Taking it in a new direction guys...let me know what you think about the latest situation. Enjoy

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The alarm on my phone went off at 6:30 the next morning and I growled as I fumbled for it in the dark. I usually got to sleep for another hour but when Steve had called last night, he had asked me to be at SHIELD at 8:00am so he could show me something. At the time, I had thought nothing of it…my mind was focusing only on Eden at the moment he called. It was only late last night as Eden and I had crawled back in bed to go to sleep that I began to think about what he might have wanted to show me.

I was sliding my hand back and forth on the nightstand trying to find my phone without having to open my eyes. I continued reaching around until I felt it touch the tips of my fingers…it must have been on the edge of the small table and I heard it fall onto the floor.

"Dammit" I muttered as I threw back the covers to bend down and feel around for it.

I heard Eden groan and roll over to face my direction, "Ugh, make it stop" she said sleepily, pulling the covers over her head.

I finally picked up the phone and turned off the alarm before looking her direction, "Sorry" I said quietly. She reached her hand and motioned me towards her…I crawled back into the bed and leaned over her, kissing her gently on the forehead.

"Good morning" I told her, brushing some hair out of her face.

"Mmm…morning" she said with a yawn, "You're up early…it's still dark outside"

"I have to meet Steve at 8:00….go back to bed" I said before crawling out of the bed and making my way to the bathroom. Eden was still asleep when I got out of the shower and I tried to be quiet as I got dressed. By 7:30 I had eaten some cereal and was ready to leave. I walked quietly back into the bedroom and saw her getting out of bed finally. She had her hands in the air as she stretched, her shirt riding up her stomach to show a sliver of soft skin.

"I'm getting ready to head out" I said as I walked over to her.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me on the cheek, "Have a good day...I love you"

"Love you" I said, before walking out the apartment and heading down to the car.

When I pulled in to the parking lot at SHIELD, I could already see Steve waiting out front for me…standing next to him was Clint Barton.

Shit, something's up.

I walked slowly to where they were standing, searching both of their faces for some answers as to what was going on.

"Hey Buck" Steve said with a worried look on his face.…that's when I knew without a shadow of a doubt that something serious was going on.

"Hey Steve" I said, patting him on the back. I turned to Clint and shook his hand, noticing the small cut above his eye…it was fresh, happening sometime within the last 24 hours.

"Which of you wants to tell me what the hell is going on?" I asked grimly.

"Let's go inside Bucky…there are some things that Clint and I think you should see" Steve said. I stared at him for a moment, analyzing the look on his face. I had seen that expression on his face before, most recently when I had joined him for that mission…the one that had been a complete failure…the one where I broke down and lost it.

"Hydra?" I said with gritted teeth.

Steve nodded his head and then looked around uncomfortably, "Come on, Clint can explain" he said, motioning towards the entrance.

I followed the two them, my mind racing the entire time we made our way to a private conference room.

Once we were seated at the table, Clint pulled a file out and slid it across the table to me. I swallowed hard, trying not to let my hands shake as I reached out to open the folder marked: Top Secret

My heart stopped when I saw the picture of the man paper clipped to the dossier inside: Milton Kaine

I leaned back in my chair and sighed deeply before running my hands down my face. Milton Kaine was one of the memories I had about HYDRA that I couldn't forget. HYDRA had always wiped my memory after each mission before putting me back on ice. After the incident on the helicarrier, I didn't return to them and my brain was never wiped clean. Those few weeks after Steve had found me were a jumble of memories that kept trying to resurface. That first month, I was able to recall my most recent memories of HYDRA, the last 30 or so years were clearer…before that was still a blur, I was only able to recall bits and pieces.

Steve could tell by my reaction that I recognized the man. He gave me a moment before he finally asked, "What do you know about him Bucky?"

Steve and Clint sat back and listened as I began, "He's a very dangerous man…he will kill anyone…man, woman, child…it doesn't matter. He will do whatever it takes to get what he wants and be as brutal as he can in the process…he likes inflicting pain. I first met him about 8 years ago when I was brought out of cryo freeze to assassinate a government official in Kiev. I had been on ice for much longer than normal…about 13 years. He was sent by HYDRA to help me acclimate to the ever changing world…basically, he was in charge of me and took care of my training. I was confused when I was awakened…everything had changed so drastically since the last time I had opened my eyes. He spent a few months training me in new techniques, new technology, and new weapons. He made me more ruthless…he made me an even more skilled killer. He accompanied me on my last two assignments…HYDRA sent him to make sure I completed my task and that I returned. When I was awakened to assassinate Director Fury, Kaine wasn't there…they let me go on my own with no handler. That's one of the reasons I was able to just leave Steve…any other time, I would have been picked up immediately by my handler and taken back to have my memory erased"

Steve nodded, "Why do you think he wasn't sent that time?"

