it at the man's shoulder, surprising the intruder and reached for Evelyn immediately.

"Upstairs, now," He pushed her lightly towards the stairs and then tackled the man to the ground. Bucky laid punch after punch on the man. He begged for his life. He tried to fight back but it was useless against the Winter Soldier.

Evelyn had hidden on the steps. She heard Bucky punishing the man in their living room. When no more noises came from the man she crept down and put her hand on Bucky's shoulder. At first he reacted as though he was being attacked and then he realized who it was.

He ran his now blood stained hands over her, asking if she was okay. He had blood on his face from the man, his clothes. He had literally beaten the man to death with just his hands.

"Babe," She kept her character just in case, "It's okay, you can stop now, I'm safe."

"He touched you, he tried to," Bucky trailed off, looking from the dead man to the girl in front of him.

Bucky gave the dead man a swift kick and growled out in frustration. He wanted to keep beating on the dead man. It wasn't enough. He died too quickly. He needed to pay for what he said.

Evelyn took one of the burner phones from it's hidden space on the bookshelf and sent a message to Steve. She only hoped their neighbors hadn't heard the commotion.

"Clean up on aisle 1 in an hour."

She approached Bucky again and put her hand on his bicep, "Come on, let's get cleaned up."

Evelyn, forgetting the dead man in the living room, took Bucky upstairs. She started stripping him down after she started the shower. She even knew the combination to dislodge his metal arm from it's socket because he had told her. He trusted her. She placed it on the bathroom counter.

He was silent. He just kept his eyes on her. She went to leave the bathroom but he stopped her, reaching out to grab her and bring her back. He returned the favor, taking her clothes off slowly and dropping them in a pile that would be burned later.

Together they stood in the shower, washing the blood off of each other. Bucky had gotten it on her face, her collarbone, down her arms when he checked her over. This was the first time they'd seen each other naked but it wasn't sexual, it was sensual. They took care of each other. She used the washcloth to wipe the blood off of his knuckles. She moved on, washing his hair to make sure none of the blood had lingered there. She loved how it felt under her hands.

He kept his eyes on her but didn't seem to move. Once she was finished, she turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. She wrapped herself in a towel and then wrung out the washcloth from the shower and went to work on the blood from the metal arm. He put his hand on her shoulder and looked down at her.

"Evie," Bucky started to say, but didn't know what else to say.

"It's okay, I'm almost done," She replaced his arm and made sure it was secure. "There, perfect. Go get dressed. We have more company coming."

"Evie," He tried again.

"I know," She gave him a nod. She knew they had to talk but there was too much to do.

After the pair was dressed, they came down the stairs to find Steve standing in their living room, looking down at the body.

"How do you feel about this rug, Shaw?" Steve asked her with a slight laugh to his tone. "I figure we could wrap him up and get rid of him."

"I know right where he's going," Bucky nearly growled out. "Evie, will you be okay here for a bit?"

"Sure, course, no biggie," She waved him on and watched the men roll the dead man into the rug that used to cover her living room floor. Internally she was freaking out. She had been an agent for a few years now and had had guns pointed at her many times but this time really shook her up.

"I can stay," Bucky offered. "Or maybe Nat can come by?"

"No, no more visitors tonight, please." Evelyn shook her head and moved into the kitchen. There she found the cleaning supplies but also took a minute to breathe.

Bucky went to follow after her but Steve pointed to the dead guy in the rug. They were busy. Once they got him loaded into the truck Steve brought, Bucky called out to Evelyn to let her know he was leaving. She immediately locked the door and went to check the back door as well.

Bucky gave Steve directions and they planted the man right in front of Pierce's last known location.

On the way back, Steve looked at Bucky with concern.

"Did you have to kill him?" He asked his best friend.

"He threatened Evelyn," Bucky answered.

"I'm sure she could have subdued him, we could have gotten answers out of him," Steve watched the road but saw Bucky's hands clench.

"I don't see what is so hard for you to understand," Bucky sighed, "Evie is my," he trailed off.

