"Definitely not a good sign," Aurora agreed, grabbing her own machete. She could hear the sounds of a fight, and nudged her sister towards that direction. "That way, I think."

Reilly nodded, taking off towards the sounds. What she saw there, however, made her pause.

Steve was finishing the last of his batch of the intruders, fangs bared and blood everywhere.

Bucky was right there with him, splattered with blood and fangs bared as well.

Aurora stopped short.

"What the actual fuck?" she said. "What is this, what's going on?"

Reilly stopped as well, her eyes wide as she took in the scene.

Steve caught Aurora's scent before he saw her, and he turned to look, having a very real "oh shit" moment of his own.

"We can explain," was his first reaction, watching Aurora.

"No," Aurora said before she could stop herself. "No, this isn't happening, this isn't right."

Bucky watched Reilly carefully, watching her reactions.

Steve looked a little helpless. "Give me a chance to explain, please," he pleaded, watching her carefully.

Reilly was looking at Bucky as if she'd never seen him before, eyes wide, and her grip on her machete still tight. Clearly she was trying to determine if he was a threat now as well.

"This can't be happening," Aurora said, shaking her head again. She sent him a betrayed look. "How could you be a-- a-- this?"

"Reilly..." Bucky said softly. "Let me explain." He tried to use his shirt to wipe the blood off of his face, and only partially succeeded.

"I have been for a very long time," Steve said, watching her. "I don't hurt people, Aurora. Being what I am doesn't make me a monster."

Reilly eyed him. "You've got one minute," she said. "If I'm not convinced by then..." she trailed off meaningfully.

"Vampires always hurt people," Aurora said, hurt written all over her face. "They're monsters. I'm supposed to hunt them."

"What I am, what we are, every one of us has a... a soulmate out there somewhere," Bucky said. "The night I met you, I knew you were mine. I just... never got the chance to tell you everything."

"I'm not a monster," Steve told her gently. "I don't even drink human blood. I know I should have told you everything from the start, but this is what I was afraid of."

Reilly blinked at that, completely thrown off. "What?" she asked. "Okay, wait, what? Soulmates? You do realize that sounds like a romance novel right?"

"What am I supposed to do?" Aurora demanded. "I hunt vampires. I'm supposed to take care of them before there's a body count. And now you're--" She couldn't say it.

"Not a lot of people know about it," Bucky said. "Hardly anyone finds theirs. Steve and I got lucky. I was hoping I could ease you into things."

"Aurora." Steve paused, considering his next words. "I won't lie and tell you there was never a body count. But I was lucky; all the ones I killed when I was first turned were Nazis." He managed a little half-smile. "Never anyone since then. It is possible for us to live without. Just difficult."

"Right." Reilly shook her head a little. "So you're a vamp and you think I'm your soulmate somehow, and this is supposed to... what? Make me okay with this?" She waved a hand vaguely at everything.

Aurora pressed her lips together tightly, and then shook her head, taking a step back.

"No," she said. "I can't-- I'm not dealing with this, not right now. This isn't-- it's not okay, I need-- I need to figure this out."

"No," Bucky replied. "I don't expect you to be okay with this, not right now. I just wanted to tell you what was going on. I don't want there to be secrets." He paused for a moment. "There were newcomers in our territory. We took care of them before they could start hunting people. Steve and I have worked hard to be able to live here without hurting anyone."

Steve looked resigned. "Alright," he agreed, voice mild. "Take as long as you want. I'll still be here, when you're ready."

Reilly nodded once, sharply. "I... I need to think this through," she said quietly. "I need to figure out my own head first."

Aurora just retreated after that, trying not to look back. It was all just too much, she wanted to go home and try to sort things out.

"Sure," Bucky said. "I'll be waiting for you, when you make a decision."

Steve watched her go, resigned and weary. But he didn't try to call her back. He knew better.

Reilly nodded again before she turned and not-quite-fled back to the car.

Aurora was already there, jamming her hunting kit back into the trunk with more force than strictly necessary.

Bucky watched Reilly go, wanting to go after her but knowing it was better not to.

"Come on," he muttered to Steve, "we should go home and get cleaned up."

Reilly threw her stuff back there as well and slumped into the passengers seat. "Well, shit," she muttered.

Steve nodded, though he was reluctant to move just yet. Not until the car was out of sight. And then he sighed and, shoulders slumped, headed for their place.

"Sounds about right," Aurora muttered as she threw the car into gear and pointed it towards home. "What just happened, Reilly? How did we miss that?"

Bucky walked with him, making an effort not to glance back in the direction that the car went. He was already clenching his jaw and his fists.

"I don't know," Reilly murmured, frowning, already turning things over in her mind. "However, I think for now it would be best if we go home and either have a ton of that relaxing tea, or get rather shit-faced. One of the two."

Steve walked with him the rest of the way to their apartment, where he collapsed on the nearest couch.

"I vote for getting shitfaced," Aurora said as she drove them home. "I am all about that right now."

"Don't fall over yet," Bucky advised quietly. "Still need to clean up. And I'm betting Nat'll have something to say about this one."

"Done. I've got enough at ho.e for us so we don't have to stop." Reilly smiled rather grimly.

Steve growled but got up again, throwing his clothes somewhere in the direction of the hamper. "Nat will definitely have something to say about this, and I don't want to hear it right now."

"Sounds like an excellent plan," Aurora said.

"Doesn't mean she won't still say it," Bucky muttered.

Once they were home again, Reilly pulled down all the various bottles of alcohol that she had, as well as some juice and soda.

"Pick your poison, I'll mix tonight."

Steve grunted at that. "Go shower," he said, nodding to the bathroom. "I'll wait."

"Surprise me," Aurora said, flopping down on the couch and covering her eyes with her arm.

Bucky studied him for a moment and then nodded. The hot shower would be good, so he could work through what had happened.