Hey guys.

I hope the wait wasn't too bad. :)

But here you go! And oh, I do not own Avengers.

Chapter 9:

False Safely

She was warm and comfortable, which she hadn't felt in a long time. Toni felt safe sleeping in what had to be a bed, as no couch was this comfortable though some of her couches in her labs could compete. She hadn't felt this way in a long time. Even after she had let the Avengers in, she hadn't felt like this. She couldn't really be herself around them as she felt like they were always judging her. She knew she could be imagining it all, but she had seen theirs eyes. She had seen Rogers' eyes, which could always shoot right through her.

"Sleep headache," she muttered to herself. "I must've slept too long." She laughed as she thought about her sleeping patterns. Usually, she never slept this much, only having about 4 hours of sleep a night if that. She had been yelled at so many times about it by every single Avenger and…Pepper. Toni would rather face each Avenger and even Loki than face an angry Pepper.

Slowly opening her eyes, Toni played with the idea that this whole time traveling thing was just a nightmare, but she knew that wasn't the case. As soon as she opened her eyes, she knew she was still living in this nightmare. Yes, she considered this situation to be a total nightmare. She wouldn't call this her worst fear, but it was one of her fears. She was totally alone with no idea of how to get back. For once in her life, her brain was letting her down.

She grimaced as she pushed herself up into a sitting position with her good arm. It was difficult because she was in some extreme pain. "I need meds," she told to herself. She didn't like that because she didn't want to get addicted to that stuff, which could happen if she took too much. "Stupid arm," she muttered. "Can I just crop it off? Who needs an arm?"

Toni kicked the blankets off her and swung her feet off the bed. "Wait, why am I in a bed?" She remembered leaving the apartment, while Barnes and Rogers argued over her. Usually, she didn't mind when men fought over her, but she didn't like that they were fighting over her. They were best friends. She closed her eyes, trying to remember what happened. "Oh, I was sitting down in the lobby, when I fell asleep. They must've come across me. URGH!" She shook her head as she remembered Barnes kneeing beside her. "I so need to get out of here." She wondered for a second as to why he brought her back. Barnes didn't even want her here to begin with and she didn't blame him.

"This rooms so needs a makeover," she stated, taking a long look around. Nothing in the room really matched, and it all looked like it came from a junk yard. "…Wait, is this Rogers' room?" Was Rogers in the lobby as well? She didn't see him but he must've been if she ended up in his room. Why did they have to put her in his room? And where did he sleep? He must've slept in the couch like a little champ. Did he just want to show the world that he was perfect? "Rogers," she muttered, annoyed. She knew she was judging him with a bias opinion, but she didn't want to see him as any other way. In her eyes, he couldn't just be a nice guy, who generally cared about her. He had to be the know-it-all bastard, who had to point out everything that she did done wrong. He had to be an egoist asshole, who had to save someone every single day. "Stupid, Rogers."

However, she had to give it to Rogers: he knew how to make a room comfortable. His room had a homely feeling that her tower so dearly missed. He had more pictures in this one room than she did in her whole tower and that was saying something. "He looks happy," she said, picking up a photo of him and, who she assumed to be, his parents. They looked like one big happy family, and that annoyed Toni, who slammed the photo down a little too hard. The glass shattered. "Shit," she muttered, feeling like an idiot.

She tried to fit the broken glass back into the frame, though it was pointless. He would surely notice…though he would probably say it was nothing even if it was. It was something he did just to avoid hurting her feelings. Again, that annoyed her. Why did he have to be so perfect?! "Why do you always lose your temper, Stark?" she asked herself, knowing that she wasn't perfect at all. Why was she jealous of Rogers? "Because…" Toni took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. He had everything. He had a loving family and the respect that she dreamt of. There was also the fact that he got the attention from her father that she always wanted. He was everything her father wanted, while she was nothing. He had a whole nation that loved him, while she had a whole nation that wanted to see her fail. How did he get to be so lucky?

Getting to her feet, she crossed to the mirror in the room, which she was surprised he had. Toni took a long look at herself, and she had to give it to herself. She did beat Rogers in one thing, even if she was a hot mess, and that was being hot. Roger couldn't even touch that; however, she knew at this time (still unsure of what year it was) though, he was cuter. "Toni, Toni. What am I going to do with you?" she asked with a small smile.

