Author's notes: Back from Poland! I loved it so much I didn't want to leave but here's a new chapter hope you guys enjoy! Sorry it's been a million years. Traveling. Adult life. I turned 23 so that's fun. Now grad school. I don't even know. Life is crazy. Hope you enjoy!

People that live in the Tower: Darcy, Steve, Bucky, Tony, Pepper, Jane, Thor, Natasha, Sam, Clint, Bruce, Jarvis counts and (Loki has a room when he wants it) (Pietro, Wanda, and Vision live in apartment nearby) (T'Challa and the rest are in Wakanda obvi)

Why does he always smell so good?

The man wrapped around her back chuckled and Darcy let out a groan, "Did I say that out loud?"

"Yeah, doll."

Darcy rolled over, facing Bucky, burrowing herself into his chest. His metal hand rubbed up and down her back under her shirt, the coolness causing her to sigh. She had woken up early in the morning with a minor case of heat stroke, and after elbowing Bucky in the nose, she had stripped from Bucky's delicious smelling sweater in favor of a tank top. But she did have delicious smelling Bucky himself instead of his sweater, which was better, "I should be embarrassed but you smell like a mix of leather, books, and cookies."

"That's an odd mix."

Darcy smiled as Bucky tightened his grip around her and pulled her even closer, "It's what I imagine my Amortentia to smell like."

"Am-what?"

Darcy pulled away, her eyes wide as her hand grabbed his chin, "You're a wizard Bucky. Put Harry Potter on your list please."

Bucky leaned down and he pressed a kiss to her hair as he made an affirmative noise. The couple stayed burrowed into each other for a few seconds, just enjoying the peace and quiet of the early morning until a small beeping broke through the silence. Darcy's head popped up as she squinted her eyes blurrily at the clock on the nightstand, the letters shining together.

"What time does that say?"

"Ten?"

"What!?" Darcy shot up, accidentally elbowing Bucky in the stomach as she threw her body over his, scrambling to grab the clock, holding it an inch away from her face.

10:32AM

"No no no no no no no no. Oh god, he's gonna kill me."

A loud banging sounded at her apartment door, "Darcy! Open the fuck up!"

Darcy squeaked loudly and she threw the clock across the room before clambering over Bucky once again. She dove under the covers, pulling Bucky with her. As he began to protest, Darcy straddled him, placing her hand across his mouth, shushing him.

The knocking sounded louder and Bucky moved to get out of bed, but Darcy wrapped herself around him like a koala, preventing his escape. He grunted as her legs wrapped tight around his waist.

"What do you want Clint?!" Darcy shouted causing Bucky to wince.

"Fury wants to talk to you!"

"What the fuck?" Darcy mumbled peaking her head out from under the covers, "Tell him I'm busy and to fuck off."

"He's standing right here. He says to get your ass off of Bucky and get out here."

"Back off pirate man. We'll debrief in the afternoon. And Bucky's ass is on me not the other way around."

Bucky threw her a startled glance but she just smiled before licking him on the nose.

Fury's frustrated voice flowed through the door, "Ms. Lewis, you very well know I have the override code to every door."

"Unless you want to see the very scandalous position Bucky and I are in, I hope you reconsider. And don't forget I still have enough information to blackmail your ass. Or did you forget about that? How about I tell everyone about that time I saw you dancing around wearing a s-"

Fury coughed, "Right. Yes. See you in the afternoon."

"Wait, I want to know this sensitive information!" Clint screamed.

"Go away Clint! I'll tell you later."

"Ugh fine."

After being interrupted by Clint and Fury, Darcy and Bucky laid silently next to each other, trying to enjoy their last few peaceful moments of the day.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Fury wants me to go on missions again." Bucky whispered.

Darcy waited as silence stretched between them.

"And you don't want to go?"

Bucky shrugged, "Even when I first enlisted, I never wanted to go to war. I've never been built for this life. I just felt like it was my duty. And then I swore to follow Steve to the ends of the earth. And then Hydra. This isn't the life I imagined for myself."

Darcy rolled over and reached out running her fingers across his cheek, "So what did you want to be when you were a kid?"

