New York, April 1943

Josephine sat at the kitchen table in her apartment, jotting ideas down for her and Bucky's wedding. Luckily, her mother was helping her make a new dress for the occasion, but Josephine was stumped on bridesmaid dresses. Bucky's sisters were going to be her bridesmaids of course, but she was struggling with what she wanted them to wear.

Josephine's thoughts were interrupted when Bucky walked into the apartment. She looked up with a smile on her lips to greet him. However, her smile quickly fell when she saw the grim expression on his handsome face.

"James?" she asked nervously. "What's wrong?"

Bucky took a seat across from her at the table and took a deep breath. "Josephine, I've got some bad news."

Josephine immediately felt nerves flare through her body. Bucky never called her Josephine, it was always Josie, angel-face, or baby doll. Something really bad must have happened if he was being this serious.

"I need you to stay calm, even after I tell you," Bucky told her. "Promise me you'll stay calm."

Josephine took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She reluctantly nodded and chewed on her lips nervously. "I promise. What is it, James?"

Bucky took a deep breath and swallowed nervously. "They drew my number, Josie."

Josephine knew what those few words meant, and she shook her head in disbelief. They both knew that this was going to be a possibility, but nothing prepared them for when it actually happened. Josephine chewed on her bottom lip, trying to keep her emotions from overflowing.

"This isn't fair," she whimpered.

Bucky immediately got up from the table and knelt next to her. "Oh, baby doll, I know, I know." He whispered, taking her in his arms.

"We're supposed to get married!" Josephine cried into the crook of his neck. "And now—

"Hey, hey, hey," Bucky cooed. "We're still gonna get married. When I get back, I'll give you the biggest wedding in New York. Okay, angel-face? I promise."

Josephine sniffled and pulled away to wipe her nose. "What if you don't come back?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Bucky pursed his lips and took her hands in his. "I will always come back to you, Josie. Come hell or high water, I will come back to you."

Josephine knew that he would do his best to come back unscathed, but she also knew that he couldn't promise that. This war had been going on for a few years now with no end in immediate sight. She had witnessed her friends receive letters about their husbands and fiancés who had perished.

Josephine felt fresh tears well up in her eyes and she shook her head. "But you can't promise that James. Who knows what could happen over there!" she practically wailed. "Have you told your mom and your sisters?"

Bucky nodded. "I told them. Ma had a similar reaction. I'm about to go tell Stevie."

Josephine felt tears streaming down her face and she shook her head. "It's not fair. It's just not."

"I know," Bucky murmured as he wiped away her tears. "I know. I'm so sorry baby doll."

Josephine grabbed a napkin and blew her nose. She looked up at him through her wet lashes. "When… when do you ship out?"

Bucky took a deep breath. "Two weeks from now."

Josephine let out a shaky breath and blinked back more oncoming tears. Two weeks. She only had two weeks left guaranteed with Bucky.

"Hey, hey," Bucky started. "I see you getting lost in that pretty head of yours. Let's enjoy these two weeks, okay? Hell, I'll take you to that science expo coming up." He suggested. "That sound good to you? We can go dancin' after."

Josephine nodded and forced a small smile on her face. "That'd be fun."

Bucky kissed her cheek and pulled her into his arms again. He was trying his best to reassure her that everything would be okay, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't scared as hell.

~/~\~

About two weeks later, Bucky and Josephine were walking hand-in-hand on their way to the expo. Josephine wore a deep burgundy colored knee-length A-line dress with puffed sleeves and matching kitten heels. Her dark brown hair was done up in victory rolls and she had put on mascara and rouge on her cheeks and lips.

Josephine and Bucky were avoiding talking about the elephant in the room. Bucky was shipping out tomorrow and Josephine had practically been beside herself all day, realizing that come tomorrow, she wouldn't know if or when she would see Bucky again.

They were walking down the street when suddenly they heard scuffling from a nearby alleyway.

"The hell?" Bucky muttered as they followed the sounds.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" a larger man glowered at Steve, who was struggling to hold himself up.

Steve wiped his bloody mouth and glared up at the man. "I can do this all day."

The man knocked Steve back into a nearby pile of garbage. He moved to hit him again, but someone suddenly grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn around.

"What's with all the fighting?" Bucky quirked a brow, narrowing his eyes at the man. "Don't you know there's a war on?"

Josephine ran over to Steve and helped him stand up, keeping him steady. "You okay, Stevie?"

Steve just nodded and wiped his face. His ears burned red with embarrassment at the fact that Bucky had to step in again. The man swung at Bucky and Bucky immediately punched the guy. He spun him around and kicked him in the ass. The man glared back at him before he ran off and Bucky sighed as he looked at Steve.

"Sometimes I think you like getting punched." Bucky mused.

