author's note: this one is super long but there's just so much I wanted to include! I know there's a teeny big of a cliffhanger, but the next chapter will have flashbacks. pls enjoy and review if you like it! your feedback means so much and makes me want to write more. xoxo

The sun was barely beginning to peek over the horizon, but Gianna was already out at the lake. She couldn't sleep. All night, she'd tossed and turned and played the previous night over and over in her head. Finally, around 4:00am, she just got up. Luckily, the shift change for the night crew was around 4:30, so the grounds weren't completely empty. She still felt a little spooked from time to time, and wandering around alone in the middle of the night didn't do much for her nerves.

She scrawled lines in her notebook, having written almost a whole song in the time since she'd been up. Looking over what she'd written, she sang softly to herself.

And we kept everything professional

But something's changed, it's somethin' I, I like

They keep watchful eyes on us

So it's best that we move fast and keep quiet

You won't believe half the things I see inside my head

Wait 'til you see half the things that haven't happened yet

But what would you do if I went to touch you now?

What would you do if they never found us out?

What would you do if we never made a sound?

'Cause I can see you waitin' down the hall from me

And I could see you up against the wall with me

And what would you do, baby, if you only knew?

"Let me guess…it's about Sam."

Gianna jumped as Steve's voice interrupted the quiet morning. She turned to see him walking down the dock towards her, grinning.

"It's about Natasha, actually." She rubbed her forehead, heart pounding. "You scared me."

"Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt. I was just finishing up running. I can leave you to it." He smiled sheepishly.

"No, no, this was good. I usually don't have heart palpitations until my third cup of coffee, so you're saving me time." She stood to her feet as he chuckled. "Speaking of which, cup number two is calling my name."

"I'll walk with you. Long night?" Steve always found the balance between teasing and being kind, which Gianna appreciated.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Something tells me you weren't the only one."

Gianna glanced up at him, eyebrow raised.

"Bucky passed me an hour and a half ago, he was finishing up right when I got started. Which isn't exactly late in the day. I'm guessing he's in the training room now."

"Is that a good sign?"

"Let's just say he hasn't been on a first date in…a while. He's just nervous."

"He has nothing to be nervous about, we spend every single day together. Literally. Every day for the past four months, with the slight exception of me being unconscious in the hospital, we've been together."

"He was there, too. In the hospital." Steve smiled. "He left before you woke up. But he was there."

Gianna frowned. "See? I don't want him to feel stressed, I feel bad, this shouldn't be something upsetting."

"No, trust me, he's not upset." Steve laughed, waving her concerns off. "He just gets in his head. For a guy who doesn't get too enthused about much, he actually cares quite a bit about doing things right. It's endearing, once you get past the grouchy exterior."

"If you say so," she smiled. "The last thing a semi-stable one hundred year old man needs is added stress."

"Hey, watch it. Age is just a number."

"Now you sound like Tony."

"Don't insult me."

For the rest of the morning, Gianna followed her normal routine. Get coffee, make herself slightly (only slightly) more presentable, chat with whoever happened to be in the common area (today, it was Sam), and then head down to watch Bucky train. With their evening plans hanging in the air, she felt a strange flurry of nerves in her stomach as she walked down the trail to the training building.

Since it was a Friday, they'd be going over weapons out on the range. After a week of getting their asses handed to them in combat training, Steve and Bucky liked to end the week on a more positive note. Rounding the corner to the shooting range behind the building, Gianna spotted the duo standing near a rack of weaponry. The recruits weren't set to begin for another ten minutes.

"Good morning, Buck! Good morning, again, Steve!" Her voice was cheery as she greeted the super soldiers.

"Good morning, again." Steve smiled, stepping off to the side.

"Morning, sunshine." Bucky's smile had a hint of orneriness to it. "You look cheerful this morning."

"I have a hot date tonight." She winked.

"Oof," Bucky put a metal hand over his chest. "Don't make me jealous."

"Don't be too upset, I'm just planning on using him for his body." Gianna kept a straight face as she shrugged.

"Ah, I see." He grinned. "Something tells me he won't mind."

The activity around them picked up as the group of SHIELD agents began to file around the corner. Gianna stepped back and began to walk towards a shady tree a few yards behind them, the perfect place to watch without being in the way.

"Oh, Gianna," Bucky called after her. "Be ready at 7."

She did a mock salute as she slunk down at the base of the tree. Suddenly, her mind filled with questions about the logistics of the evening. Where the hell would they go? What should she wear? Was she even allowed to leave the compound? She whipped out her phone.

