Winter Tricks: Lost In Time | Book 1 of Winter Tricks |

Session Seven:The Promise

____Session 7______

"Good morning,Sunshine!"Steve waltz into my room.

"What's got you so...excited,Rogers?"I ask,finishing my makeup on.

"Do you know what today is?"He asks.

"Yes..."I answers,seeing what he is getting at.

"You are 28 now,Grace."Steve says,"I'm with you all day.Thats my my birthday present to you."

"It's better than what I planned when I was in the 40s."

"What was that?"

"Visiting yours and Bucky's 'graves'."

"Well,you've got me instead."He says,smiling.

"You are way to happy."I tell him,"I'm glad you are coming to the meeting today.I want you to hear this story."

+++++

"Happy Birthday,Grace!"The group says in unison.

"Since it's your birthday,you can either tell what ever story you want or not share."Sarah announces.

"I actually got a really important story."I tell them,"It's something I got to get out of my system."

"Go for it!"Hannah says,Steve nods in agreement.

"I was 26."I start,"Bucky just took me out dancing and..."
~

"That was amazing!"I exclaim as Bucky and I got home.",but something is going on with you."

"What do you mean?"He asks.

"Bucky,you've been acting weird all day."I inform him,"Something is going on and I need you tell me."

"I have two things I want to say."He says."But the first one is going making you angry."

"Oh God."I say,putting down my purse and taking off my shoes."What did you do?"

"I enlisted."

"You what?!?"I question him.

"Enlisted."I turn away from him and run my fingers through my hair,just the thought of the possibility of losing him made my eyes well up with tears.

"James...,"I say,not being able to make eye contact.

"Gracie,please look at me."Bucky begs,pulling on my arm."I have question for you.A promise I need to make."

"What?"I cry,turning towards the love of my life."You can't promise you will come back.You can't promise you'll make out alive."

"Oh Gracie,my sweet Gracie."He wipes my tears,"I can promise that when I get back I'll marry you."

"What...?"

"Grace Williams,I wanna marry you."He tells me."Will you marry me?Will you be Grace Barnes?"

I close my eyes as more tears come,and I smile,nodding."Yes."I fling my arms around him.

"But hey,we can't tell anyone yet."Bucky says,"Not until we know we are all gonna make it out alive.That includes Steve,if all three of us make it,we'll get married the week I get back.I promise."

I nod,and stand on my tippy-toes to kiss my fiancé.Grace Barnes.Its got nice ring to it.

~

Steve was staring at the ground and everyone was quiet.

"You were engaged."Derek says,trying to comprehend."That make the story a lot sadder."

"That was the promise..."Steve says,tears in his eyes,"He said to tell you he was sorry he didn't keep his promise."

"Steve..."

"He was gonna marry you."He says,"Did you have any of it planned?"

"Yeah,Peggy found out and I told her some of the things I had in my mind.She was gonna be my maid of honor.You were gonna the best man."I slightly smile,"We wanted to have it at my mom's new house,by the beach."

"But then...he died."Kendra says.

"Yeah."I reply,"but in my heart he is alive and I'm Grace Barnes,because that's what he would want."