Hello all! Sorry for the delay in updating! I'm excited for this chapter, though; we're finally getting closer to discovering who Mr. W is! I hope you all enjoy this chapter; please drop a review! It's a bit shorter than usual, but there's a nice reveal in here that I don't think too many people would have expected!

Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or Bucky :'(

Chapter Ten

She snorted and rolled her eyes, nodding as I lifted my drink in thanks, "Strange and I will follow and keep an eye on your complex. Make sure no one goes in or out without you or us knowing."

"Alright, we'll meet up with you when we get the files," I replied, grinning up at Bucky as he opened the door and gestured with a small smile for me to get in.

"Where to?"

Settling back in the torn, stained seat, I replied stoically, "Hell's Kitchen."

It didn't take long for the taxi to pull in front of my grungy apartment complex and even less time for the cabbie to speed off, tires squealing.

Bucky stared up at building, a grimace pulling at his features. His bright eyes skimmed this way and that, obviously unhappy with the location we found ourselves in. He was probably expecting something nicer, somewhere less likely to be surrounded by crime and danger.

"I know, I know," I teased, catching his elbow and drawing him to the weathered entrance. Fishing a set of keys from my pocket, I shoved the door open with a shoulder and led him inside. "It's not as glamorous as the Avengers Tower, but it does the trick."

"I didn't say a word," he replied, slamming the door shut behind us and testing the strength of the lock. Dissatisfied, he rolled his shoulders but followed me inside anyway, a hand to my back and he followed me up the steps. I didn't doubt he would throw me to the ground and lunge at the slightest threat of an attack if we encountered one.

"You were thinkin' it," I shot back with a laugh, guiding him up the narrow, rickety steps to the fourth floor, "don't lie."

He didn't deny it, deflecting the jest easily, "You leave all your things here when you're away?"

"Yep," I nodded, making my way along the dimly lit hallway, "it's cheap, I've lived in this part of the town for years, and Eddie has my back."

"Eddie?"

"Former Navy SEAL neighbor," I elaborated, "he keeps an eye on the place when I'm gone. No one comes around without me knowing. Anyone tries to get in that he doesn't know, I get a call and he takes care it."

"Doesn't that draw suspicion?" he inquired curiously as we stopped in front of a peeling, orange door, tensing when I knocked rather than unlocked it myself.

"When he takes care of it, he takes care of it," I replied in an overly-mysterious tone. It didn't do anything to ease his concerns, his metal arm whirring as heavy footfalls approached on the other side of the door. "And please don't attack him; he's a good guy."

"Better not be talkin' about me."

The door flung open, a hulking figure looking utterly cramped in the threshold; he rested a forearm on the doorway and grinned down at me, all teeth. The corners of his tired, green eyes crinkled as he laughed, "Good to see you, kid. Doin' alright?"

"Course, Eddie," I smiled, giving him a sidelong hug and mouthing at the scowling soldier at my side, Play nice. He huffed but offered me the tiniest of nods, eying Eddie stoically even when the SEAL rounded on him.

"Who's this, Charlie?" he queried gruffly, folding his massive arms across his chest, "friend of yours?"

"Yeah, Eddie, back down," I teased, gesturing to Bucky, "Eddie, Jimmy. Jimmy, Eddie."

The pair shook hands, Eddie wincing slightly and letting out a surprised laugh, "Jeez, good grip, man. Thought you were gonna break my hand. Can't say that about many people. You military?"

Bucky smirked, lifting a shoulder and replying, "Formerly."

Eddie nodded knowingly, "Figured. What branch?"

"Eddie, don't grill him."

The former SEAL rounded on me, aghast, "Charlie, this is the first guy I've ever seen you bring around here. You honestly think I'm gonna let him follow you into that apartment without knowin' who he is?"

"I know who he is and that's all you need to know," I retorted, rolling my eyes good-naturedly and elbowing him. The only result was my funny bone aching and I cradled it, cursing.

"You need someone to watch your back," Eddie replied, sizing Bucky up. It was laughable, really; though the super soldier a head shorter than the behemoth beside me, he was far stronger, far more indestructible. If he so chose, he would leave Eddie crumpled in a bloody, broken heap.

"I can watch my own back, thanks," I smirked, patting his arm, "and anyway, I already have a brother. I don't think I could handle another."

"Well I've never met him, so I gotta fill his shoes when he's not around," Eddie snorted.

Bucky's inquisitive gaze fell on me and I glanced at him, mouthing, Later. Rounding on Eddie, I fought the urge to stick my tongue out at him and queried, "Anyone weird come by? I didn't get any texts from you, but-"

"No, haven't seen anything unusual," he replied breezily, jerking a thumb over his shoulder, "only person that ever comes around is old man Fagen, but you know him, he just wants to hit on you. The dirty old perv. Hey, you guys wanna grab a beer? Just picked up a six-pack this morning."

