A/N: In honor of Sebastian Stan's birthday please enjoy Chapter 18 and let me know what you think.
The four finished their coffee sitting in the living room, chatting.
Violet drained the last of her coffee and set the cup on the coffee table.
"Alright. It's my last day before I head back to Chicago in the morning. What should we do?"
Steve asked,
"What do you want to do?"
Ruth had sudden inspiration,
"We could take the bikes and ride out to my grandparents' house."
"Oh I haven't been out there in years. Let's do that! I love that old place."
Bucky asked,
"Where is it?"
"On the outskirts of Mount Kisco. It's my dad's parents' house. I inherited it after my dad died. I try to go out there at least once a month. It's about an hour ride. Would you guys want to do that?"
Everyone agreed.
"Ok. We have to stop by my place so I can grab the keys so let's hit the road."
The guys grabbed their leather jackets and the four of them headed down to the garage. At Ruth's apartment, the girls ran up the stairs and rushed around grabbing what they needed. They both quickly braided their hair then Ruth threw a few things in her little backpack including the keys for the house and her most prized possession. They locked up and ran down the stairs and back to the bikes.
The weather couldn't have been more perfect for an hour on motorcycles. It was cool but clear and sunny, the ideal early fall day. When they got off the highway and started winding through the back roads Ruth pulled her phone out of her inside jacket pocket and snapped a selfie of the four of them. As they got close, Ruth leaned in so Bucky could hear her and directed,
"It's the second drive up here on the right."
They pulled down a gravel drive and parked the bikes in front of a small white farmhouse with a big front porch. Ruth got off the bike, took her helmet off and took a deep breath of the fresh air. They all gathered on the porch and Ruth let them in the house, flipping on a few lights as she went.
"Sorry it's a bit dusty. I haven't been out in a few weeks."
Violet said,
"Smells just like it always has."
Ruth bumped her shoulder into Vi's and they shared a nostalgic smile.
"Hey, do you and Steve wanna run into town and grab some snacks and drinks and we can have lunch out on the porch?"
"I like that plan. Come on Cap."
"Yes ma'am."
Ruth let out a laugh as the two headed back out to Steve's bike. She looked at Bucky,
"Boy he's got it bad."
He grinned,
"Honest to God, I've only seen him like this once before."
"Peggy?"
"Mhmm."
Ruth pulled a couple bottles and rags out from under the kitchen sink.
"Help me clean up and tell me about them."
The two went about wiping down the counters, table and some plates and glasses and Bucky told Ruth about Steve and Peggy.
"She was…fierce I guess is the best word. She was confident and infinitely capable. I swear, if those scientists and politicians had just given her the serum Peggy would have ended the war and destroyed Hydra for good in two weeks."
Ruth started laughing. Peggy Carter had always been one of her role models and heroes growing up and even more so as an adult and hearing Bucky Barnes, Steve's best friend, say that was just too funny. The rumble of a motorcycle signaled Steve and Vi's return. Steve entered a few moments later carrying two bags with Vi right behind him.
They set about putting sandwiches and chips on plates. Ruth opened the freezer to get some ice for their lemonade only to find the ice a block instead of cubes.
"Hey Bucky."
"Yeah doll."
"I need your knife."
He turned and gave her a questioning look.
"Oh don't give me that. I know you're always packing at least 2 blades."
She held out her hand and folded her fingers twice.
"Gimme."
He just rolled his eyes and reached to the small of his back and pulled out a knife. He flipped it and grabbed the blade and held the handle out to Ruth.
Ruth smirked and took the knife and then stabbed it repeatedly into the block of ice until it broke apart.
"Ta da."
She deftly flipped the knife and handed it back to Bucky as he had handed it to her. He stared at it a moment then put it back in the leather sheath on his belt. Ruth finished putting ice and lemonade in the glasses and they all headed out onto the back porch where they found a row of rocking chairs facing out to a large back yard bordered by forest. When they finished eating, conversation died off and the four just sat, gently rocking, sipping lemonade and breathing in the quiet, faintly pine scented air.
Ruth looked over to see Steve and Violet both looking out into the yard. Steve reached over and picked up Vi's hand off the arm of the chair. He brought it to his lips and placed a kiss on her knuckles then let their hands rest on the arm of Vi's chair. Ruth smiled and turned to look at Bucky. She was surprised to see his eyes closed and head leaned back. He looked peaceful.
