Evelyn left work on time, knowing that she should get back home and make sure that Bucky and Sam were fine and hadn't spent the entire day arguing. She walked with Rebecca all the way to the metro when her friend disappeared, wishing her a good night. They had spent a couple of minutes talking to Charlie before they left and he told them that his eldest daughter was in town for a few days so he had booked some time off. Evelyn smiled at hearing that, knowing how much he loved it when his kids visited him.
Once Rebecca had left, Evelyn popped her earphones in and listened to her playlist. As she rounded the corner to her apartment, her eyes widened as she noted a familiar looking car parked outside. She continued walking, hands in her pockets before she saw Maria climb out of the car, a look of concern on her face. Evelyn pulled her earphones out, the wire dangling in her hands as she approached her friend, worried about what was happening.
"Maria, are you okay?" Evelyn asked her.
"No…not really," Maria said and then Daniel climbed out of the driver's side and Evelyn put her phone away in her pocket. "I was about to call you, but I'm desperate, Evie…Daniel's mom has been rushed to hospital. They think she's had a heart attack."
"Oh God," Evelyn said, looking to Daniel. "I'm so sorry."
He could only nod, blinking through the tears as Maria moved a hand to her friend's arm. "We don't know how long we'll be at the hospital and I was hoping to find you here after work," Maria said. "Is there any chance you can take Lillie for the evening? My parents are out of town and my sister isn't picking up her phone."
"Of course," Evelyn said with a nod. "Yeah, I'll take her."
Evelyn had babysat a few times for Maria, but she had never had the baby for the full night. It had only been five hours at the most. Maria smiled gratefully, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
"I have her travel cot folded up," Maria said to her, "and her bag with everything in…food…nappies…everything that she needs and a list of instructions…not that I don't trust you, but I know you've never had her over night."
"Honestly, I'm grateful for that," Evelyn said and Maria opened the trunk of the car.
She picked the cot up alongside a bag. She handed Evelyn the large bag. Draping it on one shoulder and putting the cot under her arm, she felt laden down as Daniel picked Lillie out of her car seat. Maria urged for her husband to give her their daughter and he handed her over, the baby squirming in his grip as he bent down to kiss the top of her head.
"I'll just take her up and I'll be back," Maria said to her husband.
"Right," Daniel nodded. "Thanks, Evie."
"No problem," she smiled sadly to Daniel.
Reaching into her pocket awkwardly, she grabbed her keys and let them into the apartment, Maria bouncing Lillie in her grip as they took the elevator up. "Is she going to be okay?" Evelyn dared to ask from Maria.
"We don't know," Maria admitted, eyes downcast and set solely on her daughter. Evelyn felt sympathy for them, unable to comprehend the thought of her parents being sick. Evelyn managed to squeeze her arm tightly and Maria looked to her for a brief moment, tears still forming in her eyes.
Heading down the corridor to the apartment, Evelyn opened the door and it was strangely empty. She wondered where Bucky and Sam had gotten to, but she didn't bother to mention it. Instead she dropped the things she had been holding onto the floor, feeling the relief of losing the weight and then glancing over to Maria. She held her arms out and Maria handed her Lillie. The little girl garbled something and Evelyn smiled down to her.
"Thanks, Evie," Maria said.
"Anytime," she said to her friend. "You go…just call me when you can."
Maria nodded and wrapped her arms around her awkwardly before bending down and kissing her daughter's cheek. The little girl reached out for her mother, but Maria was waving at her and backing away. Evelyn watched her leave the apartment before she looked to Lillie.
"So…shall we see what we've got in here?" Evelyn asked her, motioning to the bag and she made what sounded like a laughing noise as Evelyn's lips picked up. "Yeah? Okay…let's have a look."
She grabbed the bag and headed into the living room, kicking her shoes off on the way. She sat down on the floor and lowered Lillie to her lap, holding onto her as the little girl's hand tangled against the locket she wore. Evelyn opened the bag up and found the instructions, telling her what to give Lillie to eat, when to give her milk, and when she should go to sleep.
"You like that?" Evelyn asked as she continued prodding the locket on her chest. "Well, this was a present," Evelyn said to her, knowing that she couldn't understand a single word that she was saying. "From your Godmother's boyfriend. You've met him a couple of times…but you probably don't remember him."
She made a gargling noise and Evelyn chuckled. She began to push away, trying to move from Evelyn's lap. Lillie had gotten into her crawling phase and Evelyn let her move around on her hands and knees, crawling behind her to make sure she didn't hit her head on anything. As she guided her away from heading under the coffee table, the door to the apartment opened and Sam and Bucky entered, talking between themselves.
"And I told you that you'll thank me for it."
"I've managed the past year or so without one."
"Yeah, and now you don't need to," Sam responded.
