Eden POV

I awoke on Saturday feeling surprisingly calm...surprisingly clear headed. Yesterday was a blur and despite knowing that I should feel some sense of anxiety about everything that had occurred the previous night, I realized I felt completely composed. Lying awake last night in bed, I had gone over and over in my head what my reflection in the mirror had been trying to tell me.

"He's almost here. He's coming for you"

Those words should scare me...they should send shivers down my spine and make my blood run cold. But I felt nothing and that in itself should have been some kind of warning. It was unnatural. It wasn't me. And though I realized it, I couldn't bring myself to utter a word out loud about it. Bucky could never know...he would never know about the dream...no one could.

I had woke up before my alarm went off which was unusual since I was not a morning person. I was remarkably alert for someone who had slept but only a few hours...another peculiarity. I glanced over at the clock on the wooden nightstand.

It was exactly 8:00am...a full 30 minutes before I needed to get up. The wedding didn't start until 1:00pm but we needed to be at the church at 10:00am to get dressed and take pictures. I felt Bucky stir behind me and I smiled to myself when I felt his arm tighten more around my waist. I rolled over to see that his eyes were closed and he seemed to be still asleep. It was very noticeable to me how much more easily Bucky slept these days. Early into our relationship, he would wake up instantly if I got out of bed and he was always the last one to fall asleep and the first one to wake up. It always appeared as if he was on high alert and maybe he had a right to feel that way since Kaine was still out there somewhere. Even still, Bucky slept much more peacefully now, that much I knew.

Instead of snuggling back up to him, I decided to get up and take a long hot shower. I carefully pulled myself from his grasp and made my way to the bathroom. I immediately flipped on the light, ignoring the mirror above the sink, and made my way to the tub to start the hot water. As the steam began to fill the small room, I undressed and pulled my hair from its messy bun.

I hissed in pain when the hot water touched my skin, but forced myself to stay under the scalding liquid. Within moments my body adjusted and I quickly began washing and conditioning my hair. It was while I was washing my body with my loofa that I noticed the small hint of pain behind my neck. I reached my hand up to run my fingers along the skin, flinching when I reached the rash that had formed there.

::::STOP::::

My hand dropped to my side, completely involuntarily, and I stood frozen under the hot water. I tried to raise my hand again, struggling against an unseen force, panicking when my arm refused to move. For several seconds I willed myself to react until finally my left hand began to rise, shakily at first, but then more steadily as I reached for my neck once again.

::::STOP::::

The pain that suddenly struck me was unlike any I had ever felt in my entire life...searing into my brain and causing me to gasp for breath. Something was terribly wrong.

Bucky...I need to get Bucky

I opened my mouth to call out to my sleeping boyfriend, to yell out for some kind of help. The pain only intensified more and I grabbed the safety bar attached to the shower to keep from falling to my knees. My heart was racing and I gasped for breath, the feeling of suffocation only driving me to panic more.

You have to breathe Eden, just breathe!

I finally managed to suck in air and the feeling of my lungs filling with oxygen calmed me slightly. In an act of complete stubbornness, I raised my hand once again to reach for my neck, knowing that whatever this was it had something to do with that rash.

::::Commencing shut down::::

The pain in my head suddenly stopped and the darkness quickly consumed me.

Bucky POV

I sleepily reached for my phone when the alarm sounded, waking me from a deep sleep. I silenced the blasted thing and then reached back over to wake Eden. Her spot was empty, the sheets cold enough to alert me that she had been out of bed for more than just a few minutes. I sat up suddenly, glancing around the slightly darkened room. The sound of water coming from the bathroom stilled my heart rate and I laid back down with a sigh, knowing that Eden was taking a shower. I was actually surprised she was already up and out of bed. Eden was never a morning person but I figured she was excited about Jill's wedding.

