This Is Stella's Reality

March 6, 2015

Camera lights flashed and blinded my eyes. I blinked away the purple and pink circles that clouded my vision. Bucky's hand landed on my knee. He was smiling with those perfect teeth of his.

"Ready, Mrs. Barnes?" He asked coolly.

My stomach churned. The whole world was about to know we are together. I glanced back out the window of the car. Bucky was driving us, pulling into the valet loop. I saw cameras turn in our direction, ready to capture us exiting the vehicle.

I looked back to his handsome face. "Ready as I'll ever be, Mr. Barnes."

He flashed me a grin and stepped out of his door. My heart was hammering in my ears. Bucky opened my door, and roaring cheers echoed around me. He offered me his hand, and I took it gingerly, resting my palm in his sturdy grasp.

My heels were already sending shooting pain up my spine. Requests for us to look a certain way, stand in a certain spot, smile, look that way, face this way was screamed at us. My head was pounding from all the hundreds of thoughts that were loud in my mind.

Bucky's stable arm wrapped around the small of my back and held me firm against his side as we walked up the carpeted stairs. The thoughts and screaming got louder. His eyes looked over to me. Do you still want to do this? He asked.

Butterflies hammered in my chest. Kiss me, I sent back to him.

He smiled with bright eyes. I love you.

I love you too.

"Hey," a particularly loud photographer screamed at us. We turned in his direction, surprised at the volume his voice carried. "Can we get a kiss?" He asked.

Bucky grinned. I saw his lips pull into a wide smile before he turned to me and cupped my cheeks between his large hands. Our lips fell together in a sweet kiss. My eyes closed, and there was so much light, it felt as if I stood staring at the sunrise.

We pulled apart, smiling at each other. All of my previous anxiety washed away. Everyone knew Bucky was mine. I was his. This was our everyday.

Quickly, Bucky pulled me inside and away from the cameras. His eyes were wild and excited. He turned to me with a huge smile once the doors closed. "I love you so fucking much." There was a mess of electricity surging through his thoughts as he held me close to his side and led me towards the bar.

We grinned at each other, and our phones rang. Nick Fury. Bucky and I glanced at each other and ignored the call. Tomorrow.

Steve appeared. "How did you two manage to have everyone talking about you, and you just got here?" There was a smile on his face. His hand fell to Bucky's shoulder. "So is it official now?" There was caution in his voice.

"Yeah," Bucky sighed. His eyes were still glued to me with nothing but love and happiness in his thoughts. "I decided to stop letting everyone else tell me what to do with my life." His hands found mine and squeezed my fingers.

Steve's hands rubbed our backs. "I'm glad," he said earnestly. There was admiration in his eyes, "Has Fury called?"

I nodded with a shy smile. "We declined the call."

He laughed, "You ignored Nick Fury?" He shook his head and looked around the expansive party. "Well, you're the talk of the town. Lot of places have already posted those pictures online." He turned back to us, "Have fun tonight." Steve turned, leaving us smiling at the bar together.

Bucky grinned at me. "I'm so happy, doll." I knew he was. His thoughts had been screaming ever since we saw the first flashes of camera lights from our car.