Evelyn awoke pretty early the following morning after the announcement had been made. She looked to the side to find Bucky already missing from bed. Propping herself onto her elbow, she looked around for any sign of him. The bedroom door was firmly closed and she couldn't hear any noise in the living room. She pushed herself from the bed, groaning as she stretched and headed through to the living room, pushing her glasses onto her face as she went.

"Bucky?" she called his name, tossing a hand through her hair and wandering around. She noted the bathroom door was still open as well. She sighed and headed to the sofa, collapsing down on it and yawning loudly. He had probably gone for a walk or something. No doubt he needed fresh air. Evelyn reached for the remote to the TV, tugging her legs up to her chest and looking at the screen as it came to life.

"And we're joined by John Walker in the next ten minutes after the announcement last night-" Evelyn cut the reporter off, turning the TV back off and tossing the remote off to the side. She placed her bottom lip over her top lip and leant her head back, closing her eyes. She had another hour or so before she had to leave for work and she hoped that Bucky would be back before then.

She stood up and tugged down her shorts on her legs, pulling the top she wore out of their waistband and heading into the kitchen. She began to prepare her packed lunch for the day, the kettle on the stove behind her for a cup of tea, when the door opened. She looked to it and saw Bucky walk in, dressed in his running gear. He didn't even look out of breath. Instead he looked like he should just be going for a run, not getting back from one.

"Hey," he said to her.

"Morning," she responded. "I wondered where you'd gone."

Bucky walked into the kitchen and bent down, kissing her softly as she paused her cutting of the lettuce. "Went for a run," he said. "Ended up going further than I thought."

"How far?" she asked and he pulled away, reaching for a glass from the cupboard and filling it up with water.

"Twenty miles," he said.

Evelyn shook her head at that and resumed the making of her salad, depositing the lettuce into the container. "You should not look like that after twenty miles," she said and he finished off the water, moving to refill it once again. She moved on to cutting up tomatoes, her head shaking back and forth. "It's just wrong. And what time did you go?"

"Do you really want to know?" Bucky asked, leaning back against the kitchen cabinet.

"No, I actually don't," Evelyn said and she smiled over to him.

His own lips managed to quirk as well, but he knew what they were both thinking. They just hadn't said it yet. Evelyn continued making her salad and Bucky sat opposite her at the breakfast bar. She continued chopping in silence until she was finished, putting the lid on the container and moving it to the side.

"Tea?" she asked Bucky, pulling the kettle from the stove.

"I'm fine, thanks," he responded and she poured herself a cup, taking a sip of it and then looking back to Bucky. He sighed and raked a hand through his hair, doing his best to remain composed. Evelyn noted him peering down to the worktop and she moved around to him, placing her cup of tea down. Coming behind him, she wrapped her arms around him and he lifted his own arms, letting her hands lace together against his stomach. She kissed the gap in between his neck and shoulder and kept her chin there afterwards.

"You can talk to me," she said to him.

"I know," he responded. "Problem is I'm struggling with what to say."

"Then just take time," Evelyn whispered. "You've got time to think…time to process…"

"Hm," Bucky hummed, his hands going on top of hers and holding onto them tightly. He turned his head to the side and kissed her chastely, the motion soft and tender. Evelyn moved after a second so that her neck wasn't craned, Bucky slipping around on the stool to face her before he reached for her, his hands going to her thighs and hoisting her upwards until she had her legs wrapped around his waist. He trailed his lips down her neck, feeling her squirm and try not to laugh. He spoke as he nipped against her skin. "How long before you have to get to work?"

Evelyn stretched to the side, peering at the clock behind him. "I have to leave in half an hour," she said to him.

"I can work with that," Bucky promised her and captured her lips once again.

…

Evelyn didn't want to talk to John. She didn't want to talk to him or see him or listen to his excuses. She knew that it wouldn't end well. Besides, she was still upset about being kept in the dark for just over a year. She felt like she had been lied to. But that didn't stop him. He was pretty persistent. She was wandering around the exhibit the following week after the museum had closed. She had headed on over to it, needing to update some things and making notes on those things as she went, the clipboard in her hand.

Bucky was due to meet her after work and had insisted that they go out for dinner, needing to do something to get out of the mentality they had been in where they had spent time just stewing. Evelyn had worn a smart red dress to work that she figured would also look okay when they went out that night. She had her hair up in a high ponytail, letting her waves dangle down her back as she moved around.

"Evelyn, you've been avoiding my calls!"

She turned her head to the side and pushed the clipboard tighter against her chest. She sighed as she heard John's voice. He came walking up to her, dressed in a checked shirt tucked into jeans, a beige jacket over it. He had his arms out by his side and Evelyn tucked one ankle behind the other as she remained stood on the spot.

