A/N: Just a reminder that this story is AU and non canon! For the sake of the plot I needed to mention that again lol This chapter is all Jade and takes place the same morning Bucky went to Dr. Lewis for help.

Also the next chapter is the last. I'm thinking up a sequel if there's an interest in reading it. We'll see what happens.

Thanks for reading and reviews. They fuel me. :)

The conference room of the compound was as lavish as the rest of the building with a large wooden table that could seat at least 12 people in extremely comfortable cushioned chairs. I currently sitting in one of the comfortable chairs, anxiously waiting for Steve and Tony to enter.

Steve had called that morning, asking me to meet him at the compound, stating that he and Tony had something important to discuss with me. I noticed immediately that he hadn't mentioned that Bucky would be present and felt a sense of dread at the thought that he would be telling me bad news about Bucky, that something had happened to him. I hurriedly called in to ask a coworker to cover the beginning of my shift and rushed into the compound.

It was only a few minutes before they both walked in, Tony in a fancy looking suit, and Steve in his tactical Captain America gear. They both smiled pleasantly at me, Steve shutting the door behind them.

"Jade, thank you for joining us," Tony said walking around the table as I stood. He offered a hand that I took and shook. "How are you?"

"I'm good...honestly a little nervous about what you guys wanted to talk about, but good," I nodded turning to Steve who approached next. He opted for a one armed hug, which I had accepted. My anger for him had lessened after the good conversation that Bucky and I had last night, which had left me feeling better than I had felt since the kidnapping.

"It's nothing to be nervous about," Steve assured looking down at me. "Due to a recent raid on a Hydra base we finally found some intel on a man who we believe to be Dimitri. He's been a ghost up until this point with no information about him anywhere, even F.R.I.D.A.Y couldnt dig anything up, but," he paused to glance at Tony who was taking a seat at the head of the conference table. "We have a photo and we need you to identify him. To make sure that we have the right guy."

I blinked. "Oh." I had hoped that I would never have to look at his face again. "I would have thought that you guys had seen him-."

"We didn't," Tony cut in. "By the time we made it past his small army of soldiers he had snuck out the back, leaving Manchurian Candidate behind."

Steve and I both frowned at the nickname. "Yes, he left Bucky behind and made a run for it. I think he was more concerned with not being captured. And if this is him, the man that we have photographed, then all this has been about revenge."

"Revenge?" I asked confused. "Revenge for what?"

Steve opened his mouth, but Tony spoke. "Let's take a look at the photo first before we divulge anymore information yet there, Capsicle," he said pulling a slim piece of paper from the inside of his fancy coat pocket. He set it on the table and slid it towards me, Steve catching it before it reached me and picking it up.

"Before we do that, we should ask you Jade...are you okay with this? I know it might be hard after everything that you have been through," Steve looked concerned. "And you don't have to do this."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Of course. I want to help. Whatever I can do. It's just a photo right?" I shrugged, trying to be nonchalant.

Steve hesitated for just a second before setting the photo on the table in front of me. I looked down at it slowly, recognizing the face in the picture before I had taken it all in. It was a black and white photo, a close up on his face. A face that had tormented me for the past year and then some. It was him alright. And I was suddenly back in that cell, his hand in my hair, his lips on mine, with Bucky standing there doing nothing. My heart started to race and I felt my stomach turn, my chest growing tight. I shut my eyes and practiced my breathing exercises. You're fine, Jade. It's just a photo. It's just a photo.

"Jade." I felt the warmth of Steve's hand on my shoulder and I had to resist the strong urge to flinch. When I opened my eyes again, the photo was gone from the table and I noticed Steve's hand was in a fist, I got the impression the photo was crumpled in there.

"T-That was him. That was Dimitri," I confirmed with a nod.

"You okay?" Steve ignored my statement.

"Yeah. I'm good," I lied. "Since you have a photo that means that you have found him right? That you can bring him in and I can stop looking over my shoulder?"

Steve and Tony shared a glance. "We have an idea of where he is hiding and now that you've identified him he'll be much easier to find with our facial recognition software. We can go get him as soon as F.R.I.D.A.Y gets a read on him," Tony answered. "We just needed a positive ID. I am sorry that we had to ask you to come in and do this but you're the only one who saw him. Manchu-." I shot him a glare. He cleared his throat and corrected himself. " Sergeant Barnes' memory is unreliable as I'm sure you're aware."

"I understand. But you said something about revenge?" I probed.

It was Tony that explained. "His name is Dimitri Karpov. He is the son of Vasily Karpov. Bucky's original handler. Bucky killed his original handler a year ago. We believe that Dimitri is out to get Bucky because of that and the fact that he is-was-the Winter Soldier of course. We also think that Dimitri has had some form of the super soldier serum and/or been used for some of the same experimentation that Bucky has. But until we capture and question him this is all just speculation. But it is clear that he has a hard on for Bucky...and you."

"Well it's been a year since….everything. And there's been no sign of him. Maybe he's moved on."

"No, Jade, it's more likely he's just waiting for an opportunity," Steve shook his head. "To get to Bucky or you again."

There was that heavy boulder again, creeping right up on my chest. "Great. So...So we do what now?"

"Same thing you've been doing, you live your life. We will continue to keep an eye on you in case Dimitri tries anything before we get our hands on him," Tony leaned forward and put his arms on the conference table. "But finding him is and has been our number one priority and we will bring him in. That's a certified Stark promise."

