Wanted

Anna sat in the makeup chair with a smirk on her face, still trying to suppress the laughter from Bucky's not-so P.C joke from earlier... The two exchanged eye contact occasionally while Anna's makeup artist worked on giving her the perfect soft pink pout to compliment her smokey eyelids and bold black lashes.

The two of them hadn't spoken much since their encounter earlier that week, and if she was honest with herself, she was shocked that he'd even come along at all... But here he was, in his version of 'dressed up' - black jeans and boots, and a clean dark blue v-neck T shirt with a black suit jacket over the top. She shushed the voice in her head that kept repeating how cute he looked with his long hair pushed back off his face by a pair of matte black Ray-Bans, reminding herself that she was supposed to be semi-annoyed with him still...

"There we go... Aaaaand you're done" smiled the artist in front of her as he screwed the lid back onto the liquid lipstick, "go have a look in the bathroom mirror, the light's better in there... I can change up anything you're not happy with, but I think you look great"

"Thanks so much Luke, I'll be back in a second" She smiled back, making her way across the room to the floor to ceiling mirror in the bathroom.

Holy shit...

Her mouth dropped open, admiring everything from her pin-straight hair, her glamorous makeup, to her fit and flare dark blue cocktail dress. She pulled her long dark hair over her shoulder, turning to admire the almost backless design, grateful now for going ahead with the dreaded concept of a spray tan.
Anna smoothed the skirt down as she let out a breath, hesitantly nodding to herself that she could indeed pull off the 'short dress in public' look...

"Everything okay in there?" Came Luke's voice, Anna suddenly snapped back into reality.
"Absolutely perfect, thank you!" She called back, making her way back into the main room, "you did a great job"

She looked down at her shiny black peep-toe pumps for a moment before looking back up, locking eye contact with Bucky again. The two of them stayed silent for a few moments, eyes glued on each other before Bucky spoke up to snap them back into reality...

"You look beautiful"



The ride to the theatre was a quick one from their hotel - Anna still completely blown away by the rooms that Tony had gotten for them at the Four Seasons... The car was a sleek, black sedan with blacked out windows - the driver explaining to Anna that this was the safest, most discreet luxury transport option, as limousines were often swamped by photographers... Anna's eyes had widened, and she'd shot Bucky a worried glance, to which he'd raised a metal fist and given her a wink.

He seemed to be absolutely loving this impromptu 'bodyguard' role that Tony had asked him to step into for the afternoon. As it turned out, Tony had had to pick Pepper up from the airport, Steve was out with Sharon, and Natasha had been called out on a very unexpected and last minute mission with Barton... This had made Anna incredibly nervous, but Tony had promised to be there, and true to his word he'd made it to the theatre on time where he was waiting for them with Pepper.

"Looks like Steve's just gotten there" Bucky said, looking up from his phone, Anna letting out a breath.
"That was a quick date" she pointed out, a little disappointed for the pair.
"No, they're okay, they're going back out after the show. They ended up getting into the city early, and got a hotel room together... They were probably just, uh, 'settling in'" he said with a chuckle, Anna shaking her head.
"I see..." she said a little awkwardly, "So they're not at the Four Seasons?"
"Nah, they wanted their privacy I guess - they haven't really had much of a chance to get away together, so it'll be nice for them" Bucky said with a smile, glancing out the window as the car pulled around behind the building.

The roar of a crowd erupted as their car pulled up, Anna stiffening in her seat, her heart taking off at a million miles per hour. She looked out the window as barriers were moved so they could pull in safely, and she caught a glimpse of Tony signing his last autograph before approaching her door.
"I can't do this..." she muttered, feeling a cool, metal hand cover hers on the seat.
"Anna, look at me" Bucky said, getting her attention, "you've got this. You look absolutely gorgeous, and you've got Tony, Pepper, Steve and I here to make sure everything runs smoothly" he said, Anna nodding very nervously.

"I've got you, okay?"
"Okay"
"Take a deep breath" he said, Anna doing as she was told as she watched Tony get closer to the car, "Stark's gonna open the door, take your hand, and that crowd's gonna go nuts... Just smile like Lyle said - and remember the short skirt rules!" he said with a chuckle, lightening the mood again.
"Knees together, and smooth down as I stand" She confirmed with a nod.
"That's it - no Britney moments" he joked, making Anna laugh, "I'll get out after you, and come up on your other side, and we'll all walk in together.

