Wanted

Bucky hurried down the corridor as quickly and quietly as he could, feeling sick and absolutely panicked. He kept his head down and was grateful not to be seen by anyone, a little relief washing over him when he made it back to his apartment...
He swiped his card and yanked the door open as soon as the latch unlocked, slamming it behind him, leaning on it for a moment as he composed himself.

You idiot... You fucking IDIOT!

His heart raced as he pushed the hair back off his face, breathing heavily despite his best efforts to calm himself down. He hadn't been this wound up by anything in years, and now here he was having a meltdown over a girl.

Not just A girl... THE girl... UGH!

Rage built up in him as he pushed off the door, pacing back and forth for a moment as he repressed the overwhelming urge to put his fist through the wall, or smash something.

You kissed her... And not just any kiss - you MADE OUT with her up against the goddamned wall and loved every second of it... SHE loved every second of it - and then kicked her to the curb like she was nothing. Less than nothing...

Bucky suddenly felt his chest tighten up, reliving that moment when he first pulled away from her - she'd looked up into his eyes, completely vulnerable, nodded that it was okay and kissed him back. She'd kissed him back good and proper, and when things started to heat up, he pushed her away and rejected her... Even worse, he'd told her he wished it'd never happened, and it had broken her, right there on the spot.

The girl who doesn't trust ANYONE - trusted you. She spilled her heart out to you after YOU pushed her to, and for what!? YOU kissed HER, and not only did she accept you, she kissed you back... That's more than anyone's ever given you, and you just blew it - AND blew it for her ever trusting anyone ever again. You know what she's been through... You KNEW to stay away from Stark's daughter and you just couldn't. Fucking. Help yourself.

She's probably crying in her room right now because of you... If ANYONE else did that to her, you'd fucking MURDER them without thinking twice about it...

The anger rose up in him again,  Bucky letting out a growl through his teeth as he jammed his eyes shut and took his hair in his fists... His heart raced faster and faster until he couldn't take it anymore, running at the wall and throwing his meal fist clean through it. He stood quietly for a moment, realizing what he'd done, furious at himself for acting impulsively for the second time that night.

He yanked his arm from the hole, shaking his head as he backed off quickly.

I can't do this... I gotta get outta here...



Anna woke up to her alarm the following morning, head pounding from lack of sleep, crying half the night, and just plain old stress. She half-considered not going to the post-party breakfast, but if everyone was there but her, they'd probably suspect something was wrong... Something that Anna had decided to keep to herself after hours of deliberation.
She picked up her phone, rubbing her eyes as she sat up from her spot on the couch, taking a moment to wake up before she dared check her inbox.

No new messages... That'd be right...

She pursed her lips, letting out a sarcastic chuckle as she shook her head. She blew out a breath as she stood, making her way to the bathroom, baulking at the sight of herself in the mirror at first glimpse.

Ugh... A face like The Elephant Man... Note to self - don't cry over a boy. Ever again. In fact, don't cry over anyone... No matter how close you think you are to someone, they're only go screw you over anyway...

Her chest tightened as she suppressed the urge to cry again, scolding herself as she cleared her throat.

"No. You're gonna have a shower, throw on something nice, do your makeup, and put your best foot forward. That's it. The magazine comes out tomorrow, and your new life is about to officially start." She said, giving herself a pep-talk as she turned the shower on and adjusted the temperature, "If he's there, just pretend it never happened. You were shocked, yeah, but didn't give it a second thought. It was just a tipsy kiss, it meant nothing, and you're not interested in it happening again"

But it WAS nice...

Probably only because it's been a while since someone kissed you - it was also nice to feel safe and relaxed around him, and look how short lived THAT was.... Maybe there's a little truth to all those stories about him - if not, there surely would have been a call or message from him by now... Oh well, at least you don't have to stick up for him anymore, just thank your lucky stars it didn't go any further than a kiss...

