WARNING (ish)- Sequel to State of Mind. I personally like to think that a pre-read is necessary, unless you're really good at inferring.

Him and Sam had tried so many things. They used as many SHIELD links still standing, even resorting to requesting information from HYDRA prisoners. Nothing. Instead he waited on the subway while Sam restocked their supplies, preparing himself for the truth of failure.

Bucky was gone. Nothing he did was ever going to bring him back.

The train screeched to a halt. Ignoring the stares and flashing of phones that followed him ('Did you see him?' 'It's Captain America!' 'Do you think he does autographs?'), he hurried out into the bustling centre of the Big Apple, rain drizzling down around him. Across the streets he could see at least three ex-agents still under the command of Director Fury, all ready in case someone attacked him. One of them was 'Agent 13', his ex-neighbour, but he ignored her just like all the other times.

They didn't appreciate being followed.

Sam was already waiting inside the motel room. Two single beds, one small bathroom, a TV with no working remote, and five bags full of supplies, his shield lying against them casually.

"Any leads?" He asked as soon as Sam registered him. The man shook his head.

"Sorry Steve, though I did get wind of another few HYDRA informatives. Their Washington command centre was blown-up a few hours after Pierce was shot, which was initially thought to be protecting files and stuff like that. However, Fury sent Tash and a few others on a scope out mission, and they found a lot of bodies. All HYDRA bodies. The few that were alive are in Fury's hands, and Tash said that one of them knew who blew it up. A girl with serious links in SHIELD. They're all hunting for her."

Steve nodded, new plans knocking all thoughts of sleep out of his head. Neither had slept for months. "Where do you think we could find her?"

Sam smiled, watching him stifle a yawn. "We don't. She finds us."

Whenever Steve did get to sleep, he was plagued by nightmares. Well, not nightmares to be exact- more memories. Bucky when he found him at HYDRA during the war. Bucky saying goodbye when he left for war. Bucky fighting beside him in the Howling Commandoes. Bucky falling with hand outstretched. Bucky, Bucky, Bucky, Bucky. All he wanted was his best friend back, that final piece of home he could preserve, no matter how insane it all was.

The man out of time.

Those were the nightmares. Red Skull cackling as he failed to beat him and was forced to watch his home city be bombed to dust below him. Dr Zola's skin peeling away, revealing the grotesque robot waiting underneath. A silver hand that never stopped punching him, repeating those three words over again. You're my mission. You're my mission. You're my mission.

That night he woke up panting, immediately checking that Sam was okay. He slept on peacefully in the opposite bed. The shirt he'd slept in was drenched with cold sweat, the bed marked with scratches and punches he'd thrown in the midst of darkness. Quietly he walked to the tiny bathroom, turning the shower on freezing and standing underneath it until his teeth chattered and his lips turned blue.

I'm with you to the end of line, they'd both said.

But what if this was the end of the line?

"So...what was her name again?"

"I don't know." Sam shrugged, cradling his coffee between his fingers. The days had steadily been getting colder, despite October barely settling in. Steve held back a sigh of exasperation- they were both trying their best.

"How do we know it's her then?"

His partner thought about this carefully over a long gulp of his drink. Steve swirled his tea around the polysterene mug, knowing that the steam alone would burn his tongue raw.

"She'll tell us I guess. Anyway, stop being so pessimistic. She could actually be a good lead!"

"Or she could just be a sour-faced prisoner who blew the place up for laughs and knows nothing at all about Bucky."

Sam glared at him before returning to his coffee. Sighing, Steve looked around the bustling city. It had been a while since he'd been able to sit back and enjoy the scenery of a-

"Is it just me, or do those men really not look like SHIELD agents to you?" He whispered to Sam, who immediately looked around casually, pretending to point out the way to a good army shop he knew if they wanted different weapons. Only Steve was close enough to catch the moment when his eyes steeled over, not recognising any one of the 'agents' posted around them.

"Run for it?" He whispered back, noting that they were slowly moving forward.

"Go." Steve replied, grabbing two of their bags and his shield and pelting down the street free of 'agents'. Behind him he could hear Sam, the third bag slapping against his bullet-proof vest.

They ran to the nearest tube station, watching the doors close shut in the faces of their attacks. Quietly they sat and panted, waiting for the train to drop them somewhere remote enough to escape from the public eye.

"This should do. We're a good few miles outside the city, and it's the second last stop before the train turns around."

Steve nodded, keeping his SHIELD close nevertheless.

The streets were quiet when they emerged from the station, anybody walking around obviously avoiding eye contact with one another. Once again Steve felt the pang of longing for his home time, when everyone would look up and laugh with each other, the streets filled with colour and emotion.

"All clear. Any chance of another cof-"

Cutting off his sentence was Steve himself, spotting the attacker a second before he fired. A single bullet passed above their heads, the air sculpting it's path. Before they could make another run for it, they were surrounded, guns firing and shields smashing. By the time three of the five attackers were down, Steve had blood running down his cheek and Sam was fighting with a number of bullet grazes on his arms. One man took a well-aimed throw at Steve's hands with his machete-styled weapon, forcing him to let go of his shield. The second man saw the opening, aiming his gun-

And dropping it as a sword lodged itself into his chest. The final attacker stared in horror, setting off in a sprint just as his friend was collapsing. The stabber followed, moving too fast for Steve or Sam to catch a good look.

"You okay?" He groaned, pulling himself up to examine Sam's multiple scratches. The man shrugged them off, promising that they'll have all nearly healed by the time morning rolled around.

"Hey boys. I believe thanks are in order." A voice interrupted them from behind. Steve turned, looking their saviour up and down. She was in her young twenties, with long and messy brown hair and wide blue eyes. The black short sleeved t-shirt and black army pants she wore were ripped and baggy, the only things fitting her being the sword strapped to her back, the gun poking from one of her pockets, and the pair of steel-toed combat boots on her feet.

"Thanks. Who are you by the way?" He asked gruffly, helping Sam to his feet. The girl didn't seem like the type to stab him in the back once it was turned, especially not after she'd just risked her life saving his.

The smirk seemed to be a natural feature on her face, like no one had gotten close enough to weedle a proper smile on to those lips. "I'm Iris. Or, as you may prefer to know me, your lead."

Author's Note

I have issues. I'm already on the 4th chapter of this story, and considered bunching them up before my icky that-totally-isn't-going-to-work sense started. Anyway, I hope you guys like this story just as much as State of Mind, though you will have to wait a while before Bucky shows up again ;) Reviews are welcome.