On the way back to my apartment, we stopped at a deli and picked up some sandwiches. The sun had completely set and the temperature was falling fast. I had only slipped on a t-shirt when we left the apartment, not realizing it would be chilly out. When we walked out of the deli, I shivered and rubbed my arms.

"You cold?" Bucky asked.

I nodded, "I'll be fine, we're only a couple of blocks from the apartment."

Bucky put the bag carrying the sandwiches down on a bench and reached to unbutton his shirt.

I noticed a group of ladies that were walking by slow down to admire him as he slid the shirt off. He was wearing a tight gray undershirt that showed off every single muscle he had. One of the women nearly walked into a lamp post because she couldn't take her eyes off of him.

He thrust his shirt out at me, "Put this on"

"Bucky" I hissed at him quietly. "What are you doing? Put your shirt back on!"

He looked at me with a frown on his face and I saw the hurt in his eyes.

Shit! He thinks you're embarrassed because of his arm. Great job Eden!

I reached out to him and shook my head, "No Bucky, I didn't mean it that way"

The hurt in his eyes didn't fade and I sighed, "I'd hate to have to beat the shit out of any of those ladies over there who are drooling over your sexy ass" I said pointing at a group of woman staring at him.

The hurt look was replaced by one of confusion, "What?"

I grabbed his shoulder and turned him…one of the women actually waved at him and winked…I was not amused.

"Look at yourself Bucky….you're hot! Do you honestly think that the only thing people see when they look at you is that metal arm?" I said, placing my hand on his chest.

I turned when I heard one woman from the group whistle at Bucky and motion him to come over….I sneered at her and looked back at Bucky.

He was smirking, "Do you think I should go over there and see what she wants?" he teased.

I frowned and tried to pull away from him but he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into him, laying a long, deep kiss on my lips. When he finally pulled away I was breathless and the women were all clapping and cheering.

He helped me slip his shirt on and I knotted it at the waist. He picked up the bags and reached for my hand, "Come on, let's go home"

His shirt was warm and smelled like him….I inhaled deeply and smiled to myself as I thought back to that kiss.

When we were almost to my apartment I noticed that Bucky tensed up…his hand gripped mine tighter and he slowed down his pace.

"What's wrong?" I asked, glancing up at him. His eyes had darkened and his face had gone emotionless…I hadn't seen him this way since the night he returned from the mission.

He stopped walking and was staring in the direction of the park across from my apartment. I followed his gaze and my heart stopped…there was Michael, standing in the park watching us as we approached.

What is he doing here? Why can't he just leave me alone?

Michael looked nervously at Bucky before he raised his hand and motioned for me to come over to him.

I felt Bucky start to pull his hand away from mine and move forward towards Michael but I grasped his hand tightly, "Bucky no!"

I was surprised at the look of anger in his face, "What's he doing here Eden?"

I shook my head, "I don't know Bucky…I had some emails from him…I deleted most of them"

His jaw flinched, "What did they say?" he spit out.

If you tell him, he is going to run over there and beat the shit out of Michael...but I can't lie to him!

I hesitated and he asked again, "What did they say Eden?"

I let out a shaky breath, "I only read two…in the first one he apologized for what happened that night and asked who you were….and…"

"And what?"

"And he said that I should end things with you so that him and I could get back together" I finished.

Bucky's eyes darkened more; he looked dangerous, "What did the second one say?"

"He called me a bitch and said I would regret ignoring him" I said it softly, raising my eyes to him.

He turned from me and stalked to where Michael was standing, I followed after him, "Bucky….stop….Bucky! Please!"

He was only a few yards from Michael when I threw myself in front of him and put my hands on his chest to stop him. He had no choice but to stop, unless he planned on throwing me out of the way. He looked down at me, "Move Eden"

I turned around and saw Michael standing there with his hands held out in front of him.

"I just want to talk to you Eden" he said.

I turned around to face Bucky again, "I'm going to talk to him, okay?"

Bucky shook his head at me, "After everything, you still want to talk to him?"

I grabbed his arm and pulled him away from Michael and to the bench that was only a few yards away.

