"Marry me?"

AJs eyes widened — did she just hear him correctly? James Buchanan Barnes was proposing to her, and she couldn't move or speak — she was completely mute. Was she in shock? This was all she had ever wanted, to be with Bucky forever. To tie herself to him, to be his wife and...she couldn't even open her mouth to say yes. AJ watched in horror as Bucky's face fell, looking defeated — rejected! Oh god! He thought she didn't want to marry him!

Bucky forced a smile, his hand moving to the back of his neck as he stood there awkwardly.

Why wasn't she saying yes?

Why wasn't she jumping into his arms and promising to love him forever?

She loved him. Really, truly loved him. She loved him so much she could feel it in her bones, feel her love for him deep in her soul, it was overwhelming and all consuming — so why was she still silent?

Bucky sighed, taking a step forward, his eyes no longer on AJ; instead he looked straight to the door. He was about to walk past AJ when she grabbed his metal hand, stopping him.

"You want to marry me?" She asked him in a whisper.

Bucky looked at her, brows furrowed in confusion. "Of course I do." He said.

AJ sucked in a breath, feeling light headed. She knew everything he had done — everything on file at Hydra and some of the records they had kept hidden. AJ knew about Howard…she knew all the terrible things Hydra had made Bucky do as the Winter Soldier, and she still loved and accepted him.

The only thing standing in their way of a happily ever after was her. Bucky didn't know any of her secrets. And before she could tell him yes, she had to tell him about her life in the 21st century.

"A lot has happened since our last night together, Buck." AJ said, leading him away from the exit and over to the bench next to all the tactical gear. Bucky sat down as AJ took a seat across from him. She took a deep breath before she slowly removed her shirt, letting Bucky see each thin white line that scarred her body, a reminder of what happened in Austria. His eyes widened as he took in each scar. "I was held captive by Hydra in '45," she was sure he already knew that. It was public knowledge after all. "I managed to sneak into their base and when I was inside, I came across an artifact — one that if you touch, can either alter you, or kill you. My DNA saved me. I changed when I came into contact with the artifact." AJ held out her hand, a cold mist leaving her fingers.

Bucky nodded, listening to her words.

"Unfortunately, Dr. Reinhardt was with me when I picked up the artifact — I actually picked it up to use as a weapon to kill him," She was rambling; this would go a lot smoother if she could speak clearly. AJ shook her head, trying to focus. "He knew what the artifact was, what it would do, that it would change me into something else...I was his prisoner for months. Tortured, experimented on, sliced and burned." AJ began to feel self conscious as her mind flashed with memories of being strapped to the table. Each scar was on display for Bucky, and she was too scared to face his reaction, her eyes focusing instead on his hands, both balled into fists, shaking slightly. AJ swallowed hard, she wasn't telling Bucky this as a way to try and upset him — but what happened to her in Austria had changed her. Not just her DNA, but her heart and soul. "If Peggy hadn't found me when she did, I would have died." She finally managed to look back up at him.

Bucky frowned, eyes hard to read.

"Howard and Peggy knew that the only way to save me was to put me in a cryo chamber until medical technology was advanced enough to save my life. To bring me back without any complications. Director Fury opened the chamber in 2010."

"You were in a chamber for 64 years?" Bucky finally spoke.

AJ nodded her head. "When I woke up, everything was different. To me, it felt like I had only been out for minutes...I woke up and the world was brand new. I had to adapt quickly. Natasha and Clint helped me, they taught me how to live in the 21st century...they became my family."

He nodded, understanding why it was so hard for AJ to leave Clint behind — why it had been so heartbreaking to go up against Natasha.

"I became an Agent of SHIELD. While working for SHIELD, I've done things that...I'm not proud of." She admitted. "Nat, Clint, and I were pawns. A finger to pull the trigger...you're not the only one with blood on your hands, Buck." AJ explained. "I followed my orders, I became their soldier. I was barely even a shadow of the person I used to be. I'd look in the mirror and not recognize the person I had become...I had to tell myself that Adelyn Frost was dead. She was gone, you were gone, Steve was gone — everyone I loved was gone. I couldn't be that person anymore because it hurt too much."

