Bucky wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close to him as we left Brooke's apartment and walked to the car. I happily laid my head against him as we made our way across the dark parking lot together. I gave him a small smile when he looked down at me and brushed a soft kiss across my forehead.

"You tired?" he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders...truthfully, I was pretty beat but it was only 9:00 and I knew Bucky probably wasn't ready for bed. I figured if we snuggled up on the couch and watched a movie, I could get away with dozing a little and still manage to be with him.

"How about we go home and watch a movie before bed?" I suggested.

"Sounds good" he said as he opened my car door for me and helped me inside before shutting it gently. I watched as he sauntered around the front to open his own door and slide in, reaching over to squeeze my hand before starting the car.

If anyone asked me what I was most thankful for today, my answer, loud and clear, would be James Buchannan Barnes. The last two months had been some of the happiest days of my life...each day with Bucky had been better than the last. I turned on my side to face him and laid my head back on the seat, watching him as he drove us home. He was so focused on driving that he didn't notice me staring at him and for a time, I was able to let my eyes roam over him...taking in his handsome features all at once.

When we pulled into the parking lot of our building, Bucky turned off the car and looked over at me with a grin.

"Okay, you want to tell me why you've been staring at me like that for the last 10 minutes?" he asked.

Should have known he would notice.

I shook my head with a smile, "I was thinking about the one thing that I am most thankful for today and lo and behold, he's sitting right next to me. Have I told you today that I love you?"

A sexy smirk appeared on his face, "You know, I actually don't think you have"

I leaned over and kissed his cheek, "Well it's true...I love you"

I pulled away and reached for the door handle but giggled when I felt him grab my arm. I let him draw me back in for another kiss, this one much more passionate than the first. His hand was twisted in my hair and his lips moved over mine with hungry need. I was leaning over the console at an awkward angle and when he finally released me, I fell back into my seat breathless...a big smile on my face.

"I love you too" he chuckled as he opened the car door and stepped out. With a happy sigh, I grabbed my purse before stepping out of the car. Bucky was by my side as soon as I closed the door, his strong hand on my back causing warmth to spread throughout my body. I looked up at him as he guided me towards the door to the building. Sometimes it was impossible for me to believe that I had gotten lucky enough to meet someone who was so perfect for me. I had never felt such a strong connection to Michael as I did for Bucky. Thinking back on it now, I really always knew things would never work out with Michael...we were just too different from each other. It took time for me to grow to feel something for him but with Bucky, there was a spark the instant I met him. Something about him drew me in right away...perhaps it was fate.

It's finally time to throw that box of Michael's stuff out...tonight!

The moment Bucky opened the door I stepped past him and headed for my spare bedroom. I walked over to the closet and pulled the door open. A couple of weeks ago, I had shoved the box back in there, not in the mood to deal with it at the time. But tonight, I finally knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was ready to forget all about the past and focus on the only future I wanted or needed. Bucky was the only one for me, always and forever. I reached down and picked up the box and turned to see Bucky in the door way with a confused look on his face.

I thrust it at him and smiled, "Do you think you could do me a favor and go throw this in the dumpster?"

He looked down at the box and then back up at me, a bright smile spreading across his face. "Gladly" he said, taking the box from my hands and leaning over to kiss me before turning and walking out of the room. I heard the front door open and close and I sat on the bed, smiling to myself. I looked up and spotted something in the closet that I had completely forgotten I had stuck there. I got up and pulled out the black keyboard, a gift from my parents several years ago. I had always loved to play the piano and when my parents moved to Lake Tahoe, my piano had gone with them. My parents had told me that I could have it back whenever I wanted but I knew there was no point while I still lived in an apartment. Since I couldn't have my piano, they had bought me the next best thing.

When was the last time I played? After my break up with Michael?

I plugged the keyboard in and set it up on its stand...inside the closet was the fold up chair I had always used while I played. I flipped the switch and began tapping out a few notes, surprised at how easy it all came back. Within minutes, my fingers were running across the keys and I switched from song to song, grinning as I sang a few verses of each one.

"Well, I heard there was a secret chord

That David played and it pleased the Lord

But you don't really care for music, do you?

