Chapter 2

Yori leans in a few inches. "You should ask her out," he says, nodding to Leah, their waitress.

Bucky quickly shakes his head, gut plummeting. Leah's pretty and friendly and funny at times, but Bucky doesn't want to go out with her. He can't explain why, it just…wouldn't feel right. It wouldn't feel genuine.

But Yori ignores Bucky's cues and turns to Leah. "He would like to take you out on a date. Maybe to bingo or a night of pinochle?"

"I'm really sorry about him," Bucky says, dread rising.

Leah shakes her head. "Why are you sorry? I'm game."

Well, he can't back out now. The last thing he wants to do is hurt her feelings or embarrass her. Besides, maybe it'll be good for him, help get his mind off—

He can't even bring himself to think it. This date is exactly what he needs.

~O~

Looking at the photo of Yori's son from the doorway, Bucky feels like his chest is going to collapse. The guilt crushes him so thoroughly that he can't even move or interact with Yori normally.

Bucky all but shoves some money at him for lunch, then hurries away. He can't look the old man in the eye; it's too painful.

Down the hallway of the apartment building, Bucky pauses at his door. The thought of going in there to sit, alone, in the dark with only his swirling thoughts for company seems unbearable.

In a split-second decision, he turns on his heel instead and stalks out of the building. He walks all the way to Steve's - Flo's - house and for the second time that week, knocks on the door unexpectedly. It's late and all the lights are off, but he soon hears the soft patter of feet coming down the stairs and then the front door is pulled open.

She's wearing an oversized Captain America t-shirt that slips down one shoulder, her hair falling out of a messy bun.

"Buck, is everything ok?" Wide-eyed and worried, she gazes up at him with all the patience in the world.

He's yet to recover his ability to speak, so he just shakes his head. She reaches out and grabs his metal hand, holding it delicately.

"Come inside, out of the cold," she says, walking backwards and leading him in. She sits him down on the couch and starts a fire in the fireplace, warming the room. "What happened?" She crouches in front of him. His mind is blurry, almost like he's drunk, though he knows that isn't possible.

"Bucky? I think you're disassociating," Flo says and moves to stand up. "I'm going to call Dr Raynor—"

"No," Bucky grabs her wrist, keeping her close. "No, just…just stay."

She lowers herself onto the couch next to him carefully. "Ok."

In his mind, he feels himself raise a gun and point it straight at Yori's son's head. BANG. He hears the gunshot ring and echo in his ears, over and over again. It's so goddamn loud. He needs to drown it out.

"Do you remember that boy….Kenneth? He used to give Steve shit all the time when we were in school. Do you remember the day I broke his arm? I didn't mean to… grabbed him the wrong way to pull him off Steve and accidentally snapped his elbow when I tugged too hard. He was a dick, but I…"

"You felt terrible," Flo murmurs, treading carefully. He knows he's scaring her and he hates that, but he can't snap out of this. He doesn't know how.

"I couldn't sleep that night. I had this pit in my stomach, I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that I'd seriously hurt him. And then I joined the army. And I started killing people. And that would keep me up at night. And now, after everything I've done…"

"Buck, maybe you should lie down, try and get some sleep—"

"No," his voice is harsher than he intends. "I can't sleep, Flo. Don't you get it? I can't sleep."

"Ok," she says, very quiet and small, just like she used to when she was scared. It kicks something awake in Bucky, some deeply-ingrained protective instinct that he's always had for her. He blinks and rubs his eyes, his shoulders beginning to unwind.

"I just don't know how to…" he trails off. How to live? How to function? How to be a normal person and not a killing machine?

"I know," she says and puts her arm around him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I know."

Despite the fact that their paths have been so different, he thinks that if anyone can understand, it's her.

~O~

When I first saw the new Captain America announced on TV, it was like my heart plummeted through my stomach. I watched in awe as a man ran out to a cheering crowd, grinning all tall and proud. And carrying my brother's goddamn shield.

I've felt a lot of emotions over my life; happiness, elation, devastation, unparalleled fear. But never have I ever felt such intense, burning rage.

I could scarcely believe my eyes. They think they can pluck some blonde guy from the army and replace my brother? You can't replace Steve Rogers. He is not and has never been replaceable.

Fuelled by fury and indignation, I snatch up my jacket and storm out the door.

Amongst the crowds of excited fans and snarling journalists, I slip through, blinking at the constant flashes of cameras.

The new Captain America - John Walker - shakes people's hands and autographs their goddamn t-shirts. Someone snaps a selfie with him. I didn't even know what a selfie was until a few weeks ago.

"Hey!" My voice is lost amongst all the noise. "Hey!"

John Walker looks my way and though his blue helmet is covering much of his face, I can see his expression twist a little. "Florence," he says, pushing past some people to reach me. "I'm sorry we didn't get to meet earlier. I've read a lot about you and your brother—"

"That's not yours," I interrupt and am impressed by the strength in my voice. He looks dumbfounded for a moment.

"Excuse me?"

"That shield doesn't belong to you," I continue. "It isn't yours. You're not Captain America."

He moves closer so I can better hear him over the crowd, reaching out to touch my arm. "Look, I know this must be so hard for you, but maybe we should talk another time, in private—"

I flinch away from him. "No, we're going to talk now. You need to take that costume off and stop pretending to be something you aren't."

He chuckles a little incredulously. "You're being kind of unreasonable, Flo, I mean I'm in the middle of—"

"Don't call me that!" I shout and heads turn to look at me. "Put the shield down! Put it down!" I reach out and grab my brother's shield, trying to yank it from John's hands.

