FROM/BROOKLYN.

@brooklynbred

She could feel her nerves starting to fray as she took a deep breath turning to Steve. "Do you think you'll be able to find whoever started this ring? I can't believe there were so many little girls in there." As she spoke, Kara kept her voice low, not wanting anyone in the booths around them to hear her. They'd been at the huge victorian home, delapadated and full of children all night. She didn't want to even leave when they did but after working for twenty four hours, she'd been told that she needed to go home.

Of course, when she was standing by her car, looking as though she might fall over from exhaustion, she'd felt an arm wrap around her and guid her to his car. As they were riding towards her small apartment in Bel Air, the home that she let him know about, she realized that there was no food and asked to stop at the small diner they often ate in. Of course, part of her could have waited but she didn't want to be alone, knowing once she went to sleep the nightmares would be horrible.

"I've never seen so many little girls like that. We deal with this all the time, our division but it's usually one or two, or a ring of CP being passed around. Honestly... I don't know what I think about all this, Steve. Those little girls are going to need years of counciling and I'm not sure even then it's going to really work. I've got a good program but..." Her fingers nervously rubbed at the design on her coffee mug.

But that aside , and the mountain of paperwork he'd be buried in about this for likely a month after it was all said and done , he could see how much this was affecting Kara. She was excellent at her job , which was saying something considering her job was tracking down these horrible places people found themselves in , but she was still only one person. One person he happened to care very much about. It really hadn't taken long before she came to LA that he had fallen hard for her. All that paperwork to make sure they were above board had been worth that time , and the added hours of sleep he lost worrying about her.

He'd caught her outside the station. One of the officers in the bullpen telling Captain Rogers that he had just watched her walk out. He still had the night left in his shift , but he wanted to make sure she at least got home safely. He remembered how tired she looked a couple hours before. Managing to catch her before she got in her car , it hadn't taken long to convince her to let him drive her home , and he'd send an officer to come get her to bring her back to her car after she'd gotten some rest. No reason to have to call the 118 because she fell asleep.

The drive to her apartment turned into stopping for a bite to eat. He hadn't eaten recently , and wanted to make sure she got something in her before he saw her home. She was really something. Still worrying about those kids , and finding the energy to do so despite nearly falling asleep at her car.

@brooklynbred

Admittedly, even as they had ventured into space, Bucky had remained at least a little unconvinced that they were going to actually find the r e a l Steve Rogers on the M O O N. He had taken an armored punch from Tony Stark just for the chance though, regardless. No matter how much his mind didn't want to hold out hope, it was at odds with the faith he had in Steve.

He wasn't sure what it said about the measure of his self-worth...the fact that he was so willing to accept the idea that Steve would want to go back to a more familiar time and spend his entire life with a woman that he had known for less time than the two men had lived together before the war. Nevermind how much longer he and Bucky had known each other.

On top of that, Peggy Carter and Howard Stark's knowledge on HYDRA's infiltration of SHIELD went much deeper than anyone really knew. Bucky knew, though...he remembered them. Peggy had the small shred of decency to look at him like he was a drowned puppy...

He was rather surprised that he managed to bounce back as quickly as he had . . . he had only been out of that cryo pod for a few days, going on a week maybe? And Steve was already wanting to get on his feet and get moving around. But that probably had more to do with Steve's natural need to not stay down for long. It simply wasn't in his nature.

Steve would have been hopeless if it wasn't for the fact that Bucky was there. Just like before he became Captain America Bucky had always been the one to come in when Steve needed someone to keep him down to rest, and that was exactly what he did. Even if it meant being away from his family.

Bucky's hand on his shoulder was something of a comfort to him, and he allowed himself to relax slightly before looking up to the love of his life. The way the two of them joked was something like nothing Steve had ever experienced since the brunette. Space was never a place he thought they would end up in his wildest dreams . . . and here they both were.

" Trust me . . . I think I'm about done with anything cold from now on. " He was actually thinking it was about time their families took a vacation somewhere nice and warm. " Think you're up for goin for a walk with me? Stretch my legs a little? " Even if it was just down the hall and back, he was itching to get back on his feet.

