The elevator dinged, the doors slid open, and standing behind them was Lana, calmly hopping into the apartment with the assistance of her crutches. Bucky walked slightly behind her, the strap of Lana's bag slung over his shoulder. Entering the living room, she noticed that Tony was the only one there.

"Lana, what are you doing here?" he questioned, quickly getting up from the couch.

"I live here," she replied, standing still.

"I thought I said-"

"Oh, I know what you said," she interrupted him coldly; "Don't think I'll ever forget how you kicked me out when I needed you the most, how you kicked me out after I'd had to leave everything behind in England, after being kidnapped and tortured."

Tony's eyes widened ever so slightly at the end of her sentence, and a small merciless smile appeared at Lana's lips.

"You knew that, already. Besides, what did you think Loki and I were doing, playing scrabble?" she asked; "But that's not the point."

Tony remained silent, glancing at Bucky before returning his attention to Lana.

"Well, it turns out, the apartment upstairs is yours, but this one belongs to SHIELD, specifically designed to house members of the Avengers or other elite agents and or employees," Lana explained, a mockingly fake surprised tone in her voice.

"You're not an Avenger," Tony reminded her quietly.

"Let me rephrase," Lana corrected; "Fury has full jurisdiction over this floor and gets to make any and all calls as to who lives here, and since it's now on the official record that I do, and it's not on the record that you do, I have every right to ask you to leave. Funny, isn't it?"

"Fine, I'll call Fury. This apartment is for Avengers, I'm an Avenger," he reminded her, folding his arms above his chest. Lana could feel Bucky shift behind her, but he remained still.

"Well, its original purpose was to house Avengers, but technically speaking, any high ranking employee of SHIELD can live here. That includes me," she added in a light tone, smiling menacingly.

"You just started working for SHIELD, you're not high ranking," he argued, shrugging.

"Actually, since I've officially consulted on Avengers matters, Fury had to start me out with a pretty high position," Lana told, Tony quickly closing his mouth. His lips tightened as he looked at his daughter.

"Fine, but I'll still call Fury. I'll move down here and you won't be able to kick me out," he warned her, gripping for a bit of authority over his building and his daughter.

"I can't kick you out in that case, that's true, but I explained to Fury how I don't want to live with you, and he understood, everything considered. He's not gonna let you do anything, let alone move here. But don't worry, you can still visit," she offered innocently, smiling politely. Tony's jaw tightened.

"You seriously want to start something like this? With me?" he added in disbelief, a hint of a warning in his tone. Lana could feel Bucky shift behind her once again, but knowing his attention was on her, she just hold up a hand slightly, gesturing for him to stay back.

"No, Tony. I want to end it," she replied honestly.

"And the hospital bill? I already told you I'm not paying," Tony continued.

"And at first, you really had me with that," Lana admitted, slowly moving further into the apartment; "But then I realised something. I work for SHIELD, and I get paid accordingly. And it turns out, every month SHIELD gives me a big, fat paycheque."

"Oh, now I know that's a lie!" he scoffed; "I get the same paycheck, as does everyone on this team, and there's a reason I still pay all the bills!"

"You pay all the bills because you don't communicate," Lana corrected him; "Surprisingly enough, being an Avenger doesn't pay that well, but the Avengers are a separate branch under SHIELD, and if you're unhappy you'll have to talk to Cap, who's your closest HR liaison. He made the call, thinking that money shouldn't be a reason or even a factor as to why any of you chose to join the team. Thought it should be out of the goodness of your heart and whatnot. I, however, work directly for SHIELD, and that pays chokingly well."

Tony's jaw tightened again, and he cocked his head slightly back.

"You seriously think you can beat the system of SHIELD like that?" he asked, nodding slowly.

"Of course not!" Lana replied quickly before smiling slightly; "I joined the system of SHIELD, and together, we beat you." She sent her fuming father another smile before looking at Bucky, who stood emotionlessly behind her, the only sign of his tense sense of mood being his tightened grip on the strap of her back.

"Now, Tony, if you'd please leave my home I'd appreciate that," Lana ended the conversation, smiling calmly. Tony looked at Bucky, at Lana, and left in a hurry, muttering profanities before yelling at JARVIS to take him one floor up in the elevator.

