Howard moved one of Maria's boxes into the apartment as she tore through her mail, finding a letter from Bucky. She threw all the other envelopes to the ground with a smile on her face as she began to open it up. "You know," Howard began. "It would be nice if you helped move into your apartment.

She completely tuned him out because she had to read this letter. She was finally hearing from Bucky.

Dear Maria,

You won't believe the people I've met over here. They're all so brave and all I hope is that I can live up to their glories. I'm having major jetlag though. The only good thing about it is that once my head hits the pillow, I'm out.

How are you doing? I know that I left suddenly and I feel so bad for that. I just couldn't see you cry any more than you did that night. I want you to know that I love you more than the world itself and that I miss you.

How's that new project you were talking about going? I'm sure you'll figure it out in no time. You're the smartest person I know. You're probably the smartest person in the world. I'd like to see you do some competition or send your IQ in or something to show that you're the smartest person in the world.

I know I'm not coming off as smart right now, but that's okay. You've grown to love that. You told me that night we went to the beach for the first time. That night you told me you loved me. Do you remember? The way the tide went up to us, slipping through our bodies as you were sitting in my lap. I loved the way you would sit in my lap and I miss it.

I miss the feeling of you sleeping right by me. I miss the feeling of holding your hand. I miss picking you up and tickling you while throwing you down on the bed. I heard our song yesterday and it put a smile on my face. It always makes me think of you. I've been whistling it a lot lately.

You know that I love you more than anything, right? You're my life and my world. I've always loved you and I think I always will. You're an impossible person to get out of my mind. You're beautiful in every way, shape and form. I am not only lucky, but proud to call you the one and only love of my life.

Your soldier, Bucky

Maria moved the letter to her lips and kissed it, leaving a red lipstick stain. She missed Bucky more than anything and after that letter, she knew she would always love him.

Behind her, a box dropped so she jumped to see Howard looking down at it. Maria put her hands on her hips as she stared at him with her lips pursed. He threw his hands in the air at her, upset face. He pointed at her and said, "Your fault."

Bucky sat on his cot, scribbling a picture of Maria, thinking about hanging it up on the wall next to his cot. A man walked into their barracks with a stack of letters in his hands. "Letters, fellas!"

Everyone began to get up, getting excited about the letters, but Bucky was stuck on his drawing, rubbing his finger across one of the lines he drew to shade the cheekbones. The man was calling out names and men cheered at the fact that they got letters from home. "Barnes!" Bucky sat up and raised his hand.

"Over here!"

The man brought over his letter and Bucky smiled when he saw Maria's name written in cursive on the envelope. "What's this?" He heard someone ask across from him in a teasing tone. When he looked up, he saw a younger, scrawny soldier. One of the biggest men in their division was standing behind him, mocking him about his letter. "You got a letter from your mommy?"

When he looked at the boy, he thought of Steve. "Hey!" Bucky yelled at the man who was bullying him. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

"And what are you gonna do?" The man challenged him.

Bucky shrugged and looked him up and down. "I'll just punch you in the face." The man laughed for a moment, but then lunged at Bucky. He dodged it, grabbed him by the hair and punched him in the face as the people around him cheered. "Get lost, punk!" He told him as he pushed him back.

He tried to run at Bucky again, but someone pulled him back and took him away from the barracks. Bucky turned to the kid and looked him up and down. "Are you okay?"

The kid nodded and smiled up at Bucky. "Thanks." He spoke in a British accent.

Bucky shook his head and crouched down right in front of him. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

Bucky's eyes grew a bit wide at that. He was just a kid. "You got a girl?"

He looked down at his letter and smiled a bit. "Yeah." He picked up the letter and showed it to him. "It's from her. That guy's an idiot."

Bucky chuckled. "Yeah. He really is."

"We're engaged." The boy told him as he showed him the letter. Bucky smiled as he studied the cover with a lipstick stain resting on it. "Everyone thinks we're too young-"

"My girl and I had the same problem." Bucky told him, cutting him off. "We've been engaged about five times."

The boy's eyes grew wide as he smiled. He put his hand out and Bucky took it. "Name's Eddy Daniels."

Bucky smiled as their hands shook. "Bucky Barnes." He let go of his hand and pointed to Eddy's letter. "I'll let you read your letter."

Eddy smiled at him as Bucky sat back down on his bed, both of them beginning to open their letters. Bucky smiled as his eyes immediately went to the lipstick stain at the bottom of the letter.

