I know it's a short chapter but I wanted to do something from just Bucky's point of view before I jumped back to Eden. I hope you enjoy this little chapter and I would love it if I could get everyone's feedback. Even if you aren't comfortable reviewing, please feel free to private message me your ideas or thoughts. I have created an email address strictly dedicated to answering any and all questions you have about the story...anything you ever wondered about or suggestions of your own. The yahoo email address ID is ecorleyfanfic

Thanks and happy reading!

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BUCKY POV

Three Blocks Away

I ran out of the apartment despite Steve and Brooke both shouting at me to stop. Once I was down the stairs, the only sound I could hear was the pounding of my heart beating inside my chest. The cold air hit me the moment I ran out the front door of the apartment building. I wasn't wearing a jacket but it didn't matter...nothing would stop me from reaching her. I immediately turned left and raced down the street, dodging people left and right and shouting out at them to get out of my way.

Even from three blocks away, I could hear the sirens wailing outside of the liquor store. I had to make it there...I had to make it there before...

Before what Bucky? Before she dies? Before some piece of shit snuffs out her life?

I knew if for some reason I didn't make it in time, my life was over. I would never survive losing her. Steve had helped me start the healing process but it was HER, my beautiful, sweet Eden that had been slowly putting the pieces of me back together. Without her, I was nothing. Without her, I could be nothing.

If I didn't make it in time, I knew my life was over.

"No Bucky, you don't get to opt out if anything happens to me. If I die, you live. You have to choose to live"

"A man can't live without his heart"

"Promise me...if anything happens, if I die...whether it's an accident or an illness or even murder...promise me Bucky that you'll find a way to live without me"

I swallowed hard thinking about that day...the day she made me promise that I wouldn't give up on life if anything happened to her. She couldn't know...there was no way she could understand how utterly miserable my life would be without her. I had begged her, pleaded with her, not to make me promise something I would never be able to uphold.

"Don't make me promise that Eden...please"

She had looked at me with such a determined look in her eye...insisting that I tell her something that could never be true. How did she expect me to want to live in a world where she no longer existed? It was that look in her eyes that finally made me utter those two words...a look of fear...fear at knowing I wouldn't want to survive without her.

She loved me. I had killed people and destroyed countless lives. I had become this broken shell of a man...a monster who only deserved pain...but she still loved me. Eden's love had been redeeming me since the day I met her. In that moment she had looked at me with such love and devotion and there was no way I could or would ever deny her of a single thing she asked. So I did the only thing I could do that day...I lied.

"I promise"

Two Blocks Away

I gritted my teeth as I ran through an intersection, barely missing being hit by a truck. Car horns blared at me but I ignored them and kept running. Thinking back to that same day, I remembered the promise she had made to me and I suddenly grew furious. She had to keep her end of the bargain up...she had to live!

She made a promise to you too Bucky! She promised you she wouldn't die!

The moment I felt that anger rise in me, I felt a horrible sense of guilt sweep over me. She had tried to reason with me that day...insisting that it wasn't fair that I ask that of her and like a fool, I had made her promise something no one could keep.

"Promise me you won't die"

"Bucky...that's not fair. I don't have control over that...it's not a promise I can necessarily keep..."

I hated hearing those words come from her mouth and I had silenced her, placing my finger on her lips to keep her from continuing. I needed to hear her say it even though I knew it was an unreasonable request. The thought of her dying absolutely scared the shit out of me.

Fear

It was a type of fear I had never experienced before. I was afraid of losing her and that fear is what always made me angry when someone tried to hurt her or worse yet, she put her own self at risk. Didn't she understand that I needed her safe? Didn't she realize that I wasn't this strong super soldier she always assumed me to be? I had changed and she had been the cause of it. I was just a man now...a man who couldn't imagine living without her.

As I ran I shook my head, willing the strange sensation I felt in the corners of my eyes to go away. This wasn't the time to be weak...I had to be strong for her. I had to run faster.

The lump in my throat was growing larger as I thought back to how I had begged her to lie to me.

"Just say the words then...please"

She had cocked her head to the side slightly and stared at me with those beautiful, blue eyes of hers. Inside my head, I was angry at myself for appearing so pathetic but another part of me was so desperate to hear those words from her mouth...needed to hear her say it.

"I promise I won't die Bucky. I will always be with you"

She had laid her head on my chest, whispering that lie over and over to me. Even though I knew I had made her to say the words, I still found comfort in hearing them from her. The sweet kisses that had followed had quickly made me forget the fear I felt.

And now she is going to break the promise you forced her to make.

NO! She can't die! I won't let that happen! Not to her!

Another intersection was approaching and a crowd of people were standing on the corner, waiting for the crosswalk to alert them it was safe to make their way across. I didn't even flinch as I pushed through the group of people. I could see the line of cars slowing down to a stop as the light turned red. They were blocking my way and I did the only thing I could do to not waste time. I simply stepped on the hood of the first car and leapt over to the second before jumping down and running through the other two empty lanes.