Bucky paused before smiling and Darcy began to run her finger through his hair as he reminisced wistfully, "I was always into science. I remember going to Howard Stark's science convention right before enlisting. I thought it was amazing, I was a huge science nerd."

Darcy smiled, "Then why don't you ask Tony if you can help around his lab?"

Bucky rolled his eyes, "You can't be serious."

"I'm not serious. I am Darcy. And yes I am serious."

"FATHER-MAN I HAVE A PADAWAN FOR YOU."

"I swear to fucking god Lewis if you brought another fucking porg into my lab, we are going to have words."

"No sir! I swear this Padawan is a true man."

"Fine."

Darcy rounded the corner, dragging a miserable looking Bucky by the hand, "So, padre, Bucky here was interested in some stuff."

Tony turned around in surprise and met Bucky's nervous eyes. Tony's gaze drifted over to Darcy and her eyes pleaded with him not to fight her on this until she explained.

Turning back to his workbench, he waved him over and Darcy pushed Bucky forward. Bucky stumbled slightly before walking slowly...but surely over to Tony. Never having seen the man stumble, he must have been really nervous. Bucky stepped up and Tony pushed some stuff into his hands and plopped him into a chair.

Darcy smiled as she watched Bucky begin to ask Tony questions and Tony answered them all seriously, showing him what he was working on.

"I just want an answer."

"I don't have an answer."

Tony sighed, "But come on. I mean why is James spelled with "s"? Why is it plural? More than one Jame. How many James?"

Darcy flopped back down onto Bucky's bed with a sigh, "Fury wants me to go on the mission to meet Natasha tomorrow."

Bucky's eyes narrowed, "Alone?"

Darcy nodded, her eyes closed as she rubbed roughly against her head, a migraine forming behind her eyes. Her day had been long. Once she had dropped Bucky off at Tony's lab, Fury had demanded her presence. And being with that man for more than a few minutes at a time was torture. Especially when he was in ultra-spy-mode. Groaning at the pounding in her head, she pressed down hard on her forehead hoping to stop the pain. She felt Bucky swat her hands away and his own gentle, surprisingly soft ones rubbed gently over her forehead in a soothing manner.

"You're not going alone." His voice was rough and Darcy squinted up at him.

"I can take care of myself."

Bucky's eyes darkened, "I know you can, doll. But you're not going alone. If Hydra is there they won't hold back."

Darcy sat up, pushing his hand away, "Bucky, we've been through this."

"You don't know what they're like." Bucky reached out to her, but once again Darcy swatted his hand away and stood up her eyes blazing.

"I don't know what they're like?! Are you fucking kidding me? They had me in their clutches for days. They tortured me. Do you think they just sat me down and gave me tea? I know they're not something to fuck with."

Bucky's eyes flashed and he took a step toward her, but she just held up her hand.

"No."

"Doll. Look at me." His voice cracked.

Darcy turned her back to him, her body tense. Bucky's stomach dropped as he swallowed knowing he had fucked up.

"I'm sorry. I'm just worried. You have to know that."

Darcy sunk low in her seat wishing she was still in her comfortable bed instead of the conference room. She pillowed her head on her arms as she rested against the table, Bucky beside her the only one alert. She was still mad at him, even though she knew where he was coming from. She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye and watched as his gaze snapped away from her and back toward Coulson, who was lecturing at the head of the table.

Darcy sighed, her eyes closing. The rest of team was clearly thinking the same thing as her as half of them were asleep and the other half on the verge. Thor was using Mjolnir as a pillow. Clint's feet were propped up in Bruce's lap, his head resting against Jane, who was quietly snoring in her seat. Tony's face was plastered flat against the glass table. She wondered how much the tabloids would pay to know that he drooled a lot. Steve's head was propped up on his fist, his eyes closing a little too long to be just blinks. The only person missing was Sam, who was still in bed. That fucker.

Phil had dragged the team out of bed to plan for meeting Natasha in a few hours. Fury wanted to send Darcy in alone, but the team wasn't okay with that. So now, Coulson was in charge of the new plan which included all of the Avengers. The only problem was it was 3 am.

Everything was going fine, fine as in Coulson was lecturing as everyone continued sleeping and ignoring him.

