Finding Love in France (Alternate Version)

Part 57: Memory Lane

Mila tried not to let him see her shaking, tried to be strong, really really tried...but as soon as she walked into his room and saw how fragile he looked, the tears flowed.

"Hey, Dr. Abrams, please don't cry." Bucky sighed, defeated that he still couldn't remember her. "Please don't be mad, I'm so sorry about all this..." he couldn't look her in the eye, ashamed.

"James, may I call you James? Or should I call you Sergeant Barnes?" She tried to pull herself together. "May I sit?" She motioned towards the end of the bed. When she spoke, she looked directly at him and watched his expression soften at the sound of her voice.

"Please do...and please, call me whatever you usually do, Steve told me you refuse to call me Bucky. Care to explain?" Those eyes, he remembered those green eyes. He tried to get her to smile. "I mean, it's what everyone else calls me, unless I'm in trouble..."

Mila snickered. "Who said you are not in trouble, James?" She smiled softly at him. "Do you really think you can charm your way out of this?"

"All I can do is try, right?" Bucky smiled sheepishly. There was something so familiar about her, how she talked to him. "So...what happens now? Steve said that me and you...well, you know..."

"James Barnes, what are you implying?!?" She teased, enjoying watching him squirm a bit. "You are gorgeous when you are nervous, my love." She laughed.

That nickname! Listening to her, hearing her tease him, her laugh, he started to get little snippets. "Wait! Do you and I talk like this all the time? Like, do we have sort of a banter?"

"We certainly do, especially when we are trying to get Steve flustered...do you remember something?" Mila tried not to get too hopeful just yet. "Would you like me to tell you about the day we met?"

"That would be great, actually. It's really strange, I can remember the day, because it's the day Steve came back with Stark, but for some reason, I can't remember you being there...it's so odd..." he was frustrated. "...no offense, Doc, but I think I would remember your face."

Mila laughed. "None taken, James. Wait! Do you remember why you call me Doc?"

"Because you're a doctor?" Bucky looked confused for a second, then it hit him. "And because you didn't like me calling you doll!"

"Yes!!!" Mila clapped her hands excitedly. "Can you remember what I said?"

"Shit! Oh, sorry...I didn't mean to swear in front of a lady..." Bucky blushed. "...wait a minute, you swear more than I do, don't you?" he laughed.

"In multiple languages, too." Mila laughed and started to relax. "Let's try and finish that memory about what you call me."

"Okay...hang on, hang on...hmm." Bucky was trying to piece it together. "You didn't like me calling you doll because you're not my damn doll? That sounds right, is it? Shit, then I think I called you..."

"Come on, James, you're almost there!" Mila encouraged him. "You got the first part right, come on!" She couldn't help herself, she reached out and grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Mils! I call you Mils!" Bucky practically shouted and squeezed her hand back. "Oh my god! Mila, you're the goddamn love of my life! How the hell did I forget you?" He started to shake, overwhelmed by the memories flooding back.

Mila shot up to put her arms around him. "Oh thank god." She cried as she kissed his head. "Don't you ever do that to me again!"