*Updated with Bucky's POV*
Jenny paced in her room. Juan and Russel were taking shifts outside her door.
When Bucky had practically pushed her in the car, Juan had shrugged apologetically as the car had pulled away. "Glad you're ok ma'am," he'd said. She gave the young security guard a half smile but was too angry to speak.
Now she was back in her room after a long hot shower. Hanging on the back of the hotel door now was her ruined dress. The remnants of her former life, all in tatters. She picked up the hem, and let it drop.
She'd watched the news with her translator. The shooting outside the hall had nothing to do with the dinner.
Still, she'd been told that the Winter Soldier wouldn't be back until late by Russel. Apparently, he'd decided the police hadn't done a good enough job, and he was interrogating the shooter.
That is if he didn't kill them first. She couldn't wait any longer, she had to expose him now. Their rooms were adjacent, which had made her nervous. She removed the chair she'd placed in front of the door knob. She knew with his Super Soldier serum and metal arm, that didn't mean much, but it still gave her a layer of pretend security.
She pulled a hair pin out of her mess of a bun, and stuck it in the lock, twisting until she heard a soft click. She squinted in the dark and turned on a lamp by the door. There had to be something here that would incriminate him.
He was neat. Everything folded and tucked in drawers, his suitcase lined up in the corner. She'd have to be careful not to muss anything as she rifled through his stuff. There was only one thing out of place. She walked over to his nightstand and picked up a tattered copy of The Hobbit, the fabric over the top practically gone. It was a first printing. She flipped the cover open to a note on the inside.
For the best pal a guy could have. I know how you love this stuff. Merry Christmas. -Steve.
Her heart caught in her throat. She was holding something Captain America had written in. She dropped it, and a folded piece of paper fluttered to the ground. She picked it up and opened it.
It was a list of names. "Reparations" was written at the top.
Some names were crossed out with scrawly old fashioned cursive.
Margaret Simmons: $2000 for Anna's tuition.
Jeremy Houser: Told about his grandfather.
Martin Tishman: $30,000 for medical bills.
The list went on and on. She sat heavily on the bed, the paper landing on the comforter.
She heard muffled voices in the hallway. He was back.
"Shit!" she said.
She folded the paper back up and placed it haphazardly in the pages of "The Hobbit". She hurried to the access between their rooms as a key was being put into the lock. Oh no! The lamp. She switched it off as the door opened and turned the knob, to prevent the click and closed it behind her. She breathed out, listening, as the Winter Soldier moved around his adjacent space. She heard him flop on his bed, and then all was silent.
...
Bucky opened his room door, threw the key card onto the dresser and flopped face first onto the comforter. What a day.
The interrogation was weird. At first the man was blank. Stared straight through every police officer including Bucky when they asked their questions. Bucky knew the tell tale signs of brain washing, and this guy was as empty of himself as a tin can. The hollow void in the man's eyes made the blood race faster through Bucky's veins. He remembered the void.
But then the man had awoken, looking around the room completely disoriented, thrashing and out of his mind. The police had put him in a cell and would continue the interrogation tomorrow. Bucky was going back to help. Something wasn't right. Even if that would take away from his duties to her highness.
He flipped on his back. The way she'd stared at him when he shoved her in the car after trying to help that woman. He'd gone back to make sure the woman had gotten out all right. But that look from Jennifer…
He hadn't realized when he'd started to call her that instead of the Captor's granddaughter. He had to admit that she looked beautiful in that dress. Round curves and the soft skin he encountered under his rough hand when he'd ushered her out of the ballroom. She sparkled. That perfume, floral and heady with traces of her own musk underneath making his heart race. Horrified, he slapped his cheek to wake himself from whatever weird thoughts were creeping in. He stood and unzipped the leather jacket and threw it on the chair, then removed his shirt. As he reached for the snap on his pants he caught a whiff of Jasmine. He froze. He followed the trail from the door to his bedside and picked up his most treasured possession from the first love of his life. He flipped the cover and saw that his list was tucked in the wrong page.
His eyes darkened as he stared at the door between their rooms.
Forget anything he said about her being beautiful.
He grumbled as he placed the book from Steve reverently on the night stand. He lay back down on his bed, but he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. His privacy had been shattered. He pulled out his phone and texted Sam.
