I came back to consciousness slowly, blinking as I looked up at a ceiling that I didn't immediately recognize. I felt my brow furrow, still struggling to gain my bearings and remember just where I was when it all came rushing back to me. Going to see Jade, the men who tried to take her, getting shot, running, making it to the motel, passing out. Oh god, Jade! I sat up quickly, groaning at the pain in my side where my gunshot wound was, pausing when I saw Steve standing at the foot of the motel bed I was laying across, a finger to his lips. I frowned. When the hell did he get here? I glanced at the clock seeing it was almost 3 am. How long have I been out?

"Jade is sleeping," Steve said softly, sitting on the edge of the bed near me, nodding towards the kitchenette.

I turned, looking over my shoulder to see her sitting in one of the chairs, her arms folded on the table and her head resting on them. She looked peaceful surprisingly, considering that she had spent the past few hours running for her life and apparently saving a man she barely knew. Even though I was still experiencing pain, it was a dull pain now, like a sore muscle after an overly strenuous gym activity, nothing like the sharp ache that it had been, meaning that she had gotten the bullet out, stopped the bleeding, and taken care of me. Lifting my Henley I confirmed my theory, seeing the stitched wound already beginning to heal. So much for be being Bruce Willis.

"How long have I been out?"

"5 hours according to Jade. She was pretty shaken up when I got here," Steve continued softly. "She thought you were going to die. Had no idea how you were even still alive. I eased some of her fears without telling her too much, got her to relax enough so that she could rest her eyes for a bit, I told her I'd stay and watch you of course. She was afraid to go to sleep in case something happened to you, but she looked exhausted."

I felt my stomach sink at the thought of her worrying about me, angry at myself for passing out and leaving her alone and scared and thinking I was dying. "She called you?" I asked looking to Steve.

"No, I got an alert that someone accessed the safe house and called you. She answered and told me what happened and I came as soon as I could," Steve answered. "I see now why you didn't want to date. One date with you and the Russians show up to kidnap her."

I huffed. "Yeah thanks for encouraging me to go to her place instead of just mailing the ID, it's working out swimmingly." Sarcasm dripped from my tone.

"I just thought that after all this time and all that you have been through you should be able to start living your life, Buck," Steve sighed. "You deserve to be happy. You deserve to love."

"What I deserve and the reality of my situation are two totally different things," I scooted to the edge of the bed and put my feet on the floor. "We have to find that bastard that tried to take her. I think he's like us, because I shot him right in the chest, I know I hit him and he still came after-."

"No," Steve interrupted, making me frown at him. "You don't have to do anything besides stay with Jade. Keep her safe. Natasha, Sam, and I will take care of the guy that came after her. In fact Natasha is already working on it. Tomorrow I'll arrange for you both to be moved to the compound, the safest place for the both of you, and then you'll lay low."

I gawked at him. "So while you go after this man who is after me and Jade, I am just supposed to sit at the compound and wait?"

Steve nodded. "That's exactly what I want. It keeps you and her out of the line of fire."

"Yeah and puts you right in it!"

"Luckily, I was made just for that. I got this," Steve assured.

"And you expect her to just what? Stay there with me until we're sure she's safe? Whenever that might be?" I laughed. "I get the feeling that shes not going to love that. She's got a job, a life, friends, unlike me."

Steve glowered. "I am your friend. So is Nat and Sam-."

"Steve, you know what I meant. My point is she can't up and disappear. People will be looking for her. I am surprised her roommate hasn't reported her missing yet."

"Bucky, you know that it's probably for the best if she's reported missing. It might keep her family and friends out of danger. No one will go after them looking for her, if they think that her family and friends don't know where she is. So for now we let them report her missing and we let them worry. No outside contact with anyone, but me until you're at the compound where we can be sure the line is secure, then maybe she can let them know she's alright at least. I'll bring more food and supplies to last until we can get you moved. I want to be sure that no one at the compound has been compromised. But until then you both will not leave this motel room. Understood?"

I rubbed my eyes, shaking my head. "She's gonna be pissed."

Steve shrugged. "She doesn't have much of a choice. It's Captain's orders."

I rolled my eyes.

"You okay with me leaving? I'll come back with food and clothes for the both of you in a few hours."

I nodded. "I got some clothes in the supply bag. Just bring something for her."

Steve gave my shoulder a squeeze before rising to his feet. "We're gonna fix this, Bucky. She'll be alright."

