Hi again! Update time! I kind of love and hate this chapter. I love it because I think it's the best thing I've written yet, but I also hate it because of what's coming in the next chapter. Still, II do love it and hope you do too.

Also, be warned: this chapter is LONG. I just didn't want to split it into two! So, I hope you don't mind!

As always, thank you for your support, reviews and adds!

...

January 11th, 1945. 107th army base, Austria.

Laughing, Beth spun in front of the tiny mirror in Peggy's hand, her skirt whipping round her. Though it had been a last minute dash around the nurses begging for clothes, she had been successful and could honestly say she hadn't felt more beautiful. Knowing that this time, she was with the man of her dreams may have also had something to do with how she was feeling and to anyone who knew her, the happiness in her eyes only made her joy even more radiant.

"Oh Beth, you look simply mesmerising!" one of the nurses, an older woman named May, gushed.

"It's not fair, that dress looks much better on you than it did on me!" another nurse, Cathy, moaned, though the grin on her face said her words were only teasing.

Beth stopped spinning to gaze at herself once more. Staring back at her was someone she barely recognised, but who she could definitely see herself being more often. Ruby red lips smiled back at her, her golden waves let loose to cascade down her spine, coming to a stop mid-waist. Her figure was being hugged by a deep blue velvet dress, the skirt gracefully falling to mid-calf, swinging with every movement she made. On her feet were the pair of shoes her mother gave her the last time she went dancing with Steve and Bucky; the only luxury she had brought with her. She could hardly believe the woman was truly her, and a small part of her knew that Bucky was going to be knocked off his feet when he saw her. She saw Peggy smiling warmly at her.

"What?" she asked.

"You truly look beautiful." The other woman replied.

Any response Beth had was cut off by Dum-Dum's voice booming through the tent, telling her they were leaving in five minutes with or without her. Rolling her eyes, Beth reached for the coat yet another of the nurses had loaned her and pulled it on, fastening it quickly so the surprise wasn't ruined for Bucky. She stepped out of the tent, pausing to wave at the group who all responded with smiles and calls that she was a lucky girl.

She made her way across to the truck she could see Steve standing by at the other end of the camp, but didn't get far when she heard a wolf whistle. She suppressed a groan and turned to flash the soldier a smile, only to find he was standing right behind her, far too close to her for comfort. She stepped back instinctively, noticing that he had a small group of other soldiers with him. Choosing not to react, she turned back to the truck and continued on her way.

"Come on honey, dance with us!" he laughed.

The laugh was accompanied by a sharp slap to her rear. Growling, she spun and using the training Bucky, Peggy and the others had given her, swung her fist to collide sharply with his nose. He dropped to the floor, gripping the injured appendage and Beth gave a smug smile as the men around them erupted in cheers and applause. One of the voices sounded as familiar to her as her own and she found herself engulfed in a strong pair of arms, a kiss fondly pressed to the top of her head.

"I was going to do that." Bucky said, indicating to the soldier still on the ground.

Laughing, she turned so she was facing him and grinned broadly. His face remained serious as he fought not to jump on the solider and finish what she started, but she could also see the twinkle of amusement in his eyes. Reaching up, she gently bought his face down to hers and kissed him softly, ignoring the whistles from the other soldiers. Bucky simply flipped them the finger and smiled warmly down at her as they parted.

"Come on, hot stuff. I wanna go dancing. After all, tomorrow is a big day." She said, standing on tiptoes to murmur in his ear.

"Yes ma'am." He said with a wink.

She looped her arm through his and he led them through the camp to meet with the rest of the team. Dum Dum was the first to spot them and nudged Falsworth in the side.

"Aww, look at the lovebirds."

Steve heard the other American's statement and looked up at his sister and best friend. Though he wanted to hate the thought of his sister with anyone, he couldn't help the warm smile on his face to see how happy the pair was. The group wasted no time in climbing into the truck and before long, they were heading down the road. After laughing and congratulating Beth for taking care of the soldier, they all fell into a comfortable silence. Bucky, who was sitting next to Beth, entwined his hands with hers and she felt the familiar warmth seep through her. He leaned over and brushed a piece of her hair aside, the inner male pride in him growling in delight at the shiver she barely suppressed from his touch.

"I didn't get to say how beautiful you look tonight, doll."

Fighting the butterflies that erupted in her stomach at his fleeting touch and soft words, she composed herself and gave him a smile that was both knowing, smug, and something distinctly feminine that he couldn't place.

"Just wait until I remove the coat" she whispered back.

This time, he was the one that shuddered and she sat back in her seat, inwardly cheering that just for once, she was the one to knock him off guard. Steve had watched the exchange and though he hadn't heard their words, the look on Beth's face as she sat back was enough to make him chuckle, earning a smirk from his sister and a glare and muttered 'shut up' from his best friend.