Gianna: WANDA. SOS.

Wanda: ? what's wrong?

Gianna: Bucky asked me to dinner. TONIGHT.

Wanda: omg - it's about time! i still need deets about last night!

Gianna: deal, but I need help! I don't have any clothes here that aren't sweats! I don't even know what he's planning!

Wanda: meet me at my room in an hour.

Gianna: my hero!

Looking up, Gianna went back to observing the class. The gentle fall breeze provided a welcome calm in contrast to the butterflies in her stomach. She sat, hazelnut latte in hand, and focused her attention solely on the training area, not all her questions about the evening. She admired how effortlessly Steve and Bucky moved as they demonstrated each technique, their years of experience evident in every precise movement. Seeing Bucky at work, channeling years of horrific experiences into something good, it couldn't be beat.

Especially since his training attire was more on the snug side.

As she watched, Gianna couldn't help but marvel at Bucky's rugged charm. His dark hair was tousled from the wind, his large frame commanding even in a group of elite agents. His focus was unwavering as he instructed the recruits, his voice calm and authoritative. Ever so patient, he took a pistol from one of the recruits and demonstrated proper hand positioning before handing it back. She smiled to herself.

I am a huge Bucky Barnes fan.

However, Gianna's admiration was interrupted when her gaze landed on a dark-haired female agent among the recruits. The agent seemed to be going out of her way to catch Bucky's attention, a subtle flirtatiousness in her actions as she showcased her skills with the weapons. Every time she'd hit a target, her eyes flicked back to see if he was watching. Gianna couldn't deny the twinge of jealousy that washed over her. Narrowing her eyes, she tried to see if she recognized the girl.

She was taller than Gianna, which wasn't saying a ton, and had a long, lean stature. Gianna made a mental note to ask Nat who she was.

Bucky, to his credit, remained focused on the task at hand, offering equal attention to all the recruits. He provided constructive feedback and demonstrated techniques, his professionalism unwavering. But even he couldn't help but notice when the female agent made a particularly daring move, doing a front somersault into a defensive position, firing the gun straight into the center of the target.

When she inevitably glanced towards him, he gave her a nod of approval. Not exactly a warm and fuzzy reaction, but it made Gianna's stomach turn just the same.

As the training session continued, she shifted her focus back to the demonstration as a whole. She watched as Bucky effortlessly disarmed one of the recruits, his movements fluid and precise. There was a deep sense of respect and admiration in the way the trainees looked at him.

Except for this bitch. I know that look. She's undressing him with her eyes. Gianna recognized it because it wasn't exactly unfamiliar for her. She set her jaw, reminding herself who he had the date with that evening. Pulling out her phone, she sent Wanda another text.

Gianna: def gonna need something sexy.

As the training session came to a close, most of the new recruits filed off to the side, discussing their progress and exchanging stories. The brunette agent, however, hung back, her gaze fixed on Bucky, determination etched across her features.

He was gathering his training materials, unaware of the lingering presence nearby. He tucked his hair behind his ear, oblivious to the brunette's intent. She took a step closer, her smile just a touch too friendly as she spoke,

"Sergeant Barnes, that was an incredible session. You really know your stuff, not that anyone's surprised. I'd love to get some follow up instruction sometime, maybe after class next week? I have a few techniques I'm having trouble perfecting."

Before Bucky could respond, Gianna decided it was time to make her presence known. With a confident stride, she approached the pair, fueled by the little ball of envy in her stomach. She stopped right in front of Bucky, a warm smile gracing her lips as she tilted her head to look up at him, her back to the brunette as if she didn't exist.

"Bucky," Gianna purred, "I can't wait for tonight."

She stood on tiptoe, her lips finding Bucky's in a sweet, lingering kiss. Her hand wrapped around the back of his head, feeling his soft hair in her fingers. Bucky was taken by surprise, but as their lips met, he felt a rush of warmth that left him momentarily breathless. He smiled into their kiss.

The brunette agent, however, was far from pleased. Her eyes widened in shock, and she took a step back, clearly annoyed that her moment had been so abruptly interrupted. She cleared her throat and shot Gianna a rather icy glare.

Pulling back, Gianna turned to the agent as if seeing her for the first time. "Oh, I'm so rude! Hi, I'm Gianna." She held her hand out to the agent who reluctantly shook it.

"Agent Allison."

"Nice to meet you." She gave her most innocent, America's Sweetheart smile before turning back.

Bucky, still somewhat dazed by the unexpected kiss, managed to find his voice. "Tonight. I can't wait." He had that adorable half-grin she adored.