Anna nodded, blowing out a breath before giving his hand a squeeze, surprised that he felt it enough to gently squeeze back.
"Thanks Buck" she smiled as Tony's hand reached for the car door handle and pulled it open.
"You've got this"

Tony gave her a smile, his eyes twinkling under his sunglasses.
"You alright?" he asked, leaning into the car.
"Yep"
"Ready to go?"
"Of course not... But let's do this" she said, reaching out to take his hand.

Anna let out another breath before standing up, and as she turned the crowd went absolutely ballistic. Tony's grip tightened around her hand as she looked around, taking everything in. They walked out together, Anna plastering on her best smile as she faced up to the flashing cameras, screaming fans, flapping of banners and applause, the adrenaline absolutely pumping through her.
They stopped in front of the stage door, Tony putting his arm around her, his hand resting protectively on her shoulder as they smiled for photos, both of them throwing up Tony's iconic peace sign, much to the delight of the crowd.

He stepped away when she seemed to be handling things, the photographers fighting each other to get the best photo of her. She put her hand on her hip how the modelling coach had shown her, and dropped her chin a little, trying to give the biggest cameras a moment of eye contact each. She turned enough to show the backless design of her dress, looking over her shoulder with a flirty smile on her face, her mind racing to make sure she'd ticked off every instruction she'd been given.

She glanced up to see Steve and Bucky watching on, Anna shooting them a smile and gesturing for them to come over for a photo. The crowd went crazy for the super soldiers as they shyly made their way over. They stood on either side of her, the three of them exchanging a laugh before they put their arms around her and smiled for a few pictures, Tony and Pepper eventually joining in the fun as well.

An usher gave them the signal to wrap it up, security stepping out of the way for the first time in the show's history, much to Tony and Anna's amusement.
"We brought our own muscle" Tony joked aloud, the people in the crowd laughing as they were shown into the stage door.

The hallway was noticeably quiet after they closed the back door, the five of them making their way down a narrow passage to the greenroom where they could relax and take a breath.
"You did great, kiddo" Tony said, making his way over to Anna and giving her a hug, "maybe a little too great, don't you think, Pep?"
"Definitely out-shone you" Pepper agreed, the three of them letting out a chuckle.

"Water, miss?" A polite staff member asked, Anna nodding with a smile.
"Yes please, that'd be great"

"That was surreal..." Anna said suddenly, looking over at Tony who was both amused, and completely relaxed.
"You get used to it" he reassured her, "wait till you step out on stage!"
"Oh god..."

The five of them found a spot to sit in the corner of the room where there were sofas and lounge chairs, while Pepper explained what would happen next. Much to her disgust, Tony ordered a couple of bourbon shots for both him and Anna, sensing she needed something to help loosen her up again - something Anna was grateful for when she felt it kick in...

The next half an hour was full of producers, stage directors, more makeup artists, and even Colbert himself came to meet them briefly.

"Okay, so my people have talked to your people" He started, jokingly, "and we've got Tony on the bill as my guest - not you. We'll talk about all the usual stuff, keep it very light hearted, and then go onto him finding out he had a daughter" he explained, Anna smiling and nodding as he spoke.
"I'll send my stage hand a signal, and they'll check with you how you're feeling - if you're not up to coming out, we'll just keep the show rolling and the audience is none the wiser." He said, his expression warm and friendly, "If you do feel up to it, they'll buzz me back, Tony will stand up, invite you out, and you'll come sit beside him on the couch. Does that sound okay?"
"Yeah that's great" Anna smiled, "very stealth-like"

Colbert chuckled, agreeing with her.

"We're pretty good at what we do here" he smiled, "I'll do everything I can to keep it running smooth, I know you haven't been on camera before, so we'll keep it quick and upbeat. You'll be looked after, I promise"


 
Before she knew it, Anna found herself on the wings of the stage with Tony, watching on as Colbert introduced the show, cracking a few jokes along the way.
He quickly warmed the audience up before making his way to sit at the desk, continuing to talk about the show and it's guests for a few minutes. A light above them flashed a few times, Anna stepping close to Tony as a stage hand with a head-set and a clipboard approached them.
"One minute" She said, holding up a finger.

