As the SHIELD team removed Lister's body and cleaned up the crime scene, I kept pacing up and down the hallway while Clint talked to Eden. I was standing in the doorway of the spare bedroom where the doctor was checking out Brooke but my eyes were locked on the door to the master bedroom. I wanted to be in there with her...hold her hand while she told Clint everything that happened.

"She's going to be okay Bucky" I heard Brooke say from her spot on the bed. She winced in pain as Dr. Foster pressed on the tender area around the knot on her head , shooting him a warning look, "Shit! Watch where you're pressing doc"

Dr. Foster smiled slightly, "I think you're going to be just fine Ms. Donovan…just a mild concussion. I'm going to go inform Captain Rogers of your condition. As soon as Mr. Barton speaks with you, he can take you home."

I stepped to the side so he could leave, "I'll check her out as soon as he is done talking with her" he said, nodding towards the bedroom where Eden was being questioned. He headed to the living room where Steve was watching the disposal team finish their work.

I stepped into the room and patted Brooke's shoulder as I sat down on the bed next to her, leaning over to put my head in my hands.

"You okay?" I heard Brooke ask.

I looked up at her and shook my head. It had been a long night. When I had heard Eden's phone disconnect, I lowered my head and yelled out in frustration. Those five minutes it took to get to her apartment felt like an eternity. Before Steve could even put the car in park, I was out the door and tearing up the stairs.

When I got to the door, I slowed my breathing and walked in, my footsteps completely silent. From the doorway, I could see an arm sprawled out on the floor. I made my way over to see that it was Brooke and I reached down quickly to check for a pulse.

Thank God, she's alive.

I looked behind me to see Steve had caught up with me and he was silently making his way through the door. A whimper from the living room followed by a laugh made me jerk my head back around in the opposite direction. Hearing Eden's cry was the only motivation I needed to complete my task…Deacon Lister was a dead man.

I could hear Lister's voice and his words infuriated me, "I usually don't kill my women until after I've had my fun…it's more exciting to hear them scream…feeling a warm body underneath, fighting for her life. But like I said, your special, I think I can make an exception this time. Just know, when I'm done with you, I'm going to have a go at the red head"

His words sickened me. Not only was he trying to kill Eden…he was planning to rape her afterwards…and then do the same to Brooke.

I heard Steve inhale sharply but I had no time to look back at him. I was already making my way into the living room and towards the couch where he had Eden pinned beneath his body.

I was close enough to see that Eden's eyes were closed and Lister had the knife raised above his head, ready to plunge in down and snuff out her life. I took the final steps and closed the distance between us, grabbing him by the neck with my metal arm and flinging him across the room to crash into the wall.

The guy was absolutely insane and he had no idea who he was dealing with…when he charged at me, I snatched him by the throat so easily and lifted him in the air. I could hear the Winter Soldier in my head, yelling at me to end him…he had hurt her….hurt our Eden, the woman that we both cared about. I squeezed until I heard the satisfying crack of his neck breaking and then let his body drop to the ground.

I shuddered when I remembered the sound his neck made as I broke it. I had killed him without hesitation…just like I had done when I was a cold blooded assassin working for HYDRA.

You did it for her Bucky. It wasn't murder. You were protecting Eden.

I felt Brooke's hand on my arm and she repeated her question again, "I asked if you were okay Bucky"

"You just got knocked unconscious by a psycho and you're asking me if I'm okay? I should be the one asking you that question" I replied.

She chuckled softly, "Steve's got that covered, trust me. He's probably asked me that a dozen times in the last hour"

I smiled slightly but didn't say anything more and rose from the bed to go check and see if Clint was done with Eden yet. Brooke got up as well and caught my shoulder with her hand. When I turned around, she placed her arms around me gently to hug me, whispering in my ear, "You've changed her Bucky, in such a short amount of time. You've made her strong again…I've seen the fire in her eyes. She fought for you tonight...fought to stay alive so she could be with you"

I smiled and wrapped my arms around her tightly, grateful to hear those words from her mouth. Brooke had no idea how much Eden had changed me the last few weeks…she had made me stronger too.

"Hands off my girl Barnes" I heard Steve say from the hallway. I couldn't help but smile as the tables were turned…he was always hugging on my girl and now he had caught me with his.

Brooke pulled away and rolled her eyes, laughing, "Who said I was your girl?" she said, sauntering over to Steve with a smirk on her face.