"I had him on the ropes," Steve grumbled as Josephine looked him over for any serious injuries.

As Josephine looked Steve over, a folded enlistment form fell from his pocket. Josephine picked it up and unfolded it, her brows furrowing together.

"Stevie, how many times is this?" Josephine sighed heavily as she continued reading. "Oh, you're from Paramus now? It's still illegal to lie on an enlistment form, y'know." She chastised.

"And seriously, Jersey?" Bucky scoffed, trying to lighten the mood of the situation.

Josephine just nudged Bucky gently in the side while Steve frowned, taking in Bucky's uniform.

"Looks like you got your orders," Steve commented, jealousy lacing his tone.

"Sergeant James Barnes. 107th ships to England first thing tomorrow," he nodded as he wrapped an arm around Josephine's waist and pulled her into his side. "This is my last night."

Josephine swallowed down the tears that threatened to spill out. "Don't remind me," she mumbled.

Bucky just pressed a lingering kiss to the top of her head. Steve looked between them and sighed. He felt guilty about feeling jealous of Bucky, that he got to go off and serve his country. Steve saw firsthand how hard it's been on Josephine, and he empathized with her. But on the other hand, Steve also wanted to help his country and do his part, and no one was letting him.

"So, what's the first stop? Church?" Steve asked as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

Bucky grinned and shook his head. "Yeah… maybe second stop," he replied as he took Josephine's hand in his and the three of them started walking.

"Where are we going?" Steve questioned as he sped up, trying to keep up with their pace.

Bucky whipped out a newspaper and handed it to Steve. "The future," he answered with a smirk.

~/~\~

Steve, Bucky, and Josephine were walking down the busy midway. Bucky swung his and Josephine's joined hands and smiled as he watched her look around excitedly. He had memorized every feature of hers long ago, but her beauty still left him speechless every time. He cleared his throat and looked at Steve.

"I don't see what the problem is," Bucky started nonchalantly. "You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know there're three and a half million women here?"

"I'd settle for just one," Steve muttered dejectedly.

Bucky waved at somebody in the distance with his free hand. "Good thing I've taken care of that," he grinned.

Josephine just shook her head. She knew the Bucky meant well when trying to set Steve up with a girl, but the girls were never that… great. They often ignored Steve and fawned over Bucky, who obviously made it clear that he was in a happily committed relationship.

"What'd you tell her about me?" Steve asked as a girl across the midway waved back.

"Only the good stuff," Bucky assured, nudging his friend lightly.

~/~\~

Bucky, Josephine, Bonnie, and Steve hurried past one of the exhibits. Josephine glanced back at Steve and Bonnie, sighing softly. Bonnie wasn't really giving Steve the time of day and Steve just looked dejected at the reality of another failed setup.

Josephine looked up when she heard people cheering and tugged Bucky forward. "C'mon!" she urged the group excitedly. "James, look! There he is!"

"You gonna leave me for Howard Stark, baby doll?" Bucky teased lightly.

Josephine scoffed. "Never, not in a million years. But he's creatin' the future, James. I'd say that's something to be excited about," she smiled up at him.

Bucky leaned down and captured her lips with his as the crowd formed by the stage. Steve bought peanuts while Bucky, Josephine, and Bonnie got in close. Everybody marveled at the sight of Howard Stark, dressed in a dashing tuxedo, standing next to a 1942 Cadillac.

"Ladies," Howard started off with a smirk. "You know how hard it can be putting on makeup in a car that's bouncing like a kangaroo on a trampoline."

Steve held out the bag of peanuts to Bonnie. She just furrowed her brows and looked at the bag with scorn. Her attention was immediately taken away as Howard continued to speak and Steve sighed heavily.

"What if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile wouldn't touch the ground at all?" Howard asked the awaiting crowd.

Howard hit a button and the Cadillac began to rise, and the crowd gasped in awe.

Bucky's brows shot up. "Holy cow. Y'see that, baby doll?"

"Can't take my eyes off of it," Josephine breathed out in amazement.

"With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology, patent-pending," Howard winked at the crowd. "You'll be able to do just tha—

There was a loud pop and an explosion as the car went crashing down onto the stage. Silence fell over the crowd as they waited for Howard to say something.

"I did say a few years, didn't I?" Howard chuckled.

The audience applauded and Bonnie was practically swooning over Howard. Steve looked around sheepishly when something in the distance caught his eye. Bucky wrapped his arms around Josephine's middle and pulled her flush against him.

"Hey, Steve. What do you say we treat these ladies…" Bucky trailed off when he looked over and saw a little girl in Steve's place digging eagerly into his bag of forgotten peanuts.

"Steve?" Josephine called out worriedly. "Stevie?!"