It was then when they noted Evelyn holding onto a baby. Sam's brows arched as he dropped a bag onto the worktop and looked to her. "Ermm…I'm pretty sure you weren't pregnant when I left this morning, unless you've hid it from me for the past nine months?"
"In which case she's been hiding it from me too," Bucky retorted, but he knew exactly who the baby was.
Evelyn chuckled and reached down, picking Lillie up before she could crawl away. Holding her in her arms, she moved to the edge of the living room and peered into the kitchen area. "This is Lillie," she said to Sam, showing off the little girl. "She's my friend's daughter…Maria…anyway, she's having to stay here for the night because Maria's mother-in-law has been taken to hospital and so I said that I would look after her."
"Right," Sam said with a nod and Bucky placed a bag down next to Sam's. "So we've got a baby for the night? This should be fun. I used to love playing with my nephews when they were babies. How old is she?"
"Just over a year," Evelyn said to him.
"Where's mama?" Lillie asked.
Evelyn bounced her again her hip. "She's had to go out for a bit," Evelyn said. "So you're going to stay with me tonight…and this is Sam," she said, pointing over to him and he moved over, bending down and pulling a funny face, causing her to laugh. Evelyn chuckled. "I think she likes you."
"I have a way with kids," he shrugged, poking his tongue out again and she laughed once more.
"And this is Bucky…" she pointed at him and he raised a hand in a wave, Lillie then pointing at him.
"Bucky," she repeated his name.
"Yeah," Evelyn said with a smile.
"Sam," Lillie repeated, pointing back to him.
"Clever kid," Sam said with a nod of his head.
"She is," Evelyn confirmed. "And I should feed her soon…not that I have a high chair…and she's crawling everywhere already."
"Want me to take her while you sort things out?" Sam asked her.
"That'd be great," Evelyn said and she handed Lillie over to Sam.
Sam took hold of her and began talking to her, heading into the living room and sitting down on the floor with her as she grabbed hold of anything she could get her hands on, looking intrigued by everything. Evelyn moved to pick the bag up that contained all of Lillie's things and headed into the kitchen as she noted the bag that Bucky had dropped down. Her eyes widened and she looked up to him.
"You got an iPhone?" she asked from him, opening Lillie's bag and finding the container of food.
"I told him that he couldn't be running around Europe with that old flip phone. It's no use."
"I've only been trying to get him to get a new phone for months," Evelyn exasperated.
"Well, I finally caved," Bucky shrugged. "You both happy?"
"This will be good for you," Evelyn said, picking out the fork that Maria had packed as well that had an elephant on the end of it. "You're finally getting used to technology. Do you know that it makes no sense that you can use laptops…hack into things…but have been so against getting a new phone."
"I prefer simplicity," Bucky said to her.
She scoffed at that. "Your life is anything but simple," she said with a shake of her head. "Anyway, can you do me a favour? Can you set up Lillie's cot in the bedroom? She can sleep at my side tonight…besides…according to these instructions I should give her dinner, change her and then it's only an hour or so before she has to go to bed."
"Maria left instructions?" Bucky asked, looking at the list over Evelyn's shoulder.
"You know Maria," she told him. "Besides, I'd have no idea what to do so I'm glad she did."
"You figure this stuff out," Bucky said to her with a shrug.
She turned her head over his shoulder and he looked down to her.
"Four sisters," he reminded her.
"So you have experience with babies?"
"I'm a bit rusty, Evelyn…like almost a hundred years out of practice," he said to her.
"You'll know more than me," she scoffed. "Only child."
"I don't think the world needs more of you," Bucky said to her, bending down and kissing her on the lips, the movement soft and gentle. He pulled away and brushed his thumb along her cheekbone. "I'll set the cot up," he told her and took hold of it, heading into the bedroom.
He came back out to find Evelyn sat with Sam, feeding Lillie and wiping up the mess up that she was making on her face. Sam was talking to the baby, waving the spoon in the air as Evelyn held her in her lap. Lillie laughed and took bites of the mushed up food. Evelyn smiled as Sam made whirling noise and Bucky stood back, looking entertained. It was only once Lillie had been fed, changed and looked tired did Evelyn put her into her cot, leaving the bedrooom door slightly ajar so that she could check on her.
"I'll head out and pick something up for dinner if you want?" Sam said, realising that it was almost eight.
"You don't need to," Evelyn said.
"Consider it a thank you for letting me stay here," Sam said to her, grabbing his jacket again and shrugging into it. "Besides, I'll give you two some time to talk considering we're heading off first thing in the morning."
"Thanks, Sam," Evelyn said to him with a soft smile, grateful for some time with Bucky before he flew out.
"Can I take the spare key?"
"Of course," Evelyn said.
"Back soon," Sam turned around and waved before taking off.