Dear Bucky,

I'm finally in the apartment! The only down side is that everything here reminds me of you. I miss you terribly and it's been torturous not having you around. I want our hands interlocked and I want to be in your lap again. Please come home soon. It already feels like ages since I've seen you. No baby yet so I don't think we're gonna get you out that way.

I hope it's at least fun for you over there. I know how much you love being a soldier and I would never ask you to stop just so I could have you all the time. The project is hard, but I like the challenge. It's still top secret and I still can't tell you anything about it. Sorry, love.

I got the church where your parents got married booked for the wedding ceremony and for the reception, I got where my parents had theirs. Since we were talking about our song, how about I'll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time for our first dance? It's our song and it's perfect.

After reading your letter, I dreamt about our night on the beach. It seems like so long ago now. I don't understand why, but now that we're separated, all of our favorite moments seemed like so many years ago.

Have you met anyone new? I hope you're making new friends. I hope you have someone to talk to about everything that's going on. As I read those last few lines, I realize that I sound like a mom talking to her kid after their first day back from kindergarten. I just miss you and I hope you're having the best time possible over in England.

I love every bit of you. I hope you always know that. Even while we're separated, I want you to know that I love all of you. Even the parts that made me upset at the beginning, I love now with all my heart. It's impossible for me not to love you. You're my everything and all of me. Stay safe, my soldier.

Your scientist, Maria

Bucky smiled to himself and then looked back down at the picture he was drawing. He picked it up and began to finish it. He had to finish it soon. He had to have some picture of Maria.

Maria and Steve walked out of the coffee shop, Maria gripping her coffee tight as Steve began to explain to her what had happened after she and Bucky left the Stark Expo. "So, I'm a soldier now."

"Steve," Maria began as she turned to look at him. "Are you serious right now?" He opened his mouth to say something, but she wasn't going to let him. She was going to continue talking. "You have asthma, anemia-"

"I know what I have. You don't have to recite it."

Maria stopped walking, getting in front of him so he would also stop. "Steve." She spoke firmly. "This is insane. Even for you."

"Look," He told her, starting to get angry. "This doctor is giving me a chance to do the one thing I have always wanted to do." She continued to look at him while shaking her head. She didn't like it. She didn't like one bit of it, but it was what he wanted. She knew what it was like to get told she couldn't do something. "That's like me saying that you can't be a scientist because of what happened to Marie Curie."

She took a deep breath as she studied him, knowing he was exactly right and it was unfair for her to try and stop him even if it was hard. "Okay." She finally said. Steve cheered a little bit as Maria rubbed her head, still not liking the idea at all. "When are you going to basic training?"

Steve began to rock back and forth on his heels uncomfortably. "Tomorrow."

Maria's eyes grew wide and she leaned forward, smacking Steve in the back of the head. "You're leaving tomorrow and you're just telling me today?" He began to rub the back of his head as she pushed him, gaining looks from people all around them, but she wasn't going to care in that moment. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You bet your ass that you're sorry." She told him as she continued to walk with him following her. "Where are you going?"

"They're sending me to New Jersey for basic training."

Maria stopped walking and looked to him again, shaking her head, feeling new stress at the thought of her brother now going off to be soldier. "I hate you."

Steve smiled at her, put his hands in his pockets and continued walking down the sidewalk. "I love you too."

She watched him walk off, feeling hopeless in that moment. She couldn't do anything about him going into the Army now. All she could do was pray for him to make it out all right.

Bucky and Eddy walked back into the barracks covered in dirt and sweat. They were talking about all they had done that day and all the work they had done. Bucky was getting really attached to Eddy. He was a great kid and he reminded him of his best friend back home. "Barnes!" Bucky turned around and one of the men in their division gave him an envelope with Maria's familiar writing on it.

Bucky smiled once he looked at the letter and looked to his friend who put his hands up while stepping back, knowing that reading a letter from his fiancé was supposed to be a private thing. Eddy nodded and Bucky went back to his bed. He sat down on his bed and opened the letter with a smile on his face.

Dear Bucky,

You'll never believe what happened. Steve was approved. My brother is going to be a soldier. He's leaving tomorrow to New Jersey for basic training. He didn't tell me much about this doctor, but he said that he gave him a chance of some sort. That was all he said about it.

I'm starting to get worried. What if he actually gets sent to war. I don't think Steve will actually be able to survive out there. He's a great person and he has a warrior's soul, but, Bucky, he would not survive out there. You and I both know it.

The second he gets out of basic training, I'm making him move in with me. I don't care what they try to make him do, I have to protect him. I don't care if I'm the youngest. I have to protect him in every way I can.