She patted herself on the cheek before running her good hand through her messy hair. "Stupid hair." It was a mess and she had no way to fix it. "Maybe, I should just cut it all off," she told herself as she combed her hair with her hands. Pepper wouldn't be here to stop her. She eyed a pair of scissors at the end of the dresser, and after a few seconds of staring, she reached for them. She brought it to her hair, but she couldn't do it. Sure, she didn't care what her hair looked like, but she didn't want to slaughter it, which was what would happen if she cut it herself.

"Chicken," she called herself. She took another deep breath as pulled down her shirt to stare at her chest. Her Arc Reactor wasn't as bright as it was supposed to be, which scared the shit out of her, and she had none of the proper tools to fix it. Even in the cave, she had resources, but here, there was nothing. Did the tools she need even exist here? She could die if she didn't get to that device in time. "How much time do I have?" she asked herself. She would have to keep an eye on it and hope she would get to her device in time.

Toni released her shirt, allowing it to hide the reactor. Maybe, it was a good thing it wasn't as bright. "Toni, keep it together," she told herself. She had to keep her head on her shoulder if she wanted to get through this. She lowered her head to the dresser and rested it there for a few seconds. "Need to act like a Stark…like a Stark," she repeated. She didn't know what it really meant to act like a Stark though. "I can wing it like I always do."

Picking herself back up, she decided to face them. "I'm really a child, ain't I?" Shaking her head, she headed out. Toni opened the door slowly to not alert anyone to her presence. She wanted to scope things out first before talking to them. From Rogers' bedroom only the small kitchen was visible, and from what she could see, there was no one in there. Toni stepped out slowly, still keeping an eye out. Maybe, I can sneak out now before anyone knows I'm gone, she thought to herself. Yea, but you don't have shoes. They took them from you, she countered. Toni glanced down at her feet. She was still wearing her hospital soaks, which were an ugly color of gray.

She shook her head. "Toni, keep focus." Rogers had always said that she got distracted way too easily, and she would yell at him each time he said it, but now, she guessed he was right. She glanced around the room before rounding the corner, which brought the rest of the small apartment into view. To her joy, she didn't see anyone, which was weird. Why would anyone leave a stranger alone in their home? That was just stupid. "Idiots."

Shaking her head, she noticed a newspaper on the table. "Great, now I can see what year this is." She picked up the paper, but she didn't look at it. Underneath the newspaper was a white letter like paper. She knew she shouldn't look at it as it wasn't her business but she couldn't help it. She never could mind her own business, which she was yelled at constantly about.

Toni picked up the paper. "These are enlistment papers," she stated, as she glanced them over. These papers belonged to Barnes, which wasn't all too surprising. Though the Captain didn't speak about it, she knew Barnes had enlisted and died in the war. It was the push that Rogers needed, but she wouldn't wish that on anyone. "You know you can change that," she said to herself. She had the power to rewrite history. Sighing, she knew she couldn't do that, and she put the paper down.

"Noisy, are we?" Barnes asked, leaning against the bathroom door. He had a toothbrush in his mouth.

She almost jumped, not noticing him there. She didn't even hear him, which annoyed her. "When are you leaving?" she asked, ignoring his insult. "Does Rogers know you are leaving?"

"Two weeks and no," he answered eyeing her. He took the toothbrush out of his mouth and held it in his hand

"Why didn't you tell him?" she asked, knowing this would upset the Shrimp. Rogers and Barnes were close, and it would hurt him to know that his friend was going to war and could possibly lose his life, while he couldn't do anything. There was also the fact that Barnes was keeping it from him.

"I'll tell him when I need to," he stated. He sounded annoyed.

"When's that? When you're leaving?" she asked, showing him her spunk. "You think that's better?"

Putting the brush down, Barnes straightened himself up and walked to her. "I know, but I can't tell him," he said as he ripped the papers out of her hands. "Just let it be." It was surprising that it didn't give her paper cuts.

She took a deep breath, knowing she should let this go. If she pushed, she might change history or make him mad. Maybe, Rogers wasn't supposed to know to a certain time. "Okay," she agreed. "But…" She shook her head. She needed to let this go. "Fine."

After putting the papers up, he stepped back to her. "How are you?" he asked. His voice was softer all of the sudden. "Are you in pain?" He stared at the cast before his eyes rested on her face.

