(1) Wild Cat (B.Barnes)

Chapter Four

Tatiana stares up as a monorail speeds past her, her eyes wide and peering out from under a black hood, she's careful to keep herself hidden just in case the SSR are looking for her, they probably are, and this would be the first place they'd look, because it's the place she asked to go. The World Exposition of Tomorrow. She ignores the sounds around her whilst her eyes shifting across the faces in the crowds, she saw something, someone familiar. Bucky. Her eyes land on him and Steve walking together, Bucky's still wearing his uniform. Her eyes lighten slightly watching him smile at Steve. Her ears reaching out and adjusting to listen in.

"I don't see what the problem is," Bucky tells Steve as they walk together. "You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know there're three and a half million women here?"

"I'd settle for just one" Bucky waves at somebody in the distance, Tatiana's eyes shift to follow his line of sight. "Good thing I've taken care of that" Across the midway, two girls wave back in front of The Modern Marvels pavillion. Tatiana clenches her jaw and looks away before slipping through the crowd. Wanting to escape. She's not sure what she's currently feeling but she doesn't like it. Her chest aches. It hurts. She blinks a little and hangs her head. Bucky glances around slightly sensing something, his eyes scan the crowd but he finds nothing out of place, Steve brushes his hair back a little and looks to Bucky.

"What'd you tell her about me?" Steve asks. Bucky looks down at him and grins.

"Only the good stuff" he answers.

.................

Exhibits line the hall as Steve, Bucky and the two girls enter. They pass a glass box which holds a red-suited android, it's plaque reading: 'Dr. Phineas Horton presents...The Synthetic Man! A fire extinguisher rests at the base. Bucky and the two girls (Connie and Bonnie) hurry past this exhibit. Steve tags after, ignored.

"Oh my God, there he is!" The girls squeal, urging Bucky towards the Stark Stage. A crowd gathers by a stage: 'Stark Industries Presents.....' Steve buys peanuts as Bucky and the girls get in close. On stage, a dashing Howard Stark stands with a 1942 Cadillac. The girls giggle, smitten.

"Ladies, you know how hard it can be putting on makeup in a car that's bouncing like a kangaroo on a trampoline" Steve offers Bonnie a peanut. She looks at them with scorn. "What if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile wouldn't touch the ground at all?" Stark hits a button. The Cadillac rises, leaving its tired on the ground, bulky devices, where the wheels should be, allow it to hover above the ground. The crowd gasps. Bucky and Steve gape impressed.

"Ho-ly cow" Bucky states impressed, his eyes wide like a child seeing a new toy.

"With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology (patent pending), you'll be able to do just tha.." There's a pop and an explosion. The car slams down onto the stage. "I did say a few years, didn't I?" The audience applauds. As Bonnie swoons over Howard, Steve looks around, sheepish. He spots something in the distance. Bucky wraps his arm around Connie.

"Hey, Steve. What do you say we treat these ladies" But Steve's gone. In his place, a little girl digs eagerly into his bag of peanuts. Bucky goes to look for him.

...................

Bucky shakes his head disappointed that Steve took off, Bucky went out of his way to arrange tonight and he thought it was a good idea, with him leaving, for them to spend some time together before he did. He has an idea as to where Steve's gone, so it's not like he's completely vanished. Bucky glances up a little, instinct, subconsciously, whichever it is, to see something ahead, he smiles warmly.

"Tatiana?" Bucky asks seeing her lingering against the wall away from the noise, she looks up startled slightly and as soon as she notices him she's looking away and reaching up to tug her hood back over her head. "Hey, what's going on?" he asks moving closer to her, she shakes her head and looks to him, her expression softer, she plasters on a smile. He smiles back at her and goes to kiss her, she pulls away turning from him, he frowns at her really seeing her face. Her eyes are red and her cheeks damp. She's been crying. "What's wrong?" he asks her reaching for her.

"I saw you on your.....date" she answers, Bucky raises an eyebrow and then smirks a little.

"Are you jealous?" he asks stepping closer to her, she takes a step back pressing herself against the wall behind her.

"No" she answers. "I don't...I don't feel that" she argues looking away from him as he steps closer still, his fingers brush against her arm before he touches her neck. He chuckles a little and smiles.

"You know there's only one kitten for me" he whispers softly against the skin of her cheek, his hand coming up to brush her hair back from her face, fingers grazing over the warmth of her flesh. "Tatiana" he states lifting his face to look down at her, his eyes searching hers. "Bonnie would only agree to come for Steve if I take Connie out to appease her parents" she frowns at him. "Connie likes girls" he whispers to her, she softens a little. "And her parents don't know so....she fake-dates boys" he twirls a strand of her hair around his finger.

"And you don't..." she starts. "Most men would have opinions...."

"I don't care" he assures her. "You can't help who you love" he stares down at her softly. She lifts her eyes to his. She knows that look in his eyes, she's seen it a lot the last few months.

"Junior" she scolds pulling away, he lets her slide out away from him, he sighs. He's tried to say those three little words before, and she always dodges him. It's been a year. A year of secret rendezvous and nightly fumbles between his sheets and she has come to mean something to him. More than any women he's ever met. He presses his hand against the wall and pushes slightly to turn and face her.

"Any other girl would love to hear that someone loves them" he points out, she glares at him.

"I'm not any other girl" she scolds and the points her finger into his chest. "And if you're thinking that I am...."

"I don't" he argues softly taking her hand from his chest and pulls her closer. "You are the strangest, most unique woman I have ever met" he assures her clasping her face between his hands. "And if after a year, you don't understand what you mean to me then I haven't been doing a very good job at showing you" he presses his forehead to hers and sighs softly. "I won't tell you" he assures her. "Not yet, not today.....when I get back" he promises her. "I need to find Steve" he admits threading his fingers with hers. "He wandered off" he kisses the back of her hand. "Come with me..." she raises an eyebrow. "Please" he whispers, she nods and squeezes his hand.