I scrolled through my phone for several minutes as I waited for her to finish her shower. When 10 minutes passed and the shower still hadn't turned off, I pulled back the covers and got out of bed. I flipped on the lights in the room, momentarily blinded by the light, and made my way to the suitcase in the corner to search for boxers and an undershirt. Something didn't feel right, deep in the pit of my stomach; I had a terrible feeling something was wrong. I glanced over my shoulder and looked at the door leading to the bathroom, the uneasy feeling not waning.

I stood outside the bathroom door, hand raised to knock, when the water suddenly turned off. A second later the door swung open and a smiling Eden greeted me, a large fluffy towel wrapped around her small frame.

"Good morning Bucky" she said in a sing song voice, kissing me lightly on the cheek.

"Morning babe" I replied, entering the still steamy bathroom to take my own shower and trying not to feel like a complete idiot for my sudden uneasy feeling.

Get a grip Bucky Barnes, today's not the day to go all mental with your bad feelings.

I glanced back once before shutting the door, smiling when I saw Eden reaching into her suitcase as she began humming an unfamiliar tune to herself.

Eden POV

I watched as my best friend recited her vows, a smile on her face as she held her soon to be husband's hand. The day had gone off without a hitch and in another 2 or 3 minutes, Jill would be a happily married woman. I looked down at the little girl who stood in front of me, swinging her now empty flower basket back and forth. I glanced over at Brooke and shared a smile with her before placing my hands on Lilah's shoulders and giving a light squeeze. The little girl stopped fidgeting and looked up at me with a wide grin. She took a step back and maneuvered herself between the two of us before sliding her small hand into Brooke's. She then looked up and raised her empty hand to me, shaking it expectantly until I finally chuckled to myself and shifted my bouquet to the other hand. She stood still after that, content to watch her aunt and Dave finish reciting their vows. I was proud of the little girl for managing to stand still for so long. Lilah was a ball of energy but she had promised me and Brooke before the wedding that she was going to be a good girl and not fidget.

Satisfied that the little girl was going to stand still, I took the opportunity to glance out into the church and find Bucky. He was sitting between Steve and Clint in the farthest part of the church, on the same pew they had been seated at last night during the rehearsal. I knew they had chosen to sit there intentionally, waiting until after everyone else had been seated so to ensure that Steve and Clint wouldn't be noticed until after the wedding and not cause a stir. The three of them were watching the couple as they exchanged rings and I saw Bucky smile as Dave slid the ring onto Jill's finger. It was in that moment that he glanced over and caught me staring.

His eyes softened and his lips curled into a smile, making the blush rushing to my cheeks impossible to stop. Bucky looked unbelievably handsome in the suit Brooke had picked out for him and his hair was pulled back to expose a completely clean shaven face. I had stopped in my tracks this morning when he had walked out of the bathroom, his towel still wrapped around his waist, rubbing his smooth skin with his hand.

"Wow" I had softly gasped, dropping the shoes I had been holding back onto the bed to make my way across the room to him. He had a small smile on his face as he watched me raise my hand up and slide it over his cheek then down to his chin, letting my finger rest on the dimple. The heat from his shower was still radiating from his slightly damp skin and the fresh of smell soap lingered in the air. I remembered thinking then that if he cut his hair he would look exactly how he did all those years ago before going off to war and fighting beside Steve and the Howling Commandos.

"What do you think?" he had asked, turning his face side to side.

I had taken a step back, staring in silence for much longer than was normal as his blue eyes swept over my face. I recalled how I felt at that moment...all the love I had for this man in front of me, his own affection reflected right back. It amazed me still how Bucky could ever love someone as plain as me, but he did.

I had swallowed the lump in my throat before answering, "You look very handsome"

"I know pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride"

The sound of Pastor Ted's voice interrupted my thoughts and I glanced over in time to see Jill and Dave smile at each other before leaning in to share a kiss. I pulled my hand from Lilah's to clap loudly with everyone else in the room. The little girl began jumping up and down excitedly and since the ceremony was now over, I let her enjoy herself. The guests and the wedding party were still cheering as the music began and Jill and Dave made their way back down the aisle. I pushed Lilah forward when it was her turn to meet her brother at the steps to walk back down with him. The rest of us followed down behind the bride and groom with our assigned escort. I gave Cliff a tight lipped smile when he reached out to take my arm in his. As I made my way down the aisle towards the door, I gave a side glance to Bucky and saw him with a smile on his face despite deep down knowing he hated seeing me standing next to another man. I gave him a quick wink as I passed and watched as his smile widened and his eyes shone bright blue.