"Nope," I replied with a laugh, "you're not old man Fagen and you know he's the only one who can tempt me. Thanks for keeping an eye on the place, but we just came to grab something. Only gonna take five minutes."

"It'll be there if you change your mind," he replied, offering his hand to Bucky once more. They shook each other's hands far longer than last time, staring, unblinking, at the other until Eddie grimaced and let out another disbelieving laugh, "Damn, bro."

Waving, I made my way to the last remaining orange door; hastily unlocking it, I shoved it open with a shoulder. Bucky caught my elbow, dark brows tipping upward in silent question.

With a feigned, long-suffering sigh, I pursed my lips to keep from grinning and opened the door fully, bowing low at the waist and gesturing him to enter before me. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling, shaking his head, before slipping silently into the apartment. His form fell into a defensive stance, his eyes roving hastily over the room.

I followed him, shutting the door silently behind me and murmuring softly, "I highly doubt anyone's in here, Buck. Eddie would've seen them; he would've told me."

"You're sure you trust him?"

"I do," I replied firmly, jogging silently over to him as he silently surveyed the small, cramped living room. My apartment looked woefully small with his broad form filling up the place. A hint of self-consciousness flooded me before I recalled his own dingy, tiny apartment in Bucharest.

Then again, he was a man on the run, not a well-paid former SHIELD agent…

Instead of commenting on that, though, I shook myself and assured him, "He wouldn't lie to me."

He turned, rubbing his jaw, brow furrowed anxiously, "But he's not around every day, is he? He doesn't stand there staring out of his peephole all the time, waiting for someone to come break into your apartment."

"I certainly hope not," I joked gently, approaching him and wrapping my arms around his neck, standing on the tips of my toes to press a chaste kiss on the underside of his jaw, "that would be awkward. Just trust me, Bucky. I did a background check on him before I moved in and he passed 'em with flying colors. And if someone were in my apartment, right now, we would know. Look at the size of it; there's nowhere for them to hide. C'mon. We'll check the rooms. I know you checked the lock when I opened the door; I did, too. No signs of forced entry. I'm sure windows will be the same."

"Won't know 'til we check," he replied, though he was in no hurry now to scour the apartment for any signs of a threat. Not as my lips worked up along his jaw and around to his mouth. His arms tightened around mine, his lips parting as my tongue traced his lower lip. He groaned, succumbing to my charm for a moment, his hips grinding once against mine.

I gasped and he stepped out of my hold immediately; whether it was the fact that I was now well aware of his desire for me and it embarrassed him, or because we hadn't finished examining the place, I couldn't be sure. Either way, he cleared his throat, his jaw clenching, and turned away from me.

Throwing my arms in the air in amused exasperation, I gestured toward the bathroom and noted, "If you wanna check in there, I'll check my room. Then you can meet me in my room and we'll carry on where we left off, yeah?"

His darkened gaze fell on me once more and desire flooded me, warmed me straight down to my core at the heat in his eyes. A small, dangerous smirk curved at his lips and he nodded once, striding toward the bathroom intently.

Fighting the urge to fan myself, I practically skipped toward my room, assuring myself that Natasha and Strange didn't need us back that quickly. Bucky and I could take a few minutes to ourselves, right? Make out a little on my bed?

Why the fuck not?

Entering my bedroom, I peered around it; it was small, but cozy, like the rest of the apartment. The bed had a lilac-colored comforter stretched atop it, untouched since I had last been in the place. A few paintings I had done hung from the walls and a string of Christmas lights stretched around the room at the tops of the walls. I smiled slightly to myself and moved to the end table, picking up a picture of my brother and I.

Bucky had been curious when Eddie mentioned him, and I hadn't gotten a chance to tell him that I even had one. He stood tall next to me, over a foot taller than me, his muscular arm draped over my shoulder and hugging me to his side. He had a wide grin on his face, one I hadn't seen in years. His dark, chocolate eyes crinkled in the corners and his short, black hair was buzzed from his military days.

I hadn't seen him in a while and my heart ached at our last meeting. It hadn't been a good one, that was for damn sure. We left on terrible terms and I didn't think I would ever see him again.

With a sigh, I set it back down and made my way for the window, hands running along the sill and locks for any sign of tampering. There wasn't any, though my brow furrowed low over my eyes as I stroked the locks; they were undone, something that I knew I would never have left the last time I was home. I made certain to check them all and, even if I had them open to let a breeze drift through in the summer, the minute I left, I latched them all and went on my way.