"I don't have anything to say," Evelyn said to him. "What do you want from me, John?"

"I just don't want you to be angry with me," John said to her.

"It's too late for that," Evelyn responded with a shake of her head. "I'm angry because now I get it, John…I get why you were so interested in my relationship with Bucky. It all makes sense to me. You wanted to know more about Steve's best friend considering who you now are. But what? Did you think that he would become your right-hand man as well?"

She expected him to say of course not. She expected him to tell her that he would never expect that. But he didn't. Instead he shrugged and tilted his head to the side. "I guess I did wonder it," he admitted to her.

Evelyn's eyes widened and she shook her head, turning away from him and heading further into the exhibit. "I am going to pretend I never heard that," she said to him. "I am seriously going to pretend that you never even thought it."

"Why does it sound so ludicrous?" he wondered from her and she made a note on the paper on the clipboard before tucking the pen behind her ear and looking back to him as he continued following her.

"Because you're not Steve, John," Evelyn said to him. "Bucky followed Steve. Steve was his best friend. You…you have no idea what you are even suggesting by saying something like that."

"Look, I'm just saying that it isn't ridiculous to get behind someone else, is it? Steve is gone. America needs a new leader and I can be him...I can be him, but it would make things easier if I had Cap's right-hand men by my side. I'm not trying to replace Steve...just follow in his footsteps and Bucky could help with that."

Evelyn shook her head and moved closer to John then, her glare increasing on him as she made the movement. She stood a few inches away from him as she spoke, looking up at him. "Leave Bucky alone," she demanded from John. "I mean it. Don't even think about going near him."

"But-"

"-No buts," Evelyn interrupted, her tone indicating that this was final. This was completely non-negotiable. "I mean it, John, don't even think of suggesting that to him. Just let him be."

John could only watch, wondering if he had ever seen Evelyn so angry before. He said nothing, unable to speak as she nodded her head once. He seemed to understand what she was saying. She headed out of the exhibit then, calling back to John as she left. "You should go, John, I have places I need to be."

She headed on back to the office and tossed her clipboard down. She didn't have time to collapse into her chair in exasperation. Instead, she knew that Bucky would be there waiting for her. He would be stood outside of the museum. He would be there and that was what Evelyn wanted. She loved it when he was there. She loved looking at him as she walked down the steps, seeing him look up at her with that bright smile. She loved him. She loved how he made her feel. And that was why she was determined to protect him from John and his ideas.

She grabbed her mac and shrugged into it. She was the only one left in the office after working late. She shut her computer down and crouched down, picking her satchel up. She dangled it onto her shoulder and picked up her phone before leaving, turning the lights off as she went.

"You heading out, Evie?" Charlie asked as he saw her approach, moving from his seat and towards the door, unlocking it. "Your man is waiting already."

"We're getting dinner," Evelyn said to him. "Have a good night, Charlie."

"You alright, Evie?" Charlie asked from her before she could take off. "I let John in here…he said he had the authority…"

"I'm fine," Evelyn promised him, passing by his desk and standing besides him for a moment, her hand going to his arm. "We're just not on great speaking terms now that I know what I know."

"You never knew what he was researching?" Charlie asked her and she shook her head.

"No idea," she said. "And he…well…he asked questions about Bucky that I should have known weren't part of research."

"You weren't to know, Evie," Charlie said, his hand going to her other arm. "You're a good girl. Don't let this get you down, alright?"

"Thanks, Charlie," Evelyn said and she embraced him, hugging him tightly. He held her back before pulling away and she squeezed his shoulders.

"I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

"Yeah, night, Charlie," she said and turned her head over her shoulder, giving him a small wave before she headed down the steps. Picking her gaze back up, she saw that Bucky was there waiting for her, hands in the pockets of his jacket and a smile on his face. Evelyn watched him as she came down the steps, wondering if this feeling would ever pass. Would she ever not feel like her stomach was doing flips when she saw him waiting for her? She had no idea.

"Hey," Bucky said to her, hand going to her cheek. He leant in to kiss her, his lips moving against hers softly.

"Hey," she said once he pulled back and he chuckled at the sight of her. He reached up, pulling the pen from behind her ear that she had left there.

He held it in between them and Evelyn rolled her eyes.

"Working hard?" he asked her.

"Could say that," she said, taking the pen from him and dropping it into her bag. "So, where are we going for dinner?"

"Ah, now that is a surprise," Bucky said to her. "But I can guarantee that you're going to love it."