Well, it goes like this

The fourth, the fifth

The minor fall and the major lift

The baffled king composing hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Well, your faith was strong but you needed proof

You saw her bathing on the roof

Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you

She tied you to a kitchen chair

She broke your throne and she cut your hair

And from your lips she drew the hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah"

I let my voice trail off as I started to play another song, a lullaby version of Carry on My Wayward Son that I use to sing to Jake when I babysat for him.

"Carry on my wayward son,

There'll be peace when you are done

Lay your weary head to rest

Don't you cry no more

Once I rose above the noise and confusion

Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion

I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high

Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man

Though my mind could think I still was a mad man

I hear the voices when I'm dreaming, I can them say

Carry on my wayward son,

There'll be peace when you are done

Lay your weary head to rest

Don't you cry no more"

I smiled thinking about Jake...when I sang it to him he had always fallen asleep with a smile. Thinking about him made me think about Bucky and how well they had gotten along when we visited for Lilah's birthday party. We would be seeing them again in two weeks for Jill's wedding.

What's taking Bucky so long to come back?

I stopped playing and listened to see if I could hear him in the apartment but it was completely quiet. I resumed playing again and chuckled as I started playing the piano part to Come Little Children. Brooke and Jill had always said it freaked them out when they heard me sing and play this song...they thought it sounded creepy.

"Come little children, I'll take thee away, into a land of enchantment

Come little children, the times come to play, here in my garden of shadows

Follow sweet children, I'll show thee the way, through all the pain and sorrows

Weep not poor children, for life is this way, murdering beauty and passions

Hush now dear children, it must be this way, too weary of life and deceptions

Rest now my children, for soon we'll away, into the calm and the quiet

Come little children, I'll take the away, into a land of enchantment

Come little children, the times come to play, here in my garden of shadows"

I hummed as I finished the song and smirked at thinking about the expression on my friend's faces when I sang it for them the first time. It had been after a basketball game at school...we had snuck into the darkened auditorium and I had played it for them. As I finished the song, the two of them had looked at me and both told me it had been the freakiest thing they had ever heard. I had cackled my most evil laugh and at that moment, someone had opened the auditorium with a bang. Jill and Brooke had bolted through the side exit screaming, me stumbling after them laughing wickedly.

I nearly jumped out of my chair when I felt a hand on my shoulder...I yelped and turned to see Bucky standing there with a strange smile on his face.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "What took you so long?"

His smile widened and he shrugged his shoulders.

"You've been listening to me this whole time, haven't you?" I asked.

He smirked and shrugged his shoulders again, "Maybe"

I turned the keyboard off and stood up from my chair before turning to him. I poked him in the stomach, "Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to sneak up on people Bucky Barnes?"

He ignored my question and walked over to examine the keyboard, "I didn't know you played...you don't have to stop. It was really beautiful...that last song was..."

He seemed to be trying to think of the right words so I said, "...strangely creepy?"

He laughed softly and nodded, "...in a beautiful way though" he said.

I took his hand and turned off the light before closing the door to the spare bedroom. I led him to the kitchen to make popcorn for the movie and told him the story about the first time Jill and Brooke had heard it.

He was still laughing as we made our way into the living room, popcorn bowl in hand. I let Bucky pick the movie and I inwardly groaned when he chose The Lord of the Rings. I had to get up at 4:00 in the morning to go Black Friday shopping with Brooke. She was picking me up at 5:00 so we could start hitting some stores. We were both determined to get our Christmas shopping done early this year, which is why we were getting up at the crack of dawn.

He would pick the longest movie ever!

I loved The Lord of the Rings but I was tired and it was the one movie I wouldn't want to fall asleep during. I had been begging him to watch it with me for the last couple of the weeks but he had kept saying it wasn't really his thing. Apparently, tonight was the night he was finally going to give in to me...the gesture was so sweet that I nodded my approval and watched as he put the movie on.

Sleep is over rated anyway!

Curled up next to him eating popcorn was the perfect way to end the night and this really was one of my favorites. I fell asleep towards the end and only woke up when Bucky moved to grab the remote to turn it off. I looked up at him sleepily and saw him smile down at me.

"Did you like it?" I asked, covering my mouth as I yawned.

He looked down at me sweetly, "Yeah it was better than I thought it would be" With a sly smile he said, "Want to watch the next one?"

I groaned and pulled away from him to stand up and stretch, "No way...I'm exhausted. Some of us don't get to sleep late tomorrow"

He looked at me in confusion and I continued, "I'm getting up early to go shopping with Brooke tomorrow, remember?"