I shrugged my shoulder, "No idea" I turned to Clint, "I'm assuming Barton knows though. By the looks of that cut over his eye, he has been on an assignment…what did you find out?"

Clint nodded his head, "Natasha's man in Kiev contacted her a few days ago. She had him keeping his ear to the ground, just in case anything about HYDRA came up. He started to hear some rumors a few weeks ago...Kaine's name came up more than once. Natasha and I went there to see what we could find out…ran into a little trouble, but nothing we couldn't handle. Apparently, in the time he spent training you Bucky, you made quite an impression on him. In his mind, HYDRA wasn't using you to your full potential…you were their ultimate weapon and they were keeping you on the sideline. In the last 5 years, each time a situation would present itself, he would demand that you be taken out of cryo freeze to handle it but HYDRA wouldn't allow it. Apparently, over the last couple of years, Kaine got power hungry…so much so, that HYDRA disavowed him….that's why he wasn't there the last time you were awakened. When Kaine realized that HYDRA had been exposed and weakened after the incident, he started gathering allies, ready to pick up where they left off. Her contact said the rumor is that he is searching for something"

"Searching for what?" I asked, fearing the answer before I even heard the words come out of his mouth.

Steve and Clint shared a look between them.

"You" Steve said finally, "He's searching for you"

"He wants to bring you back into HYDRA. He had a contact at the facility that the four of us hit a few weeks ago…one of the men in the room that you and Steve confronted that night. He went back to Kaine and told him what happened…told him about the man with the metal arm that almost killed him. Kaine now knows you survived the helicarrier crash…he knows your alive and he wants you back" Clint said.

"Natasha's contact says he is recruiting all those still loyal to HYDRA and once he has a strong enough force, he is going to come for you Bucky. He wants you in a bad way…by his side as his own personal super soldier weapon" Clint continued.

Fuck. If Kaine finds me, he will do whatever it takes to get me back. I won't become a weapon again….I won't leave Eden.

"What happens now?" I asked. I was struggling to process everything Clint had just told me.

"Natasha's already on it…she's hunting him down now…her orders are to take him out when she locates him. I will be sticking around here to make sure no HYDRA operatives show up trying to find you. In the meantime, you just have to keep up your normal routine. If HYDRA is here already…if they have already discovered your location…we don't want to alert them that we know what they are up to" Clint insisted.

I nodded my head and turned to Steve, "What am I supposed to tell Eden…how do I tell her that a ruthless killer has his eyes set on making me his own personal weapon"

"You don't Bucky…at least not right now. As far as we know, Kaine has no idea where you are yet. There is no need to worry her…I wouldn't have even told you right now if I didn't think you would be pissed at me when you did finally find out I didn't tell you right away. Don't worry Bucky…we're going to get this guy before he gets anywhere near you" Steve insisted, reaching out to pat me on the back.

Clint's phone suddenly rang and I looked up at him as he pulled his phone from his pocket. I saw a surprised expression on his face when he saw who was calling. He noticed the anxious look on my face but shook his head at me, "It's nothing to do with what we are talking about…excuse me for a sec guys, I better take this" he said.

I turned to Steve once Clint had left the room, "What if he does find me Steve? What if he goes after Eden?"

Steve gave me a hard look, "We aren't going to let that happen Bucky and Eden will be protected…she's got me and you looking out for her…Clint too" he added "It's almost 9:00, you better start heading to Dr. Peters office for your appointment"

I stood up and nodded my head at him before heading to the door, suddenly feeling like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. I hated to keep anything from Eden, but I knew Steve was right…there was no reason to worry her right now. I would keep her safe…no one would touch her, I would never let that happen.

Before I walked out the door, I heard Steve say to me, "Don't worry Bucky"

"Easier said than done Steve" I muttered before closing the door behind me.