AN: A little bit about their past and fluff. 

*Trigger warning: Mention of blood and death during the flashback on the end*

Bucky had agreed to sleep on the couch, while Alice, after a long discussion, finally gave in and took the bedroom. Sam and Steve had watched the two of them with amusement. Alice had tried to talk Bucky into taking the bedroom, but he just didn't react at all. Until the brown haired woman was so fed up, that she in a fit yelled that she would take it, if he would just move to show he is still alive. Now she was standing in the kitchen area, eating cookies and sulking, while the three men were sitting on the couch. Bucky could basically feel her glares on the back of his head, before he turned around to face her and she just narrowed her eyes even more, making him grin. He stood up to join her. "It is almost like you want me to share the bedroom with you." His voice had been low, so low that she would understand him but the other two wouldn't. The blush that was quickly forming on her cheeks made him smile. "Maybe I do." Alice raised a brow, a small teasing smile tugging on her lips, when she met his blue eyes, making a grin grew on his face. "Well, in that case I would feel horrible to disappoint you." Bucky had a cocky grin on his face at this moment, reminding her so much of the 16 year old boy she had fallen in love with all those years ago. She was about to say something else, when he had already turned away, but not before shooting her a quick wink. "Cocky bastard." Alice mumbled under her breath, shoving another cookie into her mouth.

Alice had expected that the room would be filled with an awkward tension as soon as Sam and Steve would leave the room, but she had been wrong. The two of them sat in a comfortable silence, both laying on the couch. It was him, who broke the silence first "I could really stay out here, I don't mind, I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable, Allie." "Why would I be uncomfortable?" Her brows were furrowed. "You will be sleeping on the floor." After that comment her head rose to face him a huge grin on her face, causing him to chuckle. "In that case, I'd rather take the couch." Alice grin turned into a smile and she suddenly seemed to be in deep thoughts. Bucky couldn't help but stare at her. Seeing her, being near her always had made him feel calm, comfortable and something he hadn't quite figured out yet. He had an idea, what it could be but he wasn't sure. He didn't remember ever really experiencing that feeling, at least not during his time at HYDRA and those were the memories which were clearest to him. "Don't think too much, I can see the steam coming out of your ears." Alice was smirking at him. "Oh, and I think I can see the gears turning in your head." Bucky shook his head, a smile on his face. He just couldn't help but smile, when he saw her smile or laugh.

"So, what is making all those gears turning in your head?" Alice had turned serious again. Curiosity had gotten the better of her and she wanted to know, what thoughts had his face scrunched up like that. Bucky considered, whether he should tell her the truth or just make up an excuse, but who better to tell them what they were than her? "I was thinking about us." He finally admitted, Alice looked at him in shock, she clearly hadn't expected this answer, so all she said was a stuttered 'us?'. Bucky nodded, "For the last couple of days I tried to figure out, what you are to me." He had admitted it and frankly he was not sure what to expect from her. "I-I don't know ... how to explain all of it." Alice was scratching her neck, looking at the man next to her, before she sat up to face him. "I don't want to shock your or even scare you away." Bucky nodded his head understanding. "I know you knew me before the war. Steve told me and I think I remember you from school." "You better." Alice chuckled. "You dipped by braid into ink once and my mum had to cut off all the ink stained hair. She scolded me for not paying attention to what you were doing." Bucky smiled, the memories of her coming back to him. "You saved Steve from some jocks once." Alice nodded, excitement filling her eyes when she realised that Bucky started to remember her. "You had to save me though." "You went dancing with me as a 'thank you', after I had to wait a month to see you again, because you left so quickly." He was smiling fondly at the memory, while Alice started to feel the tears in her eyes. "Then you were just gone. You just disappeared." Alice nodded her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I had to, Bucky." Before a sob could even leave her mouth, Bucky had pulled her into his arms. He placed a kiss on her temple. "I thought you were dead." He pecked her forehead, before he pulled away a bit to look at her. "I thought I lost you forever. I never want to lose you again."

The feeling of his lips against her was so familiar, but still different. It had been too long, much too long for her likening. The two of them had left the couch and retreated into their bedroom. "I don't really think your mother would approve of us sleeping in the same bed." Bucky stated a grin on his face, when they were about to climb into bed. The moment his words left his lips, he regretted them. Alice's face had turned pale as a sheet and sadness filled her eyes. "What is wrong, doll?" As quickly as he could he had closed the distance between them, one of his hands grabbing her's, while the other angled her face so her eyes would meet his. Alice shook her head, tears forming in her eyes, before she stepped forward, burying her face in his chest. Bucky wanted to slap himself here and there. Clearly what he said had upset her deeply. "I'm sorry." Alice stuttered, when she pulled away, offering him a forced smiled, before she bit her lip, trying to will the tears to be gone. "You can talk to me, Allie. What is bothering you?" However Alice didn't feel ready to talk about it quite yet. So she croaked a 'not now' and pulled him onto the bed, falling asleep curled up into his side.

Bucky could feel Alice's steady breathing on his chest, she had fallen asleep quite some time ago, Bucky however couldn't manage to fall asleep. He was raking his memory for Alice's mother. He had triggered something, when he had made the comment. He tried to remember the time when Alice disappeared, he had remembered being invited to dinner with her parents quite a few times. And suddenly the memory of her disappearance hit him like a brick.

*Flashback*

"Tell her 'happy birthday' from me. I would have told her at school but she wasn't there." Steve was standing behind him, while Bucky straightened the tie he was wearing. He was invited to dinner with Alice's parents he had to look good. "Will do." Bucky smiled. "See you later, punk." Bucky grinned at his friend. "See you, jerk." Steve replied, before Bucky closed the door behind him. Today was Alice's 20th birthday and she had asked him to join her and her parents for dinner. He was looking forward to see her, like Steve he had expected to see her at school or at least, when she was on her way home, but all day there had been no trace of her.

Bucky soon reached Alice's house. He knocked three times without anyone opening the door. A frown had taken over his face, when he couldn't even hear Alice's dog barking. He knew where the McStay family was hiding their emergency key, so without waiting another second, he retrieved it and unlocked the front door. The house was quiet, it was almost scary. Bucky looked around the kitchen and living room, but there was no trace of the family. His knees buckled under him, when he stepped into the dining room. The first thing he had seen was her father, blood was covering his face, he lay in a puddle of his own blood and bloody hand prints contrasted on the crisp white shirt. Her mother laid a few steps away, there was no trace of blood around her, just her hands were covered in blood, probably her husbands. She was white as a sheet, literally. Her eyes were open, they seemed distant, while they were directed at the ceiling.

Panic shoot through Bucky, when Alice flashed through his mind. He quickly pushed himself to his feet and run up the stairs to Alice's room, only to find it empty. He found some of her clothes covered in blood and there was blood in her ensuite but other than that no indication of Alice, her whereabouts or her health.

*End of flashback*