"Michael" I hissed.

He stood before me, dressed in black slacks and a red button up shirt. His once shaggy brown hair had been cut closer to his head. I hated it. I hated him. But most of all, I hated that shit eating grin he had on his face.

"What are you doing here?" His smile didn't even falter when I didn't open the door the rest of the way and invite him in.

He grinned at me, "I knew you weren't telling the truth when you said you wouldn't be home. I figured you were playing hard to get" he replied, not letting my look of disgust faze him. He reached out to caress my face and I jerked back giving him in the opportunity he needed to push past the door and make his way inside my apartment.

Don't panic Eden, just tell him to leave…just do it quickly before Bucky gets back out here.

I hoped he couldn't here Michael talking…he would surely come to investigate a strange man's voice. I tried not to appear as if I was whispering, "Get the hell out Michael, now!"

Michael turned to face me again…he quickly reached behind me and slammed the door shut with one hand, the other grabbing me tightly on my arm and pulling me close to him. I smelled the whiskey on his breath…it had always been his favorite drink.

Well that explains it Eden, the idiot is drunk.

He whined, "Babe, I missed you. I know, I know…I fucked up but I'm going to make it right between us."

I jerked away, rubbing at the pain in my arm where he had grabbed me. I pointed to the door, "Get the hell out and don't ever come back"

He stood there, glaring at me. Michael and I had dated for 7 months. I had thought I loved him and I thought he returned that affection. In those 7 months, we had fought occasionally…but he had never laid a hand on me. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

I didn't see the back of his hand coming until it was too late. SMACK! The force of the hit sent me spinning into the nearby side table knocking over a glass picture frame of Jill and I at our college graduation.

I felt Michael's hand on the back of my neck and he spun me around to face him again. I was still in shock from the slap that I couldn't react.

"Look what you made me do Eden!" the smell of alcohol on his breath was nauseating. He pushed me against the wall. My sense of preservation finally kicked in and I threw my hands up to push him away. He easily over powered me, using one of his hands to hold both of my wrists in place above my head.

"Please Michael, don't"

Oh God, this isn't happening, where is Bucky?

…...

As soon as I stepped out onto the street to head to Eden's, the rain began to fall in sheets. I ran as quickly as I could to her building and made my way inside. I was soaked and the temperature outside had fallen quite a bit.

Good going Bucky, now what?

I thought about heading back to Steve's and changing clothes.

Maybe Eden can warm you up…no Bucky, stop thinking that!

I figured if I ran back to Steve's I would only get wet again on the way back to Eden's so I might as well just head upstairs to her apartment. I'm sure she had a towel I could use until I dried or let me wait until the rain stopped long enough for me to run home and change.

I stood at her door shivering.

Shit its cold.

I knocked on her door and waited for her answer. I must have looked pathetic, she instantly pulled me inside. She ran off and returned with towels.

"Bucky, you need to get out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold" she demanded.

The smirk that appeared on my face was instinctual, "I've been here 1 minute and you're already trying to get me out of my pants."

Where the hell did that come from? Did you really just say that?

She stuck her tongue out and poked me in my ribs.

Then she said the sexiest thing I have ever heard from a woman's mouth, "Strip…or I'll have to strip you down myself"

I stopped smirking. I stood there staring at her, the excitement I felt when she said that becoming evident in my wet jeans. I was losing the battle inside my head. My brain was screaming at me not to do it but another part of me was definitely not listening.

I stepped forward, dangerously close to her, staring at her pretty face, trying to figure out what she was thinking. I moved my hands down to the bottom of my shirt and pulled it from my body, letting it drop on the floor.

She gasped.

Of course she gasped you idiot. Your arm probably freaks her out, you're so stupid!

I didn't see a look of disgust in her eyes though. She actually seemed fascinated by it and I was shocked when she asked to touch it.

I thought about it for a second before I nodded.

She stepped forward…just as close as before. She looked down and laid her hand on my metal one. She trailed her fingers up slowly until she reached where the metal ended and my skin began. I saw her hesitate and she glanced back up at me. I was holding my breath, worried she would have a look of repulsion on her face. The moment she touched the delicate scars surrounding the metal I let out the breath I was holding. Her delicate fingers brought a shiver down my spine and I had to try hard not to moan the pleasure I felt when she touched the delicate scar tissue and then my chest.

The thunder was so loud it scared her causing her to jump back.

Dammit!

She stared at me a moment before her eyes widened and she demanded I not move. I wasn't going anywhere. I was just hoping she didn't notice the slight bulge In my wet jeans.

She came back a few moments later carrying a pair of black pajama bottoms and a t-shirt.