Anna checked herself in the mirror, having dressed and finished her makeup. She pulled her hair into a high, messy bun, sliding a few bobby pins in to secure it. She put her long necklace back on, straightening it over her knit sweater, and pulled her tan boots on over the top of her skinny jeans.
She blew out a breath, trying to be happy and follow her own advice, but despite her best efforts she just felt like shit inside...

He rejected me AFTER he made his move... So obviously I wasn't good enough for him... I've never had complaints from anyone else - Jake said I was a great kisser and he couldn't keep his hands off m- UGH... No - don't even go there...

She shook it off, trying to convince herself that if someone can go from being so kind to so cruel without explanation, then they weren't worth it... A glimmer of their first meeting shot through her mind, the flirty, cute guy at the bar, who turned into a snarling kidnapper, shoving her into a car at gunpoint. She shivered at the thought, a huge red flag waving like crazy in her mind.

He turns it off and on like a switch - that's fucking dangerous... He's like Nester with super strength and 70 years of killing expertise...



Tony smiled when he caught sight of her stepping through the rec-room doors, Anna's eyes scanning the room for Bucky, coming up empty... She wasn't sure if that eased her nervousness or made it a million times worse, but with Tony there, nothing bad would happen.

She returned the smile, making her way over to him, being pulled in for a big hug.
"How'd you pull up this morning, kiddo?" He asked, his face bright and cheerful.

Honest answer? Better not...

"Yeah great!" She beamed back at him, "dying for a coffee"
"Coming right up!"

She pulled the chair out beside where Tony had decided to sit, and sat herself down like she was told, pleased with the vantage point she had to the door. She watched Steve and Sam walk in, Steve giving her a somewhat concerned look which made her want to get up and run like hell.

She swallowed hard.

"Hey Anna" He started, making his way over to her.
"Hey" She smiled back, getting to her feet in some vain effort to get 'escape ready' if needed.

He reached over to give her a hug, Anna sucking in a breath as he body tensed, Steve noticing straight away. He let her go, frowning a little as though he was onto her, and giving her exactly three seconds to spill the beans.
"Have you heard from Bucky?" He asked.

Aaaand there it is...

"Nope, not a peep since last night" She said truthfully, "why?" she added, Steve narrowing his eyes a little making Anna suddenly feel intimidated as hell...
"He's not in his room, or answering his phone" he said, "It's not like him"
"Oh..." Is all Anna could think of saying, frowning a little while she feigned shock...
"You were the last person to see him" Steve said, a little accusingly...

Anna clenched her jaw while she went over things on her head again, suddenly feeling guilty for keeping their little encounter quiet - but surely Bucky would have said something if he wanted Steve to know?

What are the rules for all of this? I don't want Bucky to know he upset me, and I also don't want to become just another one of his conquests... Surely 'Tony Stark's Daughter' is worth a gold star or two in his book? UGH!
Why do I have that horrible feeling that something's very wrong... Why the hell am I even worried about him after the shit he pulled last night!?

Anna peered over at Tony who was oblivious to the fact that she was suddenly feeling extremely threatened. Her lips parted, only to close again as she tried to relax.
"Did something... 'Happen' with you guys?" Steve asked discretely, Anna letting out a breath, toughening up again.

It's none of his goddamned business...

"-Problem?" Tony interrupted, Steve and Anna jumping a little at his sudden appearance.
"Nope" Steve said firmly, Anna swallowing hard as her eyes darted between the two of them.

Tony frowned as he handed Anna her coffee, not believing either of them.
"Seriously?" He asked, looking at Steve who let out a breath, then at Anna who looked away.

He peered around the room, and then back at Steve and Anna again, a brow raised.
"Barnes isn't here, you're pissed off, and she's freaked - what gives?" He demanded, Steve suddenly shooting Anna an apologetic look, "You've got three seconds, or I ask Friday to replay the conversation for me... Three... Two-"

"Bucky's gone" Steve started, "And I was asking Anna if she knew anything"
"Asking, or threatening?"
"Steve didn't threaten me..." Anna said, raising a hand, "He's just worried about his friend, and I was the last to see him..."

Steve let out a breath, his expression softening.