I couldn't help but smile at the unsure look that appeared on Steve's face suddenly. Brooke stood right in front of him, a teasing smile on her face. Steve grabbed her by the waist suddenly and leaned down to kiss her deeply…I laughed when he pulled away and said to her, "I say you're my girl"

Brooked blushed fiercely, "Well…okay then" she said breathily, smiling up at him with a look of surprise on her face. I suddenly heard the door to the master bedroom open and I bolted from the room to see Clint exiting.

"She's fine Bucky. Damn, that woman is a strong one" he said, giving me a small smile. He looked up at Brooke, "You ready?" he said.

Brooke smiled and nodded her head before giving Steve a quick kiss on the cheek and heading back into the spare bedroom. Clint followed her in and shut the door. Steve sighed and stared at the closed door before heading back into the living room.

It was tough watching the doctor check Eden's wounds. I could see the discomfort she felt at having to remove her skirt…clad only in her shirt and underwear while a strange man touched her thigh. Dr. Foster was careful to touch her as he cleaned the wound but the cut went all the way up to her thigh and Eden became more uncomfortable. When the tears started to fall down her face, I wiped them away with my hand.

"Just keep your eyes on me baby…just look at me" I whispered when she turned to me. I ran my fingers through her hair to help her relax…trying to make her more comfortable. I was watching her carefully…I knew Brooke was right, Eden was strong. But she had been through a lot tonight and I feared she would fall apart at any moment. I held on to her hand tightly, never taking my eyes off of her. All I wanted was to crawl in the bed with her and never let her go.

When the doctor announced that he needed to take a look higher up, underneath her panties, I felt my blood run cold, "Is that necessary?" I said, angrily looking at him.

I felt Eden squeeze my hand and I looked back at her, "It's okay Bucky" she said quietly. I watched as she turned to Dr. Foster, "There is a cut there…he slid…he slid the knife down…down there" she finally admitted.

It took everything I had to maintain my composure. The sudden feeling of guilt that hit me made me angry. I may have prevented him from raping and killing her but he was still able to violate her, even if it was only to lay his knife to her most intimate parts.

"Son of a bitch" I hissed.

I kept glancing at Eden's stomach as he cleaned the small cut under her panties and then moved up to her neck. I remembered when she had risen from the couch earlier, she had clutched her stomach and moaned in pain. She had slapped me away when I reached to raise her shirt, obviously embarrassed to do it in front of the strangers now removing Lister's dead body from her living room.

What had he done to her stomach?

When the doctor asked if she had been hurt anywhere else, I saw her bite her lip and look at me nervously. I was teetering between feeling a horrible guilt for her getting hurt and the anger I felt at how much pain she had been subjected to. I didn't mean to sound as harsh as I did when I said, "Answer him Eden"

It was an immense surge of anger I felt when she raised her shirt slowly… a blast of rage that I couldn't control. I jerked away from her before my fist gripped too tightly on her hand. I walked across the room, trying to get the sight of that horrible bruise forming on her soft skin out of my head. I slammed my fist down on the dresser as hard as I could, hoping the pain would help me control the fury I felt deep inside. I leaned over to breathe deeply, knowing my angry outburst would only upset her more.

I heard her cry out in pain and I instantly turned around to step back over to her and take her hand. The ache in my fist didn't help me control my anger but hearing her cry out in pain had helped me get myself back under control. As soon as the doctor was done looking her over and determined she would be okay, I left the room with him so he could give me instructions on keeping her wounds clean and giving me some pain pills for her. Brooke finally came out of the spare bedroom with Clint, "How is Eden?" she asked.

"Doc says she'll be fine. You want to go see her before Steve takes you home?" I asked. She nodded and made her way to the bedroom to knock before entering.

I walked into the living room to see Steve closing the front door as Dr. Foster exited, leaving just Clint in the apartment with us. The disposal team had already left and I could see the living room looked exactly as it had before the attack.

"You guys are really lucky" I heard Clint say to Steve...he turned to me and smiled when I walked up, "Those are two of the strongest women I have ever met" He turned to Steve, "Did Brooke tell you she gave Lister a nice right hook before he knocked her out? I checked the body...it was a good solid hit"

Steve smiled, "That's my girl" he said proudly.

