Leading a group of second graders through the Smithsonian was a really, really bad idea, and now that it was upon you, there was no turning back. You had only one other chaperone with you, and between the two of you there was barely enough control over the high-energy group to keep you from being kicked out of the museum forever.

"We only have one more exhibit to go, right?"

"God, I hope so." You gathered your students for one final room, anxious to just get it done and get back to the buses. Right now, all you wanted was your couch, a glass of wine and a good movie. Forging on, you corralled them together and made your way in. "Alright, kids. Try to pay attention and follow along with the story. We're going to have a short quiz on this tomorrow."

The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery, and sacrifice.

"Miss (Y/N), I want to meet Captain America!"

"Yes, I'm sure you do, Matthew. I'm sure a lot of people do."

Steven Rogers was chosen for a program, unique in the annals of American warfare.

"Miss (Y/N), do you think he's cute? You don't have a boyfriend, do you?"

"Lissa, I don't think that's an appropriate question for your teacher, do you? Let's just focus on learning about Captain Rogers, okay?"

Their mission, taking down Hydra; the Nazi rogue science division.

"Miss (Y/N), I have to pee."

Maybe a nice bottle of Advil to go that wine would be a good idea. You found the nearest bench and plopped yourself down, exasperated and ready for this day to be over. Shutting your eyes for just a moment, you heard soft footsteps approach and stop just in front of the display next to you. When you opened them you saw a man in an army jacket and ball cap staring at the face in the glass.

He just stood there, continuing to stare at it, unmoving for several minutes. You couldn't read his expression, but there was a sadness in his eyes. He looked lost. "Excuse me, are you okay?" You asked, trying to keep sight of your students.

He looked at you, confused, but didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry, really."

The man turned back to the display, but glanced back at you several times, watching you as you stood and returned to your group. The end of the exhibit came quickly, so you did your final head count and moved towards the buses. You were just about to leave, thankful that the day was over, when he approached you.

"I'm sorry if I was rude, ma'am. It wasn't my intention. I was just...surprised by your question." His voice was soft and soothing, quite the opposite of how this whole field trip had been for you.

"Tommy, just get on the bus." As you ushered your students in, you tried to be courteous enough to not appear too busy to talk to him now that he finally was ready to do so. "I didn't think you were rude. You just looked sad, that's all."

He nodded slightly, looking at his feet as he spoke. "Yeah, I suppose I am. I've been having trouble...well, trouble remembering...certain things." Finally looking up at you, he took a step closer and lowered his voice, "I really don't remember much of who I am, and I thought the exhibit would help me."

Your eyes widened as you realized who he was. Now that you got a closer look at his face, you recognized him as the man from Captain America's team. It was Bucky Barnes. Somehow, he was alive just like Steve Rogers was. How was it that he couldn't remember who he was? What had happened to him?

"You're Bucky. You're his best friend, aren't you?" You put your hand up to your mouth in shock, taking a small step back. "I've read so much about you, both of you. I did a college essay on the 107th for my American history class." You shook your head, still shocked that the man was standing right in front of you. "This is incredible."

"Well, ma'am, that's what he said." Bucky shuffled his feet, again looking down at them rather than at you. "So, since you seem to be an expert on my history, would you mind joining me for coffee? After you're done with this?" He waved his hand at the bus, then looked to you, hoping that you wouldn't reject him. He was desperate for someone to help him remember, but he didn't feel that Steve was the right person, at least not yet.

"Miss (Y/N), I still have to pee!"