Anna's heart raced again as the nerves kicked back in, Tony's grinning face appearing in front of her, making her laugh despite feeling like she was tempted to bolt from the building.

"You alright?"
"Yep" she lied with a smile, nodding.
"No pressure at all, okay - if you come out, that's great, and if not, we'll get you on another time... I'm proud'a ya for coming this far" He said with a kind smile, pulling her in for a quick hug - taking care not to wrinkle her dress or smudge her makeup"

"Thirty seconds..." came the voice of the stage hand, Tony giving her a nod as he let Anna go, his hands still on her shoulders.

"Thanks Tony"
"Don't mention it, kiddo"

"Fifteen seconds..."

Anna blew out a breath, suddenly feeling a wave of confidence flow through her.

"Ten, nine, eight..." The voice to their right started, Tony turning to look up at the lit up counter at the stage entrance, Colbert beginning his introduction.

"Go get 'em - I'll see you out there" Anna smiled, Tony grinning back at her
"Lookin' forward to it" He said, leaning over to give her a swift kiss on the cheek as the room filled with lively music.

Tony strode out onto the stage, the audience going absolutely mental as he walked out, stopping to smile and wave before he got to the desk. Colbert stood up to shake his hand and greet him before inviting him to sit on the sofa beside the desk.
Anna hugged herself, the hairs on her arms standing up on end as she watched on, impressed with his quick-wit and charisma.

The interview itself was nearing the five minute mark, Tony now talking about his initial shock at finding out he had a daughter. Things turned a little serious when he touched on the guilt he felt for having a kid out there on her own for all those years, followed up with how proud he was of the person she'd become.

"Are you up to going out there?" came the voice of the stage manager, Anna turning to make eye contact with a red haired woman with kind eyes.
"Uhh..." She started, "Yeah. Yeah I'll do it"
"Definitely?"
"Definitely, let's do this" Anna said, psyching herself up.
"Good on you honey" the woman smiled, signalling the cameraman in front of the stage, "twenty  seconds..."

Anna blew out a breath, giving herself a quick pep talk as she smoothed down her dress and pulled her hair over her shoulders. The red headed woman clipped a lav mic onto Anna's dress and wired her up checking her over and giving another big smile, "You look great - watch for Tony's signal, and have fun!"



"Actually, I brought her with me..." Came Tony's voice as he turned from his spot on the couch, "Don't suppose you guys'd like to meet her?" He asked the audience as he stood up, the audience erupting with cheers and applause.
He turned and shot her a smile, putting his hand out to her, Anna giving him a smile back as she made her way out onto the stage. The crowd went crazy again, complete with wolf whistles - Tony pointing at the culprits and shooting them a mock-stern look.

They met in the center of the stage, Tony giving her an almost congratulatory kiss on the cheek as he greeted her, Anna turning to look into the still cheering sea of faces. She smiled and gave a wave, before locking eyes with Colbert as he stepped down from his desk to come greet her with a big, warm smile. He leaned in to give her a polite kiss on the cheek, before he gestured for her and Tony to go sit and make themselves comfortable.

"Anna, so great to finally meet you and have you on the show - Tony's been talking my ear off all about you!" He beamed, Anna giving a shy smile before pulling herself together.
"Thank you so much for having me!" She smiled, the audience breaking into applause again, "...Hi everyone!" she giggled, Tony and Colbert exchanging glances and shaking their heads.
"You've created a bit of a buzz, I think!" Colbert joked, Anna letting out a giggle again, "So what have you been up to since you found out you had a famous Dad, what's it been like?"

"Well..." Anna started, clearing her throat before Colbert piped up again,
"Apparently it was a bit of a shock to everyone - yourself included!"
"Yeah it was - I didn't believe it at first - actually I'm still getting used to it!" she chuckled, "but it's been great getting to know Tony, hanging out in the lab swapping stories, fixing stuff, and just chilling out"
"Fixing stuff? Are you a bit of a tech-head as well?" He asked
"Oh well yes and no - I can do basic stuff, stuff that I'm sure most people have to learn when they've lived alone -" she started, Tony cutting her off.
"-Most people can't rewire a light fitting, or pull a TV apart-"

The audience laughed, Anna covering her face for a moment, embarrassed.

