Chapter 3: Buffy

*****The Day Bucky Arrived in Cleveland*****

Buffy hated seeing Xander so angry and bitter. There had been times when she felt a lot of anger for her life and events that happened. However, she hadn't experienced the bitterness that she was feeling coming from Xander. How was she going to reach him?

Feeling helpless, she decided to go for a walk to clear her head. When she opened her front door, she looked up in shock, surprised to see the man standing there.

"Bucky?" she said.

"I thought maybe you could use a friend right now," he said, feeling awkward.

Buffy stared wordlessly at him for a long moment. Then she hugged him.

"I can't believe you are here," she said. She looked him over. "Are you okay? How do you feel?"

"I feel like my old self again," he admitted.

"They fixed your head?" she asked.

Bucky nodded. "They did. The technology they had was better than anything here in America," he said.

"Don't tell Will or Tony that," she said with a grin. "How long are you in town for?"

Bucky shrugged. How did he explain that it was only her letters that made him feel alive? That nothing else in this new world made sense but her? "I don't have anywhere I need to be," he said.

Buffy gave him a beaming smile. "Then you can stay here with me!" she declared. "It's kind of rough right now with Anya gone, but we're going to get through this."

Bucky nodded. She pulled him into her world with such ease.

The Avengers came along with his best friend to pay their respects. Steve was surprised to see Bucky at Buffy's.

"Bucky? What are you doing here? I thought you were in Africa?" Steve asked.

"I was. I'm better, and I was ready for a change," Bucky said.

"You sure being around civilians is a good idea?" Steve asked.

Bucky tried not to roll his eyes as he knew his buddy was motivated by love for him. "I'm fine, Steve. I wouldn't risk Buffy or her friends if I didn't think I was fine," he said.

Steve nodded. "Then I'm glad for you, Bucky," he said.

Bucky knew that his friend deserved more of an explanation. Steve was his only family—the only thing in this world that was familiar to him.

"I feel a connection to Buffy," Bucky admitted.

"Really?" Steve asked in surprise. Then he smiled. "That's great, Buddy."

"We've become friends," Bucky shared. "She wrote me while I was gone."

Steve felt warm inside as he realized what his friend was saying. "Buffy is a special woman. She's been through a lot," he said carefully.

Bucky nodded. "Yeah, I know," he said. "So have I. She understands brokenness."

Steve knew that to be true since Buffy's first boyfriend was pretty messed up. Her second had been used by the government as some kind of experiment—unlike Steve, Finn didn't know what he was getting into. Then Buffy herself had been broken by her closest friends when they ripped her out of heaven and left her to dig up her own grave.

"Buffy seems happy to have you here," Steve said, having observed the two of them at dinner with everyone.

"Yes," Bucky said. "This is a hellmouth even if it's not as strong as her last ones. I can be of used her until I figure out what to do with myself."

"Okay," Steve said, nodding. "I'll talk to Rhodey and Fury and make sure that the government is okay with you being here."

"Do you think they'll have a problem with it?" Bucky asked, concerned.

"Probably not as the slayer is a government asset who has done much for the world," Steve said. "The President has been made aware of her and the world she fights. With the alien threat out there, he doesn't want to risk upsetting the balance with the slayers who keep the hellmouths closed. Faith was let out of jail just so she could do her part."

"So you think that I will be allowed to stay?" Bucky asked.

"I think so," Steve said. "As long as it's what Buffy wants."

"Did I hear my name?" Buffy said, walking over to the two guys. They'd had dinner, and several had gone with Tony to test out his new vampire weapon. She, Bucky, Clint, Dawn, and Steve had come back to Buffy's apartment.

Steve was in the kitchen with Bucky while everyone else was in the living room.

"I was just telling Steve how I wanted to stay here and help you with fighting your monsters," Bucky said.

"And I was saying that it would probably be okay as long as it was okay with you," Steve said. "I'll clear it was Fury and Uncle Sam."

"Cool," Buffy said. "This place isn't nearly as fun as Sunnydale, but I kind of like the slower pace. Cordy and I are gong to school toward the end of summer. It'll be nice to have someone else here, especially since Xander isn't in a good place."

"That's why I came," Bucky said. "I knew you'd need some help."

Steve could see how comfortable Buffy was with his friend, and it made him happy to see. When Clint and Dawn were going to go to their hotel room, Steve left with them. He had a room in the same hotel.

Clint waited until Dawn went into the room and turned to Steve. "If Bucky hurts my sister, I'll cut out his heart," Clint warned.

"He's not going to hurt her, Clint," Steve said. "He cares about her. They've been writing letters."

