Summary: At his defeat, Naraku used the jewel to put a curse on Kagome that left her immortal. With the well sealed, she had no choice but to live through the years until she reached her rightful time once more. A chance situation leads Kagome to meet Bucky, and she falls head over heels for him despite knowing she didn't belong there. Imagine her surprise when they meet again decades later.

Pairing: Bucky/Kagome

Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.

Note:
Flashbacks will be written in bulk Italics.
Will mostly take place in modern time, with flashbacks to the past.

Chapter Two

The hustle and bustle of a busy city was nothing new to her. They departed from the airport, where a car was already waiting in order to take them to their hotel for their stay.

"Once we get there and settle in, I think I'll take Rin and Shippo to get some ice cream and look at some shops," Kagome said as she glanced out the window at her side. "You two wanna come with us?"

"Eh?" Inuyasha craned his head to the side. "Sure, why not."

Kagome beamed at him before slowly looking at Sesshoumaru next. "What about you? You don't need to get to work right away do you?"

He shook his head, gaze never leaving the objects he held in his hands. "No," he said finally. "It can wait a few hours."

Rin clapped her hands excitedly. "Yay! I'm so happy you're gonna go with us!" she exclaimed. As much as she liked Kagome, it still made her happy whenever Sesshoumaru joined her out in the world. He was often busy, much to her sadness.

"You have any idea what stores you wanna check out?" Inuyasha asked, and Kagome hummed thoughtfully.

"Well, no, but our hotel is in a business heavy area, so I figured we can just go for a walk and check what the area has to offer as we go," Kagome said. "At the very least-!"

She never got to finish her thought before the breaks were suddenly slammed, jostling the passengers in the car.

"What happened?" Rin asked, frowning as she rubbed her head to smooth her hair back down. "Why'd we stop?"

"You guys hear that, right?" Shippo asked, perked up in his seat as silence settled between the group. From outside the car, people screaming in panic and fear could be heard. It came from all sides, and Kagome turned to look out the window that was behind her.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked, a frown appearing on her face when she saw countless people fleeing in the opposite direction. It hadn't been like that not even two minutes ago. She could remember seeing people out for strolls along the sidewalks. Hell, not that long ago the car had stopped for a crosswalk full of people out and about like nothing was wrong!

A strange aura brushed along her senses, and she tensed up. At the same time, she noticed her demon companions did the same as something strange brushed along their senses.

"The hell is that?" Inuyasha growled at the foul scent he picked up.

There was something coming in pursuit of the car, and Kagome moved first. She gripped Rin and Shippo by their wrists and forced the door open. "Get out of the way!"

The car was vacated within seconds, the people within it gathered on the side of the street. Not even a full two seconds later, a massive floating creature slinked right through the area. It wreaked havoc and destruction, colliding into buildings and sending them crumbling to the ground. Kagome pulled a barrier up around them to shield them from falling rubble as they got a good look at what was happening.

"It… It's an army attacking the city," Kagome said finally. "What are they though? I don't think they're demons."

"Tch, ain't no demons I've ever smelt before," Inuyasha growled.

Kagome shook her head. "We can figure out what they are later, but for now we need to do something."

"Right," Sesshoumaru said. He turned to the driver of the car, who was also a demon. "Help evacuate all you can, and kill all the creatures you come across. Leave no survivors." As he left, Sesshoumaru looked at the others. "Keep Rin and Shippo nearby you," he said, speaking to Kagome. He knew that she'd do her own thing, regardless of what order he might try to give her, but he knew she'd keep the two children close by and guarded. "As for you, Inuyasha-"

"Keh! You don't gotta tell me twice," he smirked. "Leave it to me. These bastards are going down." He turned to leave, only to have Kagome stop him before he could move an inch.

"Inuyasha, sit boy!" Kagome exclaimed, and he plummeted to the ground. He pried himself up, sending her a murderous glare at her decision to make him face plant.

"The hell was that for?!" Inuyasha snapped at her.

"You need to remember that there are humans here! You can't just use your Wind Scar to obliterate herds of them," Kagome said.

He huffed and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Make sure the humans are safe above anything else."

Kagome rolled her eyes at the irritation present in his voice. "We'll meet back up later."

With those words, they split up. Kagome kept Shippo and Rin with her, while Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru went in separate directions in order to take on the attacking mass.

She'd be able to keep both Shippon and Rin safe with her barrier, so she didn't worry about trying to find a spot to hide out in, or to hide them away in. It didn't matter, anyway. Buildings were unstable and it would just be a waste of time.