Any progress?
No text bubble showed. He knew Sam was on assignment but he couldn't wait any longer.
A noise from her room made his heart quicken. He sat up and listened.
"NO!" she cried.
Bucky sprang out of his bed and yanked the door open, breaking the jam on his side. He entered the room but there was no one there, just Jennifer thrashing in her bed. He stopped and ran his hand down his face. She was just having a nightmare. Lord knew that he'd had plenty of those. He didn't care a fig.
He sighed and turned around. Luckily she wouldn't be able to see the door damage from her side, and he could call maintenance in the morning.
"Please Grandad, no."
Bucky heart stopped and he whirled around.
"Just talk to me." she cried. "Why?"
He froze to the spot. He should have left, but he couldn't move.
"I need you to tell me why."
His feet brought him to the edge of her bed. "Why?" he asked. He pinched his mouth together. It had just slipped out.
"How could you never tell me you were Hydra?" Her voice was ripe with anguish.
Bucky fell to his knees.
"You're reprehensible," she said. Her face twisted into agony, a sheen of sweat on her brow. She fisted her fingers. "I hate you," she said. "I'm glad you're dead."
He put his hand over his mouth.
Jennifer opened her eyes and stared at him. He jolted, but she didn't react. Her eyes were glassy, sleep filled. She was still dreaming.
She sat up and slipped out of her bed and kneeled in front of him. Her pajamas hung loose on her frame.
"Please don't leave me Daniel," she said. Bucky froze as she took each side of his face in her soft hands. Her light brown eyes bore into his, pleading with him. His heart hammered as she scooted closer.
"I don't know what you want from me," he whispered.
"Stay," she whispered back.
His body locked as she leaned closer. Then she molded her lips to his. She parted her mouth and licked at the seam of his lips with a little moan. Everything in him wanted to open to her then. Gather her in his arms and continue the kiss, breathing in her smell, feeling her yielding body against his. But his 1940's values remained for better or worse. Yes he'd had some experiences back then but you still didn't kiss a dame who was fast asleep. Who was he, Prince Charming? With all the internal strength he could muster, he pressed against her arms gently, and pulled his mouth away from her soft lips.
"Please," she said.
Bucky cursed under his breath. He curled his arm under her knees and lifted her from the floor, laying her gently on the mattress. She stared up at him from the bed and held her hand out, reaching for him.
"God dammit," he muttered, as the fabric of her pajamas molded to the contours to her body. He pulled the covers over her. "Sleep," he commanded.
She smiled at him, warm and content and closed her eyes, rolling over.
Bucky practically ran back to his room and put the door in place. He leaned his back against it letting out every swear word in every language that he knew.
What the hell had just happened?
His worst enemy had just tried to French him. He paced back and forth. God he could use a drink.
But the most important piece of information was… she wasn't Hydra. And regardless of what Sam was able to dig up, he knew that down in his gut. Hydra agents dreamed of a world made new. People hurt by Hydra dreamed of hatred and longing.
So her disdain of him had nothing to do with either. She just hated him.
But the worst feeling that rose to the surface he loathed worst of all: He was insanely jealous of this Daniel bastard. Whoever he was, he was one lucky son of a bitch.
Bucky pulled out his phone.
Sam. Never mind, I got what I needed.
...
Jenny was cleared to go back to the capital building tomorrow as the police felt the threat had been neutralized. All except the Winter Soldier. He sent a guard to tell her that he'd be escorting her to President Tarkov himself. She'd requested that Max come as well, to which the Winter Soldier reluctantly agreed.
Max had come to check on her that morning. He brought her coffee, a cardamom roll and his smile. Despite needing to shut down the flirting, she was relieved to see that he was alright. "How are you?" he asked as she closed the door to her room from the hallway. They started walking toward the elevator.
"No worse for wear. Are you ok? You disappeared last night."
"Yeah, well I went to track down those shots. Thought I'd make myself useful."
"That's noble Max, but you could have been hurt."
"It was pretty fool hardy. But I had to make sure you were safe," He pushed the button in the elevator, and stuck his hands in his pockets. "You're important." He bit his lip and stared at the floor. "You're important to what we're doing I mean."
