A/N: Wow, that was a longer hiatus than I meant it to be. I was having second thoughts about where to take the story, and I haven't quite ironed them out yet, but I figured I should at least resolve that cliff-hanger while I do :)

"HE DID WHAT?!" The vein in Schaeffer's neck stands out half an inch, and he looks ready to have an aneurysm on the spot.

"We tried to stop him, sir, but he wouldn't listen… And you know how Barnes is. ...It was like trying to hold back a freight train." Olsen continues miserably, shoulders hunched.

"You're telling me… that James- Bucky ...fucking ….Barnes... A living piece of US history… is in an unsaveable house ...that could collapse at any minute... and he went in there on my watch?" There's a barely contained hysterical edge in the lieutenant's voice. "Is that what you're telling me?"

"... More or less…" Olsen answers, rubbing at the back of his head uncomfortably.

"Oh god, Captain America's gonna murder me…" The lieutenant groans, dropping his face into his hands.

"He probably wouldn't-"

"You have any idea what he did to the last people that let something happen to that guy?!" Schaeffer interrupts, voice turning slightly shrill. "There's nothing left of them! He-"

A window on the upstairs landing of the house abruptly explodes outward, interrupting him before he can spiral into utter panic.

A very dirty and laden down fire-fighter bursts through it in a spectacular shower of glass and flaming debris, left arm braced in front of his face to take the brunt of the crash-through. He lands awkwardly on his feet, staggers a bit, then trots over to the ambulance crew and gently starts to unload his hangers-on. Once he's got an arm free, he tears the helmet off and stands there sucking in deep lungfulls of precious smoke-free air. The fireman is limping a bit on one side, but he's upright, still breathing, and he saved lives. That's what matters.
Bucky looks much more pleased with the situation than he really ought to be.

The woman around his neck is nearly hysterical when they reach the safety perimeter, and for a few moments, she won't let go. She's too upset to think of anything but 'hold on and don't let go'.
She's really not thinking at all. Just reacting. He can understand the feeling.
Bucky goes for soothing, rather than just forcing her to drop away.

"Hey, hey it's ok. You're ok now." He murmurs to her reassuringly. "Didn' I tell you I'd get you out?" He cranes his face around a little closer and gently pats her arm. "You did great." Bucky adds when he hears a loud half-muffled sniffle. "You're very brave. Made my job a lot easier. C'mon down, it's ok to let go now."

He can feel her shaking against him, trembling with fear, adrenaline and just general stress-overload. He allows her to cling until eventually, she loosens her grip and lets the EMTs detach her. He stands back while they ease her down to the ground. She goes quietly into the ambulance, leaning heavily against the uniformed woman who's partner is prepping an oxygen mask, and sticking close to her husband's side as they load him onto a stretcher. She still looks terrified, but she's grounded enough to handle it now. She can function.

She's doing a lot better than some who've been in her position, he'll give her that.

"Barnes."
The tone of the voice tells him he's in trouble. He doesn't even have to turn around to know it's Lt. Schaeffer. … And he doesn't sound happy.
"I need to speak to you. Now."

…Oh yeah. He's definitely in trouble.