~/~\~

Steve stared wistfully at a mirrored booth in front of the recruiting pavilion that read "Your Duty: Try it on for Size!" A large, burly-looking man stood in front of the mirror and grinned when he saw that he looked big and heroic in uniform. Steve took his turn and stepped up, frowning deeply in disappointment. In the mirror, he wore an A.G.I. uniform, but he could barely see over the collar.

Just as he was about to step off, Bucky clamped a hand on his shoulder. Bucky sighed heavily and Josephine just looked on with sympathy and worry evident in her eyes.

"You're kinda missin' the point of a double date," Bucky chastised. "C'mon, we're gonna get a chocolate soda."

"You two go ahead," Steve shrugged the offer off.

Bucky eyed the recruitment signs and shook his head. "You're really gonna do this now?"

"Stevie, this isn't a good idea," Josephine added. "Please, please just come with us."

"It's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck." Steve argued.

"As who? Steve from Ohio?" Bucky challenged, growing annoyed with Steve's resistance. "They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you."

Steve looked at Bucky and Josephine with a grim smile of disappointment. "You both don't think I can do it."

"Steve, please," Josephine practically begged. "I'm gonna be selfish here. James has to ship out tomorrow, I can't have you leaving too. I can't risk losing the both of you," her voice wavered at the mere thought of it. "Please, Stevie, let it go."

Bucky pulled Josephine into a hug and cupped the back of her head with one hand. "This isn't some back alley, Steve. It's a war. Why are you so keen to fight? There're lots of other important jobs—

Steve scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. "You want me to sit in a factory? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon while the men are laying down their lives?" Steve asked, earning a look from Bucky that silently asked why that couldn't be enough for Steve. "I can do as well as them and I got no right to do any less. That's the thing you don't get, Bucky. It's not about me."

"Right," Bucky replied, sarcasm dripping from his lips. "'Cause you've got nothing to prove."

Josephine sniffled slightly and looked around. She noticed that Bonnie had found another fella to hang out with. Bucky looked down at Josephine worriedly. He was already so worried about her, and if Steve somehow got accepted… She'd have her mother and Bucky's family, but he knew that that might not be enough. He knew that she'd be worrying herself sick over both him and Steve.

Bucky sighed, torn between being annoyed with and worried about Steve. "I'm gonna get Josie back home," he held out his hand to Steve and released Josephine from his hold.

Steve looked at his two best friends and saw their genuine worry. He took Bucky's hand and shook it firmly.

"Promise me you won't do anything too stupid before I get back," Bucky sighed.

"How can I?" Steve questioned, a ghost of a smirk crossing his lips. "You're taking all the stupid with you."

"You're a punk." Bucky laughed lightly.

"You're a jerk." Steve retorted with his own small smile. "It's a wonder how Josie puts up with ya."

"Don't I know it." Bucky beamed. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world."

Josephine rolled her eyes at their banter and hugged Steve. "If they do take you, you better come and say goodbye to me. I will be so mad if you don't."

Steve wrapped his arms around her middle and rubbed her back soothingly. "You know I wouldn't leave New York without saying goodbye."

Josephine nodded and pulled away. She wiped away the oncoming tears and forced a small smile.

"Don't win the war till I get there," Steve told Bucky firmly.

Bucky just gave him a salute and swooped up Josephine under his arm. He pressed a kiss to her temple, inhaling the familiar smell of her lavender shampoo.

"I can't lose either of you, much less the both of you." Josephine's voice cracked as they walked away.

"You won't lose us, baby doll." Bucky comforted. "I'll make sure of it."

~/~\~

Bucky and Josephine had stayed up as late as possible that night, memorizing each other's features and basking in the feeling of one another. However, the morning came much too quickly, and Josephine rolled over, shooting up when she was met with Bucky's side of the bed being empty.

She looked around wildly and gasped when she saw an envelope on the nightstand. Her name was scrawled on the front in Bucky's messy handwriting, and she felt tears well up in her eyes. She tore open the envelope and swiftly unfolded the letter.

"My dearest, Josie,

I know you'll be spitting mad when you wake up and I'm not there. I promise I wanted to wake you and give you a proper goodbye, but selfishly, I couldn't bear the thought of seeing your heart break when I would eventually have to leave. I wanted you to experience bliss for just a little bit longer, angel-face. I hope you understand. I didn't want you to wake up sad, my love. Just the thought of it is excruciating.

When I come home, the very first thing I'm gonna do is marry you. I can't wait to give you my last name, baby doll. I will love you forever and then some, Josie.

Yours forever and always,

James"

Josephine clutched the letter to her chest and let out a gut-wrenching sob. Bucky knew her so well, and she couldn't be upset with him for not waking her up, even if she wanted to. He was always protecting her, no matter what. She lied back down and sobbed into her pillow, praying that she would see her Bucky again.