My eyes narrowed and I flicked the locks shut. It was the only window in the apartment that was unlatched, I knew, or Bucky would have hastened into the room, thrown me over his shoulder - a lovely thought - and run from the place.

So I shrunk, my bones snapping and popping as I fell into my pupper form. Cocking my ears, I stood silently, listening for any sounds that I might not have picked up in my human state. I heard Bucky in the other room, rummaging a bit, probably checking for signs that anyone had been lurking about lately. I faintly heard Eddie through the wall, humming terribly to some pop song that he swore he never listened to.

But I heard nothing else. No sign of anyone breathing quietly in my closet, or under the bed, or behind the door. Still, I made for all of those places, nosing the door open and peering through my untouched clothes.

Nobody.

With a sigh of relief, I prepared to return to my human form when Bucky slipped softly into the room, his light eyes falling on me before widening and sweeping through the room. I yipped at him and shook my head, trotting to his side, tail wagging.

His shoulders relaxed and he glanced down at me, grinning softly, muttering, "I still can't believe that's you. I bet there aren't a lotta guys lucky enough to adopt a dog and get a beautiful woman out of it."

If I were human, I would have blushed; instead, I held up a paw, hoping he understood to give me a minute, before trotting from the room. He didn't follow, thankfully, and I made my way into the bathroom. I didn't want him to have to listen to me shift; it was unpleasant enough to have to go through, let alone have someone else - someone who had, not two minutes before, been hard at the thought of you - sit through it.

It took a moment or two and I found myself staring in the mirror, a wicked grin on my face and a gleam in my eye. Ruffling my hair into an appropriately attractive, messy state, I nodded once to myself. I had felt his hardness pressed against me and damn if I didn't want to feel it again. Dashing from the room, I hurried back to my bedroom, where Bucky was perched on the windowsill.

My heart flopped for a moment and I wondered if he knew I had left it unlocked the last time I had been home - a dangerous thing on my part, but the only explanation for it being open - but he turned from his surveillance with a grin. His eyes ran over me slowly, intently, and I shuddered slightly beneath his gaze.

Slowly crossing the room, I caught his chin with a hand and dipped my head; he readily accepted my kiss, his hands lifting to catch my waist and slip underneath my shirt. I melted against him, lips working languidly against his. Grinning softly, I enjoyed the feel of his stubble brushing against my skin, of his tongue tracing mine, of the rough groan escaping him as I rose to straddle his leg.

"The files-"

"Can wait," I assured him, the low, gravelly tone he'd spoken in guaranteeing he didn't care much for finding the files just yet anyway.

He hummed, hooking his metal arm firmly around my waist and rising to his feet. To steady myself, I wrapped my legs around his waist, the pair of us moaning at the friction between us. He toted me to the bed, dropping me to the mattress and crawling overtop of me. He hesitated for a moment, his brilliant blue eyes trailing over me, meeting my gaze in question.

Catching the back of his neck, I drew him to me, hooking one leg around his waist and pulling him closer to me. He came willingly to me, ducking his head and nosing at my neck with a hum. With a breathy laugh, I tilted my head, allowing him access to the soft column of my throat, where he lavished me with attention with his tongue, his lips, his teeth.

The tips of his long hair tickled my skin and I couldn't begin to fathom how, just a short while ago, I was hunting for this man, and now I was pinned beneath him, practically writhing against him, filled with lust.

God, it was unexpected, but most assuredly not unwanted.

Slipping my hand into his hair, I tugged lightly on his locks and earned a low, guttural growl from the super soldier. He pulled away from me, panting hard, eyes smoldering as he warned gruffly, "Don't do that."

"Why?" I questioned, biting my tongue, though I didn't remove my hand from his hair. Curling my fingers, I wondered if I had crossed a line. He was a man with a hazy past, a man from a time with better morals; maybe he wasn't ready for anything heavier than some steamy makeout sessions.

"Because," he replied, nipping at my jaw, his fingers straying up my stomach and tracing lightly beneath my bra. Shuddering beneath his touch and earning a lascivious smile from him, "If you don't stop that, I won't want to stop this."

And that's a problem, why? I wondered, nails dragging lightly against his scalp and marveling as he stiffened against me, cuz, seriously, no. Not seeing the problem here…

He nuzzled his nose against my jaw, kissing me softly and withdrawing his hand. I caught it, holding it against my hip, and drew him into another heated kiss. His didn't withdraw; in all honesty, he melded against me, his fingers stroking bare skin, his kiss taking on a frantic air that I couldn't help but meet with vigor.

