Evelyn sat at her dressing table the next morning, curling her hair with the curlers as Bucky walked around in the kitchen, trying to prepare breakfast, but his mind completely elsewhere. He had to admit that he had been distracted ever since he had discovered those images. His mind had been on finding Verity and that alone. But he had promised to phone Sam first. Sam had informed him that he didn't know what else he could do. As soon as they thought they were close to Verity, she had disappeared. They had managed to track her down to Madripoor, but they had no authority there. Sam was becoming increasingly convinced that they would have to go off grid to find her.
Bucky was due to meet Sam that morning, insisting that he walk Evelyn to work first. They had spent the previous night in her apartment, sat on the sofa and not really talking. It had been clear that both of their minds had been working overtime, their imaginations overactive as they considered what was going on and what they could do. Bucky had gone to bed and had stayed awake most of the night, Evelyn tossing and turning next to him. It had been three in the morning when she had reached out for him and her breathing had been erratic. She didn't need to tell him that she had been having a nightmare. He had moved his arm to the side, feeling her press to his side, her fingers curling around his shoulder as he bent down and kissed her on the forehead.
"The toast is done," Bucky said, popping his head around her bedroom door just as she turned off her curlers, unplugging them to be doubly sure they would cool down. She stood up straight and tugged down the brown skirt on her thighs that came to just above her knee.
"Thanks," Evelyn said to him, moving to the door and tucking her black shirt into the skirt as she moved. "Are you still meeting Sam this morning?"
"Yeah," Bucky confirmed. "I'm going to head to meet him once I've walked you to work."
"You don't need to walk me to work," she responded to him.
"I do," he responded.
Evelyn sighed, running a hand down his arm as she passed him in the doorway. Moving out to the kitchen, she sat down at the breakfast bar and took a slice of toast, buttering the side of it. Bucky followed her out, already dressed in his light jacket and his shoes on, ready to go whenever she was. He took the seat next to her and buttered his own toast, both of them chewing, the only noise the sound of their chomping.
"I hate this," Evelyn suddenly said, dropping the crust of the bread to the plate and looking to Bucky. "There's this awkward atmosphere between us, isn't there? Or is it only me who feels it?"
"It isn't you," Bucky admitted to her. "It's just that…we can't expect things to be normal, can we? Not until Verity is found. It's going to be tense."
"But that doesn't mean that we should turn on each other," Evelyn retorted to him, her voice low and soft. "It doesn't mean that we should argue."
"We're not arguing," he pointed out.
"But we're not…us," Evelyn responded. "And I get that this isn't a normal situation and each couple faces challenges…if we even are a couple," she shrugged, realising that they hadn't exactly defined what they were yet. James let his brow furrow at hearing her. Were they not a couple? "But the point is that we should face this together and not hide things or feel awkward around each other."
"I know," Bucky agreed, taking a sip of his juice before looking at her with a softening gaze. "And we'll manage to cope with this, but we just both have different ideas of how we should deal with it."
"I know," Evelyn responded. There was an awkward silence then and she slipped from the stool. "I'll grab my jacket and bag then I'm ready to go."
Bucky turned around in his stool as Evelyn began to wander back to her bedroom to finish getting ready. "So we're not a couple?" he asked from her, unable to help himself. She took hold of the doorframe and turned her upper body around to look back to him. She arched her brow and considered what she should say to him.
"We've never really talked about it," she said to him.
"I mean…I guess we haven't, but I kind of thought that you were my girl anyway," he admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. Evelyn swore she felt her heart race at hearing him call her 'his girl'. "It's not like we're seeing anyone else."
"So…you want to make it official?" she asked him and he stood up, hands going his hips as he wandered towards her. Standing before her, he took hold of her hands in his, squeezing them tightly.
"I've met your parents," he told her. "I've dragged you into my mess…I've been dating you for weeks now…I like you, Evie, hell, I more than like you," he said with a shake of his head. "And yeah, I want us to be official. I want you to be my…what is it now? Girlfriend?"
"That tends to be the word people use," Evelyn said and she felt her cheeks begin to warm up. Bucky nodded his head.
