Okay everyone, I am in desperate need of feedback. Please let me know what you think and of course suggestions are always welcome. Please review.

-Ecorley

Bucky POV

The last run through for the wedding was finished and I was holding Lilah as she babbled on excitedly about her flower girl duties while Jake stood beside me trying to ask questions about how I knew Captain America. A few months ago, I would never have imagined I would be in this situation, surrounded by two young children who genuinely seemed to like me...and who I returned the same affection. I was attempting to listen to both of them and still keep my eye on Eden. Her admission earlier that I was her hero still had me bursting with a small sense of pride. Surely if someone as gentle and caring as Eden felt that way, there had to be a little truth to it.

I glanced over to see her holding on to the pew she was standing next to and begin fanning herself with her hand. Even from a distance I could see her face was flushed red and her skin appeared to be clammy and glistened with sweat. It wasn't particularly hot in the church; in fact, it was actually kind of cold. Eden wasn't even wearing her jacket so I was surprised to see her look like she was burning up.

She caught me staring and quickly mouthed the word "Hot" and motioned to the door behind her. Clint had done a quick sweep of the church earlier out of habit so I knew that the door opened up to a hallway that led to an exit. He had informed me the parking lot behind the church was empty but sufficiently lit and that it was backed by a wooded area. I shifted Lilah in my arms, preparing to set her down on the floor so I could follow Eden outside. I didn't want her wandering around out there alone, even if we were in her hometown. There were other dangers out there besides Kaine...other monsters in this world that lurked in the shadows.

She must have realized what I was about to do because she quickly shook her head and mouthed, "I'll be right back, just need some air"

Don't do it man, stick with her...she shouldn't be going off alone.

She'll be mad if you follow her...she can take care of herself.

I know she can but that doesn't mean I have to let her.

You'll only upset her...

The internal debate in my head only went on for a few seconds before I finally relented and nodded my head at her in agreement. It was true I didn't want Eden out of my sight but I also didn't want to fight with her and ruin the weekend. I tried to listen to what Jake and Lilah were saying but I couldn't help watching Eden as she made her way towards the exit. She appeared to be walking very carefully to the door which instantly put me on alert. I knew Eden...I knew the way she talked, knew the way she walked, knew the way her body moved...something was wrong. It had been a long day though, first with the 3 hour drive and then with the long rehearsal. I tried to shrug off the feeling that something was off. Once the door closed behind her, I began counting. I would give her 15 minutes and if she wasn't back by then, I was going after her.

I tried to get Steve's attention, just to give him a sign that something might be up, but he was too engrossed in speaking with Jill's brother, Mark. My eyes shifted to Clint, but he too was engaged in a conversation with none other than Jill's sister, Carrie.

Seconds ticked by...then minutes. I tried to keep my attention on what Jake and Lilah were saying but I kept glancing back at that door waiting for Eden to reappear...she didn't.

Time was up! I bent down and placed Lilah on the floor next to her brother.

"I'm going to go check on your Aunt Eden, ok?" I said.

"Okay Uncle Bucky" Lilah said before skipping off in her dad's direction.

"I'll come with you" Jake said, looking up at me.

"No kiddo, you stay here with your parents. I'll be right back" I said, standing up and patting him on the back before turning to make my way towards where I had last seen Eden.

I opened the door to the hallway, hoping to see her standing there but it was completely empty. The door leading outside was slightly ajar and I made my way to it. The cold air hit me the instant I stepped through. Even through my leather jacket, I could tell the temperature had dropped drastically since the sun had set. Eden had only been wearing a thin long sleeved shirt in the church so I knew she had to be freezing out here in the dark. The parking lot was empty but beyond that was the tree line which lead to a wooded area. That is where I saw Eden standing, completely still, staring out into the woods.

What the hell is she doing?

The hair on the back of my neck stood up and I looked around the empty parking lot once more...I saw nothing, heard nothing. My eyes landed on Eden once more and before I knew it, I was crossing the lot in long, quick strides. I approached quietly from the side, trying not to startle her. I stopped when I was about 10 feet away, noticing how absolutely still she was standing, unnaturally rigid. I could see her face now, completely emotionless...her eyes opened and staring out into the darkness of the night. She seemed to be whispering to herself, her mouth barely moving as she spoke. I couldn't make out what she was mouthing but her entire demeanor sent chills down my spine. There was something disturbingly familiar about it. I scanned the woods, expecting to see whatever it was that she was staring at so intently but saw nothing.