She focused on helping people evacuate safely.

From helping them get out of buildings and jammed cars to fighting off the creatures that might try to attack the people running for their lives. When one area was clear, she moved onto the next. She didn't make it out before the creatures turned their focus on her, and a herd of them began to rush at her.

Kagome came to a halt and made sure both Rin and Shippo were tucked behind her. She brought her barrier up to guard her, too, but it was never needed. They lunged in a group, intending to take her down at the same time, but they never reached her.

A figure sprung between her and them.

"Get down!" A commanding shout made her freeze, but she followed the order regardless, ducking down so she wasn't in his way when he seemed to have an idea about what was happening. She turned and tugged both of the children into her chest.

After a second, she glanced over her shoulder and watched as the man managed to beat them all back. A pang of recollection shot through her, and for a moment she forgot to breathe. It wasn't just the familiar suit he wore, or the vaguely familiar voice that echoed through her mind. No, the aura was too similar to ever misplace to someone else.

A red, white, and blue shield landed on the ground in front of her, and she kept her focus on it as he kicked it back up and into his hand.

"You need to evacuate," he said, finally turning towards her. "Stay out of sight, go underground."

"Right…" Kagome nodded, hearing the words she'd been repeating for nearly the whole time so far. She finally looked up at him, and she let her gaze land on the face of a man she knew well. She saw the shock in his eyes, as if he was trying to place if it was her, or not.

"Kagome?"

The name was whispered, both surprise and confusion entangled to it. She looked at him, and she offered him a slightly whimsical, albeit small smile. "Steve," she responded, answering his single-worded inquiry without an actual answer.

It was always like her to do that, and upon hearing it, she saw a series of conflicting emotions in his eyes. "It's really you…"

She closed her eyes and sighed.

"How?"

"Now's not the time," she reminded, her tone fading to serious. "We'll catch up later, if we meet again," Kagome hummed. She couldn't get another word in before she felt the familiar pulse of Sesshoumaru's aura. She offered Steve a parting smile before she moved away from him. "I'm needed elsewhere, and I assume you are as well. You should do what you must," she reminded him.

Steve was frozen as she said those words, watching with surprise still evident in his eyes as she turned and walked away to a figure that looked just as familiar as she did. A second or two passed, and her words finally connected in his mind. He nodded and went to move again.

Answers would have to wait until later.

He went to leave, only to freeze when his foot landed on a dropped book. He looked down at it and realized it'd been where she was moments ago. Steve picked it up and thumbed through it until he came across a bookmarked page.

On that page, the Smithsonian was circled. He had a hunch it might've been hers after all, and she'd dropped it during the commotion With that idea in mind, he tucked it away for safekeeping.

With hope, he'd be able to give it back to her.

In the aftermath of everything, the group gathered together due to a change in plans.

"It seems the hotel we were staying at was heavily damaged due to this entire situation," Sesshoumaru said. That news didn't surprise anyone. "We're now going to be in one out of the city."

Their luggage had been on the way to their hotel ahead of time, but it'd been intercepted and successfully sent to their new one.

"Is your work gonna be interrupted?" Kagome asked, looking up at him, and he shrugged in response.

"I'll let you know once I hear back. If it is, I'm not concerned about it."

Kagome nodded, and he arched a brow. He wasn't the only one who noticed her slightly reticent nature as of recent, and it wasn't like her.

"Did something happen?"

At Sesshoumaru's question, Kagome jumped a bit and shook her head. "N-No," she replied eventually, but it was obvious to the two men present that she was lying.

"Yeah?" Inuyasha folded his arms across his chest. "Then why ya' lying?"

Kagome glared at him and huffed, "sit boy!"

"Gah!" He face-planted yet again, and Kagome turned away from him, her spine straight and shoulders tense.

"I'm just exhausted," she said after a moment. "I think we should just find a way to our hotel and get some rest in light of everything that's happened."

Her suggestion led to them being in agreement, and they soon all left in favor of heading to their hotel for their stay.

000

It was early in the morning the following day when Kagome woke up. She knew the others might want to rest for a bit longer, so she opted to go about her daily actions as quietly as she could.

She showered and threw on a change of clothes as she got ready for the day. She was in the middle of writing out a note for the others when she felt the weight of a pair of eyes on her, and she sighed.

"So much for slipping out undetected," Kagome commented dryly.

"You have plans for today?" Sesshoumaru asked, approaching her and glancing at her quizzically. She already had her bag packed and everything. "Where?" he asked, not giving her the chance to lie to him.