"So…let me narrow it down…" Evelyn said and he picked her hand up, ambling down along the Mall together. "If I'm going to love it then it is either Giovanni's?" she said, looking to his face, but he shook his head, lips tugged upward. "So, that's a no…but then there is also Benny's," she said and Bucky chuckled, but he didn't shake his head. Evelyn pointed her a finger at him with her free hand, moving to stand in front of him. "It is, isn't it?"

"Not really a surprise now, is it?" Bucky responded and she moved to stand in front of him, walking backwards with a smile on her face.

"Ah, but why would I complain?" she asked from him. "Besides, I could really eat a full-size pizza right now."

"Just right now?" he teased her and she moved towards him, stopping him from advancing any further and she stood up on her toes, kissing him once more.

"I could eat pizza at any time," she confirmed, falling back into step with him. She bumped her arm against his and sighed, knowing that she had to tell him what had happened. They stood at the crossing and waited for it to change as she spoke in a soft voice. "So, anyway, in the interest of transparency I have something to tell you," she said to him. "Because we're not keeping things from each other now…no matter if we think it is to protect each other."

"That was the agreement," Bucky confirmed, looking down to her and he felt her grip on his hand increase. "What's going on, Evie?"

She sighed. "John came to the museum today," she said to him. "He came just before I left actually. He…what he said…I know this is going to piss you off because it pissed me off, but I just need you to listen to me for a moment."

"What is it?" Bucky asked her.

"The reason why he wanted to know so much about our relationship is because…well…he wanted to get to you. He thought that I could do that…because he knew that he was going to become the new Captain America and he wanted Steve's wingmen by his side. He figured it would make the job easier for him."

"He what?" Bucky asked her, blinking profusely at hearing that.

"I know," Evelyn said and she stopped walking, dragging Bucky off to the side so that they were out of the way of everyone else. "Listen, I told him it was the stupidest idea ever and to get lost."

"Does he seriously think that I would even…" Bucky trailed off, head shaking back and forth. He struggled to get the words out.

"I told him that was foolish and naïve," she assured Bucky. "And I warned him to stay away from you. I mean, I seriously was so close to losing my cool with him."

"You warned him?" Bucky asked, wondering how threatening that must have been. Even he had to admit that Evelyn scared him when she was angry.

"Yeah," she said. "I don't want him anywhere near you. You don't need to deal with him."

Bucky reached his free hand up and brushed her hair behind her shoulder. "Thank you," he said to her, but he quite liked the idea of Walker coming up to him. He might be able to give him a piece of his mind then. Bending down, he brushed his lips against hers for a moment. He had to admit that it felt nice to have someone looking out for him. He knew that Evelyn always looked out for him, but he would quite liked to have seen her defend him.

"Don't need to thank me," she said. "Besides, it felt quite good giving him a piece of my mind."

Bucky chuckled at that and moved his arm, wrapping it around her shoulders but still holding onto her hand as they started walking off together again. "I don't know," Bucky said in a drawl, "it's kind of attractive…the idea of you getting angry over me."

"Seriously?" she asked him.

Bucky shrugged. "What can I say," he said. "Makes me almost wish that I hadn't booked reservations at the restaurant."

He looked down, knowing that she would be blushing at hearing that. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

"Don't even say it," she warned from him.

"I'll spare you today, sweetheart," he promised her. "But would you object to going home right now?"

"Yes," Evelyn said. "You promised me dinner and so we're going for dinner."

His brows rose on his forehead. "You're choosing pizza over an early night?"

"Compromise," Evelyn said to him, "we get pizza and then head home…and I'll even give you an early night tomorrow as well."

Bucky chuckled again. "You really want that pizza, huh?"

"More than you could know," Evelyn responded to him. "But in all seriousness, he best not try and make contact, Bucky."

Bucky nodded. "He won't just have you to contend with either," he muttered. "Trust me on that."

….

"Listen, I never got the chance to meet Steve. I wish that I had. But I've gotten to know him pretty well through the research that I've been doing. You know, I've spent the past year going through the archives…living at the air and space museum and in the Captain America exhibit…and really, I couldn't have done the research that I did without Evelyn…Evelyn Morris…she's the curator there and she really helped me. She was great, seriously passionate about her job. She taught me everything that I know."

Evelyn stiffened as she watched the TV. John was currently doing his interview on Good Morning America and Bucky had been sat watching it when Evelyn came out the bathroom. It was Saturday morning and they had agreed to spend the day picking out new furniture after Evelyn complained she thought her bed was too lumpy. That had escalated into her wanting a new bedframe alongside a new bedside table. She had found Bucky on the sofa watching the news and had sat beside him, her legs folded beneath her. He stretched his arm out, draping it over the back of the sofa and feeling her rest against his side.

That was when she saw what he was watching.