He looked at his watch and his eyes widened, "Shit, I forgot babe! I'm sorry...it's almost 1:00 in the morning"

I moaned and reached my hand out to him, "Take me to bed"

He stood up suddenly and scooped me up in his arms...I wrapped my own arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, "I didn't mean you had to literally carry me to bed but I appreciate it nonetheless"

Bucky flipped off the light switch and carried me to the bedroom, kicking the door shut with his foot before setting me down. I made way in the bathroom to wash up quickly before walking back in the bedroom and grabbing an oversized t-shirt from my dresser to slip on. I was in the bed and under the covers before Bucky even came out of the bathroom. I was turned on my side with my back facing him. I heard him turn off the lamp and then slip into bed behind me, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me into his chest. I sighed in happiness when I felt him nuzzle his face into my neck and kiss me.

I finally asked him something I had been wondering all night, "What do you think happened to Steve?"

I felt him tense up behind me before he answered, "I don't know baby. I'll call him in the morning and find out. It takes a lot to hurt Steve"

"Do you think it has anything to do with Kaine?" I asked softly.

"Maybe" he said. I felt him tighten his arm around my waist and lay another kiss on my neck, "Don't worry about it Eden...nothing is going to happen to me or you. Go to sleep baby"

I nodded my head but didn't say anything else. Laying there in his arms, I felt safe and secure and sleep came very easily.

The next thing I knew my alarm was going off and I reached over to silence the annoying beep. It literally felt like I had just fell asleep and I let out a loud groan. Bucky was still pressed against my back and when I moved to get out of bed, his arm tightened around my waist.

"Where are you going?" he mumbled, still half asleep.

I rolled over in bed to face him and kissed his forehead, "Christmas shopping with Brooke"

He groaned, "Skip shopping...stay here with me instead" His arm slid from my waist to my back and then down to grope my butt. I felt him pull me into him more and I was surprised to feel him hard against my hip.

How the hell does he do that? He's half asleep and still able to get it up instantly.

"Bucky" I said in a warning tone, "Brooke is picking me up in an hour...there's no time"

He scoffed and moved his hand to the top of my panties, "There's always time for this" Before I could protest, he leaned down to steal a kiss and slide his hand inside my panties. I felt his smirk against my lips when he felt the wetness between my legs, "Seems like you might be willing to make time"

I whimpered as one finger slid in, "10 minutes" I swore.

He released me and rolled onto his back to slide his boxers down while my hands moved to remove my own panties. Seconds later he rolled back over, covering me with his body and sliding into me with a low growl. My hands went to his shoulders and I threw my head back, moaning his name as he started to move inside of me.

He heeded my warning and wasted no time, thrusting with wild determination and driving me quickly over the edge. He drove his hips into me, moaning my name softly at his release, his warmth spreading inside of me. He stayed hovering over me as he steadied his breathing, his head in my chest as I rubbed my fingers through his hair.

"That's the way we need to wake up every day" I heard him mumble.

I chuckled as he rolled off of me, "At 4:00 every morning?"

He groaned and pulled his boxers back on, "Definitely not" He put his hands behind his head and watched me as I sat up and rolled out of bed. "You sure you want to go? I could repeat that without rushing this time" he said.

I stopped moving towards the bathroom and turned to look at him, noticing the bulge already forming in his boxers again. I pulled my night shirt off and threw it in the laundry basket before turning to face him again. A sly smile formed on his face and he reached out his hand to me.

I blew him a kiss before turning and walking into the bathroom.

"Tease" I heard him call through the door.

I chuckled before making my way over to the shower. Our little encounter had thrown me off schedule and I had to rush through my shower and instead of straightening my hair, I braided it. I turned off the light to the bathroom and stepped quietly back into the bedroom. As I came out, I could see Bucky had rolled over, his back now facing me. I grabbed some socks, a bra, and some panties before I stepped into the closet to find some jeans and a sweater. Once I was dressed and had my shoes on, I made my way to the bed and rubbed my hand against Bucky's back. He had already fell back asleep and mumbled when he felt my touch.

"I'm leaving baby...I love you" I whispered.

"Love you too...be careful. Call me later" he said sleepily.

