"I'm an atom in the sea of nothing looking for another to combine. Maybe we could be the start of something. Be together at the start of time. There's a ghost upon the moor tonight. Now it's in our house. When you walked into the room just then, it's like the sun came out. And the day is clear. My voice is just a whisper louder than the screams you hear. It's like the sun came out."

-Start of Time by Gabrielle Aplin

Bucky was lacing up his shoes to get ready to go to PT. His last PT in the country since tomorrow, he would be gone. A woman's hand inched toward him and ran her fingers down his leg. Bucky chuckled to himself as he looked behind him. "Maria," He complained with a smile on his face. "I have to get going."

She moved so she was now lying horizontally on the bed, being right next to Bucky. "This is my last morning with you." She leaned up and her perfectly red polished fingers began to stroke his cheek, taking Bucky into heaven. Her engagement ring sparkled in the lamp's light as she rubbed his face with her thumb, making him want to skip out on being a soldier all together just so he could be with her. "You don't want to make it worth your while?"

She pulled him down on the bed and he began kissing her passionately, knowing he was going to miss her more than anything. He pulled away from her for a moment and looked into her sparkling blue eyes. "I will make a deal with you." She nodded, ready for him to tell her more. "Once I get back from PT, you and I will go for another round."

She rolled her eyes at him. "I have to go to work." He frowned at her and leaned in, giving her another kiss, moving down to her neck. "Bucky!" She chuckled out. "If we're not going to do this then don't get me started."

He sighed and then got up from the bed, continuing to put his shoes back on. "You sure you have everything planned for tonight?"

"Yup." She told him. "Including the date for Steve."

"Who'd you get this time?" He chuckled out.

"Jan." He turned to look at her with his eyebrows furrowed. "You don't know her. She's an intern."

"Did Howard already sleep with her?" Bucky joked, causing Maria to hit him on the arm with a smile on her face. "I know, I know. He's your boss."

"A very well paying boss to be exact." Melody told him as she took the sheets off of her and began to stretch out. "I don't like sneaking out of here, Bucky."

He turned to her with a confused face. "What are you talking about? Everyone knows we're engaged."

"Yeah," She told him as he turned all the way to look at her. "Engaged. We're not married. We're not supposed to be doing this."

He moved forward to sit right in front of her, grabbing her hands. "Who cares what people think?" She smiled at him while looking down at their held hands. "Right?" She nodded as she looked back up at him. "I love you and you love me. We're engaged to be married and we do what we want to do."

"Because we're in love." She finished for him.

"Exactly." He looked into her eyes. He loved every bit of her and would miss every bit of her. "And no one can punish us for being in love and doing things that people who are in love are doing."

"That's right." He leaned in and kissed her, Maria bringing him back down into the bed. She then pulled away from him, squinting her eyes at him. "I thought you had to get to PT."

"I just love you so much." He joked as he began to tickle her. "I can't leave you, Maria!" She began to squeal with delight and he laughed as he let her pin his arms behind him. "See you tonight." He told her, leaning in, kissing her one more time before getting off of her.

"I'll see you tonight." She promised him as she sat up to watch him walk to the door. "I love you."

"I love you." He told her as he opened the door, giving her one last smile before shutting it, leaving her alone so she could get ready for work.

Maria stood with her hands on her hips as she continued to watch the people get things set up for the exposition tonight. "Hey!" She yelled at someone who dropped one of the parts of the car. "Careful! I built that piece myself."

"Maria!" She turned around to see Howard Stark coming straight for her along with an older man in a military uniform. "There you are." He spoke as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, still looking at the man in the uniform. "She is amazing. Super smart. She's up for the job."

"What job?" She asked Howard through a smile as they both stared at him.

"Alright," He spoke in a think southern accent. "And you'll be ready when we have the right applicant?"

"Yes, sir." Howard promised before leaning in to shake his hand.

"Good." He leaned in to shake Maria's hand. "I'll talk to you two soon."