"So do you want that? Do you want to be my girl, Evie? Because I sure as hell don't want to see you with another man or think about losing you," Bucky said to her and she nodded her head, trying not to look too eager.
"I think I'd like that," she said.
"Just think?" he teased her and she nudged him in the shoulder.
"I definitely do," she responded with a nod of her head.
"Good," Bucky whispered and bent down to kiss her. He knew that he had to pull away, but as things stood, he would prefer to keep her right where she was, where he knew she was safe and with him. But he did peel himself from her, stroking her cheekbone with his thumb. "You'd best finish getting ready," he said to her.
"Guess so," she responded in a murmur and went to shrug into her jacket and grab her bag.
The weather was slowly turning in D.C. The air was becoming fresher and it was warming up. It was turning into spring and usually Evelyn felt a sense of optimism, but as soon as she stepped onto the street that morning with Bucky, she was struggling to find that sense. She kept hold of his hand as they walked to the museum, Bucky asking her about what she had planned for the day. She indulged him in conversation, keeping things light. Once they came to the museum, Bucky embraced her and watched her head into the building before moving to go and find Sam.
He walked to the diner where they had agreed to meet and found him already indulging in a waffle. Bucky sank down in the booth across from him, hands going to his thighs and leaning back in the chair.
"And good morning to you," Sam made the first move.
"You ordered without me?" Bucky responded.
"I've been here for twenty minutes," Sam defended himself. "You're running late. Do I want to know why you're running late or is it best if I don't know?"
Bucky shook his head. "Best not to know."
Sam arched a brow, a playful smirk on his face. "Really?"
"Not what you think," Bucky replied, face still stoic.
Sam chuckled and took another bite of his waffle. "No need to get so defensive," he said to Bucky. "You're clearly happy with her, man. How's she holding up anyway?"
Bucky shrugged as the waitress walked by and he ordered a coffee before turning his attention back to Sam. "We had a fight," Bucky admitted to Sam. "She's determined to keep me away from Verity…to not go and hunt her down. Claims that she's scared what might happen to me."
"Claims?" Sam echoed the word.
Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head, eyes closed for a moment. "Claims isn't the right word," he said. "She is scared for me. She's scared what could happen if I go after her and…and she doesn't want me to leave her alone. I get that. I don't particularly enjoy the thought of leaving her alone, Sam. But I don't like the thought of sitting here while Verity is out there making threats against us."
"I get it," Sam said as the waitress placed the coffee in front of Bucky. "Verity is a clever woman, Buck. She's a scientist and she wants to recreate the serum. If she is able to do that then who knows what could happen, not just to you…but the Flag Smashers…if they get that serum then they'll be just as powerful as you are."
"I know," Bucky said to him. "So what do you suggest?"
"I suggest you listen to Evelyn," Sam responded. "She needs you."
"And what use am I when Verity is out there? I'd be better off going to find her."
"You can't just do that, Bucky," Sam said. "She is in Madripoor. We have no authority or jurisdiction there."
"All the more reason for me to go," Bucky replied.
"What? And break the conditions of your pardon?" he asked him. "You were pardoned on the basis that you acted like a normal citizen and respected the law. Do you think that running off to Madripoor is what a normal citizen would do?"
"No," Bucky snapped back, "but the point is that I'm not normal, Sam. I'm not normal at all."
"Listen," Sam urged from him, "we are doing all that we can to locate her, but until she is back in our jurisdiction then we're out of options."
"I don't like this," Bucky said. "She sent those images for a reason, Sam. She sent them as a threat…to let us know that she is watching…you know that as well as I do."
Sam sighed. "I know," he admitted to him. "And I know that this sucks, Bucky. I know that this is horrible and I get that it must be difficult for you after everything you have been through. And I don't doubt that you could go to Madripoor and drag Verity back, but the point is that Verity isn't working alone. She has people around her and…who knows what could happen if you went after her?"
Bucky gulped, eyes wide and looking at Sam as he spoke, voice slightly hoarse. "I'm not a killer, Sam. That's not me."