"And no, Bucky and I didn't sleep together... If that's what you were insinuating" She said holding eye contact with Steve who's cheeks had reddened.
"Thank god" Tony said, clearly uncomfortable, "can we eat now?" He added nodding over to the food being wheeled in under silver trays.
"I think I've lost my appetite" Anna mumbled.



The following day came and went without a peep from Bucky. Anna had pretty much locked herself in her room, not wanting to face Steve or Tony since she'd walked out on the breakfast, or Bucky if he'd come home.
She turned on the T.V, watching the top news stories on whatever breakfast show she'd tuned into, only to see her face appear on screen - made up, and looking like a movie star.

It's Monday! The magazine will have hit the shelves!

"Here we have the first look at Annabelle Pierce, the daughter of Iron Man himself!" Came the excited voice of the lady on the screen
"Absolutely stunning daughter" The woman on the couch beside her chimed in.
"Vanity fair magazine interviewed Miss Pierce late last week, we have Shane Woodley on the show to tell us how it went, Hi there Shane, great to have you"

Anna gasped, nervous as hell as she reached for the remote to turn the TV up.

"Veronica! Looking fantastic as always!" Shane beamed from across the desk.
"Oh stop it, you!" She laughed, both of them having a moment of 'witty talk show flirtation'...

"What can you tell us about Annabelle?" She asked
"She's awesome - really likeable, well spoken, independent, and absolutely gorgeous as you'll see in the photos" He started, a few of the photos appearing on screen, "she gave us a bit of an insight into her background, and it's refreshing to speak to someone so honest about life - having experienced so much in so few years..."
"Sounds like you had a really good chat!"
"We did, she's got a great sense of humor and she's really down to earth - especially for someone living with super heroes..."
"-Which she touched on in the interview?"
"She did!" He beamed, "She shared a few stories and insights about life on the base - both on and off camera" He chuckled, "it's probably been one of my favorite interviews so far" He said with a fond smile.
"Hopefully we see more from her in the coming weeks, thanks so much Shane!"
"My pleasure Veronica, thanks for having me on the show!"
"Vanity Fair - on sale now, make sure you grab yourself a copy"



Anna got herself dressed and made up, deciding she wasn't going to hide out anymore. This was her time to shine and she wasn't going to let anything or anyone put a damper on it.
Tony had called her as soon as he'd seen Shane on Good Morning America, excitedly congratulating her. He'd apologetically explained that he'd been busy, cooped up in the lab with work up to his eyeballs, or he would have raced down to watch it with her.
"Well... Do you need a hand?" She'd asked, "I'm pretty nifty with a soldering iron?" she added, gritting her teeth hesitantly
"You are, are ya?"
"Uh huh..."
"Hmmm... What do you charge?" Tony asked with a grin.
"You'd have to help me drink the coffee I'd be bringing, and you'd have to hang out with me..." She said, listening to him let out a dramatic breath.
"You drive a hard bargain..." he started hesitantly, "but I think I could deal with that"

The two of them broke character long enough to share a laugh, Anna telling him she'd be down in a few minutes.

A wave of calm swept over her, Anna managing a smile as she tucked her phone into her pocket and swiped on a little lip balm. She stepped out into the corridor, stopping by the cafeteria to pick up a couple of latte's and some blueberry muffins.
Tony's face lit up with a grin when she appeared in his doorway, Anna relieved when the glass door opened automatically for her.

"Please tell me those are blueberry?"
"They're blueberry!" Anna confirmed, Tony pulling a fist and bowing his head as he whispered a 'yessssss', "Where can I set these down?"
"Here, let me help" he offered, taking the cardboard coffee tray from her, placing it down on the nearest desk.
"Thank you" she smiled.
"Thank YOU..."

The two of them laughed again, Tony gesturing for her to sit at the leather sofa, Anna obediently doing so. He smiled as he handed her a coffee, before reaching over to the side table and picking up a magazine which he waved at her.

"Oh my god, you have a copy already!"
"Duh!"