"Bye." Howard called. Once Maria was sure he was gone, she turned to Howard and smacked him in the arm. "Ow!"

"What the hell did you get me into?"

"Okay," He spoke as Maria began to let out a heavy sigh, not really sure she wanted to know what he got her into. "That was Colonel Phillips from the United States Army."

Maria shrugged. "Yeah. What's your point?"

"Point is, he came to me, personally, and asked me to make something new."

Her eyebrows furrowed, still not understanding why he was so excited. "We make things new all the time."

"Something really new."

"Will you just tell me?!" She yelled at him, annoyed with his beating around the bush.

"Okay," He pulled her even further away from the people and put his hands on her shoulders, looking her right in the eye. "We are going to make a serum to make a super soldier."

Maria's mouth dropped slightly at even the mention of a project this big. "We make weapons, Howard. This is a human experiment."

"And we'll be making a human weapon."

Maria sighed, knowing this was wrong on so many levels. "Above my pay grade, Howard."

She turned around, but he grabbed her arm, needing her to say yes to this project. He couldn't do it without her. "I will triple your salary."

Maria stood there for a moment, looking at him. She already made a fair amount of money, but now that he would triple it, her wedding would be the most extravagant thing in Brooklyn. She sighed and put her hand out, shaking his, not totally proud of herself. "Done."

"Thank you." He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. He began to walk backwards while pointing at her. "You're the best!"

She rolled her eyes at him and looked back to the people who were bringing the car in. Sometimes she felt like she worked for a twelve year old.

Bucky and Steve walked into the Stark Expo together, Steve still bummed out from his millionth rejection today. "I don't see what your problem is." Bucky told him, noticing how upset he was, just wanting to make him happier. "You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know there's three and a half million woman here?"

"Hell," Steve told him while still looking down. "I'd settle for just one."

"Whoa." Bucky put his hand out in front of Steve, while looking off to see Maria and Jan. Steve looked up and rolled his eyes with a smile on his face. "Who is that dynamite dish over there?"

"My sister." Steve told him with a nod while looking to the two girls who were talking excitedly about the expo. "My baby sister who you're engaged to."

"She's taller than you."

"She has heels."

"Not all the time." Steve gave Bucky a light push to mess with him and Bucky put his fists up, pretending he was going to go for him.

Maria looked over just as the two began to dance around each other. Her smile got even wider. She looked back to Jan, telling her to wait there before she walked up to the two boys. She put both of her arms around their shoulders quickly as hard as she could, causing them both to jump and stop doing what they were doing. "How are my two favorite boys?" They both leaned in and kissed both of her cheeks.

She smiled widely and turned as she looped her arm through Bucky's and walked closest to Steve. "Okay, that's Jan."

He looked to her with a sigh. "What did you tell her about me?"

"Only the good stuff." She told him quickly. "She's an intern of Stark's."

"Did he sleep with her already?" Maria looked to Steve with her mouth dropped as Bucky stifled a laugh. When Maria turned to Bucky, he put his hand up like he was innocent and Maria leaned in to kiss him. Steve smiled at them, never seeing two people who were more in love.

The three of them talked a little bit with Jan, trying to get Steve to know her a little bit before the demonstration started. Jan didn't seem to take much interest in Steve which was starting to annoy Maria. She hated that no one saw what she saw in her brother. He was one of the best guys she knew and it wasn't fair for him. Just because he was small and scrawny and a little awkward with women, they shunned him.

Right when the demonstration was about to start, Maria grabbed Bucky's hand and dragged him to the stage as he smiled at the way her curly blonde hair bounced. "The car is sweet!" She promised as she looked back to the three of them who were following her.

They finally found a spot in the middle of the crowd, Maria making sure they had a perfect view. Bucky put his hands around her and Maria began to lean into his chest. Jan was standing behind Maria and Steve was behind her. "Ladies and gentlemen," One of the dancers announced as she moved out of the way of the car. "Mr. Howard Stark!"

