With nearly nothing but the clothes on their backs and the few pieces of artillery they could salvage, the soldiers of the 107th regiment walked home. They were dirty, perpetually dirty with dust and soot covering nearly every surface of themselves, but Gideon didn't mind in that moment. All that mattered to her was that when she turned her head either way, Bucky and Steve were at her side.

When they arrived, Steve and Gideon surrendered themselves for punishment. What they did went against every protocol, every command, and every order. Hell, Gideon didn't even tell Colonel Phillips she was going, knowing his response would be rather disapproving. But to their surprise, neither were reprimanded.

Captain America was praised for the mission, and Gideon thought it took them long enough to do it. After the tours of being a showgirl, the man was finally able to do and succeed in what he was born to do; be a soldier.

Later that night, they all found themselves in a bar in the midst of London, clean and showered, and Gideon couldn't be happier. She wore a blue number, one that Peggy nearly forced her into as long as she agreed to sport the red dress the doctor picked.

Gideon smiled to herself at the gaping mouth of Steve and much of the crowd within the bar when the agent walked in.

Across the bar, she spotted Bucky and approached him in her black heels. "Hey soldier," she touched his shoulder with a warm smile, "Long time, no see."

"My God, you look amazing," he uttered once he spun around; his eyes from then on never left her.

"You don't look so bad yourself," the woman found herself saying as she felt the blood rush to her face and her heart rate rise. In fact, the man looked rather more than exceptionally well in his clean uniform, and Gideon couldn't stop staring. She couldn't believe she was lucky enough to have him. His strong arms connected to broad shoulders embraced her, and she pressed her lips to his.

Months had passed between the last time they kissed, and they both knew it. The sexual tension between them built, and they both tried to release as much of it as possible within the kiss. It was interrupted though by a cough, and they pulled apart. Gideon looked up rather embarrassed and Bucky was more annoyed, but all in all, they were greeted with Steve's amused expression.

"Sorry to interrupt," the captain smiled as he joined them in their own private spot of the bar.

"Uh huh," Bucky replied disbelievingly and jokingly as the three settled at an open table.

The cozy, warm atmosphere reminded her of the café back in Brooklyn, and it immediately brought on the comforting feelings of it as they shared drinks despite the grueling mission ahead of them. But that was for later thought. Now, they were just enjoying the moment.

And once they finished their drinks, Steve parted to join another table of soldiers, and Bucky leaned across theirs to ask, "Would you honor me with a dance?"

"I would love to," she nodded, "although I'm afraid I might be a bit rusty."

"Nah, you're a natural," he assured and took her hand. They moved from the table to a more open space and began to sway to the music. A couple of stepped-on-toes later though, Bucky changed his response to, "a natural dancer who just needs a little practice."

"Told you," she laughed before falling into his arms as the music slowed.

They danced until their feet ached and in between the steps they stole kisses. But it wasn't until the last one did Gideon pull away, "Let's get out of here."

"And go where," he smiled curiously.

"Well, I have this hotel room just around the corner, and I'm afraid that all of this dancing has made me tired," she explained slowly, tracing the lines and patterns of his suit with a light touch.

Looking up to meet his eyes, she saw the excitement grow.

"Well, I hope not too tired," he uttered, his voice flustered and his cheeks a soft shade of red.

"No, not at all," she couldn't help but laugh when they stopped dancing and his hands took hers.

"Well then what are we waiting for," he grinned widely, his smile reaching his eyes and showing teeth behind soft lips.

And with that, they left in a near mad dash. They walked fast along the lively street filled with people in celebration, and they felt more than alive themselves. Their walk turned into a stumble as they couldn't stay away from each other. Then they reached the hotel and continued up the stairs to her room before falling into the bed in a tangled mess.

They couldn't get enough of each other; they had a hunger. Their clothes had been torn away and left scattered along the floor. His lips never left her, her taste and smell of lilac and shampoo intoxicating as was his.

Skin to skin, the two spent the night passionately intertwined with each other. It wasn't until the early morning came did they drift off, utterly exhausted yet happy all the same.

He awoke to the slight sound of rustling in the room, the creaking of floorboards beneath light feet. It was before he was fully awake, the in between state where everything was surreal, did he notice the absence of her warm. The space where she once laid was empty.

His eyelids fluttered open, revealing tired yet content blue eyes. Darkness cloaked the small hotel room they shared except for a sliver of light shining through the window in which he saw her silhouette perched on the ledge. He watched her study the quiet city beneath them.

In awe, he shifted slightly to see her better, yet a slight creak in the mattress caught her attention. Turning her head caused her wavy hair to flip and cascade down her shoulders, and her light eyes caught his.

"Hi," she smiled in nearly a whisper. Stepping down from the ledge, she sauntered to him in just a dressing gown tied shut at the waist.

"Hey," he smiled back slowly, inching back in the bed to let room for her.

With few words, she slipped off the cloth fabric and slid underneath the sheets. Her skin was bare against his, giving them both a warm and euphoric feeling. Both craved each other's company, and to just be together within the small suite and next to each other was enough.

She rested a hand on his chest as her other arm was curled around his shoulder. One of his arms propped up his head, so he could see her blue eyes looking back. Dark circles were shadowing the space beneath her eyes, and he grew curious.

"How come you're not sleeping," Bucky wondered.

"I haven't been able to much since you were taken," she admitted softly. "Things got a little rough around here."

"Gideon," the man sighed, pulling her close to his chest as he rested his lips on his forehead, "I'm not going anywhere."

"We've still got a war to win, Buck," she said, a crooked grin returning to the corners of her mouth.

"We will," he smiled, "but not tonight. I think you're the only thing on my mind."

"God, you're still cheesy," she let out a laugh before pressing her lips to his once more. She didn't think she could have been any happier in that moment.

Settling back into their previous position, they lied with their legs intertwined and her head resting on his torso. "I still wrote to you," she admitted, drawing light circles on his chest.

"You did," he asked before continuing, "because I did too."

"Really," she wondered in return, the smile ever present.

"I had a lot of time for that and thinking."

"What'd you say?"

There was a moment of quietness in the hotel room, nothing except their quiet breathing, as the soldier tried to figure out the words to tell the girl that he loved her.

"I love you," he uttered. "When I was held, you were all that I could think about. I was so worried I was never going to see you again."

"I love you too Buck," she breathed.

This is dangerous, a small part of her mind screamed at her. She knew it too. The pain from her father's death often hung over her heart like a black cloud, and when Bucky was captured, those feelings returned, not knowing if she would ever get moments like this back. But she did.

She got him back, even if it was just for a moment. It was when she was with him did she feel the most normal.

He was her weakness, and he would always prove to be so.

[10/21/16]