By the time they arrived in the town, the truck seemed to be buzzing with nervous, anticipating energy. For the majority of the group, it was the usual electricity they had before any of their missions, but for a select few, it was deeper. As she saw the women waiting to enter the dance club with dresses of much nicer fabrics and designs than hers, makeup flawlessly done, Beth began to worry that maybe she wasn't as dressed up as the others had let her believe and that maybe one of these women would make Bucky realise he'd made a mistake. Steve couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong about the whole mission, the feeling growing every moment until he wanted to abort the whole thing. As for Bucky, he could barely take his eyes off Beth, worried as usual about her safety, but also terrified that his plan for tonight would fail and leave them both broken hearted.

The truck finally slid to a stop and they piled out, quickly making their way to the club in a big huddle to shake off the cold from the snow surrounding them. As Bucky gave the cloakroom attendant his coat, Beth was helped out of her own by Steve, who couldn't help but stare at her in amazement as she stepped out of the fabric. Bucky turned to retrieve her coat from Steve, but the moment he laid eyes on her, time stood still. He even forgot to breathe until a sharp nudge in the side from Jones had him suck in a gasp of air.

"Wow." Was all he could say, but Beth heard the thousand other unspoken words and emotions, and her heart melted.

"I told you." She whispered as she stepped into his arms.

"Yeah you did, but I never expected that."

He saw how she glanced around at the women around her and a mixture of understanding and disbelief flooded through him. Understanding because of how casually he'd been about dating beautiful girls back home, disbelief that she would think that any of the women in the room could hold a light to her. He voiced his last thought and her eyes swam with unshed tears of joy. Not wasting anymore time, he swept her onto the dancefloor and within minutes the pair were oblivious to everything except themselves and the music around them.

As the final song of the night played, Beth found herself wishing it would never end. She had never felt so complete; her brother was healthy, she had a strong group of friends and her head was currently rested on the man of her dreams chest, his arms firmly wrapped round her as they swayed, silently telling her he was never letting her go. The moment had to end eventually and she found herself grudgingly pulling away from him as the last note faded. He kissed her cheek and watched carefully as she made her way through the crowd to meet Steve at the entrance, glaring at anyone who so much as glanced appreciatively her way. He shoved his hands in his pocket, finger sliding over metal, reassuring him that it was still there and he took a few seconds to compose himself before following her out. He hustled to the truck and almost cursed when he was informed by Steve that they were still waiting for Falsworth and Morita. Bucky offered to find them, but Steve shook his head and nodded toward Beth who was sitting in the truck shivering. Bucky slid in to the vehicle and wrapped his arms round her, smiling when she leaned into him.

Minutes passed and Bucky felt Beth's breathing even out, signalling that she'd fallen asleep. Steve finally returned with their missing comrades, the pair drunkenly stumbling in to the truck, banging loudly against the side. Bucky glared at them as he felt Beth startle awake, and the pair had the decency to look sheepish even as they fought the childish urge to giggle like a couple of girls at the bleary expression on the female's face. She rolled her eyes and snuggled back in to Bucky's chest, but this time she didn't fall asleep. Steve slid in behind the wheel and not before long, they were back at the base. Steve called out after them to be ready to leave the base at 0600 or there'd be hell to pay. He turned to look back at his sister and best friend and gave Bucky a smile that screamed 'Good Luck'. Bucky smiled in return, ignoring the questioning look on Beth's face.

"What was that about?" she asked.

"What?" he asked, his tone innocent.

"I know both you AND my brother about as well as I know myself. I know when the pair of you are up to something."

The smile fell slightly on Bucky's face and Beth found herself surprised to see that a nervous look replaced it. Opening her mouth to apologise, she instead found herself saying something different.

"What is it?"

He looked away from her for a second, and when he returned his gaze back to her she was relieved to see his usual confidence there, though he was definitely nervous, and it was putting her on edge. Sensing it, Bucky jumped out of the truck and held out his hand for her own.

"Walk with me?" he asked.

"It's freezing!" she protested, but it came out as a laugh as he pulled her out of the truck and into his arms so he could carry her across the worst of the snow to put her down on the footpath. The moon shone down on them, turning Beth's eyes an arctic blue that had Bucky swallowing down a sudden lump of emotion. Unable to speak in fear of saying something stupid instead of what he wanted to say, he reached up and gently caressed her lips with the pad of his thumb, his other hand reaching to cup the back of her head.

"God, I love you Bethie." He murmured as he gazed down at her.

Even if she had been able to speak before, words failed her now. Yes, he'd said it to her before, but this time it felt different, as if it was a promise, a vow. Swallowing, Bucky let go of her face, his hands sliding down to grasp her own.

"I mean it. Without you being mine these past few years, I don't know how I would have gotten this far through the war. It was wanting to keep you safe that made me join, you that gave me the will to live when I was caught, your courage that supports me through our missions and most importantly, your love that makes me want to have a family and grow old with you."

He slid down to the ground, pulling out a simple gold ring that held a stone of deep red at its heart. Garnet, her birthstone and her favourite of the precious gems. Only Steve and her mother knew that, and she suddenly understood the look Steve had given Bucky; Bucky had clearly asked for her brother's blessing. She could only stand in stunned silence as he continued speaking.