"I know," Sam said, "and that's not what I think you are either."
Bucky took a sip of his drink and Sam continued talking.
"But you rushing out and leaving here could revoke your pardon. And what if someone gets hurt? Do you think you'd be any use to Evelyn if you end up in jail?" Sam wondered from him. Bucky continued staring. Sam rolled his eyes. "You're doing the staring thing," he said to him.
"So you're saying that there is nothing that can be done while she is in Madripoor?"
"Not at the minute," Sam said to him, being completely honest. "But we are monitoring her. I am keeping an eye on her, Buck. I just need you to trust me that she is on borrowed time and I will do everything in my power not to let her get anywhere near you or anywhere near Evelyn. But you have to do your part. And your part is trusting me and looking after Evelyn. She needs you and you need her."
Bucky took another sip of his drink then, realising that Sam and Evelyn both had a point. He knew what could happen if his pardon was revoked. He had to do everything in his power not to let that happen. At the same time, he had never been the kind of man just to sit back. He preferred action. He preferred being able to do things to sort out problems.
"Do we have an understanding?" Sam continued to push him, "and can you please stop staring?"
"We have an understanding at the moment," Bucky decided to say to him. "But I want to be kept in the loop, Sam. I mean it."
"Wouldn't dream of doing anything other than that," Sam said honestly. "So what's it like? Because I've got to be honest, I've often wondered how Evelyn dates you. She seems so sane…rational…"
"And I'm not?"
"You're not exactly rational," Sam responded. "So what is it then? Do you go all gooey eyed when you're with her? I don't know if you have the ability to be sweet."
"We're not discussing my relationship with my girlfriend," Bucky shook his head.
"Girlfriend?" Sam asked him back, eyebrows raised. "So you've put a definition on it, huh?"
"Again, we are not discussing this."
"You know, I could just have Redwing follow you around so that I catch everything on video," Sam said.
"Do that and I'll break your little pet."
"You're such a spoil sport," he complained.
"I've got to go," Bucky said, looking to his watch and seeing the time. He was due at therapy in another half an hour.
"Not even a little bit of information?"
"Goodbye, Sam," Bucky responded, leaving some money on the table and standing up.
Sam watched him stuff his hands into his pocket and leave the diner. "I'll find out," he said to himself determinedly. "I will definitely find out."
….
"Do you think that he would have been able to do half of what he did without the serum and the shield?"
Evelyn was stood in the exhibit next to John that very same day. He had come down to do some more of his research and Evelyn had to admit that she wondered what he was looking at specifically. She had been led to believe that he was doing research concerning military recruitment, but he seemed particularly concerned with information concerning Captain America himself, not how he was used as a propaganda figure during the war. But Evelyn had signed an NDA. She had agreed to do her job and keep everything confidential.
"I don't know," Evelyn responded with a shrug. "I mean, partly no," she said. "He was pretty sick when he enlisted. Steve had numerous health problems so without that serum he would probably have stayed sickly…but the point is that his strength…the shield…they were only part of him. He was a good man too. He had good intentions and I doubt it would be possible for anyone to be like him. I think it takes a special kind of person to become Captain America…to be a figurehead who stands up for the right thing regardless of what everyone else says. It sounds corny, but I really do think that your heart has to be in the right place."
John nodded, hands in his jean pockets as he looked at the image of Steve, staring at it with wonder. "And Bucky?" he dared to ask from her, not knowing exactly where she stood with Bucky. The last time he had seen her she had mentioned that she had no idea where he was.
"What about Bucky?" she asked, toying with the card on the end of her lanyard. She looked up to John and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"He has the serum as well, doesn't he?" John asked from her. "That's how he became the Winter Soldier."
"Well, yes he had the serum," Evelyn agreed.
"And did he never want to follow Steve's footsteps? Did he never want to take up the shield? Become the new Captain America…you know, the fame that comes with it," John said.
Evelyn frowned. "You think that Steve became Captain America because of fame?" she asked him, struggling to believe what she was hearing.
"Well, no," John shook his head. "But did Bucky never want it?"
