Bucky POV

It was nearly midnight on Friday before Eden finally called me. I knew before I even answered the phone that she might be drunk or at the very least tipsy. Clint had done his job and kept me and Steve updated on the girls every move that evening. On the hour, every single hour, he had phoned to let us know how things were going. From the time they arrived in town to the time they had been dropped off at Jill's home after leaving the restaurant, I knew exactly what they were doing. Knowing they were safe was the only thing that mattered to me or Steve. I was especially relieved when Clint told me how Tommy and Blake had looked after the girls that evening.

I was glad Eden was having fun with her friends but I had been on edge the entire night worrying about her. Having Clint there as my eyes and ears had been the only thing keeping me from driving the 3 hours to her hometown to follow her myself.

Steve and I had spent all night at his apartment like we use to do before meeting Eden and Brooke, just eating take out and watching movies. Once Clint had called to let us know the girls had arrived safely back at Jill's house, I had told Steve goodnight and headed back to the apartment. Eden had promised to phone me each night so I knew she would probably be calling soon. I was right. I had just turned the light off and gotten into bed when my cell phone rang.

I smiled when I heard her voice. She wasn't drunk but I could tell she had definitely had several drinks. I laid my head back on my pillow and listened to her ramble on excitedly about how her night went. She giggled nonstop as she told me about how Jill had reacted to the news about who Steve and I really were. It was a relief to hear that Jill had taken the news so well. The wedding was next weekend and Steve and I were both planning to attend as Brooke and Eden's dates. When she had finally told me every detail about her evening, she quieted down and let out a happy sigh. She finally asked how my night was and I had just finished filling her in on what Steve and I had done when I heard loud yelling in the background.

"Times up bitch!"

She giggled loudly, "Bucky, I have to go. Apparently Brooke is off the phone with Steve and I am being beckoned back to the living room"

"You guys have fun. Call me when you wake up, ok?" I said.

I heard her tell Brooke to shut up and give her a minute before she spoke back into the phone, "I will. I love you"

"I love you too Eden"

We said our goodbyes finally and I laid the phone down on the nightstand beside the bed. I rolled onto my side to stare at the empty spot next to me where she usually slept. This was the first time I had slept alone since moving into her apartment. I didn't like it one bit. I had become accustomed to holding her warm body against my chest as I slept. Tonight I just felt cold and alone in the empty bed. I must have laid there for hours, tossing and turning as I tried to find some level of comfort. I finally reached over and grabbed the pillow from her side of the bed to switch it out with my own. The moment I laid my head down, I could smell the floral aroma coming from the fabric...I let out a sigh and smiled. After that, I felt my body relax and I eventually drifted off to sleep.

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EDEN POV

The sun streaming in through the bedroom window brought a loud groan from my mouth and I pulled the covers over my head and tried to block it out.

Why the fuck didn't I close the curtain's before bed?

It felt really late in the morning and I suddenly wondered why Bucky had let me sleep so long. I opened one eye and instead of seeing my boyfriend, I saw a tangled mess of red curls on the other side of the bed.

What the hell?

I sat up suddenly in bed and looked around the room. I wasn't in my bedroom. It took me several seconds to realize where I was and who was on the other side of the bed from me.

Brooke!

The events of the previous night started to come back to me and I felt myself smile as I remembered how we had ended the night. Before we had drunk much more, Brooke and I had both taken a break to call our significant other. I had snuck off to Jill's spare bedroom and spent about 30 minutes telling Bucky about my day. Even after having so much fun the entire night, I realized after hearing his voice how much I missed him. I knew the time apart would be good for us though. Bucky and Steve hadn't spent much time alone with each other in a long time and I could always benefit from having girl time with my two best friends.

I glanced over at Brooke and from her disheveled state I knew she wouldn't be waking up any time soon. I remembered after getting off the phone, we had opened a couple more bottles of wine. The three of us had stayed up late talking about love, life and everything in between. Knowing I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, I grabbed my phone off the table and gently crawled out of bed to head into the living room. It was after 10:00am but the house was still quiet.

Jill must still be asleep too.

I plopped down on the couch and dialed Bucky's number. I couldn't help but smile when he answered it on the first ring...I figured he must have been waiting for me to call. I was relieved when he told me that he didn't have any nightmares last night. We talked on the phone until I finally heard the door to the spare bedroom open and saw Brooke stick her head out. She was still wearing pajamas and had her eyes squinted shut as she made her way over to the couch, dragging a blanket behind her. She slumped down beside me and covered herself with it before laying her head back on the couch. She must have realized who I talking to and promptly reached over to grab the phone out of my hand and say, "Good Morning Bucky" before handing it back to me. I chuckled as I pressed the phone back to my ear and heard him laughing on the other end too.

"I'm guessing that was Brooke" he said.

I looked over at my friend who was now rubbing her temples with her thumbs, "Yeah and from the looks of it, she's got quite a hangover this morning" I said.

