Author Note: another part that contains a scene I love ^^

.

.

.

"Would you be willing to try the bed while I drive?" I hedged.

Bucky merely straightened up his posture, as if he were bracing for an attack that he didn't want to react to.

'I'll take that as a I really don't want to then.'

"...Would you be... opposed...? To making this little area... more comfy?"

"...No," he responded, his hand dropping away from my leg.

I unraveled from being wrapped around him, tugging lightly upwards from under his arms until he stood up on his own. I quickly gathered all the fluffy blankets in the room and a few pillows, shooing Bucky to stand to the side.

A few folded blankets to pad the floor. Pillows lined the edge, covering any cabinet handles and shelves. Another pillow was sandwiched between the nightstand and shelf, hopefully it'd provide some neck support for him.

"...You don't have to do this," he mumbled while I was in the middle of covering the pillows in another fluffy blanket.

"You're not sleeping on the bloody hard floor. I'll turn on the heated flooring too. Now get in here so I can wrap you up in blankets as well."

Wordlessly, he sat down, the dart gun tucked under his leg. His brow rose when I shoved a pillow at his torso.

"Hug that," I said, going about piling blankets over him and tugging corners from under his arms as tightly as I could. Once happy with my makeshift swaddling job I asked, "Can you move your arm to the gun?"

A shift under the blankets later, I received a nod from him.

"Comfy?" I queried, when there was nothing more I could add besides the duvet and the rest of the pillows. Not all too sure that would fit. The little space was rather full of Bucky and fluffy things at the moment.

He gave a small nod, snuggling down inside. "Thank you...."

I tucked a lock of his hair behind his ear. "Good night, Bucky."

"Where are you going?" His hand popped out, grabbing onto mine.

"Driving for the next few hours."

"I can drive if you don't want to."

'Oh don't tempt me like that.'

I'd stay in bed forever if I could get away with it.

I pulled a big smile, my thumb rubbing across his knuckles. "There's barely any cars at this time. I'll be fine. Sweet dreams, Bucky," I said, closing the door behind me.

'I need water....'

The pounding headache felt like hooks yanking on the tips on my ears. Almost got water up my nose from how fast I tried to chug a bottle down.

"Sweetie."

Difficult to silently choke on water, coughing it out in spurts over the sink. Didn't want to disturb Bucky.

'NOPE!'

"Sweetie, I got you a gift."

'Nope. Nope. Nope. Stay out of my head.'

I desperately tried to pack away the memories or throw them out, curling up beside the counter. It never worked. Couldn't block out that voice by covering my ears, but that didn't stop me from trying.

All the while, I tried to stop the bile from trying to escape my stomach. My throat wanting so badly to gag. But I couldn't throw up without Bucky picking up on this mess.

"Did you miss me, Sweetie?"

I flicked on the faucet to the coldest setting and shoved my head under. The freezing water helped me in my attempt to ignore the fear clawing up from between my shoulder blades.

"Sweetie, why won't you do this for me?"

'He's not here. He's not here.'

"Don't you love me?"

'You're not going to try and stuff yourself into a closet so you're fine, you fucking idiot.'

"I love you so much, Sweetie."

'You're fine. You're fine. You're fine.You'refine.You'refine.You're fineYou're fineYou'refine.'

Eventually, I found myself staring at the phone. Screen on Devon's contact information. Again.

'Don't call him. You're fine. You're totally fine.'

I quickly flicked away from his contact and navigated my way over to Eve's chat.

'No new messages.... I hope you found the kid you're looking for....'

With couple of deep breaths with Bucky's voice counting down in the back of my head, I got up from under the table I somehow managed to crawl under. Stretching out all my sore muscles, I plucked the mask sheet off the table and pressed it to my face. Paranoia helped keep me safe before. I headed to the driver's seat to get us further along this road trip of ours.

.

. ** .

.

'I need more money to do all this. I'll have to pick up a few more clients....'

Slamming the laptop shut, I flopped back onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. All those missing children posters still burned into the back of my eyes. I needed to calm my fidgeting. There was nothing I could do about the situation until Eve found the damn kid she wants so badly. Still, I wish there was just something I could do.

'...I wonder if I can convince Gramps to foot the bill for this.... Oh we're here.'

Unfolding from the pillows surrounding me, I slammed the laptop shut and hobbled out of the bedroom over to Bucky.

He was just frozen there, in the middle of the hall, staring out one of the side windows.

Not liking the feeling twisting in my gut, I quietly opened a drawer, the one filled with utensils and a gun at the back. One loaded with bullets. Silently, I made my way over to the still frozen young man.

"Hmm.... Sexy – The hell?" I questioned when a warm hand smacked over my eyes.

His cybernetic arm wrapped around my waist, lifting me up since his right hand refused to leave my face even when I tugged on it.

"Bucky?"

Pretty sure he's tucking me back into the bedroom, where there were no windows that faced in the direction he didn't want me looking at.

"I've always wondered what it'd be like to spin around super fast with watermelon sized tits. Would I get flung off balan – mmph...?"

His hand moved from my eyes to silence my mouth. His pinky hooked under my jaw to keep my teeth clamped shut.

At the bright red cheeks in front of me, I broke down into laughter. Even the little tip of his ear peeking through his hair was pink. I couldn't stop the giggles, and it hurt to keep going. My ribs and abs didn't like the strain.

When I finally freed my mouth from his grip, I lightly chimed out, "It's just a paint job, Bucky."

"But... but it's...."

"A painting of a naked woman riding a horse? What has you all twisted up in a knot?"

The corners of his lips tipped so far downwards.

'I wonder if he remembers coming across provocative pictures before.... It's not that different.'

Then again, I had the sinking feeling that it wasn't him seeing such a thing, but rather the fact that the van's paint job was so out in the open for anybody to see.

'Swim suits were different back then... right...?'

"You... you shouldn't... shouldn't...? It's not.... It's not...?"

His brows furrowed, confusion blooming across his face. Those bright blue eyes stared at me so helplessly lost.

'Oh you don't know why you dragged me away from the van, do you...?'

"Paint jobs like that are still frowned upon. It exposes children to images the average parent isn't comfortable with having their kids seeing or some shit. This one's not so bad? I remember seeing one with her legs spread to the side with the sun beaming out of her v –"

Again, Bucky's hand slapped over my mouth. A shrug from me later, he sent a baffled expression my way from staring at his hand.

I stuck my tongue out again and he reflexively held his hand to his chest, looking quite protective of it.

"I'll stop teasing," I said, giving in with a grin. "Some billboard ads aren't much better than basically naked women either. Sex sells?"

.

.

.

Author's Note:

If you enjoyed this part, please consider leaving a vote. They're very much appreciated. ^^