As soon as their hands met, Bucky intertwined their fingers, giving Steve's a soft squeeze. As soon as Steve was situated, he pulled their hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to Steve's knuckles before resting his cheek against them, his own elbow resting on the arm of his chair. The smile on his face was softer, more content, even if he could tell his eyes were hooded with tiredness. Shame his brain wasn't on the same wavelength as his body.

"It wasn't a nightmare, if that's what's worrying you," he murmured, pressing another gentle kiss to Steve's fingertips. They didn't come as often now – Bucky liked to think having someone beside him helped settle his mind. That didn't mean he was free of them, but it was much better to wake up to Steve's face than in the darkness alone. Besides, he'd promised he wouldn't keep those secret, even if they were one of his quieter ones.

"Just couldn't settle," he continued, tapping the fingers of his other hand against his thigh. It happened from time to time, the triggers were never really that obvious. Sometimes he could point to what had set his senses on edge, a trip to a busy store on one of his bad days, or a flashback. It led to a night of tossing and turning, the sheets too soft or too scratchy or too warm or too cold. Or all of the above. "Thought some fresh air might help."

He looked out at the city skyline again. The lights were brighter than they ever had been when they were young, but there was still something comforting in the similarities.

There had been a time when Steve was the one up all night . . . unable to settle. He could remember how patient Bucky had always been with him. It never really seemed to bother him. That was likely why Steve had fallen in love with him so quickly. Even if he didn't say anything about it.

While their hands entwined together, he smiled softly when Bucky placed a kiss upon his didgets. The road the who had to take had been unlike anything Steve could have expected. But he wasn't one for complaining. Steve had always had to appreciate the little things . . . and the journey he and Bucky had to take to get where they were now was no exception.

" That's fair . . . I think that fabric softener we got is too soft. " He mused casually, lightly playing with Buck's hand in his. When he asked if he would sit with him, he couldn't help but smirk at the question, a slight furrow to his brows.

" Of course . . . Been a while since we just sat out. Remember when we used to sneak out on the fire escape and watch the sun come up? "

BARNES FAMILY MOMENTS: @marvelmyriad ( as jamie barnes )

what steve and bucky were doing during their 7 hour flight to siberia in the quinjet

The night air was cool against his clammy skin, a gentle breeze ruffling the strands of hair that had escaped the hasty bun he'd thrown it up into. If he closed his eyes, Bucky could almost pretend he was sitting out on their fire escape on a hot night back before it all went to shit, when it had been nauseatingly soupy in their shoebox of an apartment and Bucky'd drag their mattresses out the window, shoving them next to each other on the fire escape. It wasn't much better, but it was something. He remembered laying there like a sweaty starfish, legs handing over the edge, only able to bear touching Steve with the tips of his fingers.

Taking a drag from the cigarette in his fingers, he let his mind focus fully on the sensation of heat in his lungs before exhaling it out into the night. Smoking did nothing for him other than feel familiar. Grounding. Honestly, he only kept the pack in his night stand for these such occasions. The movements, the ritual of it, felt settled in his bones.

He jumped a little at the sound of a voice behind him, but almost instantly his muscles relaxed again, and when he tipped his head back to look at Steve, there was a tired smile on his face. He'd had his back to the french doors that led back inside, sitting on one of the fancy chairs they kept out on the balcony, but it still surprised him Steve had managed to sneak up on him.

Having Bucky back . . . Steve couldn't help but feel HYPER-VIGILENT when it came to him. He took way too much responsibility for Bucky's recovery. Far more than what was FAIR for him, but it wasn't ever really going to change. It went beyond any guilt he ever felt for what happened. This had more to do with the YEARS Bucky spent being just that for Steve when he had needed it. Now he could return the favor.

Steve hadn't woken up when Bucky left the bed, but he CERTAINLY did when he rolled over, and his hand fell on an EMPTY SPOT in the bed. His brows furrowed, and when he opened his eyes and saw the spot where Bucky HAD been sleeping, he was sitting up in an instant to go and investigate where he might be.

He should have KNOWN Bucky would be out here. It brought back memories from before the war for Steve to. Back when things were simpler. Coming out onto the porch, he saw those hands REACHING for him, and instinctively reached to take his. A soft smile on his lips before reaching for the other chair and pulling it over. Shrugging off his question about waking him. Even if he HAD, he wouldn't have admitted it.