He handed it to her, Anna opening it with a mixture of nerves and excitement, holding her breath as she flicked through the pages.
"Holy crap... I'm in a magazine" she breathed, "...Several pages of a magazine - I thought it was only going to be small?"
"That IS small for Vanity Fair..." Tony assured her as he leaned in to see for himself, "the photos are perfect, and you look amazing"


Anna spent most of the day in the lab, hanging around while Tony worked, occasionally handing him a tool he needed, or holding something steady for him while he made adjustments. He even took her up on her soldering offer, and was pleasantly surprised with her neat work and electrical knowledge - even if it was fairly basic...

"Where'd you learn how to do that?" He'd asked.
"Youtube" She'd said mattor-of-factly, leaving Tony speechless, "Who needs fancy college degrees when you have your bosses' WiFi, and a little free time after mopping a sticky bar floor?"
"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that... And enroll you into an Ivy League school immediately"
They'd both laughed, Anna finding it highly amusing how easy Tony was to wind up, considering how well known he was for being quite the shit-stirrer himself...

"So I've been meaning to ask you something..." she started as she'd finished straightening up his messy desk
"You want to do a skydive from one of the suits? I'm free this afternoon, I can take you up-"
"NO!" she scolded, Tony smirking now at her attempt to keep a straight face.
"No heights, suits, or sky anything..." she chuckled, raising her hands,
"Fine... What is it then?"
"So I've noticed that the lab is a bit of, uh... Disarray..." She said carefully, "-a sign of a hand working man of course!"
"-Nicely saved..."
"Thank you" She giggled, trying to get back on track, "So... I know you've said I don't owe you anything towards living expenses, or for my room or anything like that-"
"-Stop right there" He interrupted, sensing where she was headed.
"-hear me out?" she asked, "please?"

Tony let out an exasperated breath, shutting his mouth and gesturing for her to continue,
"I've never not paid my own way before, and I've never not worked since I've been out on my own... I'm completely grateful for where I live, but I'm a bit lost without anything to do..."
"So you want an internship?"
"Oh no, not at all - there are people much more deserving of those places than me, and I'm sure I don't have the mind for it anyway... I was thinking more along the lines of just being a general assistant of sorts? Bringing coffee, running errands, tidying up, any lab assistance - and you already know I make a great cocktail" she chuckled.

Tony frowned, letting out another breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose, Anna suddenly worried that she'd annoyed him...

"Or anything really, I don't mind - I'll answer phones, I'll sweep the flo-"
"-Anna... Honey," he started, frustration in his tone now, "You don't have to do anything like that anymore, okay? Everything is sorted - you don't have to work, and if you want to, there are way better opportunities out there for you"
"Yeah I get that, but I also get that I'm still not at the stage where stepping off the base is an option for me right now... Am I right?"
"That's just temporary-"
"-I know... But I want to do something now, I want to get up off my butt and work. I want to have a reason to get up outta bed every day - I want to be busy, useful, get to know my Dad, and maybe even learn a thing or two along the way" She said, Tony's expression softening at the mention of wanting to get to know him.

He blew out a breath, nodding reluctantly, Anna smiling.
"Okay, I guess I can work something out..." he started, "I mean, who am I to argue with that kind of determination?"




Anna busied herself with errands for the next week and a half in between meetings and media training. She'd become a reliable hand around the lab, and much to Tony's delight, she really was nifty with small repairs and had a good mind for problem solving when she let herself relax enough.
Pepper appreciated the help getting Tony to sign and read documents, finding it a relief to have someone on the base who could keep him organized. So far he hadn't missed a single conference call or left so much as an email un-replied to.

Steve had come to speak to Anna during the week, apologizing for coming off rough about Bucky disappearing. She'd been gracious about it, and understood enough about their background to get why he'd be so protective and worried... This had all been put to bed when Bucky had sent Steve a message explaining that he'd had to take off quickly on a mission, he was fine, and that he'd be home in around a week.