"Max, I…" Too much had happened in her past to jump into trusting a man who flattered.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened. She jumped as a figure stood before them. The one from her nightmares.
The Winter Soldier leaned on his hip, his impressive thighs holding the bulk of his muscle as he sipped a cup of coffee. He'd look handsome if he wasn't a trained killer psychopath in all leather. Their eyes locked, and she felt a wave of heat. He'd grabbed her, ruined her dress… and saved her. And for some reason she didn't feel afraid this time.
His steely gaze was in place again, his emotions completely locked away. She couldn't tell if he'd been able to ascertain if she'd been in his room or not. That's why she'd insisted on Max.
The super soldier didn't say anything, just followed them out to the car and climbed in behind them. She tried to look out the window, but she couldn't help but steal glances at him. His focus was purely outside the car. She couldn't help but wonder about his dog-eared copy of The Hobbit from Steve Rogers. It was so cute. Something that reminded her of her little cousin and his best friend.
That personal note was one of the most simple and loyal things she'd ever read.
But looking at him now, there was no trace of someone who would steep themselves in a fantasy novel. She thought about their first encounter, all those years ago, His eyes dark and cold like a stormy January. She hadn't noticed that she'd been picking at the skin of her thumb with her nail until she realized he was looking back.
For some reason, she didn't look away this time. Maybe it was the book and the list that made him less scary. His eyebrows looked relaxed, his jaw not so tightly set. They weren't studying each other, just looking. Her palms started to sweat, and she flexed her fingers. One corner of his mouth turned up just barely.
"What are you looking at?" asked Max.
The Winter Soldier smirked and looked back out the window.
"Don't let him get to you," said Max. "He's here to follow orders."
Jenny frowned. Regardless of how she felt about the Winter Soldier, she hated talking about people like they weren't there.
"Thank you for the coffee by the way," she said.
Max smiled and winked at her.
When they arrived at the Capital building, President Tarkov was there to greet her again. The older woman smiled and hugged her, and Jenny couldn't help but melt into her embrace a little. It had been so long since she'd gotten a hug.
"My dear, I'm so glad you are alright. Your stoic friend moves quickly."
"Yes, he was the right man for the job I think." Jenny couldn't believe the words she was saying. The Winter Soldier was a few feet away. She dared not look at him.
President Tarkov led her to the waiting car. Both Max and the Winter Soldier climbed in the car behind, and they were off.
"What made you apply for this job?" she asked
"I sort of fell into it," said Jenny.
"Why did you take it?"
Jenny considered. Revenge. "I wanted to help. I was blipped, and I understand how it feels to have no place in this world. I had no job and no family and no fiancé when I came back. I'd never felt more confused or lost. That's why I became a case worker."
"Ah. We called it the 'Tolm'-The Dust. My own daughter was subject to the Tolm."
"I'm sorry, that must have been awful." She realized this conversation wasn't exactly professional, but hell, she needed to talk about it to someone.
"I got through it. Just like you. But when she came back? I've never been so overjoyed. A piece of my heart returned."
Jenny nodded. She hadn't been so lucky.
As they drove around the city, President Tarkov pointed out several homeless camps. Refugees and people displaced after being removed from the homes that they used to occupy during the blip. "This is what the old GRC has done and your new Captain America. Helped those who came back, by exploiting those who remained."
A little blonde girl holding a muddy teddy bear on the side of the road caught her eye. Alone and cold.
"It's awful," said Jenny, shaking her head. A lump had formed in her throat. "The new GRC will be taking measures to find homes for them instead of these camps in the future. And there are funds being set aside to assist with housing and repatriation."
"That's what they told you to say. Do you believe it?"
"Yes."
President Tarkov narrowed her eyes.
"I want to," said Jenny.
"When you go home," said the older woman. "Tell the Council what you've seen. Take a step toward action and not just the words of a man that have been written down for you."
Jenny swallowed. It wasn't a reprimand, but she felt the sting. "I will."
"I know you will. It's in your blood."
Jenny froze, every muscle in her body going taught. "What do you mean?"
President Tarkov leaned forward, her words so loud they swallowed up every sound in the car. "I know who you are Yennifer Pierce."