"Okay, well, Mr. Barnes, I have to go. But yes, I would like that." You reached into your purse and pulled out an old receipt and a pen, quickly jotting your number down for him. "Please, call me (Y/N), and I'm open anytime after 3pm. It would be my honor to help you."

~~~

"Did Steve really say that I was that big of a ladies man back then? That sure doesn't make me look very good."

"According to the interviews in my history books, he sure did." You laughed, "but don't worry, Buck. When I'm done with you, you're going to look great." You put your hand under his chin, turning his head side to side as you checked your progress on the haircut you were providing in the middle of your kitchen. "I mean, not that you didn't look great before, of course."

"Nice save." His eyes were studying your face as you looked at him, but every time you tried to meet his gaze he quickly looked away.

You released him and removed the towel that was draped over his shoulders so you could clean the small hairs from his neck. Your hand gently grazed his skin, leaving noticeable goose bumps after your touch. Leaning down, you softly blew away the final pieces of hair from just below his ear.

"Okay..." he stood quickly, straightening his shirt and shaking his head to recover from the sensation of your breath on him. "It's late, so I should probably go. Thank you, again (Y/N)." He moved to the mirror, checking out your work. "You're right, I do look great, if I must say."

Laughing, you grabbed his jacket and threw it at him playfully. "You're welcome." You paused for a moment, asking the question you had been waiting all night to bring up. "Hey, Buck? Do you think you're ready to visit Steve? We've been working on this for a few months now, and I've told you everything I know. I think it's a good idea."

He stopped short of the door with his jacket draped over his metal arm. He covered it every time he was over, no matter how many times you had told him that it didn't bother you. "It's funny you should ask, (Y/N). We're meeting tomorrow, I just forgot to tell you."

"You forgot to tell me something like that! What the hell, Buck? That's huge!"

"Is it?"

You rolled your eyes, not believing that he could be so casual about this. It was the one thing that he had been nervous about in all of your meetings, trying his best to be ready to reconnect with his old friend. He had regained memories of him, even though some still broken, but they were in there, and you knew that seeing Steve in person would only help him to put them together. "I don't believe you. Okay, just go, and I had better be the first call you make after you see him, understand?"

"Yes, ma'am."

~~~

Despite his nerves, the meeting with Steve had gone better than he had hoped, and he had you to thank. He wanted to introduce you to him, and to let Steve see the person who was the most responsible for bringing them back together. Even more than that, he wanted to finally work up the courage to ask you out on an official date; not just to get together at your apartment for a history lesson. He went out right after he left Steve to buy a bouquet of your favorite flowers, stopped to make restaurant reservations, and headed to your apartment to see you.

Bucky stood outside of your building, his nerves beginning to build as he worried that you might reject him. Over the past several months you had become his best friend, always there for him and completely invested in helping him to regain his memory. He felt more for you early on, but he couldn't read how you felt. He was scared that trying to make it more would only ruin it.

Ultimately, he decided that it was more frightening to him to never take the chance. He straightened his posture, steeled his resolve, and entered the building to head to your door. He held his hand just inches from it, pausing before knocking. When he did, the door pushed open without any resistance.

The flowers dropped to the floor as he rushed in, coming to a halt when he saw what was inside. Your apartment looked like a war zone, with your furniture toppled, pictures broken, and drawers emptied onto the floor with your belongings strewn everywhere. His breath caught in his chest at the words written hastily on your wall.

You will comply, Mr. Barnes.

Bucky pulled the phone from his pocket, the one you had gotten for him and taught him how to use, desperately searching for Steve's number. His fingers danced over the keys as he dialed, then waited for what felt like an eternity for Steve to answer.

"Steve, it's me. I need your help. I'm sorry to call you, and I know this is sudden, but you're the only one I could call and the only one who can help me."

"Buck, slow down."

He took a breath and closed his eyes, rubbing them with his hand as he pulled himself together. "They know where I am and they took her. (Y/N)'s gone, Steve. I have to find her. They're going to hurt her if I don't turn myself in. That can't happen; I won't let that happen."

"Okay, we'll find her, just calm down. Who has her?"

"Hydra. Hydra has her, Steve."

Part 2

When you finally opened your eyes, it was dark; the air felt wet when you breathed it in, and smelled of dust. There was pain in so many places on your body that you had a hard time differentiating where they were, but your arms were by far the worst. You were hoisted up to a rafter by your wrists, with your arms over your head and your toes barely touching the floor. You tried to pull your arms down, but you could feel your skin tearing against the leather straps, making no progress other than to worsen your own suffering.

"She's awake."

The voice came from nowhere and everywhere. You blinked hard several times but it didn't improve your ability to see. Tears were in your eyes, making the limited vision you had almost useless. If you were dreaming, it would be great to wake up right about now.

"Where is he?"

"Where...is who?" Your voice was not your own; it was harsh and your throat burned with each word. "I don't know...what you're...talking about."

Please believe my lie.

