Two days past 18, he was waiting for a bus in his army green.
James 'Bucky' Barnes paced back and forth in front of the bus stop. He wanted to get on that damn bus and leave already! He had never been one for waiting. Bucky spied a Cafe across the street and he made his way over to waste away a few hours.
Sat down in a booth at a Cafe there, gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair.
Kate saw a handsome soldier, a new recruit by the look of his uniform, sit at one of her tables. She walked over, her shoes tapping softly on the tile floor. As she walked Kate fixed the blue ribbon holding her curly black hair in a pony-tail.
"What can I get you hon?" Kate asked, cocking her hip.
He's a little shy so she gives him a smile.
Bucky had seen loads of girls in his years, but the girl in front of him was amazing. Her raven hair held back by a blue ribbon, the same blue as her wide, sparkling eyes.
"I... Um... I'd like a coffee." Bucky stuttered, uncharacteristically shy.
She smiled at him, a sweet reassuring smile that made Bucky smile in response.
And he said would you mind sitting down for a while and talking to me? I'm feeling a little low.
She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go.
Kate counted off the seconds until she could lead the sweet young soldier down to the pier and talk with him until his bus came. It made her sad to see such a sweet guy being shipped off to war, the chances of him coming back alive so low. Kate blinked back tears and went back to serving customers, and the hour seemed to fly past as the morning rush came through. Every once in a while Kate would pass the soldier's table and fill his coffee cup. Stopping a moment to smile at him before rushing off to the next table.
So they went down and sat on the pier.
After she got off work the girl led Bucky to a nearby pier, holding his hand.
"I never got your name." She told him. "Mines Kate Winston."
"James Barnes, but my friends call me Bucky."
"Well Bucky, when did you enlist?"
"Few days ago. I'm on my way out in a few hours actually."
Kate gave him a sad look and squeezed his hand gently. Bucky enjoyed the way her soft hand felt in his large mitt.
He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care; I got no one to send a letter to. Would you mind if I sent one back here to you?
"I ain't got a boyfriend, and even if I did I would love for you to send me letters." Kate told Bucky softly.
Pulling out her work notepad she wrote her mailing address down with her name and a heart beside it.
"Don't lose it." She warned.
Bucky laughed. "Even if I do, I'll have this memorized by the time I get off the bus."
Laughing as well Kate lay her head on his strong shoulder and closed her eyes. She looks like an angel, Bucky thought while he looked down at her. My angel while I'm off fighting.
All too soon Bucky had to get on his bus. He said his goodbye to Kate and upon seeing the tears in her eyes he drew her close and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I'll be back. And when I come back I want to see you smiling." Bucky whispered against her skin.
Kate nodded and grinned up at him through her tears. "You come back safe and I will."
"Deal." Bucky told her and kissed her forehead again.
I cried. Never gonna hold the hand of another guy. Too young for him they told her Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier.
Kate watched the bus drive away until she couldn't see it anymore, her eyes locked on Bucky's face the entire time. After Bucky left Kate went home, shut herself in her room, and cried until no more tears would come. How had she come to feel so strongly for some soldier boy she'd just met? Was it the way he looked? Or the way his smile would make his eyes shine? Or the way his rough hand fit hers perfectly? After some time her mother walked in and sat on her bed.
"What's the matter Kate?" She asked softly, taking Kate's hand.
"I think I've fallen for a soldier that just left." Kate's voice cracked.
Her mother looked at her reproachfully. "You are 16. You have no place fawning over some soldier boy that'll probably never come back or forget all about you!"
Kate was hurt at her mother's words and turned away. Knowing in her heart that Bucky wouldn't forget her.
Our love will never end. Waitin' for the soldier to come back again. Never more to be alone when the letter said a soldier's coming home.
Kate fell asleep that night and dreamed of sitting beside Bucky by the pier. The two talked for a time then Bucky stood and walked to the waiting bus without saying goodbye. Kate watched the bus drive away and years passed, but the bus never came back.
Kate woke gratefully and readied herself for school. It was only a dream, Kate told herself. He will come back and I'll be here waiting for him.
So the letters came from an army camp. First California, then Vietnam. And he told her of his heart, it might be love and all of the things he was so scared of.
Kate gathered the mail a few weeks later, flipping through like she always did until she came to a large bundle tied with string. They were addressed to her from Bucky!
"He didn't forget!" She squealed.
"What's all this noise?" Her mother asked.
Kate showed her the letter bundle. "Letters from Bucky! He didn't forget me. Look at them all!"
Passing off the rest of the mail Kate ran to her room to read her letters. Each one described how hard training was and how scared he was about going into the actual fight. As she read more Bucky went on to describe how terrifying yet amazing each day of the fighting was. As well as how much he missed her and hoped he would get a letter back soon.