"He really should keep your name out of his mouth," Bucky muttered.

"Hm," Evelyn grunted at that point.

"And through getting to know about Steve…well…I felt like he was a brother to me, in a way."

"Okay, that's enough," Evelyn said to Bucky, reaching for the remote he had in his hand and turning it off. His eyes remained on the screen, but she could see his face contort, the hurt evident in his expression. She reached over to press her hand to his arm, holding it softly. "He's full of shit," she said to Bucky. "What he said…you know that…"

"Yeah," was the only word Bucky could breathe. "I need a minute."

He slipped from her grip and headed to the bathroom. She gave him a few moments, remaining on the sofa and waiting for him to come back. She heard the water running in the bathroom before he came back to her, still dressed in his top and boxers, a droplet of water running down his forehead.

"Sam is back in D.C. today," Bucky said to Evelyn. "I heard this morning."

"You're going to go and see him, aren't you?" Evelyn double-checked with Bucky.

He nodded once.

"Then go," she said.

"You're sure? We were supposed to go shopping," Bucky reminded her and she shrugged her shoulders, moving to cross her legs beneath her. Bucky came to sit back down next to her, leaning forwards, thighs spread and hands clasped between them.

"You're not going to rest until you see him," Evelyn said, knowing that much was the truth. "You've been chomping at the bit waiting for him to come back to have this out so just go…but promise me you won't be mean, okay? He didn't know that John would become Captain America. You know that."

"Make no promises," Bucky grunted.

"Bucky," Evelyn said, pushing his arm gently.

"I'll try," he decided on saying, "and that's as good as you're going to get."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Guess I'll have to take it," she muttered. "So when are you going?"

"I'll get changed and head off now…catch the metro."

"I'll walk you there," she said.

"You're sure?"

"Yeah," she said. "I was off shopping anyway. How long do you think you'll be gone for?"

"I'll be back later today," Bucky said. "Doubt I'll be gone any longer."

"Okay," Evelyn said with a nod of her head.

They moved and got ready in silence. Evelyn pulled her grey jumpsuit onto her body, reaching for a sweatshirt to throw over it and grabbing her trainers. Bucky finished tugging his black top over his body and reached for his own boots before finding his wallet and his phone, stuffing them into his leather jacket pocket. Evelyn grabbed her small bag, pushing her purse into it with her phone and earphones.

"Did you have breakfast?" she wondered from Bucky, heading back out into the kitchen and reaching for some kind of bar from her cupboard.

"No," he said, tugging his fingers through his hair.

"Catch," she said, tossing him a bar. "You can't leave on an empty stomach. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for a reason."

"Yes, sweetheart," he said, voice humouring her as she stuck her tongue out at him before taking a bite of her bar. They ate them quickly and in silence before leaving the apartment and heading to the metro together.

"Call me when you're on the way back and I'll pick something up for dinner," she urged from him as they approached the entrance to the metro and Evelyn squeezed his hand tightly. "And…just…just try not to get too angry, okay?"

"I did tell you that I made no promises," Bucky reminded her, "but I'll call you when I'm on the way home. Have a good day, alright? And I'll make this up to you…you can drag me furniture shopping whenever you want in the future."

Evelyn hummed, stepping closer to him and reaching up, whispering against his lips. "I'll hold you to that," she said to him.

"Do that, sweetheart," he said and finally kissed her.

"Be careful," Evelyn urged from him once he had pulled back and she squeezed his hand.

"Always am," Bucky said and she dropped his fingers.

He watched her begin to walk backwards away from him and he stood at the top of the steps down to the metro. She brushed her hair behind her ear and he watched her go, unable to stop his chest from aching at the sight of her smiling at him. Would he ever not feel like some lovesick teenager when he was with her?

"Hey," Evelyn called over to him, "I love you."

Bucky smiled at that and nodded back to her. "Love you too," he said and saw her smile, laughing to herself before giving him a wave as she turned around and walked down the street. He remained where he was for a moment, drinking in her image as she turned her head back over her shoulder and peered over to him, unable to resist one look to see if he was still there. Her smile remained on her face and Bucky's lips remained quirked. As he watched her walk away he knew that that was the woman he was going to marry when he got the courage to ask her.

….

Sam had expected Bucky to be angry with him. He had fully expected him to be upset with what had happened because the truth was that Sam was also upset over what had happened. It had hurt him just as much Bucky to see John Walker paraded out as the new Captain America. But what Sam hadn't expected was Bucky insisting that he was coming with him to Munich on his most recent mission.

"You can't just come on missions with me," Sam said, but Bucky was already following him towards the planes. "Did you forget that you're still a civilian or what?"