Warmth spread through me, and want, and I mimicked his actions with my free hand, straying beneath the cloth of his shirt and brushing my fingers along the smooth, sharp contours of his stomach. He was built beautifully, and I couldn't help but groan, wanting to feel that flesh against my own.

He pulled away after a moment, not far, but far enough to have me chase after him. He grinned slightly, but noted, "They're gonna come looking for us. We need to grab those files before they think we ran off."

"We should run off," I brushed my nose against his, but I began to wiggle out from underneath him.

He groaned deeply and rocked himself hard against me before he could help himself, his gaze full of promise and desire, "Stop, Frumuseţe."

With a wink, I waited for him to push away from me and off the bed, saving him from anymore temptation, though I was desperate for it myself, before hauling myself onto admittedly trembling legs. Raking a hand through my hair, I made for the closet once more, dropping to my knees and crawling into the back. Grabbing a small, heavy safe, I dragged it out into the room, watching Bucky's eyes flit from my ass to my face, a lazy grin crossing his alluring mouth.

Clicking my tongue, I noted teasingly, "Naughty."

He lifted his metal shoulder and sat on the edge of the bed, staring down at me with interest. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, I punched in the code and opened the safe. The files were right where I had left them, unnoticed and untouched, and I exhaled softly in relief; nobody had been in my apartment after all. Amid the files, there were other valuables; jewelry I couldn't wear due to the nature of my rather volatile job, passports, identification cards with other aliases from my lovely SHIELD days…

"Alrighty," I muttered, spreading the files out across the floor and giving them a quick onceover. Examining the name tabs, I huffed, noting none of them began with a W, first names or last. Lips drawn to one side in annoyance, I clicked my tongue, "There better be a Mr. W in here…"

"There will be," Bucky assured me with a determined nod, "we'll find out who he is and when we do, we'll stop him."

"Hey, if you turn him in, maybe Fury will let you go," I mused with a grin, gathering the folders up once more and shutting the safe. Pushing it back to the closet, I crawled in and shoved it into its hiding place once more.

"Is this your brother?"

Fixing my clothes over the safe, I shuffled back out and stared up at the picture in his hands, "Yeah. That was taken when I graduated high school. He was so damn happy then."

"Is he-"

"He's still alive," I replied hurriedly, scratching at the nape of my neck and chewing on my lower lip, "he's just… lost."

Bucky tipped his head to one side, lifting a brow curiously and silently asking me to continue.

"A few years ago, there was an accident- well, not actually an accident. It was more of an incident. At the park. His wife and daughter, they were murdered. Gang violence. The last time I saw him was at their funerals; he was a mess, obviously. I was, too, but he… He couldn't handle it. He went off, just, flipped his shit. We got into a fight, he left; I haven't seen him since. I've tried to find him, but he knows how to hide. How to lay low. Unfortunately, it's a pretty useful family trait. If I had an idea of where he was…"

I trailed off dejectedly; I didn't like thinking about my brother, let alone talking about him. I wanted to help him, if I could; God knows he needed someone. But after our argument, he vanished, preferring to be alone with his misery than to share it with me. They hadn't meant something only to him, Maria and Lisa. I lost a sister-in-law and a niece, too.

"What's his name?"

Before I could respond, the squeak of metal caught our attention. It wasn't Bucky's arm, nor anything in my apartment. We sat upright, rigid, on high alert. Sharing a disconcerted glance, the two of us prepared to fight.

My eyes fell to the window and I got on my hands and knees, preparing to crawl over to it and peer outside. I didn't get a chance to before a loud thud echoed on the fire escape and Bucky pressed a hand to my head, shoving me down and out of sight.

"Bucky!" I hissed in a whisper, catching his hand and tugging hard, "c'mon; get under the bed!"

But before I could yank him down with me, there was a crash, the shattering of glass echoing through the small room, and then the super soldier went flying from the bed and into the wall. He wasn't alone, though; a large body dressed in black was currently shoving him to the ground and pummeling his face with meaty fists.

Bucky refused to lay still, though, his metal arm batting away the man's and catching his throat with tightening fingers. There was a snarl on his face, but he didn't squeeze, simply keeping the man at a distance. It didn't matter much, because the man's other hand was free and he was still swinging.

Cursing, I leapt to my feet and threw myself into the fray. Jumping on his back, I put him in a chokehold, though it didn't do much good. He was unperturbed and, in surprise at the sudden weight, he threw me off, into the nightstand by the bed. The impact smashed the cheap wood beneath me, fragments digging into my skin and showering over me.

"Fuck!"

"Charlie!"

