James Buchanan Barnes aka Bucky meets a woman outside of Avengers Tower one day. Her skin is flawed down one side of her body and it draws his attention in.
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"Now you want to come into the Tower? Look, I've lost you several times, I don't think I could take another."
Steve glanced around as they crossed the marble tiled lobby. He knew Tony wasn't there but that didn't mean he wasn't watching. Tony had taken Pepper on a reunion vacation and asked Steve to check in with Bruce at the Tower. Bruce was getting used to his reality again. He was happy to be around his lab but Tony didn't want him alone all the time.
Bucky had no reason to think Sofia would be there. The line drawn between her and anything having to do with the Avengers was a distinct one. It had been two weeks since they'd met and he couldn't find out anything about her. Vision had actually gotten sharp with Wanda when she'd asked about Sofia for Bucky. Vision then spent the rest of the day apologizing.
"I know. And I will miss you. But...as the expert on waiting could you just back me up here?"
"Sure, pal. Sure."
Steve shook his head as they entered the elevator. He asked the AI substituting for Friday to drop them at Bruce's lab but he was out for the day. Steve saw something concerning a stone and stopped to read the report. Bucky started to wander, he went to another monitor and idly tapped in 'Sofia' in the search command.
"Sofia is currently on the gym level. Would you like me to get her?" The AI offered over the speaker. Steve jumped and Bucky scrambled away from the terminal.
"No, don't get her. Shit!" Bucky almost yelled.
"There's the ladies man I remember." Steve started laughing and clapped Bucky on the shoulder. "What? She's in the gym, Tony's not here. If she's that much on your mind go say hi. Maybe learn her last name." Steve shrugged and went back to his reading.
"Maybe. Will I be okay on my own. Like, will the building try to kill me?"
"You should be fine. Just watch for lazers and trip wires...I wish I was joking."
Bucky re-entered the elevator and asked for the gym level. He tried to practice what he would say to her.
'Hi, remember me? I killed your good friend's family and now he hates me. I killed a lot of people actually.' Bucky shook his head to clear it as the doors opened.
He walked out into an impressive fitness center. The air was warm and damp. He looked around and saw movement in a glassed in area.
Sofia's body was sliding through the water of a huge swimming pool. She moved with determination, arms and legs moving fast. That's where the leg muscles he'd noticed came from. She was a swimmer. He watched as she flipped in the water and he slipped into the room with the pool. She saw him when she turned her head to breathe.
Sofia startled a bit when she noticed someone watching her. She recognized the figure and stopped mid-stroke.
"Hey."She smiled, bobbing in the water. "I never thought I'd see you again. I hoped, but damn does Tony hate you."