As Darcy began to doze, she felt a hand rub hesitantly up and down her back. She stiffened a little before looking over at Bucky.

"I'm sorry." He mouthed.

Darcy shook her head, "I'm sorry too."

She scooted her chair closer to his, Coulson glaring at her as the chair groaned against the floor. She stuck her tongue out at him and leaned against Bucky, his hand drawing random designs against her side as she half-listened to Coulson's rambling.

The hours passed, yet somehow the team was still stuck in the conference room. Darcy had no idea what was going on, Coulson seemed to be talking about ferrets? Or maybe parrots? It was too early for this. Bucky's metal hand ran over her hair and she mumbled wishing for quiet.

But her wish didn't come true as an alarm blared loudly throughout the room.

Tony lifted his head slowly, red marks all over his face as he mumbled, "Another break in?"

Clint rolled his eyes, before curling back up against Jane, "This is the fifth one this week."

Darcy sat up with a wide smile and held out her hands, "Haha fuckers! Hand it over! I knew there was going to be another break-in before the end of the month."

"Ms. Lewis. Could you please be more professional."

Darcy snorted, "I happen to be very professional, excuse you very much."

Coulson's eyebrow shot up in disbelief.

Darcy smirked, "I'm always aggressively thinking about having sex with Bucky and I'm able to keep a straight face at the same time. Do you know how hard that is? The fact that I'm not always talking about jumping his bones during work hours, is a feat. And nah uh oh. This does not count. It is three fucking am."

"Leave now." Coulson rubbed the bridge of his nose aggressively.

"Can't we're on lockdown."

Coulson glared at her and she smiled widely at him. He let out a sigh before stalking across the room, muttering to himself about how was this his life.

The team remained relaxed as the alarm sounded loudly. Break-ins had been happening so frequently, it had become a typical occurrence. Nothing out of the ordinary until a broadcast came through.

"Turn over the Winter Soldier's soulmate and we will leave."

Darcy's face went slack as everyone's gaze shot to her in horror. Bucky's face was white as a sheet. Without a word, he shot from his seat and was out the door before anyone could move. Darcy blinked, her heart pounding in her chest as she stared at the closed door.

She swallowed hard and forced a smile, "Well, I guess Hydra is back on its kidnapping kick for me?"

Jane moved over to the empty chair beside Darcy and grabbed her hand, "How did they found out he has a soulmate? Do we still have a spy in SHIELD?"

Darcy smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes, "No, don't worry Jane. I'm sure it's nothing."

Steve shot to his feet, his finger flying to his ear, as a faint voice sounded out in the silent room. Darcy's grip on Jane's hand tightened as she watched the alarm on his face. Steve knocked Clint's feet off of Bruce, nudged Tony, and asked Jarvis to call Sam "We're needed at the front. Suit up. Meet me there in five."

The rest of the Avengers rushed out of the room, telling Jane and Darcy to stay put and lock down the room like they always did.

Jarvis turned on the radio that connected to the team's earpieces and Jane and Darcy huddled around it as they listened to the team make their way to their positions.

"Tony on your right, five guys."

"Sam, Bucky is around the corner, go help him."

"Steve, we have a problem over here."

"I have visual, Clint, hold out we'll be there soon."

Darcy's heart was in her throat as she listened.

"Tony, level 30, now. They have Bucky."

Darcy shot up and Jane grabbed her arm, "You can't."

"I can't do nothing."

"Darcy! No!"

But she was gone. Jane's heart sank as the door once again slammed shut. She was safe. But Darcy wasn't. Jane looked down at the radio and knew what she had to do.

"Clint..."

Darcy shot down the hall. She was almost there. Her feet slipped on the ground as she rounded the corner. She slammed into a desk and pushed off it vaulting herself into the center of the room. Hydra agents littered the floor in front of her. There was at least a dozen of them. With Bucky in the middle of them all.

Tony had his blaster trained on them, but he wouldn't be able to hit them without hitting Bucky too. Bucky was struggled against the Hydra agents hold but froze as a gun was shoved against his temple.

"Stop!"

The whole room froze.