Gianna's smile widened. "Great! See you later, Buck." Turning, she let her hips swing just a little more than usual when she walked away. Fully aware of both sets of eyes on her, she smiled to herself. I got a little territorial, so what?

As she walked away, Bucky barely glanced back at Agent Allison, who was still standing there, fuming and forgotten. "Yeah, uh, good work. See you next week."

He walked back toward the training building, catching Steve's eye. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged as Steve chuckled.

"I think Gianna just marked her territory." He clapped a hand on Bucky's back.

"I guess so." Bucky shook his head, still grinning.

Gianna sat cross-legged on Wanda's bed, surrounded by a sea of outfits that had been meticulously pulled from her wardrobe. Clothes were strewn across the bed and even scattered on the floor, creating a colorful and slightly chaotic scene. 7pm was rapidly approaching, and she hadn't even brushed her hair yet.

Wanda, perched on the edge of a chair, regarded Gianna with a knowing smile. "I don't want to brag, but I'm kind of a fashion connoisseur. Just about anything in here would knock Bucky off his feet, especially with you in it."

"Ugh, thank you so much, seriously. I haven't even had to think what to wear since I got here, it's basically just sweatsuit city. I didn't think I'd need date attire."

Wanda raised an eyebrow. "Really? You didn't think this would happen?"

"I don't know…I guess I hoped it would. I just, I didn't know how he felt. We worked together, then I kissed him at the party, then everything went to shit, and now I'm here."

"Well," Wanda stood to her feet, pulling three outfit options from the bed. "I'm glad you're here. Until we can have an official shopping spree in the city, what's mine is yours. Try these." She thrust the clothes into Gianna's arms.

Gianna nodded as she examined the options. She wanted something that would look pretty, sweet, but also sexy. Especially after the encounter with the brunette agent who had been eyeing Bucky a little too closely.

As she slipped on the first dress, Gianna couldn't help but vent her frustrations to Wanda. "You won't believe what happened earlier during the training session. Agent Allison, the brunette one, she was practically throwing herself at Bucky. I mean, I could practically see the hearts in her eyes!"

Wanda smirked, a hint of amusement in her expression. "Really? What did you do?"

"Well…I kissed Bucky, told him how excited I am for our date tonight, and then shook her hand."

"Damn, subtle. You're not one to hold back, are you?"

Gianna grinned. "Nope. Not when it comes to something I want."

Wanda giggled. "I can see why. But remember, Gianna, you don't need to compete for his attention. Bucky cares about you, and he's chosen to be with you. Girls have been fawning over Mr. Dark and Mysterious since he got here a few years back, I don't even think he notices."

Gianna sighed, smoothing the fabric on the dress as she looked in the mirror "You're right. It's just hard not to feel a little possessive when someone's basically throwing themselves at your…well, I guess he's not my anything yet."

"Oh, shut up." Wanda looked over her shoulder in the mirror and fluffed Gianna's hair. "Have you seen the way he looks at you? He's yours."

Blushing, Gianna fought back a smile. "I'm really glad you're here. It's been nice to have a friend. Like, a real girl friend."

"Don't make me emotional." Wanda waved her hand. "We have work to do." She winked, handing another dress to Gianna to try on.

6:55pm.

That was the time Bucky knocked on her door.

He'd waited as long as he possibly could. Living with Natasha and Wanda, and having grown up with a sister, he knew it was a severe offense to rush or interrupt the getting ready process. But here he was, standing outside her door with flowers in his hand, a whole five minutes early.

After training, he'd struggled to find ways to kill the rest of the afternoon. Gianna was nowhere to be found, Steve could only handle his nervous energy for so long before he made Bucky go for another run, and it took less than an hour to set up for the date he'd meticulously planned. Even though he'd only officially asked her last night, Bucky had asked the girls to help him round up some supplies as soon as he noticed Gianna's favorite place at the compound.

He ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath as he heard her footsteps approaching the door. "Hi." The door opened and there she was. Gianna Cruz, waiting for him to come retrieve her like she'd done so many times over the past few months. Except this time was different. This time, he wasn't working. He wasn't here as her security, ready to escort her to her real life obligation. He was here as her date. Finally.

"Hi," She was grinning from ear to ear when she opened the door, eyes crinkling even more when she saw the flowers in his hand. Her hair was loosely braided, a few imperfect curls falling into her face. She'd kept her natural hair, something he'd always loved but couldn't remember if he ever vocalized. "Two days in a row? James Buchanan Barnes. Ladies' man extraordinaire."

