Two weeks later…

Steve and Sam were in an apartment that Steve was renting in Austria. Sam was making coffee and Steve was sitting on the couch with the files lying on the table in front of him. He was leaning forward with his hand under his chin, he was thinking about which file he should look at first. He looked at the third file and he grabbed it and opened it. The information in the file was about other Hydra bases, and a picture of the Red Skull with his old face mask. Steve could see the evil in his eyes even in a picture and he frowned at the picture.

Sam brought a cup of coffee for Steve; Steve accepted "Thank you"

Sam nodded and walked back into the kitchen. Steve turned his attention to the other files, he put the one in his hands down and grabbed one of the others and opened it. This one was about Bucky or Winter Soldier. It showed all his missions and targets over the years. A page was about how they kept him on ice and was used to make Hydra's will become reality. He felt a lump in his throat as he read on and on about his friend.

Steve could still remember the cold air and the image of Bucky falling away from him and disappearing into the valley of white. Steve felt a tear at his eye and he quickly whipped it away. He took a deep breath and looked at another page. This one was titled "Red Room." Steve read it and found out that the Soviets were working with Hydra and they made the metal arm that made the Winter Soldier stick out in a crowd. Steve closed the file and rubbed his eyes and he set it back down on the table. He pondered at the Intel that he had just learned. He looked at Natasha's file and he reached for it and held it in his hands. He stared at it for minutes before he put it back on the table.

It would be wrong to look at it without her permission. I'm sure there will be some bad things in the file, he may fully understand why her ledger was gushing red. But if she doesn't want me to know then I will not look at it. I will respect her privacy I know how she treasures it. She'll either tell in time or not at all, either way I will stand with her anywhere or against anyone.

"What's the news Cap?" Sam asked sitting down in an arm chair drinking his coffee.

"Well I found out about other Hydra bases and almost everything on Bucky"

"What about that one?" Sam said inclining his head toward the third file which was Natasha's

"Oh, just old missions and other political figure that were part of Hydra years ago, there all dead now." Steve lied

"Sounds boring"

"You have no idea" Steve said slightly laughing

"Well are we off to look for more Intel or are we still looking for Bucky?"

"Neither, Bucky will show himself eventually. I have to let him go and find himself"

"Five months of looking for him and you're ready to just stop looking?"

"We didn't find him, he found us and I have a feeling we will only see him when he wants us to"

"So where to?"

"Home, you in D.C. me in New York, I miss Brooklyn"

"Well I am not going to deny that these five months have been fun and horrible but I have no problem going home"

"I thought you would" Steve said smiling

"If your ever in D.C. again visit or just run laps past me" Sam said smiling

"On your left" Steve said walking past him on his left.

Sam smiled and chuckled, he went to his room and started to get packed. Steve took the files with him and he put them in his bag at the bottom. He grabbed his clothes and folded then neatly and put them in the bag perfectly. He grabbed his small sketch book which was his back up because he couldn't take the big one that is at home with him. Steve flipped through the pages and stopped at a sketch of eyes staring at him. They were green and he knew exactly who they belonged to. He smiled and closed the book and put it in his bag and zipped it shut.

Rumlow was sitting on a cot with a doctor checking him over. He was severely burnt and had scars all over from the building collapsing on him. He stared at a TV as it played a movie that he had no idea what it was about or what its name is. He heard footsteps behind him and they stopped.

"Sir" Rumlow said not looking back at who was behind him, he knew who it was.

"Status?"

"Green and ready to continue"

"Good Mr. Bones, I need you"

"It's good to have you back sir"

"It's good to be back, Hail Hydra"

"Hail Hydra" Rumlow said turning around.

Natasha was lying in bed and she was awake and the sun was starting to wake up and she didn't get a once of sleep. She was alone again; Clint left two weeks ago and he slightly begged her to come back. But she didn't want to go back, not because Steve wasn't there… ok maybe that had a small part to do with it. She missed him, but she still needed to stay away. She wasn't needed and she was out of work. S.H.I.E.L.D was gone or at least the old one was gone. Fury might have started it back up in secret.

