"So, let me make sure I got this right," Tony Stark said as he stared across his desk at me, his fingers laced in front of his face. His eyes were blank, but I knew he was both annoyed and impressed. Not many people approached the man directly and less admitted to what I had done. "You used a stolen version of my tech."

"B.A.R.F. to be exact," I corrected, fighting back the grin. "And might I suggest using a different acronym."

"Yeah. I'm working on it." When he tried to shoot me a menacing glare, I couldn't keep from snickering. "As I was saying: you took my technology and modified it to… What did you do with it exactly?"

"Allow veterans with PTSD to relive traumatic incidents from an observers point of view," I explained as professionally as my smirk would allow. "By creating a safe environment, it allows them to manage their stressors while learning better coping mechanisms. It's all in the paper I wrote. I can highlight the important passages if you like. Save you some time reading."

"Thank you for the offer, but I am capable of reading." He lowered his hands. "I have another question, though. How did you get my very private, very encrypted phone number?"

"I was given it."

"By?"

I shrugged. "A close, personal friend."

"Can I get a name? Maybe I can invite them to my birthday party."

"With all due respect, Mr. Stark, these friends of mine are very private people who like being left alone." When he opened his mouth to speak, I raised my hand. "However, they tell me that they consider you a friend as well and hope you'll forgive them for not staying in touch. Well, some of them do. Sam thinks you're an asshole."

"And I supposed these 'friends'-" He actually held up his fingers for air quotes, "said it'd be a good idea to come to me? To ask for a job?"

"No, sir. They thought it was a dumb idea." I shrugged. "But a girl's gotta pay her bills and living in New York is expensive."

"Guess working in Wakanda doesn't pay much." This time he got to hold up his hand to keep me from speaking as he eased around his desk and came to stand in front of me. He leaned on the edge, assessing me. "Don't act surprised, Ms. Hunt. Did you really think you'd get past security without a background check? I got to say, you impressed me."

"Thank you."

"That's not a compliment. You're either crazy or have the biggest set I've ever seen." He returned to his seat behind his desk. "I'm sure you know that Pepper is actually the CEO of Stark Industries."

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

"So, I can't exactly hire you on the spot."

Again, I nodded. "I understand."

"Well, Destiny." He paused. "Can I call you Destiny?"

"Of course, but I prefer just Des."

"All right, Des." His expression was deadpan as he continued. "Take the weekend and relax because Monday morning you start in R and D. I usually get in around eleven so be there around eight. And bring coffee. I take mine with a shot of Irish cream. Oh, and dress casual cause you're going to get dirty."

"Yes, sir." I rose and extended my hand. "Thank you, Mr. Stark."

As I turned to leave his office, he called after me. "One more thing: next time you want to play with my toys, just ask."

I turned to him and winked. "Of course, Mr. Stark."

"And Des?"

I glanced over at him again. "Yes, sir?"

"Next time you talk to Steve, let him know the feeling's mutual." He turned back to his console. "Have a good weekend."

By the time I hit the ground floor of Stark's office, I was walking on air. Steve and Sam both told me going to Stark was insane given the fact that I had his property, but I had a feeling once he saw the work, I'd done prior to going to Wakanda he'd be impressed. His philanthropy was the stuff of legends, so I knew he'd take a chance. I was glad I was right.

Thinking about Steve and Sam brought back the memories of the one person I tried to push out of my head since returning to the States.

Bucky.

As much I tried to deny it, he was always on my mind. In the three weeks since I'd been back, I'd seen him everywhere I went. He was at the grocery store when I went to get dinner, on the subway when I was on my way home, and even on the billboards in Times Square. Every dark-haired man made me pause for just a second to make sure.

It was the nights that were the hardest, though. Over the course of one evening, I'd gotten used to feeling his strong body against me. There wasn't a body pillow or comforter that could replace what it was like to feel his arm around me, holding me like I was the most precious thing in the world.

It wasn't the money that drove me to reach out to Tony Stark. King T'Challa and Shuri had made sure I would be taken care of for as long as I wanted, but I needed the distraction before I completely lost my mind thinking about him.

I miss him so much.

I waited a full hour after he left before I reached out to Shuri. When I told her we'd verified the triggers had been removed and it was time for me to go, she didn't argue. Maybe it was my tone or the puffiness in my eyes from crying, but she sent out a hover-jet and I was on my way to London within another hour.

I tried to convince myself once he heard the jet, he'd come back. I'd made a promise to never threaten to leave again so he had to know but when he didn't show up, I knew I'd destroyed everything we had. I almost laughed at the irony of it all: it'd only taken a matter of minutes to burn the bridge we'd spent months building.