"Just give me some tactical gear and I'll be fine," Bucky said to him. "Besides if you're going after someone who is part of the Flag Smashers then I want in. You know that they helped Verity. I have my own fight in the war."

"So what? You're just going to fly out to Munich with me?" Sam demanded from him.

"Looks like it," Bucky said, heading up the ramp alongside Sam.

"And Evelyn?"

"Will understand why I'm going," Bucky said to him.

"So you two worked things out, huh?"

Bucky did look slightly awkward at that point. He looked around the space in the plane and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, we worked things out," Bucky said to Sam.

"Glad to hear it," Sam said and settled down on one of the seats on one side of the plane, dropping his duffle bag down on the ground. "Because you had no right to take it out on her. If you want to be angry with me then be angry with me, but I never knew that this would happen, Buck. I never knew and I suspect Evelyn never knew either."

Bucky sat down on the other side of the plane, hands on his thighs. "Only suspect?" Bucky asked, his voice terse.

"No, I know," Sam retorted. "She's a great girl and I like her. I know that she wouldn't have known."

"Five minutes until take off!"

Sam looked over as Torres walked through the plane. He gave him a nod and looked to Bucky, doing a double take. "We got a stowaway?" Torres asked.

"He's insisting on coming. He might be useful," Sam shrugged his shoulders. "Do we have any gear for him because he can't exactly fight in that fancy leather jacket and jeans."

"Yeah…I'll sort something out," Torres said and he left the two of them in the back of the plane.

There was silence between them before Bucky broke it.

"She had to sign an NDA," Bucky said to Sam, looking at him and eyeing him up as best as he could. "She thought that the research was about recruitment and Steve being used as a figure. She had no idea they were intending on replacing him."

"Never thought she would," Sam responded. "Just like she didn't know that I made the decision to give the shield up until I told you my firm decision."

Bucky shrugged his shoulders. "But you still gave it up."

"Yeah, and that is my choice," Sam said to him. "I don't expect you to understand it, but I made the choice so just respect that, alright?"

"Steve gave it to you for a reason," Bucky said. "He didn't give it to you for it be used by someone else."

"And I never knew that would happen," Sam continued protesting his innocence on the topic. "So, listen to me and just drop this. There are other things that I have to worry about right now and that is what is going on in Munich, okay? And if you're coming with me then we deal with that first and then we deal with the other issue."

"Fine."

"Excellent," Sam retorted.

"I need to call Evelyn," Bucky said. "Tell her I won't be back tonight."

Bucky stood up then, finding her number in his phone and pressing it to his ear. It rang a few times before she picked up. He could hear the sound of chattering behind her and it sounded like she was in some kind of store. "Hey," she answered, "you're calling sooner than I expected. Did everything go okay?"

"Not entirely," Bucky admitted, his free hand scratching the back of his neck. "I'm kind of heading out to Munich with Sam."

There was silence then and he knew that Evelyn would be taking time to process what he had just said to her.

"Munich?" she repeated. "Munich as in Germany? As in Europe?"

"Yeah," Bucky confirmed.

"What the hell are you doing flying out to Munich?" she asked from him.

"Sam is on the trail of one of the Flag Smashers. They helped Verity and so they might know if there is any more serum. I need to go and find out, Evie," he said to her.

"But…Munich?" she repeated. "And going on a mission with Sam? Aren't you supposed to be a normal civilian?"

"I can't sit by," Bucky told her. "Listen, I'll be fine, Evie. I'll be back in a couple of day's time at most. Just don't worry about me."

"Easier said than done," she scoffed at that point.

"Do your best, sweetheart," he encouraged from her.

She sighed. "Okay," she said. "This is just a lot to take in considering that tonight I was fetching us dinner and thinking about letting you choose what we watched on TV. This is kind of a big u-turn."

"I know," Bucky agreed with that point. This was the last thing he had expected as well. "I have to go, Evie, I'll call you later, okay?"

"Yeah," she said. "And I know I only told you about two hours ago, but I still love you."

"Even after a two-hour absence?" he joked with her, succeeding and making her laugh.

"Shut up," she said to him.

"Well, I love you too," Bucky responded, "perhaps even more than I did two hours ago."

"God, you're such a flirt."

"Only for you, sweetheart," he said.

"Glad to hear it," she said. "Take care, Bucky."

"Will do," he said and he hung up the call and turned to move back to his seat, seeing a smirking Sam as he moved. He glowered over at him and Sam leant back, arms folding over his chest.

"Look at you," he said, unable to stop himself. "You complete and utter charmer. How many hearts have you been breaking with those lines before?"

"You're so annoying," Bucky complained and took his seat.

Sam laughed at that and Bucky continued to glower at him.

….

"What are you doing here?"

