Lost in Time

Two

Bucky rubbed a hand over his tired face, getting up and stretching out the aches in his old bones. He chuckled quietly at the thought, he really was old, 117 years old in fact. Glancing to her, asleep on his bed, a file tucked to her chest, curled into a ball, he hated that he had asked this of her, pleaded, there wasn't anyone else he could trust. He knew she had her insecurities, her worries and fears about this mission, but what he had failed to mention, something he hoped she wouldn't realise, was that going back, and changing the past, she wouldn't be able to come back here. This life of hers would be gone, and she would have an entirely new future, one he didn't want to think about.

When he had found her, while on a mission with Sam years ago, he was surprised to see her. She had grown up since he had last seen her, a few years before, but he could tell, by the way she had fought, she was bound and determined to follow in her fathers footsteps. He couldn't understand why she had no support in wanting to be a part of the team, she was a good fighter. No serum, no magic, no honed skills, just her determination.

He smiled to himself, shaking his head as he went to the counter to make coffee, he hadn't slept, and she hadn't long fallen asleep, though he knew as soon as the smell of coffee wafted through the room, she'd wake up.

Glancing over his shoulder, he wondered if he had asked too much of her to do this. It wasn't that he hated his post Hydra life, though there certainly were moments that he wished didn't happen, it was that even now, twenty years after snapping out of it, he still didn't feel as though he belonged. For a time he did, before Steve left to go back to Peggy.

'Even when you think you're being quiet, I can still hear you..'.. He shook his head with a smile, hearing her grumpy morning voice... 'Its all those rusty gears in your head that woke me..'

'Go back to sleep, you need it..'.. He said, making two coffees, knowing exactly what's she's going to say.

'How can I, when I got your ass to stare at instead..'.. He mouthed the words as she said them, making him laugh. He turned, holding out a cup, and seeing her practically jump from the bed to get it.

'Things like that..'.. He pointed to her and grabbed his cup... 'Makes me think you got a thing for me..'.. He watched her roll her eyes and stick a finger in her mouth, gagging.

'You really need to get laid if you're thinking that..'.. She sipped her coffee, and her mood changed with it.

'Nice to know you're imagining me getting laid..'.. He smirked.

'Get over yourself Buck..'.. She patted his cheek, and moved over to the couch, picking up another file and sitting down with it.

'Look..'.. He sighed, knowing their banter was over... 'I know this is a lot to ask of you-..'

'I don't know the real reason as to why you want me to do this..'.. Her gaze flicked to him, and then back to the file on her lap... 'Cause we both know, I know you well enough, but I'll still do this. If anyone else asked, I'd tell them to shove it..'

Bucky nodded mostly to himself. She did know him, better than he gave her credit for, but he couldn't tell her the real reason as to why... 'Thanks..'.. He moved to sit next to her, settling his cup on the coffee table and grabbing another file... 'So, if we can pinpoint a moment in the first battle, what you can change, just something small, then maybe it will alter their future enough..'

'Why not walk into the meeting on the carrier and just say, "oh hey, I'm from the future and shits about to go down, I know everything that's gonna happen and trying to stop a universal war?"..'.. She turned to him... 'Think that'll work?..'