I wanted to scoff and remind him that it had been a year and so far all they had come up with was a photo and a theory, but I held my tongue and snark.

"If that's all I have to be going," I said quickly rising to my feet. "I have to get to work." In truth I just wanted to get out of there. "I hope that I was some help."

"You were Jade, thank you for coming," Tony said rising with me and offering his hand again to shake.

They both walked me to the door and Tony departed leaving me alone with Steve in the hallway. He smiled down at me hesitantly. "Jade, about me not telling you about Bucky-."

I held up a hand stopping him. "Steve, don't worry about it. You thought you were doing the right thing, probably trying to spare my feelings and all that. I understand and I forgive you."

He looked relieved. "Good, because I really wasn't trying to hurt you."

"I know, Steve. I know."

"So we're good then?"

"Yes, we're good. Walk me out?"

"Of course."

We started down the hall, walking side by side. "So big date with Bucky tonight, huh?"

I felt a blush in my cheeks and a heat in my belly at the thought. I was anxious to spend time with Bucky, and had been thinking about it all night. I was hoping that spending time with him would jog his memory.

"Yes, I'm trying not to get my hopes up that he'll miraculously remember me after spending some real time with me. I know it will probably take more than that. But I can't help it, I am a little hope-."

"Jade!"

I froze in the hallway at the loud yell of my name from a familiar voice. Steve and I both turned, a puzzled look on my face, my face falling when I saw Bucky standing at the end of the hallway. There was a small hint of a smile on his face, and he was breathing heavily as though he'd been running. My heart started to race when our eyes locked and I saw something in them that made my stomach flip. Familiarity. He strode towards me purposefully, in quick and sure steps, his blue eyes aimed right on me. I was frozen in the spot, feeling my chest heave and my heart thudding in my chest. A single thought crossing my mind repeatedly.

He remembers. He remembers. He remembers.

He reached for me as he came closer, one hand taking hold of my hip to pull me against him, the other touching my cheek, and then his lips were on mine and I was completely breathless. Heat flooded me at contact and the kiss deepened, his head turning and his tongue slipping into my mouth assaulting me with his taste. It felt like all those times before, but better, the passion and the fire and the desire all there with a renewed sense of urgency. It wasn't a kiss you shared with someone you didn't remember, there was too much recognition. I moaned into his mouth, my body finally unfreezing to wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer. Everything else slipped away and it was just him and I, in the moment, in the heat, and for the briefest of moments it was like he had never lost his memories, like he had never left.

When he finally pulled away needing air, his forehead resting against mine, my head was still firmly in the clouds. My eyelids felt heavy as they slid open and I looked up into the ocean blue of his, and just with his kiss there was recognition, desire, familiarity. My lips parted as I struggled to think of something to say, to ask him what had happened since I last saw him that made him remember me.

"You remember," was all I managed to get out in a choked voice.

"Yes Jade Marie Johnson, the pediatric nurse who likes to eat breakfast for dinner and enjoys the trashiest day time television shows I have ever seen, I remember you," he smiled.

I couldn't think of a thing to say again and just stood there with my forehead against his, looking stunned.

"I missed you, Sugar, even when I didn't remember you," he breathed in a whisper against my lips that made my heart flutter. "I've been dreaming about you since I woke up in Wakanda."

Sugar.

I sighed, letting my eyes fall closed again, one hand sliding up the back of his neck to feel his soft hair. I had missed him. More than I had let myself admit.

"You don't know how good it is to hear you call me that after all this time," I whispered. My eyes felt watery, I could feel the tears brimming in the corners of my eyes.u

"I'm so sorry," his arm encircled me pulling me closer against him, I shivered at the feel of hard muscle, my body practically melting over his. He shook his head. "For everything. For bringing all this on you. For not protecting you. For not remembering you. For leaving you."

I took his face in my hands. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop apologizing?" I looked up into his blue eyes.

"Apparently a lot," he chuckled softly and it warmed my heart.

"Wait, you remember her?"

I startled at the new voice, turning my head to see Steve staring at the both of us in wide eyed surprise. In the intensity of the moment I had forgotten he was there, the heat of embarrassment touching my cheeks. Bucky had too apparently because he cleared his throat and straightened looking at Steve with a mild hint of irritation. But he kept his arms firmly around me.

"Steve, I'm sorry I forgot you were there," I admitted.

"No, don't apologize," Steve smiled excitedly looking between us. "Bucky, what did you do to get your memories back?"

Bucky shook his head, looking back down at me. "It doesn't matter. All that matters is I remember you," he touched my cheek again. The butterflies swarmed me. "Can I still take you out later? I do believe we did agree to a proper date before we…" he trailed off glancing at Steve who was still an audience to the situation. "Well you remember…"

I nodded quickly, still slightly shocked by the sudden change and the intense kiss. "Y-Yes. Please. I would like that."

He smiled, his thumb brushing across my cheek. "Good. I have some things to take care of. I'll pick you up at 7:00. Okay?"

I nodded again.

He placed another lip tingling lingering kiss on my lips before letting me go, sending an ache through my body at the absence of his touch. He was still smiling when he walked past me, beckoning Steve to follow with a wave of his hand. I stood there frozen watching them both walk away and feeling like I was dreaming, waiting to wake up in my bed and be sorely disappointed to find it wasn't reality. But the first step I took felt real and the second and third that followed. I felt excitement course through me, the old Bucky was back.