"Bethie Rogers, will you be my gal for the rest of our lives?" he asked, his confidence growing with every word as he watched her eyes grow more and more joyous.

She couldn't help her first reaction; she burst out laughing. Bucky stared at her in surprise as she doubled over, and found that he couldn't decide if he should be amused or offended.

"Only you would propose by calling me Bethie and asking me to be your gal rather than the traditional 'will you marry me!'" she said, laughter still in her voice.

She flung her arms round him, sending the pair of them tumbling to the snow. Only his quick reflexes saved the ring from dropping to the ground and he let out a relieved breath when he realised he had successfully caught it.

"Yes, Bucky! As if I would ever say no to you when I've loved you since we were children!"

At her words, he broke out in a wide grin and after pulling her off the ground, placed the ring on the finger of the hand she held out for him and pulled her head to his to bring their lips together. When they parted, she gazed up at him with love and a look he couldn't describe.

Beth had already planned this part of the evening before the surprise proposal, and now decided even more so that it was the right time. Taking his hand, she pulled him through the camp until they reached the medical tent. She knew it was going to be empty; they currently had no injured soldiers and the nurses she worked with had assured her they would have it empty by the time they returned. She let go of him and he gave her a confused look as she hurried to close the tent flap behind them.

"Beth, what are you do…"

Her lips against his own cut him off and it took every ounce of strength to gently pry her away from him.

"Why are we here Bethie?" he asked gently.

Instead of answering straight away, she slipped her shoes off and slowly removed her coat before facing him once more.

"Tomorrow, we will be doing the single most dangerous mission yet. I've been wanting to do this for a while now as there's no knowing when or even if we will ever get the chance again. Until now, I haven't found the right moment, but now, I know this is it."

As the last word left her lips, her hands touched his shirt clad chest and Bucky jumped. He'd been so absorbed in her words, he hadn't even noticed her drawing closer. Warmth pressed against his jawbone and he shuddered, electricity jolting through his body in a caress that had him desperate for more. Groaning as he felt her smile against his skin, he shuddered once more as lips he decided she'd inherited from the deepest place of bliss made their way up to his ear. He refrained from touching her, afraid that she was simply caught up in the moment and wasn't truly thinking, but when her teeth grazed his earlobe, her hands sliding under his shirt until her skin scorched against his own, he realised she was more than willing and her words were true- she really had been planning it for a while.

"Let me love you." She whispered, and those four words snapped the final thread of restraint in him.

Without warning, he crushed her against him, his hands thrusting into her hair as his mouth crashed on to hers. His kiss was rough at first, until her hands stilled on his chest and he forced himself to remember that this was new to her. Slowing down, he released her hair and caressed her back through her dress, smiling at the effeminate sound that came from her throat as one hand skimmed the side of her breast through the fabric. He did it once more, placing a kiss on her throat at the same time and her knees threatened to buckle. He caught her and kissed her throat once more.

"Bucky" she moaned, her tone pleading.

Slowly, he moved his hand further down, stroking her stomach before sliding it under her skirt to the waistband of her pantyhose. He grasped them and managed to pull them down enough so she could finish the job and kick them off. The moment she was free of them, she began unbuttoning his shirt, sliding it off him so she could rake her hands freely over his chest. When her nails scraped along his abs, he sucked in a shaky breath and she gave him a sultry smile that sent shivers through his body. She did it again and he retaliated by reaching up to grasp at her breast, this time a gasp from her his reward.

Deciding she'd had enough teasing, she stepped back and in one movement, pulled the dress off so she was clad only in her underwear. Bucky struggled to breathe as he took in her beauty, the softness of her skin causing his pants to grow extremely tight and uncomfortable. It took only seconds for him to alter that and Beth suddenly felt a wave of uncertainty wash over her as she laid eyes on all of him for the first time. Sensing it, Bucky took her chin and kissed her.

"It's not too late" he said.

She was silent for a few seconds and he thought that maybe she had decided against her idea when he felt her arms move behind her to unhook her bra. The material fell to the ground and she stood back to slide out of her panties before moving back into his arms.

"Yes it is" she replied, pushing him gently on to the bed.

Long after Beth had fallen asleep tucked up in his arms, Bucky found himself gazing down at her and couldn't help but think he was the world's luckiest man. Not only had she said yes to marrying him, she'd given him her heart, soul and body. His eyes raked over her skin, pausing as the moonlight glinted on the ringed hand gently resting on his bare chest. She was officially his Bethie. Tilting his head slightly, he kissed her nose, smiling warmly as she crinkled it in her sleep. He sighed, knowing they should move, but unable to make himself wake her. Instead, he felt his eyes close, his arms tightening further around her, making a silent promise to both her and himself.

Once they had Zola in custody, he was dragging her to the nearest church and marrying her. After tomorrow, she would be his wife, and nothing was going to stop him.