He said when it's getting kinda rough over here I think of that day sittin' down by the pier. And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile. Don't worry but I won't be able to write for a while.
Kate was so happy! She wrote back telling him of how many more soldiers she saw leaving on the bus from the Cafe and how much she wished he was back. She finished the letter wishing him well and telling him she hoped to see him soon.
Another few weeks passed and she received another bundle. The first letter told of how happy he was to hear back from her. He told her of how hard it was on the front lines, but not to worry because the memory of her smile and their time by the pier kept him going. His last letter said he was on a mission and wouldn't be able to write for some time.
I cried. Never gonna hold the hand of another guy. Too young for him they told her Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier.
Bucky was trapped. Strapped to a table he was left weak and defenseless, waiting for death. But he was spared when Steve Rogers, a very big Steve Rogers, came to his rescue. He really owed his friend, because now he had a chance of getting back to Kate. He still felt something for that girl and he thinks it may be love.
After finishing one last letter to Kate, telling her he loved her, Bucky followed Steve and the other men to their mission. Eager to get it over with Bucky glided down the zip line onto the top of Hydra's train. He then followed Steve onto one of the train cars, ready to kick some ass.
Our love will never end. Waitin' for the soldier to come back again. Never more to be alone when the letter said a soldier's coming home.
The doors separating the train cars slid shut separating Steve and Bucky. Bucky turned quickly and started shooting at the men behind him, ducking behind a pile of boxes as one fell to the ground. He soon ran out of ammo and had to pull out his handgun, that too running out of ammo. Steve threw him another handgun and together they dispatched the remaining man.
Yet another Hydra soldier appeared behind the two, more heavily armed than the others, and shot at them. A hole was blown in the side of the car and Steve lost his shield. Bucky grabbed the shield and fired at the man until another blast blew him out of the train. He grabbed a bar but it was quickly falling off. Steve tried to get to Bucky but the bar broke and Bucky fell into a chasm.
Sorry Kate, he thought as he fell to his death.
One Friday night at a football game. The Lord's Prayer said and the Anthem sang. A man said folks would you bow your heads for a list of local Vietnam dead.
Kate sat listening to the list of dead soldiers being read off at her schools football game. Her heart going out to those who had lost someone. The whole time glad Bucky was alright. She had just received another bundle of letters from him and had just finished the last letter when she had to go to the game. She was so glad to have read that letter. Bucky had said he loved her! The man she loves, loves her too! She was so busy remembering Bucky's smiling face she almost missed his name being read out.
"No." She whispered before running from her front row seat with the rest of the marching band.
Crying all alone under the stands was a piccolo player in the marching band. And one name read but nobody really cared. But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair.
He was gone. Gone! Bucky was dead! Kate could hardly believe it. She wouldn't! Maybe it was someone with the same name. That had to be it! Bucky couldn't be dead. He had told her he would come back safe. He had told her he loved her! She never got the chance to tell him she loved him too!
Kate sobbed again and ran home as fast as her legs could carry her. She fell on her bed and cried herself to sleep.
I cried. Never gonna hold the hand of another guy. Too young for him they told her Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier.
Kate woke to a knock on the door of her house. Sluggishly she opened the door to find a man in uniform standing in front of her, a sorry look on his face. She blinked at him, sending a silent prayer that it wasn't what she thought.
He removed his hat and bowed his head. "I'm sorry miss, Sargent James Barnes died in the line of duty. He had asked that if this happen someone come tell you personally. And for you to be given this." He pulled out an envelope. "I'm sorry miss."
Kate nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. "Thank you." Her voice cracked and the man turned and left.
Kate opened the letter once she was in her room. His dog tags falling out as she opened it.
Kate,
If you are reading this, I'm sorry. I should hope you never have to read this letter but I am writing it just in case I break my promise. I sure hope you forgive me, and I'm sure you will eventually. I asked my tags be given to you instead of my mom, if they get them back. I wrote her a letter too, explaining why I want you to have them. Although I think she saw it coming the way I wrote about you in my letters to her. I know I said I had no one to write to, but I meant a beautiful girl I liked. And I think she likes you as much as I do. I want you to keep smiling, even though I just know you're crying right now. Just know I'm in heaven smiling down at you. I love you Kate. You may not love me, but I love you.
Yours forever,
James 'Bucky' Barnes
Our love will never end. Waitin' for the soldier to come back again. Never more to be alone when the letter said a soldier's coming home.
A/N: Yeah I know Bucky wasn't in Vietnam but the rest of the lyrics fit the story so please don't be mad because of it! And I don't know Bucky that well (only from the Captain America movie) so I don't know what he is like, but he seemed outgoing and shy didn't seem to fit him so I had to throw in the 'uncharacteristically'. I don't know. This seemed like a great idea when it popped into my head after school. What do you think? Good? Bad? Sad? I'd love to hear from my readers! So R&R please!