Captain America Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier Steve Rogers Fan Fic - The Constant

Chapter Ninety-Four: What is it you want?

What is it you want?

Sometimes fate lends a helping hand. Things that happen all over the world come together at the right time and place.

People often remark on it being a small world, but is that the reason for coincidence or is there a greater plan?

A young dark haired French woman walks down the sidewalk on her way to the court. Her pace is fast and so is her speech as she talks to her mother on the telephone. She looks over the top of her glasses as she comes closer to her destination, wishes her mother goodbye, and puts her phone away. She climbs the steps into the coolness of the building.

Her name is Marion, and she was named after her grandmother. Marion is here in New York for two reasons. Firstly, she is visiting and staying with family friends. Secondly, she is attending the trial of the Winter Soldier - of Bucky Barnes – her grandmother's American soldier.

When Marion was young she spent a lot of time with her namesake who was a teller of stories. She could take a memory, a reminiscent and weave it around you so that it became a precious thing. Marion is a dreamer, very much like the woman she was named after. She loved to listen to her grandmother's reminiscences but she had a favourite one - because she knew it was her grandmother's favourite; her grandmother's eyes would always be brighter when she was telling this particular story. All the stories were true, but became more embellished with each retelling; like a cake with a sprinkle of icing sugar.

Her grandmother could also draw. She would do sketches of things and people that she talked about in her memories. When she sadly passed away, Marion had inherited her grandmother's sketch books; she had already inherited her love of drawing.

The story of the handsome American was a short one. It had happened during the Second World War when her grandmother was just fifteen. She had been playing ball with her dog, and the ball had fallen into the pond on the family farm. The elderly dog had stupidly run in after it.

"I couldn't swim, I couldn't get in and there she was bravely trying to tread water but she couldn't get out. No one was home but then I heard a vehicle up on the road so I ran and flagged it down. I was besides myself, I didn't know what to do. The vehicle stopped. It was one of those American Jeeps and was full of young men, soldiers...all in uniform." And at this her grandmother's eyes would twinkle, "but of course at that point I couldn't fully appreciate that!" she would laugh, but then grow serious. "One of the men in the front jumped out, he was an American, very dashing, tall. He could see how upset I was. I could see he couldn't follow what I was saying but he did understand enough to see it was an emergency and the men followed me back to the house. Well, when they saw it was just an old dog some of them laughed, shook their heads and returned to their vehicle.

But the American, he didn't, he gently touched my arm as if he was going to ask me to dance. He asked me my name. He had the most beautiful eyes you have ever seen, blue like the colour of cornflowers. He told me it would be all right. He is asked me if I had any rope. One of the other men, an Englishman, had also stayed but before I could answer, my poor dog who was suffering could not keep herself afloat any more and she went under. I thought I had lost her.

Without any other words he jumped in. Oh, the pond was so deep and such a mess, scum and weeds, no one had ever drained it. He took hold of my dog and held her to his chest and then swam back. I was so happy, so pleased. I took her in my arms and hugged her as hard as I could. Later Mama scolded me for the state my dress was in but I didn't care.

The poor American was soaked, all the scum had marked his uniform. I had to stand on tiptoe but I kissed his cheek and asked his name. "Bucky Barnes," he said and he had smiled, it was like the sun coming out on a winters day. Such a beautiful smile and I was smitten. Did I ever tell you he was my first crush? Such a beautiful man but not just in appearance, in temperament as well. The way he looked at you made you feel special, made you feel safe." Her eyes always sparkled at the memory as if she was young again.