A large man came from the shadows, his face now close to you. You studied his features like you teach your students to do when they see a stranger doing something bad. His hair was dark and short, with a beard and moustache covering his face. He was young and actually quite attractive, tall and muscular. His eyes looked sad and almost apologetic, but there was a darkness to them. He smiled when he spoke to you, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Okay. We're gonna play a little game." The man turned and walked away, but you still couldn't see where. "I'm going to ask you a question, not even a hard one, and you will answer it. If you don't," the lights came on in the room, blinding you with their harsh glare, "then I will have to hurt you. We don't want to do that."

When your eyes finally adjusted as much as they could, you found the man to be standing next to a large table of tools that you assumed were meant for your torture and that you generally wouldn't enjoy.

"So, let's try this again. We can give you a pass on that first question, since you didn't know the rules." His smile grew wide and his eyes brightened just a bit. "We don't want to be unfair, now do we?" He grabbed something from the table that you couldn't see and moved towards you. "Now, (Y/N), I was honest with you, right? So now you be honest with me."

You squeezed your eyes shut tightly, anticipating the worst pain you could imagine, hoping for something less. Your mind went to Bucky. He was supposed to come over tonight, so he had to be looking for you. You had to believe that he would be coming for you to keep a strong resolve and not give in.

"Tell me, where is Mr. Barnes?"

With a slow and deep breath, you opened your eyes and held the man's gaze. He took a step closer when you still hadn't answered, and when he was just close enough, you spit in his face and turned your head away. He laughed a bit; a deep and menacing laugh without a smile, as he wiped his face with his hand.

"Oh, dear. This is going to be a long night."

~~~

Bucky chewed nervously on his fingernails as he sat in the conference room at the tower, next to Steve while he planned a search party to find you. He had only just reunited with Steve earlier that day and now he was getting the entire Avengers team on his side to help; he had spent decades taking out people like them, and it now felt awkward that they were his allies.

"If Hydra has her, we need to move fast." Tony stood to head to his workroom to put on a suit, throwing a glance in Bucky's direction with a look of distrust and apprehension. "You up for this? We can't have you running wild and taking off on your own, you got it?"

"Yeah, I got it."

The rest of the team followed behind, leaving Bucky and Steve alone. Bucky was staring at Tony as he left the room, not breaking contact until he was well out of the line of sight. "What the fuck is up with that guy? What does he think I'm gonna do?"

"He thinks you're gonna let your emotions get the best of you, and I'm starting to think he might be right, Buck."

"Steve, I can do it. I need to find her." He shoved his chair back from the table, leaning forward to rest his head in his hands. "I need to be there when it happens. This is because of me, and I need to make it right, if that's even possible." He sat back again, resting his head against the wall behind him with his eyes shut tight. "What if we don't find her in time, Steve? I can't live with that."

The Captain gathered up the tablets that held your information and leads on Hydra, pausing at his friend's words. He leaned towards Bucky and lowered his voice to a softer tone, hoping to calm him down. "Buck, you need to tell me, who is this girl? Why did they take her?"

"She's been with me almost every day since I left you on the bank of the Potomac. She's the one who helped me regain my memory. She's taught me how to survive in this century. Hell, the only reason I could call you was because she got me a phone and taught my dumb ass how to use it."

"You love her."

It wasn't a phrased as a question. Bucky was surprised by the blatant statement, pausing to consider it. Did he love you? He certainly had very strong feelings, and he wanted more than friendship, obviously. But was it love? He knew that when they found you, he would kill anyone in the room who was responsible without question. He knew that seeing you injured would destroy him, and he was preparing for that. He also knew that he would be whole again when he could finally hold you.

"Yes."

~~~

It was a relief to lose consciousness, being able to leave yourself for those few glorious minutes. He really held up his promise; each refusal to answer one of his questions led to a more painful punishment, but you had held strong. There was no way in hell that you would give them Bucky. He had worked too hard to get away from them and to make a new life for himself, trying to do good rather than following their twisted agenda. You had to protect that, and protect him.

"Really, (Y/N), how much more can you take? Wouldn't it be glorious to get out of those restraints? How wonderful would a cold glass of water be right now? Maybe even a little bit of pain medication to take the edge off?" The man was leaning against the table, taking inventory of what he had already used. "I'm running out of toys," he mumbled.