Bucky shrugged out of his jacket, leaving him in just his blue top and jeans as he advanced towards Evelyn. Bending down, he wrapped his arms around her waist and moved to kiss her softly, his lips pressing to hers. Her fingers tangled into the ends of his hair and she smiled at the movement.
"Hey," Bucky said, pulling back and she ran a hand along his neck.
"Hey," she responded.
"Good day at work?" he asked her.
"Yeah," Evelyn said with a nod of her head. "Busy, but good. So what have you both been up to?"
Evelyn flopped down onto the sofa and leant back, Bucky collapsing down next to her and telling her about his day. She sat by his side as he explained what their plan was when they headed out to Germany and she asked him questions about it. Evelyn did her best not to consider anything going wrong. She wanted everything to go right for them. She just wanted this to be over sooner rather than later. Bucky kept a hand stretched out, his fingers curling through her hair as they faced each other and she kept her hand on his thigh.
Sam returned with the food and they ate the takeout together, talking about generic topics. They all finished their food and Evelyn tidied up, insisting that they should probably get an early night. Bucky and Sam had to be up at three a.m. in order to get to the airport for their flight. Evelyn embraced Sam in case she didn't see him in the morning, urging him to be careful. He joked that he would be and that he'd keep an eye on Bucky, the elder man rolling his eyes at Sam's comment.
Heading to bed, Evelyn checked on Lillie before she climbed in and rested against Bucky's side, keeping quiet so as not to wake Lillie. She kept her hand inside of Bucky's, not entirely thrilled with the prospect of him leaving her in just under six hours.
…
Evelyn awoke in the middle of the night, wondering what time it was and if Bucky and Sam had already left. She glanced to her alarm clock that told her it was just gone half past two and she rolled over onto her side. She could just about make out the back of Bucky without her glasses on. He was sat on the side of the bed. She was about to ask what he was doing before she saw that he was rocking Lillie in his arms, cradling her gently against his chest. Propping herself onto her elbow, Evelyn pushed her hair from her face and looked to him.
"You okay?" she asked him, her voice hoarse from sleep.
Turning his head over his shoulder, Bucky nodded to her. "Fine," he promised her. "Lillie began stirring about half an hour ago. I didn't want to wake you so I just took her. She's drifted back off now."
"Why don't you put her back in her cot?" Evelyn wondered, shifting closer to Bucky on his side of the bed, her hand going to his arm and holding onto it softly just by Lillie's head.
"Just got distracted," Bucky admitted to her. "Kind of liked holding her too. Pretty cute, isn't she?"
"Well, I would say so, but I am biased as her Godmother," Evelyn whispered. They were trying to keep quiet so as not to wake her. "But yeah, she's pretty cute. She's…well…adorable."
"Ever think about kids?"
Evelyn shrugged. "Sometimes," she admitted to him. "You?"
"Sometimes," was all he responded back with as well.
There was a moment of silence then and Bucky turned his head to the side and bent down, kissing Evelyn on the forehead before he made a move to stand up. He continued cradling Lillie tenderly, moving over to the cot and gently laying her back down. Bucky was already dressed, no doubt he'd been up for ages ready to get going. Evelyn pulled her legs up to her chest and grabbed her glasses, pushing them onto her face. The room was dark, but there was some light from the streetlights outside illuminating the gaps above and around the curtains.
Bucky looked to her once he was certain Lillie was still sleeping soundly and he could see the worry on her face. She was biting down on her bottom lip and her gaze was set on her knees, her arms wrapped around her legs. Bucky moved to the side of the bed and sat down, reaching his hand out to her cheek and stroking it softly.
"I'll be fine," he promised her.
"No matter how many times you tell me that, I'll still worry," she told him.
"I know," he admitted on that point. "But I'll do everything that I can to get home quickly."
"Please do," Evelyn whispered and he moved to kiss her.
He pulled back after a moment and knew that he couldn't get too invested or he would never want to leave. "I'll call you," he promised her.
"Better do," she responded with a smile and he smirked at her tone. He kissed her once more before tearing himself away. "Love you," she said.
"Love you too," he replied and moved to his feet, backing out of the room with one final smile in her direction.
Evelyn heard Bucky and Sam moving around in the living room for a few moments before the apartment door closed quietly. She headed to the window and pulled the curtain back, looking onto the dark street. She saw the two of them walking off, duffle bags over their shoulders.
Bucky knew when he was being watched and he turned his head over his shoulder, giving her one final look, just about able to make her out in the darkness. She raised a hand to wave goodbye and he did the same before disappearing around the corner. Evelyn sighed to herself and leant her forehead against the wall next to the window, knowing that there was no chance she was getting anymore sleep that night.
…
Maria came for Lillie early the next morning, saying that Daniel's mother was going to be in hospital for a while. Evelyn had told her to let her know if she could do anything else to help. She had to admit that something inside of her had began wondering a bit more about children after spending the night with Lillie. She had begun to wonder what it would be like to have her own family. She knew that Bucky had often mentioned the possibility of wanting a family in the future, but how far in the future was that?