Toni followed his eyes for a second, wondering if he was looking at her boobs. "I'm fine."

"I can see you're uncomfortable."

"Maybe, it's just you."

"Ouch," he mocked. "That hurt." He was smiling. "I thought we could be friends."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you flirting with me, Mr. Barnes?" she teased with a wink. If he wanted to play the flirting game with her, she would, and she would have him crying mercy.

He smiled at her. "Why? Do you want me to? I can."

Barnes was smirking at her. Smirking at her! She was a Stark. How dare he smirk at a Stark like that? "Large ego, I see."

"Is there a problem with that?" Again, he was smirking.

If she didn't find that completely sexy, it would be totally annoying. She shook her head as she tried to clear her mind of the dirty images that flooded it. There were so many things that she could do to that man, and she wasn't sure if half of them were legal. "So why did you bring me back?" she asked, changing the subject. She didn't want to answer his question.

His smile faded slightly. "Neither I nor Steve were going to leave you down there," he admitted. "Something could've happened to you."

"No one would've blamed you," she said as she turned to the door. Where are my shoes? "Where's Rogers?" If she timed this right, she might get away before he came back. Where she would go after that, she wasn't sure.

"Work," he answered. "Leaving so soon?"

She turned back to Barnes, who was leaning back against the counter. "I don't want to impose."

"Where would you go?"

There was another question she didn't want to answer, because she had no answer. "So you're going to let me go without a fuss?" That shocked her.

Barnes took a deep breath. "I'm not Steve." There was a half-smile. "If you want to go, then go. I won't stop you, but you don't have to."

Toni took a long look at him, trying to read him, but she couldn't get anything from him.

"You never answered my question. Where would you go? I know you don't have anywhere to go."

She shot him a glare. "Don't think that you know me, because you don't." She hated when people thought they knew her, because no one knew her. No one at all.

"I see."

"You see what?" she asked as she stepped away. She needed to calm herself.

"You don't like to accept help."

Calm down, Stark. Once second, he had her hot and bothered, and the next, he had her pissed. I need to get out. She took a deep breathe. "Why does that matter?" she asked. Turning, she noticed a bag sitting on the table. She wondered for a second what was inside of it. Toni exhaled as she turned away.

"Steve and I both agreed you can stay with us until you get on your feet."

Toni gave him a questioning look, but she didn't say anything. She wanted to bring up the fact that he would be leaving in two weeks and he wouldn't be here to see her get back on her feet, but she thought that was a bad idea.

"What's with the look?" Barnes asked as he stepped toward her.

"Nothing." Toni eyed him. She held her breath as she watched his eyes drifted down to her chest. For a second, she thought he was looking at her boobs again, but he was looking at the spot where the reactor was located. "You're looking at my chest again and there's nothing to see. I'm not showing anything." Her shirt was hiding her chest.

Barnes turned slight red as he turned away. "I-I…wasn't looking. I thought I saw something."

"On my chest?" she asked. She hid her worry about him finding out about the reactor. He would probably think she was some kind of freak.

He shook his head. "I thought I saw something." Toni laughed as his face was red. "So will you stay? You don't have to stay if you don't want to, but accepting help isn't a bad thing."

"I'll stay if you stop asking and if you tell Rogers about your enlistment," she said, poking the beast.

"There you go again," he said annoyed.

"What? I think he would like to know so he can make the best out of these two weeks. He's your best friend."

"I know." He took a deep breath. "Fine. I will."

"YAY," she cheered, almost jumping.

Barnes stared at her, unsure what to make of her. "You have some energy. What do you use that for?" He winked at her, causing her to blush.

"You have a dirty mind on you, Mr. Barnes."

He laughed. "I have been told that."

She narrowed her eyes. "I see."

Barnes laughed again. "Do you want to take a walk with me?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I have nothing to wear," she stated, pointing to her outfit. She looked like some hippy chick in what she was wearing, and she wouldn't be caught dead wearing this outside. Even in the past, she was still a Stark and she still had standards. "Do you see what I'm wearing?" she asked.

"Go check that bag."

She turned to the bag that she spotted earlier and took a look inside. "What? Where did these come from?" she asked. There were a few different outfits in the bag for her, and to her dismay, there was no pants. There was one pot-a-dot dress, one grey dress, two blouses and one skirt. At the bottom of the bag, was a pair of black flats. At lease, there're no heels. She hated heels. "Where did these come from?"

