The Avengers did indeed take the day off the next day and Bucky kept Marley in his apartment, mostly in his bed, where in his mind, she belonged. He'd been alone for so long, untouched for so long and Marley felt so good. Marley was so easy to be with. In his heart of hearts, he just wanted to keep her.

Like him, Marley didn't have much of a past life to reminisce about. As weeks passed, it finally dawned on him that she had no one else - just him. At least he had Steve. So many times, their conversations drifted down lonely paths of getting-to-know-you. When her stories ended in awkward silence, he could understand. Sometimes he'd lighten things up with tales of the trouble he and Steve used to get into. Sometimes he'd just pull her into his arms.

It made him happy how well she got along with Steve. His best friend came over to talk after missions and Marley often stayed, busied herself with tidying up even though she didn't have to. Sometimes, she joined them, sitting quietly at the end of the couch just listening. Marley was quietly supportive, and her manners were impressive for a girl these days. Since that was true, she was Captain America approved and the big goofy grins he gave her when she fangirled over his stories truly made Bucky laugh. She gave Steve hope just maybe there was another girl like her out there for him.

Most importantly, he knew Steve would watch over her if something were ever to happen to him.

The only issue they had were living quarters. Bucky wanted her to live with him.

Marley practically lived with him anyway. For whatever reason, she wasn't willing to give up her space. It confused him. Sure, he'd had nightmares, some Steve had to come help, but no injuries to her. They didn't fight. Her training had been going along well, she was even learning to defend herself without her powers. Bucky was proud of how far she'd come. Stark and his team kept an eye on her physiology. So far, no problems at all.

But a guy always wants what he can't have. He wanted her to live with him and since his cross, grumpy self always sent her scurrying to her apartment every time, he decided on a campaign of seduction instead. He stared at her door, wishing he had more time before his meeting to apologize for his behavior before training that morning.

He'd gotten called into a meeting about a bigger mission they would be heading for soon. Some of the intel Shuri had been able to pull from his head had led them to one of HYDRA'S cells. Bucky wasn't always included in the meetings, usually, he just followed Steve's lead. Something about the mood of the meeting felt different.

"So, we're dealing with a good number of soldiers guarding what should be a heavy payload. The information in that center is a roadmap to every HYDRA sleeper cell and outpost that exists. We need to extract that intel and get out fast," Steve told them. Then he looked over at Tony. "I need everyone I can get on this one. If we can take care of HYDRA now, we can focus on Thanos when he comes for us."

Tony nodded, and Bucky actually felt bad for the guy. Pepper had just moved back into the compound and they all knew she didn't want him on any more missions but this one? From what Steve just described, yeah, they'd definitely need him.

That was when Bucky noticed Steve was now looking to him. It took Bucky a minute to get what Steve wanted.

"No," Bucky said with feeling. "She's not going."

"Buck," Steve was in Captain mode. "We really need Marley on this one."

"Not with HYDRA in play, no." Bucky wasn't budging. Steve had agreed that she wouldn't be involved in missions involving HYDRA. Why was he going back on that now? "I can't take that risk."

Steve's sigh was a quiet echo around the room. "Buck, I know I told you I'd try to keep her out of anything to do with HYDRA but this is too important. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't."

Bucky glared at his best friend. "I. Can't. Lose. Her."

Steve held his gaze, the pain there for Bucky to see on his face. He knew Steve didn't want him to lose her. On some level, he understood that Steve didn't feel there was a choice else they wouldn't be there. None of them gathered there made a sound.

"Hey," Tony drew his attention to him. For once, Stark looked completely serious. "I understand. I think anyone here would feel the same way. But Marley is… well, she's pretty powerful. For a while now Vision, Wanda, and Thunderman over there have been our heavy hitters. But Marley? Hell, just maybe we could just put her on the ground once we have the intel and let her blow them off the map."

"Aye, he's right," Thor joined in. "Let her destroy them. They will be able to hurt no one else as they have her or you. Give it thought."

Bucky said nothing. He understood why they were there, the Avengers. There for the greater good. Yeah, he'd busted his ass on dozens of missions for the greater good. He'd taken bullets, had the shit scared out of him in thinking he'd lost friends, been in situations that he wouldn't have survived as a regular guy. And somehow, he'd made it out of every single shit storm they'd sent him into without asking for anything.

They'd accepted him as one of them, even before Marley arrived. And he'd been grateful.

Marley had changed everything. She was everything to him. If HYDRA took her now…

Rising from his chair, Bucky only looked at Steve. "I'll do whatever you want me to, but she's not going."

And with that he left the room, he had nothing else to say.