Evelyn looked on as she saw her parents stood outside of her apartment door that Saturday night. She had heard the knock on the door and had wondered if Bucky was back, but it wasn't him. Instead, it was them. She let her eyes widen as she saw them. This visit was completely unexpected. Her mother smiled at her and embraced her.

"Well, it is good to see you too, darling," she said.

Evelyn held her back tightly. "I'm happy to see you," Evelyn said with a nod of her head. "It's just that I wasn't expecting you. You never called me to tell me that you were coming."

"Well, we thought we would surprise you," her father responded and Evelyn moved to embrace him, ushering her parents into the apartment and closing the door behind them. "I'm back out here on another guest lectureship for the next week. We got in this morning, but checked into a hotel. We figured that we'd be better there than staying here. We wouldn't want to get in the way now that Bucky has moved in."

"Well, you would have been fine," Evelyn said, moving to the kitchen. "Bucky has had to go away for a couple of days. Do you want a drink?"

"White wine," Sarah said.

"I'll have a glass too," Alistair said, the two of them removing their coats and hanging them up.

Evelyn grabbed three glasses from her cupboard and set them on the worktop, heading to the fridge to take out a bottle of wine.

"So where has Bucky gone off too?"

"It's…complicated," Evelyn admitted, pouring them their wine as they moved to sit down on the stools on the other side of the breakfast bar. Alistair laced his hands onto the worktop surface and leant forwards.

"We suspected it might be," Alistair said to her. "We saw the news about the new Captain America."

"Ridiculous," Sarah rolled her eyes as Evelyn pushed the two glasses towards them. "Why do we need another Captain America? I can't quite understand it myself. It seems particularly redundant…a gimmick, really."

"Well, Bucky didn't take the news very well…and all of that stuff about him being like a brother."

"We caught the interview this morning at the airport," Alistair nodded to his daughter.

She took a gulp of her wine and folded her arms on the worktop, leaning forwards and looking between her parents. "Things have just been hectic for the past few weeks," she said to her parents. "Bucky's taken it pretty hard after everything he went through with Steve and then I've felt guilty because I've been the one helping John Walker do his research, even though I had no idea any of this was going on."

"We never thought you would know," Sarah said and se took a sip of her own wine. "So where has Bucky gone off too?"

"Munich," Evelyn said and her parent's eyes widened. She nodded along with their shocked faces. "I know," she said to them. "But there wasn't anything else that I could do to stop him. He's…there's this group known as the Flag Smashers."

"I've read about them," Alistair nodded.

"Well, they worked with Verity to help her get the serum," Evelyn said to them. "Bucky wants to find out who recreated the serum and if they used his blood. He thought that he had destroyed any sample that Verity had taken when we…well…you know," she trailed off, finding that memory too hard to repeat. She never wanted to go back to that place. She didn't think that she could handle it. "And Bucky is…well…Bucky. I knew that the day would come when he ran off to try and find it. I guess that I just hoped it wouldn't be this soon."

Evelyn had cracked and told her parents about the serum after everything that had happened with Verity. She had told Bucky that she didn't care if she was breaking an NDA, her parents wouldn't tell anyone and they deserved to know the truth. Turned out she didn't care about breaking legal agreements as much as the thought she might.

Sarah reached out and rested a hand on her daughter's arm. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

"Fine," Evelyn said, "I just worry about him."

"Darling, I don't think you need to worry over Bucky," Alistair said. "He is more than able of taking care of himself."

"I know, but that still doesn't stop me worrying," she responded with a shrug of her shoulders and another drink of her wine.

"When do you think he will be back?"

"He said in the next few days," Evelyn responded. "But he said that he'd call and keep me updated."

"I'll admit it, Evie," Alistair said, taking a sip of his wine, "I never thought that you'd be in a relationship with a guy like Bucky."

"I don't think anyone ever thinks anything like this would happen," Sarah responded with a scoff. "But I like Bucky. He is pleasant…charming…a gentleman…and he's very easy on the eye, Evelyn, I have to give you that."

"Mum!" Evelyn exclaimed.

"What, I'm just being honest," she said to her.

"My God," Evelyn complained.

"Sarah," Alistair said with a shake of his head, but lips were slightly upturned before he noticed the box by the sideboard. Pointing to it, he changed the topic of conversation. "Been shopping?" he asked from her.

"Oh," Evelyn said, looking at the box that contained her new beside cabinets. "Yeah, I got them delivered today. I only went to the store this morning and they said that a courier could bring them this afternoon. I haven't opened it yet…you know what I'm like with flat pack furniture."

"I'll give you a hand," Alistair said and slipped from the stool.

"Dad, you don't need to."