"I figured it'd be best to go when they're still worn out from what happened," Kagome began softly. "Neither of them are the type to enjoy a museum."

"You're up this early to go to a museum?" Sesshoumaru arched a brow.

"Well, it's a few hours away," Kagome said then. "I'm heading to the Smithsonian. It's in DC."

"What makes you want to go there?"

"Oh… well," Kagome downcast her gaze to her feet. "I read in the guidebook you got me that it's got a Captain America section. It… it also has a memorial for him," she added softly. "I wanted to go see it, but I don't want to drag anyone along if they don't want to go."

Sesshoumaru was silent in response, but he eventually let out a quiet noise of understanding. "Very well," he said after a few minutes of silence. "You're fine to go alone, aren't you?"

"Yeah, totally," Kagome offered him a smile. "I should be back later tonight, or early morning tomorrow. It just depends on how long I'm there and how late it is when I try to come back." She fixed her bag onto her shoulder and made for the door. "I'll give you a call when I figure it out. Tell the others where I went, also."

She didn't get a response from him, but she knew he'd do it anyway. If only to spare himself the struggle of them hounding him for an answer.

After the past few hours, she was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. She walked through the museum just like the other patrons did. The quiet crowded feel was comforting to her as she went about her stay. When she made it to the exhibit she'd come for, she took her time walking through it.

Kagome came to a slow, complete halt in front of Bucky's memorial, unable to bring herself to move even after she read it in its entirety ten times over. Even just standing there, she wasn't able to get the moment she learned of his death out of her head. She wrapped her arms around herself, and she squeezed her eyes shut tight.

"I'm so sorry, Buck's-"

"No."

She could hear the denial in her own voice. She closed her eyes and hoped it'd do enough to stop the tears from coming. It was a lost cause, and the warm droplets slowly began to flow from her eyes and down her cheeks. "Don't," she pleaded softly. She didn't want to hear the end of that sentence. She already knew what was going to be said, and just knowing was enough to make her feel like her heart had caved in.

She didn't get close to people like she used to, because she knew she'd always outlive them, but this was different. It hadn't been age that claimed him- no. He still had years to go, but now… it was all gone.

She could feel the pain in Steve's aura, and she was grateful that he'd chosen to come tell her, opposed to letting someone else mail her a letter. She felt Sesshoumaru's gaze boring into her, and she cracked. A choked sob broke free.

"I'm sorry, I have to go," she said abruptly as she turned on her heel. She needed to go, she needed to find someplace quiet and isolated before she broke. She couldn't let people see her fall apart.

Sesshoumaru met her halfway, and it was moments later that the pair disappeared into the crowd.

She felt a familiar aura come up behind her, and she resurfaced from her thoughts. She didn't move or even glance his way. He came to a halt beside her, and she felt his stare linger on her for a few seconds, as if he was making sure, yet again, if it was really her or not.

"Figured I'd run into you here," Steve finally said. Kagome hummed softly in response.

"How'd you know I'd come here?" she asked after a moment. "I didn't really give you anything to go on, did I?"

"Not on purpose, I don't think," he said in response. He held the guidebook up. Kagome glanced at it, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"So that's what happened to it," she said. "I dumped my entire bag out yesterday looking for it, but I never found it."

"You dropped it, I guess," Steve said, and he offered it back to her. She sent him a grateful smile as she took it.

"Thanks," she said finally. "But how'd you know I'd come today?"

He offered her a smile and shook his head. "Just a gut feeling, is all." He didn't want to tell her that he'd been prepared to come and hang out all day for a week or longer for the chance she might show up, so he kept that in his head. She hummed in response, seeming to know there was more he wasn't saying, anyway. She always did, it seemed.

"Is that so?" she said, and he felt a smile rise onto his face. Yup, he could tell she knew, but she just wasn't saying anything. Silence reclaimed the space between them, and she sighed softly. He heard the noise, and he looked back at her. "You want to know how I'm still alive, right?"

Her question was soft-spoken, but he heard it perfectly fine. He nodded, speaking a second later. "Of course I do. You look like you haven't aged a day."

"Well, to be fair, neither do you," she responded.

"Yeah, but I was under the ice. What's your excuse?"

"Mines just a curse," she said after a moment's thought. She decided not to lie. What did it matter if he knew, anyway? It was just as believable as anything else she could throw his way.

"A curse?"

The confusion in his voice wasn't lost on her, and she nodded. "Yes," she sighed. "Long story short, it was five hundred years ago that it got placed on me, give or take a few."

"Five hundred?" he repeated with disbelief. She merely nodded in response.