I hope so…

I managed a single nod watching him offer me a small smile before slipping out of the door. I turned back to Jade, finding that she hadn't moved at all and wondering how she could sleep in such an uncomfortable position. I couldn't really blame her though after everything she had been through her body would need rest in any way or position it could get it. Still I rose to my feet carefully, finding the pain tolerable even while standing and walked to her, touching her shoulder hesitantly.

"Jade," I said softly, trying to wake her with startling her, wanting to offer her the more comfortable bed to sleep in.

She moaned softly, but didn't wake, shifting in the chair. Sighing softly I pulled the chair out just a little, enough to get my arms under her and lift her out of the chair, tensing when she was in my arms, ready to explain myself if she woke. She didn't, only curled inward a bit, tucking her head under my chin and letting out a soft sigh. I carried her carefully to the bed, kicking the sheets back with my foot and laying her down gently. She groaned irritably at the movement but turned onto her side, moving until she found a comfortable position and going still. I tucked the covers in around her, unable to resist touching the inviting skin of her cheek and tucking some curls behind her ear.

I made sure the door was secure and the windows were locked and the black out curtains drawn. I carried the duffel to the table to inventory the supplies and made sure each assault rifle was loaded before stashing one under the bed and the other near the door. I found the handgun and knife stashed in the side compartment, tucking the knife in my boot and the other in the waist band of my jeans behind my back. Then I sat down in one of the kitchenette chairs to wait for Steve or the Russians to show.

I woke up to unfamiliar surroundings, lifting my head from where it rested on my arm slowly, looking around until I realized that I was still in the motel. I tried to look out the window to get a sense of what time it was, but the black out curtains blocked everything from view. The bedside clock read 8:00 am. I had slept for awhile.

Steve had come shortly after calling and I had been damn near hysterical when he arrived. I had thought that despite what I had done, Bucky was still in danger of dying. He had lost a lot of blood, he had yet to wake up, and I was certain that he was going to die if we didn't get him to the hospital and get him a blood transfusion. Steve had managed to talk me down, speaking softly in that sure and Captainly voice he had, almost instantly easing my fears and assuring me that Bucky would be fine; that he had been through much worse and that this was 'nothing'. I had almost laughed at him at those words, getting shot and then nearly killed during a high speed chase definitely didn't fall under the category of 'nothing' to me. But still I had forced myself to calm, to sit down in the chair as he had instructed, to put my head down and take a breather. I must have fallen asleep because I didn't remember a thing after that.

Someone had moved me from the chair to the bed, putting me under the covers, and I sat up slowly to find the room empty. What the hell? There was no way that Bucky would have been capable of moving after what he had endured and minimal medical treatment. It would take him days to recover, and I don't care what Steve Rogers had said, that was just the way the body worked. Had Steve taken him for medical treatment without telling me? I felt my teeth clench, If they just left me here, I swear to god-.

My thought was interrupted by the sound of the bathroom door opening and a nearly naked Bucky stepping out in a cloud of steam. His skin was still wet and glistening, his long hair damp and slicked back from his face, and a towel was hanging low from his hips revealing a very muscular form to me. Oh my…I felt my throat go dry at the sight of him, the only coherent thought I could form being: Damn. He walked to the table in the kitchenette, not noticing that I was awake, opening the large duffel that I had pulled from the ceiling and digging through until he found clothes. I still hadn't found the ability to speak when he turned and saw me awake, his blue eyes widening and his eyebrows going up in surprise, he clutched the towel tighter around his waist with one hand, and used the metal one to hold the clothes he had retrieved and cover his bare chest.

"Oh," he said softly. "You're awake."

Him speaking broke the daze I was in. It was then I remembered that I was pissed, no livid, and that he owed me an explanation and an apology… Regardless of how hot he was.

I huffed. "You're awake! How is that even possible?"

He smirked and my heart fluttered. Stop that Jade, we're still mad at him remember? "We should talk, doll. There's something I gotta tell you."

"You think?" I snapped climbing from the bed. "You can start by maybe explaining to me why there is a memorial exhibit for you at the Smithsonian that says you died in 1944! And then follow that up with who the hell that guy was that tried to kidnap me and why he wants to kidnap me and what the hell is going on and how the hell you are still alive after being shot when any normal person would have needed a blood transfusion and a lot more medical attention than what I could provide with the contents of your fucking go bag!" I blinked, stopping abruptly. I had been yelling. I was sure that I looked like a raging mad women. This was definitely not me, but it had been a stressful night. Bucky only stared back at me, the smirk quickly leaving his face. I cleared my throat. "Get dressed first though," I finished.