She had been thinking about it a lot more ever since she found that ring in his bedside cabinet, she had to admit. And then she couldn't stop thinking about it.
"You okay, sweetie?"
It was the day after Maria had picked Lillie up and Bucky had been gone for just over twenty-four hours. He had called to say that they had landed safely in Germany and were due to see Zemo first thing the next morning. Evelyn had told him to keep her updated. She had woken up early the next morning and met her father for a run, the two of them heading along the Reflecting Pool and then slowing to a walk, her father drinking some of his water and then handing Evelyn the bottle. She took it and sipped the liquid as he asked her if she was okay.
"Yeah," Evelyn said, managing to gather her breath. "Why?"
"You seem distracted," Alistair said to her, hands on his hips as he kicked his ankles as he walked, trying to loosen his muscles up. She handed him the water back. "I mean, I know that we get distracted when we run anyway, but you just seem more distracted than usual."
"I guess so," Evelyn admitted.
"Come on," her father said, "sit and talk to me. I need a breather anyway, I'm struggling to keep up with you these days."
Evelyn smiled at that. "You can thank Bucky for that," she said, "I've had to try and get quicker after running with him."
"Do I even want to know how fast he is?"
"He can do twenty miles by the time I've done about five," Evelyn replied and she sunk down on the bench next to her father.
"He's never taking me for a run then," Alistair mumbled and rested his arms by his side, the morning sun reflecting in the water in front of them, bouncing off of it and shimmering nicely. "So…I assume you're distracted because of him?"
"Yeah," Evelyn admitted, folding one leg over the other. "He's flown back out to Germany to see Zemo. He thinks that he might have some of HYDRA's secrets and know how the Flag Smashers have gotten the serum."
"Zemo? As in the man who bombed the UN?"
"Very same one," Evelyn mumbled.
"He controlled Bucky, right? He had that power over him, didn't he?"
"He did," Evelyn said with a nod of her head. "He told me all about it. After the events in D.C. with HYDRA he left the country. He said how he lived in hiding for all those years…constantly worried that someone would spot him one day. And then Zemo framed him. He framed him and he used him and I worry that he'll try and get into his head. He's done it once before."
"But that was when Bucky could be controlled," Alistair said to his daughter.
"I know," she said, "and I know that he won't be able to do that again, but that still doesn't mean that he can't get in his head. He sounds like a conniving asshole."
Alistair chuckled at that and then whistled lowly. "Curse words," he commented, "you must really not like this guy."
"Can say that again," Evelyn said with a shrug and tightened the bobble holding her ponytail. "But is this…is this how it feels, dad?" she asked, peering to look at him and he pushed a hand through his greying thin hair, his gaze turning down to her. "Is this what it feels to have found the one? That you worry over them constantly when they're gone? Can't think straight? Is this it?"
Alistair continued to watch his daughter as she looked at him, her gaze pleading, almost as though she needed him to have the answer. It was like she was a little girl all over again, looking to her father for answers, needing him.
"I'd say that you're in a pretty different relationship," Alistair admitted to his daughter. "But…yes," he said with a nod of his head. "I've been with your mother for over thirty years now, Evie. I can still remember the first time I saw her in that library and knowing that she was the one as soon as I got the courage to talk to her. And…that feeling…the feeling of warmth I get when I see her is still there. Do I miss her when I'm away on business? All the time. Why do you think she comes with me now? Because we just want to spend time together. We've had thirty years and we're not getting any younger. We want to enjoy the time we have together…and everything just feels right when we're together…and when we're here with you. We miss you, kiddo. We miss you being so far away from us."
"I miss you too," Evelyn admitted to her father.
"But you have your own life," Alistair said, reaching out to take her hand and squeeze it in his grip, holding it tightly. "You have your own life to build and it seems that, unless I'm wrong, you're thinking that Bucky's the one you want to do that with."
"He's…it's been over a year," Evelyn said to her father. "Are you supposed to know that you want to spend your life with someone you've been with for just over a year? It doesn't seem a long time…rationally speaking."
Alistair chuckled at hearing her say that and he shook his head. "You're tying to think logically about this and emotions don't have any logic behind them, Evie," her father promised her that much. "And I knew that I was going to be with your mother within weeks of us starting to date. What does your gut say?"
"I want to be with him," Evelyn said, nodding her head. "I can't even imagine life without him now."
"There you have it," her father said with a shrug. "So were you doubting your feelings or what? Something has to have brought this on?"