"I want to," Alistair said. "So go and get that screwdriver I bought you."

Evelyn smiled and went to her bedroom to find it. This took her back to when she had first moved into her apartment and her parents had come and helped her pick out furniture and decorate. They spent the rest of the evening putting the units together, Sarah watching on as Evelyn handed her father the right tools and pieces when he asked for them. They drank and Sarah threw together a grilled cheese sandwich. Alistair and Sarah left at gone eleven, Evelyn calling a cab for them and walking them down to it, bidding them goodnight.

Heading back to her apartment, she checked to make sure Bucky hadn't called, but there was nothing as of yet. And so she set about changing her units in the bedroom. She emptied her bedside drawer and put all of her stuff into the new one before she moved to Bucky's side. She opened the drawer, seeing that all he kept in it were socks. She scooped them up and tossed them into the new unit before she noticed it. It fell onto the floor, slipping between the bundles of socks. Frowning, she reached down and picked the box up, opening it and wondering what it was.

She wished that she hadn't. She saw a ring sat there, a blue diamond sparkling on a gold band. Closing it in an instant, she looked around her bedroom, unable to stop her gaze from darting around, like she expected Bucky to pop out of nowhere and ask what she was doing. She kept the box in her hands tightly, pressing it to her chest for a moment and wondering just what the ring was. Was she jumping to conclusions? Was Bucky planning on proposing? She had no idea. All she knew was that she had to hide it.

She placed it back in the old unit and his socks on top of it. Leaving the new unit to the side of it, she figured she would tell him that he could move his things and that she had only just assembled in. Sitting on the bed, she let out a deep breath and felt herself almost become giddy as she laid back, flopping into her quilt and laughing loudly.

….

"You know that those were super soldiers, Sam."

Bucky and Sam had just had their asses handed to them by the Flag Smashers. They were all strong. They had to have had the serum and Bucky was certain that there was no other alternative to that. And so he knew what he had to do. He knew that he was on the right track now. Sam had saved him from falling from the side of the truck, pushing him into a nearby field. The only consolation was that Redwing had been destroyed.

"You're welcome, by the way," Sam commented. "I saved your life back then, but only because Evelyn would kill me herself if I didn't."

"You're not wrong there, but the point is that they've had the serum," Bucky said to Sam. "There's no doubt about that now and so now we need to find out how they got the serum…where they got the blood from."

"Well, we know that they got the blood from you, right?" Sam said as they climbed off the field and began walking along the quiet and empty road. "Verity took your blood."

"She did," Bucky said, "but before then they knew someone who could synthesize the blood to recreate the serum. How would they know that? They didn't have access to my blood before they took me, did they?"

"And you're only just mentioning this now?" Sam's brows knitted together. "So, what are you saying?"

Bucky thought about the other super soldier he knew. He thought about the life he had led and Bucky felt guilty for getting him involved. He wanted this to be a last resort. He had always wanted to leave him alone and let him live his life in peace, but it turned out that he would have to do something. "I'm saying that-"

"-Well, that was tough, huh?"

Bucky had no option to say anything else on the matter as the truck approached them and he felt his hands ball into fists by his side as he heard his voice. The vehicle pulled up alongside them and Bucky turned his gaze upwards to see John Walker sat in it alongside another man he recognised from the fight but didn't know by name. Sam and Bucky continued walking, ignoring the open door to the vehicle. But Walker was persistent. He pulled up alongside them and the vehicle slowed once more.

"Look at least we know what we're up against now, right? It's one of the big three; aliens, androids or wizards."

"There's no such thing as wizards," Bucky snapped back, remembering the debate he had had with Sam and the one he had had with Evelyn on that matter as well.

"So what is Doctor Strange?"

"A sorcerer," Bucky pointed out to her as they lounged in bed one Sunday morning.

"But does he do magic?"

"Yes."

"Then he's a wizard."

"No, he's a sorcerer."

"So what's the difference?"

Silence.

"Ah-ha!" she nudged him in the arm. "You don't know and therefore he is a wizard."

"I'll find out."

"Not on that old flip phone you won't," she snorted.

"Fine, give me your iPhone," he said and began to lean across her to grab it from her bedside table, but she pushed him back.

"No," she said.

"Give it now, sweetheart," he warned her.

"No, because I'm right," she retorted.

He had pinned her to the bed then, not bothering with the iPhone once her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms his neck. Instead, they never did settle that debate.

"Fine, then aliens or androids," John gave in on that and snapped Bucky from his thoughts.

"Or super soldiers," Sam said.

"Super soldiers are real?" the other man in the truck asked.

"Yeah," Sam responded.