"Eden" I said gently, maintaining my distance.

She didn't blink an eye, didn't shift her feet. She only stood there, completely still in the night despite the freezing temperatures and her lack of a jacket. I crossed the last few feet until I stood beside her, my hand shaking as I reached out to let it hover over her shoulder. I slowly lowered it until my hand grasped onto her arm gently.

The moment I touched her, she snapped out of whatever trance she was in. She pivoted on her heel and spun to face me head on, her arms going up in a defensive stance. I backed up; hands raised in surrender and waited. For a few seconds, she stared at me, her body ready for a fight...her face was pale and her normal bright blue eyes were dull and lifeless.

What in the hell?

"Eden" I said quietly, trying to keep my voice calm despite the panic I felt inside. I had never seen her this way before...so empty.

She blinked a few times upon hearing her name, her body relaxing as she let her arms fall to her sides. She shook her head in what seemed like utter confusion, "Bucky?"

I took a cautious step towards her as she looked around in a daze. I placed both hands on her either side of her shoulders and made her face me. She was still pale and now shivering under my touch...it seemed snapping her out of whatever trance she had been in had alerted her body of the freezing temperatures. I quickly slipped off my leather jacket and slid it over her shoulders before speaking.

"What's going on Eden?" I asked.

She shook her head causing her hair to slip into her face at which time she raised a shaking hand up to brush it back behind her ear. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking around and then back to me.

"I just came out to get some air" she said quietly to herself.

"No, I know that...I mean why are you over here by yourself staring into the woods Eden? What happened? Who were you talking to" I asked

She shook her head at me. I could see her trying to reel herself in, trying to regain her composure, "Nothing Bucky. I got hot inside the church. I came out here to walk around and get some air, that's all. I wasn't talking to anyone" she insisted, reaching her hand up to rub the back of her neck and then flinching in pain.

"Your neck..." I said, reaching out to see what had caused her to grimace.

She shook her head, "It's nothing Bucky, just sore from standing up there so long" she said, waving her hand towards the building.

Any other time I would believe here, never doubt a word she said but in that moment she seemed so unsure of what she was saying, like she didn't know if it was really the truth or not. She shivered again and I instinctually reached out and pulled her towards me, wrapping my arms around her. I let out a hiss when I felt her cold cheek touch my neck...her skin was like ice. I pulled away, raising my hand to her cheek and caressing it.

I saw her swallow hard before she gave me a small smile, "I'm fine Bucky, really. It has just been a long day. Can we head back to the hotel now please?" she asked, almost pleading me to drop it.

I let out a sigh and nodded my head, still not wanting to start a fight with her. I guided her back to the door to the church, keeping my arm around her shoulders. Steve and Clint both looked our way when we reentered the sanctuary. Both men noticed the look in my eyes and I nodded my head towards the pew we had occupied earlier in the evening, signaling that I wanted to have a word with them. They exchanged a confused look amongst themselves before each giving me a curt nod.

"I'm going to go grab my keys and your jacket, why don't you go say goodnight to everyone" I said, motioning towards the group consisting of Brooke, Lynn, Mark, and Carrie. Steve and Clint had already excused themselves and were now standing over by the pew I had motioned to earlier gathering their jackets.

"What's up?" Clint said softly as he slid on his leather jacket and pretended to check his pockets for his keys.

I quickly filled them in on Eden's episode while pretending to bend down to tie my shoe.

"What are you thinking Buck?" Steve asked as he adjusted his own leather jacket.

I shook my head, "I don't know. Clint, check it out. I want to know if anyone was out there with her"

Clint nodded his head, "On it" he said, before giving me a nod and making his way back over to the group of people. I heard him tell everyone goodbye and head out of the front of the church. I knew Clint would get in his truck and drive down the block to give the impression he left before doubling back inspect the back of the church. Part of me hoped he would find nothing...the other half hoped he found something to explain Eden's odd behavior.

"Bucky..."Steve started.

"You should have seen her Steve. Something was off. That wasn't my Eden" I interrupted, letting my eyes fall on the woman.

She looked up suddenly, noticing me staring at her and crossed her arms over her chest in discomfort but forcing a smile on her face. I saw her raise her hand to her neck again nervously before turning to say her goodbyes to the kids and heading over to me. I grabbed her jacket from the pew and moved to meet her. She had already slipped my leather coat from her shoulders and laid it down on the pew beside where we were now standing.

"Thanks" she said as I helped her slip the jacket on, taking the opportunity to get a look at her neck. I saw no visible cut, no marks at all, just a spot on her neck that was red and looked like she had been scratching it.

