DECEMBER 1941

Connie was in a particularly somber mood, which was almost a rare occasion for the girl. It worried Bucky greatly, but he knew why she was upset, and he understood. Bucky was leaving for England the following morning and hadn't bothered to mention it to her at all; it was the sole reason he wished to have a night out with her and Steve, but Connie could hardly bring herself to enjoy it as she was met with the realization it could be the very last night she would ever spend with the man she had fallen in love with.

This was the occasion she had asked him about the previous day, only for him to lie to her about it. The moment he stepped out of their bathroom in his uniform she felt as if her life was being altered in the worst possible way, and in a sense it was. She was proud of Bucky for being brave enough and strong enough to risk his life for his country, but she was also terrified of the fact itself. She didn't want to lose him, especially not to war.

"C'mon, Connie Mae," Bucky spoke to Connie as they entered the expo. "Please don't be angry with me."

Connie let out a sigh and glanced up at her lover, her brown eyes sad rather than angry as Bucky had suspected them to be. It had been so long since he had seen her anything less than happy, which was part of the reason he refrained from telling her he was leaving in the first place. There was nothing Bucky loved more than seeing his best girl happy, and knowing that she was now upset because of him made him feel horrible.

"I'm not angry with you, Buck," Connie breathed out. "I'm just a tad bit upset, okay? You're leavin' tomorrow mornin' and you didn't tell me until tonight."

Bucky sighed and wrapped an arm around Connie's shoulder. "And I feel bad, which is why I'm gonna make tonight a night you won't forget, okay? I'll get you whatever ya want, and then later the three of us can go dancin' the way you like to do. Does that sound good to you?"

"What sounds good to me is wakin' up tomorrow and havin' you home, but since I'm not gettin' that, I guess I have no choice but to be okay with this," Connie replied as she leaned up to press a soft kiss to his lips. "But you are buyin' me popcorn."

"Already taken care of, Con," Steve's voice sounded behind her.

Connie spun around to face him, a thankful smile pulling onto her face as she met his eyes. "Thank you, Steve," she said sweetly as she removed the bag from his outstretched hand.

"Who do you think you are buyin' for my girl, Rogers?" Bucky teased as he pulled Connie back to his side.

"Her brother, Barnes," Steve retorted with a light chuckle.

Connie shook her head and smiled at the two boys' banter as she nibbled on her popcorn. She loved the two of them more than she cared to admit sometimes.

"C'mon, you two," Bucky said to the two of them as Howard Stark made his way onto the stage. "We've got a show to watch."

And so they watched it.

Connie and Bucky did, however.

Some time during the show, Steve had taken off for yet another enlistment office. He wanted to try again, not only for the sake of his country this time, but for the sake of his two best friends. He wanted to be able to fight for them the way he wanted to be able to fight for his country. He didn't want Bucky to be the only man in both of their lives who took care of things—he didn't want Bucky to be the only man in both of their lives who was physically able to take care of things.

Connie and Bucky managed to find him, though. He stood in front of an ENLIST NOW bulletin, and both knew then what was going through his head.

"C'mon, Steve," Bucky said as he and Connie approached the small man, delivering a gentle nudge to his shoulder. "We're supposed to go dancing."

Steve sighed and shoved his hands into his pant's pockets. "You guys go ahead; I'll catch up."

Bucky frowned at his friend. "You really gonna do this again?"

"Buck," Connie warned, as his tone was slightly unwelcoming to her. Her warning went ignored, though.

"It's a fair, I'm gonna try my luck," Steve spoke softly.

"As who? Steve from Ohio?" Bucky replied, his tone agitated. "They'll catch you, or worse, they'll actually take you."

Steve looked up at Bucky, while Connie was left to observe from Bucky's side.

"I know you don't think I can do this—"

"This isn't a back alley, Steve," Bucky cut him off, earning a frown from Connie. "This is war."

"I know it's a war."

Bucky scoffed, "Why are you so keen to fight? There are so many important jobs."

"What do you want me to do? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon?" Steve remarked.

"Yes!"

"I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky, c'mon. There are men laying down their lives; I got no right to do any less than them," Steve defended himself. "That's what you don't understand; this isn't about me."

"Right, because you've got nothin' to prove." Bucky let out a sigh and looked down at Connie before finding Steve's eyes again. "I expect you to take good care of her while I'm gone, okay? Don't do anything stupid until I get back."

"How can I? You're takin' all the stupid with you."

Bucky shook his head at his friend and moved towards him. "You're a punk," he remarked as he pulled him into a tight hug.

"Jerk."

Bucky pulled away and stopped by Connie's side, grabbing her hand in his own as he met Steve's eyes again. "You know where we'll be."

Steve nodded, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face. "I'll catch up later. You two have fun."

Bucky nodded and pulled Connie away, his grip on her hand tightening as he thought about leaving the next day. He definitely didn't want to leave her, nor did he want to leave Steve, but he didn't have a choice in the matter. He had been called to fight for his country, and that's what he was going to do. He just hoped the fighting was over soon so he could come back home to his favorite girl and his best pal.

"What ya thinkin' about, Buck?" Connie asked, removing Bucky from his thoughts.

He stopped walking and looked down at her, a slight frown on his face. "Leaving you. . .leaving Steve."

Connie sighed and squeezed both of his hands. "It's okay, Buck. Don't think about that right now, alright? Don't let it ruin the fun night you planned for us."

"I just—I'm gonna miss you so much," Bucky told her, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek. "I don't know how to be without you, doll, honest to god. The thought of you being here, being here without me, scares me to death."

"I feel the same," Connie admitted. "But things have changed. And don't worry, Steve will be here takin' care of me."

Bucky chuckled lightly. "I wish that made me feel better."

Connie laughed and shook her head at him, reaching up to wrap her arms around his shoulders. "You've gotta stop being so hard on Steve, Buck."

"I'm doing it for his own good and he knows that," Bucky assured her with a quiet chuckle.

Bucky's facial expression then grew serious as he gazed down at Connie, his grip on her waist tightening slightly. His crystal blue eyes met her golden brown ones—the ones he had fallen in love with so many years ago.

There were no words Bucky could use to describe how much he loved Connie Jones, nor were there any to describe the pain he felt knowing he had to leave her in only a few short hours. He'd never been without her, give or take a few years of his childhood, and the mere thought of being away from her for such a long period of time almost devastated him. Not only was Bucky entering this war to fight for his country, but he was now fighting to get back to Connie, and he would fight until he couldn't anymore, so long as it meant he would come home to find her there waiting for him, ready to finally start their lives together.

"Connie, I need you to make me a promise, okay?" Bucky spoke after a few short seconds of silence.

Connie furrowed her eyebrows in question. "Of course, Bucky."

Bucky pulled her closer to him. "I need you to promise me that you won't ever give up on me, okay? I need you to promise me that you'll always be my girl. I don't know what I would do if I came home and you weren't there waitin' for me."

"I would never in a million years give up on you, James Barnes," Connie reassured him as she rested her hand on the side of his face. "I'll always be here, and I will definitely be here waitin' for you when you come home."

The sincerity in her tone seemed to be a relief to Bucky, and he smiled, pressing his forehead to her's. "You don't understand how badly I needed to hear that from you, doll."

"You know I love you, Buck," Connie spoke, her tone hushed. "I'll always love you, no matter what happens."

"I'm gonna hold you to that, Constance Mae."

Connie giggled and pressed her lips to Bucky's in a longing kiss. "I would expect nothing less, Sergeant."