"Are we clear?" I poked my head out from the kitchen and called to Steve, who stood by the elevator.

He was silent for a moment, then began nodding. "Yeah, Tony's gone. It's just you, me, and Buck and- oh, God, you two are clearly taking advantage of that."

While Steve had been rambling, I had run out of the kitchen and Bucky had sprinted down the stairs where he'd been hiding. We'd met in the middle of the room, where I had quickly jumped into his arms. And now, his arms were around my waist, my legs were wrapped around his waist, and his mouth was on mine.

"Come on, guys, I'm still here," Steve whined.

"Lay off, Capsicle," I pulled away from Bucky slightly and rolled my eyes. "I have to leave in less than ten minutes and I won't see Bucky for two weeks. Let me have this, please!"

Steve sighed heavily as Bucky caught my lips with his again.

"What is with the stark family calling me Capsicle," I heard him mutter as he walked towards the kitchen. "I'll give you two some privacy." 

Bucky and I continued our horn-dog teenage-like make out session for several more minutes, until I pulled back slightly and pressed my forehead against his.

"I have to go," I whispered.

He frowned and let me down gently, putting a hand on my cheek. "I wish you didn't have to."

"So do I," I said, "but it's important."

"I'm going to miss you," he muttered, and pulled me into him tightly, planting a kiss on the top of my head.

"I'll miss you too." I smiled and ran my hand through his hair fondly before starting to back away slightly. "I love you, Buck."

"I love you, Cara. Be careful!"

"Always!" I turned my head to the kitchen doorway where Steve stood and saluted towards him. "Cap. You boys watch out for each other!"

They laughed as I entered the elevator, and I leaned against its wall. Just as the doors began to close, they were suddenly stopped. I looked up, finding Bucky standing there sheepishly with his metal arm wedged in the door. He pried them open, stepped inside, and they began sliding closed once again.

"Buck, what's wrong?" I asked, placing my hands on his shoulders.

He reached into his pocket and hesitated slightly. "I have something for you."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?"

Bucky removed his hand from the pocket and opened it. A golden bracelet with a small clasp laid in his hand. There was a small circle charm attached to it, and upon further inspection, I saw that it had a C engraved upon it.

"Oh my god, Bucky," I said breathlessly, picking it up gently. "It's beautiful!"

He blushed slightly and scratched the back of his neck. "It's no big deal, really."

"Oh, shut up," I wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly. "Bucky Barnes, I love you. You and your stupid modesty."

Bucky smiled and kissed the side of my face gently. He reached down and picked the bracelet out of my hand before clasping it around my wrist. I looked down at it, a grin spreading even wider on my face.

"It's perfect, literally perfect," I continued.

"I'm happy you like it," he laughed.

The doors opened, revealing the lobby, and my face fell. I hugged him again, not wanting to let go. He smoothed my hair down and looked into my eyes.

"You have to go."

I frowned. "I know."

"Be careful, Cara," he said seriously. "I need you to come back."

"Hey, the same goes for you," I smirked, pecking him on the lips quickly.

I began walking out of the elevator, but paused at the threshold. "Don't you do anything stupid without me, Barnes."

"Cara, I don't think I could," he grinned. "Now go or you'll be late. I love you, be careful."

"I'll see you in two weeks!" I called as the doors closed.

"Two weeks!"

*****

"There's another one."

I was looking down at a small room I'd never seen before. Steve, Bucky, Clint, Sam, and Wanda sat around a small coffee table, and were watching a small television.

"It's the middle of the night," Sam muttered. "What is going on?"

"We should be trying to contact Cara," Bucky muttered. 

"No," Steve said sharply. "We're keeping her out of this for as long as possible. When she gets back she'll make her own decisions."

"Shut up," Clint snapped. "He's on."

Everyone fell silent and turned their attention back to the television.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Tony Stark," my brother's voice sounded from the TV. "This evening, I am here to confirm that I will be assisting the Secretary of Homeland Security in finding the two men that the entire country is looking for. My team and I have a strong lead, and we will be acting on it in the coming days. Yes, you in the weird tie."