"Bucky…he…" Evelyn pondered for a moment. What did Bucky want? She didn't entirely know and she couldn't exactly say for certain. She had always wondered what went on in Bucky's mind. He was taking time to discover himself and she could understand that. He wanted calm. He wanted to make amends for what he had done when he was the Winter Soldier, but beyond that? She had no idea.
"Sorry," John said, testing the waters once more, unable to help himself. "I know that you had some kind of relationship with him."
"It's fine," Evelyn shook her head. "Bucky is back. We worked things out and we're fine."
"Oh, I see," John said, slightly taken back. "That's good then. I'm glad to hear it."
"So am I," Evelyn admitted, "but I don't know how to answer your question. Bucky is…Bucky is Bucky," she settled on saying. "He isn't Steve and I think that he would tell you that himself. But I can't speak about what he thinks. That wouldn't be fair on him."
John nodded at that point. "Do you think that he would ever consider following someone else?" he asked her and she wondered why he was so interested in what Bucky would do. She didn't know how to answer some of the questions he was asking her and she didn't feel comfortable doing so. Bucky was his own person and it wasn't for Evelyn to guess his thoughts.
"I think that Bucky just wants peace right now," Evelyn decided to say. "And honestly, it isn't for me to speak for him."
"Of course not," John agreed with her on that point. "Do you think he'd ever talk about it? Just for research purposes?"
"I'm not getting into that," Evelyn held her hands up. "I don't want to drag Bucky into my work. I keep them as separate as I can."
"I get that," he said to her, "but perhaps I might reach out to him."
"Then it will be without my involvement," Evelyn said to him. "Come on, you came to learn about his tour with the USO, right?"
"Right," John nodded.
"Then we need to head on this way," Evelyn said, glad that she could change the topic of conversation. She led John further into the exhibit, talking him through Steve's tour with the USO before he left for war. John left at just gone six and Evelyn moved back to the office after seeing him out. She shrugged into her beige mac and shut her computer down.
"What's going on?" Rebecca asked. She was the last one in the office and had been purposefully waiting to get Evelyn on her own. "And don't try and brush me off with some bullshit because you ran out of here yesterday and I know it wasn't because of some doctor's appointment."
Evelyn stood up straight, leaving her mac unbuttoned as Rebecca stood with her hands on her hips, her short, grey chord jacket on her body and backpack on. "Rebecca, I can't tell you," she said.
"Bollocks," Rebecca snapped back. "I was here every day in the office watching you skulk around without Bucky. I tried so hard to make you happy…take your mind off of him…I'm your friend, Evelyn. Don't I deserve to know the truth?"
"It's not that I don't want to tell you," Evelyn said. "And you've been a great friend, Rebecca. Honestly, you have…you are," she added on. "But this is something that is dangerous. It's something that I don't want you to know about because I don't want to drag you into it."
Rebecca shook her head at hearing that. "Evie," she sighed her name, "I'm not going to get myself involved, but I just want to know what is going on because it happened ever since he came back for you. So is it to do with him?"
Evelyn closed her eyes for a moment and sat down on the edge of her desk, hands dangling in her lap. She peered down and Rebecca let out a deep sigh before she went to sit next to her, moving her papers to the side.
"It's not his fault," Evelyn said to Rebecca. "Just know that it's not his fault."
"Then tell me what it is," she urged from her. "Tell me what is going on. Is it to do with your kidnapping?"
"Yes," Evelyn managed to breath out to her.
"Right," she responded. "Is it the same person who took you?"
"One of them," Evelyn answered. "She escaped federal custody and is on the loose. She wants revenge on Bucky for something he did when he was under HYDRA's control." Evelyn knew she was breaking her NDA. She knew that she could get in trouble, but she trusted Rebecca. She wanted to trust her because she had been there for her. Rebecca had been a constant in her life and she hadn't betrayed her before.
"Okay," Rebecca said, not pressing for details. "And that package was from her?"
"We think so," Evelyn nodded.
"And what was in the package?"
"Photos," Evelyn said. "Photos of me…me with Bucky…to let us know that she's watching."