"So you guys obviously get along pretty well - that's gotta be a huge relief, huh?" Colbert asked, Tony and Anna swapping a glance and a smile before enthusiastically agreeing, "Like I bet the first time you met, You were probably thinking 'I'm about to meet my daughter - I hope she's not weird!" he added, Tony and Anna both nodding and laughing.

"And you Anna, meeting Tony must have been crazy - you'd probably seen him on TV or knew enough about him to get an idea of what he was like, how was that?" He asked, Anna taking a moment to think about her answer.

"I was terrified..." She answered honestly, "I was chilling out in my room, and he just came in and said hi - casual as anything"
"In the Iron Man suit?" Colbert asked, keeping things upbeat as promised
"No, I would have FREAKED!" Anna laughed.
"-She's scared of the suits" Tony interjected with a shrug and a bewildered look on his face.

"Scared of the suits!?" Colbert asked
"She thinks the mask looks angry" Tony explained, "so I said I'd draw up a friendlier version"
"You also said you'd make it pink with a hello kitty bow, too" Anna reminded him, the three of them laughing again.

"That must be weird being around Iron Man suits, and super heroes every day..." Colbert started, "I saw out front before with a couple of other familiar faces - Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America, and Sergeant James Barnes?"
"Yeah, Steve and Bucky - they're great guys, and really good friends of mine" She said with a fond smile, Colbert sitting almost stunned at her positive description of them - well Bucky anyway, she assumed.

She was suddenly a little annoyed at how he was still perceived by the public, that protective feeling rising up in her again making her want to throw him a bone in front of everyone.

"Bucky was actually the first one I met in the building, so he's been my longest 'super' friend" she said, gesturing with her fingers in inverted commas, "He introduced me to Steve, and a few of the guys and girls around the place to make sure I knew everyone"

"Sounds like he really helped you out" Colbert said with a nod, his expression warming up a little.
"Yeah, he's been great - except when he's stealing my pizza or making fun of me!" She said with mock-outrage, the audience laughing, Tony and Colbert joining in.



The rest of the interview wrapped up pretty quickly, Tony and Anna waving to the crowd afterward as they were ushered back into the green room for celebratory drinks.
Steve, Sharon, Bucky, and a few of the show's staff members gave them a cheer as they stepped through the door, Anna smiling shyly back before she was handed a glass of something bubbly.
"Nailed it, honey" Tony beamed, proudly as he held up the glass he'd been handed, "here's to you, and the start of a new chapter in your life - cheers"

"Cheers!" Everyone said, raising their glasses before drinking.

The rest of the taping went quicker than she thought it would, Anna not having long to mingle around the room which had seen the likes of Movie stars and singers. It had amused her greatly that they'd been just as shy to speak to her, as she'd been to speak to them. A photographer had been let in to take photos of everyone together, asking Anna to step in beside the latest big action franchise star, Michael Black.
"Hey, I'm Mike"
"Anna" she'd smiled quietly before he put his arm around her for the photo.

They'd hit it off pretty quickly, the conversation flowing a little easier than she thought it would. She decided the bubbles must be helping her relax, and not act like a flustered schoolgirl with a life-ruining crush. She glanced up mid conversation, hardly surprised to see Bucky watching.
"Everything alright?" Mike asked, noticing her sudden shift in demeanor from bright to frustrated, Anna suddenly feeling completely mortified now on top of everything else.
"Yeah" she said, shaking her head, "Sorry about that - you were telling me about your stunt work..." she prompted, Mike not buying it.
"Are you guys... Uh, dating or something?" He asked, ignoring her cue, "I don't want any trouble"

Anna felt her cheeks redden, both in anger at Bucky and his 'stalker glare', and at the sheer embarrassment of the situation. Why he had to glare threateningly at every guy she'd had a conversation with in his presence, was completely lost on her. If he didn't want her, then there was no reason for him to act like a crazy, possessive boyfriend who was seconds away from murdering everyone in the room.

She laughed out loud, doing her best to sell how ridiculous the idea was that she and Bucky meant anything to one and other.

"Oh my god" she chuckled, relieved that Mike's face had lightened up again, "I'm, uh..." she started, "I'm not exactly his type..." she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Oooooh" Mike said, looking a little embarrassed himself.
"Yeah" she smiled.