"She deserves better than the Winter Solider, Steve," Clint said. He was so pissed about this development and knew his sister would slug him if he said anything to her. She'd earned the right to make her own choices, but this was not what he wanted for his sister.

"Bucky is a good man, Clint," Steve defended.

"He's a killer, Steve," Clint reminded him.

"No, he's not. He's not the Winter Soldier anymore," Steve argued. "That wasn't him. He's himself now, and he won't hurt your sister."

"You can guarantee that?" Clint asked.

"Of course not," Steve said. "Relationships are tricky, but he won't try to physically hurt her."

"He better not," Clint warned and then went into his room.

Dawn knew her brother was agitated over Bucky's presence. "Did you yell at Steve over Bucky's presence? That's kind of mean," Dawn said.

"I'm worried about our sister," Clint said. "Bucky Barnes is unstable, a trained killer."

"You are a trained killer, too. It's not Bucky's fault what happened to him," Dawn defended.

Clint rolled his eyes. "You would say that," he said. "Your best friend is a vampire who's killed countless people."

"Spike has a demon that makes him do bad things, but he's not that guy anymore!" Dawn defended.

"Until he is," Clint countered. "It is his nature, sweetie. Bucky's nature may not be that violent, but he had a lot of things done to him that twisted his mind."

"But he's all better now. That Wandans fixed him," Dawn defended.

"Let's hope," Clint said, not wanting to argue. His sister had been through enough. Now she'd lost a friend due to a stupid accident, and he didn't want to see her hurt by Barnes. If Steve was wrong about his friend, Clint wouldn't hesitate to put down the man out of time. Steve would never do it, but Clint was okay making hard choices. When it came to protecting his family, there wasn't much he wouldn't do.

*****A Few Weeks Later*****

Buffy was glad to see that Xander was smiling again. She, Cordy, and Bucky had dragged him to some improv-comedy club not far from the university. The two men were both actually smiling, and Buffy exchanged a look of satisfaction with Cordy.

Cordy was in that awkward position of having been in love with Xander and wanting to help him but knowing he was the last person she could help. It didn't seem fair as she knew him so well—better than Buffy. Buffy only saw Xander a certain way, so she would never know him the way Willow did or even Cordy. Xander was a far cry from the boy Cordy had dated and fallen for five years ago, but he still had that appeal that made her want to be close to him. Now there was haunted look in his eyes that she desperately wanted to take away, but she knew it wasn't her place to.

Damn that Anya. Why did she have to die?

*****Three Weeks Later*****

Buffy grinned at Bucky as they exchanged blows. His mechanical arm hurt, so she had to be quick to dodge it when they sparred. It took her two weeks before she could convince him to even spar with her. He was reluctant, but Buffy was tenacious. Finally, Xander told him to do it.

"She and Cordelia have too much history to be good sparring partners, and I'm just not in the mood," Xander said flatly. No one wanted to push Xander now, so Bucky relented. Xander was doing okay, but he was still moody and distance. Now she got Bucky to spar with her a few times since the first one.

Watching Bucky spar with Buffy for the first time made Xander smile. The guy didn't have Buffy's speed, but his footwork was better than anyone Xander had seen—even Clint's. Of course, Xander wasn't about to tell Clint that as he had noticed that Clint was not happy with Bucky's presence. Luckily, Buffy didn't notice her brother's disapproval when he was in town.

Xander had the man living in his apartment. There had been some talk about Bucky taking the extra apartment they had. However, Xander wasn't ready to be alone, and he suspected that Bucky was tired of being alone. The man was a good roommate. He was extremely neat and always cooked breakfast for Xander. The best thing about the man, though, was that he wasn't constantly looking at Xander with concerned-filled glances or asking him how he was doing. Bucky let him be. It wasn't that he was indifferent, but Xander knew the man understood pain and loss even more than Xander did. Strangely enough, Xander found his presence soothing.

However, the main reason Xander liked Bucky was that when he looked at him he sometimes saw another Bucky—the man he was before he was made into a science experience. The short-haired laughing soldier. Xander had worked for weeks along side Steve in Sunnydale and knew how Bucky had been Steve's protector before Steve became the government's experiment. Steve went from this weak and sickly man to the perfect solider. Bucky had always been the popular one Steve had told him. When Steve eclipsed Bucky in every way, the man hadn't been angry or resentful. Instead, he pulled Steve closer and watched his back, a member of the Howling Commandoes. Xander knew that spoke volumes about Bucky's character.