I reached to move her hair out of the way to get a better look but she turned around quickly, "Ready?" she said, reaching her hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn.

She looked exhausted and completely drained, so much so that I wondered if maybe I was reading too much into what had happened earlier. It really had been a long day and tomorrow was sure to be even more stressful.

I nodded my head and leaned down to kiss her forehead, "Yeah babe, let's head out" I said, putting my arm around her shoulder. I felt her lean her weight against me and I looked down to see her close her eyes and let me guide her out the door. If there weren't people around, I may have picked her up and carried her out to our SUV but I knew that would look odd to everyone. I helped her into the passenger side and leaned in to give her one last kiss before shutting the door and heading to my side of the car. Through the window I could see her pull her jacket more tightly around her and stare off into the distance. With a sigh, I made my way around the car and slipped into the driver's side.

Eden POV

Once Bucky slammed the car door shut, I let out a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself. I had no idea what had happened and I had the sinking feeling that Bucky realized that fact. The last thing I remembered was the pain I had experienced in the church...the sudden throbbing in my head and the extreme hot flash that followed. I remembered stumbling to the water fountain and drinking mouthful after mouthful of cooling water...I remembered rushing out the exit and the instant relief I had felt from the cold, dark night...and then nothing, after that was a complete blank. One minute I was walking out the door and the next, Bucky was standing beside me looking extremely freaked out. I had looked down at my hands, realizing I was in a defensive stance, ready to take down the man in front of me. I was in a daze, my body shocked by the sudden sensation of being ice cold. It felt like I had gone from boiling hot to freezing in only seconds.

I had lowered my hands the moment I realized the stunned man in front of me was no monster...not an enemy...but merely Bucky, my overprotective boyfriend who was staring at me like I was an alien. I had struggled to get words out...to produce some excuse as to why I was out there, staring into the darkness...to explain myself, but there was nothing.

I couldn't remember.

The more I tried to rack my brain for something, some hint as to what had happened in that time I was alone, the more the pain in my head and neck increased.

It was no use, it was all a blank.

I knew I should have told Bucky, just as I knew as soon as the lame excuses spilled from my lips that he didn't believe a word of it. Even now, knowing the dangers out there, knowing that he would do anything to keep me safe, I said nothing because I knew he would worry.

It's just stress Eden...the wedding, the holidays, what happened last weekend...that's all.

So I lied to myself...and to Bucky.

He had guided me back into the church and I let him, letting the warmth from his jacket and body seep into me. I had said my goodbyes to everyone, keeping an eye on him as he spoke with Clint and Steve. They tried to be subtle but I knew the three men well...they were discussing what had just happened and more than likely making plans on how to handle it.

Bucky, my lover...Steve, my "brother"...Clint, my friend.

I hated the look in Bucky's eye, seeing the worry there was always uncomfortable for me. I had plastered what I hoped was a convincing smile on my face, absentmindedly reaching up to touch my neck. I had jumped at the sudden sting of pain as my hand made contact with the skin, but let my hand fall back at my sides.

I had then slipped off Bucky's jacket and allowed him to help me slip into my own before we made our way to the parking lot.

All I knew was that I was exhausted, completely drained, both physically and mentally. As Bucky made his way around the SUV, I shivered and stared straight ahead, once more trying to coax my memories to the surface but giving up. There was no point to keep trying. For now, I would chalk it up to the stress. Bucky turned the heat on full blast and reached out to grab my hand, giving it quick squeeze. I looked at him full on this time, turning in my seat to watch him as he drove. He was thinking hard about something, the wrinkle in his brow making it very evident. My Winter Soldier was deep in thought...that much was clear.

Even though I was still confused about what had happened earlier, I couldn't help letting a small smile creep onto my face. It was then that I broke the silence, noticing the way Bucky snapped out of his thoughts.

"The kids were really excited to see you" I said, laying the side of my face on the cold leather seat, "...especially Jake"

I saw the smile form on his lips before he glanced over at me and began telling me everything that he and Jake had talked about while they had sat on the pew. And in the few minutes it took to get back to the hotel, things began to feel normal again...the worry slipped away so easily, unnaturally so.

Once we made it up the elevator and into our hotel room, I immediately headed to the bathroom to get ready for bed while Bucky dug through the suitcase. I scrubbed my makeup from my face and looked at myself in the mirror, noticing just how tired I looked. I stared at my reflection, watching as the woman in the mirror looking back at me mimicked my every movement. I reached up to smooth a strand of hair from my face and gasped when the woman in the mirror didn't move. Instead my reflection looked down at the counter and then back up at me. I could feel my heart racing and the panic rising inside.