"Hey! Stop! Stop!"

He pulls it back but I hang on, getting dragged with him. "Let it go!" I scream, shaking with anger, trying desperately to pull it off his arm. "It's not yours! It's not yours!" I feel cameras on me, people gasping and chattering, but all I see is an imposter pretending to be my brother. I see Steve's legacy trampled on by an unknown man. They can't do this, not after everything Steve gave for them.

"Get off!" He tries to rip the shield away and I tumble forward, tripping over my own feet. I manage to keep my fingers around the edge of the vibranium shield though, clutching to it with everything I am.

"It isn't yours!"

Suddenly I'm seized by security, yanked backwards by thick arms that roughly haul me through the crowd. I shout and squirm and manage to catch one of them in the jaw with my elbow, but they don't let go. As I struggle, I get hit in the face, causing me to thrash more wildly. I see a flash of blue - the Captain America uniform - before I'm thrown into the back of a police car.

~O~

Bucky and Sam stride down the white halls of the police station wearing matching looks of grim determination.

Watching the whole incident play out on live national television was torture for Bucky, from the introduction of another man parading as Steve to seeing Flo break down on camera and have an altercation with the new Captain America.

"Open the door," Sam demands to an officer when they reach the interrogation room that Flo's being held in.

"I'm sorry, Mr Wilson. I'm not authorised—"

"Open the goddamn door," Bucky says threateningly, taking an intimidating step forward. The officer swallows, looking nervous.

"It's alright, let them in," John Walker says from behind them, slowly making his way up the hallway.

"On whose authority?" The officer asks.

"Mine. Let them in to see her," Walker insists. The door opens and Bucky is the first one through. Flo is sitting, cuffed to the metal table of the interrogation room. Her hair is a mess and there's a red mark on her cheek like she's been hit. He can immediately tell that she's been crying, her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry," are the first words out of her mouth. Her bottom lip trembles and flutters. "I'm so sorry."

Bucky shakes his head, going toward her. "No, no this isn't your fault." He reaches out and crushes the handcuff with his metal arm, freeing her from it. In the background, he faintly hears the police officer voice his disapproval.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I'm sorry," she repeats it over and over again, going straight into Bucky's arms. He puts a hand on the back of her head, wraps the other around her middle.

"Stop, it's not your fault," he speaks into her hair.

"It is my fault," she sobs.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Sam says, motioning for them to leave. Still holding Flo against his side, Bucky begins to move them to the door.

"Stop, she can't leave yet," the officer says. "She needs to be processed for assault charges."

"Assault? Are you kidding me? She's a hundred and thirty pounds soaking wet, who did she pose such a danger to exactly?" Sam demands. "Your new Captain America there? Is he scared of a girl half his size?"

"She can't leave—"

"It's fine," Walker speaks up again in their defence and Bucky has never wanted to punch someone more. "I'm not pressing charges, no one is. She's upset, let her leave."

On their way out, Bucky cocoons Flo into him, wrapping his jacket around her shivering body, and smacks his shoulder into Walker's, pushing the new Captain America back into the wall.

Sam drives them back to Steve's - Flo's - house. Bucky and Flo sit in the back. She's exhausted, emotionally and physically, melting into Buck's side. It feels good, more comfortable, to be the strong one again, to have her lean on him rather than it being the other way around. He spent so much of his adolescence looking out for her; it feels natural to do it again, especially in Steve's absence.

"I didn't go there to cause trouble, really," she says softly. "I just saw him on TV and I was so mad…"

"I know. Me too," Bucky strokes her hair, tucking it behind her ear. He sees Sam looking at them in the rearview mirror.

She's fallen asleep by the time they arrive at the house and Bucky carries her inside and places her gently onto the couch, tucking a blanket over her. He inspects her cheek; the redness has gone down, but a bruise blooms through her delicate skin.

"She gonna be alright?" Sam asks, crouching down to start a fire in the fireplace. The whole house is cold.

"Yeah," Bucky murmurs. If Flo is anything, she's resilient. "But you know this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't given away the shield like it was nothing."

Sam turns to him, eyebrows raised. "Are you serious? You wanna do this now?"

Bucky doesn't, actually. Not with Flo asleep, not when she's just been through something traumatic. He doesn't have the energy to be mad at Sam.

With a heaving sigh, Bucky slides down to the floor, resting his back against the couch. Flo flinches in her sleep and he looks at her. His stomach twists. Feelings are difficult for him. He finds them all so overwhelming and lately it's like they're dialled up a notch whenever he's around her. The guilt is stronger and so is the loneliness and the anxiety. All geared toward her. It's suffocating.

"Look, I'm gonna come and check on her tomorrow afternoon. How about you do us both a favour and not be here when I do?" Sam suggests, moving from the fireplace over to the front door.

"Sounds good to me," Bucky mutters. His true anger doesn't lie with Sam, it doesn't even really lie with John Walker. Maybe his true anger is only with himself; he's not entirely sure. The front door closes softly as Sam leaves.

Bucky reaches out and touches Flo's shoulder, resting his hand there. She seems to move toward his warmth, even in her sleep.

Despite the fact that all of his emotions seem amplified around Flo, she somehow makes it all feel a little more bearable too.

~O~

A/N: Hey guys! How great was TFATWS 1x02? I loved watching it. I really hope you enjoy this chapter. I can't thank you enough if you've reviewed, it means a lot reading them.

If you can, I'd love to hear from you in a review!

Thanks and lots of love x