Now the man lost everything the way Steve had except it was so much worse. He'd been used and twisted, made into the worst kind of monster. However, Xander's inner-eye revealed that Clint could relax. Bucky's mind was his own now.

Bucky stopped sparring with Buffy when Cordelia came in. Although he'd spent two months with the group of friends, he still didn't quite understand the dynamics. Xander was a good guy—Bucky had no doubt after living with the man for eight weeks. He reminded Bucky a lot of the man he used to be—a teasing wit behind a sharp eye that noticed everything. His love for his girls, though, drove him the way Bucky used to love being a soldier and fighting with his team. It was strange to meet a man with so many women that weren't his lovers be so close to him. Bucky had never managed to be friends with women—only lovers. However, he knew that Xander had never had sexual relations with Willow, Buffy, or Cordelia. Xander had told him that although Cordelia was the first love of his life that they hadn't had actual sex before she dumped him.

Even years later, Bucky sensed a deep shame over the break-up. When he asked Xander once if he'd ever been with Buffy, Xander had grinned.

"Only in my dreams!" he said.

When Bucky raised an eyebrow (a trait Xander strangely referred to as "being Oz"), Xander explained. "I loved Buffy from the moment I met her. She was beautiful and a real hero with a mission. I signed on to her mission to stay close to her, but she friend-zoned me from the beginning. I'm sure it had to do with the girl-code. Willow was crushing on me back then, and I ignored her that way not wanting to hurt my best friend. Buffy was an easy distraction. Then I fell in lust with Cordy, and Buffy faded to the background. She's been there ever since—regardless of what others might've thought. Cordy was always jealous of Buffy, but it was Willow who broke us up. I love my girls—I'd die for them. They're my sisters, my mother, and my best friends. A part of me in away only people who know you better than you know yourself can be."

Bucky nodded after this speech, understanding. He started to comment when Xander said, "I'm glad, though, that you're here. Wesley and I will never be friends, and I never stopped missing Oz. Sometimes a guy needs another guy around. Ya know?"

Bucky had and smiled. "I do," he said simply. That conversation had happened a few weeks ago, and Bucky still didn't quite understand the group when they were together. Willow and Tara came in for the weekend. Classes were starting in a few days, and the four women were in a tizzy.

Tara came up behind him as they stood watching the four original Scoobies.

"It's hard sometimes understanding them, isn't it?" she said, smiling. The high school friends were chatting a mile a minute, talking over one another, laughing and even occasionally slapping—normally Xander.

Bucky smiled at the soothing woman. She had a presence much different than the others. In small ways, she reminded him of his late sister—sweet, kind of shy and always with a warm smile. Unlike Willow, her power was buzzing in the background, not menacing.

"Yes, they seem to have their own language," he observed, watching them.

"I've known them for two years, and sometimes I still get a little lost when they're together like this," she said.

"You didn't go to high school with them?" he asked.

Tara shook her head. "No. I met Willow her freshmen year at college," she said. "I've only recently met Cordelia—although I heard a lot of stories about her. Mostly not very nice. She wasn't really good to Willow and Xander when they were growing up. Now, she's much different."

Willow looked up and smiled at her lover, drawing her into the group. Bucky didn't feel left out really because he understood ties like this. He and his commandoes were like this.

Wesley spoke, having moved to stand off to his side. Bucky glanced at the older man in surprise. He was very watchful, and it was easy to forget he was there sometimes—an odd accomplishment. His gaze was intense and extremely intelligent.

"Going to school on the mouth of hell is a bond that is hard to penetrate," Wesley said.

Bucky nodded. "I get that," he said. "You were there, right?"

"I was there their senior year and fought the Mayor with them," he said. "Of course, I was mostly useless. I was much different then."

"I've heard," Bucky said. Buffy had told him that Wesley used to be perfectly groomed, formal with a stick up his butt. Now, he was rarely shaven, never in a tie, and sported a wicked looking scar around his neck. Whatever the man used to be, Bucky could see now he was a warrior.

"I never understood the strength of the bond back then," Wesley said. "It wasn't until I went to Los Angeles and became a part of Cordelia and Angel's group that I got it."

"You do seem closer to Cordelia than the others," Bucky observed.

"We've been to hell and back together—she and I," he said with a small smile. "She was this spoiled self-involved beauty queen, and I watched her become this brave, kind, and self-less person, willing to bear such tremendous pain in order to help people. Those visions would give her horribly painful headaches. It's why she's only half human now."

"Buffy mentioned that," Bucky said. "Trial and tribulation changes everyone, I believe. It changed you, too, right?"

"I'm sure Buffy's told you that I was not so good of a watcher for her back when we first met," he said.