I grabbed my cell phone and left the apartment. Brooke was already parked next to my SUV and when I got in the car, she passed me a large cup of coffee. I gave her a bright smile and cheerfully told her good morning.

"You ready to go fight it out with all the other fucking crazy people up this early?" she said.

I took a huge gulp of coffee before replying, "Let's do this"

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BUCKY POV

The first thing I realized when I woke up was that I was cold and I didn't like it. It reminded me of my days as the Winter Soldier when they would put me back on ice after my mission was complete. Since Eden, I had become accustomed to waking up with her warm body curled next to mine. Without opening my eyes, I reached across the bed to find the warmth that I was missing. Her side of the bed was cold too and it made me open my eyes suddenly...instantly on edge.

I sat up in the bed to listen closely and didn't hear any sounds in the apartment. I looked over at the clock and noticed it was 9:30 in the morning.

Where is she?

I panicked for nearly 10 seconds before I remembered she had gotten up early to go shopping with Brooke. For some reason, the day after Thanksgiving was called Black Friday and Eden had told me that was the best time to get Christmas shopping done. I fell back into the bed with a groan and tried to steady my racing heartbeat. I heard my phone beep and I reached over to snatch it up from the nightstand, hoping it was her...it wasn't.

Steve: You up? I thought we could meet at the diner down the street from your apartment to talk. That okay?

Bucky: Sure...I just woke up though. Give me an hour?

Steve: Yeah, I just woke up myself. I'll shower and meet you there at 10:30.

I sat my phone down on the nightstand before I rolled out of bed to make my way to the bathroom to take a shower. Thirty minutes later I stepped out of the bathroom and got dressed before reaching for my phone again. I knew Brooke had picked Eden up at 5:00 in the morning so they had to have been shopping for at least the last 5 hours...surely they were almost done.

Bucky: Hey, how is everything going? You two have been at it a while. Me and Steve are going to the diner down the street to talk and grab a bite to eat.

I made my way to the living room to slip on my boots. I looked at my phone and noticed she still hadn't texted me back. With a sigh, I stuffed my phone in my pocket and grabbed my keys and wallet before heading out. I decided to walk to the diner instead of driving and noticed the street was awfully busy today. People were milling around on the sidewalk, carrying shopping bags and talking to each other excitedly. I eventually made it to the diner and saw Steve was already there, tucked into a booth near the back. He waved me over and I took the seat across from him.

Before I could get a word out, a waitress appeared to take my drink order. As soon as she walked away, I looked at Steve and said, "Okay, talk! Tell me what happened"

Steve gave me a small smile, "Good morning to you too"

He finally sighed when all I did was continue to do was stare at him.

"Fine. I ran into a little trouble" he finally admitted.

"Where? And who?" I demanded.

"Germany. Our Intel showed that a small group of HYDRA was operating out of a hidden facility there. Turned out that the word "small" means 50 well trained and heavily armed HYDRA soldiers. I only went in with a team of 4. We ended up having to fall back...but not before we got the crap beat out of us"

He stopped talking when the waitress showed up with our drinks and took down our food order.

As soon as she walked off I looked back at him, "I'm glad you managed to make it out of there. You had me worried when you showed up a day late...I didn't tell the girls you were supposed to be back Wednesday. Has there been any word from Natasha on Kaine?"

Steve looked at me cautiously, "That's actually why I wanted to get together to talk"

I looked up quickly and felt my heart start to race, "Shit, what does that mean?"

"Fury is pulling Natasha off of Kaine and bringing her back here" he said carefully.

Before I could ask, he continued, "Kaine hasn't made any moves in the last three weeks. Fury wants Natasha back to keep a look out here in D.C. He sent an entire team in her place but for now, it looks like Kaine may have given up his search for you"

I looked at him seriously, "Kaine's not one to give up...this might just be a short reprieve"

The waitress returned with our food and after we started digging in, Steve continued talking. "Fury is making this his #1 priority Bucky. Kaine isn't going to get to you"

I stopped eating my food and looked up at him, "It's not even me that I'm worried about Steve...it's her. If anything happens to Eden, I'll never forgive myself. I can't make it without her...she is my life now"

Steve gave me a small smile, "Don't worry about Eden...from what Clint has told me, she's getting better and better every day. You'll be pleased to know that Fury has asked Natasha to join Clint in training her"

I looked up from my plate in surprise and saw Steve nodding his head and grinning at me. I couldn't help but smile too. Natasha's fighting style was amazing and I knew Eden would be excited to hear that she would be helping Clint with her training going forward.