"Steve thought you would need some clothes to change into."

"Rogers didn't have to do that," she said looking at the clothes. He really didn't have to do it, because now, she owed him.

Barnes waved it off. "That's who he is. He's a perfect gentleman, while I'm the bad guy." Again, he was smiling.

"I can see that," she chucked as she picked up the bag, knowing she couldn't turn it down. She would need to blend into the 1940's if she wanted to keep her secret. Plus, she would pay Rogers back, but if she really thought about it, didn't she already do that? He was living in her Stark Tower, which she had refused to call the Avenger Tower like everyone else had been. Until SHIELD started to pay the bill, Toni refused to call it anything but Stark Tower. "But you know. I like the bad guys." She showed him her winning smile.

"Who's flirting now?"

"Let's me get changed, and we can take a walk."

"If you need help, let me know. I would be glad to assist."

"Geez," Toni joked. "You're such a tease. Does your mother know you act like this?" She walked toward Rogers' room to change. The hospital bag with all of her things was in there, so she could just put them all together.

Barnes took a seat at the table and picked up the newspapers. "Nope, but what she doesn't know can't hurt her." Even though her back was to him, she knew he was smiling.

*O*O*

She laid out all of the outfits on the bed, as she was unsure which one to put on. Each was too girly for him, but at least they had high neck lines, which would hide the fading reactor. "Let's go with the dresses, because it would be too much work with the skirt," she moaned. She hated dresses, and she knew the future Rogers would be having a kick out of this. He had told her once that he had always wanted to see her in a dress, as he had never seen her in a dress. He wasn't even sure she owned a dress. She did of course (thanks to Pepper), but they were hidden in her closet.

"And lets just go with the pot-a-dots," she said. That one had a zipper in the back, while the other dress had buttons going all the way up the front. She could handle the zipper while buttons would give her trouble. Though she stumbled a few times, she managed to get out of her clothes.

"What do they have me in?" she asked herself as she looked at the bra and panties she wore. The white bra didn't have any shape to it as it coved half of her chest. It also made her look flat chested. "Not like I had any boobs to begin with," she muttered to herself. The bra matched the ugly panties she was wearing, which almost looked like shorts. It went past her belly button. "I so need to get out of this."

She took them off with no issue, but again, it was torture to put anything on. Her black boy short panties were easy to put on, but that couldn't be said about her black bra, which was fighting her. "Stupid bra," she cursed. She was able to clip it in the front, but it was the rotating that she was having an issue with. As she struggled, she felt against the bed, making a lot of noise.

"Are you okay in there?" Barnes called from outside the door.

"I'm fine!" she yelled back, finally realizing how to rotate the bra. After a few minutes of struggling, she was able to get it on properly. "There, we go." She smiled as she looked in the mirror. "See, I look much better."

Though she wasn't a girly girl in any shape or form, she still tried to keep herself looking hot. She smiled, because even with a cast, she still looked good. The cast could not hide the fact that there was no fat on her body, but it couldn't hide the scars eithers. A one long one down her left side could be seen. Shaking her head, she turned back to the bed and picked up the dress she was going to wear. She set it on the ground and stepped into it. She was able to put it all the way up and slip her arms into it, but she couldn't zip it. She needed both arms for that. "I guess I could ask Barnes to zip it for me," she said as she looked in the mirror.

The dress had a high neck, which covered the reactor, but that didn't mean it was hidden. Toni was staring at her chest looking for any hints of the blue glow. "I can see it," she muttered. "Or maybe, I can see it because I know it's there. Yep, that's it," she announced. It really wasn't that noticeable and no one would notice it unless they were looking for it.

Stepping into the black flats, she crossed to the door. "Barnes, can you help me with this?" she asked as she opened the door.

He was still sitting at the table, reading the newspaper. He looked up at her and his mouth almost dropped, because she looked amazing in the dress. "…Help with what?"

She walked toward him. The short sleeve dress went a few inches below her knees, and it hugged her body. "Can you zip this for me?" She asked as she showed him her back.

"Sure," he said, a little shaky. He stood and walked to her. He put one of his hands on the back of her neck to hold the dress together, and he placed the other on her lower back.

