"I will make it worth the wait"

Bucky's words echoed in my head as he helped me out of the shower and judging by the smirk on his face, he knew exactly how much of an effect those words had on me. I tried to protest when he said he was planning to stay home with me that day.

I was wrapped in a towel and he was carrying me into the bedroom as I tried to argue with him, "Bucky, you don't have to stay home with me. What about your recruits?" I asked as he sat me down on the bed and turned to the dresser. I couldn't help but admire his backside as he walked around with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

Please God let me heal up quickly.

"They can train by themselves for the day" he replied as he dug in the drawers for both of us some clothes to wear.

"Fine, you can stay home today but tomorrow it's back to work for you mister. I don't need you waiting on me hand and foot" I said, pointing my finger at him.

He turned around to smile, pleased that he had won that battle, "Fine" he said before he threw my clothes at me. He chuckled when he saw the look of shock on my face.

"You just wait until I'm healed up Bucky Barnes, you'll pay for that" I grumbled, snatching the underwear he had thrown at me off of my head.

"Oh, I'm looking forward to it, trust me" he said, pulling the towel from his waist and throwing it in the laundry basket next to the dresser.

He smirked when he saw my mouth drop open and my cheeks flush pink. I knew he was doing it on purpose and enjoying my reaction to his sudden nudeness. I had no doubt that he would continue these antics until he drove me wild with need. He stood there grinning at me, letting me admire his entire naked body before he reached over to grab his boxers.

It's going to be a long week.

"That's not fair Bucky…you're playing dirty. You can't do that all week" I said, lowering my eyes reluctantly.

"What?" he asked innocently. I glanced up finally, relieved to see that he had finally slid his boxers on and was now reaching for a shirt. It was easier to maintain my composure when he was fully dressed, seeing him without clothes on made me feel like a horny teenager.

I shook my head and stood up, turning my back on him as I removed my own towel and slid my panties on and then my bra. Without turning around, I reached behind me and grabbed my shirt to slip it over my head. I looked down at the cut on my thigh and decided against reapplying the bandages…instead I reached for the pants Bucky had thrown and stepped into them too.

I took a few steps, testing my body for any aches or pains. I could feel the fabric of my pants rubbing against the cut but not anything I couldn't' deal with. I bent down slowly to pick up my towel from the floor…my stomach was sore from the bruise, but it too was manageable. I knew the pain pill I had taken earlier was partially responsible.

"Do you enjoy causing yourself pain?" Bucky said in a firm tone as he turned around to see me rising back up.

"It's fine Bucky. I just wanted to see how it feels. It really isn't that bad" I said as I turned to him. The faster I healed up the better…being close to him and not being able to be with him was going to make me miserable all week.

"I won't touch you until you're healed"

"Uh, huh, don't think that is going to change my mind" he said knowingly, "I'll decide when you're ready" he said. Bucky only smiled at me as I glared back at him until he finally stepped over to me and pulled me close to his chest. I sighed and relaxed in his arms as he brushed a wet curl from my cheek, "Believe me when I say it will be just as hard on me this week as it is on you Eden. You have no idea how hard it is to control myself around you. I never get enough of you…I always want more…I WILL always want more" he whispered.

I looked into his eyes and saw the seriousness in them and simply nodded my head. I closed my eyes when he kissed my forehead "Come on, I'll make you breakfast and we can watch something" he said softly.

The rest of the morning was spent lounging around the house and watching different movies. In the early afternoon, Brooke called to check on me and to tell me how Steve too had stayed home and was spending the day entertaining her. I was lying on the couch, my head in Bucky's lap as she explained how he had stayed the night to make sure she was okay. She told me she was planning to return to work tomorrow and that reminded me that I needed to check my email. Once I hung up with her, I laid my phone on the coffee table and rose from Bucky's lap, the pain in my stomach still evident. I breathed out slowly to keep myself from crying out, not wanting Bucky to over react.

"Where are you going?" he asked as I started to stand up.

"I have to check my email. I didn't get all my work done yesterday because I left early to meet you guys at the museum. I don't want to get behind" I said.

He didn't look happy about me working but he only nodded, not wanting to argue with me. I had a lot of work to do so I got right to it. Hours passed and I was still diligently working, desperate to not get too far behind. I had worked too hard to get my business up and running to let it flop because of a little pain in my belly. I finally finished the last client and shut my laptop before looking at the clock.

5:30

I rubbed my eyes and then rested my head in my hands. I had been at it for almost 5 hours and was exhausted.

I wonder what Bucky is doing.

I turned around in my chair and let out a yelp of surprise when I saw him lying on the bed watching me, "How long have you been there?" I asked, placing my hand on my chest.

