Don't Hide | Bucky Barnes |

[2]

Airport in Bucharest, Romania

This is it.

I take in a deep breath, surveying the crowded airport for someone with my name held out before them. Fury had insisted that I be picked up by the friend that he had connected me to stay with. I stand on my tip toes in the baggage claim area, my medium-sized black suitcase sitting by my feet.

Finally, I see my name written in large, neat letters.

I bring my gaze from the white piece of paper to see an older woman holding it with a peaceful expression on her face. A small smile grows on my lips and I grab my suitcase, rolling it over to the woman.

"Hi, I'm Dawn Beckett" I greet politely, stopping in front of the woman with curly dark hair peppered with gray.

She looks over at me, her smile immediately widening. Her light blue eyes fill with excitement as she surveys my blonde hair and green eyes. Before I can respond, she grabs me and pulls me into a bone-crushing hug. I freeze, slightly uncomfortable being embraced by a stranger. I have to force my slight alarm down and remember that this woman can be trusted.

I love people, I always have. My mother told me that as a child I would approach strangers and begin conversations with them. That's why it hurts me every time I meet someone new and instantly have the instinct to run, to not trust until it's proven I can.

I can thank Hydra for that.

"Hello, beautiful! How cool is it for me to have a spy in my house!" She greets, whispering the last part in my ear. I laugh in surprise at her reaction, hugging her back before she quickly pulls back and surveys me once more from arms-length.

"I'm Ana-Maria Eder," she introduces, winking at me, "Now let's get you home and fed!"

She quickly walks away, gesturing for me to follow. I roll my suitcase behind me and follow the woman outside of the airport and let her lead me up to a small parked car nearby. As she walks I can't help but smile, my nerves washed slightly away. I don't know what I was expecting when Fury said he had a connection for me to stay with, but this bubbly woman most definitely wasn't it.

"You can put your suitcase in the trunk, Dawn" Ana-Maria informs. I nod, quickly doing so and then hopping into the passenger seat beside the woman. I buckle up and take in a deep breath as she begins driving.

"When Nicky called and asked me to take in a hero-agent-spy, I was beyond ecstatic! I mean, this so exciting" the woman babbles as she maneuvers away from the airport and onto the main road.

Laughter breaks out from me as I glance over at Ana-Maria.

"Nicky?" Is all I manage out between my laughs. She joins in, glancing over at me and then back at the road.

"Of course, he's one of my closest friends and he's far too depressing some times. I find that it lightens him up" she chirps, smirking.

"Thank you for letting me stay at your home" I announce, my eyes taking in the beauty of the new country. I wish that I could tell Ana to stop the car and let me walk to her house, that way I could get to know these people and experience their culture. Regardless, it's still thrilling to be in a new place and finally feed my need for adventure.

"Oh it's no problem," She informs, taking a turn onto a street lined with apartment buildings, "I only have a few rules, dear"