"It's the one time we don't have to explain ourselves... If Fury gives us the call, we drop everything and go" Steve had explained, "that's probably why you haven't heard from him either"
"I see..."
"Yeah... And look, I still feel bad about the other morning, I'm really sorry - I didn't mean to scare ya" He'd said, rubbing the back of his neck with a worried look on his face.
"Oh don't even worry..." She'd reassured him with a kind smile, "I totally understand why you were worried, and I didn't take it personally"
"You sure?"
"Absolutely"
"Yeah?"
"You're not that scary" She'd teased him, Steve wondering whether he should be offended or not between laughs.



Anna pulled out her hair tie, letting her long hair fall in somewhat messy waves. Tony had finished up in the lab early, leaving Anna in the front office with Pepper and one of her media-gurus. A two hour long crash course in giving interviews had followed, along with a workshop on how to deal with paparazzi, over-enthusiastic fans, and other scenario's that celebrities encountered.

"I'm sure none of this will apply to me - I don't plan on going into fashion, movies or the music industry..." She'd said, shaking her head as Pepper's guru had started rattling off scenarios.
"Honey, you're rich, young, hot, AND the daughter of Tony Stark... If that wasn't a big enough deal, there's the whole Iron man/Avengers thing as well - the whole world knows who they are, and the whole world wouldn't be here without them"

She'd blown out a breath, suddenly stressed and wondering why the hell she'd agreed to any of this 'fame' crap...

"Don't worry honey" came the flamboyant voice of the suited man again, "that's what we're here to help you with - how to deal with all the things they DON'T tell you when you sell your soul to Hollywood"
"I'm not selling my soul to Hollywood..."
"Figure of speech..." He'd chuckled, Peppers eyes darting between the two of them, "but while we're on the subject, what do you hope to use your fame for? You've got a huge stage to step out onto if you've got the guts"
"It's not about guts" Anna had corrected him, "I said right from the get-go that I didn't want to be 'little miss it-girl or anything like that. I'm here to support my Dad, keep the tabloids off our backs by confirming what they already suspected, and living a fairly normal life aside from that"

The man beside her chuckled to himself like she'd just said the dumbest thing he'd ever heard, before pulling out a folder and sitting it in front of her.
"Anna... Honey... This is how it works, okay?" he began explaining, "This whole thing is a cycle - vicious for some, glorious for others... You step out onto the world stage, people are curious, you do an interview or a magazine - this is where you're up to, yeah?"
"...Yeah?"
"The fallout from that interview, is like feeding a starving lion a chicken nugget - not only does it not even touch the sides, but it pisses him off and makes him feel patronized... Are you following me?"
"You think I'm patronizing people because I did a four page spread in Vanity Fair??"
"Short answer? Yes." He said, Anna clenching her jaw, "If you do a magazine, they'll want to see you on TV - hear you talk, see you move, get to know you a little... This is an easy thing to do - that's why we have late night talk shows" He chuckled.

"You do a couple of those, or a show and an appearance, get photographed in the street doing normal stuff - people get over the hype pretty quick... That's that stage when my clients think their stars are fading and they need to become relevant again. Relevance means money in the bank, security, that kind of thing. The things that everyone needs, but nobody talks about..."
"...Ooookay?"
"Well from what I've been told, being recognizable and having your safety and security intact is pretty paramount to your particular cause... Am I correct?"

"You're correct, Lyle" Pepper smiled, glancing over at Anna who was now staring into space, as if she was only now just seeing the big picture...

"I know" He'd said with a wink, "So... Kimmel or Colbert?"




Anna tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ears, somewhat surprised that her hair had managed to stay in a high bun all day. She turned the lights off as she stepped out of the boardroom, picking her phone up on the way out, and checking the screen as she always did.

What the f-

Missed call 4.26pm
Bucky

She clenched her jaw, letting out a breath as a million thoughts raced through her mind - most of which revolved around wondering what the hell he wanted.

Jesus Christ, does that mean he's back!? He probably wants to talk... I don't want to talk to him... I want to pretend none of this ever happened... Maybe I should borrow one of those jet things and - UGH!

She jammed her eyes shut and shook her head at herself.

