While writing this, I listened to Katy Perry's 'Thinking of You' on loop, so you might want to listen to it, to set the mood.
Bucky knocked on her door, wearing his brown, clean cut army uniform, hat on his head, hair sleeked back. She opened the door, her long red hair in a ponytail, wearing a cream colored dress, the happiest smile on her face, which disappeared when she saw what he was wearing.
"Hi doll." He said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. He could see the tears already forming in her hazel eyes, and it took everything in him not to break down then and there.
It was no secret that Bucky Barnes was in love with his girl, everyone could see it in his eyes and the way he treated her like a princess. So for him to see her cry; and him been the reason for the tears in her eyes; it killed him.
She opened the door farther and moved aside to let him in, all the time looking at her bare feet. Taking off his hat, he placed it on the dining room table. Turning around to face her, he took a step closer to her, placed his index finger on her chin, and lifted her face to meet her eye.
"When do you leave?" She whispered, her voice low enough he almost didn't hear her. But he wished he didn't, because it was so broken, like she already lost hope on him.
"Tomorrow morning." He answered.
A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she ran into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, hers went to his waist, and hold tight. She hid her face on his chest; she was so small, almost as small as Steve; and sobbed into him. He held her even tighter, feeling his own heart break at the sight of his girl crying because of him.
They stayed holding one another for what felt like an eternity, the only sound they could hear were her sobs. He closed his eyes and placed his chin on her head, breathing in deep, saving everything about her in his mind. Her smell, how perfectly she fit in his arms, her petite frame, how soft her hair is, the shade of red her hair is, everything.
After a moment, her sobbing stopped. She took a step back to look up at him, her arms still around him. Her eyes were red and puffy, she had tear stains on her cheeks; but to him; she was still the most beautiful girl in the whole world.
"You better come back to me, James Barnes, or so help me…" She said. Bucky let a small smile grace his face, causing her to smile, too.
"I'll always come back to you, love. You're my best girl."
She sighed, looking into his eyes. He leaned down and captured her lips in a soft, sweet kiss, almost like a good bye.
"I love you, Bucky." She whispered into his lips.
"I love you, too. So much."
"Sergeant James Barnes, you got mail!"
Bucky got to his feet in a second, making his way towards the man giving away the letters and packages soldiers got.
Letter in hand, he ran towards his camp bed, reaping the envelope open, and taking the letter out. He took out his pocket compass, where the picture of a smiling redhead stared back at him. Smiling, he kissed said picture and opened the folded piece of paper in front of him.
My dearest Bucky;
I miss you dearly, I can not wait for you to come back home so I can hold you in my arms and kiss you.
Everything's been fine here in old Brooklyn. I got a job as a waitress in that diner we always went to, we'll have to go again once you get here, I be you're sick of army food.
Steve finally enlisted, he's touring all around the country, I think he's going to Europe one of these days. He told me not to tell you, though. So if you see him, don't tell him I did. I miss my boys so bad, Buck.
Your sister is fine, too. She's still in school and she comes visit me once in a while.
I can't wait for a letter from you; they make my day and make me smile for a long time. I'm always thinking of you, you're always on my prayers.
Please be safe, and return home to me.
All my love,
Your Elizabeth.
Bucky could feel his eyes watering, but he would never let anyone see him cry, least in a war zone.
He wrote her back, telling her about how he already knew Steve had enlisted, that he was there with him. How glad he was she got a job, but that once he got back, he'd take care of her like a proper man should care for his girl. How thankful he was for her taking care of his sister, and that he missed her as much as she missed him. How happy her letters made him, and that he loved her with his whole heart, and that he was going back to her. And yes, he missed real food and the first thing he wanted to eat was a real American burger.
He didn't tell her about Italy, or how he met Steve again, though. He didn't want to worry her more than she already was. Besides, what was the point, if he was going back home.
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't scared of this mission. He had a bad feeling of jumping onto the HYDRA train, but he didn't know why. The cold wind and the snow under his boots made the atmosphere eerie, and gloomy.
"Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone in Coney Island?" He asked his best friend, Captain America, standing next to him.
"Yeah, and I threw up?"
Bucky nodded. "This isn't payback, is it?" He said, looking at the line they will use to get on the train.
"Now, why would I do that?" Steve replied.
The mission was to get on the train and capture Doctor Zola, a HYDRA doctor.
Bucky got ready behind Steve, ready in his Captain America uniform. Taking a deep breath, he jumped from the cliff, and slide into the train, letting go of the line.
He followed Steve on the top of the train; they both entered and closed the door, apparently undetected. Riffle ready, he walked around the freight car, looking around for something they could use against HYDRA. When Steve crossed to the other car, though, the door separating them closed, leaving him alone in the car.
From the other side of the car, two HYDRA men appeared, and Bucky started shooting at them. He hid behind some boxes, and continued shooting, until he ran out of bullets. Letting go of the riffle, he switched to a hand gun, and ran to the other side of the room, still shooting and being shot at.
When he ran out of bullets, he cursed. Then, Steve opened the sliding door and gave him another gun. Steve took care of one man while Bucky shot at the other.
"I had him on the ropes." Bucky mumbled.
"I know you did." Steve said, after a sigh.
Out of nowhere, a man with two cannons attached to his hands fired at them, Steve got in front of Bucky, taking the blow with his shield. The shot, however, destroyed part of the freight car with an explosion.
Lying down, Bucky saw Steve's shield next to him; Steve lied down on the other side; and he took it and started shooting at the man, making the canon man shoot at him once. Bucky went flying into the wall that was barely attached to the car, hanging on to dear life.
But fate was not on his side that day. The bar he was holding onto separated from the wall, and he fell.
His life went through his eyes while he fell. It was like time had stopped and he was floating. Then, everything stopped when the smiling face of a special redhead came into his view. Her beautiful long, wavy red hair framing her lovely freckled face. Red lips pulled into a smile, showing white teeth. Oh, how he loved that smile. Her big, hazel doe eyes shining at him. He loved everything about her.
"Lizzie…" He mumbled, and then everything was black when he felt himself hit the hard ground.
A knock interrupted her while she was getting ready to go to work.
"One moment!" She shouted at the door, walking from her room towards the front door of her apartment.
Opening the door, she saw two men in what looked like army uniform, and she was confused, the worst case scenarios all coming to mind at the same time.
"Are you Miss Elizabeth Blake?" One of them asked.
Elizabeth could only nod. "Is… is something the matter?" She asked.
Both men took off their hats; one gave her a sealed envelope.
"I'm sorry, ma'am…" After that, everything went silent for her. She didn't want to hear those words. Tears started to come down her face, her hand squeezing shot, the envelope wrinkling in it.
Both men left after giving her their condolences. She closed the door and slid down to the floor, her back to the door. With trembling hands, she opened the envelope and took out the letter.
Her eyes skimmed through the letter, until she found the dreaded words she didn't want to see or hear in all her life.
SERGEANT JAMES BUCHANAN BARNES WAS KILLED IN ACTION
A sob left her, her eyes closed as tear after tear rolled down her face. She hugged the letter to her chest, and dropped to the floor, sobbing her heart out.
She was the only person left at the cemetery. Bucky's service was beautiful, with his sister and Elizabeth herself saying some words for the fallen soldier.
Now, Elizabeth stood in front of Bucky's plaque. She was wearing a black dress; Bucky's favorite; tears running down her face, a red flower in her hand.
She kneeled down, placed a kiss on the tip of her fingers, and placed them on top of his name.
She laid down the flower, and whispered "You said you'd come back Bucky." Her voice broke. "I'll always think of you, Buck. I love you."
I wrote this in two hours. That's record time for me.
I feel both pre war Steve and Bucky need some love, so I wrote this. I might write something for Steve, but I'm not sure, I'm very busy at the moment.
I love you all, I hope you liked this! Please review!