He still had nothing to say when he got back to his apartment. He stared at her door for a moment. He'd brought up her moving in with him again. She'd been evasive again. He'd gotten frustrated and shown the bad side of his temper. He knew he should apologize and he would. But not right now.

Right now, he wanted to go into his apartment and fume because everything had put him in a mood. He hated to say no to Steve on anything. But putting Marley even remotely close to anything HYDRA related, he wouldn't allow.

Deciding to take some time to cool down, he went into his apartment for a nap.

Pounding on his door woke him. Bucky scrubbed at his face, absently reaching over in his bed for Marley only she wasn't there. Frowning at that, Bucky pulled himself up from bed to see who was beating the hell out of his door.

Steve stood there, his expression grave.

"What?" Bucky grumbled.

"We're up," Steve told him. "It looks like HYDRA operations are starting to mobilize from the site. If we don't move now, we might lose the opportunity."

Bucky's sleepy brain struggled to catch up. "What? Now? Did they find out we knew or…?"

"I don't know, Buck," Steve told him. "Suit up."

Steve headed back to his own place while Bucky stood dumbfounded for the moment.

Well, shit.

Heading back in to get ready, Bucky shook his head. If they could get rid of HYDRA, for once and fucking all, he'd be happy. But having to leave as soon as possible sucked. He hadn't even made things right with Marley and he was being sent out for God knew how long.

As he was packing his gear, he heard the whisper of her feet as she padded into the room.

"I'm sorry about this, doll, I just found out we have to leave right away."

Marley said nothing. He stopped and turned to see her standing in the doorway of his bedroom, her big blue eyes watching him warily. He hated everything about it. Her stance, the sadness, the situation, the timing.

He walked to her, pulling her against him and closing his arms around her. She let him. Bucky blew out a happy exhale, resting his cheek on the top of her head. He'd never get tired of how good, how right he felt with her in his arms.

"I'm so sorry about earlier," he whispered into her hair, breathing in its subtle fragrance. "I was mean. You didn't deserve that"

Marley wrapped her arms around him, squeezed. "I'm sorry."

Shaking his head, he pulled back and tipped up her chin, so their gazes met. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I… I was just afraid," she whispered. "What if you… get tired of me. What if I do something wrong or…"

"No," he said firmly. "Don't do that. Other people made you afraid. I don't want you to live in fear of me or what I might do. Ever. Do you understand?"

Marley nodded, a tear sliding down her face.

"If you move in, it will be your choice. I just handled it poorly. I should have tried to convince you that you belong here with me in another way. A better way."

Claiming her mouth in a scorching kiss, he tasted the salt of her tears and the sweetness that was her. He didn't pull back until she was breathless.

He chuckled. "I probably shouldn't have started that."

Those big eyes searched his face and he just knew she was in his head. He didn't try to hide anything.

"This is the mission everyone has been so anxious about. HYDRA," she whispered, her expression darkening.

Bucky nodded, pulled back to finish his packing.

"You don't… want me to go," Marley continued.

He stopped for a moment. "You know why." He didn't deny it. "I can't take the risk that they will get their hands on you."

When she didn't say anything at that he turned to look at her. "Did Steve talk to you?"

Marley shook her head.

"I'm sorry, doll," Bucky continued as he went to his closet to pull out more gear. "You are doing great and there will be other missions. Just not, not this one."

Marley nodded, seemed to be considering her words.

"What is it?" he told her, stopping.

"I'm just…"

"Buck?" Steve called, from the front of the apartment. "Oh, ah, sorry Marley. I guess… Buck, we need to leave in a minute."

"Be right there," Bucky called back to him.

Marley shook her head. "Never mind. Please be careful. Please?"

She wrapped herself around his back and Bucky held her hands in his, not wanting to ever be apart from her. He hated this. He hated leaving with things feeling unfinished, unsaid between them.

"I'm hoping this will be over sooner rather than later," he whispered. "We'll be gone for a couple of weeks."

"I know."

"I'll miss you," he whispered.

"You wouldn't have to if you trusted me."

With a squeeze, she let go. Any answer to that was cut off when Clint and Nat barreled into the apartment. He watched Nat hug Marley, whisper something that had his girl nodding.

Fuck.

Marley glanced back at him before she left the apartment, heading back for her own. Natasha then stepped into his line of vision.

"You're an idiot, Barnes," she said matter-of-factly. "You know that, right?"

He watched Natasha packing up his gear efficiently, scowling at him the entire time.

"I'm not going to let them hurt her," Bucky told her.

"Idiot," Nat reiterated.

Steve came long to hustle them up, get them all to the Quinjet. Bucky was strapped in and leaving the ground in what seemed like the blink of an eye.

Everything felt off. Wrong.

You wouldn't have to if you trusted me.

