This fic is a bit of a mine flush while I'm getting ready for nanowrimo. I have some more chapters for others fics written than need to be edited before uploading, so they will hopefully be done and uploaded in the coming weeks. Let me know if you enjoy this!

Chapter 1

The rain started during the drive to the tower and had continued while the brown haired man pulled his single duffel bag out of the car boot, waved goodbye to the driver and turned to look at the place that he now, apparently, lived in. He wasn't sure what time the place opened for the day but with the dozens of people walking in and out of the front door it was probably okay for him to go in, though he was nervous he'd be told to leave.

Another worry was that he'd be recognized which could lead to a whole host of new problems he didn't feel like dealing with. What if a civilian recognized him? He knew footage of him had been caught during one of the fights out in the street with Rogers…what if they called the authorities on him? What if he wasn't actually meant to be here?

He sucked in a chest of air and walked in through the automatic doors, hoping he hadn't gotten too drenched standing out in the rain. He was thankful for his bulky hoodie and that he was at least somewhat warm with it on (it's main purpose was to help hide his metal arm.)

Crossing through the doors into the lobby of the building was like walking into another world full of warm, dry air and tasteful décor. Everyone in the lobby looked like some sort of business professional or scientist, in neat clothes with straight posture and loud, tapping footsteps that kept him alerted to where everyone was. There was a woman standing straight and still at the reception desk, talking to the young man who worked as the receptionist. She had strawberry blonde hair, closer to red than blonde and was wearing a skirt and jacket set that looked like it would have cost quite a bit. He stopped walking and stood a short distance back from her, watching, unsure what to do.

He looked down at the piece of scrunched paper in his flesh hand and looked at the name written on it; Pepper Pots. He glared at his hand, why was it shaking? A pair of shoes were closer to him, pointing towards him and when he looked up they belonged to the lady with the more-red-than-blonde hair. She was smiling at him, with her hands holding a folder in front of her chest.

"Mister Barnes?" She asked.

He blinked. How did she-

"…Potts?" He asked. His throat felt oddly dry and it was a little difficult to talk. He hoped that would go away.

Her smile grew wider and she gave a quick nod then held a hand out, obviously for him to shake.

"Oh of course, sorry. I'm used to business meetings. Don't shake if you're not comfortable with it. Follow me, I'll take you upstairs and show you around."

He nodded and she spun on her heel and walked past the reception desk, heading towards a wall of elevators. The man at the desk gave a wave to him as he walked past, following after Potts before looking back at the computer in front of him.

"The man at the desk is Jason, he works mornings and a woman called Sarah works afternoons and sometimes evenings if the tower is open later than normal." Pepper told him while they waited for the elevator. "If you need help with anything and you'd rather ask a person, those two would be your best bet. They know this city back to front. They're very good at the job."

A light switched on with a loud ding and the doors slid open. Pepper stepped in, with him following her and the doors slid closed behind them. Pepper turned to face the doors so Bucky did the same, still clutching the piece of paper in his hand, his metal hand tucked into a pocket on the hoodie. Hidden is safe and safe is good.

"Of course, you can always ask Friday if you need any help." Pepper said as they arrived at their floor and the doors opened again. "Friday can help you with almost anything, apart from things that require a physical touch, and even then she'd figure something out."

They stepped out of the elevator into a spacious room that looked like a lounge area with a kitchen off to the right and a hallway leading off to the left, where it went Bucky had no idea.

"That is kind of you, Miss Potts." A voice came from nobody in the room. Bucky stiffened immediately, his body going tense at the sudden voice that didn't seem to belong to anybody. "I apologise for startling you Mister Barnes, it was not my intention."

He blinked again, not sure what to say or do.

"Friday is the central AI of the Avengers Tower. She helps run the tower as well as managing day to life for the Avengers and now, yourself, should you require her help."

"Oh…so…she's a computer?" Bucky asked and immediately regretted the question. Would it upset her? Could she get upset?

"Yes and no, Mister Barnes. I am a coded creation but I have a sentient consciousness, I can think and feel emotions of my own, thanks to the way I was designed. I can also develop my own dislikes and likes, unlike many AI systems." The voice, Friday, explained.

Bucky didn't say anything in return but followed Pepper as she walked him throughout the various floors and rooms that made up the Avengers portion of the tower. There were lots of different rooms for different types of fitness work as well as training for personal work and missions, plus a dozen or so miscellaneous rooms for entertainment or peace and quiet, including a small indoor garden style room where one wall was entirely made of windows, letting in as much sunlight as possible.

He liked that room, not so much for the plants but for how warm it was. He thought the feeling could be him liking something anyway. It was…he was still learning, he had been told by the therapist, how to have his own likes and dislikes.

Maybe he was a computer as well.

"And this, is your room." Pepper said, cutting into his thoughts. It was in the hallway he had seen when he first stepped out of the elevator, that lead off to the left from the main lounge area. The room was plain, not too large but not too small, with off white walls that leant grey and dark wood floors.

The bed was a white, wooden frame with plain grey sheets and pillow cases. There was a matching dresser off to the side of the room with a black metal lamp on top. The whole thing was very minimal, very plain and…at the same time, it felt friendlier than the room he had been in at SHIELD. Maybe it was the obvious lack of any devices designed to monitor him.

"The room was left on the plainer side so you could decorate it as you wished. If you would like anything to the room you can ask Friday to help you order something, or you're more than welcome to go to a store nearby in the city. Or a few stores if you like." Pepper said from the doorway behind him. "Ive got to head off for a meeting now, I'm sorry. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mister Barnes."

She gave a pause, giving him a chance to speak but smiled gently when there was no reply from the man facing away from her. Her footsteps echoed down the hallway until they finally stopped and Bucky was on his own, in his new bedroom.

In the tower he didn't feel he belonged in.