This isn't possible!

I raised my hand, hoping to see the movement reflected back at me but instead, the woman in the mirror glared at me and I took a jerky step back from the sink. I opened my mouth to yell out for Bucky but she shook her head at me and for some reason, I stopped and closed my mouth. She looked down at the counter on her side of the mirror and I watched as she picked up something just out of my sight. I took a step closer to the sink again, straining to see what she now held in her hand. I felt my eyes widen when she finally raised it enough so I could see and my mouth dropped open in horror.

It was a gun...not just any gun, but my gun...the one Clint had given to me as a gift. I glanced down at my own counter top and saw nothing and quickly raised my eyes back to the mirror. My reflection was pointing the gun at me now, a grim look on her face. She didn't open her mouth to speak, she only stared, her hand steady as she held me at gunpoint.

"No" I whispered.

The Eden in the mirror smiled wickedly at me before raising the gun to her own head. I leaned forward suddenly, placing my hand on the mirror, signaling her to stop but unable to say a word. I watched as she stared at my hand, never pulling the gun away from her head but instead raising her own hand to the mirror to touch mine.

I stood facing my own reflection, watching as the woman on the other side of the glass looked at my hand in confusion. Still unable to speak, I pleaded with my eyes for her to put the gun down. For a moment, she looked just as confused as I felt.

She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out, I watched as her lips formed the words but my brain couldn't comprehend what she was trying to tell me and I shook my head in frustration.

When she finished, I saw her mouth set in a firm line and she pulled her hand away from my own. My own hand slid down the mirror and I watched in shock as her finger began to squeeze the trigger.

BANG!

"Eden" Bucky called from outside the bathroom. I opened my eyes suddenly and I looked down to see the water running in the sink...I looked over at the bathroom door.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"You okay in there" he said, knocking loudly on the door again.

I shook my head and stumbled back into the wall behind me, looking at my now normal reflection in the mirror. There was no gun...my reflection was now just that once again. I must have somehow fallen asleep standing up and dreamed the whole thing.

I cleared my throat, "I'm fine, be out in a sec" I called out, reaching down to shut off the water.

"Stress Eden" I whispered to reflection, "...it's just stress. All you need is a good night's sleep"

I flipped off the light switch and opened the door to see Bucky sitting on the bed with his phone in his hand. There he was...my rock, my Winter Soldier. I walked over to stand in front of him, leaning down to place a chaste kiss on his lips.

"You were in there a while" he said carefully, his hands reaching for my waist.

I let out a light chuckle, "I actually think I fell asleep" I said, leaving out the part about the disturbing dream.

I watched as Bucky's shoulders visibly relaxed upon hearing me laugh and the explanation.

"Wow, you really are exhausted" he said, pulling me down so I was straddling his lap. I nuzzled my face into his chest and nodded my head, feeling my body relax against his. One hand came to rest on my back, rubbing it gently.

"You had me a little worried earlier" he said softly, reaching his other hand up to brush some hair out of my face.

"Just tired is all" I said, a sudden yawn coming from me to further prove my point, "Go get cleaned up so we can go to bed. We have another long day ahead of us tomorrow" I finished, lifting my head from his chest to look him in the eye.

He gave me a nod and released me. I stood up and began to walk around the bed to the other side when I felt him latch onto my arm and jerk me back around. He pulled me to him, letting his hand slip up to my cheek before leaning in. His lips danced over mine softly, and I let out a low moan as I felt his tongue flick across my own. He pulled back so suddenly that I stumbled forward and nearly fell on the floor. He helped steady me before giving me a cheeky smile and without a word, turned to head to the bathroom.

I let out a breathy giggle and went to crawl into bed, my heart still beating wildly in my chest. As we lay in bed that night, Bucky behind me and his arm wrapped firmly around my waist, I began to think about what had happened earlier in the bathroom during my dream.

What was she trying to tell me?

For some reason, I knew it was important. I laid there, each minute ticking by until finally an hour had passed and then two.

When it finally hit me, I didn't react...I didn't move...I didn't even wake the man sleeping next to me. I simply grabbed Bucky's arm and pulled it more tightly around me before closing my eyes.

I knew what she had been trying to tell me...the words she had been trying to say, "He's almost here...he's coming for you"