Phew, he bought it...

At first she felt vindicated, until she peered around to find he'd left the room... And then guilt

Ah crap...

She let out a breath, continuing along with her conversation until Tony came to tap her on the shoulder and tell her they were heading off.

Well he shouldn't have kissed you, and then rejected you, and then run off for a week... He also shouldn't be glaring at people you've just met, it's not like you're cheating on him - technically you didn't even lie... You obviously AREN'T his type, duh...

The rest of the night consisted of an autograph signing by the stage door, before they were whisked off to an exclusive Nightclub for an appearance. There were more screaming fans and photos, Tony taking over the DJ decks for a couple of songs - clearly having enjoyed quite a few bourbons by that stage. Bucky had stayed with them, minding his manners for once, but giving them a wide berth - something that hadn't been hard to achieve with how swamped they'd been all night.
Anna lost count how many famous faces she'd seen that night, and how many celebrity selfies she'd been in. Apparently Instagram had gone berserk, and when they left the club there were crowds out the front waiting for them, along with Paparazzi.

It had taken both Bucky and Tony either side of her and Pepper to push through the crowd, the four of them getting into a black range rover which took off quickly into the night.
"What a night!" Tony exclaimed with a grin, letting out a breath, Pepper and Anna chucking and nodding in agreement, "You're quiet Barnes"
"Just tired" He answered with a tactful smile, obviously still upset at Anna's comment from earlier - something she was sure he'd being up with her in private later.
"It's easy to forget how old you actually are until moments like this" Tony started, Bucky shooting him a glare as he made a clearly ambiguous statement about the link between men's age and their endurance levels.
"Speak for yourself, Stark - my endurance is just fine" He snapped, Anna shifting uncomfortably between them.
"Sure you don't wanna sleep in our room tonight?" Tony asked Anna loudly.
"No, I'm fine - I'll be sleeping in my own room with the door closed" She chuckled back awkwardly.
"Lock the door and push the dresser in front of it" Tony sassed, Anna glancing at Bucky for a moment, seeing the first ghost of a smile of his face since 'the comment'...

"I think we all know that'd be pretty pointless" She said after a pause, Tony nodding thoughtfully.

The car pulled up at the hotel, making its way down a ramp into a gated underground parking lot. The driver pulled right up to the door, got out, and opened the car doors to let everyone out, wishing them a pleasant evening. The four of them were escorted to an elevator, where they stepped in and were taken to the upper levels.

"You sure you're fine to stay with him? I was against it from the start, so if you change your mind - that's fine by me" Tony said quietly after pulling Anna aside.
"Yeah it's fine - it's an apartment, remember? He's got his own space and I have mine..." she said, keeping her voice down, "You go enjoy the rest of your night with Pepper, Barnes won't let anything happen to me, you know that. It's the whole reason we're staying together..." She added, Tony narrowing his eyes, still not completely happy with the situation, but seeing the logic in it, despite himself.

"I'm safe here, and if I need you, I'll call. I promise..." She said, ducking her head for a moment to catch his eye contact again.
"Okay" He relented, letting out a breath as he glanced up at Bucky who looked less than amused.

"You're absolutely sure?" Tony repeated.
"Of course, now get outta here" Anna chuckled, pulling him in for a hug, "Go! Have a great night you two."



Anna washed her hands, looking up into her still perfectly made-up reflection in the mirror. She smirked a little, thinking back to all the cheap dollar store makeup she'd always worn, and how many times a night she'd have to re-apply it to get through a shift at the bar... Whatever this stuff was, it was good.

Yep, and I bet it'll be a bitch to get off...

She smirked to herself as she zipped open her bathroom bag and pulled out a packet of makeup wipes, plopping them down on the counter. She leaned down to remove her shoes, pausing before she got there when there was a knock on the bathroom door.

What the f-

"Anna?" Came Bucky's voice.
"Yeah?"
"You decent?"
"Yeah, I'm just taking all this makeup off..."

There was a pause for a few moments before he continued.
"Can I come in for a sec?"
"Uhhh... Sure"

He stepped in the door, Anna watching as he approached her, stopping to casually turn to lean on the counter directly beside her. She clenched her jaw, wondering if he'd come in just to wind her up, or if he actually wanted something....