"I guess I've just spent time thinking about the future," Evelyn admitted, not wanting to tell her father of the ring she had found in the drawer or how she had practically melted at the sight of Bucky holding a baby in his arms. "And then that got me thinking about if we've moved too quickly…moving in together…and then going to think about the next step…Jennifer said that she only moved in with her first husband three years after dating and Martin only married his wife five years after dating."
"Each relationship moves at a different pace," Martin shrugged to her. "You just need to do what feels right for both of you."
"And you like him, don't you?" Evelyn asked her father. "Because you know that I care about what you and mum think, dad. I care so much."
"And that means the world to us," Alistair promised his daughter, squeezing her hands. "Your mother and I want you to be happy and we…well…we really do like Bucky. We think he is charming and I have to say your mother is quite taken with him."
There was a laugh between them and a roll of eyes.
"But, yes," Alistair said. "We like Bucky. We were apprehensive to begin with, but we came to see that his heart is in the right place, isn't it? He really does have that going for him and from what I can see he thinks the world of you. Almost breaks my heart to know you love another man now."
"Dad," Evelyn whispered his name.
"Hey, I don't think any father looks forward to his daughter meeting someone," Alistair said. "But if Bucky is that guy, well, I guess I can live with that."
"He is," Evelyn said with a nod of her head. "He really is."
"There we have it, then," Alistair said and patted her knee. "Now come on, we need to get going or you'll be late to work and I'll be late to my meeting. Your mother also insists that we go out for dinner tonight."
"Sounds good, just text me when and where."
"Will do," Alistair said and climbed to his feet. "Now off we go, come on."
Evelyn groaned as she forced herself to her feet, feeling her muscles aching as she began to jog alongside her father once more.
….
"I can't believe we're doing this."
Sam had hissed at Bucky as they entered the private air base, following Zemo who had changed into trousers, a purple jumper and a long coat with a fur collar. Sam could hardly comprehend that they had freed Zemo. Although, Bucky had insisted that he hadn't done it. And there would be no evidence that linked them to it. Zemo had told them that he had a private plane and Bucky was looking at with awe in his stare as they approached it.
"We'll be fine," Bucky responded to him. "Stop worrying."
"We just sprung a criminal out of jail," Sam reminded him.
"Technically, he did that himself."
Sam gave him a sceptical stare and Bucky shrugged his shoulders.
"We need him," was all that Bucky said. "Now come on, it'll all be fine and once we are done then we can return him to that cell, okay?"
"He's not going free, that's for sure," Sam retorted.
"Definitely not," Bucky said as Zemo greeted a man who was stood by the entrance of the plane.
Bucky continued looking at it, still in shock that people had their own private planes. He stepped onto it and wondered just how much it cost, the interior was plush and the chairs were bigger than those he had sat on when he had been in first class with Evelyn. He could still remember the look on her face when they checked in and were given their tickets for first class. She had insisted there must be a mistake before Bucky told her there was no mistake. She had been like a giddy schoolchild, ordering free champagne and enjoying the free food, reclining her seat back and forth. He had found it adorable.
Bucky settled down in the chair on the plane, peering out of the window and onto the tarmac. Zemo continued talking in Sokovian with a man who, Bucky assumed, had to be his butler. Bucky had mastered a number of languages during his time as the Winter Soldier. He had to admit that was one thing that still came in use: his language skills. He had tried to teach Evelyn some Italian one night on their balcony over a bottle of wine. She had even gotten tipsy and admitted that she found it pretty attractive when he spoke fluently in other languages. He had used that to his advantage that night.
The plane began taxiing down the runway and Bucky kept his gaze out the window. He had messaged Evelyn on the car journey, telling her that everything was going to plan. He had no idea what time it was in D.C., but she messaged him back almost two minutes later, telling him how she hoped both he and Sam was okay.
He didn't mention how they were going to find a woman who Zemo had a lead on who might know what was going on. He had told them how he had spent years finding people who HYDRA had recruited to make the serum, claiming that once it was out there, an army of people could be created and that scared Zemo. He noted how they had to meet a woman named Selby, claiming the best way they got their information was by scaling the ladder of criminals to find out what was going on.
Bucky had a suspicion that would lead them to Madripoor, but he didn't air that yet. As the plane climbed and levelled out, Zemo drank champagne and Bucky kept his gaze set out the window, Sam watching Zemo with beady eyes.
"Ah," Zemo said after taking his first sip of the champagne. "You don't know what it's like to be locked in a cell."
No one said anything in response to him.
"Well, actually you do," he continued, turning to Sam.
"Why don't you tell us about where we're going?" Sam demanded from him.
"I'm sorry," Zemo responded, holding onto his open book that he had in his lap and placing his champagne on the ledge next to him by the window. "I'm just fascinated by this book. I mean…who is Evelyn? And why is the word 'propose' written underneath her name…along with other things…and this image must be of her that you keep in here? Was it taken in Rome?"