Holding up her hair, Toni could feel his cold hand on her back and his hot breath on her neck. "All good?" she asked as she felt him go all the way up. He was getting her hot again. Damn hormone, she thought to herself. This is what happens when I don't have sex in months. She really couldn't remember the last time she had sex, which was surprising for her. It was weird for her to have sex nowadays with the reactor in her chest.

"Yes," he stated as he walked away.

"Thanks. Let me do something with this hair and we can go." He nodded as he went back to the table.

*O*O*

Toni was back in front of the mirror, glaring at her hair. It was a total mess, and there wasn't thing that she could really do with so. "Maybe, I should cut it." She exhaled as she rubbed her temple. "Ew," she groaned as she noticed her wrist. There was dried blood crusted onto her wrist from when she tried to escape from the handcuff. She had forgotten that she had cut her wrist. "I should clean that, but first the hair."

She turned from the mirror looking around the room for something that she could use. On the window, she noted a rubber band, which she knew would rip out her hair, but she had no choice. Though she wanted to put it in a bun, she settled for a low pony tail, which wasn't all that neat. However, she was happy with her work and headed to the restroom. She noticed Barnes eyeing her, but he didn't say anything to her.

When she got to the restroom, she turned on the water and ran the water over her wrist. It stung on contact. After a little work, she was able to get the caked on blood off, but the cuts were visible. "Hopefully, no one notices," she prayed. She didn't want the questions that would come along with it. "At least it isn't as bad as my face," she smiled. Though her hair had hid most of the injury, there was a bit that was still showing. "At least the bruises are gone." She didn't have to hide them with make-up that she hated.

Putting on the biggest smile, she walked out to meet Barnes, who had agreed her with a big smile. It would have been fun to get to know him if you knew what she meant, but she couldn't do that.

*O*O*

Toni and Barnes had just taken a seat in a booth at a diner. "It looks like an old fifty dinner," she smiled as she took the coat she was wearing off. Barnes had offered to help her, but she had turned him down. She didn't need any help with the perfectly fitting coat that she had borrowed from Rogers.

"What would a fifty dinner look like?" he asked her. His eye brow was raised as he stared at her. "I think there would be aliens or something, right?" He laughed.

Idiot! She yelled at herself. "I meant…" What could she really say to that? Oops, I meant thirties. She didn't think that would work. She took her head as she exhaled slowly. "Mistake of the tongue. Not sure what I meant," she smiled. She tried to hide it with a laugh

Again, he was staring at her.

"So is this place any good?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"You have a funny way of saying things."

She raised her eye brow and again, she cursed in her mind. She really didn't belong in this time period, and she would go crazy if she stayed here for too long. "Because I'm awesome."

"And you have a health ego," he replied as the waitress placed two glasses in front of them. "Give us a few minutes. We have a friend joining."

Toni had almost forgotten about Rogers joining them, and she was not looking forward for that. She couldn't even last a minute with him without an insult or a lecture. "He better hurry. I'm hungry," she chuckled.

"Where do you put it all?" he asked, looking her over. They had stopped to eat once before and she out ate him, which was very difficult. He could eat.

Toni simply smiled.

"And there's that face."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What's with my face?" she asked. "I think my face is just fine! Thank you!" Her voice carried, making a few heads turn. Blood pooled in her cheeks as she felt eyes on her. Barnes laughed, making her turn away. She tried to calm down by distracting herself by the people on the streets. Just when she was about to turn back, she noticed someone on the corner. He looks familiar. She thought to herself.

"Are you okay?" Barnes asked, noticing that something was up with her.

She turned back to him. "I'm fine," she smiled. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes as she tried to remember where she saw that man from.

"Are you sure?" he asked, inching his hand closer to her.

"Crystal," she said, tensed. It came back at her like a ton of bricks. She remembered where she had seen him before: the hardware shop. Earlier Barnes and she had visited the shop, and she had thought that she was going crazy when she had spotted the same man outside looking at her. She had thought she was paranoid, but now, she knew she wasn't. "I'll be back. Have to use the little girl's room," she announced getting up. She didn't know why he was following her but she was going to find out.

The strange man turned and started to walk away.

"Okay," he smiled.

*O*O*

Toni didn't know how she had lost the man, when she had followed him down an alley way before she lost him. "Shit," she cursed. "Now, that bastard got me lost." She looked around, trembling from the cold. She had forgotten to pick up the coat as she bolted out the dinner. Even if she did, Barnes would've notice and she didn't want to explain why she was chasing after some stranger.