"Sir! We have a problem, outside." The man ran to the computer on the other side of the room, his eyes widening slightly at whatever he was looking at. You could only pray that it was Bucky or Steve. "We appear to be surrounded, sir. It's the Avengers."

Finally.

The man charged at you, grabbing the final tool from the table as he passed by. "One last chance, (Y/N). I need a weakness. How do I stop them? How do I stop Barnes?"

"You go to hell."

He yelled in frustration as he thrust the dagger into your side. It was just another source of pain in an already destroyed body; you didn't yell or try to move away. You just waited. Waited for the moment when you could finally close your eyes and rest.

He left you there, grabbing the people who were there with him and running out to fight. The sounds of gunfire and battle were loud at first, but as you felt weaker and your vision started to darken, the sounds grew muffled and seemed miles away. For just a moment, you thought you heard Bucky, but surely it was only your mind torturing you now.

"(Y/N)! Steve, she's in here!" Bucky ran to you, lifting you so he could release the ties that held you up. "No, no, (Y/N) stay with me!" He pulled a knife from his pocket and cut the restraints down; your body was limp and fell into him, knocking him slightly off balance. "Steve!"

The pain in your body began to subside, and you were cold and shaking now. Bucky pulled you tightly to him, trying to stop the bleeding in your side. You opened your eyes to see him, but it took all of your strength to do it. His face was the last thing you saw before you succumbed to darkness, hearing him say how much he loves you before there was nothing.

~~~

"Alright kids! Take your seats! We have a very special guest today! Can anyone guess who it is?"

"Spiderman!"

"Not the Hulk. That would be bad."

"I have to pee!"

You were waiting outside the classroom, laughing at the wonderful sounds of the children you missed so desperately over that past three months. "They really are great, aren't they?"

"Are you sure you're ready for this, doll? It seems pretty high energy in there." Bucky was peeking in the classroom window, making sure that there was no risk that you could be jumped on, or something could be thrown at you, or any other potential for even the smallest injury.

"You're being overprotective, Buck. They're second graders. Pretty sure I've proven that I can survive worse." When you heard your name announced, followed by the screams and laughs of your class, you signaled Bucky to wheel you in; he insisted that you weren't ready to walk that far or stand for that long just yet. You knew that he actually wanted you on wheels for a quick getaway.

"Hey, guys! Oh, look at you! You've grown so much!" The kids swarmed around you, some hugging and others asking endless questions about what happened, if they could sign your cast, and if they could push you around in the chair. "Okay, slow down, everyone, slow down. I'm not the guest of honor today."

There was a collective sound of confusion in the group, looking to each other and out the door to see who it was going to be. "Well, do you guys remember the field trip that we took right before I had to leave for a while?

"That really boring museum!"

"Yes, Tommy, I suppose that's right." You laughed quietly, always entertained by the truth of children. "I decided to bring you a visitor that you learned about while you were there. Are you ready to see who it is?" You paused to look around the group, searching for one student in particular. "Matthew, can you come up here please?"

"Aw, what did I do now?" The boy was dragging his feet as he walked towards you, convinced that he was in trouble.

"Nothing at all!" You pointed out the door for him to see, "look over there."

His eyes were so wide that you thought they might pop right out of his head. His mouth dropped open but no sound came out; he was frozen in place. After a few seconds he finally whispered, "Captain America."

Steve stepped into the room, dressed in his full uniform and shield. Bucky stood at the door, smiling at the two of you, feeling happier than ever. Steve bent down for one of the girls to look at the shield as the rest gathered around him, yelling a million questions. He glanced at you and smiled, his voice barely audible over the constant noise of the kids. "This is actually kinda fun."

"Miss (Y/N), I still have to pee!"

Part 3

"You're the strongest woman I've ever known, (Y/N). I'm so proud of you."

"Babe, it's been a month. You really don't have to do that."

"Yeah, I know," Bucky handed you a drink and joined you on your couch, pulling you over to lean back against his chest. He pulled a blanket up to cover you both and placed a soft kiss on your neck. "I'm just preparing you for when Steve gets here," he gave a quick glance to his watch, "in about five minutes."