Clint turned to me, "It's pretty obvious how strong Eden is but even I'm stunned at her bravery. That girl wasn't going out without a fight…she saved Brooke's life" he said, looking between myself and Steve "After Lister knocked her out, Eden jumped on his back to keep him stabbing her….that's how Eden ended up with that second bump on the back of her head…he backed her into the wall to get her off of him"

I could see Steve's body tense up at hearing that Lister had tried to stab Brooke but I put my hand on his shoulder as Clint kept talking.

"Did she tell you how she ended up with that bruise on her stomach Bucky? He sucker punched her after she kneed the asshole in the balls" he finished, a hint of a smile on his lips. Brooked entered the living room and made her way over to Steve, "I'm ready to go home now" she said, looking up at him.

We said our goodbyes and Clint walked out with them. I turned off all the lights and made sure the door was locked before heading back to the bedroom to check on Eden. I took a deep breath before opening the door. Eden was up and out of the bed, standing by her dresser.

"What the hell are you doing out of bed?"

"I wanted to get cleaned up and change clothes" she said in a weak voice as she bent down to open a dresser drawer. She gasped in pain and I reached down and caught her when she started to fall over, scooping her up in my arms and carrying her back over to the bed.

"I'll get your clothes and help you change" I said, walking back over to the dresser to pull out something for her to sleep in. I turn around and glanced at her…shoulders hunched over and a look of pain on her face. I sat beside her and she immediately wrapped her arms around me and laid her head on my chest, "I knew you would come" she said quietly.

"I'm sorry it was almost too late. I don't want to ever lose you Eden…if anything had happened to you…I don't know…I don't think I could live without you…" I said softly in her ear.

I saw a look of grief flash over her face suddenly and she said, "I can't live with you either…Bucky, I love you so much"

I was both surprised and happy when she leaned up to kiss me. When she reached to fumble with the buttons on my shirt and deepened the kiss, it took everything I had to pull away….I almost didn't. The need to be close to her was overwhelming…I wanted to erase every bad memory he had inflicted on her, but I knew she was hurt and I wanted her to heal completely before we even thought about doing anything.

"No Eden, you've been through too much tonight…this isn't what you want…and you're hurt"

She seemed upset at first but then looked up at me, "Will you hold me, please?"

"I'd hold you for the rest of your life if you'd let me" I told her before standing up from the bed. Looking down at her, I know that is exactly what I want to do…spend the rest of my life with her…loving her…building a life with her….making a family with her.

She smiled up at me so sweetly and it was as if she could hear my thoughts, "I'd be okay with that"

"Good…now, let's get you out of those clothes and into something more comfortable"

I helped her take off her shirt and felt the anger again when I saw the bruise on her stomach…I removed her bra and helped her slip on a tank top. I was surprised at how comfortable she seemed to be when I helped her slip out of her panties and into a fresh pair. Most women would be nervous and anxious after experiencing what Eden did…but she only seemed to gather comfort from my touch.

I was helping her step into her shorts when she said, "I know you were on the phone Bucky…listening while he…I just want you to know, I wasn't going out without a fight"

I closed my eyes, remembering how defiant she sounded when he demanded she remove her clothes…I also remembered the terrified way she had screamed my name before the phone went dead. I remember feeling something at that moment that I couldn't remember feeling so intensely in a long time: fear. I was scared of losing her.

"I know baby, I heard you" I said as I leaned down to kiss her.

Once she was dressed, I pulled back the covers and helped he slide into the bed. I could feel her eyes on me as I took off my shirt and jeans and threw them in the laundry basket. I flipped off the light and climbed into the bed beside her. I smiled and wrapped my arm around her tightly when she snuggled up to me.

This was what I wanted most in this world…to have her right here beside me, laying her head on my chest. I could smell the sweet floral aroma from her hair, the softness of her skin. If I had lost her tonight, I knew I wouldn't be able to go on. I wouldn't survive without her…I would choose not to go on without her.

"Eden" I whispered to her.

"Yes Bucky?"

"I was scared I wasn't going to make it"

I felt her lips on my chest, "But you did…and that's all that matters"

I laid there and clung to her as her body relaxed and she fell asleep. I lay in bed, wide awake…unable to sleep because I kept remembering the fear I had felt at the thought of losing her. I kept looking down at her…so peaceful in my arms.

Eden Barnes. I love the sound of it.