For now, I pushed my worries of Kaine aside and enjoyed my time with Steve. It had been a while since he and I had a chance to hang out by ourselves. Long after we had finished our meal, we sat there talking and laughing. I told him about Eden and how proud I was of her incredible progress with her training. He filled me in on his relationship with Brooke and I couldn't help but grin at him as he talked about her. I really liked Brooke and I was glad her and Steve had hit it off so well. Since meeting Eden, I had found it easier to open up to people. I saw qualities in Brooke that I admired in Eden so he made it easy to like the red head.

I looked down at my phone and saw that Eden still hadn't texted me back. Steve must have noticed me frown and asked what was wrong.

"I texted Eden almost two hours ago and she still hasn't messaged me back. Have you heard from Brooke?" I asked.

He shook his head, "No, she woke me up to tell me she was leaving this morning. She warned me that they would be gone a while though. I'll text her and see if their done yet"

I watched as he typed out a quick message to Brooke...it only took a few moments late for her to text him back.

He looked down at the phone, "Brooke said she dropped Eden off at the apartment about 45 minutes ago"

Why hasn't she texted me back yet then?

Steve must have read my mind, "She probably has her phone turned off or the volume down. Don't worry about it Buck. I'm sure she is probably at the apartment right now waiting on you"

I threw some money down on the table, "Yeah, you're probably right. I better head back to the apartment. I'll see you later man"

We said our goodbyes and I made my way quickly down the street back to the apartment. I ran up the stairs and opened the apartment door, calling out to her, "Eden, I'm home"

The lights were all still off and her purse wasn't sitting by the door like it usually was. The apartment felt empty but I looked around anyway, hoping I was wrong...I wasn't though, Eden was not there. I pulled out my phone and called her, growling in frustration when she didn't pick up and her voicemail came on. I left a message telling her to call me as soon as she got it. I could already feel the panic rising in me...there was no sign that she had ever came home, even though Brooke had said she dropped her off.

I dialed Steve's cell phone, slamming my fist down on the coffee table as I waited for him to pick up. Images of Milton Kaine began swarming into my thoughts and I clenched my fist tightly. If he had her, I would hunt him down and rip his fucking heart out.

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EDEN POV

"I'm fucking beat Eden, can we give it up already?" Brooke whined as we trudged out of another store.

I had to admit, I was exhausted too...I had gotten less than three hours of sleep last night. Brooke and Steve had gone to bed right after we left so she had gotten a decent amount of rest. I smiled thinking about what Brooke had told me earlier this morning in the car. The two of them just needed to hurry up and do it already. I could tell Brooke had already fallen hard for Steve by the starry eyed look on her face she got whenever she talked about him. I was concerned though when she told me about the bruises Steve had been hiding under his shirt. I tried not to let it worry me too much...Bucky had promised he wouldn't keep anything from me and I knew once he found out what happened, he would tell me.

I looked at my watch and noticed it was 11:00. We had been shopping for nearly 6 hours and in that time, I had gotten a ton of gifts bought. Christmas was absolutely my favorite holiday and I liked to go all out. It was the one time of year that I didn't mind spending money. Bucky and I would be spending the holidays with my family in Colorado and I couldn't wait for them to meet him. My family is all about Christmas...stockings for everyone on Christmas morning, baking cookies for Santa, on and on. Just about every Christmas tradition you could think of, my family would partake in. As we reached Brooke's car, she opened the trunk so we could throw our bags in...I already had a huge pile of bags in the back seat of her car. As Brooke had driven us around this morning, I started making a list of people I needed to buy for...friends, family, Jake, Lilah, clients. I had smiled wide when I wrote Bucky's name at the very top.

Our first Christmas together!

Brooke and I had gone from store to store this morning, only stopping once to get a refill on coffee. Brooke was pretty big into Christmas too, so the first 4 hours or so, she didn't mind the long waiting lines and the bustle of people. Now, she was tired and getting cranky so I knew it was time to head back home.

