One Night Stand (A Bucky Barnes Fanfiction)

Self Defense

"I'm sorry, you expect me to do WHAT?"

Just as I expected Jade was pissed when Steve and I told her what the plan was, the plan that would keep her safe and alive. Neither of those points, although explained thoroughly by both Steve and myself, seemed to matter to her. She stood in the center of the room while Steve and I sat at the table, fresh out of the shower, her curls hidden in the towel twisted around her head and dressed in the clothes that Steve had brought her, a pair of dark grey sweats and a plain black v neck.

Steve and I had asked her to talk the moment she had stepped out of the bathroom, the faint hint of red still on her cheeks and her demeanor timid, no doubt still embarrassed from Steve walking in on us kissing. Well, almost kissing. All of the adorable embarrassment and timidness left the moment she heard that we expected her to stay holed up in this motel with me until tomorrow morning, which was the soonest Steve could arrange transport, where she would then have to stay at the compound until we handled the situation. The part where she couldn't contact anyone to let them know she was alright was what really set her off.

"Jade, this is for your safety," Steve reminded her.

"I don't care. I have a job. I have friends. I have family. I call my mother every Wednesday for our weekly chat, if I don't do that she'll know something is up and-," she broke off her eyes going wide. "Oh my god Iris is going to come home today and realize that I am gone. She was at Brandons last night. She will report me missing in a heart beat, especially if I don't answer my phone- oh my god I dropped my phone when that Hans Gruber wanna be tried to kidnap me! Iris is gonna lose it. She will call the damn FBI if she has too! My parents are going to freak out!"

She was pacing now, holding the sides of her head, looking to be in full panic mode. I looked to Steve, eyebrows raised in a 'told you so' fashion. He rolled his eyes at me and rose from the table, walking to her and taking her by the biceps, stopping her pacing and forcing eye contact. I ignored the tinge of jealousy I felt at Steve touching her.

"Jade, listen to me," he said, his voice soft, reassuring, just what she needed. "I promise you that everything will work out in the end, I'm giving you my word. But in the mean time, to keep you safe, to keep you alive, you have to stay hidden, you cant talk to anyone because that will put them in danger also. Do you understand?"

Jade nodded wordlessly.

"The safest place and person for you to be with, is Bucky," he said looking at me. Her bright brown eyes followed. I smiled weakly at her, trying, and most likely failing, to be as reassuring as Steve was. "He will keep you safe. He will protect you. And while he's making sure you're okay, I will be handling everything else," he looked back down at her and she turned to look up at him. "And the moment, I mean the literal second that this is all done with, I will let you call your mom, dad, coworkers, friends, or whoever. Okay?"

She was nodding again, but this time her brow was furrowed. "But...my job...I'll be fired and I am up for a promotion. I have worked so hard for-."

"That in comparison to your life is nothing," Steve pointed out. "This is a matter of life or death, Jade."

She looked torn, but again she was nodding, taking a deep shuddering breath and looking up at Steve. "Okay, I trust you Captain-I mean Steve."

Damn he's good, I thought watching him smile down at her before releasing her arms after a gentle squeeze. "I am going to go. I don't want to stay here too long in case I am being followed, but I will check in tonight, Buck. And I will be back at 7:00am to transport you both to the compound. Okay?"

He looked to me and I nodded. Jade moved away from him and sat on the bed, looking off slightly dazed. I rose from my feet when Steve slipped out the door, hearing the lock engage, but still putting in the chain on the door anyway. I turned back to find Jade had scooted up on the bed and was hugging her knees, her eyes watery. I went to her side, sitting on the bed carefully, my hand came up, wanting to touch her, to comfort her, but also wanting to respect her space it dropped back down to my lap.