Bucky frowned, his hand moving to touch her leg. She closed her eyes, relishing in his touch.

"Andrew," She said her nephew's name. "I met him and his brother on a mission we were assigned together." She swallowed hard. "When I found out they were Henry's boys I just," she felt tears sting in her eyes. "I had a job to do. I couldn't let my emotions get in the way —- I didn't know them. They were nobody to me. But I was someone to them. I was their aunt, a reminder of their father…" AJ felt her lower lip tremble. "That's why when we were under fire, Brian jumped in front of a bullet meant for me. He died," Bucky squeezed her leg. "Andrew hated me after, wished it had been me to die instead of Brian and I didn't blame him."

She shook her head, dreading telling Bucky the next part.

"My partner at the time. Theo Adams…" she looked away from Bucky, not able to look him in the eyes. "We got...close," she chose her words carefully. "—after Brian died. He helped take my mind off of the loss." She finally looked back at Bucky, blue eyes still hard to read. "I thought you were dead." She told him, still feeling guilt for being with another man.

Bucky took in a deep breath, nodding his head, understanding what she meant. "Did you love him?"

AJ shook her head. "No." She said firmly.

He looked down at the ground, hand falling off her leg. "If I hadn't...if Bucharest had never happened...do you think you would have fallen in love with him?" He asked.

AJ took Bucky's hand, tugging at it lightly to force him to look her in the eyes. "I love you, Bucky. Always have, always will. I could never give my heart to someone else. You're etched onto my soul." She whispered.

Bucky swallowed hard.

AJ let go of his hand, knowing what she said next would be the hardest. That it would hurt Bucky. "When they found Steve...I felt like it was a dream. That it couldn't possibly be real. I got him back and...I was terrified. After you fell, I didn't talk to Steve for a while. I blamed him, I felt like he had given up on you...we had just barely made up before he went after Schmidt and I went to Austria. I knew the transition into the 21st century would be hard for him, even harder for him than it was for me because...well, because of me." AJ said. "I had changed, adapted. And I had powers on top of that," She said with a little smile, hoping to lighten the mood a little. "Things between us weren't the same. I still had his trust but...he was hesitant. I was loyal to SHIELD and he didn't trust them, but he agreed to work with them because of me."

AJ let go of Bucky's hand and stood up from the bench, wrapping her arms around herself. She hadn't put her shirt back on yet, wanting to finishing telling Bucky everything.

"New York happened," AJ explained. "Loki, aliens," she waved her hand to brush it off. "My powers were exposed to the world and SHIELD...or, Hydra, wanted to see just what I was capable of. I was kept in a facility for months, tested on yet again." She shook her head in anger. She should have seen that it wasn't SHIELD back then — that it was hydra testing on her. "Steve, Tony, and the other Avengers got me out of there. Put up a real fuss about it until they released me." She smiled at the memory, and then frowned at what would come next. "We all got together to celebrate me being released. I drank too much and when Steve took me home...I kissed him."

Bucky blinked, nodding his head, looking up at her with a sad smile. "Jay," He said her name softly. "I get it...Steve is your…"

"I thought he was you." AJ told Bucky. "In my drunken state, I thought you were standing in front of me. Not Steve. I wasn't kissing Steve. I was kissing you —- or, I thought I was." She sighed. "I know it sounds like an excuse," AJ closed her eyes, turning away from Bucky so that she wouldn't have to see the hurt expression she was sure he was giving her. "I'm so sorry, Bucky." She whispered.

The feeling of cold metal fingers brushed against her shoulder, and soon enough Bucky was turning her to look at him, now standing with her instead of sitting on the bench. She frowned, eyes full of tears. He smiled softly at her, flesh hand moving to cup her cheek. Her eyes closed, leaning into his touch. Bucky's lips brushed lightly against hers, causing AJ to let out a quiet whimper when he pulled away.

When she opened her eyes to look at him, she was greeted with a cocky grin. The grin she loved so damn much. AJ could've smacked him, cursed at him for looking at her that way. Didn't he know what that damn grin did to her?

Apparently he did.