"You sure you don't want to go to one more store?" I said with a sly smile. I held up my hands in surrender when she narrowed her eyes at me, "I'm just kidding. Take me home. I'm about ready to take a nap myself"

While Brooke drove me back to my apartment, I sat back in my seat and thought about Bucky. I had bought him a few things while I had shopped this morning...a watch and a few clothes but I really wanted to get him that jukebox that he liked so much from the antique shop. I had spoken to the owner again a few days ago and he said he was willing to sell it to me for next to nothing if I would help him get a website started for the shop. I had told him to let me think about it and I would get back with him.

Bucky would love it and I bet I could find some old records from the 1940's.

I couldn't think of any reason not to buy it and smiled to myself as I made the final decision in my head. A few minutes later, Brooke pulled up to my apartment building and put the car in park. I looked back at her backseat and saw the piles of shopping bags lining the seats. The plan was to get together tonight at her apartment and wrap everything, which was one of the things I enjoyed the most.

"Do you think you could just take everything home with you? Just leave it in your car and when I come over tonight, we can get it all out then" I said.

She nodded her head sleepily and waved her hands at me, "Sure. Get out bitch! I'm ready to go home and take a nap with my boyfriend"

I laughed and grabbed my purse, "Oh, I'm sure a nap isn't the only thing you'll be doing. You should be ashamed that you're ditching me so you can go get some hanky panky from your super hero boyfriend"

She flipped me off and scoffed, "Like you and Bucky aren't going to do the same thing"

She noticed the smirk on my face and her eyes widened in realization, "You two did it this morning didn't you? I knew it! You were too fucking happy when you got in the car this morning"

Without saying a word, I shrugged my shoulders and got out of the car, shutting the door behind me. She quickly let down her window and laughingly called out, "WHORE!" I flipped her off and walked to my building, chuckling as she pulled off. I was almost halfway up the stairs before I stopped and turned around.

I might as well go ahead and talk to the owner of the antique shop. I'd hate it if he sold the jukebox before I let him know I wanted it.

I quickly turned around and made my way out of the apartment building and down the street. The antique shop was pretty busy but I smiled to myself when I looked in the corner and saw the jukebox still sitting there. The owner spotted me and quickly made his way over to me.

He shook my hand, "Ms. Page, it's so nice to see you again. I have some good news for you. I contacted that friend of mine that I was telling you about...the one who owns an antique shop in New York. He has an entire collection of records from the 1940's. He's willing to give me a deal if you are interested in still in getting it for your boyfriend"

I nodded eagerly and he led me to his office so we could make the final arrangements. I couldn't help being excited as I paid him the money for it, promising him I would have his website up and running by the end of the next week. I knew I had found the perfect gift for Bucky...he was going to love it.

I left the shop, still smiling from ear to ear as I made my way home. I couldn't wait to tell Brooke what I had bought him. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I nearly passed up the candy store. I backed up a few feet and stepped inside, closing my eyes and inhaling deeply as I closed the door behind me. Ms. Anna smiled from behind the counter and reached for an empty box as soon as she saw me walk in. I waved and made my way around the store, grabbing a plastic bag and picking out Bucky's favorite candy before making my way to the counter where she already had two boxes filled with fudge and peanut brittle. She asked me where Bucky was and I explained to her that I had been doing Christmas shopping all day with a friend and he had stayed home.

Now that I think about it, it's unusual he hasn't called me.

After I handed her my debit card to pay for the candy, I started digging in my purse for my phone. I emptied everything out and didn't find it.

Damn, I must have lost it!

I tried to think back to earlier that morning...I knew I had it while we were shopping because I had texted my mom at one point to ask about gifts for my little cousins. I knew I didn't leave it at the coffee shop we stopped by because I had looked at it in the car to google something for Brooke.

Maybe I left it in her car?!

I asked Ms. Anna what time it was and my eyes widened when she told me it was nearly 1:00. I hadn't spoken to Bucky since I left this morning at 5:00am. I'm sure he had called or texted me and probably was wondering why I wasn't answering my phone. After thanking Ms. Anna, I made my way home, swinging the bag of candy back and forth as I walked.

I grabbed the mail before heading up the stairs, humming a Christmas song as I went. I unlocked the door to my apartment and laid my purse down by the door before heading into the living room. I had a big smile on my face that quickly vanished when I saw the bewildered look Bucky gave me...it stopped me dead in my tracks. He was sitting on the couch holding his cell phone to his ear.