I laughed when she stopped rubbing one temple long enough to flip me off.

"I guess I better let you go. We have a lot of stuff planned for today but I'll call you tonight before bed. I love you" I told him.

"I love you too Eden. Have fun and please be careful. I'd hate to have to drive all the way there to kick someone's ass"

I had chuckled at the comment but knew full well that he was serious. We said our goodbyes and I laid the phone down with a smile still on my face.

Brooke and I talked quietly on the couch until Jill finally woke up too. The three of us decided to get showered and dressed so we could start having some fun...a spa day and then shopping was first on the list. We were in the middle of getting facials when Jill got the call from her cousin. Tommy's mother was being taken to the hospital for what they thought was appendicitis so he and Blake were on their way out of town to be with her. Jill was a little disappointed but Brooke and I promised her we would make it a night she would never forget.

That evening as we were getting dressed up, I kept looking at my cell phone. I knew part of the reason Bucky had been okay with me going off on my own while Kaine was still on the loose was because Tommy and Blake were supposed to be with us tonight. Part of me thought I should call him and let him know the change of plans, the other part knew that was a terrible idea.

I had been having an internal debate about it all afternoon. Earlier, Brooke had picked up her cell phone to call Steve and I had quickly begged her not to tell him that Tommy and Blake had to leave town. I knew if she told Steve, he would tell Bucky and then he would spend the entire evening worrying about me.

...Or worse yet, drive the 3 hours here to follow us around.

Brooke had been a little reluctant at keeping something from him but she knew exactly what I was thinking...Steve would worry almost as much as Bucky.

After having a fun filled afternoon, we headed back to Jill's house to get ready for our night out. Brooke and Jill both took showers first and while I waited, I guiltily kept looking at my cell phone and wondering if I should call Bucky.

Everything is going to be fine...he doesn't need to know that the guys won't be there tonight. You're a grown woman and you can fight now. You can handle anything that may come up tonight!

I was just finishing up the pep talk to myself when Brooke came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She must have noticed the look on my face but she said nothing as I stepped past her to enter the bathroom. I took a quick shower and when I finally stepped out of the bathroom, Brooke was still wrapped in her towel applying Jill's makeup. It took us over an hour to do hair, makeup, and get dressed. As I figured, neither Brooke nor Jill was impressed by the outfit I had brought to go out in. They let me keep my skinny jeans and riding boots but they said the top had to go. With a little convincing...okay, a lot of convincing...they got me to wear a black low cut tank top. The lacy deep plunge bra Jill let me borrow seemed to make me appear bustier than I really was and I knew as I looked at my reflection that this type of outfit was exactly the type of thing Bucky had been worried I would wear.

I had straightened my hair and as I looked in the mirror, I realized that it was not the longest it had ever been...over half way down my back. I had applied dark eyeliner and mascara to my eyes and they popped against my light complexion. Instead of lipstick, I had simply applied a clear lip gloss to my lips.

"You look like some kind of dark angel" I heard a voice say behind me.

I turned to see Brooke standing in the doorway of the bathroom watching me as I put on my jewelry.

I laughed, "Hmm...Like a dark angel who can kick ass?"

She chuckled as she walked in and ran a brush through her already perfect hair, "Definitely"

I turned toward her to finally get a good look at the outfit she was wearing and let out a low whistle, "I'm assuming Steve didn't see you packing that outfit in your overnight bag"

The black mini skirt and stilettos she wore showcased her long legs. The red top she had on was low cut like mine and completely backless which allowed her to show all of her tattoos, including the Captain America shield.

She put down the brush and looked over at me before rolling her eyes, "I'm a grown ass woman and I'll wear what I want" she said haughtily.

I laughed, "Oh really!? Well, since you're all dressed up, how about I take a picture and we send it to Steve?" I picked my cell phone up off the counter and held it up like I was going to take a photo.

She quickly looked away from the mirror to face me, "You wouldn't dare!" she said, narrowing her eyes.

I cocked my eyebrow at her, "Wouldn't I?"

She picked up her own cell phone and aimed it in my direction, "Two can play at that game. I'm sure Bucky would be interested to see what you're wearing too" We were still standing there facing each other, phones raised like weapons, when Jill walked in.

Brooke had done a great job doing her makeup and Jill looked downright sinful. The green halter dress Brooke and I had bought this afternoon looked amazing on her. She gave us both a funny look when she saw us standing there ready to start a picture war with each other.

I could see she was carrying her cell phone too and after a moment she raised her hand and pointed it at us, whipping it back and forth dramatically. "Don't make me shoot" she said in a dead serious tone.

The three of us glanced back and forth between each other before finally busting out laughing.

"What the hell are the two of you doing?" Jill finally asked as she lowered her phone.

Brooke spoke up before I could, "Eden was trying to be a big ole tattle tale"

I wagged my finger at her, "Look who's talking" I said, before turning to Jill and explaining what had been going on.

