And they called it Bucky Love

Part 15 - Tongue tied and loving it!

My head was spinning like a ferris wheel on speed. I was SO not expecting that answer.

I tried to focus and not look as though Bucky had just proposed marriage, but inside, I was a quivering wreck.

"Well, er - yeah, er, that's really kind of you....." Come on Maggie, think on your feet "But...."

But? But?????? What are you waiting for?

"But....... I really don't know you that well"

Wwwwhaaaaaattttttt? Maggie you idiot! What are you playing at?

My brain was having serious words with itself, but I decided to stick with it and hoped I hadn't made the wrong decision.

Luckily for me, it wasn't.

Bucky shrugged his shoulders and gave a little smile - God, he looked so sexy when he did that....... "Hey no, that's fine, don't worry...I guess I just got a little carried away". (hey, that's MY line!)

He looked slightly bashful, which of course, only made him seem even more vulnerable and adorable and I suddenly decided in my head that there was no way he had ever been an evil assassin and that the whole world was totally wrong........

Yeah, I know, I'm being a dork. I quickly re-tuned my head to the situation at hand.

"We could always go out to eat though" I said quickly, not wanting to put him off completely.

"Sure....that would be......good" He smiled again and once more, my heart did a little flip and I thought I was going to melt. "I can meet you here again.....tomorrow evening? 7?"

"Perfect" I said. "Okay, well, I should be heading back to my hotel" I decided to leave whilst I was still in a fit enough state to get my words out without dribbling.

Suddenly Bucky said "Where are you staying?"

I inwardly flinched for a second and tried not to look completely floored by that one simple question. Bollocks - didn't think of that one did we Tony!...........I cursed him and then forgave him all in one second, because, to be fair to him (and I'm not very often), I don't think he, or any of the rest of us for that matter, thought that I'd be making contact with Bucky so soon. I'd presumed that these minor details would have been on the Tony Stark List of Very Important Things to Tell Maggie, and we'd have had plenty of time to iron them out. Silly me.

"Er...." I said, thinking quickly ..........."Its a small guesthouse....." yeah, that's good, he's less likely to know it.. "in Briciou".

I held my breath.

Bucky gave me a look and raised one eyebrow - great, now HE'S doing it too!

"Briciou?" he said, in a slightly weirded out and thinking I must be mad kind of a tone.

"Well..........."

He paused.

"There's nothing like seeing Romania at its worst!".

He laughed and I started breathing again. Phew.

"Hey, it's not that bad! Anyway, I'm on a budget".

"Okay, well, providing you survive the night in Romania's answer to Hells' Kitchen, I'll see you tomorrow". He smiled and then added softly "Take care Jen Bradley".

I nearly fainted there and then in the middle of the market. All those people around us, and yet, just hearing him say my name (albeit my false one) made me feel like we were totally alone on the planet and he was about to undress me and whisk me off to paradise. Another amazing smile followed from those lips, and with that, Bucky Barnes turned and walked away from me, and I was left to deal with my quivering heart by myself.

I watched until he went out of sight, and then, barely containing my elation, made my way over to the bus stop. I didn't even realize that I'd pretty much been holding my breath again whilst watching Bucky leave, until my heart was almost pounding out of my chest, and I let out a huge sigh of pure swoonfulness ...........(is that even a word?).

On the bus, I contemplated the days events. I'd finally come face to face with the Winter Soldier, Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, the man of my dreams, the person who had occupied pretty much my every waking thought and who'd become the sole focus of my life, ever since watching that grainy footage of him so many months ago. I was fascinated. I couldn't stop thinking about him. Even though I'd seen him for what - a matter of hours? - I had memorized every part of his face, from the sweep of his dark hair, his steely blue eyes and the curve of his jaw, to the tenderness of his smile that had beamed into my heart and made me go weak. I knew I'd seen a side of this man that probably hadn't been brought out in a very long while, and it made me tingle.

I gulped - I'd never had the sense of responsibility before that I was feeling over Bucky. I didn't have siblings and both my parents had died when I was only 12, so I'd ended up in foster care. My foster parents had been great, they'd taken me in and put me through college after all, but I'd still always felt there was something missing and though I would always be grateful, I didn't feel close to them and couldn't even remember the last time I saw them. Maybe that's why I'd always been a bit of a loner.....getting by because I had no choice. And maybe that was also why I doted on Tony as much as I did (though I'd never tell him that of course!) - he'd always felt like more of the father figure that I'd always wanted.

Suddenly, sitting there on that overcrowded bus in the middle of Romania, I had my light bulb moment. I felt my stomach twist and the butterflies start to fly around inside. As the realization hit me full wack, I knew from that moment on that I would do anything in my power to protect Bucky and bring him home.     He was that person. He was my missing link. He was my reason for everything. I loved him.

I was brought sharply back to reality by the bus pulling up where I had to get off and as I did so, I had a sudden wave of embarrassment flood over me. I'd kind of forgotten that Tony, Steve and Natasha has been able to see and hear everything that we'd said and done. Oh gawd, I hoped desperately that I hadn't said anything too lame or made a total idiot of myself like usual. I guessed I'd find out.