In London, Sam and Natasha came to see me. Natasha, bless her heart, brought me chocolate chip cookie dough ice-cream while I told them what happened. I explained that it'd been my mission to make sure the Winter Soldier wouldn't re-emerge should a crisis arise, but I hadn't planned on caring about him.

"It was the only way we could make sure," I explained, more for my own benefit than theirs. "We tried playing the memories and doing it his way, but he wouldn't. He just wouldn't. I hated it, but it was the only way."

"You really did love him, didn't you?" Sam asked.

I scoffed. "Of course I did, dumbass. I was even considering staying there. But I guess I messed that all up. You were right, Sam. I always push men away before they get too close. After my ex, I'm just so scared. I don't want to get hurt again."

"Bucky probably felt the same way." Natasha rubbed my back. "But he overcame it."

"Yeah, well. He's a better person than me." I let out a bitter laugh. "And now I'm sitting here in this stupid hotel room bawling my eyes out to you guys getting fatter. Awesome."

"You can always go back," she offered.

I rolled my eyes. "He doesn't want to see me. He's probably with Steve right now telling him about how I strapped him down to the bed, naked as a jaybird, and made him listen to me say the code words."

When neither of them spoke, I glanced up from my ice-cream to see Natasha and Sam exchange looks before they both burst out laughing.

"Damn, Des," Sam said, trying to talk between fits of laughter. "You had him naked? That's cold."

"I don't know." Natasha tried to look serious but kept grinning. "I'm kind of impressed. Even I hadn't tried that before."

I smiled as well, seeing the humor of it. "Yeah, well. Girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do."

After that, I felt a little better. By the time I was on the flight back to New York, I'd almost convinced myself it was all for the best. We'd never been meant to last no matter how much we thought we loved each other. Real life just didn't work out that way.

Then I started seeing him everywhere and the nights became long and lonely events to be endured.

God. Am I ever going to stop missing him?

I glanced down at my phone when I felt it vibrate in my hand. Not recognizing the phone number but seeing it was local, I assumed it was Stark's office letting me know when I needed to come in and fill out employment paperwork.

I put on my best phone voice and answered it as I started to cross at the light. "Hello?"

"Hi, doll."

I stopped in the middle of the street, too shocked to move. "Bucky?"

He chuckled softly. "I'm surprised you still recognize my voice."

"Ha, ha. You're such a funny guy." I tried to keep my voice steady even though my heart felt like it was about to pound out of my chest. "How are you?"

"Better hearing your voice." He sighed. "Be even better if you were here."

"I figured you'd never want to see me again after last time." I paused, considering my next words before I just blurted it out. "I thought you hated me."

"I never hated you, Des." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "I get it, but I was hurt. Just tell me one thing. Was what we had, what we said, was any of it real? For you, I mean? Did you really mean it or were you just trying to get me to open up?"

"Oh, Bucky." A car horn caused me to jump. Remembering I was standing in the middle of the street, I hurried across after flipping the driver off. Once safe, I continued, "Of course I meant it. You know I tried to keep my distance in the beginning, but I fell hard for you. And, if we're being completely honest here, it scared the hell out of me."

"Me too." He groaned. "But not as much as being without you. I just needed to know if you really loved me."

I smiled as I leaned against the signal light. "Yes, James Buchannan Barnes, I really do love you."

"I love you too, Des." I could hear the smile in his voice. "I gotta go, doll. Can I call you later?"

"Promise you'll call me back and not ghost me?"

"Promise."

"All right then." I closed my eyes and imagined him standing in front of me, those blue eyes smiling down at me. "Talk soon."

"Talk soon. Love you. Bye."

My heart felt like it was doing cartwheels. For the first time in weeks, I felt true happiness again. Bucky not only forgave me but still loved me.

I watched my phone the whole day while I went through my remaining business. By the time I got home, it was already after six and he still hadn't called. I almost started to worry until I considered the time difference and realized it'd probably the next morning before he called back. Satisfied, I ate a quick dinner, shower then sat down to watch TV before turning in for the night. A few minutes after I was settled, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen and smiled.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping," I playfully scolded when I answered it.

"It's been hard to sleep the past few weeks," Bucky said softly.

Concerned, I asked, "Are you having nightmares?"

He chuckled, his voice low. "It's not nightmares keeping me up, gorgeous."

"Oh. Oh!" Catching his meaning, I teased, "Have you tries warm goat's milk. I hear that can help."