The moment I walked in, he let out a huge sigh and lowered his head before he started speaking on the phone, "She just walked in Steve...call Barton for me and let him know. I am fucking calm Steve. I'll talk to you later"

Uh Oh, that doesn't sound good.

I looked at him in nervously as he threw his cell phone down on the table and lowered his face into his hands. I walked up to him and watched as he ran his hands through his hair...his body tensed up as I sat down on the couch next to him.

I placed my hand on his back and asked, "Everything okay baby?"

He shrugged my hand off and stood up quickly, "Where the fuck have you been? Brooke said she dropped you off over an hour ago. I've been calling you and texting you? Why the hell didn't you answer" he asked angrily.

I was a little taken aback by the tone of his voice and his harsh words. Bucky had never spoken to me this way before so I knew he was pretty upset.

"I decided to do a little more shopping after she dropped me off" I explained, holding up the bag from the candy store. I jumped when he snatched the bag from my hands and threw it down on the couch before he began pacing around the room angrily.

I bit my lip before continuing, "I think I lost my phone. I was going to call you but it wasn't in my purse. I came home as soon as I realized it was missing"

He stopped pacing and turned to face me, "I've been sitting here for the last half hour worrying...thinking that you were...that someone had taken...Dammit" he said loudly, clenching his fist at his side before letting out a deep breath.

I reached out to touch him but he brushed me off again, staring down at me in anger. I tried not to let it hurt my feelings...I knew he was angry because he had been worried about me. Even knowing that, I still couldn't keep the large lump in my throat from forming...I bit my lip hard to hold back the tears that were threatening to slip down my face.

I took a deep breath before stuttering, "I'm...I'm sorry...I didn't...didn't mean to make you worry"

I saw the muscle in his jaw flinch but he didn't say anything, he just looked away and let out a loud sigh. I backed away, desperate to get out of his sight so I could let the tears finally fall. I knew the best thing to do was give him some time alone so he could calm down. Surely he wouldn't stay mad at me for long. I silently walked out of the living room and headed to the bedroom, not bothering to turn on the light as I entered. I took a seat on the bed and finally let the tears fall down my face, one after the other.

You really screwed up this time Eden.

Once I had cried the tears away, I was left feeling tired and empty. I slipped off my shoes and lay back on the bed, not bothering to get under the covers. As exhausted as I was, I still found myself not able to fall asleep...having him mad at me was the worst feeling I had ever felt. I must have laid there for close to an hour before I heard the door open. I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to turn around to face him but hoping he wouldn't leave. I felt nothing but relief when I heard him close the door and make his way to the bed. The tears I thought had dried up slowly started again when I felt him wrap his arm around me and pull me into his chest.

"I'm sorry...I..." I started to apologize but he shushed me, nuzzling his face into my neck to whisper in my ear.

"Don't...I shouldn't have raised my voice at you. I'm sorry Eden. I was just worried and I took it out on you. I'm an asshole" he said quietly.

I shook my head, biting my lip, "It's my fault. I know the whole Kaine thing has you on edge. I should have tried to call or text you earlier in the day, maybe then I would have realized my phone was missing"

He used his arm to pull me around until I was facing him, "You don't need to apologize woman" His hand came up to my face to brush away my hair and his fingers caressed my cheek as he stared at me, "I just don't like feeling that way Eden and I never know quite how to deal with it"

"What way?" I asked, taking his hand and kissing the palm of it as I looked up at him.

He shook his head, "Scared shitless"

He shifted to lie on his back, pulling me into him so that my head was resting on his chest. His hand came to lie on back as he let his fingers dance along my skin.

He sighed, "I remember feeling that way every time they put me in that damn chair to wipe my memory...it's the one thing I never could forget. No matter how many times they wiped me that fear was always there"

I wrapped my arm around his chest and snuggled closer as he kept talking, "I was scared the day you were in that car accident. Even then Eden, I knew I loved you...I remember telling Steve on the way to the hospital" He smiled down at me when he saw the surprised expression on my face, "What?" he asked.

"You remember Jim, the paramedic? I wanted him to call you and when he asked who you were I wasn't sure what to call you so I told him the same thing...that I loved you" I confessed.

"You knew that soon?" he asked, that damn sexy smirk on his face.

I shook my head, "I knew sooner than that"

"When?" he asked quietly as he ran his hand up and down my arm.

