Like no one does

Bucky

Shifting the strap higher up on his shoulder he shook his head no. Christian dipped his head with a smile to show no hard feelings. He opened the door for them, ushering them inside. Sliding in he set his bag on his lap and waited for Steve and the man to start talking before getting lost in thought. As Bucky watches as the city go by he thinks back to their last conversation that convinced him to come with Steve.

They'd just finished dinner when Steve had told him that with his friend Ronnie's help they were trying to clear his name. He had shaken his head no. "I'm guilty Steve. I killed those people, there's no excusing that." They'd talked round and round in circles about what he did and didn't deserve.

In the end he'd agreed to go home, but what Steve didn't know was that it was to stand up and take accountability for his actions. Bucky was tired of running and looking over his shoulder for someone to capture or kill him. He was tired of being afraid every waking moment. After seventy years of being afraid. Of being used for other people's agendas he was done. He would take back what little control he had left and turn himself in.

Thinking that he'd convinced him Steve had been happy and excused himself to make a call in the relative privacy of the small bathroom. With his enhanced hearing he'd overheard Steve's side of the conversation with this Ronnie person making the arrangements for them to go to France. They'd talked for a few minutes about how Steve was handling seeing him again. For the first time since Steve got here he'd heard how hard this really was for him. To be the one to remember it all while Bucky was still in the dark.

A memory from after his rescue the first time surfaced. He remembered how the roles had been reversed between them after Steve had saved him and the rest of the 107th from Hydra. He'd gone from the protective big brother to the one needing to be saved. He was still needing to be saved all these years later. Steve had come out of the bathroom telling Bucky to pack his bags. That they'd be heading out in an hour.

It didn't take long because he didn't have much. Once they were ready to go they left his little apartment and Romania behind. He would miss his apartment, it had been his safe haven for the last 6 months. Less than 5 hours later they were in France on their way to a strangers house. Someone he was supposed to trust on the word of a man he barely remembered.

Blinking back into the present he finally noticed his surroundings. When Steve had told him that he had a friend who was willing to help them he wasn't expecting a private plane and expensive town cars. He definitely wasn't expecting to be driving into one of the nicest districts of Paris, but it shouldn't really surprise him based on everything else so far. Looking over at Steve as they got out of the car Bucky wondered who exactly this Ronnie was and what she did for a living that she could afford a penthouse in Paris' 16th district in Jardin du Ranelagh.

Steve thanked Christian before leading Bucky into the building past the doorman giving him a kind hello as he ushered him into the elevator. Pressing the button for the penthouse on the top floor he pulled out his cellphone and texted someone. A moment later his phone dinged making him smile and laugh a little. Looking up to see Bucky staring at him he explained, "Ronnie isn't home right now, but she said to make yourself at home."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened revealing a marble and cream painted hallway with only one door. As Steve took out a set of keys to unlock the door Bucky glanced out the window to see the Eiffel tower just a few miles away. Catching his attention Steve motions for him to come inside. He gave Buck a quick tour of the penthouse showing him the basics of where everything was and explaining the layout. There were six bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, a study, a formal living room, a smaller living/TV room, kitchen, a full dining room and a private terrace that went out to a garden on the roof where there was an even better view of the Eiffel Tower.