One Block Away

I was so close now...in the distance I could see the blue and red lights flashing. The police sirens were nearly deafening and I scowled at the sound they made. Eden was right there...one block away. The only thing standing between me and her were about a dozen cops and one fucking psychopath.

The cops were going to be a problem. It wasn't like they were going to just let me bust through and take care of the guy myself. They had protocols to follow and letting a "civilian" get involved was definitely not allowed. None of them would be able to comprehend that I was more than qualified to handle the situation. It didn't matter because in the end, none of them would be able to stop me.

I instantly wished I had Steve with me. I would have no problem getting passed any law enforcement with Captain America by my side. If I could get around them it would make things much easier. That man would never know what hit him. I would take him out without thinking twice...just like I did Deacon Lister. Anyone who threatened Eden deserved what they had coming. It wasn't just me they should be afraid of but the Winter Soldier as well. I would go to hell and back for Eden. I would gladly burn for HER.

A sudden burst of adrenaline surged in me and I picked up the pace...I was almost there. Her face flashed in my mind and I felt that same strange sensation in the corner of my eyes again.

Tears

I would shed tears for her...at the loss of her.

Please God, don't let me have to cry tonight...not because I lost her.

As I closed the distance between me and the liquor store I thought back once more...to something else that hurt to think about...the nightmares I had of losing Eden.

One in particular stood out and I felt my stomach clench in fear as it flashed before my eyes once again.

The cemetery...the people crying...her headstone!

In Loving Memory

Of

Eden Page

"If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever"

Dammit, my love was going to save her today!

I wanted her to be Eden Barnes, my wife. I wanted her pregnant with our child. I wanted that home...that life that I had been dreaming of night after night.

If we made it through this night...

Not "If" Bucky..."When"

...when we made it through this night, I was going to buy that ring. Tomorrow, I was dragging Brooke to the nearest jewelry store and I was going to find the perfect ring for Eden...the one she deserved.

I finally reached the liquor store and screeched to a halt. The ear splitting sirens finally cut off and I was able to hear the police conversing, deciding what course of action to take. I maneuvered my way behind the police cars...getting as close as I dared without drawing too much attention. From this angle, I could see into the liquor store and my heart sank at what I saw.

The man had a tight grip on Eden's shoulder and he was screaming at her erratically. I tensed up when I felt someone step up beside me. I glanced over to see Steve trying to catch his breath. He looked in the direction of the liquor store and I saw his eyes widen when he saw what was going on.

I stared straight ahead, watching as the man yanked Eden around, continuing to scream at her and everyone still locked inside. I could see Eden's hands were stained red and I could only assume it was blood. When the man with the shotgun suddenly jerked around, he dragged Eden with him and I got a look at the front of her shirt. I clenched my fist tightly together when I saw it was stained red.

It can't be her blood...no way! If he hurt her that bad, she wouldn't be able to stand. Right? Oh God Eden! Please be okay!

"I have to get in there Steve" I said simply, not bothering to look at him. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. Eden looked terrified and she kept glancing down at the floor at something I couldn't see.

"Is that blood?" I heard Steve whisper to himself. He shook his head sadly, "I can try and talk to them Bucky but I don't know if it's going to help" he said, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"Fine, then just distract them for me" I said, glancing his way finally. "I just need to get around back and get inside"

"...Bucky..." he said cautiously.

"No Steve. I can't sit back and watch this happen...not to her" I shot back angrily.

Steve opened his mouth to speak again but the sudden outburst of noise from the direction of a group of cops huddled together drew my attention back to the front of the liquor store. My eyes followed the movement of the gunman and I could see him screaming again, loud enough that I could hear his words.

"My life is OVER!" I heard him yell.

I saw him release his hold on Eden's shoulder and I watched her slip to the ground and land hard on her knees.

Fuck this!

I took a single step forward but froze when I saw him raise the shotgun and point it at her. I shook my head in disbelief. This wasn't possible...there was no way I was going to be forced to watch this happen. I knew I had done terrible things in my life. Was this going to be my punishment? I had to endure the loss of the only woman I had ever loved...the one who I had given my heart to.

No!

I could see Eden's face from where I stood and watched as she looked down at her blood stained hands and then to the man holding the gun in her face. I panicked when I saw her close her eyes...like she was okay with it...okay with leaving me.

Well, I'm not fucking okay with it!

I knew there was no time to reach her before he pulled that trigger. I knew she had to be scared...I sure as hell was. I needed her to know that she wasn't alone in this...I needed her to know that I was there and that I wanted her to fight...to fight for me...for us. The tears I had been holding back for the last three blocks finally came...one after another. I couldn't breathe and I knew at any moment, my heart was going to beat right out of my chest.

I couldn't reach her...not quick enough and not easily so I did the only thing I could think of, I screamed her name.

"EDEN!"