I thought about it a second before I leaned up and kissed him, "I remember thinking it after only a few days but honestly, it was always there Bucky. You may not have felt it but for me, there was this spark between us, right from the start"

He sat up suddenly and I laid there looking up at him as he leaned down over me, "I felt it Eden. I couldn't believe it when you started talking to me. You weren't afraid of me...and that smell..."

I let out a laugh, "What smell? Did I stink or something?"

He propped himself up on his elbow and ran his fingers through my hair, "No, your hair...it always smells like flowers. It reminded of when I was a kid. My mom use to put fresh flowers in our house and they smelled exactly how your hair always does. You were the first person besides Steve to ever evoke any kind of memory from me. That's why I knew you were special, right from the start...I knew I wanted to be with you"

I grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him in closer for a kiss, letting my other hand slide up his chest. For several moments, our lips moved hungrily over each other. When he finally pulled away, I looked up at him breathless and spoke, "I love you Bucky. I always have and I always will" Bucky was frozen above me for several seconds before he reacted.

He let out a soft growl as he sat up, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me up with him. His hands went down to the shirt he was wearing and he lifted it swiftly over his head before reaching for mine. I simply raised my arms and let him lift mine as well. He reached around my back and skillfully unclasped my bra before pulling it from my body and tossing it to the floor. He leaned in to kiss me again and then used his hand to push me back onto the bed, never letting his mouth leave mine. I felt him slide one arm down between us and unsnap the button on my jeans. He only pulled away from the kiss to drag them down my legs, along with my panties. He covered me with his body again and I groaned in frustration when I felt his jean fabric still between us. He smirked at me before leaning down and taking a nipple into his mouth, biting down softly and causing me to let out a soft gasp of pleasure. I reached down and slid my hand down his chest until I reached the button of his jeans and managed to undo it with shaky hands.

He groaned loudly when my hand went into his pants and found him hard and ready...he shivered when I squeezed softly and leaned down, touching his forehead to mine as I let my hand move up and down...quickening my pace until he finally pulled away. In seconds, he had rolled off of me onto his back and kicked his jeans off. He quickly sat up and leaned over me again, nudging my legs apart with his knee. I could feel him brush against me as he leaned down to capture my lips with his own again. I whimpered against his mouth as he slid into me, my muscles tightening against his invading hardness. He didn't pull out though...he only leaned his head down into my chest, breathing heavily as he kissed his way up my neck. He quietly repeated the same thing I had told him moments ago, "I love you Eden. I always have and I always will" As the words left his mouth, he finally drew himself out of me slowly, causing me to let out a shaky breath. He closed his eyes as he slid back into me gently, letting his hands glide down my chest and rest on my waist, holding me in place as he fully sheathed himself inside me.

He went slowly for a long time and I savored each thrust of his hips, letting my hands trail up and down his back...each sweet kiss was cherished, each moan from his lips like music. He brought me to the brink several times, slowing down each time and keeping my release from me until I was begging him to keep going. Eventually, his pace began to quicken and I was raising my hips to meet his eagerly. As I finally reached my end, I clung to him desperately, digging my nails into the muscles of his back. He continued to pump into me, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth as he felt me spasm around him. He closed his eyes and seemed to be concentrating hard on keeping the same rhythm. Within minutes, he had gotten himself under control and was working on building me up again, never reaching his own release. He began to thrust harder and faster, his hips pulling out quicker only to plunge back in deeper a second later. The warm tingling was spreading in my belly again and I knew Bucky could tell that I was almost there.

"Come on baby...one more time" he said hoarsely, leaning down to kiss me quickly on the lips. He grabbed my leg and pulled it around his waist, shifting the angle so that he went deeper than before, drawing a surprised gasp from my mouth. It only took a few thrusts at that depth to throw me over the edge again and Bucky's pace grew wilder. In moments, he too came unraveled and I felt his warmth spill into me. After a few slower pumps, he pulled out and collapsed next to me on the bed. I raised my hips so he could pull the blanket from under us and cover our bodies. I rolled over and laid my head on his chest, listening to his heart racing in his chest. His arm wrapped around me tightly and I sighed in absolute pleasure.

We lay there in each other's arms in silence for a long time. I was nearly asleep when I felt Bucky brush his lips against my forehead and whisper, "I'll never let you go"