I sat back down on the bed to wait for Bucky to change, feeling sticky and dirty and uncomfortable in the scrubs that I had been wearing for 24 hours now. I could still feel the dried blood of my would be kidnapper on the side of my face and random splatters of Bucky's blood from when I was fixing and stitching him. I felt like my skin was crawling. I needed to shower. No, I needed a long hot shower and a gallon of antibacterial soap. Also a stiff drink wouldn't hurt.

When Bucky exited the bathroom again he was wearing dark jeans and a plain midnight blue tee, one that clung to him in all the right ways, his hair still damp and pushed back from his face. I struggled to ignore all the very good qualities of his facial features and not be distracted by them, setting my face into a 'I'm not taking any shit' expression and motioning to the space on the bed beside me. I had questions. And I wanted answers. He joined me on the bed, looking like a kid who had gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar, a sheepish smile on his face.

His first words surprised me. "Thank you…for taking care of me and stitching me up…" he pointed to his side as if I needed more elaboration to what he meant. "I'm sorry for passing out on ya' and…" he shrugged. "Well shit I am sorry for the whole thing, Jade."

Apology down, explanation still needed.

"James," I said softly, going for a less angry approach. He was the only one keeping me alive after all. "Tell me what the hell is going on."

He took a deep breath and started at the beginning, the very beginning, going back to the 1900's and explaining how he had met Steve, how they had been so close back then and still were, how he had joined the army, wanting nothing more than to fight for his country, getting kidnapped and experimented on, being rescued by Steve, falling to what should have been his death, losing his arm, becoming a brain washed assassin called The Winter Soldier, Steve rescuing him again, putting him 'on ice' until he was better again, trying to live in the modern world, and finishing it off with waking up to Steve telling him he had company after a heavy night of drinking with a god and meeting me for the second time. I sat there feeling stunned, wowed by the fact that any man who had gone through so much was still somehow standing and functioning. And the fact that it was even possible for any of this to have occurred. I could see his shoulders relax a little as he talked, as though he had never really talked about it or told his story in full and doing so took some of the weight off his shoulders.

"I just want you to know that I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I told Steve I should just leave you alone, that I was not a guy that someone could just date, but he insisted I bring you the ID and ask you out and-," he trailed off shaking his head, his blue eyes looking down before finding mine again. "I'm sorry, Jade. I'm really sorry."

I felt an ache in his heart to hear the sadness in his tone of voice. I suddenly felt bad for being angry with him. He hadnt intentionally turned my life upside down. And it suddenly made sense why he had just randomly ghosted me after we had, had a nice time. He had worried for my safety, it didn't matter in the end, but still he had thought about how his life could affect mine. I reached over and took his metal hand before I could really think about it or stop myself. His eyes went wide at my touch, looking down quickly at my hand and then back at my face. I got the feeling that few people touched him, let alone his metal limb.

"I'm sorry, you had to go through all of that," I sighed. "No one should have to endure…everything that you did…and I know you didn't completely turn my life upside down on purpose.."

He smiled timidly and looked a little relieved. "For what its worth, even though I turned your life upside down, I am glad I met you," he said giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

And then he has to go and be a complete sweet heart. I blushed, profusely, the heat in my cheeks spreading through the rest of me quickly. I tried to look away from those stunning blue eyes, but found myself lost in them, caught up in the moment of sharing and his vulnerability. My heart started to race as I realized that he was leaning in towards me, very slowly, but still coming none the less. Oh my god he's going to kiss me. Do I want him too? Of course I did, I had already established the man was a walking snack, and I could totally go for something else stiff besides a drink. Christ Jade you sound like Iris! Now is definitely not the time for sex. There are Russians trying to kill you. But one kiss couldn't hurt, besides you've already kissed him and slept with him…I started to lean towards him, suddenly breathless, my lips tingling in anticipation. Our noses touched, just a gentle grazing until his head turned and I felt his lips brush mine sending a zing of electricity up my spine.

"Okay, I got food and clothes and toiletries-."

We broke apart quickly at the sound of Steve's voice, turning to find him standing in the doorway of the motel, holding two handfuls of plastic bags, looking surprised. I hadn't even heard the door open. I felt a different heat in my cheeks suddenly, the heat of embarrassment. "Oh-I'm sorry- I didn't realize that you guys were-," Steve stuttered looking between us.

"I need a shower," I said quickly cutting Steve off and jumping to my feet. "I'll uh…be in the bathroom."

I walked to the bathroom hurriedly avoiding both their gazes, rushing inside and shutting and locking the door before leaning against it. It was going to have to be a cold shower.