AJ gasped when she was lifted off the ground, legs instinctively wrapping around Bucky's waist as he pressed her back against one of the walls in the room. She grinned as he looked down at her, blue eyes pouring into her own before he pressed his lips to hers in a hungry kiss.

Poor Steve. The room was not soundproof, and AJ knew he was hearing them now. But it had been so long since she was with Bucky. Literal decades. Surely he'd understand. If the roles were reversed and Steve had been reunited with Peggy, AJ would understand the urgency of wanting to be with her.

At the sound of music playing over the comms inside the quinjet, both AJ and Bucky chuckled. Steve's very obvious attempt at trying to give them privacy.

All the dangers of the world seemed to disappear while they were together this way. The super soldiers in Siberia were far from her mind, Tony, her friends, the Accords - they didn't matter at that moment. All that mattered was Bucky.

Her belly coiled with heat, fingers gripping onto Bucky's hair as they continued to move, their moans echoing throughout the room. It wasn't like their first time together; it wasn't even playful like it had been afterwards, later that night. No, this was much different. Desperate, needy, full of longing. Their bodies were finally reunited after so long apart, every touch left her wanting more, every kiss leaving her breathless, every movement sending her closer to the edge.

I love you. I missed you. I'll never leave you again. You're mine. Always. Forever. I love you. I love you. I love you.

AJ let her head fall onto Bucky's shoulder after, still pressed against the wall with Bucky leaning into her, trying not to put all of his weight against her as they came down from their high. Her breathing was hard, legs shaking, skin caked in sweat. Bucky kept his breathing even, breathing out through his nose as he held her tightly to him, lips pressing a soft kiss to her neck while he kept them upright.

A smile formed on AJ's lips, thinking of the question that had led to this moment.

Marry me?

"Yes," She mumbled against his skin, causing Bucky to hum in response. She chuckled, knowing that in this state he probably didn't even remember what he had asked her. AJ pulled back, moving her hands to Bucky's face; she smiled sweetly at him. "Of course my answer is yes."

The realization finally flashed in his eyes. His features softened, eyes wide in surprise.

"James Buchanan Barnes, I will marry you." She whispered.

Bucky surged forward, his lips finding hers as he pulled her tighter to his body. From the way he smiled as they kissed, AJ knew he was happy with her answer.


"Doc says he shattered L4 through S1," Tony said to Natasha as they stood in the hospital, looking out a large window as they waited for more results on Rhodey. Natasha's girlfriend, Dr. Jordan Connors was running every test possible on Tony's best friend, leaving nothing unchecked. "Extreme laceration to the spinal cord. Probably looking at some form of paralysis."

Natasha sighed, shaking her head. How did it come down to this? "Steve's not gonna stop." She told Tony what he already knew. Her mind flashed to AJ, the look of desperation in her eyes whenever Barnes was mentioned. She wouldn't stop either. "And we both know AJ never will." She added, needing Tony to hear her. Tony took her choosing Barnes over him personally, already hurt that she hadn't sided with him when it came to the Accords. Natasha knew that AJ was important to Tony, that she was his person. That he'd go to war to protect her. War, however, meant casualties. Natasha knew that better than anyone. The fighting needed to stop, or they were going to lose someone. And she'd be damned before she let one of her friends die because Tony Stark couldn't handle not being in control of a situation. "And if you don't...Rhodey's gonna be the best case scenario."

"You let them go, Nat." Tony said, his tone cold.

"We played this wrong," she tried to tell him.

"We?" He said the word with disgust. "Boy, it must be hard to shake the double agent thing." Natasha looked at him with wide eyes. "It sticks in the DNA."

She shook her head in anger. "Are you incapable of letting go of your ego for one goddamn second?" Natasha retorted.

Tony rolled his eyes. "T'Challa told Ross what you did, so," He shrugged his shoulders. "They're coming for you."

Natasha looked at Tony with a glare. She knew they'd come for her, she had at least thought that Tony would do more than give her a five minute head start. Natasha shouldn't have been surprised. Tony only cared about his own needs — it had always been that way. "I'm not the one who needs to watch their back." She said before walking away.

She needed to find Jordan.