Folding her arms against her chest, she tried to warm herself as she trekked back to the dinner, or at lease she tried to. She had no idea of where she was. "Stupid Bastard," she muttered again, not caring about the weird looks she was getting. People probably thought she was crazy and she would agree with them. She never thought things through, which often got her in trouble.

As she turned a corner, she felt a pair of eyes on her and she turned quickly, looking for the eyes. "Where are you?" she asked. Her eyes scanned the crowd. "Wait," she breathed as she noticed a man shifted. She knew it might not be anything as anyone can shift, but his shifting was uncomfortable and it drew her eyes. It was unnatural. Not wanting him to know she was following, she turned slowly and eyed him until he was a few feet away. "You shouldn't do this, Stark," she told herself. It was very foolish to chase after someone when she had a broken arm, because it would be very easy for someone to overtake her. As he turned a corner, Toni picked up her speed, so she wouldn't lose him. When she finally turned the same corner, she noticed him was a few blocks around. "Shit," she cursed.

Just as she was about to run, someone placed her hand on her shoulder, almost sending her a few feet into the air. It made her want to punch the person in the face. No one touched her without permission. Toni turned to face the person, and to her surprised, Rogers was standing there. Much to her annoyance, she saw concern in his eyes. "Rogers."

"What are you doing out here without a coat? Why aren't you at the dinner with Bucky?" he asked. There was annoyance in his tone.

It pissed her off that he was mad at her. Why was he allowed to be angry at her for being out without a coat? She was a growth ass woman and she didn't need a parent. Calm yourself, she told herself. She shouldn't be angry at him for getting in her way as he didn't know she was following someone, but it was hard, very hard. "I'm fine," she said harshly.

He started to fuss with his jacket. "Do you-"

Toni eyed him. He's really a sweet heart, isn't he? "No, I don't, but thank you." She put on a smile, trying to not snap. Someone had been watching her and she had a chance to get him.

"Toni, I-"

She waved him off, but she knew he wouldn't be happy without an explanation. "I'm fine. I…just thought I saw someone I knew so I bolted out of the dinner, but I was wrong. I guess my memory is still fuzzy," she lied.

"I see."

"Let's get back to Barnes. He's probably worried."

"I bet he is."

*O*O*

When they got back to the diner, Barnes didn't say anything to Toni besides asking if she fell in. He didn't say anything about her disappearance during the whole meal, but she knew he was curious. He had been eyeing her the whole time, and it made Toni slightly uncomfortable, but she didn't say anything. She didn't want to talk about it in front of Rogers, and it was clear that Barnes didn't want to either.

"So how was your day, Bucky?" Rogers asked, after he had finished his meal. He was sitting next to Toni, who was picking at her food. She hadn't eaten much.

"I got everything that I needed done today," he answered as he pushed his plate away. "But I think Toni's day was better."

Toni looked up from her dish and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why? What happened?" Rogers asked, looking at her.

"I got a job at Nick's Tools and Garden," she answered. When she had entered the hardware shop, she didn't think she would walk out with the job, but she didn't mind. It would give her access to the tools that she could use to fix her reactor (not that she thought it was possible) and the unnamed device if she ever got it back from her father.

"I tell you, Steve. This one's a genius," Barnes said.

Toni took a deep breath. "I don't know if I would call myself that." Yes, she would call herself that to anyone who would listen, but she didn't need James Barnes to tell her that. She knew already. She had countless IQ tests done on her since she was small. She had been putting mainframes together since she was four, but they didn't need to know that.

"I thought Nick was going to explode when you went calculated all that stuff in your head," Barnes stated. "It was unbelievable so see her calculate every person's in that buildings totals in her head."

Rogers looked at her. "Why did she do that?"

"Nick pissed me off and I wanted to proof that I could, so I did," Toni smiled.

"And after that, he offered me a job," Toni smiled.

"I never want to piss you off," Barnes said. "You bite."

"Bite hard," Toni added with a smile. She took a look at Barnes, who was still eyeing her. Does he expect something? She wondered. She knew Rogers, Mr. Nice Guy, would never expect anything from a lady, but that could not be said about Barnes, who seemed to be already expecting something.

All of the sudden, she felt a pair of eyes on her again, and she turned toward the window. There he was again, staring at her.

Big Smile. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Updated.