He shrugged, "Couple of hours"

I know my mouth dropped open…he had somehow managed to get in the room, lie on the bed, and sit quietly for two hours without me noticing, "What have you been doing this whole time?" I asked.

"Thinking" he said.

He sat up and watched my reaction with a strange look on his face.

"Don't looked so shocked Eden…you know what I am, a cold blooded assassin for the last 70 years. I'm used to sitting around quietly without being detected, sneaking up on people…part of the job description" he grumbled.

The way he said it got my attention…he was speaking in the present tense and had that expression on his face that I had seen when he seemed to be going into that bad place…the place where he remembered all the terrible things he had done…all the people he had hurt. He had started to get this way before but I usually caught it in time and was able to snap him out of it….by the looks of it, he was already there, dwelling on his past.

I got up from my chair and walked over to sit next to him on the bed. He tensed up when I reached out to touch his hand but luckily he didn't flinch away, "Come back to me Bucky" I whispered, using my other hand to reach out and touch his cheek, caressing it with the tips of my fingers. He had a deep frown on his face and he resisted my touch at first...I tugged until he finally looked at me. I could see in his eyes when he finally snapped out of it. "I'm sorry" he whispered hoarsely.

"Where do you go Bucky? What do you see?" I asked, never letting my eyes leave his.

He shook his head at me and swallowed hard, "I remember…the things I did…I try not to think about it…but sometimes, it just happens. I know I told you he was gone Eden, the Winter Soldier…but I don't know anymore. He may never be gone…I can still hear him in my here" he said, touching his finger to his head.

I didn't know what to say to that so I just held his hand and waited for him to continue.

"He loves you too" he finally croaked out, lowering his eyes before continuing, "You're the only good thing he has ever known. He will protect you Eden, even when I can't"

I was thinking intently on what Bucky had just said…working through how I felt about it. I think I had already realized the Winter Soldier was a part of him that would never go away.

Does that bother you? No. He's been a part of Bucky the entire time I have known him.

I felt him start to pull his hand away from mine but he looked up when I tightened my grip on him.

I took a deep breath before I spoke, "He may always be a part of you Bucky. He helped make you the man you are today…and I can tell you right now Bucky, I like the man sitting in front of me. I feel safe with you…protected. You make me laugh and you make me feel loved like I've never felt before. I guess it's safe to say that I fell in love with both of you"

He started to say something but I cut him off with a kiss. When I finally pulled away I whispered, "Whenever you start thinking too hard about your past…whenever you start going into that bad place, I want you to think of me…think of this moment right now, it's the present and I'm right here beside you….I'm never going to leave you Bucky, I want to be a part of your future. Please remember that"

When I finished, he was staring at me, a very vulnerable look on his face…he opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but then closed it again. I let my lips fall softly on his, "You don't have to say anything…just keep that in mind the next time you start thinking too hard on your past"

He nodded at me and I felt his hands on my waist…he pulled me into his strong embrace and I sighed in pleasure at the feeling of his arms around me. I let him hold on to me, clinging to me tightly…I would gladly stay like that the rest of the night if he wanted. He finally pulled away and looked down at me, "I want you to be a part of my future" he said, brushing a soft kiss on my lips.

I grinned at him, "Good….now that we have that settled, can we get something to eat?"

I finally got a small smile out of him. We ordered take out that night and spent the evening on the couch watching a movie together. I kept looking at him during the movie, watching him to make sure he wasn't trying to slip back into the past. Once the movie was over, Bucky gave me another pain pill and helped me into bed. He held me a little tighter that night...I would look up at him from time to time as my head was on his chest and notice a smile on his lips.

The next couple of days passed slowly, mostly because it was a very sexually frustrating thing to be so close to someone and not be able to touch them. Bucky was sticking to his guns…he didn't allow me any chance at seducing him. My bruise was fading fast…it went from dark purple to yellow in just a two days. The thin cut on my thigh was all but gone. Bucky went back to work just like I asked him to and I spent my days working on my laptop, getting back into the grind. Life finally felt like it was getting back to normal though and that made me very happy.

Thursday night was Halloween and Bucky and I were happily watching a movie marathon of the old Halloween/Michael Myers movies on TV. We were sitting on opposite ends of the couch facing each other. Every time a commercial would come on, we would try throwing popcorn into each other's mouth. Having super soldier agility gave him quite the upper hand…unfortunately for Bucky, I had not been blessed with that skill.

"I think you're doing this on purpose" Bucky growled as the piece I had just thrown landed smack dab in the middle of his forehead.