"You ready?" He smiled and held out his arm for her to take.

"Mmm, you could give me another two hours and I'd still be changing my hair. So it's best just to call it." She brushed a curl out of her face.

"I don't think you should change a thing. I always liked your hair like that."

"Messy?" She looked at him sheepishly.

"Natural." He reached up and touched one of the curls hanging beside her face, sending a shiver down her spine when his fingertips brushed her ear. "It's so pretty. You don't even have to try."

"I try really hard, actually."

"You don't have to. Not with me." He pressed the button to the elevator button and let her step in first when the doors opened. "Do you know how amazing you look tonight, or should I go ahead and tell you?"

Her face contorted as she fought back another smile. "You should probably go ahead and tell me."

"Ah, okay," He grinned, putting a finger beneath her chin and looking straight into her eyes. "Gianna Cruz, you look so unbelievably good tonight. I cannot believe I get to call you my date."

The smile broke through, her face warming under his touch and attention. Just as the proximity started to cloud their minds, the elevator doors slid open. Bucky offered his left arm to her, the flowers still held in his right. Wrapping her hand around his bicep, she felt the cool metal through his long sleeve. They crossed the lobby and stepped out into the cool evening air. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow across the entire compound.

It was suspiciously empty on the grounds, but that was the last thing on Gianna's mind. The path before them was sprinkled with rose petals, illuminated by single floating candles spaced every few feet along the way. Looking up, she saw that it followed the oh-so-familiar walk down to the dock.

Wordlessly, she looked up at Bucky, her face showing a kind of happy he'd never seen before. She still fought back the full smile, so much so that her cheeks ached. They walked down to the lake in comfortable silence as Gianna took in every bit of the scenery and Bucky took in every bit of her reaction. The trail took a short curve through the thick woods before opening up to the clearing where the dock began. It made for a more private setting, mostly shielding it from the rest of the compound. Tonight, the element of surprise was exactly what Bucky had been counting on to help with the final reveal.

They turned the final corner, warm sun hitting their faces as the trees cleared.

"Bucky," Gianna breathed, eyes widening.

"Come on." He slid his hand down to hers and led her to the end of the dock. There was a table with two chairs, complete with candles, wine, and full dinner setting.

Gianna could hardly believe the moment she was living in. Mouth slightly open in awe, she didn't even know where to look as they reached the end of the dock. Bucky pulled the chair out for her to sit.

"I don't even…Bucky, I…" She looked from the table to the sunset and back to him. "I don't even know what to say. You did all this? How did you -"

"I had a little help." He half-smiled, pouring wine into both glasses. "After the first few days here, you kept saying how much you liked the lake. I knew you came down here as much as you could. I told Wanda what I had in mind and she found all this stuff, had it shipped to the tower. They brought it with them when they flew in a few days ago."

"But, we just made this plan last night…?" She felt at a loss for words in the best way.

"I know. I thought I was going to have to hide 500 candles in my closet until I finally got the balls to ask you out."

Gianna grinned. "I'm glad you got the balls sooner rather than later."

"Me too." Bucky passed her a wine glass. "To you never realizing how far out of my league you are."

She raised her glass to his. "To you, having the balls to ask me out." Their glasses clinked together and they both took a slow sip of wine, neither one breaking eye contact until the glasses were back on the table.

A low hum filled the air. Looking up, Gianna saw a midsize drone hovering across the lake, carrying silver serving platters.

"I didn't know there was room service at the Avengers' Compound." She raised an eyebrow.

"There is if one of the programming agents in the robotics division is afraid of you." He shrugged.

"Ah, I'll keep that in mind next time I go to intimidate a SHIELD agent." She laughed, faltering when she remembered the run in from earlier. "Bucky…about earlier." Her eyes were wide, equal parts embarrassed and amused.

"Mhmm?" He took the dishes from the drone and set one in front of each of them, lifting the lids off to reveal the most incredible looking pasta Gianna had ever seen.

"Oh, my God…this looks insane. Bucky! How did you do this! Last time I checked, the cafeteria doesn't serve gourmet food." It smelled heavenly.

"Tony's here for the next week, he usually flies his chef out when he's here for too long. I just asked for a couple extra servings." He tried to hide his grin, seem casual, but her excitement was contagious.

"I can't even think straight." She took a sip of her wine.

"I hope that's a good thing. It's been a while since I last went on a date, so I'm a little out of practice."

"It's a good thing." Gianna leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. "A very, very good thing."

