As it turned out, they didn't have to look too hard to find Bucky Barnes. In fact, Elizabeth didn't have to look at all.
It had only been three days since the fall of SHIELD and the government was still picking up pieces of the helicarriers from the river. Her days were filled with the occasional reporters looking for a story or some government officials looking for a way to lock her up for being a 'dangerous and unstable enhanced person' despite her helping out their precious Captain America. Neither of the two got what they want.
The sound of someone knocking on the door made Elizabeth jump in surprise, nearly making her drop her cup of coffee. Setting down her mug, she made her way towards the front door. Sam had left for his usual morning run with Steve, meaning she was home alone.
Sensing that the person behind the door was nervous, her senses heightened, unsure of who or what was behind the door. It couldn't have been Sam or Steve, the two would barge in like they usually do. The reporters or government officials were off the list since they demonstrated before that they clearly have no issue pounding on her door loudly, no matter the time. This meant whoever was behind the door knew they would be unwelcomed.
Noting that there was no hostile emotions in the person, she left the pistol on the kitchen table. Yet, she made sure that she could feel the energy rushing through her veins. All for a worst case scenario. Her hand gripped the cool handle of the door before she swung it open.
Bucky Barnes stood there just like she had last remembered seeing him. Tactical gear torn in some parts. His long hair still covered most of his face. Eyes wide and staring straight at her, she felt some strange sense of comfort in knowing that they were still as blue as she when she had last stared at them. What concerned her most wasn't how those eyes were still void of emotion, it was the gun still in it's holster on his belt and his shiny metal arm.
She froze with her hand still on the door. Staring at him with her mouth agape she didn't know what to do at all. Put him to sleep, call Steve or just simply run away, all those thoughts were gone from her mind. Elizabeth was quiet long enough for Bucky to speak first.
"I need help," was the first thing Bucky had said to anyone in what felt like years. His own voice was foreign to him. He didn't remember sounding like this, so dry and hoarse, but then again he didn't remember anything. "Please," he added. Bucky didn't even remember the person who had taught him to always say please when asking for something.
Elizabeth let his words register in her mind for a minute. She focused on what he was feeling, nervous, in pain and confused. He was so confused. The combination of those three couldn't be good for anyone, let alone a person like him. When she saw there was no hostility or anger anywhere in him, she opened the door wider.
Neither of them said anything as Bucky walked pass her and into the living room. He observed the place as if he was seeing everything for the first time. A tv, the stereo in one corner and the modern house phone on the coffee table. It was all so strange to him, it's not like he remembered much from his past, but he was so sure that these things weren't the same back then as they are now.
Looking at the giant 6 foot tall man of pure muscle in her living room, she suddenly remembered what she was supposed to do, call Steve. "Um," she started, unsure of how to address him. Bucky turned around to look down at her. "Just- just wait here."
Slowly, she moved toward the phone on the table. While doing so she tried her best to make Bucky calm and less anxious. He watched her carefully as she made her way to the phone. He was as still as a statue until she picked up the phone.
That was when he moved so fast she almost didn't see him. In two large strides, he was already standing right in front of her with the phone in his metal hand. Without thinking twice, he crushed the appliance as if it was nothing but a ball of paper .
"No," Bucky said lowly with a small shake of his head. He was so close to her now that her nose bumped into his chest. "No, please." He repeated calmly as he saw the fear flashed in her eyes. He didn't want her to be afraid of him.
Elizabeth nodded her head quickly as she took small steps back until the back of her legs bumped into the couch. "Okay," she started shakily. "I was just gonna call Steve," she informed the man that stood a few feet from her. She watched as recognition at the name flashed before his eyes.
Once again, she tried to calm him down as she spoke. "You remember him, right?" She didn't know if her powers would work on him since the last time she tried it barely changed anything. So for now, she had to rely on her words. "He said you pulled him out from the river, is that true?"
Bucky's gaze was on the carpet below his feet, his eyes darting back as forth as he tried to remember. "Don't call him," was all he muttered.
"I won't call him," She repeated back his words slowly and carefully. It was as if the two were going in circles. "But why would you come here if you don't want me to call him?" Elizabeth questioned him.
He just stood there, not moving at all. The only indication that he was a real person and not some scary carboard cut out was the way his chest rised and fell along with his heavy breathing. When he made no move to talk, Elizabeth continued.
"I don't understand what you want from me," She voiced her concerns. "I have nothing to offer you accept my connections to Steve and you don't want that either, so what to you need help with?"
"They told me," Bucky began as he slowly lifted his gaze from the ground to rest on her. The they he was talking about was obviously HYDRA. "They told me you can control how people feel." He watched her carefully as she nodded along to his words, silently confirming everything he said. "Then, I need you to make me okay."
"What?"
She furrowed her brows, not understanding what he meant. "I need you to make me feel okay," He pleaded in a small voice.
Elizabeth shook her head sadly, all his desperation and sadness flowing through her all at once, making her overwhelmed. "I'm sorry but I can't just do that," she explained as his face fell. "Maybe Steve can-"
"No." It was one word but they was he said it was enough to make her close her mouth. She gulped down as he stared her down. "No Steve."
"Why not?" She tried, hoping to get a proper answer from the man.
He didn't answer her, only shook his head violently, as if going to his childhood best friend was the worst thing imaginable. "I can't make you feel okay just like that," she sapped her fingers on cue. Bucky jumped at the sudden noise, unpleasant memories resurfacing.