Bucky shook his head at the words still lingering in his head. They stung. It was as unexpected as being bitten by a butterfly.

He trusted Marley. That was what she didn't understand. But he wouldn't compromise her. Not for anything. He just had to hope that she'd come to understand.

Back at the compound, Marley was left with two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, Maria Hill and Phil Coulson, both of whom made her a little nervous and Nick Fury, who oddly made her less nervous. They'd told her that they would let her know when things were done but nothing felt right. It was all off. Wrong.

She made several passes by the control center saying she was taking a stroll or getting food. They'd cut their glances at her but otherwise told her nothing. The grave expressions and what she could make out on the monitors told her very little.

And what little she could gather told her that things weren't going well.

By the time it got to be 3 AM, she'd told Maria that she wasn't tired and finally the agent seemed done with trying to convince her. When she'd asked the agent how things were going, she got "It's difficult to say."

"Which means it's not going well at all," that lyrical voice came from behind her.

Loki, the compound's only other occupant aside from the normal people who worked there, joined her at the window to watch the happenings in the control room.

Either Marley was too tired to care that he was there or no longer felt he posed a threat to her. He seemed stronger than he had been when she first went to see him, that was a week ago and the day they'd all left for this ill-fated mission. He also seemed less resentful. While he'd reminded her of a baleful cat when she'd gone to apologize, he had accepted her apology. Hell, he'd even seemed surprised by it. Now here he was standing with her and his company wasn't entirely unwelcome.

"Loki?"

"Yes?"

"Wanda says you're a very powerful sorcerer," Marley didn't quite know how to make her request and half expected her to laugh in his face when she did.

He broke out into that outrageous grin at her words. "And?"

When she still struggled he laughed. "Come now. All that flattery will go to waste if you don't quickly state what you want."

"I'm that obvious?" Marley had to laugh with him.

"You want to know if I can go unseen into that room and come back to you to tell you exactly what is going on. Yes, you forget I can read minds also."

Marley smiled, nodded. "I didn't know if you were able to…"

"It's taken some time after my treatment at your fiery hands but yes, I am able to do that at least." He searched her expression. "I'll do it. But it's not just for you. My brother is also on this mission."

That he did care about his brother raised her opinion of him.

"If you can," she said delicately, "would you please?"

Nodding, he turned back to gaze into the control room with her. She watched, waited. It didn't seem as if anything was happening.

"Give me your hand," Loki bid her.

When she slid her hand into his, she saw the merest shadow in that room, standing right behind Nick Fury. It was a clone of himself, gathering information.

When she released his hand, the vision evaporated. "Wow."

"Don't be so impressed yet," Loki told her. "It might take several minutes to figure out what is going on."

"I'm in no rush at this point," Marley replied.

They stood there for nearly an hour, before Loki backed away from the glass and began walking away. Marley watched as the slightest color rose from the collar of his robes.

Marley knew then that something was wrong.

"What is it?" she asked.

Loki stopped. "It was a trap. They walked right into it."

Well, that confirmed her worst fears.

"Are they…?"

"All alive. For now. But Agents Romanov and Barton are seriously injured. And they have, it seems, reclaimed their Winter Soldier."

"No!" Marley's heart dropped. "We have to get them out of there. We have to get them back."

"And how do you propose we do that, Marley?" Nick Fury came walking towards them with his hands clasped behind his back, his gait steady. His face alone told of the fear and fatigue he was suffering from.

"There has to be a way," she said meaningfully. "I've been listening to you talk about Thanos for weeks. The earth stands no chance without them. We have to do something."

Nick's eye moved from her to Loki and back again. "We do. But aside from my small group of agents, one untried Avenger and an untrustworthy Asgardian outlaw, how do we manage that?"

"His brother is there?" Marley argued for Loki. "How can you doubt his intentions under the circumstances?"

Nick's eyebrow rose.

"I've given him plenty of reason to doubt me, Marley. Be assured of that. But as you pointed out, Thanos is coming and we do need my brother and all of them for that fight. I need them."

His admission caught her off guard. He sounded so sincere. She knew of his reputation but considering the situation they were in shouldn't they try to work together?

"I have an idea," Loki started. "HYDRA knows what you know about my brother and myself. They likely know about Thanos as well. Would it really seem out of character for me to arrive to retrieve my brother, offering them their precious little experiment here in exchange?"

"Sounds like you," Nick threw in. "But how do I know you won't do exactly that?"

Loki's gaze met Marley's. "Because it's going to take more than Thor to save me from Thanos."

"And you're willing to go along with this?" Nick asked her.

For Bucky? Steve, Natasha, and all of the others? Young Peter Parker? It wasn't much of a decision in her mind. Bucky would be ready to kill her but…

"Yes," she told them. "I am."