She shook her head at us, "I should call Steve and Bucky right now and tell on both of you bitches. Come on and let's get this show on the road. This is my last Saturday night as a free woman"

She turned around and walked out of the bathroom and back into the spare bedroom. Brooke and I shared a look between each other before following her out. We planned on making this a night she would definitely remember forever. While Jill was getting her massage earlier, Brooke and I had gone into full planning mode, determined to make up for the fact that Tommy and Blake wouldn't be there. It had taken a few phone calls and we had to call in some favors from old friends, but we knew it was worth it.

Jill grabbed her camera from her room and we took pictures together before finally deciding it was time to leave. As Jill went to grab a jacket from her room, I peeked out the window to make sure our first surprise of the evening was on time. Sure enough, the white limo Brooke and I had requested was waiting outside. Brooke's mom had a friend who owned a limousine business and we knew Jill would love it. That was the first big favor we had called in...we both knew it would be worth it though. For one thing, we would all be able to drink and not having to worry about who would drive. Mrs. Donovan's friend had said he was sending his best driver to chauffeur us around for the entire evening...he was at our complete disposal.

When Jill came back out into the living room, me and Brooke both had on our black and white sashes with the word "Bridesmaid" embroidered on them. She gave us a huge grin when we slipped a matching one onto her that had "Bride" in big white letters. We were rewarded with an even bigger smile when we placed the glittery tiara on her head.

"Well look at me, I'm a princess" she had chuckled.

I was lucky enough to snap a picture of Jill's face when we stepped outside and she finally saw the limo waiting. She had let out a shriek and threw herself at us, wrapping her arms around our necks as she jumped up and down. She was grinning ear to ear when the driver opened the door for her and she saw the bottle of champagne and glasses waiting. We piled inside and took turns taking pictures of each other posing in the back seat while we drank. Brooke had already informed the driver of our first stop for the evening so we sat back to enjoy the ride.

"What do you guys have planned?" Jill asked as she fiddled with the button that controlled the large moon roof of the limo.

Brooke and I shared a look and smiled wickedly at her before taking sips of our champagne. Brooke finally spoke up, "You'll find out all in good time my dear. You just sit back and let Eden and I take care of everything"

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Bucky POV

Steve and I had just sat down on the couch and turned on the first Rocky movie to watch when my phone rang. He quickly paused the movie and then looked back at me.

I showed him who was calling before I pressed the button to answer it and then put it on speakerphone so Steve could hear too.

"Hey Clint, how are things going?" I asked.

I heard him hesitate, "Uhhh...well..."

I sat up a little straighter and glanced at Steve, "Shit, what the hell happened?"

"They didn't take Brooke's car tonight so my tracking device idea is shot to shit" he replied.

Steve spoke up, "Is Jill's cousin driving them again?"

It sounded like Clint was driving while he talked to us, "...the cousin and his boyfriend are out of the picture all together. I'm not sure exactly what happened...some kind of emergency. The two of them left town earlier this afternoon and from what I can gather, they aren't coming back"

Shit! If we leave right now, Steve and I can get there by 8:30. We can stay out of sight. They'll never even know we're there.

No Bucky! You promised Eden you wouldn't do that.

Instead you sent Clint...technically you aren't breaking the promise.

Bullshit!

I cursed quietly under my breath, "Stay on them Clint, I don't want them out of your sight" I thought for a moment and then added, "Wait a second...who exactly is driving them?"

I heard Clint chuckle, "They got a damn limo. I'm talking about a white stretch limousine with a guy in a black suit and cap...the works. The bride to be got a real kick out of it...you should have seen their faces. It does make my job of following them a little easier, even without the tracking device"

I smiled to myself...at least the girls were having fun. As worried as I was about Eden, I still wanted them to have a good time. This was a special night for her friend and it meant a lot to Eden that everything go smoothly.

Just as long as they do it safely.

"Don't worry. I won't let them out of my sight. I'll keep you guys updated" Clint said.

He hung up before I could say anything else. With a sigh, I placed my phone on the coffee table and looked over at Steve.

"What do you think? Should we go?" he asked. I know he saw my eyes widen in surprise and he continued, "Don't give me that look. I know you were thinking the same thing" he said.

I realized that Steve was trying to appear calm and okay about this whole thing but he was worried too. He didn't like the idea of Brooke and Eden being off alone either. Kaine knew Steve was my best friend and he was a big enough bastard to not just go after me. Eden and I were definitely priority on his list...that much I was sure of. But I also knew he would hunt down anybody I cared about and that included anyone that they might care about too. Brooke could be just as much a target as Eden simply because she was dating my best friend. I was trying really hard not to feel guilty about that.

I nodded my head at him, "It crossed my mind. Clint is handling it for now though. He knows to call us if he thinks we need to get involved"

We both settled back onto the couch and turned the movie back on in an attempt to take our minds off the fact that the two women we cared about the most were over 300 miles away without us there to protect them.