She closed her eyes not wanting to get out of bed she thought about how she was alone. Her ledger made her a threat and she deserved it. She was deadly and could kill someone with her hands in twenty different ways. The Avengers didn't need her, they have Bruce and Thor, what does she help out in? She wasn't good enough for them, her past clearly showed that. She wasn't good enough for anyone, she should stay alone and die alone. She was good at keeping people out. But a small part of her wanted to go back, she missed the team, the family that accepted her without question.

She shouldn't go back though, they don't need her she told herself. She was sure that they didn't need her. But a part of her wanted to see Steve and be his partner again. It wasn't logical it wasn't rational, it was irrational and it was from the heart. Her heart, the one everyone who knew her at S.H.E.I.L.D said that she didn't have one and if she did it was dead. Love is for children she told herself again and again. But she couldn't stop thinking about Steve and his smile and his blue eyes, and not to mention his perfect body. She missed everything about him, even how naïve he is about modern sayings that he doesn't fully get.

She missed his honesty and his perfect gentleman tendencies. She just wanted to stay with him forever and never let him go. Why was she feeling this way? She had been in relationships before, but she never felt like this. Her heart was beginning to ache as if it wanted something. She was becoming more depressed, and all her mind seemed to be on was Steve. Maybe she would go back, if it gave her chance to see Steve, she'd do it all the time. She needed her partner back and she was going crazy without any action. She sat up and went to take a cold shower and then it was off to the airport.

Steve was sitting in first class on a plane, he was wearing a ball cap and glasses. It made it hard for someone to recognize him. He had his bag on his lap and his thoughts went to Natasha and where she might be at the moment. He was heading home and he probably wouldn't see her for another five months. He wasn't upset about it, he knew she liked her time away even if she can't stand being peaceful and no action. He felt the same way, he couldn't do nothing there was always something he had to do. It was difficult for him to do nothing, but he wouldn't mind a week off.

His thoughts went back to the first time he met Natasha; she was wearing jeans and a red shirt and a leather jacket. Coulson had just told him about his Captain America trading cards. He saw a woman that reminded him of Peggy. Strong, beautiful, and doesn't take shit from anyone. He had a thing for strong confident women and apparently non-American. He took Natasha's advice and dated Sharon Carter, she was fun but it never went anywhere. They split up just before Steve and Sam went to look for Bucky. There was something that just didn't feel right about dating Sharon; he knew it was about Peggy. She told him to live his life as she lived hers, and he couldn't keep his mind away from Natasha. The months had grown lonely and sure it was nice having Sam, but he missed his old partner. He had saved himself for the woman that would come into his life and be with him, the right partner. To Stark he still had his V-card and it wasn't going away anytime soon, and he wasn't going to drink this Asgardian Ale Stark had been talking about. Steve tended to stay away from anything magical or enchanted.

He has never been drunk and he doesn't plan on getting drunk. He did have plans to spend some time drawing, he missed it the peacefulness of it is why he loved it so much. He thought about Natasha and how she became more frequent in his dreams lately. His mind seemed obsessed with her, like all he wanted to do was see her and be near her. He never felt this way and this bad with Peggy, sure he loves Peggy, but Natasha was something else. He loved her personality, not the Black Widow one, the real Natasha. The one who could laugh and tell a joke and smile a real smile. Her eyes were one of the things that drew him in, there is so many things behind those emerald eyes.

He had to admit that he liked everything about her. Her breasts were nice and her ass was perfect. Every curve made him feel warm and full of desire. He had to face it, he liked Natasha Romanoff and he wanted her. But he is not going to be like a modern moron with the flirting that is borderline harassment. He was going to be himself and if she wanted him that way then he was willing to be himself and always be a good man. He missed her even more now and he wished that she would be in New York soon.

