You've Got Me... Always || Bucky Barnes

Chapter Five

It's been six months since the attack on New York. I accepted a lone mission on the other side of the world, and it was over in a day. I, however, remained in Serbia. I was following personal leads, none of which checked out. "Where are you?" I whisper to myself.

Sitting at a small cafe, I look around before looking back down at my tablet. I scan any and every record I could find that could bring me a lead. Nothing pans out. I sit the tablet on the table with a sigh as I gently kick the chair to my left out a bit. "You haven't lost your touch." Natasha says, sitting in the chair.

"You found me, didn't ya?"

"You didn't hide too hard." She leans on the table. "What's going on?"

I take a sip of my water. "I haven't given up."

She nods before placing her hand on mine. "Anything I can do?" I just shake my head. "You don't have to do this alone." I remain silent. "Tell me your thoughts."

I lean back in my seat and cross my legs. "So much time as past."

"You think she's gone?"

"She's strong. She's resilient." My tablet meeps. 'No match' pops up eliciting an aggravated groan from my lips. "I used to be better."

"Come home."

"I can't, Nat. Not yet."

"You can't find her because she doesn't want to be found." My phone beeps. "Agent Ward?" She asks with a grin and an eyebrow raised.

"Shut up. It's nothing."

"Uh-huh. More reason to come home." Natasha picks up one of the pastries off my plate. "When did that happen?"

"Nothing has happened... and it's not."

My phone beeps again. Nat quickly grabs it. "Nothing's going to happen? Hmm. 'Hoping when you're back in town we could talk shop over dinner and drinks. My treat.'" She looks up at me. "Are you sure nothing has or will happen?"She smirks.

"Stop. We have trained together when we both first joined. He's very technical and by the book. I'm rogue."

"Well, he is definitely cuter than Rumlow."

"Better company, too. But...no."

"When's the last time you..."

"Last time I...?" She winks. "Yeah... after a long night of pure debauchery in Budapest." I roll my eyes. "Don't ask."

"Then what's wrong with Agent Ward?"

"Nothing, Tasha. There is nothing wrong with Agent Grant Ward. I'm just...not." I shrug.

"Does this have to do with Loki?"

I scoff. "The Asgardian God that mind controlled me and made me his wife?" I shake my head. "Not in the least."

"First, you disappeared to look for her. Now, you aren't--."

"Aren't what?" I take a large gulp of my water to empty the glass. "Batting my eyes? Giving a seductive smile? Wearing provocative clothing that when I sit or stand just right, they get a perfect angle to look at my chest? Finding my way into their bed? Yeah, tired of that."

"Then what do you want?"

"Something I--we--." I say pointing between the two of us. "Never had." She looks at me curiously. "A home. A real home with a real family. I am done just playing a part."

"That doesn't come to people like us."

"I know. But why settle for what I know I don't want?"

She stands and pulls me up with her. Her arms wrap around me. "I just want you to be happy. And one date with Ward wouldn't hurt."