I pulled my arm from Cliff's as soon as it was polite to do so and thanked him before making a hasty escape. The wedding party gathered into a small room just off the sanctuary. I immediately found Brooke and the two of us made our way to Jill. We found her next to her new husband and quickly threw our arms around her in a group hug.

My best friend of nearly 20 years was now a married woman. I stood back and watched as everyone in the wedding party came up to congratulate the happy couple. I couldn't help but be a little envious of them. This was everything I hoped to have with Bucky someday.

A solid 45 minutes passed before I finally got to see him again. After the wedding, the guests took a short drive to the reception hall right down the street while the wedding party and family members took pictures. As soon as we were done, the wedding party piled into two limos and made our way to join the rest of the guests to celebrate Jill and Dave's big day.

It took me and Brooke a good 10 minutes to track down the boys, finally spotting them at a table in the very back of the reception hall; still doing their best to remain out of sight as much as possible. The wedding party was currently mingling with the other guests so Brooke and I managed to get away before we had to meet back up at the front to sit with the bride and groom.

The three of them were talking among themselves and didn't notice as we approached them. Brooke skipped head of me and threw her hands over Steve's eyes.

"Guess who" she giggled out.

We all chuckled when Steve grabbed one of her arms and spun her around to land in his lap causing Brooke to yelp out in surprise.

"Don't you know it isn't safe to sneak up on Captain America?" he said grinning.

"I think I'm always safe with Captain America" she said, tapping him lightly on the nose before leaning in for a quick kiss on the lips.

I patted Clint on the back as I passed him and went to take a seat in the open chair next to Bucky. The five of us were talking about the how well the wedding went when Carrie made her way to our table.

She seemed almost nervous as she approached, "Hey ladies, Jill is ready for all of us to join her at the main table"

Her eyes swept over the table and then she smiled and turned to make her way to the front of the room.

I shared a confused look with Brooke before turning to Bucky to give him a quick kiss.

"Duty calls boys, we'll come find you guys later" Brooke said as she reached for my arm and dragged me out of my chair.

:::2 Hours Later::::

I jumped when I felt a heavy hand placed on the exposed skin of my shoulder. I quickly relaxed when I felt the coldness of metal, knowing it was Bucky who had managed to sneak up on me. I felt his fingers slide down my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps on my flesh. I turned just as his hand reached mine, interlocking my fingers with his and giving him a wide smile.

"Has anyone told you today just how sexy you look in that dress?" he said, taking a step back to admire what I wore.

"Oh yeah, tons of guys actually..." I replied, sweeping my hand towards the crowd of people and laughing when I saw the sudden scowl appear on his face.

"Just haven't heard it from anyone as sexy as you though" I finished, grabbing his tie and pulling him back towards me.

The scowl disappeared but the smile did not reappear on his face. The reception had been in full swing for just over two hours and I knew Bucky was getting antsy. He did just fine in large crowds but only for a short amount of time. I knew that this was pushing the boundaries of his comfort level. Being surrounded by this many people, the majority of which he didn't know, was putting him on edge. I couldn't blame him. The events of the day had kept my mind off everything that had happened last night but now I was beginning to get that feeling again. I reached my hand up to touch the back of my neck but quickly froze, letting my hand fall obediently (and unknowingly) back at my side. I shook off the queasy feeling that suddenly appeared in the pit of my stomach and focused my attention back onto Bucky.

I looked around for Clint and Steve, knowing that having them nearby helped Bucky's anxiety. I had been swept away from him many times this evening, not only for pictures but to mingle with guests too. The two men were able to keep him preoccupied while I fulfilled my bridesmaid duties.