Natasha kept her head low, avoiding the security cameras in the hospital as she searched for Jordan. There wasn't much time and Natasha didn't know what she was going to say to her girlfriend. She knew her actions would have consequences, that by letting Steve, AJ, and Barnes go, she would have to face the wrath of not only Tony, but Ross and his crew as well. How was she supposed to explain to Jordan that even though she knew what would happen, she did it anyway — how was she supposed to say goodbye to the woman she loved?

Finally, Natasha spotted Jordan. She held her breath as she watched the woman talk privately with one of Rhodey's other doctors, her blonde hair pulled out of her face, perfectly framed brows pinched together in frustration. Natasha felt sick to her stomach, knowing that when she said goodbye to Jordan, the woman would try to convince her to stay - or worse, drop her whole life and run with her. That would be selfish of Natasha to accept, to allow Jordan to leave her home, family, and friends all because Natasha had broken the law. It was then she realized that she couldn't say goodbye to Jordan. She couldn't say goodbye and she couldn't stay. Natasha swallowed hard, slipping into the shadows so that Jordan wouldn't see her. Leaving was her only option, the safest option for everyone.

She loved Jordan, truly. But she wouldn't allow her to get caught up in her mess of a life any more than she already had.


Tony sat in the passenger seat of the chopper, looking over surveillance images on his tablet. FRIDAY had sent him the priority upload from the Berlin police filled with new information out there that could clear Barnes of the bombing. A storm raged outside as they flew over the ocean, the weather matching Tony's mood. If what FRIDAY sent him was correct, that meant that Steve and Adelyn were right, out hunting something they couldn't possibly handle on their own. He needed to get to them, but first, he needed to get to the prison they were holding Wilson, Maximoff, Barton, and whoever Scott Lang was.

"The Task Force called for a psychiatrist as soon as Barnes was captured. The UN dispatched Dr. Theo Broussard from Geneva within the hour. He was met by this man." FRIDAY explained to Tony as he watched the security footage of the two men meeting.

"Did you run facial recognition yet?" Tony asked.

"What do I look like?" The AI sassed Tony as the images on the tablet changed.

"Uh, I don't know. I've been picturing a red head." He'd been picturing Pepper.

"You must be thinking of someone else."

"Must be." He said quietly.

"The fake doctor is actually Colonel Helmut Zemo, Sokovian Intelligence." FRIDAY explained as Tony projected the image of the man, looking over his military record. "Zemo ran Echo Skorpion, a Sokovian covert kill squad." Great.

"So, what happened to the real Broussard?" Tony asked next.

"He was found dead in a Berlin hotel room." Images from the crime scene were projected, a man lying dead in a hotel bathtub. Zemo killed him. "Where police also found a wig and facial prosthesis approximating the appearance of one James Buchanan Barnes."

Tony shook his head in anger. They had been played. "Son of a bitch. Get this to Ross."

"Yes, Boss."

It didn't take long to get to the prison, even in the storm. Tony flew the chopper low over the sea. Operating the chopper with a touch screen computer on a wall panel. Over the radio, a guard began to speak. "This is the Raft Prison Control. You're clear for landing, Mr. Stark."

The sea swells and surges as Raft Prison rises up from beneath the seat. A huge, fortified, circular structure with small lights around the sides to guide his way. Two semi-circular doors open up in the flat circular top as the chopper landed on a helipad, the doors automatically closing above it. Once safely inside, Tony got out of the chopper, walking up to Secretary Ross who was waiting for him.

"So? You got the files?" He asked. Ross nodded his head. " Let's reroute the satellites, start facial scanning for this Zemo guy.

"You seriously think I'm gonna listen to you after that fiasco in Leipzig?" Ross said, narrowing his eyes at Tony. "You're lucky you're not in one of these cells." He said sternly. Tony didn't speak, he simply waited for Ross to get on with it. After a moment, Ross motioned for Tony to follow him, leading him through a thick, steel security door. Soldiers stood guard not too far away in an operations room and on the screen, Tony could see live footage of Wanda, sitting hunched over and bedraggled in a cramped prison cell. He quickly looked away, not able to stand the sight of it.

He walked through another set of security doors that led him into a chamber surrounded by large, barred windows. Beyond the windows were a number of prison cells. Tony took in his surroundings, only to pause at the sound of clapping, his eyes moving to where the sound was coming from. Barton.

