Abort Mission

                                    

                                          
The team wasn't surprised that Jade and Bucky were dating. Tony was a bit disappointed that Cap wasn't the super soldier Jade had fallen in love with, but he accepted her decision after a bit of pouting. They all decided to have dinner together before the mission tomorrow and go over the plan again. Jade sat half-listening with her hand in Bucky's. Her mind drifted back to the man in the file from earlier. 
She still couldn't process that he was alive. He was supposed to be dead. Killed in a government building explosion twenty years ago. The police had confirmed that it was his body they had found. They matched his dental records to one of the badly burned corpses they pulled from the charred building. If he was back and working for Hydra again, it was only a matter of time until he got to her. And this time he'd make sure he was successful.
She looked over to Bucky who was locked in conversation with Steve and Sam about the mission. She could tell him. She could come clean about her past. 
No. He'll never trust you again. None of them will. 
Jade sighed knowing that she had no choice but to keep her past a secret. If Bucky or the team found out who she really was, they would never trust her again. Maybe if she had told them sooner, it wouldn't be an issue, but she let fear overcome her and now it was too late. She'd lose Bucky and Steve forever. As her thoughts continued to swirl, she felt Bucky squeeze her hand. 
"Are you okay?" He whispered.
"Yeah." Jade gave him the best smile she could fake. "I'm just really tired. It's been a long day."
"You wanna go home?"
"Home." Jade said quietly.
She had never quite considered any place home. When she was younger, she moved around so often that no place ever seemed to fit the definition of a home. But with Bucky, anywhere felt like home as long as he was with her.
"Yeah, doll. Home." Bucky smiled at her, proud that he finally felt like he could call his apartment a home.
Jade's lips lifted at the corners and she nodded. Bucky stood as he told the team they were leaving and Jade followed his lead, giving the others a wave. 
"Five AM sharp, Barnes." Tony yelled, as they walked out of the room.
~
Jade and Bucky arrived at the compound at four thirty the next morning. She was exhausted and anxious. Memories plagued her and kept her from sleeping, not to mention she had worried about Bucky and Steve going on the mission. What if it wasn't as easy as Tony said it would be? What if they were injured or worse, killed. What would she do if they didn't come back?
Jade walked to the hanger tucked under Bucky's arm. Her arm was wrapped around his back and her fist gripped tightly to his shirt. He could feel the nervousness radiating off of her, but just attributed it to being left alone while everyone left for the mission. When they reached the hanger, Bucky sat Jade down on some cargo crates and stood between her legs.
"We'll be back tonight, sugar. I know you're worried, but we'll be okay." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
Jade leaned her head against his chest and blew out a breath as she tried to quell her tears. When she looked up at Bucky, he held her cheek and brushed his lips against hers. 
"I promise I'm coming back. Nothing in this universe could keep me away from you."
Jade smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his waist. They stood like that until Steve approached them.
"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm going to bring him back to you." Steve clapped his hand down on Bucky's shoulder.
"You better both come home to me." Jade said standing and pulling Steve into a hug.