"Yeah. I don't think it'll help." He paused. "I miss you, Des. When I came back and you were gone…" He trailed off.

"I was so sure you hated me. I mean, I tied you down to the bed and made you face your worst fear. If somebody'd done that to me, I sure wouldn't wait them hanging around anymore."

"I was angry."

"Pissed off is more like it."

"And hurt," he added. "But it didn't mean you had to leave. If you'd waited, we could've dealt with it. Together."

"Like I said, Bucky, you scared me. You were getting inside. The last guy who did that hurt me bad. I just- I didn't want it to happen with you."

"I promise I'd never hurt you, doll. I want you to be able to trust me and I'll spend every day proving to you you can. You mean that much to me."

I stretched out across my sofa, wishing he was there with me. "Thank you."

"I love you, Des. I'll never stop. And, if you'll let me, I'll help you fix what that other guy broke in you."

"I'd like that a lot." I grabbed a throw pillow and held it against my chest, hugging it like it was him. "God! I wish you were here right now so I could hug you. Want to know how lame I am? I'm hugging my pillow right now. I'm so pathetic."

He laughed. "Nah. You're cute. Hell, you look sexy in those little shorts and shirt."

"Not as sexy as you in those old man boxers of yours."

"So harsh, baby doll. But it's worth it to see you laid back on the couch with your hair all spread out like that. Did you get it cut?"

"Yeah. With the summer coming up, I figured it'd be cooler." I stopped talking. Was he describing me from memory or was he…? No. He couldn't be. I sat up and searched the shadows of my apartment. "Bucky, where are you?"

"Check the window, doll." When I looked over and saw him standing on the fire escape, a massive grin on his face as he waved his prosthetic hand at me, I almost screamed. "Can I come in?"

I ran over and threw it open before dragging him inside. Slamming it shut and closing the blinds, I turned on him and demanded. "Are you crazy? What the hell were you thinking coming here and hanging out on my fire escape? Did you forget that you're wanted by… By everybody! Jeez, Bucky!"

"We thought it'd be romantic," he said with a sheepish grin.

"Romantic is sending roses, not stalking a woman from her window." I stared at him gape-mouthed. "Wait. You just said 'we'. Who else is here?"

"Steve, Nat, and Sam just left. They said to say hello." He winked. "And stalking always worked in the movies. Sorry for scaring you, though. Forgive me, gorgeous?"

I rushed into his chest and embraced him tightly as I began to cry. He'd risked his freedom – his life – to be with me so I couldn't stay mad for long. Though laughing tears, I said, "You're an idiot, Bucky. And I love you for it."

He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close while he kissed my forehead. "I love you too, Des, and I'm never going to let you go again."

I looked up at him as he smiled at me and gave him a quick kiss. He returned it with zeal as he lifted me off my feet. Quickly, the kiss became more passionate. I tugged at his shirt as he lowered me to the floor again. His hands left me as he stripped it off and tossed it, only breaking contact long enough to pull it over his head.

"God, I've missed you," he whispered as I peppered his neck and chest with kisses. "Slow down, doll. We got time."

"We've lost too much of that." I pulled his pants open to reveal his tried-and-true boxers barely keeping him concealed. "I've thought about you every day since I left. I'm not wasting another second."

Shoving him down on the sofa, he laughed as I straddled him. "Somebody's aggressive tonight."

"You damn right." I pulled my camisole over my head and threw it. Running my fingernails across his firm body, I growled. "C'mere, baby."

He buried his face in my chest as I rocked back and forth in his lap, savoring the feel of his need against my own. With my hands tangled in his hair, I guided him to the neediest points and moaned when he clamped down on one then the other with gusto. I rose just enough so I could reach between us and stroked him, causing him to moan as well. His head fell back against the sofa as I worked him slowly.

"I never thought… I'd enjoy a woman… being so… controlling." He said through pants as I quickened the pace. "But you gotta… stop, doll."

"No sir," I teased as I used the back of my hand to move the thin material of my shorts aside so he could feel the heat of my desire on him. "I can't wait anymore."

"Oh hell," he groaned just seconds before I took him deep inside.

The feeling was enough to bring me to the edge and I rode hard and fast until I felt the intensity reaching the breaking point. Unable to continue on my own so close to the verge, he took over by grabbing my hips and lifting me repeatedly until we both lost control completely and finished in unison.

I laid my head on his shoulder and kissed him sweetly, the only sound our breathing as we clung to each other.

"I love you, Des," he said as he stroked my back. "And I'm gonna make you happy."

I smiled into his warm skin. "You always do."