"The Futurist, gentlemen! The Futurist is here! He sees it all! He knows what's best for you, whether you like it or not." Clint spouted off.

Tony sighed, walking over to Clint's cell. "Give me a break, Barton. I had no idea they'd put you here. Come on." He tried to make him see.

Clint shook his head, spitting on the ground. "Yeah, well, you knew they'd put us somewhere, Tony."

"Yeah, but not some super-max floating ocean pokey." Tony sighed. "You know, this place is for maniacs. This is a place for," His words trailed off.

"Criminals?" Clint suggested, standing up in his cell. "Criminals, Tony. Think that's the word you're looking for." He leaned against the large bars, eyeing Tony through them. "Right? That didn't used to mean me. Or Sam, or Wanda. But here we are."

Tony swallowed. "Because you broke the law."

"Yeah." Clint didn't deny it.

"I didn't make you." Tony said, only to have Clint roll his eyes and turn his back on him, humming loudly. "You read it, you broke it."

"La, la, la, la la…" Clint continued on.

"Alright, you're all grown up, you got a wife and kids. I don't understand, why didn't you think about them before you chose the wrong side?" Tony said, walking away.

"Wrong side?" Clint laughed. Tony waited for Clint to say it - to make a remark about Adelyn being on that side. But he didn't, only said; "You gotta watch your back with this guy. There's a chance he's gonna break it.

Tony continued to walk away from Clint, walking a cell with an unfamiliar face. "Hank Pym always said, you can never trust a Stark." The guy said.

"Who are you?" Tony said, not affected by his words.

The guy sighed loudly, "Come on, man." He said under his breath.

Tony stopped at Wilson's cell. "How's Rhodes?" The man asked.

"They're flying him to Columbia Medical tomorrow. So...fingers crossed." He watched as Sam shook his head, back still facing him. "What do you need? They feed you yet?

Turning to face Tony now, Sam raised his brows. "You're the good cop now?" He asked, skeptic.

"I'm just the guy who needs to know where Steve and Adelyn went."

"Well, you better go get a bad cop, because you're gonna have to go Mark Fuhrman on my ass to get information out of me." He said while Tony typed onto his smart watch, letting FRIDAY take control of the prison's system.

"Well, I just knocked the 'A' out of their 'AV'." He explained to Sam. "We got about 30 seconds before they realize that it's not their equipment." He said while Sam's eyes darted to look up at the cameras surrounding them. "Just look." Tony showed Sam a holographic image of Doctor Broussard on his watch. "Because that is the fellow who was supposed to interrogate Barnes - Clearly, I made a mistake. Sam, I was wrong."

"That's a first." Sam remarked, clearly surprised Tony was admitting his mistake.

"Cap is definitely off the reservation but he's about to need all the help he can get." Tony told Sam. "Our Ice Queen and the super soldier are his only allies right now to help him go against Zemo and," Tony shook his head. He was angry at Adelyn, yes - but she was going up against a trained killer. She didn't stand a chance and Tony refused to lose her. He sighed before looking at Sam, "We don't know each other very well. You don't have to,"

"Hey, it's alright." Sam cut him off. Tony leaned closer to the window causing Sam to sigh, the man looking uneasy. "Look, I'll tell you… but you have to go alone and as a friend." He stressed the word.

"Easy."

A minute later he was walking back to his chopper with the information Sam had given him.

"Stark!" Ross followed after him. "Did he give you anything on Rogers or Frost?"

"Nope." Tony lied easily. "Told me to go to hell. I'm going back to the compound instead - but you can call me anytime." He stepped onto the chopper. "I'll put you on hold, I like to watch the line blink." Ross glared at Tony, who only smiled in return as he got on to the chopper and slid the door shut. The chopper rose off the helipad, flying away as the doors closed on the prison roof.

While hidden in the storm, out of sight from Ross, Tony ejected himself out of the helicopter, using his Iron Man gear to fly to the location Sam had given him. He would make things right between him, Steve and Adelyn and help clear Barnes' name. He just needed them to come home with him after, not run.