"You're doing pretty good now," Buffy said, joining the two men. She put her hand on Wesley's arm and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

"Thanks," Wesley said. "We were just talking about how far we've all come. How close you all are and how Cordelia and I went through our own fires in Los Angeles."

"Ain't that the truth," Cordelia said, turning at the mention of her name. "Wes finally pulled that stick out of his ass, and he got laid a bunch by some really hot women and one soulless bitch."

Wesley winced at the reference to Lilah.

"What? Wesley had women? Spill!" Buffy demanded.

"And on that note, I think it's time to start patrolling," Wesley said.

Buffy and Cordelia laughed. "Just when it's getting good!" Buffy protested.

"Let Bucky and Xander pair up, and you and I can share all the Wesley gossip," Cordelia said.

"I wanna hear the good gossip!" Xander protested.

"Me, too!" Willow said.

"Wesley, Tara and I will take the south end of town," Bucky said.

Tara grinned. "That sounds fine," she said.

The four friends eagerly grabbed weapons and left.

Wesley sighed. "They're incorrigible," he remarked.

Bucky had to smile. "I haven't heard that word used since I was boy," he said in bemusement.

"It's not really a word Americans use anymore," Tara agreed.

"I bet your mother or teachers used it to describe you," Wesley guessed.

Bucky's smile got wider. "Actually, Sister Mary Lois used it weekly in school," he said.

"Ah, a fellow Catholic-school boy," Wesley said.

Bucky might've come to Ohio for Buffy, but he was finding that he really liked her friends.

*****A Week Later*****

Xander finished another shift of work and drove to the Magic Box. Wesley was running it for him because he didn't know what to do with it. How could he sell it when it was Anya's?

"Hey," he said, greeting Wesley.

"Good evening. How was work?" Wesley asked. "I was about to close up and head to dinner."

"Work was good," Xander said. "How's things here? Is this worth keeping open? It was Anya's, and I don't want to close it. But I don't want to run it either."

"Actually, it's not too bad. Anya designed a great website for both her shops, so she gets quite a bit of online orders. The manager she hired in Sunnydale handles most of those," Wesley said. "The hellmouth here isn't as big, but the town is larger. In fact, I was thinking we should hire a part-time worker."

"Really?" Xander said. "You think it's busy enough?" he asked.

"Well, you work on Saturdays, and we close Sunday and Monday. However, I really don't want to keep working so much here," Wesley said. "I, like Rupert, find it a useful endeavor. Yet my job is to be Buffy's watcher. The Council pays me for that, and I do have to write reports and research."

"Hey, no argument from me," Xander said. "I'm just glad you're here to help me. If you need to hire three people, hire them. I'm okay with that completely."

"I will make up some flyers for the girls to take to campus," Wesley said.

"Why not take out an ad on Craigslist?" Xander suggested.

Wesley frowned in disapproval. "I want an intelligent person who can follow instruction," he said. "College students are intelligent and normally conscientious."

Xander shrugged. "Fine with me," he said. "Let me know when you hire someone, so I don't freak out when I come in a see a stranger."

"You don't want to interview them yourself?" Wesley asked.

Xander shook his head. "Nah. I wouldn't know what to do. Make sure they're open minded about the supernatural and such," he said. "No need to traumatize someone who ends up seeing things that scar them for life while here."

Wesley smiled. "True," he said.

Buffy and Bucky came in. "Hey. What's going on this evening?" Buffy asked.

"I was about to go to dinner. Have you eaten?" Wesley asked.

"Yep. I took Bucky to that Thai place around the corner. He wasn't a fan," Buffy said with a smirk.

"I still can't feel my tongue," Bucky remarked.

Buffy smirked. "You going to eat with Wes?" she asked Xander.

"Yea, I don't feel like cooking," Xander said. "We're going to get a part-time helper here. If you or Cordy have a classmate that needs a job, send them to Wes."

"Cool," Buffy said.

"How's classes going?" Wesley asked her.

Buffy shrugged. "It's just the first week. Too soon to tell," she said. "I don't think any of my professors are mad scientists doing experiments on the demon population, but it's too soon to tell!"

Xander snorted. "Don't try out for any sports teams. They could be wackos, too!" he said.

"Are you referring to the swim coach in Sunnydale who turned his players into fish men?" Wesley asked. "I read about that in Rupert's journal."

"Fun times," Xander said. "I can still hold my breath for three minutes."

"Don't tell Cordy. You'll freak her out," Buffy said with a snicker. "She'll start looking for webbed feet."