No. You're not running away from him, he probably just wants to talk - you were friends with this guy, remember? It is possible that maybe he feels just as terrible as you, which would explain why he disappeared for a 'mission' that very night...

"I can't deal with this right now..." She muttered to herself, "Advil, shower, sweatpants, couch..."

She gave herself a nod, ordering herself to not worry about him for now. She'd get back to her room, unwind for the day, get rid of the pounding headache she'd had for the last hour and a half, and decide how to deal with Bucky when she had a clear head.

Her heels click-clacked as she made her way down the stairs and out the front foyer of the office area, Anna finding it a little eerie how quiet it was. She slipped her phone into the pocket of her slim fit pants, crossing her arms as she made her way to the automatic sliding door. She stopped for a moment, having to wait a second or two for the sensor to wake up and open the door for her.

At least I didn't have to wave my arms at it this time...

She stepped out, turning to make sure it closed behind her.

Thank god for that...

A smirk crossed her face at the thought of having to make another embarrassing phone call to Tony that she couldn't figure the door out, something that had amused him greatly, and he'd enjoyed reminding her of every so often.

Anna quickly made her way down the corridor, politely smiling at anyone she passed along the way before coming to the stairwell. She pushed the door open and made her way up two flights before stepping out into a quiet and familiar hallway. She turned and pushed the door shut behind her, only to look up and lock eyes with a certain long haired super soldier a few feet away.

She gasped, her eyes darting back to the door she'd just closed in a reflex to get away from him, before quickly letting it go again and squaring up to him.

No, don't be stupid... Act cool... Everything's fine... It's no big deal...

The two stood staring at each other for a few seconds before Bucky had the courage to make his way over, Anna doing her best to slow her breathing back down...

"I thought you were going to make a run for it..." he only half joked, trying to break the ice a little.
"We both know there wouldn't be much point in that..." she answered with a shrug after a pause, not really sure what to say if anything at all...

An awkward silence built between them, Anna wishing she could be half as tough as she'd rehearsed in her head for this first meeting...

"So..." He said, obviously feeling just as awkward as she was, "How have you been? I tried to call you earlier..."

Anna swallowed, nodding with eyes still on the floor before she commanded herself to look up and make eye contact with him,
"Tired" came her short, initial answer, "I saw that you'd called, but I've been stuck in a meeting all afternoon and only just got out..."
"Meeting huh?"
"Yep"
"...Oh" He nodded, struggling to keep her talking.

"...Well, I'd better get go-"
"-I was hoping we could talk?" he blurted out, interrupting her.

Anna paused for a moment, looking up at him and suddenly she felt angry all over again. He'd made her feel inferior, self conscious, incredibly embarrassed, and now here he was demanding her time after not so much as a text in almost two weeks... The stress of being stuck in a boardroom with Pepper and 'Mr Media' half the day wasn't helping her mood much, either was the headache that was thumping away beneath her temples...

"-we are talking?" She pointed out with an intentional dose of sass.
"In private?" He prompted.
"I don't see anyone around?"

Bucky let out a breath, pushing his hair back off his face, Anna watching him carefully.

"Look," He started, "I wanted to speak to you privately because I owe you an explanation, and a HUGE apology-"
"-Stop right there" She interrupted, really not feeling up for an argument OR a big dramatic reconciliation right there in the hallway.

"You don't owe me anything-" She started,
"-The hell I don't, I was an assho-"
"-It's fine!" she interrupted him again, putting her hands up, "...Really"
"Anna you don't understand - I didn't mean-"
"Bucky STOP!" She snapped, trying to keep her face remaining passive and calm as possible despite how shaky she felt

It was a strange feeling coming face to face with him again after their encounter.... She'd felt that wall come back up again, and self preservation kick straight back in. Any other time someone had hurt her, she'd cut them out of her life and moved on for her own safety, but this was different; like it or not, she had to live here, and so did he... Then there was that niggling feeling that she still had deep down, that feeling that she had to look after him, because he'd looked after her. He'd saved her life, kept her safe, and been a friend - and she'd been a friend back... Until that stupid kiss. That stupid, thrilling, passionate kiss that had confirmed everything to both of them - that there had been real feelings for each other there all this time...
All that protectiveness, flirting, jealousy, and god knows what else had all been there for a reason beyond friendship, which was obvious now in hindsight the more Anna thought about it.