"Partner?" Steve offered.

"It's more than that," Bucky admitted.

"You love her," Steve's eyes went wide. "Buck, does she?"

Bucky shrugged. He didn't know if Evelyn felt the same way but he was pretty sure by not protecting her he'd fucked up the possibility.

"You need to be careful," Steve warned, "And remember this is a mission. Maybe you're confused."

Bucky knew he wasn't confused. He'd felt very strongly for Evelyn Shaw since the first time he met her.

Steve dropped Bucky off at the curb in front of their house. Bucky tried the door but found it to be locked. He checked his pockets and found his keys. As soon as he stepped through the door, a knife whizzed past him and landed in the wall next to his head.

"Holy shit, Evie!" Bucky jumped, "It's me!"

"Shoot! Sorry! I'm so sorry!" She had another knife in her hand ready to be thrown. She was sitting on the floor with a bucket and looked like she had been scrubbing the floor.

He took the knife from the wall and locked the front door then dropped to his knees in front of Evelyn.

"Are you alright?" He pushed a piece of hair behind her ear and looked into her eyes as he spoke.

"Not even a little," She sighed and tried to go back to cleaning the blood off the floor. "I failed, I'm supposed to be the eyes and ears and I didn't notice the second guy."

"Hey, hey, don't do that," Bucky shook his head. "You could have had him at any time, you just let me save you."

"No, I didn't," This time she shook her head and went back to her cleaning, "I froze, I was so scared."

"I'll do it, I made the mess," Bucky placed his hand on her arm to stop her. "Why don't you head off to bed?"

"No, sleep is not an option," She shook her head, "definitely not how I thought our evening was going to go."

"Me either, sweetheart," He gave her a sad smile.

They were quiet after that. Bucky finished cleaning the floor and got rid of the cleaning supplies. Evelyn had collected their clothes from the bathroom and was holding up a bag of marshmallows.

"Feel like roasting marshmallows?" She let out a nervous laugh.

Bucky gave her a big smile and moved to set up a small bonfire in their backyard. They sat eating marshmallows, watching their bloodied clothes burn.

"What happens when this is over?" Evelyn asked in a quiet whisper.

"What do you want to happen?" Bucky turned to her and asked in return.

She didn't answer, just stared at the fire.

"I like to think we have something here," Bucky offered, hoping she would open up.

She put her knees to her chest and rested her forehead on them, whispering a "me too" in response.

They stayed outside until the fire went out and their clothes were ashes. Evelyn fell asleep sitting outside and Bucky carried her up to bed. He sat vigil at her side for a while, making sure she would actually sleep.

Before he drifted off he heard her clear as day say his name in her sleep. He dreamed of her that night, wearing a beautiful white lace dress, walking down an aisle toward him.

When the morning came, Bucky woke up alone. It was the first time in a while that had happened. Normally he woke before Evelyn and waited until she woke up before they left the bed. He didn't bother putting a shirt on and walked down the stairs, running his hand through his hair sleepily.

"Sweetheart, you weren't there when I woke up and," Bucky came to a stop when he realized the pair was not alone in their little bubble. "I didn't like it," He finished lamely.

Wanda sat at their dining room table, sipping coffee and her eyes went wide at the sight. She gave Evelyn a wink and said good morning to Bucky.

"I'm just going to go," Bucky pointed back upstairs and went to get a shirt.

"So," Wanda wiggled her eyebrows at Evelyn, "If I knew Bucky was hiding that body under those long sleeve shirts."

"What are you talking about? Bucky ran around the gym shirtless all the time," Evelyn rolled her eyes but then glared, "And what exactly would you have done?"

"Um maybe with you but not with the rest of us," Wanda giggled. "Are you sure you two haven't," Wanda trailed off but Evelyn didn't get to respond because they heard footsteps on the stairs.

"Sorry about that, what are you doing here?" Bucky returned, interrupting their conversation.

"Paperwork and a check in," Wanda shrugged, "I blend in pretty well so I offered. I heard you guys had a rough night."

