I had my back against the wall, shivering from the cold water spraying from the shower head. Bucky seemed completely oblivious to it as he stood in front of the stream of water, blocking most of it from hitting me. He was staring down at me, still grinning from the orgasm…his chest heaving up and down as he steadied his breathing. When he saw that I was shivering, he reached behind him to turn off the water and then stepped towards me. He wrapped his arms around my body, pulling me in close and touched his forehead to my own. When he noticed my teeth chattering he opened the shower door and reached to grab my towel, "No more shower sex" he said as he wrapped me up.

I pouted and started to protest but stopped when he continued, "At least not until we get a place with a bigger water heater"

He was stepping out of the shower to wrap his own towel around himself so he didn't see the big smile that was now plastered on my face at hearing that last part.

Calm down Eden! Don't let him see how much that last sentence affected you.

Inside my head, I was screaming with joy knowing that Bucky was already thinking further into the future…a future that involved us together.

He started making his way out of the bathroom but glanced back at me and smirked when he saw the wide smile on my face, "Come on woman. I know you have to be as hungry as I am"

Once we were dressed we made our way into the kitchen to find something to eat. I looked at Bucky, "Sandwiches okay?" After he nodded his head, I started pulling out everything from the fridge.

As we stood next to each other making our sandwiches, I brought up the subject of Brandon again. I was still completely shocked by all the hurtful things he had said to me. I knew he was drunk when he said then but he had already been acting like a jerk long before that.

"I still can't believe everything that happened tonight. Brandon was always a really nice person…really fun to be around. Tonight he was just so…..cruel" I said as I added turkey to my bread.

Bucky shrugged, "I think he just finally realized what a terrible mistake he had made and it pissed him off" he said, not looking up.

I thought about for a minute, trying to figure out what Bucky meant by that…I suddenly felt sick to my stomach when I came to a conclusion.

"So you think he was mad that he went out with me? That I was this terrible mistake and he regretted it?" I asked sadly.

He looked up sharply and quickly said, "No, that's not what I meant Eden" His insistence made me feel better but I was still confused by what he had said.

"What do you mean then?" I asked.

He looked up at me and shook his head in disbelief, "You really have no idea" He chuckled at me and went back to making his sandwich.

What's he laughing at? Why would Brandon be pissed at himself?

I stood there waiting for him to continue, getting annoyed that he didn't answer my question….I did not appreciate being laughed at.

"I don't see what's so damn funny Barnes…care to enlighten me" I said, sticking my hand on my hip as I turned to him.

He peaked up at me and smiled, "Do you have any idea how cute you are when you're angry?"

I pointed at myself, "This isn't angry. This is annoyed! Now explain what you meant"

"I didn't hear you say please" he said in a sing song voice.

I was really trying to hide a smile and keep the annoyed expression on my face, but hearing him say I was cute when angry and him teasing me was making that really hard to do.

I sighed heavily and decided to play his little game, "Please"

He had finished making his sandwich and was putting everything away. I waited patiently until he was finished and he finally turned to face me.

He took my head in his hands and stared into my eyes, "I think he realized he made a mistake by not calling you after that date. He realized he screwed up his only chance with you. You may have been right when you said he just wanted you because he couldn't have you…but did you ever consider that maybe you were wrong….maybe he really liked you and now he feels like the biggest idiot ever"

"Did he….I mean…did he tell you that?" I stuttered, not sure if I believed that was possible. I had known Brandon more than half my life. He had never treated a woman like anything more than a good time. He certainly had never really cared about any of them that way. He loved his friends and he loved his family, but when it came to a relationship, Brandon has always run the other way.

Bucky shook his head at me, "He didn't have to Eden. I have a pretty good idea that's how he feels. You know I hate to admit it, but I kind of use to be like him"

When he saw my mouth drop open, he put his hands up defensively, "I would never have done what he did to you. I just mean that I was a pretty charming guy myself and I liked to spend time with different ladies. I was always looking for someone special…someone that made me feel ….."

"…complete" I said it at the same time he did and he looked at me with a strange little smile on his face.

"Exactly…how did you know I was going to say that?" he asked as his let his fingers rub up and down my arm.

"It's the exact same feeling I had when I left his hotel room that night. It wouldn't have mattered if he had called me after that first date. I had already made up my mind once I left that nothing would ever happen between us. He wasn't the one I was looking for" I said, shivering as his fingers trailed back up my arm and then across to my neck.