"But, eventually?" Bucky trailed off waiting for her response.
She planned out her next words carefully. Elizabeth never was one to talk her way out of a situation, but she had seen Sam deal with a few of his patients when he would counsel war veterans. So she had a vague idea of how it was supposed to go about.
"Look," she began as met his strong gaze. "I will help you in any way I can. I'll try my absolute best, I swear." Elizabeth spoke truthfully, hoping to make some sort of breakthrough with the assassin before her. "Okay?"
He thought for a moment, and decided what other option did he have. "You won't bring Steve into this?" Bucky couldn't bear the thought of seeing Steve like this. When he was nothing like the man he used to be.
"I won't bring him into this," she promised.
"Alright then," Bucky agreed. He looked around the place awkwardly not knowing what to do.
Elizabeth walked over to the kitchen and found a discarded pen laying right beside the pistol. She could feel Bucky's eyes on her as she stared a moment too long at the weapon. The first step was trust, she recalled Sam telling her. Trying not to spare a glance at the weapon, she grabbed the pen. Reaching over for a paper towel, she wrote down an address on it, aware of his eyes on her every movement.
Walking back over to him, she handed him the slip of paper. He took it carefully in his flesh hand as if careful not to rip it. "Go to this address and I'll meet you there. It's my old apartment, no one will be there." She explained as he stared at her handwriting.
As he made his way to the door she called out to him. "Bucky," the name left her mouth unexpectedly. She didn't even know if he was comfortable with her calling him that. If he was, he didn't show it.
He looked back at her over his shoulder. His metal hand had a grip on the door knob. "Do you know the way?" She asked. It was a stupid question but you never knew.
"I'll manage," was all he replied before slipping out her front door.
When she heard the door click behind him she realised two things. The first, was that what she was doing was risky. Especially the not telling Steve part. But she gave him her word and she knew if she told Steve, any chance they had at Bucky would be gone forever.
The second thing, Bucky Barnes was a lot more attractive than the pictures showed.
***
Elizabeth opened the door to her old apartment. The neighbours gave her a dirty stare as if knowing what she was doing. Ignoring them, she stepped into the place as she made sure no one else had seen her.
Closing the door quickly, she looked around to see everything just as she had left it. A thin layer of dust covered everything such as the old tv and the countertops. The only thing that stood out was the man on her couch.
Bucky looked up when he heard her enter. She carried a paper bag in her hand. Setting the bag down on the counter, dust particles scattered the air. Through the closed curtains, a thin stream of light shined through.
"Are you hurt?" Elizabeth asked as she made her way over to him, making sure not to invade his personal space. She sat on the coffee table in front of him, his gaze never left her as he shook his head.
Elizabeth knew he was lying. Mainly from the dried blood on the side of his clothes and the way she felt a bit of pain from him. "Come on," she chided, "Where?"
"You did hit me pretty hard here," he pointed to his chest where the fabric looked slightly burnt. "With your magic stuff," he added with a small wince that made her feel bad. Bucky knew he had a lot more injuries, including a gunshot wound but he had tried his best to stitch that up himself.
She grimaced a bit at his words. "Yeah, sorry about that," she apologised with an apologetic smile. "But it's not magic," she corrected before standing up and grabbing the paper bag from before.
"Sure looked like it," Bucky mumbled as he watched her take out some medical supplies. Gauze, bandages, rubbing alcohol and a whole lot of other stuff came out of the bag. Grabbing what she thought she'd need, she walked back over to Bucky.
"So, uh, Bucky." She began awkwardly as he looked up to where she stood in between his legs. "Can I call you that? Bucky, I mean." His face didn't show any objection as she spoke, but Elizabeth didn't want him to feel uncomfortable.
He looked lost in thought as he lowered his gaze to the floor. "I guess," he said even though he was unsure of himself. "That's what Steve called me, I think." Elizabeth could sense his internal struggle as he tried so hard to piece together his memories.
"Bucky it is then," She said happily, trying to lighten the mood. Stepping back, she laid out to supplies she had on the small table.
As she checked to make sure she had everything Bucky cleared his voice, bringing her attention back to the man. "What do I call you?"
The question caught her off guard. "What?"
"I mean, what's your name?" He corrected himself with furrowed brows as if not knowing her name was the biggest problem he had on his hands. "The people who told me about you only said you were a Grace. And that it meant something."
It was true. The Grace name meant a lot to HYDRA, it was the name of the one family that always stood in their way. But to Elizabeth it was the name of the family she had lost. It was also something she wished wished she would forget. She found it ironic, she would give anything to forget her past but Bucky Barned would do anything to remember his.
Remembering that he asked her a question, Elizabeth brought her eyes away from the gauze in her hands to look up at him. "You can call me Elizabeth," she introduced herself with a smile. "Or Lizzie, up to you."
Bucky stuck his hand out for her to shake. He didn't know where the action came from. He suspected that it must've been a habit from his past, being raised in the 40's and all that. Elizabeth compressed a laugh at his old fashioned gesture. Nevertheless, she put her hand in his shaking it lightly.
When she turned around to grab whatever she needed, Bucky repeated her name back in his head. Elizabeth. Lizzie. Elizabeth. Lizzie. He had forgotten so much that even though he just met her mere hours ago, Bucky Barnes promised himself that he'd never forget the person who stood in front of him now.