Faces of Bucky Barnes - More One Shots

8. It's Been a Long, Long Time

Content warning: sudden death of a character. This one-shot is inspired by a cheesy 80's movie, called Made in Heaven.

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It was Christmas, 1944 and the Howling Commandos were in London, England on a well-deserved break. He was at a dance, drinking and watching the couples dancing. The few single women there were in high demand, and he just didn't feel up to cutting in on the lucky guys who had a dancing partner. Then she walked in, wearing a blue dress and a smile. Her presence was like feeling a warm spring breeze caress your face.

"May I have this dance?"

That's all he had to say for her to turn that smile towards him, place her hand in his and let him lead her around the dance floor. When another soldier came to cut in she looked at the guy with surprise.

"I'm dancing with my fiancé," came the words straight from her mouth in this lovely British accent. When the man murmured his apologies and left, she looked up at Bucky. "You don't mind being my fiancé tonight, do you?"

"Not one bit," he said, totally taken by her vivaciousness.

They danced until the band called it quits then headed out into the night to catch a bus to her flat. Just a few months previous the blackout conditions had been relaxed allowing for the use of lighting levels at the equivalent of a moonlit night. It was still dark, however, and pedestrians were warned to be on their guard while crossing the roads. As they walked, the last bus suddenly drove past them, and they realized they would have to walk the full distance. Bucky kept an eye and ear out while he and Miss Sabrina Cooper strolled, holding hands as they shared their lives. When they arrived at the door of her building she looked up at the handsome American soldier.

"I share a bedroom with my sister so I can't ask you in," she said apologetically. "Would you meet me here tomorrow morning? She's going to Bath with her fellow for the weekend. We can spend the day together and you can stay the night."

"Only if you're sure," replied Bucky. "I wouldn't want you to get a bad reputation."

She laughed and he felt the effect of it down to his core. He was hers and would be there in the morning with bells on, as the saying went. When they kissed goodnight, it was like tasting the best dessert that Bucky's ma ever made, it was so sweet and tasty that he couldn't get enough of it. As Sabrina watched from the step Bucky crossed the road to find his way back to his billet. He had only gone a few yards when he heard her call his name then run into the street towards him for one last kiss. To his horror a lorry appeared out of nowhere and struck her down right in front of him. Just like that, she was gone, dying in his arms. Then a man's voice from the dark told him he had so many days to stop it from happening again.

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Lately Bucky had been experiencing the same dream. For the past ten nights he had relived this memory from his past, and it was driving him crazy as it seemed to be a countdown. The first night the voice told him he had 30 days. Now on this most recent experience it was down to 20 days, and he still didn't know why this was happening or what he was supposed to do. Seeing it was well after 2 am, he got up and came out to the kitchen in Stark Tower then pulled open the fridge, looking for something to eat.

"Again?" said Sam's voice as he entered the space. "How many nights is that?"

"Ten," stated Bucky. "What are you doing up?"

"Had a date," explained the other man. "Told me she wanted to stay friends."

"Ouch," said the super soldier, pulling out some leftover Chinese food. "Want some?"