My heart started pounding in my chest when he leaned down closer….I could feel his breath on my neck, "I'm glad to hear that" He kissed my cheek and then pulled away quickly, grabbing his plate and making his way over to the fridge with a smirk.

I took a deep breath in attempt to get my heart to stop racing. I rubbed my arms and felt the goose bumps.

Damn him, he did that on purpose.

I turned to him and decided to finally ask him the question I had been dying to know the answer to, "Before you left for the war…did you…I mean, was there...anyone…a girl?"

He turned back around to me and by the look on his face…he seemed to be thinking really hard about my question.

"Steve told me there was a girl...he said we went on a double date with her and another girl the night before I shipped out. I don't really remember….it's all still just a blur" he said.

"Who was….I mean…what was her name?" I asked.

"Connie…I think"

"What was she like? I mean, how do you know she wasn't…special" I finally finished.

He put his plate down on the counter and walked over to me, laying both hands on my shoulders, "I don't even remember her…she couldn't have been special to me. I had to wait 70 years to find the one I was looking for. It's you Eden….it was always you….it will always be you"

I stared at him for several moments…I had no doubt that Bucky loved me, he had told me several times. But hearing him say what he had just said was almost more than my heart could handle. I just nodded my head and swallowed hard.

I opened my mouth to speak but then closed it again…he had spoken the words I had longed to hear from him and now I was completely speechless.

"It will always be you"

Say something Eden. Tell him you love him. Tell him you want to be with him forever. Tell him you want to make blue eyed babies with him. Don't just stand there and say nothing!

Everything I wanted to say to him kept running through my head and none of it sounded as great as what he just said. A simple "I love you" wasn't good enough. He smiled down at me and shook his head at me, "You don't have to say anything Eden. I know"

He bent down and kissed me softly on the lips, "Come on, I'll let you pick out of the movie" He grabbed his plate and a bottle of water and walked out of the kitchen leaving me standing there, completely flabbergasted. I chuckled to myself softly and put my hand over my heart, trying to calm myself.

"Come on woman!" I heard Bucky call from the living room. I laughed loudly and picked up my own plate and water and headed to the living room. He was sitting there taking a bite of his sandwich when I walked in…a smug smile on his face when he saw me. I shook my head at him as I set my plate down on the coffee table. I selected the first scary movie I saw, The Blair Witch Project, and slid it in my player. I didn't care what we watched…all I wanted to do was be close to him. Once we had finished eating, I let him lay his head in my lap as we finished the movie. There was only about 20 minutes left in the movie when Bucky's phone vibrated, alerting him of a text message. I looked at the clock on the wall, it was 11:30.

Who would be texting him this late?

He frowned but quickly grabbed his phone and read the message. After reading it, he sat up quickly and said, "I need to make a phone call…don't bother pausing it" He said nothing else and I watched as he made his way to the bedroom putting his phone to his ear as he closed the door behind him. I saw the look in his eyes as he had risen from the couch…something was definitely wrong.

I tried to keep watching the movie, I really did…but when Bucky hadn't returned after a few minutes, I pressed pause and made my way slowly towards my bedroom. I don't know why I was tip toeing, it was my own damn house.

I could see that Bucky hadn't completely shut the door all the way and I could hear him whispering, his voice was low but I could hear the anger in his hushed words.

"Barton, we don't have time to run this by Fury. We need to do this now!"

Director Fury? What the hell is Bucky up to?

"You said so yourself…the guy is a fucking serial rapist and murderer. Steve told you what happened, right? What would you do in my place?"

Did he just say serial rapist and murderer? Oh my God!

"I realize this isn't really SHIELD's jurisdiction but it's still the right thing to do Clint…..Fine, call Fury tomorrow and let him know about the situation, but you have to take me out there tonight…right now! I need to see for myself…..What's the address?"

No! What the hell is he doing chasing after a murderer?

I heard a sharp intake of breathe and then Bucky said, "That's not far from where I live…Jesus, he is too close. I'll meet you there in 15 minutes"

What Bucky was saying and the way he was reacting was scaring the shit out of me. I had no idea what was going on but it sounded dangerous.

Murderer!

I heard Bucky curse and then the closet door thrown open. I waited a few moments and then took a deep breath before walking into the bedroom.

I saw Bucky had already changed into a black pair of jeans and was now slipping a black long sleeve shirt over his head. He turned when he saw me enter and finished pulling the shirt over his chest. I glanced from him and then over to my bed where a large gun lay in the center.