"Have you told the police?" Rebecca asked her.
"This goes above the police," Evelyn said to her. "There are people looking into it."
"And Bucky?"
"He's…he wants to go and find her," Evelyn said to Rebecca, playing with her hands in her lap. "He thinks that this is his fault and he blames himself, but I…"
Rebecca nodded. "You don't want him to go, do you?"
"For my own sake as much as his," Evelyn said. "We argued about it last night and things were awkward this morning…I mean, until he asked me to be his girlfriend officially. That was a really good change of conversation."
Rebecca's lips arched. "He asked you to be his girlfriend?" she checked with her. "And I assume you said yes because honestly, he might be dangerous to be around, but he is insanely attractive with that brooding stare."
Evelyn let her own lips arch. "I said yes," she said to her. "So we're official now."
"Glad to hear it," Rebecca said. "And he better be taking care of you."
"He does," Evelyn said and she looked to the clock on the wall. "We should get going. Bucky will probably be waiting for me so I shouldn't keep him standing around for long. You coming?"
"Of course," Rebecca said.
Evelyn draped her satchel on her shoulder and placed her hands into the pocket of her mac. She fell into step with Rebecca as they headed to the exit together, their footsteps echoing over the tiled floor.
"You know I'm here, Evie," Rebecca said as they approached Charlie at his desk. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here and I…I might not be a super soldier, but I'm here."
"Thanks," Evelyn said gratefully.
Both of them bid goodnight to Charlie, telling him to have a good shift. Heading down the stairs of the building, Evelyn looked around for Bucky. Her eyes almost missed him as she scanned down the steps. She hardly recognised him holding a bouquet of flowers, his eyes set up at her. Rebecca chuckled and followed her gaze.
"Can tell he's from the 1940s," she commented. "No guy I ever dated bought me flowers."
"I'll see you tomorrow," was all that Evelyn could say to her.
She moved down the steps as Rebecca chuckled and took off in the opposite direction. Standing in front of Bucky, she kept her hands in her coat pockets and glanced down at the bouquet of blue and white flowers.
"Flowers, huh," she said to him.
"Figured that me asking you to be my girlfriend over toast wasn't exactly the most romantic situation," Bucky responded and Evelyn shrugged. "Plus, it was just after an argument so maybe it wasn't the best timing, hence the flowers to try and rectify that."
"Well, that's sweet of you," Evelyn admitted, "but you didn't need to buy me flowers, Bucky. I would have said yes if you had asked me in the middle of the supermarket."
"Not even playing hard to get?" he teased her.
"I wouldn't even know how to," she responded and took the flowers from his outstretched hands. "But thank you, they're lovely."
"For my lovely girl," Bucky said and Evelyn longed to bury her face into the flowers alongside her nose. Bucky's smirk increased as he reached out and took hold of her cheek. "There it is," he muttered at her blush and bent down to kiss her softly. "Come on," he said and offered her his hand. She took hold of it as she carried the flowers in her other hand as her bag dangled against her hip.
"So how was your meeting with Sam? How was he?"
"Sam was…Sam," Bucky could only say back to her. "But it went as I thought it would. He only had limited information. Turns out that Verity has managed to make it to Madripoor. She's out of jurisdiction and Madripoor…well…let's just say it's a hive of activity for criminals. They're monitoring what she is doing out there."
"And you?" Evelyn asked him, longing to know what he was thinking.
"I…I spoke to Sam and my therapist," Bucky said. "They were pretty unanimous in what they said. They told me that if I went after her then I'd risk breaking the condition of my pardon. I can't do that. I can't risk doing that because then I'd not be with you. And I don't like the thought of you being alone."
"So you're staying?" Evelyn checked with him.
"I'm staying," he confirmed, "but I am going to keep an eye on everything and if I so much as get wind of her moving or doing anything…then I'm not going to sit idly by. But you…I'll protect you. I will always protect you."
"I know," Evelyn responded, squeezing his hand, silently pleased that he had agreed to stay.
"So we go back to how we were," Bucky shrugged. "Because I don't want to fight over this anymore."
"Neither do I," Evelyn said to him.