I giggled as I watched him pluck it off of his shirt where it landed and pop it into his mouth. He grabbed a piece of out his bowl and made a perfect shot into mine.

I tossed another and actually made it in rewarding me with a smile from Bucky as he chewed. My phone suddenly rang and I reached over to snatch it up off the coffee table to answer. I grinned when I saw it was Jill calling.

Bucky put the piece of popcorn in his hand back in his bowl and watched me with curiosity as I answered.

We exchanged simple chit chat for a few minutes before she got down to why she was calling.

"So I know it's kind of last minute but Lilah begged me to call you and at least ask" Jill said.

"Ask me what?"

"We're having her birthday party this Saturday afternoon and she really wants you there. She was disappointed when she found out you were in town the last time but didn't come visit her. You could drive up Saturday morning and stay the night with me if you didn't want to drive back that night. "

Lilah was Jill's niece and probably the cutest kid ever. Jill's brother Mark was 8 years older than us and had married his college sweet heart right after graduating. Mark and his wife Lynn had 3 kids: an 8 year old boy named Jake, Lilah who was turning 6, and a 5 month old baby boy named Seth. I had always loved Mark's kids and use to babysit Jake and Lilah during summers between college. I hadn't seen Seth yet so the idea of going to visit for the weekend actually sounded like a great idea. I looked over at Bucky who was munching happily on his popcorn.

I wonder how Bucky would feel if I asked him to go.

I watched him as I replied back to Jill to see what his reaction would be, "Sure Jill, I'd love to come this weekend…I haven't seen the kids in so long"

Bucky's head snapped up to eye me and I could already see the frown forming on his face.

I stood up from the couch and continued talking, "Would it be okay if I brought Bucky with me?"

I turned around to see his frown had suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a surprised expression.

"You better bring him…I want to meet this guy. I asked Brooke to come to and bring her new mystery man but she's got some museum thing this weekend and couldn't come" Jill replied.

I laughed at hearing that Brooke hadn't told Jill she was dating the famous Steve Rogers, but I didn't say anything. I knew Brooke would tell Jill when she was ready.

Jill quickly gave me all the party details and then we said our goodbyes. I turned around to lay my phone back down on the table and looked over to see Bucky staring at me with a smirk on his face.

"What's the smirk for Barnes?" I walked over and snatched up his bowl of popcorn and laid it down beside my phone before I plopped down into his lap.

He shrugged, "You want me to go with you…to meet Jill…makes me feel special" he said.

"Of course I want you to come…and you are the most special person in the world to me" I leaned down to kiss him, "But we aren't going just for you to meet Jill. I hope you like kids" I said with a smile.

That got his attention, "Kids?" he said hesitantly.

"Jill's niece is turning 6" I quickly told him about the party and how much I adored Mark's children, "You still interested in coming?" I asked.

He thought about it for a second before he smiled and nodded, "Yep...so do you think we'll stay the night on Saturday?" he asked.

"It's a 3 hour drive each way so it would probably be a good idea. Jill has a spare bedroom we can use and we can spend a little time with her on Sunday morning before we head back. Is that okay?"

He nodded and kissed me again. I was excited…I couldn't help it. I was ready for Jill to finally meet him. I pulled away and looked at Bucky….really looked at him.

Good God, I love him!

He was still smiling at me with a twinkle in his blue eyes when I leaned back in for another kiss…deeper this time and more urgent. It had been 5 days….5 long agonizing days without feeling his hard body on top of mine. I was pleased when he kissed me back just as hungrily. I reached for the buttons of his shirt, shaking as I tried to undo them quickly, worried he would try to stop me. He didn't though and I eventually got them all done and pulled his shirt open, letting my fingers find his chest and dance along his skin. He groaned into the kiss and I felt one hand slide to my waist while the other trailed over my stomach. He touched the bruise and I flinched back just a bit…it was enough to completely ruin the moment.

He pulled back quickly, "I'm sorry Eden…we can't"

"No, no, no, no Bucky…it's fine baby…it's fine" I begged, trying to reach out and touch his chest again. He wasn't having any of it.

He snatched both of my wrists in his hands and smirked at me, "I told you woman…I'll make it worth the wait…not tonight though"

When he saw the pout of my face, he leaned in and kissed me but pulled back before I could deepen it further. I got out of his lap and went back to my side of the couch, flopping down in disappointment. I did have the pleasure of watching him shake his head at me and reach down to adjust the noticeable bulge in his pants...it made me feel slightly better.

He caught me looking and grinned at me, "You see what you do to me"

I couldn't help but giggle as I reached over for my bowl of popcorn and started throwing piece after piece at him.