"You heard" he said in deadpan voice…it wasn't a question, just a simple statement.

"Damn right! What is going on? Where are you going? What the hell are you doing with that gun" I said, pointing at the weapon on my bed.

He shook his head at me and grabbed his boots and began putting them on.

When he didn't say anything I continued, "Because from I could gather from your conversation, it sounded like you were going to hunt down a serial rapist and murderer. Care to explain that one to me?"

He looked from the gun and then back to me before picking it up and clipping it to the back of his pants. His silence was quickly infuriating me. I stood there…shaking with both fear and anger.

He finally looked at me with cold blue eyes, "Eden, I don't have time to explain right now" He grabbed the black leather jacket from his closet and slipped it on.

"Well you better fucking make some time!" I said indignantly, stepping up and pushing him back hard.

He grabbed wrist in his hands and looked down at me, "Stop Eden, I have to go" I shook my head at him and felt the tears threatening to slide down my cheeks.

"You're not going anywhere until you explain yourself Bucky. You made me a promise, remember? No more missions. No more HYDRA." I exclaimed, ripping my wrists from him and putting my hand up so he could see the ring on my finger, "Your promise to me Bucky"

He stepped away from me and ran his fingers through his hair, pacing around the room as he grumbled to himself.

I stood there, waiting for an explanation. He snarled in frustration, slamming his hand down on my dresser. When I jumped, he looked up at me and I could see the worry in his eyes. It did nothing but make me feel even worse and I certainly wasn't scared of his little outbursts.

"I'm not going on a mission Eden…and the reason I'm leaving has nothing to do with HYDRA, I promise you that. Please just don't ask questions. I swear I will explain as soon as I can" he said, pleading with me.

The tears I had been holding back finally came loose and slid down my face…I quickly wiped them away, angry at myself for letting them fall. I wanted Bucky to understand that I was angry right now…the tears were just a reaction to being scared shitless when he said the words "serial rapist and murderer".

"Shit Eden, don't cry…don't do this to me" he begged. He stepped over to me and tried to wrap his arms around me but I pulled back, "Don't touch me" I hissed.

He wrapped his arm around me anyway and I struggled against him, forcing him to tighten his grasp on me. I was furious that he wouldn't tell me what was going on….I was furious he was leaving in the middle of the night…but most of all I was furious that he was making me feel this way; a mixture of fear, anger, worry…it was all too much.

"Listen to me Eden. All I can tell you is that I'm going to investigate something with Agent Barton. I won't be gone long….and I promise, just as soon as I can I will fill you in on what is going on, okay?"" he assured me in a calm voice.

I didn't want to fight with him…yes, I was angry he was keeping me in the dark but I also knew he was going to leave regardless of what I said and I didn't want the last feeling I share with him be anger. I relaxed in his arms, "Should I be….worried? I mean…you're taking your gun"

I felt him shake his head, "No, you don't have to worry. Come on Eden, have a little faith in me woman! I'm only taking my gun as a precaution. Did you think I survived HYDRA all those years by not always being prepared?"

"How long until you're back?" I asked as I laid my head on his chest.

"2, maybe 3 hours" he replied "Go to sleep and I'll wake you up when I get home so you know I'm okay"

I nodded, "Just know right now Bucky, that I'm mad….so mad, that you may find that bedroom door locked when you come home tonight" I said, pointing at my bedroom door.

He sighed, "….Eden…I don't want you to be pissed…."

I threw my arms around his neck and let him wrap his arms around my waist. He leaned down and kissed me with a sense of urgency, "You know I can pick a lock, right?"

That brought a tiny sad smile to my face, "Whatever you're doing, please be careful"

"I'll be back…please don't wait up worrying about me. I want you to get some sleep" he pleaded with me.

I nodded, "I'll try"

I followed him out of the bedroom as he made his way to the door, grabbing the car keys as he went.

"Lock the door" he demanded " as soon as I leave, throw the deadbolt on…you don't answer the door for anyone. Do you understand me?"

"I promise" I said softly.

He kissed me one last time before opening the door and walking out. I didn't hear his footsteps down the hallway until after I had turned the deadbolt.

I looked at the clock: 11:45

With a sigh, I grabbed the two plates and put them in the sink before turning off all the lights and heading to bed. I stared at the ceiling for a long time before sleep came...my head filled with images of Bucky and that damn gun.

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