I couldn't help but smile when I finally spotted Steve across the room slow dancing with Brooke. There were quite a few people watching them closely, both men and women. I guess it's not every day that you attend a wedding and see Captain America dancing with a stunning red head. I could tell by the look on Steve's face that he wasn't comfortable with the attention but I was really surprised when I saw the same look mirrored on Brooke's face. Strong, confident Brooke didn't usually mind the attention she received from men but I knew her relationship with Steve was unlike any she had previously experienced. As I watched, Steve leaned down and whispered something in her ear, to which she smiled and nodded her head. They stopped dancing and I saw Steve lead Brooke to a door off to the side of the room.

Once they had disappeared from sight, I looked around for the only other one missing from my trio of boys. Clint was another one who didn't appreciate being the center of attention so I immediately started scanning the back walls, figuring I would find him nestled away in a dark corner watching the crowd.

"Where's Clint" I finally asked Bucky, continuing to let my eyes sweep over the room in search of my missing friend.

I heard Bucky let out a chuckle and I looked at him questioningly. He placed both his hands on my shoulders and turned me around towards the center of the room. He removed one hand and pointed to a spot where a large group of people were dancing together. My eyes followed his finger and I let out a surprised laugh when I finally spotted him. I was shocked to see Cling dancing and even more so when I saw who he was dancing with.

Carrie was smiling brightly as her and Clint shuffled back and forth on the dance floor. I could see Clint's mouth moving as they danced around and Carrie was nodding her head up and down in response to whatever he was saying.

"Now that is not something I expected to ever see" I said, keeping my eyes on the dancing couple.

"Even Hawkeye needs to have some fun every once in a while Eden" Bucky said, pulling me in for a side hug.

I laid my head on his arm and laughed, 'I wasn't talking about Clint. I was referring to Carrie"

The woman was positively glowing. I tried to think of a time since knowing the woman, that I had seen her so happy. Growing up, Carrie had always been quiet, content to be by herself. Seeing her dancing with Clint, and apparently enjoying herself, warmed my heart. I knew it had been tough on the woman to see her little sister getting married before her. Jill's mother was no help. She loved her daughter, but according to Jill, she could quite pushy when it came to Carrie's love life. Jill had told me her mother had resorted to trying to set up blind dates for her oldest daughter. The girl was only 27, she still had plenty of time to find Mr. Right.

I looked up to see Bucky looking at me curiously so I took a second to explain how Carrie had been acting since Jill and Dave decided to get married.

"This weekend is the first time that she has seemed genuinely happy" I finished, stealing another glance at the couple.

I felt Bucky shrug, "Maybe she just needed to find the right dance partner" he said.

"Hmm...maybe your right" I said with a smile.

We stood watching the couple for a few moments before Bucky spoke up again, "You thirsty?" he asked.

I swallowed, realizing that my throat actually was pretty dry, "Yes"

He gave me a kiss on the side of my head and pulled away, "I'll be right back"

I watched Bucky as he went off in search of something for the two of us to drink. I took the opportunity to pull a chair from a nearby table and sit down, letting out a sigh of relief as the pain from wearing my high heels slowly started to lessen. I slipped the shoes off of my feet and set them down beside the chair before stretching my feet out in front of me and wiggling my toes. I looked out on the dance floor and saw that quite a few other ladies had the same idea...I was quick to notice that the ones that were barefoot looked much happier than the ones wearing high heeled shoes.

A sudden tingle in my neck caused me to tear my eyes away from the dancing couples in the room. The room went hazy and the noise suddenly started to lower in volume until finally there was no sound, just a complete and utter silence. I raised my hand up to my neck slowly, my heart beat remaining unnaturally calm despite my lack of senses. Time stopped the moment I touched the rash on my neck and everything fell into darkness.

::::Mission Status Activated::::

Hope you guys enjoyed. My apologies for it being such a long time since I have updated. I hope you read and review. I always like to hear what people think. The more feedback the better. Thanks!

-Ecorley