The Homecoming Bride

Chapter Seven: I've Got You Under My Skin

CHAPTER SONG: "I've Got You Under My Skin" by J2

After Will and Emmy watched Joe Blake's rig depart with Molly and the children to hide them, they went back into the house, a sense of tension and exhaustion racking through both of their bodies.

The anxious corporal locked the front door with Emmy closing the curtains of the parlor windows to make sure nobody could peep inside. Bucky followed her every step with the occasional whine of worry, feeling the vibe of uneasiness within the room.

Will leaned forward against the closed door, the palms of his hands flat against the wooden structure barricading them from the exposure of the dangers outside. Nausea twisted his stomach as a wave of dizziness threatened to take him down to his knees and he suppressed a groan of sudden fatigue.

Emmy immediately perceived her fiancé's demeanor of trying to keep himself together, seeing the slight wobble of his long legs and the shivering of his upper body. Without either of them saying a word in that moment, she made her way to stand behind him as he leaned still against the door, pressing herself against his back and enfolding her arms around his abdomen, squeezing him in a protective embrace and assuring him that he wasn't alone, placing a kiss to his shoulder blade.

Her cheek pressed against the vertebrae of his muscular back, the curls of her hair tickling the nape of his neck. His panting breaths began to slowly calm down and his hands came up to hold hers, their fingers interlocking in an unbreakable grip. Will gathered the fortitude to straighten his posture, inhaling deep breaths as his fingertips felt the engagement ring on Emmy's hand, just the mere touch of his mother's heirloom he had gifted to the woman holding him provided the strength he needed to keep from accepting defeat in this predicament they now found themselves in.

"Come here." Emmy whispered softly, her hands gently pulling out of his grip and grasping onto his shoulders to slowly turn him around to face her. She stood on the tips of her toes, wrapping her arms fully around her soldier as he too encircled his arms about her petite body, her lips kissing the reddened scarring of acne on his cheek that signified the stress he was under. "It'll be alright, baby. We'll get through this together, I promise. I love those girls and I love Molly... and I love you, my Will. For better or for worse, right?"

They pulled away slightly out of their embrace, Will looking down at his American beloved, the green orbs of her eyes alight with life and fire as the back of his fingers raised up to stroke her pink blossom cheek, reveling in the warmth of her touch. Not a day went by since the moment she had awakened from her coma where she hadn't become more beautiful and his heart would threaten to stop beating every time he laid eyes on her.

As the man who intended to marry her, he had found it difficult to envision how she would look on their wedding day, knowing his fantasies wouldn't compare to seeing her in a glorious bridal gown further emphasizing her beauty.

"Yes, my angel. For better or worse... as long as we both shall live." Will murmured with a deep huskiness to his voice, leaning down to kiss her, the palm of his large hand cradling her cheek with the softness of a flower petal as Emmy smiled lovingly at him, closing her eyes in bliss.

Before their lips could touch, the sudden sound of Bucky growling alerted them to pay attention to what was happening. The chocolate furred retriever jumped up toward one of the parlor windows facing outward of the house to the front yard and stood on his hind legs, his paws clinging onto the windowsill as he whined and barked.

The dog turned around, placing his paws back onto the floor and looked up at Emmy and Will, his black eyes wide and void of any playfulness, small whines emanating from his throat.