Evelyn stood from the table, her body tense, she looked at Bucky, "I'll um, get your breakfast."

She disappeared into the kitchen and Wanda looked at Bucky with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't start Maximoff," Bucky sat at the table.

"Is she going to be able to do this?" Wanda asked. "She seems shaken up."

"She's tough, she'll be okay," Bucky felt confident with that.

They caught Wanda up on everything so she could fill in the rest of the team and she promised to come back in a few days but maybe later in the afternoon or for dinner. She let them know that Sam was on his way to Madripoor for information and would hopefully have it when she returned.

Bucky and Evelyn were once again in a silent battle of neither knowing what to say. She fiddled around the house for a while. Then he found her sharpening her knives until he told her it was time to get ready for their meeting.

He hugged her close to his body and kept his lips just hovering over hers, "I can go alone if you want."

"That's a negative," Evelyn shook her head minutely, making their lips almost touch, "I'm your eyes and ears. We're partners. I won't fail you again."

Pierce was thirty minutes late for their meeting and Bucky really wanted to just shoot him and be done with this whole thing. When he finally showed up he looked at the pair in disgust. Evelyn was hanging all over Bucky, sitting in his lap, hands running over him, whispering against his neck. His hands traveled over her legs and he kissed her at the corner of her mouth.

"Excuse me? This is a professional meeting, not a brothel," Pierce glared at the two.

Evelyn removed herself from Bucky and moved to walk around the man, his guards took a step forward to stop her but Pierce didn't see her as a threat and waved them off.

Bucky was even more enamored with her as she worked like this. She was small, tiny even but deadly and she was certainly pissed off enough to do some damage if he let her. She was like a snake, circling and ready to strike once the opportunity was there.

"Babe? Is this the man that sent that mean man to our house last night?" Evelyn circled the man, her head tilted as she observed him.

He wasn't armed, she quickly learned. She could end it all, one quick slice of her knife to his throat and Bucky could take the four guards with him today. But in the end she saved the information for later.

"Sure is sweetheart," Bucky stayed seated and didn't even acknowledge Pierce's comments about their behavior.

"Well I don't like him," She pouted, "He didn't even apologize."

"What's going on with the Power Broker?" Pierce asked while ignoring Evelyn.

Bucky and Evelyn had talked about what to do about Sharon and what exactly to let Pierce know. They were going to tell him the least amount possible but let him think they were doing their jobs.

"I've got an associate looking for them in Madripoor," Bucky said nonchalantly, leaving out that they were having dinner with her in a few days.

"I told you they would be here soon, why aren't you focusing on that?" Pierce growled and Evelyn gave him a glare.

"And when they're here, we'll worry about it," Bucky shrugged, "Until then, I need to know who they are, how they operate and all that. If you don't like the way I work, find someone else to do it."

"Sorry Soldier but until you do what I want," Pierce tried to threaten and went to grab Evelyn by the arm. Bucky was faster and had her behind him.

"Oh no, I've had just enough of you and your goons putting your hands on my wife," Bucky had his gun to Pierce's throat as he spoke, "The next time you threaten what's mine, there will be no more agreements, there will be no more meetings, I'll end this and then the Power Broker can have full reign over Hydra. At least they leave me alone."

The guards had their guns on Bucky but he didn't care. He was serious too. Screw the mission, screw Pierce, screw the Power Broker, the only thing he cared about was keeping his promise to Evelyn.

"I need it done before the end of the month," Pierce told Bucky,

"Fine," Bucky lowered his gun but had it pointed at Pierce's heart, "Next time you want to talk, give me a call, don't send anyone to my house, ever again."

"You're supposed to follow orders," Pierce growled out, "My father said you were an asset."

"I was mindless and did as I was told," He looked back at Evelyn with a grin, "The only one I answer to now is her and I plan to keep it that way."

"No more visits, I promise," Pierce lied through his teeth.

"If anyone else in your organization touches her, you won't have an organization because I'll kill each and every one of them," He jabbed the gun on each word as he spoke. "Remember that."