"Okay, good," Bucky said. "Because I've booked us a table at that little Italian restaurant you love tonight."
"Why did you do that?" she wondered.
"Well, not every day a hundred and five year-old guy gets a girlfriend," Bucky said to her. "Plus I can't be bothered to cook and your cupboards are pretty empty."
Evelyn laughed at that, bumping her arm against his and then resting her head on his shoulder as he looked down to her and his lips remained turned up at the sight of her and he swore to do everything he could to find Verity and keep this feeling that he had with Evelyn.
….
Verity peered into the microscope after Nagel had finished looking into it. They had found the doctor who Marcel had told them about. Before the blip, Marcel and Wilfred Nagel had been looking into how to recreate the super solder serum. Marcel had insisted that he knew how to do it, but Nagel knew that to be a lie. The doctor was almost there, but it wasn't quite perfect yet. No. He had been the one who had been able to perfect it.
"You already have super soldier blood," Verity commented after she had finished looking into the microscope. She stood up tall, pushing her hands into the pockets of her black coat. "Where did you get that from?"
"The CIA," he told her. "Before the blip they had been interested in recreating the serum, but they chose not to in the end. The program was disbanded. They ordered me to destroy everything I had…the blood…my notes…"
Verity smirked. "And you disobeyed them," she said, walking around his lab. It was clean and clinical, the white neon lights shining down and reflecting off of each surface. Running her hands along the counter, she moved slowly around the space. "So why did you want the Winter Soldier's blood if you already have the serum?"
"Back up," Nagel responded. "Besides, the blood of two super soldiers will be interesting to compare...see if there any differences between them."
"Marcel said something similar."
"Marcel told me that your company got in touch with him to help perfect the serum," Nagel continued.
"We did," she said. "He told me that he had it. He just needed fresh blood to be able to synthesize the serum."
Nagel scoffed. "He was so close but so far," he said, sitting down on the stool at his desk. "He didn't quite manage to isolate the necessary cells."
"But you did."
"But I did," he confirmed to her. "So that blood you have brought with you isn't needed. The issue we have is that I don't work for you. Marcel agreed to work for you, but I didn't. I work for someone else and I don't think they would be particularly happy with me giving you a dose of the serum, not without his authorisation."
Verity chuckled at that. She had expected that this would happen. She had managed to trace Nagel down to his hidden lab through contacts that she had worked in the city. It turned out that people spoke for the right price and being with the Flag Smashers had proven to be beneficial for her. Reaching into the waistband of her jeans, she pulled out the gun that she had been hiding. She aimed it straight at the doctor's head, not once flinching.
He shook his head. "You wouldn't," he said.
She fired a shot to the floor just by his feet. "Don't test me," she demanded from him, voice terse and angry. "Do you know how long I have waited for revenge? Do you honestly think that I would let you stand in the way of what I want? I can shoot you right now and ransack your lab or you can just tell me where the vials are."
"If…no," Nagel said with a firm shake of his head. "He'll kill me."
"I'll kill you right now if you don't," Verity said to him. "So make your decision, but make it fast because I'm working to a deadline."
The doctor took another look into Verity's eyes. She wasn't bluffing. He could see that. There was this wild gaze in her eye and he could see that she was dangerous. She was someone he shouldn't mess with.
"He can't know," was all that he said to her.
"Trust me, I have no intention of staying here," she said to him. "My only intention is getting my revenge and then living my life in exile on some beach somewhere."
The doctor nodded and moved to his feet. He went to the painting in the corner of the room, pulling it from the wall to reveal a safe. Verity kept her gun trained on him, refusing to ease up. He pressed in a six-digit number before it opened and he reached in, pulling out one vial and shutting the door to the safe. He moved back to Verity and handed her the serum. She took hold of it and observed it with intrigue.
"You'll have the same abilities that other super soldiers had," he said to her.
"Glad to hear it," she responded with a smirk. "Thanks, doc."
She turned on her heel and walked away, lowering her gun and observing the serum. This was her ticket to revenge. This way she would be as strong as Barnes. This was how she was going to defeat him.