The other thing, which both caused the problem and kind of eliminated it at the same time, was the fact that he'd pulled away... The fact that if he'd really wanted things to go further than a kiss, then they probably could have done. There had to have been some small amount of respect there for her if he'd had the sense to put a stop to it when he did - otherwise he'd have just taken what he wanted and THEN disappeared... Right?

Anna closed her eyes for a moment and blew out a breath, knowing there was only one way she'd save her dignity, their living situation, and maybe even their friendship going forward...

"It's fine... I'm fine" She lied, looking up at him, Bucky falling silent.

She suddenly felt awful for him, trying to put herself in his shoes... She didn't want him to have to explain himself or come up with a big elaborate apology, and if she was honest with herself, she didn't know if she was really up for listening to one right now either...

"You don't owe me an explanation OR an apology... It's been a big few weeks, we'd been drinking, and things happened" she started, "not even 'things' - it was just a kiss. No big deal..." She added with a shrug, watching sadness wash over Bucky's features like a dark cloud.

"You really were right - It shouldn't have happened, and it won't happen again..." she said with a dismissive shrug, glancing down at the floor while she gathered herself up again.

She looked up, Bucky's eyes locking onto hers as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing, Anna suddenly feeling uncomfortable - intimidated even. She stepped back slightly, Bucky swallowing hard as he snapped himself back into reality, hating how he'd made her feel. Hating the fact that what trust they'd had was now shattered because of one idiotic impulse...

"Did you tell Steve?" She asked, breaking the silence.
"No?" Bucky answered quietly, "Did you tell Tony?"
"Of course not" She almost whispered, feeling defensive all over again, "...I didn't tell anyone."
"Either did I"
"Good." She said, crossing her arms protectively in front of herself, "then I think the best thing to do is pretend none of this ever happened..."

Bucky let out a single sarcastic chuckle under his breath, shaking his head before his eyes met hers again.

"If that's what you really want?" He asked with a shrug, biting his lip for a moment as he ordered himself to relax.

Anna nodded, keeping her composure as best she could even though she was sure Bucky could see right through it...

"Okay then... So that's that, huh?" He asked, clearly hurt.
"Yeah, I guess so" she said, clearing her throat and doing her best to appear okay with their decision.
"So just to be clear - are we friends, or do we hate each other now?" He asked a little frustrated, Anna feeling nervous again.
"I don't hate you, Bucky..." she said, holding her breath while she waited for his answer.
"I don't hate you either...Far from it."

"Good..." Anna said, still shaking a little as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "I'm glad..."
"Me too" he said, letting out a breath of relief and even managing a bit of a smile.
"Great" she said with a nod, forcing a smile, "On that note, I'm gonna get going"

"...You sure everything's fine?" He asked, suddenly a little unsure.
"Yeah, I'm just exhausted... It's been a huge day and I need three packets of Advil and about week of sleep" she joked, Bucky suddenly looking worried.
"Don't you dare take three packets or you will go to sleep for a week..."
"I was joking... I promise" she chuckled, stepping back from him in case he went in for a hug, "see you around, Bucky"
"I hope so..."

Her chest tightened the second she turned her back to him and made her way back to her room. She walked quickly, passing the familiar row of doors opposite the rec room before she came to hers and swiped her card. She let herself in, closed the door behind her, and turned to lean on it.

Jesus Christ, I feel like I've just 'broken up' with him or something...

Anna closed her eyes, catching her breath for a few moments, as she blinked back the couple of tears that had snuck out. She cleared her throat and wiped her face, ordering herself to shake it off as she slipped out of her heels.

Shower, sweatpants, and relax. Go...