When everyone had finished their lemonade Violet turned to Ruth,
"You gonna take Red for a ride today?"
Ruth smirked,
"Oh you know it."
Violet grinned back. Bucky asked,
"Red?"
"My most prized possession."
His eyebrow raised in curiosity.
"Well come on then. I'll show you."
They went back into the house where Ruth dug in her bag and pulled out a set of keys then they went out the front door and over to the garage. Using one of the keys, she unlocked the latch on the garage door and bent down and lifted the door up revealing a pristine red muscle car. Bucky didn't know what it was but it was gorgeous.
The grin on Ruth's face stretched from ear to ear.
"Meet Red. A 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS LS6. She has a 454 cubic-inch 7.4 liter V8 with 450 horsepower. She was my dad's. He taught me how to drive in her."
"Beautiful."
"Ain't she though? She's fast as hell too."
Ruth moved into the garage. She opened the hood and then moved to the back of the garage and pulled a rag off a shelf. Bucky couldn't help but stare as she leaned over the big engine to check all the fluid levels. She stood back up and closed the hood.
"Wanna go for a ride?"
"Hell yes."
Bucky got in the passenger side and Ruth slid behind the wheel. She cranked the engine and it roared to life. She put it in gear and rolled out of the garage and down the gravel drive. About a ¼ mile down the road Ruth opened her up. They hit about 80 and the growl of the engine and feel of the wind through the windows had Bucky smiling along with Ruth.
A couple miles down the road, Ruth pulled off and turned the car off. She turned in the seat and looked at Bucky.
"I can see why you love this car."
"You wanna drive back?"
"Really?"
"I trust you. Plus, I mean, you probably have better reaction time than me."
Bucky laughed,
"Sure I'd love to drive."
They swapped seats and Bucky started up the car. They drove down another mile or so then Bucky made a U-turn and headed back toward the house. He reached over and took Ruth's hand, moving them both back to set on the shifter. A mile or so before they reached the house, Ruth asked Bucky to pull over down a dirt road and they stopped in a little turn out, parking half hidden in the trees. When Bucky cut the engine, Ruth crawled over and straddled his lap.
Bucky raised his eyebrow but let his hands fall to her hips as she cupped his face and kissed him.
"How is it you keep fulfilling fantasies I've never even voiced?"
The smirk on his face told her she was inflating his ego but at this point she didn't even care. He was more than she could have ever dreamed of getting in a man and significant other. She kissed him again.
"At this rate, I'm going to have to start coming up with new ones."
He chuckled and nuzzled his face into her neck where it met her shoulder, leaving soft kisses as he went. She sighed at the feeling, the stubble he had from not shaving since before the gala rasped against her skin in perfect contrast to the softness of his lips. His hands slid down to cup her butt and he gave it a squeeze. With his face still buried in her neck he said,
"You've created fantasies I never had before."
"Oooh? Well you'll have to tell me those sometime so we can fulfill them."
He nipped at the skin on her neck and she let out a moan. His left hand trailed up her spine and gripped the back of her neck. He switched to the other side and spoke softly,
"I didn't know what a 'kink' was until you pulled my hair and started calling me Sergeant the way you do."
Ruth chuckled but it cut off in a moan when he nipped at her neck again.
"Bucky..."
"Yes doll?"
"We need to stop before this goes too far. We gotta get back to the house."
"Mmm can't leave Steve and Violet alone too long. They might elope on us."
That caused Ruth to burst into laughter. Bucky gave her one more kiss for good measure and they headed back to the house. Bucky backed the Chevelle into the garage and as the two stepped out they spotted Steve and Violet walking across the back yard from the tree line holding hands. Bucky put his arm over Ruth's shoulders as they made their way toward the back porch. Ruth asked,
"So how long do you think it'll be before they make it official?"
He chuckled and said,
"I'm gonna go ahead and call it. Violet is going to go back to Chicago and Steve will visit once maybe twice before he makes it official."
"Can I tell you a secret?"
"Of course."
"Vi's been talking about moving back to New York for awhile now."
"Oh?"
"I think this might be the thing that makes her pull the trigger but I don't want to influence it so you can't say anything to Steve."
"Promise."
He tugged her close and kissed her temple as Steve and Violet climbed the steps to the back porch. They spent another hour or so sitting in the rocking chairs enjoying each others' company and the fresh country air. They cleaned and then locked up and headed back to the city.
