A/N: I'm back! I've actually finished this story and started the sequel (all that's left is editing) so I'm hoping to be able to update more regularly :).

Steve stared at the door, nervously dancing a knife through his fingers.

He had run all the way to the gates, eager to escape into the desert. He knew the desert, knew how to survive alone for months on end, craved it even. He also knew once he left the city it would only be a matter of time until Bucky or Hydra-they were the same evil in his mind-tracked him down. Steve had no illusions about his ability to protect himself. He'd already faced Bucky once, and that had ended as badly as could be expected. The city was safer. It had more people, more clutter. He could hide as one traveler in hundreds. More importantly, staying would give him access to Shield's communication network. In the end, he had rented a small room in the pleasure district of the city, sending word to Natasha: he was ready to join Shield. If anyone could protect him from Hydra, it would be them. He hoped she would be here soon, he was exhausted and there was no guarantee he wouldn't be found at any moment.

He looked down at the marks on his arm. The burns still obscured most of the mark, but the gold tint to what could be seen made petrified chills run down Steve's spine. The fact they were still there meant whoever's mark matched his was still alive, which obviously meant it wasn't Rumlow. Of course, if it wasn't Rumlow then why were they that color? Natasha had said that marks could be forged easily, even getting the other's mark to turn gold was easy enough with the right chemicals, but she had always said it was hard to get the other to believe it because there was emotion that came with the marks. You didn't just see a mark and realize someone was your soulmate, you felt something, though she had never told him exactly what that something was.

"Steve?" A knock sounded at his door. Steve tensed, his fingers closing around the hilt of the knife. "It's Natasha." The door rattled. "Did you lock the door? You never lock the door!"

Steve slid off the bed, padding cautiously to the door. He flicked the lock open, sliding open the door just enough to see Natasha standing in the hallway.

"What's wrong?" Natasha asked, eyes narrowing. She pushed open the door, glancing around the room curiously. "What happened?"

Steve closed the door, "Can you still take me to Shield?"

"What changed your mind?" Natasha walked to the window.

Steve bit his lower lip, "Is Hydra real?"

Natasha's hands flew to her gun, "Get down!"

The window shattered. Natasha shoved Steve, sending him flailing backward. Bucky landed in the middle of the room, firing at Natasha. She rolled under the bed, firing off a few shots of her own. Steve cried out as a bullet hit the wall where her head had been.

"Don't shoot!" He lunged to his feet, praying Bucky wouldn't shoot him. "Bucky, Don't shoot!"

Bucky lowered his gun hesitantly. Natasha rolled out from under the bed, her gun still trained on him with unwavering accuracy. "Who are you?" She snarled, "And what do you want with Steve?"

"What do you want with Steve?" Bucky raised his gun, his eyes never leaving her face. "How do I know you aren't trying to hurt him?"

Natasha tensed, and her gun dipping down slightly. "James?" She asked slowly.

Bucky lowered his gun. "Do I know you?" He asked coldly, "Don't be insulted if I do. I've forgotten a lot of things."

"It's me," Natasha turned the safety back on her gun and put it on the ground, "Natalia."

Bucky hesitated. "Natalia," he whispered, "Natalia." He relaxed as something akin to recognition flickered across his face. "Yes," he moved forward, placing his gun on the nightstand. The corners of his lips quirked upward in a small smile. "I remember now, they had me train you."

"I thought they killed you," Natasha breathed.

Bucky shrugged, "They put me back in cryo." He was still wearing the hot battle gear from before, his arm uncovered. It flashed silver in the sunlight streaming in through the broken window. There was no trace of the blood that had been smeared everywhere the last time Steve had seen him.

"Steve," Bucky said, his eyes flicking to where Steve was standing, "he wasn't your soulmate."

"I know," Steve looked away. "But someone we met was. If not him, who?"

"Who wasn't?" Natasha asked sharply, "Hydra? You're still working for them?" Her gun was back in her hands, her feet shifting so she could move quickly if Bucky decided to attack.

"There's no need for that, Natalia," Bucky stepped forward, sitting down on the bed. Steve stepped back as Bucky drew closer to him. The only sign the soldier had noticed was the slight tension around his mouth.

"Brock Rumlow was sent to...I don't even know. Seduce him? Anyway, he's on Hydra's radar now. I have to protect him, I got him into this mess."

There was nothing Steve wanted less, but at the same time, he wanted to agree. He shook his head, logic and fear warring with the thought that there was no one else in this world he trusted as much as Bucky.

"I can protect him," Natasha cut in, "he's not your responsibility."

"Hey!" Steve cut in, "I can protect myself!"

"Not from Hydra." Bucky stood, his metal hand clenching into a fist. "You don't know what they're capable of."

"I agree," Natasha walked to the broken window and peered outside. "We need to leave."

"Why?" Steve asked, but Bucky was already hurrying around the room, grabbing Steve's things and shoving them into his bag.

He held out the bag to Steve. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, "I shouldn't have involved you in this. I saw…" He looked at Natasha. She looked back, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I shouldn't have involved you," Bucky repeated firmly.

"We're out of time," Natasha turned and fired three shots through the door. A sharp grunt sounded from behind it and Steve stiffened. The door flew open. Men dressed in black body armor flooded through the doorway. Bucky grabbed Steve, yanking him behind him as the loud crack of shots began ringing through the air. Steve stumbled back as Bucky cried out, putting his hand over a rapidly spreading red stain on his shoulder. Steve blinked. His head felt foggy and his eyes throbbed from the light pouring in through the broken window. He felt a sharp pain in his leg and reached down to touch the area. He felt the feathered edge of a tranq dart and stumbled backward, hissing in frustration as he tried to focus. Bucky was in trouble, he needed to help him...Natasha cried out in pain and Steve gasped as he stumbled toward her. A man had his arm wrapped around her throat, while another aimed his gun at her head. He lunged forward and tackled the man with the gun, landing a hit on his face as Natasha grappled with the other.

"Steve!" Bucky yelled. The man with the gun stumbled backward, his hips meeting the edge of the window. Steve cried out as he was suddenly falling. Warm air brushed against his face. The impact hit him with an unspeakable force. Pain bloomed like liquid warmth underneath him and he blinked as the world began to slip away.

A/N: Oh dear. I promise you won't have to wait another year to find out what happens next XD Happy Holidays!