"I was born in the nineties, however." That comment only fueled his confusion even more. She looked at him, and offered him a sympathetic smile. "It's a long story, if you've got the time?"

"I can do this all day."

Good," she responded with a wry grin. "Because that's about how long it'll take,"

She was honest about her life so far, but she left out certain things in order for him to be able to process it easier without so much shock. By the time she was done, hours had passed, and the museum was nearly empty now.

"Wow."

She smiled at Steve's comment.

"I almost can't believe it, but I do at the same time," he said, looking at her. "You're here, alive, and that's all the proof I need."

"I'm glad," Kagome said after a second. "I was worried about how you'd take it."

A comfortable silence fell over them again at last, and Kagome let her attention stray back to the memorial before them. Steve glanced at her, a somber smile on his face when he saw the sadness reflected in her pools of blue.

"You know, my friends and I- my family have been looking for a way to break my curse for years now," Kagome began after a moment. "Centuries, really, but we've never had any luck." She let her gaze linger on the photo of Bucky that was there. "I… I was really hopeful that we'd find a way back then."

Steve was silent as he let her speak, his hands in his pockets as he focused on her. Her voice was the only one heard anymore. Everyone else had already left this part of the museum.

"I was content with living my life there, even if it meant saying goodbye to my life in this time." Her expression softened, and she felt the bitter sting of tears all over again. "I never felt for anyone the way I did for Bucky. In so many years, I've had a lot of guys like me, but..." she shook her head, a soft sigh falling from her lips. "I never felt the same way to them, that they did to me. Bucky was the only one. He's the only one I got close to, and he's still the only person who ever had my heart."

"Kagome…" Steve set a hand on her shoulder, and a small smile appeared on her face as she nodded her head an inch.

"I just… I don't think I can move on from him, even though he's gone."

"You know Buck was head over heels for you, too, right?" Steve said, and she looked up at him. "When he met you, I think it even took him by surprise. He was a player, but it changed when you showed up. You became his world."

"Really?" Kagome tilted her head to the side. "I never knew any of that."

"You didn't?" Steve asked, and she nodded, confirming his question. He smiled and nodded. "It was clear as day in his eyes whenever he saw you." He looked back at her. "He never took off that locket you gave him, either. He always claimed it was his lucky charm."

Kagome smiled at that thought. "I remember the day I gave it to him." Along with the memory came the ghostly caress of his hands cupping her face, and a gentle, loving kiss being pecked against the top of her head.

"I love it, Doll," Bucky looked from the golden, heart-shaped locket she'd just given to him and to her. Inside it was a photo of her. He closed it and slipped it over his head, letting the locket part land against his shirt. "What made you do this?"

She smiled at him, letting the soft look hide her worries and fears she'd been harboring since he told her he'd enlisted. She knew how war could be, even if no one here knew that about her. She shook her head and shrugged. "Well, it's just a little something to keep me with you. The locket belonged to my mother. She gave it to me when I was little. I never had a use for it, until now."

His smile was irresistible as he spoke. Irresistible and contagious.

"I just…" Kagome paused and sighed. "You'll be careful, won't you?"

"Don't worry, Doll," he said softly, placing an arm over her shoulder and tucked her into his chest. "I'd crawl through hell if it meant coming home to you."

He pressed a soft kiss to the crown of her head, and she nodded. "I'll hold you to that one."

Kagome sighed and shook her head. "I probably should get going," she said after a second. "If I wait any longer, I'll have to head back tomorrow."

"Oh right, you were with other people," Steve said, remembering the ones he'd seen the other day. "It was good to see you," he said as he looked down at her. She offered him a smile as she nodded.

"You too," she responded. Before she made a move to leave, she reached into her bag and pulled out a notepad. She wrote down a few different numbers on a sheet of paper. She tore it from the notepad and handed it to him. "Here," she said as he took it and glanced at it. "Those are some numbers you can call to reach me," she explained. "The first one is my phone number, and the others are my friends. I recommend trying them only if you can't get me through mine."

Steve nodded and slipped the paper into his coat pocket. "I guess I'll see you around, then?"

"Of course," she said as she finally moved away. She glanced at the memorial one last time, as if to say farewell to it, as well, and she offered Steve a wave. "See ya."

C.R: Finally got this one finished!

So Kagome was honest with Steve about her situation, and they have each other as a friend. However it was never explicitly said what Sesshoumaru's work is. They might run into each other again very soon.

Anyway, that's it for now! Thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoyed. Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.

Please remember to Review&Favorite&Follow, thank you!

Bye for now~