This oughta be interesting...

He stayed silent for a few moments, Anna feeling more and more awkward with every second that ticked by...
"So..." He started, breaking the silence finally...
"He speaks!" She muttered, rolling her eyes as she reached for the packed of makeup wipes, Bucky pretending he hadn't heard.

"Did you enjoy your night?" He asked, Anna convinced he was being patronizing.
"Yeah, I did enjoy my night thank you" She smiled, politely mirroring his tone, "Did you enjoy yours?" she asked, impatient to get to the point of what was bound to be some sort of a blow up...

"Yeah it was fun" He smiled, "great crowd"
"It was a great crowd" She agreed, fiddling with the plastic lid on the wipes back, trying to get it open.

"Lots of cute guys..." He said, casually looking away.

Oh heeeere we go...

"I didn't notice" she said flatly, still futilely fiddling with the packet in her hand.
"Oh wow, really?" He asked, "Well, you know me - I couldn't keep my eyes off them"

Anna ignored him.

"I didn't have much luck though - I bet you got a phone number or two though?"
"No... I didn't"
"You sure? No number?"
"No"
"No number, email, twitter handle... Home address?" He pushed...

Anna slammed the packet down on the counter, completely at her wits end, turning to pick her shoes up off the ground. When she stood, Bucky was in front of her, blocking what was supposed to be a dramatic storm out, Anna suddenly enraged.

"What the HELL is your goddamned problem!?" She demanded, glaring up at him.
"I dunno Anna - wanna take a stab at it?" He snapped at her, coming off more aggressive than he meant it to.
"Christ, are you serious!? All this because of what I said to Mike!?" She demanded, shaking her head in disbelief, "Oh grow UP!"
"Me grow up!? ME!?" Bucky came back, "You insinuate that I'm gay - in earshot of me, while throwing yourself at another guy right in front of me -  what kind of immature shit is that?"
"Seriously Bucky - get over yourself" She snapped back, plonking the shoes down on the bench, "We'd barely exchanged names, and you're GLARING at him like you wanna kill him or something - like some psycho, jealous fucking stalker!"
"Oh that's real nice-"
"-I said what I did to remove you from the equation - I've spent my entire life locked up or hiding, so SUE me if I want to meet a new face or have a conversation with someone"
"I think he wanted to have a little more than just a conversation with you..." Bucky muttered, both of them falling silent for a few moments before Anna gathered herself up enough to speak...

"...And so what if he did?" She asked, crossing her arms in front of herself protectively, "...What's it to you?"

There was another stretch of silence, only broken by Bucky letting a long breath out before shaking his head.

"You know what?" he asked, putting his hands up in surrender "you're absolutely right... It's none of my goddamn business."

There was another long pause, Bucky finally taking a step back before turning to leave the room, Anna suddenly hit with a surge of anger.

"Perfect!" She snapped sarcastically, "Just great! - You come in here, start something, get everyone all riled up and then leave!? Gee, I wonder why THAT feels so familiar!?"
"You have NO idea what you're talking about-"
"- Of course I don't - because you'd rather run away from your problems than face up to them!!"

His mouth curled into an angry snarl as he turned back and strode over to her, Anna defiantly backing away from him until her shoulders were against the wall. He paused a couple of feet away, arms crossed as he silently dared her to continue, Anna's breath picking up as she fought off the urge to break down in tears in front of him...

"If you've got something to say then Anna - here's your chance" He said as calmly as he could.
"...You can't keep doing this to me" she started as she tried to gather herself up, "The games and the bullshit - I can't deal with it anymore, I don't even know where to start" she added, her emotions betraying her as tears stung her eyes, Bucky clenching his jaw as he listened.

"First you're my kidnapper, then you're my friend, and then we're more than friends, and then you suddenly take off - only to come back and get all weird... Then you follow me to New York City to keep tabs on me - because even though you don't want me, you'll happily make life hell for anyone else who might..." She said, gritting her teeth at the last word.

"I can't keep up with it... It's too much" she continued, blowing out a breath as she shook her head.

