New York City in March was a lot of things. Pleasant was not one of those things. It was rainy, cold, windy, and overall nothing like Liza was used to. She was a Texas-bred, sunshine-loving, flower-sniffing summer girl, and this was miserable. But she was a doctor, a darn good one, and her services were needed here. She worked with social services, taking care of homeless people, street kids, and the like. Liza had gotten into the habit of checking alleyways on her way home from work everyday. Her grey eyes were bright and shining, quite the opposite of her mood at the moment.

Liza hefted her backpack higher on her shoulders, tucking a strand of blonde hair back into her hat as she took a second glance down an alley to her left. To her shock, there was a man opposite her doing the same. He was tall, with long, stringy brown hair, several-day scruff, and dressed in jeans and a ratty hoodie pulled over a ball cap. The worst thing was, he couldn't seem to think of any earthly reason to be checking down alleyways on his way to wherever the heck he was going.

Liza was going to clear her throat to get his attention, but he looked up at her like a deer in the headlights when her shoe caught on an edge of uneven pavement. She lifted her hand in a silent greeting. "Hi," Liza managed awkwardly. When he didn't respond, she continued. "What are you up to?"

"I'm not causing trouble, if that's what you mean." He said stiffly. Liza held her hands up in the universal 'I surrender' pose.

"I never said you were, I just -" She trailed off as she noticed a stain on his abdomen and the odd way he was standing. "Holy crap, are you bleeding?"

The man jerked away, blue eyes panicky. "Don't touch me."

Liza put her hands on her hips. "Sir, you're hurt and I'm a doctor. I can't just let you walk away. Besides," she huffed, "Manhattan in March is nowhere for anyone to be alone."

"Neither is Brooklyn." Liza frowned.

"What?" The man looked away, his eyes vacant.

"Nevermind. I can't remember much these days." Liza put a tentative hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," she said softly, "are you okay?"

"What? Oh, yeah, fine." She glared playfully at him.

"Sir, I don't buy that for a minute." He looked down at her, being at least half a foot taller, and smiled sadly.

"Can we start over?" Liza grinned.

"Sure," She took a step back and stuck out her hand. "Liza Barton, pleasure to meet you." She shivered as a gust of wind hit her neck. Smiling, he took her hand in his gloved one.

"Pleasure to meet you too, Miss Barton. Bucky Barnes." Liza cocked her head to the side, and Bucky couldn't help thinking she looked like a golden retriever.

"I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before...Are you familiar with the term 'Slam and Cram'?"

"No, and I'm not sure I want to be."

"Are you from Idaho?"

"Not that I know of."

"Do you know a guy in a red spandex suit and lots of weapons?"

"Um, no." Liza stared at him for a moment longer, then shrugged.

"My cousin must have told me about you at some point or another." She looped her arm through his and began leading him down Broadway Avenue.

"Hang on," Bucky struggled against her, "where are you taking me?"

"Well, Liza mused as they walked, or rather, she walked and Bucky trotted along behind her, "the center is closed now that I locked up, so I guess we're headed back to my place." His eyebrows shot up.

"You really trust me? Like, take me home trust me?"

Liza turned and fixed her gaze on him. If he hadn't known any better, he would have sworn he was looking at some kind of predatory animal. She was sizing him up, stopping his train of thought real quick. It was as though she was staring him down, daring him to make a wrong move, making him wonder just what she was capable of. One thing was for sure, this woman would make a remarkable mother, because one look from her had him wracking his brain for anything he'd done wrong since he met her.

"Should I not?" He couldn't look at her, couldn't meet her eyes.

"I honestly don't know anymore." Just like that, Scary Liza was gone and the woman in front of him was unusually chipper again.

"Well then, I guess I'll have to give you the benefit of the doubt, won't I?" She chirped, and plowed on.

Bucky stood there for a moment, watching her as she sent a look over her shoulder.

"What are you waiting for?" Liza called, grinning. He shook his head and jogged on after her, not really knowing why, but not really questioning it either.