Lana shook her head before making her way to the kitchen, taking a glass and filling it with water.

"Next time you plan to overthrow your father and take over the throne, give a guy a little warning," Bucky joked as Lana turned around to face him. That took more difficulty than she'd like, as she was still adjusting to the crutches.

"Is it bad that I found that kind of fun?" she asked, breaking out in a full smile. Bucky shrugged with his free shoulder.

"Probably. Kind of hot, though," he added, smiling at Lana who immediately turned to a blushing mess. Without waiting for her reply, he walked to their bedroom, giving Lana a chance to calm down before following. She ignored his smug smile as she entered, passing right by him to get to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and washed her face before putting lotion on it. Returning to the bedroom, she pulled an old, worn-out t-shirt out of the closet along with some pyjamas pants. Sensing what was about to happen, Bucky turned his back, scratching his neck and pretending to be paying attention to the overly messy bookcase. Lana sat on the bed and pulled the shirt on, before realising something. She scoffed and tossed the trousers on the floor, instead crawling under the fresh linen. Hearing that, Bucky waited just a few more moments before turning around. He noticed the pants on the floor, looking at Lana weirdly.

"Can't get them over the cast," she explained with a huff, Bucky smiling slightly. Her British accent stood out when saying both can't and cast, but being in America had already begun affecting it, and her words were left a cute mix of accents.

"My God, it feels good to be home," Lana said out loud, looking at the ceiling. Bucky blinked away his thoughts about the pants on the floor and what they meant as he walked over to the other side of the bed and grabbed the pillow.

"What are you doing?" Lana asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I'm gonna make up the living room couch and sleep there," he explained.

"Why?". Her tone was softer than he expected, and he felt his voice quiet down to match hers.

"I don't know," he admitted; "You've been through something traumatic, figured you need to rest."

"I can rest with you here," Lana pointed out, looking at him. Her hair was spread out in a mess, and her face was the only part of her body not hidden by the cover.

"Yeah, but you don't have to," Bucky mentioned, taking the pillow under one arm.

"I know, but." Lana stopped talking when she realised what she really wanted to say; I know, but I want to. Instead, she licked her lips.

"But I kind of just want things to go back to normal," she explained it, biting her lip when he didn't reply.

"Do you mind staying here?" she asked softly.

"Of course not," Bucky replied, holding back his sigh and tossing the pillow back in its spot. He gently lied down next to her, careful not to do anything that could cause any pain.

"Can you turn off the light, JARVIS?" Lana asked out loud, waiting for a second before the light turned off.

"Shall I inform Steve you have gone to bed?" JARVIS asked in the dark, which hid both Lana and Bucky's confused expressions.

"Why would you do that?" she asked.

"He asked me to keep him aware of your whereabouts," JARVIS informed politely. Lana furrowed her eyebrows.

"Is Steve stalking me?" she asked, turning her head to Bucky for answers. Bucky smiled at her antics, happy the dark hid his toothy grin.

"I believe he was, in his own words, worried about you," JARVIS replied. Lana laughed slightly.

"That's nice," she decided; "And unnecessary."

"Shall I tell him you've gone to bed?" JARVIS repeated.

"Tell him that I'm entirely fine, and that if I need anything, I'll tell him. How does that sound?" Lana suggested instead, hardly listening to the reply she received. Bucky settled down as the room finally went quiet, trying to fall asleep.

"Hey James?" she whispered after a while. Bucky had to refrain from rolling his eyes.

"Mh?" he replied.

"Could you get me a glass of water?" she asked, trying to sound sweet.

"No," Bucky replied, turning his back on her.

"James, I am injured!" Lana complained, scoffing dramatically.

"You're going to be if you don't shut up," he warned her, pulling the cover further up.

"How very sweet of you, James," Lana replied, crossing her arms above the blanket even though he couldn't see it. He didn't reply.

"Are you seriously not gonna get me some water?" she asked.

"Are you seriously not gonna shut up?" he replied immediately.

"God, I hate you," she decided.

"Right back at ya, Doll."

Lana rolled her eyes before smiling slightly as she got an idea.

"Hey JARVIS?" she asked loudly, waiting for the robot to confirm he was listening.

"Yes, Miss Williams?"

"JARVIS can't get you water, you moron," Bucky pointed out annoyed.

