Stark's Driver ~ A Bucky Barnes Story

Chapter 7- Tiny Car

Steve had just said pick to a car that wasn't conspicuous. Which basically meant boring, resignedly she moved to the cheaper section of the used German car garage she was currently walking around.

That frustration quickly turned to mischievous glee when she spotted a tiny Volkswagen Beetle hiding in the corner. Just imagining in the three huge men squeezing into it was enough to make her laugh out loud, so she bought it immediately.

Following the directions Steve had sent encoded in his last message, she found herself outside of a large seemingly abandoned huge metal warehouse.
Shutting the car off, she got out, and cautiously got out, cocking the gun she'd swiped back from security as she left the Task Force building.

"Steve?" She called out quietly.
"Hey Talia, in here." His voice rang out to her left, and she followed it into another hangar.

Steve turned to greet her, "Hi,thanks for coming."
"No problem, of course." She replied, hugging him.
Over his shoulder she saw a disgruntled looking Sam removing a kneeling Bucky's metal arm from a huge industrial clamp.

"Jesus," she said, letting go of Steve, "Was that really necessary?"

"Just until we knew he was back." Steve conceded.

"Is he...sorry, are you?"

Bucky stood up then rolling his metal shoulder, "Yeah, I'm good."
Nodding she looked away, "Well um, I haven't got long Tony needs me in New York tomorrow morning, so I'm just gonna fix up your ride, and then I'll be out of here."

Steve looked at her seriously, "Seriously Talia, thank you, I know what this means."

Smiling she grabbed a nearby toolbox she'd spotted and head out to the next hangar, where she'd stashed the car.

~

"Ah shit." She cursed banging her fist against the undercarriage, she was currently lying underneath the car, trying to fix its oil leak, but the damn thing kept breaking. Rolling out from underneath, she was startled to see Bucky stood there, something close to a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Oh hey, didn't realise you were there."

He just nodded, apologetically, "This car...it's a bit small?"

She grinned wickedly, "Oh I know." then groaning and wincing slightly, she sat up to rummage around in the toolbox.
"Are you ok?" He asked, slightly concerned.

She chuckled a bit, grinning wildly at him,
"You can pack a mean punch I'll give you that."
His face dropped, and her stomach twisted at the guilt that weighed on his face.

"Oh god, sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Bollocks."

He sat down on a spare tire near to the car, "Its fine, you're not the one who needs to apologise."

She waved him off airily, "Don't worry about it, I've been though worse, besides...I would've won if you hadn't distracted me."

He quirked his eyebrow slightly, "Oh yeh?"

"Yeah." She panned back to him, pausing her rooting to meet his direct gaze, clearing her throat quickly she rolled back under the car, her face oddly flushed.

"How's your arm, by the way. Those two idiots don't damage it with that clamp did they? They're a real pain to fix."

"You would know."

She laughed lightly, "Yeh, I guess I would."
Silence fell then, while it was slightly awkward, it also felt comfortable at the same time.

"Where are the guys anyway?"

"I think Sam went to contact his, ...friend? And Steve's setting up a meeting with a woman, Sharon?"

She groaned at the name, "Oh I can't stand that woman, she is insufferable, honestly."

He smiled to himself.

Using her shielded face to protect her, she called out
carefully, "Hey Bucky, you know that err, red Soviet star on your arm?"

He tensed, "What?"

"Well I just wondered if you wanted to get rid of it, you know, wipe the slate clean a bit I guess"

His breath hitched slightly at her kind words,
"You would do that?"

She slowly rolled back out, "Of course."

He just nodded, throat bobbing, and she stood up, moving to retrieve the power tool she'd spotted earlier in the corner of the room.

Turning around, she halted slightly, for Bucky had just removed his shirt completely. His back was muscled and broad, but it was the scars she focused on, peppering his skin here and there.
Swallowing, she forced her feet to move and she rejoined him, setting up the equipment.

Trying her best to ignore the extremely muscled man sitting before her, she just warned, "Keep still or you'll lose your arm, again" before switching the roaring machine on, and getting to work.

Only a few minutes later, she was done, clearing her throat she said, "Okay, you can um, put your shirt back on now."

But the man before her was busy staring, transfixed at his arm.

"Why would you do that for me?" He breathed, raising his gaze to look at her.

She paused from tidying the tools away, looking him right in the eyes, "Symbols have power, more power than we care to admit." she nodded over to Steve's shield, propped up against the wall.

He stared at it, and became silent again, lost in thought.

Steve entered the warehouse then, pausing to grin at the stupid car Talia had brought, and to look curiously at Bucky putting his shirt back on.

Snapping the hood shut, she turned to greet him, "Hey I should really get going, I'm all done here."

Steve's gaze flickered to the still silently seated Bucky, but he just cleared his throat, gesturing to the door, "Okay, I'll walk you out." Ever the gentleman.

Nodding at Bucky in farewell, they walked out, before she left the safety of the roofed area, however, Steve halted.

"How, how was he?"

Frowning she looked at him, "What do you mean?"

"Well he's barely spoken a word other than tell us about-" he cut himself off, awkwardly.

"It's okay Steve, I know you have to be careful, but I won't tell Tony anything."

He nodded thankfully, and she continued,
"I know he's not normal, hasn't been normal for a century, but I've just spoken to him like I would any guy, probably makes him feel less, other. I'd don't know..." She trailed off, patting him on the shoulder, and he nodded, also becoming lost in thought.

"I'll see you around Cap."
"Goodbye, thanks Talia."
She walked out of sight once more.