Tell me that you can write to him somehow and knock some sense into him. I can't handle the thought of anything bad happening to him. I'm scared. I can't lose any more family. I love you, darling. Stay safe and write soon. You're my heart and my soul. Always remember that.

Your scientist, Maria

Bucky sat there for a moment rereading. The fact that Steve was actually accepted into the Army was blowing his mind. He had to get in contact with Steve somehow. The man was practically his brother. He had to protect him. Just like Maria, he had to protect him.

Maria raced to get to the mailman as he was putting the letters in the mailboxes. "Good morning, Maria." He greeted her as he saw her running down the steps, already looking for the letter from Bucky.

"Hey, Norm." He handed her the letter and she waved to him as she headed out the door. "Have a good day!"

She quickly opened up the letter as she walked down the sidewalk, hurrying to read it as she walked to work. These letters were beginning to become the highlight of her days. This one she was particularly ready to read since the last one she had talked all about Steve.

Dear Maria,

You and I are both worried about Steve, but we can't control him. I don't want it any more than you do, but it's what he wants. We have to step back and let him do what he wants. If we keep pushing him away from it, it will only make him want it more.

As hard as it might be, you and I have to let him do what he wants. We both love him and we both don't want to drive a wedge between us and him. I love you, but you can be a little protective of Steve. And he is the older brother.

Honey, you have to let him do what he wants. You can't protect him forever just like he can't protect you forever. If this is what he wants to do and this doctor is giving him a chance then let him give him a chance. It will all work out the way it's meant to work out.

You may be mad at me, but that's what I feel like is the right thing for us to do in this situation. I love you to the moon and back. Always remember that and please don't stay too mad at me. I love getting your letters. They make me feel like a part of me is still in Brooklyn with you.

Your soldier, Bucky

Maria had to stop walking at one point while reading the words on the page. She knew Bucky was right, but part of her wanted him to side with her. She was rereading the letter as she walked into the place they were working and when she gave the woman upfront the keywords to go down in the secret parts of the place to the research.

When she finally got down to the bottom level, she put the letter in her purse where she found Howard working on the machine he was making and Dr. Erskine working on the serum. Maria sat down at the lab table with him and mixed together a few chemicals. Nothing any of them were trying was working and Colonel Phillips had called the other day saying that they were close to picking their new super soldier and needed Erskine to come over soon to help them pick the super soldier. "I hate this." Maria mumbled to herself. "I hate Howard."

"Do you hate my money?" Howard asked as he showed up right behind her, studying what she was mixing. "I'm practically paying for your wedding."

"Will you two shush?" Abraham asked them as he sat in front of Maria, mixing his own chemicals. "You fight like an old married couple."

"We're far from an old married couple." Maria commented as she turned back to look at Howard finishing up on the machine they were gonna use to inject their super soldier. She turned back to Erskine who was smiling widely at her. "What?" She laughed out at the way he was staring at her.

He shook his head. "Nothing. It's just that you remind me of two people I used to know."

"Who?" Maria asked as she leaned forward, genuinely curious about it.

He looked back to her as he was continuing to mix his chemicals and proceeded to test them out. "My mentors, who worked very closely together while I was in Germany. Sadly, they are both dead now." Maria nodded, waiting for him to continue. "They would bicker every single day." Maria smiled a little bit as she looked up at him. "They were a great team, but they were constantly arguing. Eventually, the two of them realized the reason they were bickering so much was because they felt very strongly for each other."

Maria looked over at Howard to make sure he hadn't heard any of what they were talking about and then back to Abraham. "I'm engaged."

He nodded and then looked back to Howard. "I know." She followed his gaze and noticed that Howard was staring at her. He shook his head once he saw that he had been caught and continued working. "It was just an observation." Maria looked back to him with a slight smile at his excuse. "We are scientists." Maria opened her mouth, about to say something when he broke her out of it. "What did you just mix?"

She looked down at it and handed him the formula she had just written down. "That's the one thing I needed." He whispered as he looked down at her formula. "You just figured it out."

"I did?" Maria asked like she was unsure of herself.

"You," He spoke as he hurried to her and grabbed her face in his hands, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Just figured it out, my dear." He looked over to Howard who was still working. "Howard, we're ready!"

He ran to him and Maria continued to sit there, thinking about everything he had just told her. Not just that she was right, but also about Howard. She looked to the two and saw the excitement and joy on his face. She smiled a little bit. She loved Howard, but as a friend. She loved Bucky as a lover. After what Abraham told her, she still wondered.

I hope you liked the new chapter! And happy early Fourth of July to you guys who celebrate! Did you like the letters? What about the Maria and Howard bickering. I honestly love their friendship. Please review!