"I know that, but he can tell Steve that I'm no longer fine," Lana explained, Bucky immediately groaning and sitting up.

"Shall I tell Mr Rogers you are no longer fine?" JARVIS offered.

"No, JARVIS, she's fine. I'll get her the damn water," Bucky complained ignoring Lana's small 'thank you!' as he left the dark room. She smiled slightly, realising how much she'd missed annoying him when she'd been with Loki.

Bucky filled the glass he'd retrieved in the cupboard with water, knowing full well that Steve would definitely be upset if the previously kidnapped and currently injured Lana said she'd wanted water, and that Bucky wouldn't get it for her. He shut off the faucet before making his way back to their room, placing the glass on her nightstand harder than necessary. He crawled back onto his side of the bed, yawning quietly while Lana sat and drank. She finished and lied down. She bit her lip before smiling to herself.

"Hey James?" she whispered, biting her lip to avoid laughing.

"Mh?" he replied.

"Could you get me a glass of water?". Bucky slowly rolled to his back, opening his eyes and looking at the ceiling.

"Are you serious right now?" he asked her.

"I'm thirsty!" she just claimed, shrugging.

"I just got you one!" he pointed out.

"Yeah, and I drank it!" she shot back.

"How?! I just got you it!" Bucky repeated, raising his voice slightly.

"My leg is in a cast, can you please just get me some water?!" Lana complained, trying to sound sad.

"How are you drinking this much?!" Bucky practically yelled, having to refrain himself from doing so entirely.

"Uh, I was kidnapped and tortured, my water intake was pretty limited for the last while, you know!" she yelled back.

"Good, so you're used to it! Go. To. Sleep!" he finished, turning his back to her again.

"I can't sleep without a drink," she claimed, trying to sound sad again.

"YOU ALREADY HAD ONE!"

"THAT WAS A THIRSTY DRINK, not a SLEEPING DRINK!" she yelled back.

"WHY CAN'T IT BE BOTH?!"

"BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ANIMALS, JAMES!"

Bucky said up with a yell of frustration.

"God, I hate you!" he said as he stood up, grabbing her empty glass from her nightstand.

"Hate you, too!" Lana yelled after him before breaking into a smile.

Bucky couldn't help but smile as he left the room with the glass. While filling the glass, he noticed steps behind him, dropping the glass in the sink and turning around in one swift motion. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Steve, turning back and shutting off the water. He grabbed a new glass and ignored the old one as he turned on the water.

"You're tense," Steve pointed out, leaning against the doorway. Bucky didn't reply but turned off the water and turned around.

"Wanna talk about it?" Steve offered.

"I can't help but think it was too easy," Bucky admitted, licking his lips. "He just... Let her go. For no reason."

"I know, but you know what she's like. If anyone could manage something like that, it's her," Steve assured. Bucky looked at him, disbelief evident.

"An organisation of trained agents, literal superheroes, the one person who manages to trick the god of trickery is an untrained civilian who was only just hired?" he pointed out quietly before shaking his head. "You know I believe in her, but that right there is insane. She was with Barton, and somehow, Lana, who was on her first assignment, was the one who got away?"

"Sometimes people get lucky;" Steve excused it.

"This is more than luck, and you know it. Either, she's smarter than not just us, but also a god, or he's not done with her," Bucky told seriously. Steve looked away.

"And you know it, too," Bucky added; "That's why you want JARVIS to keep a special eye on her."

"I want to keep an eye on her because I'm worried, Buck," Steve corrected.

"Exactly," Bucky agreed.

"Not because of that. Loki was done with her, he wasn't with Clint, he still needed his skills, that's all. I'm worried because she was kidnapped, she was tortured, she was kicked out by her dad, and for some reason, she acts as if she's fine," Steve told.

"She is fine," Bucky insisted.

"She's probably as fine as you are," Steve replied, smiling sadly. "Maybe it's good you two have each other."

When Bucky returned to the bedroom, he found Lana sleeping soundly, soft breaths escaping her. Bucky rolled his eyes while smiling, carefully placing the water on her bedside table before getting back to the bed, lying down. Having adjusted to the darkness, he could make out the silhouette of her back.

Right then, he decided. No harm was going to come to her ever again.