"Attention, we will be landing in New York in ten minutes"

Steve took a deep breath as he looked out of the window to see the city in the distance. The turbulence started to kick in and it made him grab the arm rests and he squeezed them tightly; he hated turbulence. Every take off and every landing was like sweating bullets.

Bucky was sitting in a cave back in Russia and he was waiting for the weather to die down. He thought about Steve, it was like seeing him years ago, one day they are standing on a snowy ridge getting ready to go down a zip line and then he sees him in a street saying his name in a different time and place than the last one. It gave him a headache whenever he thought about it too much. He would have dreams of himself killing someone who seemed important. Seeing his past slowly coming back to him was taking a toll. He couldn't sleep and he was never in a mood to eat.

Bucky needed to get through this and this time alone, like he had been for all this time in his own mind. He was still recovering from being in control of his own mind again and not be pulled out and have something else take its place. Making something he's not, a cold-blooded killer. He felt his left arm with his right hand and it was cold and lifeless. That arm had down so many horrible things, he didn't want to remember it. But he has to if he wants all his memories back which he does. Then maybe he could go find Steve and help him again like the old days which seemed like a day ago to him.

Steve was walking out of the airport to see Thor standing with a sign saying "Steve Rogers" he stuck out like a sore thumb wearing his normal gear and of course, being two heads taller than everyone else. He spotted Steve and smiled and dropped the paper and rushed over to meet him.

"Lord Steven" he said pulling Steve into a hug

"It's good to see you to Thor" Steve said struggling to breathe

Thor let go of him and he took him to a limo which was waiting for them. Steve stopped and looked at it "Stark always liked making entrances"

On the way to Avenger's Tower Thor filled him in of the four months that he missed. It seemed every night was a party because nothing was going on in the world big enough to involve the Avengers.

The limo pulled up to the base of the tower and they both walked in after a few people took quick photos of them with their phones. Steve had gotten used to it and they entered the building. They found the elevator and it took them to the top floor where everyone else was. The doors slid open and Thor walked out.

"Hey Thor" Steve said

Thor turned back to Steve "You coming Lord Steven?"

"Yes, but I just want to go to my room and lie down and sleep, it's been a long four months with being on mission do you think we could keep them away from me for the night?"

"Sure" Thor said

Steve was relieved that no one had seen him and he sneaked to his room and opened the door and locked it. He let out a breath and relaxed.

"Good morning Captain Rogers" Jarvis said

"Thank you Jarvis, oh and Jarvis can you keep my room on lock down and let me know when someone comes knocking. Oh and keep Stark from spying on me"

"It has already been done sir"

"Thank you Jarvis"

"I will leave you to your activities sir" Jarvis said before he left Steve alone.

Steve unpacked and when he was done he took a shower and laid down on his bed and he closed his eyes dreaming about Natasha.

As the line of passengers slowly decreased Natasha was standing behind a family. She was starting to get nervous but she didn't show it. At least she could still hide emotion, but not feeling it she was completely failing. She wasn't do anything rational, leaving the safest place on earth for her, to see someone was not smart at all. Funny that all it took was a few days on the run with Steve to affect her like this. The line moved up again and she walked toward the bordering area even though every rational thought was telling her to stay away.

She found her seat easily enough, it was in coach towards the back. She was stuck between two guys and a small child and the man to her right couldn't stop staring at her breasts. She noticed the bulge in his pants and she rolled her eyes and ignored him. The other one was trying with all his might not to look at her; she noticed that he had a wedding band on his left hand. She focused on something else while the plane was taking off. Her ears popped and then she put her head back and closed her eyes.

She just wanted to work with Steve again, not to date and have sex with him. She just wanted to talk and work together, besides he'll be tortured by Stark with questions constantly. She was just returning to help out her partner, it's what partners do. That was at least what she kept telling herself.

A transport was flying across the barren landscape and Rumlow was sitting while checking his rifle. He took the mag out and looked at it and put it back in and cocked the rifle back.