Everybody turned to face her as she continued walking toward the Hydra agents. Her gaze locked with Bucky's as his face dropped with horror. Tony flew over, landing at her side, trying to place himself in front of her. But she just moved around him, throwing him a stern glare as she stalked closer to the Hydra agents.

"I'll go with you. Just let him go."

The Hydra agents watched her cautiously, but within a second an agent shoved Bucky into the wall, whacking his gun across his face. Bucky slammed to the ground with a groan. A few agents surrounded him, keeping him on the ground as he struggled to get up. Another agent grabbed Darcy roughly forcing her to stand surrounded by agents.

"No!" A shout sounded from behind her and Darcy's heart sank.

Everybody was helpless as they watched the Hydra agents lead her away, their guns trained on Darcy. She would never forget the first time a gun had been aimed at her. She had never known true terror until that moment. You would think after all these years and all the kidnappings she would be used to it. But feeling the barrel of a gun pressed against her back was not a reassuring feeling. Darcy walked slowly with her head up, two Hydra agents on her sides, their fingers digging deep into her arms.

A loud whistle blew throughout the ungodly quiet room and Darcy dropped to the ground like dead weight.

An electric burst shot out and all the Hydra agents were shocked, their weapons dropping to the ground as their bodies shook and then finally collapsed.

Darcy jumped up and brushed off her now dirty shirt with a smile as Clint dropped down beside her. She turned and high-fived him, "I knew our plan would work! See you were doubting me. We've been planning this for years. I had it all ironed out."

"I believe you now. Thank you for dropping on cue this time."

"Thank Tony for updating my taser."

Tony snorted as he landed down beside her, his eyes running up and down her figure ensuring that she hadn't been injured, "Well, you kept feeling the need to defend yourself against guns with a taser so I figured it was the least I could do."

Darcy watched as Clint's gaze flitted to behind her, his eyes growing wide and alarmed. Darcy's face screwed up as she dreaded turning around.

"Uh oh. Mad soulmate?"

Clint grimaced, "Furious soulmate."

"You can't tell me what to do."

"I'm your soulmate."

"Oh hO HO. Does that make you in charge of me?!"

"I just don't want you hurt!"

"News flash this is my job."

"You ran headfirst toward Hydra!"

"No, I ran headfirst toward you! And I would do it again!"

"No, you won't!"

"Try me buster!"

Steve sat down beside Darcy.

"I'm mad at him."

There was a beat of silence before Steve began to speak, "You know I've known Bucky since we were children. You remind me a lot of myself. Eager. Always jumping into danger. Sometimes without thinking. Sometimes with thinking. Just know that he cares. So much. He just wants you safe."

Darcy scowled, "But I'm not gonna be safe in this field of work. He can't keep me in a padded room forever. I know how to fight. I can shoot. I've been kidnapped. Tortured. Everything. I'm not a doll."

Steve smiled sadly, "No, but you are his doll."

Darcy glared at him.

Steve nudged her shoulder, "Just don't stay too mad at him. He just wants you safe. Just remember that. He's not trying to control you. And don't let him push you away. He's going to realize now that people are going to come after you because of him. And he's going to try to make you stay away from him."

Darcy's fist slammed repeatedly on Bucky's door until he finally opened it, "Wha—doll?"

Darcy poked him in the chest hard, "You are not allowed to pull away from me. I don't care if you think you're bad for me or if you think I'm in danger because of you, but I'm not going anywhere and if you try to run I will hunt you down. But I am still pissed at you so I'm gonna go but if you vanish just know I will have Jarvis kick your ass."

And then like a storm she was gone and Bucky stood confused in his doorway. Steve passed by the door with a smile.

"She sure is something, Buck."

"I don't know if I'm worth all this."

"Mr. Barnes, Ms. Lewis stated if you said anything self-deprecating to relay this message to you, "Shut your pretty model face up, you are worth so much. Especially to me."

Author's notes: Annnnnnd finish. That chapter took way too long to write. I literally can't believe it's been months. Apologies again I feel like I haven't slept in like four months because I've been so busy but I'm still writing I promise :D I love you all!

Next up: Natasha and Darcy...some throwbacks to their relationship and Bucky and Darcy have a legit heart to heart