As the sun slowly sunk below the horizon, dinner conversation flowed effortlessly. Bucky told stories from the past few years as an Avenger, including how Peter's first words to him were about how cool his metal arm was - during a fight, no less. Gianna gushed about all the situations she'd been stuck in throughout her stardom where she wished she had someone to share it with, someone who saw it all and could laugh about it on the drive back to the hotel every night. It was easy. It was natural.

Laughed lulled as Bucky finished a story about how Tony had once gotten way too drunk at a party and announced to the entire crowd he'd peed in the Iron Man suit.

"Oh my gosh, ow." Gianna leaned back in her chair. "My stomach hurts. I laughed too much. I definitely ate too much."

"There's no such thing." Bucky leaned forward, splitting the last of the wine between their glasses.

"Mm, yet another reason I like you." She winked, raising her glass towards him before taking a sip.

"So," Bucky grinned. "How am I doing?"

"Are you seriously asking for feedback in the middle of our date?" Gianna giggled.

"Hey, like I said, it's been awhile. I just want to make sure I'm on the right track." He put his hands up defensively. "Plus, Wanda may or may not have shown me photos of your last few dates. Tough acts to follow."

Rolling her eyes, Gianna set her glass down. "Which photos did you see?"

"Helicopter ride with that football player?"

"We were paid by the helicopter company. We'd only spoken twice before that and once after."

"Dinner on a yacht with that actor?"

"Horrible. He only talked about himself. I'm also pretty sure he thought I was someone else. He told me I was shorter than he expected and then asked me if I was allowed to eat dessert since the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was coming up." Gianna groaned. "I thought it was a really weird thing to say, but when I thought about it later I realized he definitely didn't think I was me."

"His loss." Bucky gave her a half-smile. "Okay, last one…what about the guy who rented that restaurant out for you? Didn't you…weren't you pretty serious?"

"No." She smiled, but it was somber. "That was a PR stunt. He had a big movie coming out, they used two of my songs on the soundtrack, it was supposed to be big for both of our careers. And it was, I guess. It's just, sometimes it can be hard to pretend without forgetting what's real and what's work. It gets messy."

Bucky watched her, spinning the stem of his wine glass between metal fingers.

"It was also a long time ago." Gianna continued, giving a reassuring look. "I was very young. I didn't really know how things were done in the industry and that made me vulnerable. That's why I haven't really dated over the past couple years…I wanted something real."

She reached her hand across the table, replacing the wine glass in his grip.

"I still do."

"I'd assure you that this is real, but truth be told, I'm still waiting for someone to pinch me." Bucky squeezed her hand ever so lightly. If she ever felt strangely about his vibranium hand, she never showed it.

She met his eyes, relaxing in his gaze. "You and your lines, Sargeant."

He stood to his feet, still holding her hand. "Is it too old-fashioned if I ask you to dance?"

"Maybe," Gianna slid out of her chair, letting him guide her to the center of the dock. "But that doesn't mean I want you to stop."

The soft music that had been playing throughout dinner was paired with the quiet creaking of the dock and the crickets as they swayed slowly.

"Shh!" Wanda hissed. "You know sounds carry across water!"

Peter shut up and retreated to the back of the balcony. The group had gathered on the patio, claiming to want fresh air after dinner, but secretly all hoping to catch a glimpse of the date they'd all helped facilitate.

"See anything, Rogers?" Natasha called, taking a sip of her drink.

"I told you, I don't condone spying." He looked up from his chair. "They're dancing."

Grinning, Nat stood to her feet and walked to the railing where Wanda and Sam stood.

"You think they'd notice if I sent Red Wing over there? I could get us some live footage."

"Sam, if you give Bucky any excuse to rip that thing out of the sky, he's not going to hesitate." Steve reluctantly joined them, thankful the dock was far enough away that it took super soldier vision to really see what was going on.

"They're hopeless." Wanda said. "So in love."

"Are you saying that as a mind-reader?" Peter asked, wide-eyed.

"I'm saying that as someone who talked to them both today." She rolled her eyes. "And as someone with eyes."

"Okay, alright. Let's give them some privacy. If you want to watch someone on a date then put on that trashy show you're always watching." Steve ushered them inside.

"Steve, you know the Bachelor is only on Monday night." Sam elbowed him, walking through the door. "What, a man can't enjoy quality reality television?!"

When he was the only one remaining on the balcony, Steve took one last glance down at the dock just in time to see Bucky raise Gianna's hand and spin her around. Grinning, he stepped inside and shut the door.