"Mr. Stark, your sister has been a rumored but never confirmed member of the Avengers for quite some time now," a reporter spoke. "Where does she stand during this period of turmoil?"

"My sister is in her mid twenties, she's not exactly concerned with any of this. As usual, she's probably in Cabo or Dubai trying to find the world's best party," Tony said, clearly not taking the question seriously.

Steve reached over, turning the television off. Sam, Clint, and Wanda all stood and walked out of the room, but Bucky stayed where he was.

"God, what an asshole," he growled, glowering at the screen. "If she were here right now she'd be up there beating the shit out of him for saying that about her."

"Buck, I told you that you can't think like that," Steve muttered. "She's his sister. All they've got is each other."

"That's not true," Bucky snapped. "She has me."

***

"Hey! Wake up!"

My eyes opened quickly, and I scrambled back into a seated position. I was slumped in the back of a cab, my large backpack in my lap.

"You wanted to be dropped off at Central Park," the cabbie sneered, giving me a strange glance. "We're there. Pay and get out."

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, pulling some crumpled bills from my bag. "Thanks."

I climbed out of the cab; squinting at the harsh sunlight. The mission I'd expected to take two weeks or less ended up taking close to three and a half, and I was completely wiped. Tony and Steve assigned me to tailing Hydra's newest assassin, and to try and become friends with her. She was posed as a rich British socialite, but was much better at shooting people in the forehead than doing shots of vodka. After tracking her down to a bar in Eastern London and gaining her trust, I was dead set on turning her away from Hydra. It was much more difficult than I expected it to be, and took me to seven different countries, but in the end I succeed. And now I was en route back to Stark Tower, overjoyed at the thought of seeing Bucky again.

I started walking in the direction of Stark Tower, my thoughts returning to my dream. I'd had them the entire time I was away, and they were beginning to worry me more and more. They were so real, sometimes I found myself thinking they were. When I turned the final corner and was about a hundred yards from the building's front door, I stopped right in my tracks. A huge group of photographers was planted outside the building, looking like a group of lions waiting for a lone gazelle to come prancing down the street.

"Dammit," I muttered.

Tony and I were constantly followed by paparazzi, but he had some complicated agreement with some complicated clause that forbade photographers from camping out outside the building. And yet, there they were. I flattened myself against the wall so they couldn't see me and swung my backpack around so I could rifle through it easier.

Inside, there was a sweatshirt, a wallet with currency from six countries, a pocketknife, my gun, Fortis, my burner cell, and a plastic bag filled with emergency tranquilizer injections. I sighed heavily and glanced back towards the photographers as I zipped my bag shut again.

"Fuck it."

I put the bag back on my back and broke into a run towards the building.

"Hey, it's her!" Someone screamed, and the photographers suddenly sprang to life.

They surrounded me almost instantly, but I kept pushing through.

"Why haven't you been seen with your brother since his announcement?!"

"Is it true you were in rehab?"

"Where do you stand on the-"

I gritted my teeth as I slammed the door behind me, cutting the last reporter's question off. Looking around the lobby, I was surprised to find it completely empty. My footsteps echoed as I walked over to the elevator and began typing in the code that would give me access to the penthouse levels on the small screen next to the doors.

Incorrect PIN. Access denied.

I furrowed my eyebrows and punched in the numbers again, getting the same response. After four more failed attempts, I groaned angrily and looked upwards.

"Friday?"

"Welcome back, Miss Stark," Friday's cool voice floated down through the lobby's speakers.

"Can you let me into the elevators, please?"

"With all due respect, Miss, I'm not sure I should."

"This is my home, Friday," I said sharply. "Do it."

The doors opened, and I stepped inside. I stared at the icon displaying which floor the elevator was on; with each change in number I felt sicker and sicker.

Something horrible had happened. I just knew it.