"Mr. Bones are you almost to target?" the voice said through his ear piece

"Yes, sir the tracking beacon I planted on him is still active." Rumlow said

"We must have him back on our side Mr. Bones. He is my ace in my plan"

"Don't worry sir, you'll get you man"

"I hope for your sake that I do. Hail Hydra"

"Hail Hydra" Rumlow said while standing up and he directed the pilot to hover.

The transport hovered in place and the snow was picked up in a wind tunnel and was thrown into the air. Rumlow knelt down and aimed down the scope of the rifle and he found a cave, and heat signatures were present. He smirked and fired inside it; it took a minute but then he appeared. The Winter Soldier looking for who took the shot.

Rumlow took his time as Bucky scanned the terrain and then he saw the transport then Rumlow fired. The bullet flew out of the barrel as the gases emitted blew the snow away from it and the bullet passed through snowflakes and was heading towards Bucky. The bullet whizzed through the cold air and it hit Bucky in the right shoulder. Bucky was shocked by the initial strike and he fell to his knees and he put his hand to his shoulder. He felt cold liquid and he looked at it and it was purple and he frowned at it and he noticed that his fingers were becoming numb and so was his arm. It was a tranquilizer.

Bucky stood and ran toward the transport, Rumlow smirked and fired again hitting Bucky in the stomach. Bucky didn't stop even though he couldn't feel his torso. He leaped over a rock and rolled and kept running. Another bullet was fired and it hit him in the left leg. Bucky's hands went to his leg but he didn't stop, he limped along for a few moments and he went back to sprinting. Another bullet hit him in the other leg. Bucky brushed the pain from his mind and he was close to the transport now and a rock was leading in a perfect path to the transport's ramp where Rumlow was kneeling.

Rumlow aimed down the scope and fired as Bucky ran up the rock and jumped toward the ramp. Rumlow's smirk disappeared as he saw Bucky getting closer in his scope and he dropped the gun. He stood and Bucky landed on the ramp and tackled him and as they fell into the transport he rolled off of Rumlow and ran to the pilot and grabbed him by the chin and pulled him out of the seat snapping his neck. He took the controls and as the co-pilot pulled out a knife and went to stab him. Bucky stopped it with his hand and he turned it around and used the extra strength from his metal arm to shove it past the man's strength and the knife went into his eye sending warm blood out onto his hand. Bucky took the controls and pushed them down so the transport dipped and was sent to the ground.

Rumlow jumped onto Bucky and shoved a full tranquilizer into his neck and he took a Widow Bite and placed it on Bucky's metal arm shocking him and they both flew out of the transport as it crashed and they landed in the snow.

Rumlow opened his eyes and shot up and he was shivering from the wind. He stood up and he felt his ribs send a sharp pain to his brain telling them they were bruised. He looked around as snow blew into his face making him squint. He found Bucky lying face down in the snow and he wasn't moving. Rumlow laughed and put his hand to his ear.

"Sir, I got him"

"Good Mr. Bones, I see you need a ride"

Rumlow looked up to see a transport coming towards them; he smiled and he pulled out a shard of metal from his leg. He smirked and he grabbed Bucky and threw him onto his shoulders and he walked over to the transport.

Natasha walked out of the airport and got a cab. She stopped by her apartment and dropped her things off. She looked at herself in the mirror and she looked good. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and left the apartment after getting a glass of water. She got back in the cab she told to wait and it took her towards Avenger's Tower.

When it stopped in the front she opened the door and paid the man and he gave his gratitude and he drove off. Leaving her on the sidewalk, she looked up at the tall tower which had a bright A on it. She sighed and walked into the building and she found the elevator. It had changed since she last saw it which was back with the chitari attacking the city and it was messed up. She pressed the top floor and she waited patiently as the elevator moved up.

She had to collet herself and not react like she missed all of them especially Steve. She closed her eyes and then the elevator pinged and the door opened and she let out a breath as she saw who was waiting for the door to open.