From Old to New

Chapter 1

"You're not a monster, Bucky," Genny caresses his left arm and places her hand on his shoulder. "That wasn't you. I love you just the way you are."

"You shouldn't. I've hurt people and I don't want to hurt you, G," he tries to pull away and hopes to get her to leave.

She glances at floor in forlorn fascination as she sighs deeply, "You won't. That's not who you are, James. You never were. It's only because of the Winter Soldier...I don't care about your past. I love you more than I can say. Love is far more important...Do you love me?"

Tears are streaming from her cheeks and she sniffles-- praying that he will listen and put his heart into her hands. She reaches for him again similar to the night that they danced while drinking white wine in her apartment above the bookstore, she does not shy away. Bucky's metal arm is cold to the touch, but she moves down it to interlace her warm fingers with his icy, metallic digits.

Finally, he lets his guard down, turns to Genny and replies, "I love you deeply but... That's why we can't be together. I love you too much to allow you to get destroyed by me."

Genny shakes her head and remains firm her belief as she says, "Yes we can and we should. You deserve to be happy and to escape what has plagued you. Let me help. "

"What will I do with myself if I fall out my head again? What if I kill you, G? I have done that to people and who knows if I'll do it again? I'm not worth it."

"You're worth it! I have never felt this way before. I only thought you could feel this way books! The way my heart beats and blood pulsates when I'm with you. Put your hand right here," she gestures to where her heart is located and even guides Bucky's right hand. He is stunned. He is speechless. Genny breaks the silence through her crying, "That's all for you. I never felt this for Hannah or anybody else. Man. Woman. Whoever they were. Let me love you. Let me remind you that you're not a monster. Let me be your blue light at the end of the dock. But at least this time, it is within arm's reach and you can grasp it unlike Gatsby."

"Really? You want to be with me. Despite all that I've done and what I could do," for some reason it hasn't registered to Bucky or he wishes for Genny to be certain of what she desires. "I thought it was a green light."

She inches her lips closer to his and asks, "Not important. Haven't you been listening? Yes. I love you, James Buchanan Barnes. I'm madly in love with the sweetest man I never thought I would meet. Please."

"Alright, my blue light," he goes in for the kiss and once it concludes, he continues, "I have something I wanted to give you at the carnival."

He goes to his feet and to the bathroom where he removes the simple gold band encrusted with diamonds that had belonged to his mother which sat lonely on top of his sink on the opposite side of the dish with a bar of soap laying in it. Bucky takes his place next to Genny again, holding it gingerly in his fingers between him and Genny.

"Are you proposing?" Genny chuckles as she dried her tears. "You don't need to go that far. Plus my answer at this stage would be no. I'm sorry."

" That's alright. In my day, this signified marriage. This was my mother's wedding ring, but I want to give it to you as a promise ring. However, since I know that you probably don't see marriage in our future quite yet and may think that that used to be a sexist tradition that was utilized to show a fella being territorial about his girl, but forget that and let this ring by a symbol of my commitment. This is my promise to never try to hurt you. Will you accept it now?"

"Yeah," Genny sniffles and nods. She lets Bucky slide the ring gently on her ring finger. "It's beautiful, Bucky."

They embrace and Genny lets her face fall into his pectoral muscles and he brushes his lips against her forehead. 

Neither of them were aware that they could ever feel this happy-- especially in the realm of love. Bucky felt unworthy. Genny felt uncertain. Until that faithful day, with the chime of a bell and a phone number written in permanent marker, Bucky found that someone else-- other than his best friend-- saw him as worthy for all the joy in the world, while Genny discovered certainty in a romantic relationship.