Whoa, where did those come from? Bucky, you were so stupid to think she didn't have a man in her life…a gorgeous girl like this.

I felt the frown on my face and she sighed, "You want the short or long version of the story".

I thought a second, there was no reason to extend the painful realization that she was not single, "Short version"

I didn't expect what I heard, "We met in college, he cheated on me, it was a year and a half ago and luckily for you, I never bothered to throw that box of crap away"

Thank GOD! He's an ex…whoa, He cheated on HER!

Angrily I repeated what she said, "He cheated on you?"

"Yes Bucky, he cheated on me…now go put on those clothes. You can wash up in my bathroom. The food should be here…"

Her voice was cut off by the sound of a knock on the door…the delivery person I was sure.

"…now." She said with a smile.

I turned and made my way to the door she had pointed to earlier. I was about to enter her bedroom, her personal space.

Her room was clean and clutter free. A small desk in one corner held a laptop. Her bed was a king and had a blue velvet blanket covering it. I made my way to what I assumed was the bathroom…I was correct. The instant I walked in, I smelled it. The floral aroma that always seemed to come from her…it was intoxicating. I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was damp and hung in my face. I used my hands to wring the water out in the sink and then smooth in back from my face. Luckily the bulge in my pants seemed to be going away slowly. If I stayed in here for a few moments it would eventually subside completely.

I pulled off my boots and deposited near the tub…the socks and jeans were next. Luckily my boxers were still dry. I slipped on the traitorous ex-boyfriend's clothes and looked at myself in the mirror with a scowl.

The slamming of the front door caught my attention.

Time to eat.

I picked up my wet clothes from the floor and laid them gently in her tub. A bottle sitting on the ledge caught my attention. "Garden of Eden" I opened the bottle and sniffed. There was the familiar scent. I drew in a long whiff of it and smiled to myself.

The sound of glass breaking brought me back to reality. I laid the bottle back down and made my way out of the bathroom and back into her bedroom.

I heard the terror in her voice before I even made it out of her room, "Please Michael, don't"

I stepped out into the hallway to see the man, who I assumed was Michael, had Eden's wrist pinned above her head.

He's a dead man.

I walked silently down the hallway, I could feel the training coming back to me…I would be able to quietly take him down…or it would have been if I hadn't seen him use his other hand to reach for the button of her jeans. The rage over took me and I growled at him, "Let her go". He turned to look at me. He released her wrists and I saw Eden slide the floor and put her face in her hands. I was on him in a second. I grabbed him by the collar of his red shirt and punched him in his stomach. He doubled over in pain. I grabbed by the throat with my metal arm and squeezed hard, I could easily snap his neck.

Stop Bucky, control yourself. You promised Eden, remember? The Winter Soldier is gone.

I let go and Michael breathed in a gulp of air, his hands rubbing at this throat.

I grabbed him by the collar again and drew him close to me, the liquor on his breath evident.

"If you ever come near her again, I'll kill you" I said it calmly while looking him directly in the eye.

He nodded and turned around. He stopped to sneer at me and then Eden before walking out, slamming the door behind him. I turned to kneel beside Eden.

…...

When I felt Michael reach for the button on my jeans, I nearly threw up.

No Eden, this can't happen!

"Let her go" came a deadly voice from the shadow of the hallway. I felt Michael's hands fall away and I slide to the floor.

Get it together Eden, Bucky's here…he won't let anything happen to you.

I felt a rush of relief soar through me and I lowered my face into my hands to hide the tears streaming down my face.

I heard Michael double over in pain. I heard Bucky's metal arm snatch Michael by the throat…before I even had a chance yell at Bucky to stop, he let go. Michael took a huge gulp of air and then I heard Bucky lift him off the ground again and whisper to him, "If you ever come near her again, I'll kill you".

I heard Michael walk out the door and felt Bucky kneel down beside me.

"Eden" he said my name so softly. I didn't move. I sat there with my face in my hands letting the tears dry up. Michael had slapped me pretty hard….not hard enough to leave a bruise…but I feared when Bucky saw the red hand print on my cheek he would lose control. I was trying to give Michael a head start…not because I cared anything for him but because I cared for Bucky and I didn't want him to do something he would regret later.

"Eden" he said again after a moment, the concern evident in his voice. I finally looked up and saw a dangerous look appear in Bucky's eyes. His right hand reached out and tilted my face to the side, examining it. "He laid his hands on you" he fumed. He pulled away from me and turned towards the door. I saw him begin to stand up but I grabbed his shirt and pulled him close to me. He looked me in the eye and I whispered to him, "No Bucky, please stay here with me…please." He slide down beside me and pulled me into his lap, wrapping his arms around me.