….
Evelyn twirled the spaghetti on her fork as Bucky tucked into his own pasta. They were sat at the back of the restaurant, a candle in an empty vase lit in between them. Evelyn tapped her heel against the wooden leg of her chair as she slurped up her spaghetti and Bucky watched her, chuckling to himself.
"Is there any possible way to eat spaghetti elegantly?" he wondered from her. "It's not exactly the easiest of pasta."
"No," she agreed with him, "and that is why I am openly eating it now. You've already asked me to be your girlfriend so I no longer have to eat food that isn't messy just so I don't look a sight."
"Nah, you could never look a sight," Bucky said to her. "I also saw you eat pancakes drenched in syrup."
"That's because that is the only way to eat pancakes."
"Not so that they are swimming in the stuff."
"Look, we'll have to agree to disagree," she said to him. "But I'm right."
"That isn't agreeing to disagree," he responded to her. "That is you still insisting that you are right."
"Well, whatever," she shrugged and took a sip of her wine. "But the point still stands. You're not changing my mind on this so just accept it."
Bucky chuckled and nodded. "Fine," he said, taking another mouthful of food.
"Glad we settled that."
"Well, we didn't really settle it."
"Would you shut up?" she taunted him, twirling more spaghetti on her fork. "Besides, how was your day otherwise? Did you get up to much?"
"Changing the topic doesn't detract from the fact that eating that much syrup is unhealthy," he said to her, "but I'll indulge you. I managed to locate a Congressman I helped get into power because of HYDRA. Turns out he was still abusing his power…but he won't be anymore. I had a word and notified the relevant authority."
"How did that feel?" Evelyn asked from him.
"Fine," was all Bucky could say. "My therapist thinks it could help with the nightmares."
"Do you think it will?"
"Jury's out," was all he said to her.
Evelyn nodded, knowing when to change the topic. She took another bite of her spaghetti and lowered her fork back to the bowl. "So, you know I'm working with this John Walker on research, right?" she said to him.
"Still can't disclose what you're doing?" he asked from her.
"Not really," she said. "But we were in the exhibit and he…well…you popped into conversation. I guess it's hard for you not to come into conversation really," Evelyn said. She had no intention of telling him what John had almost asked from her. "But John said something interesting and it got me thinking. He asked why you never took the shield. You have the serum. You have the ability."
Bucky shook his head. "I'm not like Steve," he said to her. "Plus, Steve didn't want that for me, I don't think. He…he wanted me to settle down," Bucky said, remembering the conversation he had with his friend. "He gave it to Sam, but no one knows that, Evie."
Evelyn bit down on her tongue. She already did know that. But she had promised Sam she would keep quiet. She would respect his wish.
"He gave it to Sam and I have no idea what he wants to do with it, but the things that the shield represents…it's…it represents things that I could never stand for, not really," Bucky shook his head firmly. "I have a past. I have done bad things that most people wouldn't be able to look beyond."
Evelyn nodded her head, letting him talk.
"And there's the fact that I don't want it," Bucky said. "I don't want to follow Steve's footsteps."
"Then what do you want?" Evelyn asked from him, finishing her meal and then holding her wine in her fingertips. She swirled the liquid in the glass and sat back in her chair. "I know that you're taking time to figure things out and you're making amends, but what do you want in the future? Have you ever thought about it?"
"Not really," Bucky admitted, taking a swig of his beer and folding his arms on the table. "I've spent most of my time just taking one day at a time."
"Understandable," Evelyn said to him.
"And you?" Bucky dared to ask from her. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about the future."
Evelyn shrugged. "I guess so," she said. "I always imagined myself maybe moving up in my career. I'd like to try out a different museum…the National History Museum in London is amazing and I'd like to spend more time in England. It's where my mum grew up and I loved visiting as a kid."
"You could do that," Bucky said to her, knowing that she was smart enough and hard working. "And is that all you want?"
"I always guessed that one day I would find someone…settle down and have kids," she responded. "But that's never been the thing that I've longed for. I've always enjoyed my job and wanted to progress…travel…see things."