"...Me, either..." he said after a pause, "It's my fault, and I don't know what to do, or how to fix any of this..." he added, Anna completely shocked at his sudden admission of guilt.
"What!?"
"Look, I'm just gonna lay it all out for you, okay?" he started, "There aren't many people in my life that I care about - like really care about... There's Steve, who's the closest thing to family I have left, and for some reason, there's you." He said, Anna looking up at him with cynical eyes, "I don't know how you squeezed your way in, but you did, and that just doesn't happen with me. Ever." He said, stepping back and turning to lean against the bathroom counter again.

"I'm no good at this sort of stuff..." He said with a shrug as he fiddled with his metal fingers, "put me in the battlefield - I'm your guy. Throw me in with gunfire, bombs, terrorists, aliens... No problem... But feelings?" He said, cringing at the word 'feelings'...

Anna glanced down and let out a breath, still hugging herself as she considered what he said, still not sure how much she trusted him.

"I feel fucking terrible about how I treated you the other week, and for what I said to you... I wish I could take it all back" He said, pretending not to notice Anna blinking back tears.

"Everything you were saying that night just killed me inside. It's gonna sound stupid, but I look at you and I have this crazy urge to protect you. I hate that you're not sleeping, and you're afraid at night. I hate that you've always got a headache, and that you're always stressed and exhausted..." He started, "I hate knowing that I could fix all of that, but I can't"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Anna asked, her voice hoarse
"Anna, don't you get it? You're Starks daughter!" He said abruptly, Anna looking away and wiping her cheek, "I've ruined everything for him - I killed his parents, his ex, and nearly his daughter, too - but luckily I only kidnapped her at fucking gunpoint" He said dramatically.

There was silence between them again, Anna using the moment to reach over and pull a kleenex from the box on the counter. She carefully dried under her eyes without smudging her face, tossed the tissue into the bin, and let out a breath as she composed herself.

"Okay.." She started, looking up at him when she felt composed, "Straight answers... You wanted to be with me, but couldn't because it'd be disrespectful to Tony?"
"He said he'd rip my other arm off If I tried anything with you" Bucky confirmed.
"But you did anyway..."
"Yeah, and look how well that turned out"
"Well It would have been fine if you hadn't have freaked out and taken off"
"How would it have been fine!? He would have found out if we'd ended up together..."
"So you're afraid of him?"
"No, I'm afraid of ruining anything for you guys..."
"Well that's ridiculous, but whatever... Why are you giving the scary face to anyone I talk to then?"
"Because I'm jealous as hell" He said, Anna's eyes widening, "What, you asked for honesty?"

"Okay... So what's your end game here, Buck?" Anna asked, getting bored of the argument, "Because neither of us can go on like this, and if you're going to act like an angry guard dog whenever I speak to someone, then I can't be around you..."
"That's fair enough" He nodded, being agreeable for the first time all night.
"So - cards on the table... Are we friends, do we hate each other, are we keeping our distance, what's it gonna be?" Anna asked, watching as Bucky made eye contact with her.
"Hang on - back up a second," he said, "why is it ridiculous if I want to do the right thing by you and Tony?" He suddenly asked, curiously.
"Because I'm twenty four years old, not twelve?" She said, "Sure I'll listen to his advice, but who I date is ultimately up to me. Nobody else"
"I totally agree..." he said, watching as she tried to suppress a smirk...
"Good" She nodded, suddenly feeling relieved that the tension in the room had died down...

"Well in that case, can I ask you something?" He asked after a few moments, Anna shrugging with a little impatience to wrap everything up, "Are there any other options besides 'friends, hate, or distance'? ...Or have I completely ruined the chance of anything beyond that?" He tested, looking into her very shocked eyes as she stood in silence, not sure what to say...

"I'm gonna be honest here, I only pushed you away because I thought that I'd get between you and your Dad - and I don't want that. Being with your family is a huge deal - I know, I miss mine every day" He started, his tone solemn, "But I've been at war with myself trying to give you guys that chance, and give you space, but at the same time wanting to be around you as much as I can... But the more I got to know you, the harder it was for me to stay away, which is why I kissed you that night" He explained, "It's also why I reacted the way I did, and took off."
"Okay..." she nodded, taking it all in.
"When you kissed me back, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven - until I came back to reality, and realized what I'd done... Only now it was worse, because obviously there had to have been something there on your end, right?"
"Yeah..."
"So I did the only thing I could do... I put a stop to it, and tried to make you hate me so it'd never happen again"

Anna closed her eyes for a moment and let out an exasperated breath...

