Love and War

The last night

Two days later
Bucky's P.O.V
I walked downstairs to see Steve in the kitchen already.
"Hey Buck." He greeted. I smiled.
"Hello Steve, is Katie here?" I asked.
"No."
I nodded. "Good, how about we go for a walk?"
Steve looked a little taken aback. "Uh sure do you want to wait for Katie?"
"Nope, it's just me and you punk." I said.
"Uh okay."
Me and Steve walked around Brooklyn.
  "So what is this about?" Steve asked. I looked over at him. I'm gonna tell him.
  "Well see I need your blessing." I said.
  Steve looked as if I smacked him in the face. "For what?" 
  "I want to marry Katie." I said a little rushed.
  Steve stopped dead in his tracks. I stopped with him. "Steve?" I asked nervously.
  "You- you wanna marry her?"
  I nodded. "I have a ring and everything."
  "For how long have you had a ring?"
  "Since the end of high school."
  "You've known that long?"
  "Yes. Steve I love her. Love is actually an understatement. She's the only girl out there who can make me nervous. She's beautiful. God forsaken beauty she has. And she's so tough and strong and fiery and loving and funny. I don't just want her Steve I need her." I said with sincerity.
  "Are you sure you want to ask her now?" Steve asked.
  "I'm doing it Friday honestly whether you approve or not. It's better to have your approval though. And now might be the only time. I'm mean what if I get killed in action? Or worse Katie does now might be the only time to ask."
  "Well I approve. But I wouldn't be surprised if she declines."
  I nearly had a heart attack at Steve's words. They broke my heart. "Wait what?" I asked petrified.
  Steve noticed my sudden panic. "Buck she loves you don't get me wrong. More than anything. But she also had so many dreams and things. Kate just might not be ready for that yet." He rushed to explain.
I nodded. I was going to do it. I would propose to Katie.
*************************************
Friday last night before Katie and Bucky leave for combat.
  Katie's P.O.V.
  I was walking with Bucky down a street in Brooklyn. We walked arm in arm together. And that's when I turned my head to left.
  I sighed. Once again Steve was getting beat up. He is so dumb sometimes.
  I tugged Bucky's sleeve. He looked down into my eyes. "Yes doll?" He asked in his usual carefree tone.
  "Steve's getting beat up again."
  Bucky chuckled. "That kid man."
   We turned into the alleyway. Bucky shoved the man away from Steve.
  "Hey pick on someone your own size." Bucky told him. The guy swung at Bucky. Bucky easily dodged.
  I tapped the guy on the shoulder. He turned confused. I punched him in the face. He tried to run and I kicked his backside. The guy got up quickly and ran. Bucky and Steve stared at me in awe for a moment. I glared back.
  Bucky helped Steve up. "Sometimes I think you like getting punched."
  "I had him on the ropes." Steve said brushing himself off.
  Bucky chuckled. "Sure you did."
    "What was it this time?" I asked.
    "I went to see a movie and the war adds were on. That guy was disgracing the country. So I told him to shut up and he beat me up." Steve explained.
   "Hey what's this?" Bucky asked plucking a paper from Steve. He immediately knew what it was. And so did I. It was another enlistment form for the army.
  "How many times is this?" Bucky asked. Steve looked at the dirt.
  " Oh so you're from Veramis now? You know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form," Bucky scolded, "and Jersey really?"
"You get your orders?" Steve asked.
Bucky smiled. "107th Sergeant James Barnes and Private Katarina Rogers shipping of to England first thing tomorrow."
  "I should be going." Steve muttered.
I put an arm around both of them. "Oh come on its our last night together as the three musketeers of Brooklyn for a while."
  "You'll get 'me next time Steve." I assured.
  "So that's where he gets it. You're a bad influence on him." Bucky joked.
  "The worst yes" I said in mock agreement, "I hear you've got big plans for tonight Buck?"
  "You bet you two better get cleaned up." He said. Steve looked confused.
  "Where are we going?" Steve asked.
   Bucky held out his newspaper to me and Steve. Howard Stark's world of tomorrow event was in the front page.
  "The future."