And with that Bucky took Evelyn's hand and the two left Piece standing there. They didn't go straight home afterwards. They rode around the city for hours. She hugged herself to him tightly and he occasionally ran his fingers over her calf like he'd done so many times before. The more they touched, the more electric it felt. Their touches were natural to them now, like breathing but their hearts always managed to beat a little faster when they happened to be touching.

When they finally arrived at home, it was pouring rain. Evelyn jumped off the bike and danced in the street. She tried to pull Bucky with her but he stayed in his spot watching her.

"Come on!" She called for him.

"You're going to get sick," He yelled over the thunder above their heads.

"Live a little!" Evelyn reached for his hands and he let her pull him into the street.

"Evie!" Bucky jumped slightly when lightning struck in the distance.

"Dance with me!" She put her arms around his neck and the pair swayed back and forth in the street.

He took her hands from his neck and gave her a spin. She looked up at him, their eyes connected and just as the thunder rumbled she jumped, trusting him to catch her. She jumped into his arms and kissed him endlessly. Their lips battled against each other in a heated embrace, struggling for control. Her hands went to his hair while his hands moved to her backside.

She pulled back first, her hand moving from his hair to his cheek, stroking it lightly, "Tell me this is real."

"It's really, Evie, it's real to me," Bucky promised, his hands moving up her back.

"Take me inside," Evelyn whispered against his lips.

Bucky carried her from the street, up their porch and into the house. She shed her soaking jacket in the doorway then moved to pull his off. He didn't stop kissing her but put her down. She kicked off her shoes and ran for the stairs, throwing her shirt at him while laughing.

He followed her example and ran to her scooping her back up. He carried her up the stairs to their bedroom and dropped her on the bed. There he wiggled her out of the soaking wet jeans (which was not as sexy as it seemed because wet jeans suck). She sat up on the end of the bed and looked up at him again with her bright eyes, she reached for his belt buckle and undid his pants.

"Tell me to stop and I will," Bucky promised her.

"Please don't stop," Evelyn nearly begged.

Once his pants were gone, he dropped to his knees in front of her. He took her leg in his hands and kissed from her ankle, up her leg and around her knee. She fell backwards, letting out a moan at the feeling of his lips on her skin.

He repeated the action with the other side and hooked his thumbs around her flimsy underwear, pulling them down her legs. They rid each other of the last of their clothes and Bucky joined Evelyn on the bed. He laid on his back while she peppered kisses all over his torso. He flinched at first when she neared his left shoulder but she caressed the area with so much feeling that he was overwhelmed.

He pulled her onto his lap and there was nothing separating the two. One quick motion and they would be connected in the most intimate way.

"You're everything," He whispered, his hands in her hair.

"Please, please," She whimpered, her hips rolling over his.

Bucky rolled them so she was under him. He gave her one last look, asking for permission.

"I'm yours, I'll always be yours," She murmured, she hooked her legs around his hips and pulled him closer to her.

They spent the afternoon in their bed making love. They cuddled, they spoke sweet nothings to each other.

Nearly dying the night before had changed things for Evelyn. She had thought they would make it through this mission professionally and then when it was over they could explore what was between them. Then he killed a man for her. Somewhere in her brain she knew that wasn't meant to be an attractive quality but for some reason it changed everything.

Evelyn, at this point, couldn't differentiate between what Bucky was to her and what the Soldier was to his sweetheart. It all felt real but she knew they were still technically undercover. She knew she had to talk to him but things were just too good, minus the near death experience.

She watched him sleep after their third round of love making, super soldier stamina was her new favorite thing. She couldn't help but question what this meant for them now? Were they compromised for the mission? Were they something? He said it was real. He said she was everything. Maybe they should pause and pick up once the mission is over? But could she do that?

For the moment she just wanted to revel in how good she felt, how safe she felt, how loved she felt, even if he hadn't said it. She curled up with him and fell asleep against him, dreaming of two little dark haired, bright eyed boys running around in a yard while Bucky chased after them.