Brooklyn - Bucky X OC Love Story

1 - The Stark Expo

"Emilia, is this really how you want to spend your last night of freedom?" Ruth asked as Emilia dragged her towards The Stark Expo.

Emilia giggled, pulling her friend along. Her shoulder length brown hair perfectly styled, wearing a simple pale pink dress with a pair of matching chunky heals. Her bright red lipstick popping on her otherwise pale skin.

"Yes! You promised me we'd do what I want tonight." Emilia said. Ruth rolled her eyes at her friend, catching up to her as they headed towards the commotion.

"I thought you'd want to go dancing, meet a cute boy and fall in love. Not this." Ruth defended.

Emilia rolled her eyes, getting as close to the stage as she could get, keeping Ruth's hand in hers as her eyes glued to the stage. "Ruth, I don't need a man. I'm about to be surrounded by so many of them that I'll be sick of them by the time I'm home. Plus, daddy said no infantry men, and I'm being sent out with an infantry unit." She defended with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Tell me again, where are you going?" Ruth asked, staring at her friend with worry.

"Shipping out for England tomorrow with the 107th." Emilia explained, keeping her eyes glued to the stage as Howard Stark bragged about the future and flying cars. But she was pretty sure he just wanted an excuse to have all eyes on him, and gorgeous women dancing all around him. She wondered if he even had friends, or wanted love. Or if he was content with money, fame and easy women.

"Did you say 107th?" They heard someone say. Emilia spun around, locking eyes with a beautifully handsome man with perfectly styled dark brown hair and steel blue eyes. Two gorgeous women hanging on his arm and a much smaller man standing next to the group.

"Yes. Why?" Emilia asked the man.

"Sounds like we're going to be working together. Sargeant James Bucky Barnes." The man said, extending his hand to Emilia. She took his hand, giving it a firm handshake. "Emilia Hanley." She replied.

"You promised us we'd go dancing." One of the girls whined. Emilia almost chuckled when she thought she saw James sigh in frustration.

"What a beautiful name. I guess I'll see you on the plane tomorrow." James said with a wink as the girls dragged him away from the expo.

Emilia rolled her eyes, turning her focus back on the rest of the expo, letting Ruth drag her around. "He was cute." Ruth mentioned, bumping Emilia's side as they walked together.

"Was he? I hadn't looked." Emilia lied, shrugging her shoulders as they walked.

"Well you'll have plenty of time to look in England." Ruth teased. Emilia rolled her eyes and continued through the expo. Ruth dragged her around the entire night, getting her home when it was already far too late.

"Emilia, you're late my dear." Her dad spoke as soon as she walked in the door. She sighed lightly, pulling her coat off and moving to sit on the couch next to her dad. "I'm sorry, daddy, I just wanted to enjoy my last night in America for a while." She explained. Her dad wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to lean on him.

"Baby girl, you come home to me. And no boys. Well, no infantry." Her dad begged. Emilia laughed lightly, closing her eyes to subside the tears that she was really shipping off to war tomorrow.

"No boys." She promised with a teary laugh. She fell asleep leaned against her dad, not even bothering to remove her makeup or take her heals off.

"Emilia, sweetheart, it's time for you to wake up." Her mother said softly, touching her cheek. Emilia opened her eyes slowly, the sun shining in on her face. She reluctantly climbed off the couch, heading for her bedroom to get ready for the day. She pulled on her uniform. A beautiful deep dark blue navy skirt, a matching button up top and a hat she wasn't wearing yet. She pinned her hair back and washed her face, putting on minimal makeup before heading back downstairs.

"Sweetheart, don't you die on us. You save some lives and come home." Her mother begged. Emilia nodded with a teary smile, pulling her mother into a hug. Her dad joined in a moment later, hugging both the women in his life tightly. A horn outside taking their attention away.

"That's my call, I'll write you every chance I get. I love you both." Emilia promised.

"I love you, sweetheart." Her mother said.

"I love you, baby girl." Her dad chimed in.

Emilia headed out the door and into the taxi waiting for her, saying goodbye to her old life as she slung her bags into the back of the taxi. She thought about her life the entire taxi ride to the airport, she hadn't even had a chance to live yet, she was hoping she still had a chance when she got home.

Emilia was still in high school when the war started, but it didn't involve the US yet. But her daddy warned her that it was coming, her daddy warned her to expect it. He knew the signs all too well, having fought in the first World War before Emilia was even thought of, back when him and Emilia's mother were simply two young adults in love.