"I don't want to talk to him Bucky, but I have to. The last time he was too drunk to understand what I was saying. I need him to know that he has absolutely no chance of ever getting back with me….because I'm in love with you. Look where we are Bucky…this is where we first met"

He looked down at the bench and the anger in his face lessened…he slid a hand up to my face to stare into my eyes, "He's not going to hurt you again….I won't let him" he whispered.

"I know, which is why I'm not scared to go over there and talk to him"

"I'll be right here…if he steps out of line one time Eden…so help me God I'll put an end to him" he said.

I smiled at him and leaned up to kiss him on the lips. He threw a glare at Michael, who was standing there watching the entire thing, "Five minutes" he said to me. He sat down suddenly on the bench and faced Michael.

I patted him on the shoulder and then turned and walked over to Michael, "Make it quick…what do you want?"

He pointed at Bucky, "Who is that guy Eden? I've been watching you…he's been staying at your apartment"

"You've been spying on me!? Wow, that's pathetic! Who do you think he is Michael? We're together!" I said, trying to keep my voice calm.

"Why didn't you respond to my emails? I've been trying to get in touch with you."

I pointed to my arm and face, showing him the quickly fading cut on my temple, "I was in a car accident Michael…I was in the hospital for 3 days and I wasn't exactly up to checking my emails. Not that I would have responded to them even if I had seen them."

"Why" he shot back.

It was getting harder and harder to keep my voice down, "Because we aren't together anymore!"

"We could be if you would just forgive me already" he said, a bit too loudly.

I turned around and saw that Bucky had stood up when he heard Michael shout, I shook my head at him and he sat back down again.

"No we can't Michael. Do you not understand that I hate you for what you did? We can never get back together…ever!" I said with a tone of finality.

"Because of him?" he shouted, pointing at Bucky.

"Yes Michael! Because I love him! And because you're an unfaithful piece of shit with a drinking problem" I yelled back.

I saw him falter when I said that last part, "Everything has been shit since we broke up Eden...Lizzie dumped me...I just want to get back to how things were before her"

Don't feel sorry for him. He got himself into this situation. He's the one that cheated on you with that whore!

"I hope you can find someone else that can make you happy….but it will never be me Michael"

I turned to walk away, only to hear him yell back, "I never loved you anyway you bitch!"

I stopped in my tracks, hurt that he had to stoop that low….I saw Bucky stand up, ready to bolt over to me.

Michael yelled again, "You want to know why I cheated on you? Because you were always lousy in bed…almost as bad as when I took your virginity for the first time!"

I felt something inside of me explode, anger I never knew possible filled me up and I turned and walked back over to him. He was grinning at me like an idiot and it made me even madder. The grin from his face disappeared the moment my fist connected with his nose. I put ever bit of anger into that punch and I was rewarded with a shout of pain from him…he put his hand up to his nose and when he pulled it away there was blood on his fingers.

"You bitch!"

I pulled my arm back again, ready to take a second shot at him but I felt hands grab me around my waist and pull me back. I was struggling against Bucky's arms trying to make him release me, "Let me go Bucky"

I felt him pick me up and throw me over his shoulder, laughing as I demanded to be put down. He was walking away from Michael and towards my apartment complex, carrying me and our bags effortlessly, still chuckling as I struggled against him. I felt him slap me on the ass, "Damn Woman! I thought I needed to protect you…you seemed to be doing a nice job on your own" When we reached the door, the put me down and I looked towards the park…Michael wasn't there anymore. I glared up at Bucky…he was smiling down at me.

I punched Michael! I made him bleed! The look on his face!

I suddenly busted out laughing and laid my head on Bucky's chest, "Did I really just do that?"

"Yes and it was pretty sexy to watch" he said, sliding his hand down my back "You know all that shit he said wasn't true right? You're definitely not lousy in bed"

I rolled my eyes, "How do you know? I'm the first woman you slept with in 70 years"

He leaned down and kissed me, "I just do…come on, we'll eat and lounge around on the couch….maybe I'll even share my candy with you" he said, waving the bag at me.