1 | SURVIVE • BUCKY BARNES [COMPLETED]

XVI.

Brooklyn. She was home. No matter how short lived her stay in the city, it was where she met the people who made it feel like home. Only now home was missing quite a few people.

Now that she was on solid ground she feel slightly at ease. But the plane ride back was hellish. Not only did the multiple stops and incessant turbulence exhaust and unnerve her, but is was the constant thoughts buzzing in her head that made her shake. She couldn't help but think that she was making the wrong choice despite how everyone said she wasn't. Even Bucky told her she wasn't, but he couldn't ease her conscience, fearing it would be the last time she would see him.

"I don't know if I'm making the right choice, Buck. I'm so undeniably torn between the two," Gideon whispered in the dead of the night. Darkness had cloaked the sky, and only a few hours rested in between them and the time her plane back to the states would depart. The decision was already final, yet she couldn't help but worry.

"Gideon, you are," he assured, running a warm hand comfortingly along her shoulder as they laid in her tent. It was her last night there, and the stubborn soldier wasn't going to let his girl sleep alone on it despite her want for him to sleep for the next day of battle. "If I were you, I would go to. This isn't something you want to miss; I know you."

"I know," she sighed, "A part of me is just afraid that you won't be here when I get back."

"You worry too much," he said, pulling her closer to him, in the small cot they shared, "Of course I'll be here, or home, hopefully."

"Promise," the brunette lifted her head from his chest, wide eyes gazing into his to burn in the memory of the ocean blue shade.

"Promise," he comforted by raising a hand to her face and brushing away the stray locks of brown hair before pressing his lips to hers.

"You better James Buchanan Barnes," the doctor smiled in between the few seconds their lips were apart, but they were both pulling each other back for more. And even as the night continued, the two stayed up into the morning, talking about anything and everything like they had the nights before. It wasn't until the sun came up did they stop.

Awake before most, he walked her to her plane as Colonel Phillips awaited inside. [It was only them and Steve going to the states for a short period of time because they were the only ones Howard would disclose any details to.]

When it was just them, Gideon's feet were just about to grace the steps to the small aircraft, but Bucky spun her around once more and kissed her like it was his last day on earth.

"For good luck."

Standing inside the mock antique shop, Gideon felt every emotion she felt from the night of the Super Soldier Experiment come rushing back to her; adrenaline, excitement, uneasiness. The latter came to her in its strongest form.

"Is this how you felt," she turned to Steve as they stood on the balcony, looking over the platform.

"Yeah," the man, much taller than she was used to, nodded. "I didn't think my heart would stop pounding."

"I feel like I'm going to throw up," the woman, still as ever, spoke even though she felt her entire body thrum with anxiety.

"I'll be here," he pointed to the booth above them, his voice calm in an attempt to ease her, "Good luck, Gideon."

Hugging the man goodbye, Gideon proceeded down the stairs leading to the platform, meeting Howard in the middle.

"It's good to see you again," he greeted.