You leaned forward so you could turn to see his face, confused. "Steve's coming over tonight? I thought we were gonna watch a movie and just have some time alone together, finally." You set your glass on the table and turned fully around to see him, "wait, prepare me for what, exactly? What are you boys up to?"

Bucky threw his hands up in mock defeat, "hey, this wasn't my idea, believe me! He insisted, and I definitely remember that there's no winning an argument with that punk." He jumped up when the knock at the door came, looking back at you before he opened it. "Be nice."

"Hey, I'm always nice." You took a deep breath as he opened the door, smiling politely at Steve as he entered, trying your best to not convey your annoyance at the interruption of your night in with your boyfriend. "Hey, Cap. What brings you by this evening?"

Steve gave Bucky a cautious glance and nodded in the direction of the kitchen, hoping to talk to him alone. "Hey, (Y/N), I'll let you know in just a minute. Excuse us, please." As Steve walked ahead, Bucky looked back to you and silently mouthed, "I don't know?"

"And you tell me to be nice," you whispered back harshly.

Once the two men reached the kitchen, Bucky smacked Steve firmly on the arm, pissed that he had the nerve to interrupt your night, but then be so rude in the process. "Hey man, what the hell? You can't take five seconds to give a decent 'hello' to her?"

"Buck, listen. I've talked to the team, and they want her. They really, really want her."

"We knew that?"

"No, they want her trained as soon as possible to get her on the roster. They want me to send her upstate for streamlined training; she'll be gone for three months." Steve looked at the floor, not willing to meet the eyes that were now growing angry and cold. "And you can't have contact with her during that time."

"No. No deal."

"Buck-"

"No."

You jumped and stood quickly when Bucky burst out of the kitchen door. His face was angrier than you had seen since your ordeal with Hydra, and his body was rigid and tense. "Hey, what's wrong?" You moved to his side and took his hand, putting your other hand on his cheek to turn him to look at you. "Babe, what happened?"

"Ask Rogers," he snapped.

Steve sighed and squared his shoulders. He took a few steps towards you, but when Bucky straightened his own posture in response, Steve stopped. "(Y/N), Bucky and I were approached by Tony. The team was...is...very impressed with how you handled your experience with Hydra. We think that with the right training, you have the mental fortitude and ability to learn skills that would make you the perfect addition to...the Avengers."

You didn't mean to laugh so loudly and so immediately, but the idea of you joining that team was utterly ridiculous to you. Even Bucky turned towards you, shocked at the reaction that he had never expected. "Shut the fuck up, Steve," you snickered, "that's the most outrageous thing I've ever heard, and I work with second graders."

"It's not," Steve said as he inched closer to you. "You were captive for what, twelve or thirteen hours? You withstood both mental and physical torture that should have taken you down right away. That's rare, (Y/N). We believe that you were meant for more."

You knew he was trying to compliment you, but now you were just plain offended. "Meant for more? More than what, Steve? More than being just a teacher, is that what you're saying?" You heard Bucky chuckle behind you; when you looked back at him he lowered his head to avoid your eyes. "Something to add, Barnes?"

"No, ma'am."

"(Y/N), you know that's not what I meant. I meant that you could do more to help the world than you already are. We could look at a way for you to maybe have both," he paused to take another cautious step towards you, "if you want to."

You looked from Steve to Bucky and back again. Your mind was racing at what this opportunity meant, for both yourself and for your life with your boyfriend. The life that had finally begun to gain some normalcy with a man who was anything but. "What do you think I should do, Buck?"

"I told him no. He hasn't told you everything."

"Steve?"

"The team wants to pull you to the upstate facility for training. You would be gone for three months, locked away from everything...and everyone."

"That's why I said no, (Y/N)." Bucky pushed himself between you and Steve, grabbing your hands as he spoke. "I just found you. You found me, well...literally. I don't want to be a guy who says he has to have you next to him every minute of every day, but (Y/N)... I need you. Three months is a long time."

"But it's not forever." Your words got Steve's attention, and his head perked up when he heard them. "Stand down, Rogers. I still need to think about this." You gave Bucky's hands a quick squeeze, "we need to think about this. Now get the hell outta here."

~~~

You had made a promise to never go to bed angry. For the most part, you were able to hold up that promise, but tonight seemed less than likely that you would even sleep in the same room.