The next few days that followed were uneventful, Tony had been away and told her to have a couple of 'leave days' which she wasn't entirely impressed about, but she used them wisely to catch up on the rest she didn't realize she needed. She didn't hear from Bucky much, aside from a friendly smile and wave when they locked eyes across the rec room, and a cheeky text teasing her about Peter Parker who'd developed a huge crush on her. She'd rolled her eyes and laughed, not sure whether it was stranger the fact that a high-school boy liked her, or the fact that Bucky Barnes was still paying such close attention to her after all that had happened... It also crossed her mind to be wary of how closely he was watching her, and to think long and hard about whether he was being light hearted and playful,  protective, or straight up possessive...

Bucky, 10.16am
Your little boyfriend's watching you again...

Anna, 10.16am
And you're watching my little boyfriend... Again?



The phone rang the night Tony was due home, Anna's face lighting up when she saw his name pop up on the screen after being out of range for so long.
"Hey stranger" She chuckled, hearing him laugh back on the other end.
"Hey! Thought I'd better check in to make sure the building was still standing - you didn't set any fires?"
"No! ...Well just the one, but they got it under control pretty quick!"
"They did huh?"
"Yep, and good news - some of the lab is still standing!"
"Some of the lab!? ...Oh my god"

Both of them had laughed, the small talk flowing easily between them like it always did, followed with Anna updating him on the goings' on around the place.

"So I got a call about ten minutes ago from CBS" he started, "And NBC, and a bunch of other networks..."
"Oh here we go..."
"And we got Colbert" He said, Anna completely gobsmacked, "...You still there?"

"...Yeah I'm here" She said, stunned for a moment, "I didn't think that was a thing - that's really happening?"
"Well yeah, it's one of those things where now that the ball is rolling, we've gotta keep it rolling... Pepper said that you guys talked about that the other day?"
"Yeah we did..."
"She said you sounded a bit worried about the whole thing?"
"No, I'm okay?"
"You know you can talk to me if you're stressed out? The whole 'brave face' thing might work on 'Cyborg Jesus', but not me..."

Anna chuckled, a smile crossing Tony's face at her amusement.

"I'll be fine" She assured him, "Still adjusting to the change I guess..."
"I know you are, and you're doing a great job all things considered..." He said gently, "It' a huge change, but I've got your back... Okay?"
"I know, thank you..." She said with a smile,
"You got it"
"Sooo... What's going on with this TV thing? How long does it go for?"
"Okay, so it's just a talk show segment, so probably around five minutes - ten tops." He said, Anna nodding nervously, "And because it's your first time onscreen, I thought ahead and suggested to them that if you needed me to, I could go on air with you... Unless you wanted to go solo, but the offer's there"

Anna let out a breath of relief, her hand resting on her thumping chest.

"Oh my god - yes please... That would be amazing" she said, "thank you so much for that"
"Well I've had a lot of practice on TV... I figured a bit of support might help things along, and the network's totally cool with it. It's completely up to you,  if you change your mind on the night, or even halfway through the segment, it's all fine"
"That's a relief... So when's all this happening, and what else do I need to know?"

"Thursday night, and nothing at this point in time... I'm still a couple of hours away, so I'll be able to go over everything with you in the morning. I've got our team all locked in, so we've got nothing to worry about" He said confidently.
"Team?"
"Assistants, stylist, hairdresser, makeup artist, media consultant, cars aaaaand security" he said, "all sorted"
"You've done this before by the sounds of it"
"Just once or twice" he joked, Anna giggling on the other end of the line.

"Don't worry about a thing; you'll look gorgeous, you'll have me there as backup, and you'll have Earths mightiest available heroes there to keep you safe" He assured her
"Earths mightiest heroes?"

"Yeah... Well, the ones that I can get into New York City on short notice, anyway" He explained, "Rogers, Romanoff, Myself, and Pepper even asked Barnes to come along."
"Oh... And they've all said yes?"
"Yeah, she called each of them tonight to confirm... It's all done"

"So we're going to be on TV in two nights time in New York City, dressed to the nines, with superhero bodyguards?"
"You got it"

"Holy shit..."