"Like what?"
"I've always wanted to go to Rome," she said to him. "And then there is Athens…"
"Places with a lot of history," Bucky said.
"Yeah," she admitted.
"I've been to Rome, but never Athens," Bucky said to her. "Not that I can remember much of it or that I even saw much of it. I went on a mission and that was it. But…maybe I could go again, enjoy it more."
"I wouldn't blame you."
"I wouldn't go alone, Evie," Bucky said. "Why don't we just go? Why don't we just plan something and go? Get out of D.C. for a while?"
Evelyn almost spluttered on her wine at that suggestion. "Because I have work," she said to him. "There is a big event next week. Plus, I have to go to Daniel and Maria's daughter's Christening in a few weeks. You know that I don't deal well with spontaneity."
"So it's not about going with me?"
"Are you joking?" Evelyn asked him. "Bucky, I agreed to be your girlfriend this morning. It's not to do with you. I want to go…but we need to plan these things."
"Then plan it," Bucky said with a shrug.
"What?" she asked him.
"If you want to go then plan to go," Bucky said to her. "It's all well and good talking about doing things, but you actually need to do them, Evie. Just like you said you would see a therapist, but you haven't yet."
"Since when did this date turn into a pick on me night?" she asked Bucky.
Shaking his head, he leant forwards and moved to take hold of her hand. "I'm not picking on you," he said to her. "I just want you to do all of the things that you want to do. I don't want you to miss out on things. I want you to be happy."
"I am," she assured him. "I am happy, Bucky…but I would like that. So you're saying that you would come with me?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he said.
"Fine, then the first place we're going is Rome," she said, raising her wine glass.
Bucky reached for his own beer bottle and clinked it against her glass. "Then I'll toast to that," he said to her and finished his beer. "Anyway, what is it with this John Walker? Has he been prying into our relationship?"
"Not really," Evelyn replied, finishing her wine. "I think he just finds you interesting, what with you being Cap's best friend."
"Weird," Bucky said. "Makes me wonder why he's so interested."
"Just research purposes," Evelyn said to him. "You don't need to be suspicious about everyone, you know? Besides, I don't tell him anything about you. Figured I'd rather keep my work and personal life separate."
"I appreciate that," Bucky told her, his fingers still toying with hers.
Evelyn smiled to him and finished her wine. She yawned and Bucky suspected that she was tired. She had been at work early that morning and both of them had hardly slept the night before. He suggested taking desert back to her apartment and she agreed enthusiastically with that. He carried the brown box back to her apartment as she took her flowers and bag, her free arm inside of his. Once they were inside, he grabbed two forks and sat at the breakfast bar. Evelyn hopped onto the stool and tucked into the food. She ate it slowly as Bucky did the same, both of them talking about nothing of importance.
It was only as Evelyn was pouring a glass of water for both of them when Bucky's phone began to ring. He answered the call after seeing it was Sam. Evelyn set his water down in front of him as she sipped on hers, wondering what was going on as his voice grew more and more terse, his tone clipped and curt.
"What is it?" Evelyn asked, unable to stop herself once he had hung up the call.
"Verity has left Madripoor," he said to her. "She's been spotted in Stockholm at a private air base. Sam thinks she might be coming back to the U.S."
Evelyn nodded. "Can't they monitor the air bases?" she asked from him.
"They're going to," Bucky said to her, "but it means that until we know where the plane lands, I'm not taking any risks…not now."
"Okay," Evelyn nodded, "what can I do?"
"Just…be here," Bucky urged from her, moving around the breakfast bar to stand in front of her. "I know that I've been overprotective, Evie. I know that…and you know why I have been like it…but I mean it, okay? Until I know where she is and if she is back in the country, I just need you to bear with me."
"I can do that," she said to him, wondering just how much more protective he could get. "We'll be fine, Bucky."
"Yeah," he weakly agreed and embraced her once more.
He rested his chin on the top of her head, a sense in his stomach telling him that things were drawing to a close. Verity had come out of hiding. She had sent her warning. She meant business.
…
A/N: Look forward to hearing what you think!