"Wow," John breathed out and then moved his hand through the air. "Listen, I think that we stand a much better chance if we just work together on this."

"Not happening," Bucky was the one to speak, still staring straight ahead. "Just because you carry that shield doesn't make you Captain America."

"Look, I've done the work and the research," John said.

"Ever jump on top of a grenade?" Buck wondered, looking over and finally meeting his eye.

"Yeah, I have, it's this thing I do…" Bucky stopped listening as John carried on but eventually trailed off, realising that no one was really listening to him. Walker sighed and shook his head. "Look, it's twenty miles to the airport and you guys need a ride."

Sam looked to Bucky and Bucky wanted to shake his head. But Sam was already moving to the truck. Bucky groaned under his breath and climbed in, letting them begin to drive off. Bucky kept his gaze on Walker as he continued talking, telling them how they had hacked into Redwing to find their location. Bucky longed for the next twenty miles to go as quickly as they possibly could.

"Listen," Walker said, looking to Bucky, "I know that you probably already know about me and I get that you're annoyed that the shield ended up here."

"And?" Bucky asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, I mean…I know Evelyn told you about this and honestly, we could really sue her for breaking her NDA and doing that-"

"-Don't you dare," Bucky interrupted in a low growl as Hoskins, John's partner, looked to the ground and moved a hand to John's arm for a moment, warning him not to push Bucky too far.

"She's fine," John said. "I protected her and said that she was just upset but would never break the NDA. Her job means too much to her…but she was…well…I know that you two have gone through a lot together and I know that you care for her."

"What has our relationship got to do with you?" Bucky demanded.

"Well, I'm just trying to tell you that I know how hard it was for you to see the shield being given up to the museum. I heard her talking to Rebecca one day about how you two were arguing and she was upset for weeks…not herself…so I know the strain that this has had on your relationship."

"Drop it, man," Sam warned him, seeing Bucky's fists clench and his jaw begin to tighten.

"I was just concerned for her, that was all," John defended himself. "I like Evelyn. I think she's a good girl and I didn't want her to get hurt…but she was pretty vocal in me staying away from you."

"Seriously," Sam warned John.

"But I was trying to get her to see that it would be good if I could get to meet you…work together in the end…"

"Let me make one thing clear," Bucky said, leaning forwards and glowering at John. "You do not use her to get to me. Now, Evelyn and me…we're none of your concern. Am I understood?"

"I get it, you're protective over her and it's sweet. I have a wife, I know what it's like…but I wish things had been different because she's a great girl and I think that it would have been better if she had just, you know, been more helpful."

"Stop the car!" Bucky suddenly demanded. He would rather walk twenty miles than listen to this.

"Come on, Bucky," John complained as Bucky climbed from the car as it came to a halt. "I just think that Evelyn could have-"

"-Just keep her name out of your mouth and do not go near her again," Bucky warned John. "I can make my own decisions so don't try and manipulate her or drag her into this."

"Well, she kind of spoke for you when I went to see her."

"Because she knew what I would say," Bucky retorted. "So don't bring her up again."

Bucky left then, heading towards the nearest path. It was a few moments later when Sam caught up with him, jogging to meet him. "Hey, wait up," he demanded from him. "What was all that about? What happened?"

"Walker went to the museum to see Evelyn," Bucky said, his gaze facing forwards as he spoke. "He tried to get her to think that it might be worth me working with him because of who I was to Steve. She told him to get lost and to stay away from me."

"Evelyn?" Sam checked. "Sweet, smiling Evelyn?"

"Don't get on her bad side," Bucky said to Sam.

"I had no intention of doing that," Sam promised him. "Besides, he said something to me just now about how it would be easier for us to work together. I told him the same thing. We're not doing this with them, Bucky."

Bucky nodded, grateful that Sam had his back on this matter. He needed to hear that. He really did.

"So," Sam said when he noted that Bucky had no intention of speaking, "it's a long way back to the base. You know how we could pass the time?"

"How?"

"You could tell me about what you're like to date."

Bucky groaned. "Are you still trying to get details on this?" he demanded from Sam.

"Listen, I am never going to stop trying to get details on this," Sam said. "Come on, what's your favourite place to go for a date? What's your ideal date?"

"We're not doing this."

"Oh, we're so doing this," Sam responded. "Come on, just give me something. First date?"

Bucky sighed. "Ice skating," Bucky answered, hoping that it would shut him up.

Turned out that it had the opposite effect. Sam continued hounding him more information, but all Bucky could think about was that first date and the feeling of contentment he had as he held Evelyn to him.

….

A/N: Hope you're still enjoying the story - not sure if updates are still too fast or what, but just let me know what you think! Any suggestions/comment/things you'd like to see, just let me know!