Bucky realised what he had then. He moved from his seat and grabbed hold of Zemo by the throat, looking down at him as he forced him back into his chair, stopping him from talking anymore.
"You touch that again, I'll kill you," Bucky warned him, snatching the book from him, placing it back into his pocket. He let Zemo go and returned to his seat, sensing that Sam was watching him with wide eyes.
He collapsed back down, his jaw tensing up as he rested his hands onto his thigh.
"I apologise," Zemo said. "I saw the list of names in there too. I imagine they must be people you wronged as the Winter Soldier, but then Evelyn had her own page. She must be someone quite close to you. Are you thinking of proposing to her?"
"Don't push it," Bucky warned him again, shooting him a narrow glare.
"I've seen that book," Sam said. "It was Steve's when he came out of the ice, right? I told him about Trouble Man. Did you hear it?"
Sam suspected the best thing he could do was get the attention away from Evelyn, knowing that Bucky would not want Zemo knowing about her or even thinking about her.
"I like '40s music," Bucky commented.
"You didn't like it?" Sam exclaimed.
"I liked it," Bucky responded.
"It is a masterpiece, James," Zemo added on. "But I also noticed that you had Wham! written down in that book. I would not have thought that was your taste, either."
"Wham!?" Sam questioned from him. "As in the '80s pop duo?"
Bucky shot him a look and he held his hands up defensively before Bucky whispered. "Evelyn listens to them," was all that he said.
"They were written down on the page with her name," Zemo confirmed. "So she must be someone special."
"Careful," Sam warned Zemo.
"I understand," Zemo continued. "You do not want me knowing the intimate details of your private life. I can understand the reasons behind that. But does it not feel strange? To become someone new? Someone who is possible of a normal relationship? Or do you worry that the Winter Soldier is still in there, threatening to ruin everything?"
"I warned you," Bucky snapped, but he did not go for Zemo. Instead he stood up and walked to the back of the plane, taking a seat there and removing himself from the conversation.
He sat down and turned his chair the other way round, away from Zemo and Sam as Zemo informed Sam that they would be heading to Madripoor, affirming Bucky's belief. He pulled his notebook out and opened the page that Zemo had been looking at, finding the small photo of Evelyn that he kept inside of it. He had written down random things over the months he had been with her. Her favourite films. Her favourite books. Things she recommended for him to do. He wrote it all down.
He glanced at her photo, his finger roaming over her smiling face. He had insisted that he take a photo the night they had gone to dinner together. She had said that she looked sunburnt, but all he could think about was how she was laughing at something he had said and he wanted the image with him at all times.
He closed his book as Sam came up to him and sat down across from him, hands laced on his stomach. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," Bucky responded with a glance over to him.
"I know you're…protective over her."
"I want her kept separate from this and what we do. I'm sure you can understand that."
Sam nodded. "I have a family too, Buck," he said to him. "I get it."
Bucky could only nod then, but Sam didn't move. Instead he remained where he was and Bucky sighed and turned to look to him again. "What?"
"Nothing," Sam said with a shake of his head.
"You want to know if I'm going to propose to her?" Bucky asked, sensing the unspoken question.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious," he confirmed. "But I'm not going to pry. It's something intimate and it's down to you when you decide what you want to do."
"One day," was all that Bucky could mutter, turning to look back out the window. "Just waiting for the perfect time."
"Does the perfect time exist?" Sam wondered back.
"I'll know when it's right," Bucky whispered. "I'll know."
….
Evelyn finished making her breakfast, thankful that she had taken a few days off work. Her new bed and bedframe had arrived the night before and she was going to spend the day tackling putting the metal frame together. She reached for her phone as she saw it begin to vibrate, Bucky's image once again lighting up her screen. She pushed the phone further away, her hands still slippery after washing her strawberries. Cursing under her breath, she picked the device up with wet hands and managed to place it to her ear.
"Hey," she said to him. "You okay? What's going on?"
"I'm fine," Bucky said to her. "I'm in Madripoor. We're about to go undercover to try and find someone who might know if the serum is here."
"Madripoor?" she checked with him, remembering what he had told her about that place before.
"Yeah," he confirmed, standing on the bridge and waiting for their car. He peered down the river, phone to his ear and looking at the bright lights in the distance. He had made an excuse, claiming that he had to go and deal with something briefly.
"And you and Sam are doing this?"
"Well, we're not alone," Bucky admitted to her.
"Who else you got with you?"
"Zemo," he said.
Evelyn sat down on the stool then, still holding the phone to her ear as her mind began to race and her face scrunched up. "Zemo? How do you have Zemo…" she trailed off and her eyes widened. "Shit, Bucky, tell me you didn't break him out of jail?" she demanded from him.
"He broke himself out," Bucky said, "technically, anyway," he added on.
"Jeez, Bucky!" Evelyn snapped loudly at him, shaking her head back and forth. "So you helped break him out of jail? What if someone finds out?"