"You don't want me to do it. Is it the three month thing, or is there more to this?"

Bucky was turning down the bed, but the blankets were all but cooperating, making him more and more angry until he finally yanked all the bedding from the mattress and threw it on the ground in a huff.

"Buck, calm down." You quickly walked around the bed to him, but he put up his hand to stop you from reaching him, to stop you from touching him.

"I can't believe you're considering this. I was okay with it until he said we would be apart that long. (Y/N), I lost you for twelve hours and it was absolute hell."

"Thirteen."

"Fuck. Seriously? Now isn't the time, (Y/N)." He pushed his way around you and made his way towards the door. "I think I need to head back to my place. We can talk tomorrow." He didn't look at you as he spoke, and his voice sounded like that of a stranger. "I can't do this right now."

"I've made my decision, Buck," you whispered.

His head lowered and you heard a long exhale, he took a step through the door and glanced back over his shoulder. "I knew that before he left, (Y/N)."

Once he was gone, you grabbed your phone to give Steve the news.

I'm in, but I need you to do something for me.

I know, (Y/N). I'll look out for him.

~~~

Three months passed by like the longest three months of your life. Your body was beaten, bruised, always hurting, and had reached a new level of fatigue that you had never known before. You had fought your way up the ranks of newbies, proving yourself time and again that you deserved the faith that the team put in you. The new group of Avengers would be named soon, and there was no way that you weren't going to be on that list. Today was your final session with Rhodey, and if it goes well, you would face Natasha tomorrow, then finally your chance at Steve as your last test.

"That all you got, War Machine? You could put on the suit, if that makes you feel better?"

He stood bent down with his hands on his knees, panting. You had just landed a strong hit to his abdomen that took him to the mat, but he popped up quickly; faster than you had hoped. He had exhausted you and all you wanted was for him to give up. Every hit that connected contained your sorrows and pain from missing Bucky. How could they not be enough to flatten this guy?

"I've got a lot more where that came from, sweetheart. I just need a minute...to decide how to finish you once and for all." He spun and landed a kick to the center of your chest, throwing you back across the mat, a hard breath escaping your chest as you hit. You closed your eyes only for the briefest moment, but when you opened them, all hell had broken loose.

"No, no, no, Bucky! What are you doing?"

He had Rhodey held up against the wall by his throat, his metal arm pulled back and ready to be driven into your sparring partner's face.

"Steve, get down here!" The Captain had been watching your fight from an observation room above, and was already well on his way to you. You pushed your way under Bucky's arm so you were in front of Rhodey and face-to-face with your boyfriend, who was clearly lost in his own mind.

"Baby, look at me. Look at me." You grabbed his face, but when he met your eyes you saw nothing in them. "Bucky, come on. Focus on where you are. Focus on me." He released Rhodey and instead grabbed you, lifting you into the air. You didn't fight back or struggle. "Buck..." you said, your voice beginning to crack and your last gasps of air leaving your chest.

Steve's hand appeared on Bucky's shoulder and pulled him onto his back, but the grip he had on you didn't release, throwing you down with him. You landed on his chest, finding just enough strength to press your lips against his before he could push you away.

Bucky startled for a millisecond, his mind returning to him in the moment. He released you and lifted you off of him quickly, rolling you onto your back and frantically searching you for any injury he may have caused. "Oh my god. Oh, shit. (Y/N), are you okay? What happened? Oh, shit, what did I just do?"

"I'm good, by the way," Rhodey said, rubbing his neck where finger-shaped bruises had already started to form.

"I'm fine, Buck. I'm fine." You waved him off and gradually sat up next to him. "I think it's safe to say that you can't watch when I fight Rogers tomorrow."

Steve was thankful that you were breaking the tension in the room, letting out a small laugh as he reached down to offer you his hand, pulling you to your feet. "It's gonna take a lot more than a kiss to take me down, (Y/N)."

You shot him a warning glare, waiting for further explanation. His face grew pale and his eyes wide at the realization of what he had said.

"Not that I'm expecting...I mean I don't...I wouldn't..." Steve looked around the room for assistance, but found none. "Oh hell," he sighed. "Screw it. Welcome to the Avengers, (Y/N). God help anyone who crosses your path."