"First of all - you're an idiot" She started, Bucky looking a little taken aback, "It's none of your business how I think and feel - unless I decide to make it your business. You had no right to test out if I felt the same, or to tear me down, or to try and make me hate you" She said, trying not to come across as angry as she was, "I don't usually let my guard down to people... And you really hurt me, Bucky"

"I'm so sor-"
"-I'm not finished" She interrupted, putting up a hand, Bucky shutting his mouth and nodding for her to continue.

"I'm not interested in apologies, or empty promises, grand gestures, or any of that..." She said, "And despite everything that's gone on, and despite how mad I am with you... For some reason I still care about you, too..." She admitted with a shrug and a defeated look on her face.
"But this is where things get hard for me now, because as much as I want to trust you, I just don't know if I'm gonna wake up tomorrow to find you've changed your mind and fled the country or not" she said, looking up him, her face full of uncertainty.

"There's no way in hell I'd do that to you again - that's a promise"
"I want to believe you, I really do..." Anna said, looking pained again, Bucky straightening up to stand in front of her again, "this is so hard..."

"Can I suggest something?" he asked after a pause, Anna shrugging helplessly, "why don't we pump the brakes on the whole 'us' thing temporarily, while I show you that I'm not untrustworthy, or a complete jerk?"

"That might work..." She said, thinking about it, "does 'not being a jerk' cover any embarrassing behavior like you watching me like a hawk, and all the possessive, jealous crap, too?"
"If I'm with you on 'bodyguard duty' I'm gonna act if I think you're unsafe or in a situation you don't wanna be in... But, I'll keep my distance where I can, and I'll make a special effort to behave myself" he promised.

"Okay, that's fine... But you have to realise that there's going to be guys around me, and I have to have the freedom to talk to them... I can't feel like you're watching on disapprovingly, or that I'm gonna come home to a fight - OR that you're going to jump in and start a brawl or anything like that" She said, "and then there's fans - tonight was only my first time out, and they were catcalling, whistling, taking pictures - all things that'd be considered extreme in a normal setting... You'd have to be able deal with all of that if we ended up, well, you know?"

"Yeah, I know... Trust me, I've thought about all that a lot recently"
"I mean, if you were like that as a friend, It scares me what kind of boyfr-" she started, cutting herself off, "It just... It scares the hell out of me..."

Bucky let out a breath, completely embarrassed, but nodding understandingly.

"Believe me - I get it" He agreed kindly, "It's new territory for us both, and I know what my flaws are. None of it comes from a 'controlling' or 'possessive' place... It's just a protective thing, and I guess I'll just have to learn when to step in, and when to back off" he said with a shrug, "the more of these things I go to, the better I'll get at dealing with it"

Anna nodded, stepping towards him nervously. She paused for a moment blowing out a breath, Bucky smiling gently at her.

"I'm terrified..." she admitted, looking down at her trembling hands before looking back up at Bucky, "what do we do now?"

He stepped over to her, putting his arms out to pull her into a hug where he held her for a moment.

"Not a damn thing..." He said, Anna letting out a breath of relief she relaxed, her head resting against his chest, "We know where we stand with each other, and that's half the battle won right there" He added, feeling her nod as her arms tightened around him.

"I'll work on not being such a dick about things, and show you that you can trust me... And then when you're ready - no matter how long it takes, you let me know and I'll take you on a date"

Anna tensed again, Bucky giving her a little reassuring squeeze which made her smile.

"Relax..." He prompted, Anna nodding as she let out a breath, "like I said, take as long as you need"

He left a kiss on top of her head before they pulled apart, Anna suddenly feeling a little awkward and not sure what to do.

"That's all you get outta me!" Bucky joked, holding up his hands as he stepped back, making her laugh, "go get yourself into bed, it's late - and no sleeping on the couch tonight"
"I happen to like the couch" she protested with a little sass.
"Yeah, and I'm fully aware of why..." He sassed right back.

"Go to bed - you're in a five star hotel so you may as well enjoy it - I'm still technically on 'bodyguard' duty too, remember?"
"I suppose..."

"So you're safe. I'm just in the other room if you need me, okay?"
"Okay... Thanks Buck..."


"Sweet dreams Anna, see you in the morning"