"There's no evidence I did anything and don't worry, he's going right back there as soon as he has served his purpose," Bucky promised her. "Listen, Evie, I don't have long. We're off in a few moments, but I just needed to hear your voice…I just needed to hear your voice to ground me…keep me in my reality."
"What's wrong?" Evelyn asked him, sensing that there was something amiss. She didn't like the tone of his voice. There was something wrong and she could tell that much. "Bucky, talk to me."
"Going undercover means becoming the Winter Soldier again," Bucky said to her.
She sighed and she swore she could hear the turmoil as he spoke in his voice. This was what scared him more than anything sometimes. What he had done as the Winter Soldier terrified him. He closed his eyes for a second and Evelyn spoke, trying to offer him some reassurance.
"You're not him," Evelyn reminded him. "Those words don't control you, not anymore. You are Bucky Barnes. You…you know that, Bucky, and you don't need me to tell you because you know it."
"I know," he agreed with her on that point. "It's just nice to hear it from someone else."
"Well, just remember that's you. Don't let Zemo get into your head or let your own mind drift off."
"Trying not to, but Zemo knows how to push my buttons," Bucky mumbled.
"God, I would love to give him a piece of my mind."
Bucky chuckled at hearing her say that. "And I would quite like to see it, but I'd rather keep you away from him. I'd rather keep you away from all of this where you exist in the world that I want…the life that I want to build."
"We'll be back there soon," Evelyn promised him.
"I hope so," Bucky said to her. "Listen, I need to go, Evie."
"Okay, be careful, and remember, you're James Bucky Barnes, the man I love," she said to him.
"Still find it a miracle that you can say that to me."
"Well, I am out of your league," she responded and he chuckled at her sarcastic tone.
"Damn right, sweetheart," he responded, but he knew that he was being serious. "I'll talk to you later."
"Bye, Bucky," she said and hung up the phone.
She set about going about her own business for the morning, eating her fruit and yoghurt and then making a start on tackling building her bedframe. She had dismantled the other one easily, the mattress and frame having been taken after she had arranged for it be picked up. So she had to get this frame done or she would be sleeping on the mattress on the floor. She tried to assemble the pieces in the right place, the mattress propped up against the wall with her window to give her plenty of space to build it.
Sitting on the ground, her legs crossed, she let her long black skirt flow around her, pushing the black top she wore further into it. She adjusted her glasses on her nose and held two metal pieces in her hand.
"Screw it," she mumbled and began to search for her father's number in her phone, pulling her brogues on as she found it, figuring she may as well go and do the grocery shopping instead. But before she had a chance to dial, a loud banging noise echoed in her apartment and she realised it was her door.
Her heart began to race and as she startled at the noise of it. She remained sat where she was, but then a voice sounded with the knocks.
"Evelyn! I know you're in there."
"What the hell?" Evelyn whispered to herself and stood up, leaving her phone on the floor. She moved from her bedroom to the front door, opening it wide to reveal John Walker stood there, dressed in his Captain America outfit minus the shield on his back, Lemar stood over his shoulder dressed in his own uniform. "What do you want?" she demanded from him, her voice terse.
"We know that Bucky and Sam broke Zemo out of jail," John said to her.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Evelyn replied with a firm shake of her head, hands dropping to her hips. "And I don't appreciate you basically knocking my door down."
"We're just trying to find them," Lemar said, trying to be reasonable.
"Well, you're going to have to do it without me," Evelyn retorted, but John was already making his way into her apartment. Lemar offered her what looked like an apologetic glance and she wondered what was going on in his mind. She stood aside and let him follow John, closing the door firmly behind them and folding her arms over her chest as she stood by it. John and Lemar stood side by side in the middle of her living room and she looked between them.
"Listen, I can't tell you anything," Evelyn said to them.
"Can't or won't?" John questioned back.
"Well, even if I did know something, which I don't, then you're right, I wouldn't tell you," she responded, folding her arms over her chest. "And that's all there is to it. So I suggest that you leave."
"Where's your phone?" John asked her.
"Are you kidding me?" Evelyn snapped. "You cannot come in here and demand to see my phone. Is that even legal? Does Captain America break the law now, is that it?"
"Captain America is doing all that he can to find your boyfriend and his partner who freed a criminal from jail and are now running around the globe with him," John retorted. "And so long as I get the job done then I doubt anyone would care about my methods."
"Seriously?" Evelyn asked from him, jutting her chin out. "Did that research you did not sink in?" she hissed at him.
"Oh, it sunk in," he promised her. "But I'm getting tired of Bucky and Sam trying to be one step ahead. So where is your phone so that I can check that he hasn't told you where he is and that you're not lying to me."
"Absolutely not," Evelyn shook her head firmly.