"Where is our princess?" Xander asked.

"Did she tell you about Pylea finally?" Buffy said with a grin. "Leave it to Cordy to get named ruler of a demon dimension! She's already got a paper she wanted to get a head start on. Bucky and I are doing the patrolling tonight."

"Are you sure?" Xander asked.

"Yep," Buffy said. "You two can handle tomorrow. Bucky's going to take me out for our first date tomorrow."

Bucky looked surprised. "I am?" he asked.

Buffy put her hand on her hip and looked up at him with a determined gleam in her eye. "Yes. You've been here a month, and I think it's time. Don't you?" she asked pointedly.

Bucky felt a bit embarrassed and nodded. "Sure," he said. He and Buffy were spending all kinds of time together, but he never crossed the line. It'd been a long time for him, and he had wanted to make sure that he was back to himself. Neither of them was in a hurry, but it seemed that Buffy was now ready.

He would be, too.

*****The Next Evening******

Bucky were a pair of black jeans with a nice shirt on his date with Buffy. She wore a long skirt with a skimpy top that showed just a hint of her stomach, making his heart race. Her hair was free flowing the way that he liked it.

"You look beautiful," he said, smiling down at her.

"You don't look half bad yourself," she said. He'd even shaved, showing off that incredible face of his to perfection. His hair was tied back. "I've never seen you look so neat."

"Well, I don't remember everything, but I do recall that it's customary for the man to make some effort with his appearance on a date," Bucky said. He held out his hand to Buffy.

Buffy put her hand in his, smiling brightly. The thing between them was new, but she could feel how powerful it was already. Somehow, she knew that this was just the beginning.

*****Asgard*****

Frigga could tell something was troubling her husband. "What is wrong, husband?" she asked.

"I worry about Midgard," he admitted. "There is a darkness spreading. An ancient enemy is moving across the land. The hellmouth in Sunnydale is going to face its darkest challenge yet. The slayer should not have been brought back. She has upset the balance too much."

"Is there anything that can be done?" Frigga asked. "Loki worries much for Tara."

"He wishes to be on Midgard," Odin said.

Frigga nodded. "He cares much for Tara, and you know how little he cares for anyone," she said. "It is good that he worries about her. She has helped change him for the better."

"I believe Lady Cordelia holds his fancy, too," Odin remarked. "At least she is not as frail as most humans as she is part celestial."

"You know they believe her to be part demon," Frigga said.

Odin smiled. "Yes, that fits what they know, but Cordelia—like Alexander—has been touched by a god. Her sight is divine, so she cannot be demonic," he said.

"They understand little the nature of such things," Frigga said.

Loki, who had come into the throne room, overheard their remarks and stepped into view. "I understand such things," he said. "I could help them—monitor the hellmouths and keep an eye on Alexander and Cordelia as well as Tara."

"You know the humans do not want you on Earth," Odin reminded him.

"What if I did not go as myself?" Loki asked. "I am a master of disguise. They would not know it is I."

Odin considered his adopted sons request. Could he trust his wayward son? Was the change in him real? "Your brother is on Earth. He can help them if they need it," Odin said.

"Thor is a hammer and knows nothing of subtlety," Loki argued. "If things become dire, he is good in a fight. However, can he anticipate when one is coming or know who or wht to watch? I can. I will not harm any human. Let me prove to you that I really have changed. Give me the same grace you showed Thor."

Odin contemplated Loki, glancing at his wife, who offered a slight nod. He knew what she favored, and he let out a sigh. "Fine, Loki. I will allow this. However, know that I will have Heimdall watching you closely. If you seek to build power for yourself or harm or enslave any human, you will be brought home and imprisoned again," he warned.

Loki smiled. "I will behave. I promise," he said, holding out his hand for Odin.

"I hope so, my son," Odin said.

Loki hugged his mother and moved quickly away before his father could change his mind.

Finally, he would get to be back on Midgard. This time as a friend and not a ruler.

Loki never considered how his own presence might alter things.

Odin looked at his wife. "I'm not sure this is the right course of action," he said.

"It is," Frigga assured him. "Loki is brilliant, and he actually wants to help. I think he will surprise everyone."

Odin hoped she was right. Would he help the evil that was spreading or would he aid it? Would the evil notice his son's presence and pull Loki into its web?

Time would tell.

*****The End*****

I hope you enjoyed the latest installment. Take a minute to drop me a review. The next story will be the long one that focuses on BTVS season 7 except it will draw in the Avengers. It won't be posted until I've written a bit of it. Follow me, and you'll know when I post the next sequel. Thanks so much for reading!