That stopped the man in an instant. His square face lifted in surprise, his eyes widening. His fist hovered in the air, prepared to slam down on Bucky's bloodied face once more. But the sight of me had him far too stunned to continue beating him to a pulp.

The soldier didn't even worry about his own rapidly swelling face, staring at me hard in desperation, "Are you alright? Charlie?"

Kneeling back, he kept Bucky pinned beneath him, but he ran a hand over his buzzed hair, his jaw dropping as he repeated, stunned, "Charlie?"

"Yeah, dumbass, this is my apartment," I replied irritably, pushing myself from the now destroyed table and gingerly brushing the shards from my back, "didja seriously need to throw me?"

He pursed his lips, rolling his shoulders in discomfort and gestured to Bucky beneath him, "You know who this is, don't you? It's the goddamn Winter Soldier, Charlie! In your goddamn apartment! The fucking Winter Soldier."

Feigning surprise, I glanced at Bucky, querying, "Why didn't you tell me?! Mind getting off of him and not murdering him, big brother?"

He was reluctant, but I rose to my feet and made my way to the pair of them, inquiring softly, "You alright, Buck?"

"Fine," he muttered with a huff, though he grimaced in discomfort at the weight atop him. He said nothing, allowing my brother a moment or two to contemplate my request, but I was too irritated that he bloodied up my boyfriend to give him another second.

Shoving him hard in the shoulder - to which he didn't even budge, I sighed, "Jesus, get off him! I know who he is. He wouldn't be here if I didn't! I'm sort of… harboring him."

And dating him, but we'll save that for later, won't we? I didn't need him starting up another barrage of punches, now did I?

That brought him to his feet. He was six foot two of solid muscle and it showed; Bucky let out a heavy exhale and rubbed at his chest, drawing himself to his feet and wiping the blood from his nose. I would tend to him after dealing with the bonehead before me.

"You're harborin' a fugitive?" my brother inquired, equal parts angry and surprised, dipping his head and leveling me with a serious stare, "not only a fugitive, but the most wanted man on the fuckin' planet! What-"

My frustration with him melted quickly, though, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, catching him by surprise. He hugged me immediately, though, shaking his head and laughing disbelievingly, "I shouldn't be surprised; you brought home that fox when we were kids. Ma nearly had a heart attack, but you treated him like a goddamn puppy."

"It also helped that I had an affinity for canines," I snorted, tears pricking at my eyes and he pressed a kiss to my temple, "God, where have you been?"

"I been here," he replied, setting me to my feet and keeping me close to his side as he appraised the Winter Soldier; Bucky stared steadily back, blood trickling from his broken nose, though he didn't appear too irritated.

That was for my sake, I knew, and I was grateful, though not a little embarrassed. Poking my brother in the side, I forced him to release me and crossed the distance between me and the super soldier. I caught his hand and led him to my bed, digging through the remains of the nightstand for a tissue. He continued his silent staring contest with my brother, only glancing momentarily at me to offer him a soft smile as I let out a nervous apology and pressed the tissue to his nose.

"You got some explaining to do, Charlie," the tall, olive-skinned man at my back muttered grumpily.

"I'm not the only one," I replied, tossing a disbelieving glance over my shoulder and staying sat beside Bucky. Looping my arm through his, I leaned against him and stared curiously up at my brother. "What are you doing here? I didn't even know you were back. Why have you been staying in my apartment? And for how long?"

"It's a long story," he replied gruffly, running a hand along his scruffy, bruised face. It looked like Bucky wasn't the only one he had gotten into a disagreement with recently. Gesturing to the soldier, he quirked a dark brow. "Seems like you might have one, too."

Humming in agreement, I glanced between them, "If you promise not to get into another fight, we'll tell you all about it."

He nodded and, though he didn't extend a hand to Bucky, they shared a glance, untrusting but promising a ceasefire.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I gestured to my brother, "Bucky Barnes, Frank Castle. Frank Castle, Bucky Barnes."

/

DarylDixonsLover: Maybe she will, maybe she won't! Bucky doesn't want them to tell him yet; he's not ready to meet him again and Natasha's agreeing for now just for Charlie. But he'll find out soon!

Karina001: Oh yeah haha. He wasn't expecting that! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Kaiseriin: haha thank you! I'm so glad you liked it!

Doctowhoamypond: oh yes haha. Had to throw that in there! XD

Guest: Yes! I'm so glad you caught that haha! Not many people did! And I am planning on working him into it too!

Angel897: thank you!

Jomoisbae81: I'm sorry it took so long! I hate not updating my stories and I love this one so much!

RoxanneRay: Nope, you were totally right! I hope you liked the reveal in this chapter too! Consider it done! Not sure quite when it'll happen, but I'll work it in! :)