"Fine, if you're not going to make this easy," John said to her and he began to move around her apartment, heading to the kitchen and looking on her worktops. Evelyn looked to her bedroom door, knowing that her phone was on the floor in there. Once John was in the kitchen she moved, heading past him and standing in the doorway of her bedroom.
"John, come on," Lemar said. "She said she doesn't know anything."
"She has a track record of covering for her boyfriend's ass. She's lying."
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Evelyn hissed, remaining in the doorway of her bedroom as John advanced.
"Bucky and Sam," he snapped back his answer and he peered over her shoulder. She moved then, rushing into her bedroom and grabbing her phone from the floor. John was behind her in an instant, reaching around her and wrestling the phone from her grip without any difficulty. He took her wrist, forcing her to press her thumb on the unlock button as he headed back into the living room and she followed him, her cheeks turning red.
"You can't do that!" she yelled at him.
He scrolled down to her call history and shook his head, holding the phone in her direction as Lemar kept watching the scene.
"Still don't know where he is?" he asked from her. "He called you less than an hour ago. What did he say?"
"He just told me that he was fine," Evelyn responded firmly.
He moved through her phone, heading to her messages as she shook her head, unable to believe what she was seeing.
"So he didn't mention where he was? Do you really expect me to believe that?" John demanded, seeing that he had not given a location in a text message. "Do you really expect us to believe anything that you are currently saying, Evelyn?"
"Believe it or not," she responded. "That's up to you."
"You know, I covered for your ass?" John demanded, pointing to her. "That day when I told you that I was Captain America and you stormed out…I was with three official government officers and they wanted to come after you. They wanted to come after you and make sure you weren't going to break the contract that you signed because they knew who your boyfriend was…we all did…but I told them to leave you alone. I knew you would tell Bucky, but I covered for you. I kept you safe."
"And I thanked you for covering for me," Evelyn replied to him. "but I am not getting involved in this. If you have an issue with what Bucky is doing then deal with that yourself."
"You are involved in this, Evelyn, because I know that you know where he is," he replied. "So you're going to call him and find out, or you're going to tell me."
He held the phone out towards her, but she remained firm as Lemar stepped closer to John. "Easy, man," he said to him.
Evelyn and John continued glaring at each other, but it became obvious that Evelyn wasn't going to give him what he wanted. Nodding his head once, he pocketed her phone and then dropped his hands to his hips. "So you want to do this the hard way?"
"What?" she asked from him, wondering what the hard way was.
He moved then and Evelyn wondered what he was doing before he bent slightly, his arm going around her waist as he tipped her over his shoulder. "What the hell!" she snapped loudly, pushing at his back. "John, what are you doing?!"
"John, come on, she-"
"-We have reason to suspect she is aiding and abetting Bucky and Sam, right?" John said and turned to look to Lemar. "We agreed that this might not be by the book and this is what it means. She will be our ticket to them and so she's coming with us."
"This is ridiculous!" Evelyn snapped, her glasses falling from her face and onto the floor as John strode towards the door. She could hardly see anything as John left the apartment.
Lemar picked her glasses up and held onto them in his grip, following his friend out of the apartment. He headed to the elevator and took it down, still keeping Evelyn firmly in his grip and over his shoulder. She was unrelenting, pushing at his back. As they came to the lobby, Boris stood up from behind reception.
"Miss Morris?" he questioned the sight in front of him.
"Sir, Captain America," John spoke. "Miss Morris here is coming with us. She is under arrest. Please can you see to it that her apartment is locked and secure for her?"
"Boris…can you call my parents? Tell them that I'm fine, but that Captain America has lost his mind and is kidnapping me?" she responded and Boris had to admit he had no idea what he was seeing.
Lemar went to talk to the man instead, explaining the situation as John exited onto the sidewalk, people on the street turning to look at the sight in front of them. He opened the back door to a car and roughly dropped Evelyn onto the back seat, closing the door and locking it before she could gather herself and climb out. He headed to the driver's seat and started the ignition, Lemar appearing a moment later and taking his seat next to John.
"You know, Captain America would never behave like this," Evelyn said to him.
"Well, the old Captain America had Bucky by his side, didn't he? Instead what I have is Bucky wanting to be my enemy…so you're my ticket to finding him."
"You know, if I don't kick your ass for this then he will," Evelyn said through gritted teeth and John began to drive off.
Lemar turned around in his chair and Evelyn could only see his blurred image. He held his hand out, passing her glasses back to her. "You dropped these," he said to her and she managed to reach out, taking them from his hand and placing them onto her eyes.
"Thank you," she said to him.
He nodded once at her and she met his stare. She wondered if he agreed with what John had done, but there was something in his gaze that told her that he didn't.
...
A/N: Heading into the action now. Thanks so much for reading - as always would love to hear your thoughts/suggestions!