"Stark should have put you up there as a dancer." Bucky whispered in her ear. Maria smirked as she leaned even further into him, waiting to hear what he had to say. "I wouldn't mind seeing you in one of those outfits."

She put her head up so she was right next to his face. "I thought you liked my lab coat."

He nodded, his smile growing wider. "That is sexier."

She kissed him once before looking back to the stage, ready to see all the hard work she and Howard put into that car finally pay off. Howard strutted on stage to the dancer and kissed her. Maria rolled her eyes once he took the microphone from her, knowing it was just Howard being Howard. "Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile wouldn't have to touch the ground at all?"

Bucky looked down at Maria like he was impressed, but she didn't notice. Her eyes were focused on the car as the dancers moved the tires off of the it. "With Stark gravatic reversion technology, you'll be able to do just that."

Maria watched nervously, hoping it wouldn't flop in front of everyone. Howard turned the nob, moved the switch and the car began rising in the air. Maria smiled proudly as she watched everyone's excitement. She was proud of Howard and herself for actually making this work. "Holy cow." Bucky spoke out of breath from behind her. His amazement was the one that mattered most to her.

The car then began to spark at where the tires were supposed to be and then land on the ground. Everyone jumped, but Maria just smiled. "I did say a few years, didn't I?" Howard spoke with a shrug as the crowd went into applause.

Bucky pulled Maria closer, putting his chin on her shoulder. "I'm proud of you, babe." And even bigger smile passed over her face as she felt herself lean even further into Bucky. The whole thing was bittersweet. All she kept thinking about was how this would be one of the last times they would share a moment like this until the war was over.

Steve began to look behind him, not really captivated by the car anymore. Yes, he thought it was amazing and he was so proud of his sister. She beat all odds. People told her women couldn't be scientists and she beat them all. She was working for Howard Stark the, top weapon designer. He was proud of her, but that only made him think about how he hadn't beaten all odds yet. Steve saw a recruiting center not far from him and knew in that moment where he really wanted to be.

Bucky continued to look at the car, still impressed as he began to turn around. "Hey, Steve, what do you say we treat these girls to-" When he turned all the way around, he noticed Steve was gone. He was nowhere nearby. He then saw the recruitment center, closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Maria."

She turned around to see Bucky pointing at the recruitment center. She sighed, knowing the same thing Bucky did and turned to him, knowing they had to do something.

Steve stood in the recruitment center, watching a man walk up to one of the pictures where he could put his head on the soldier's body. The girl he was with began to laugh and pull his arm. "Come on, soldier!"

Steve then walked up to the stand, but he was much shorter than the soldier. Steve jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Come on," Maria told him with a slight smile. "You're kind of missing the point of a double date. We're going dancing."

"You go ahead." Steve spoke as he looked behind Maria to see Bucky and Jan talking and Bucky beginning to walk over to them. "I'll catch up with you later."

Maria sighed as she looked to the picture of the soldier and then back to Steve. "You're really gonna do this again?" She asked him angrily.

"It's a fair." He told her with a nod. "I'm gonna try my luck."

"As who?!" She yelled at him just as Bucky got to her, putting his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her down a little bit. "Steve from Ohio?!

"Maria's right." Bucky told him as she nodded, glad that someone was backing her up on this since this fight seemed impossible with Steve. "They'll catch you. Worse, they'll actually take you."

"Look, I know you both don't think I can do this-"

"This isn't about that, Steve." Bucky protested angrily. "This is war."

"I know its war."

"God," Maria yelled while throwing her hands up. "Why are you so keen to fight? There are so many important jobs."

"What am I gonna do? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon?"

"Yes!" Maria yelled at him.

"Why not?" Bucky asked with a shrug, wanting him to do anything else, but go in that war.

"I'm not gonna fit in a factory, Bucky. Maria! Bucky! Come on, there are men laying down their lives. I've got no right to do any less than them. That's what you two don't understand. It isn't about me."

Maria rolled her eyes before speaking. "Right, because you've got nothing to prove."

"Hey, Maria!" She shut her eyes like Jan's interruption couldn't have come at a worse time. "Are we going dancing?"

Bucky turned around instead, smiling at Jan. "This isn't how I'm spending my last night with him, Steve." Maria whispered low enough for Bucky not to hear.

"We'll be there in a minute!" He turned back to the two and Steve nodded to Maria, also not wanting to spoil their last night together. Bucky took a sigh as he looked at Steve. "Don't do anything stupid until I get back."

He took Maria by the hand and began to walk down the stairs with her. "How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."

Bucky turned back around, letting go of Maria's hand and moved quickly to Steve, wrapping his arms around him in a hug. "You're a punk."

"Jerk." He told him as he patted his back and Maria smiled at the two. "Be careful." Bucky nodded as he got out of the hug and began to join Maria who waved at Steve before they walked down the steps. "Don't win the war until I get there!" Bucky turned back to him with a smile, giving him a small salute before walking off with Maria.

Bucky and Maria spent all night together in Bucky's apartment. Maria was taking it over right after he left and selling her old one. The plan was to get married right after he came back from war and with this new bonus at work, Maria promised herself that she would knock the socks off of Bucky.

They had made love all night. They just wanted to be together as much as they could, knowing they would have to go months without seeing each other. After their third time, Maria and Bucky were both on their knees resting on the bed as Bucky kissed her all over. He moved to her stomach and began caressing it after he kissed it. "Damn, I hope you're pregnant."

She smacked him on the head with a small smile. "Bucky!"

"What?!" He asked as he moved back to her stomach, beginning to kiss it all over again. "If I get a letter saying that I have a kid in my girl's belly then they'll send me home sooner." He put his lips to her stomach and whispered, "Come on, little egg. You know you want to fertilize."

She collapsed on the bed as she laughed, Bucky running his hands up her body until he reached her face, taking it in his hands and laying soft kisses on her lips. "I love you." Maria said once he pulled away from her. A few tears began to fall down her cheeks, knowing these really were her last hours with him.

"Hey." He spoke as he wiped the tears off his cheeks. "Don't cry, alright?" She nodded as she sniffled. "Because I am gonna be home before you know it."

"I know." She told him in a teary voice with a shrug. "It's just hard, you know?"

He nodded and kissed her again. "I promise you that I will write you every single day. We'll request what letters we want each other to write. We can write sexy ones or loving one, funny ones, normal letters describing our days. Anything."

Maria nodded as she held back the tears that were poking at her eyes. She decided to distract the tears by kissing him. She wouldn't cry if his lips were against hers. "I love you." She whispered to him when she found a break in the middle of a kiss.

"I love you." He whispered back and they slowly fell asleep together.

Bucky woke up early that morning. Earlier than he was supposed to. His time to leave was six and Maria set an alarm so she could be there when he left, but Bucky turned it off. He didn't want to wake her and he didn't want to see her cry. The last image he wanted of her before he left was of her sleeping soundly.

He got his uniform on in the dark and held his hat in his hand while looking at Maria in their nice warm bed. He moved forward, stroked her hair one last time and put a kiss on her head, letting a tear fall out of his eye. "I love you, Maria." He whispered right before picking his head up and walking out of the door.

At seven, Maria's alarm went off. She rolled over, expecting to find Bucky, but he wasn't there. She sat up from the bed and noticed how light it was outside. She then looked to the clock, seeing that it was seven. Bucky had been on his way to England for an hour now. Maria began to rub her arm at the thought of crying.

She looked over to Bucky's nightstand and saw that there was a note. She picked it up and unfolded it quickly, trying to find out what it said. I left because I love you and when you're in love you can do whatever you want.

Maria put the piece of paper to her chest as she felt everything inside her breaking. Tears fell down her face as she fell back onto the bed. She moved to Bucky's pillow and put her face in it as she continued to cry. The pillow still smelt like him.

For you new followers, this is a prequel to my previous story. You don't have to read those first. You can start with this one, but it would be cool if you read the others. Old followers, I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. Please review!