Y/n's POV

For a fleeting moment, the grimness that floated around the group had eased when the door of the ship lowered to reveal what could only be described as a utopian paradise from some novel. Maybe something like Brave New World but without the weird parts. The pungent smell of blood and gunpowder was gracefully replaced with the lush, earthiness of the forest that surrounded the city. The subtle noise of the rivers and chatter of people roaming the brightly lit streets could be vastly heard, yet it provided a solemness I couldn't describe in words.

This was nothing like Brooklyn, or London. Nothing in Europe or North America could compare to this wonderland of technology that even HYDRA couldn't create.

It was surreal.

I kept my arm looped around Bucky's, allowing him to lean into me for support as we descended the ramp leading out of the ship. He seemed to have the same thoughts as me as he gazed up wordlessly at the tallest skyscrapers we had ever seen, a skytrain wizzing above our heads barely making a sound.

"Am I dreaming. I must be dreaming." Bucky muttered beside me.

"Feels like I've been dreaming the last 70 years." I breathe out a chuckle and he laughs. "But it doesn't feel like a nightmare this time." Even the Earth beneath my boots felt softer. Comforting.

Where was I?

My eyes lifted when a woman dressed in luminous red and gold fighting attire stood expectantly at the end of the ramp, her right hand equipped with a wicked spear. She crossed her arms into the shape of an X when T'Challa approached her with us standing a few feet behind. He reciprocated the action.

"Your Highness, welcome home." She greeted, a hint of sadness laced in her stoic tone. My gaze trailed behind her to a few dozen other women dressed identically, all holding the same spears gripped firmly in their hands. Was I imagining it?

It was an army... of just women?

Steve and Bucky seemed to share my curiosity, as King T'Challa glanced over his shoulder with a knowing smile. This was Wakanda, unlike anywhere else on this planet. "These are the Dora Milaje." He said. "Wakanda's protective warriors." We all nodded awkwardly in an attempt of respect, unaware of their customs.

Peggy. My first thought. I could only imagine her reaction to the sight in front of me. The two of us fighting simply to be respected by the men of the army, to have a place fighting in the division. I felt my heart soar as I watched the general lead the other women with such pride for their nation and care for one another.

Not just an army, but a team. A family.

I pushed a piece of loose hair behind Bucky's ear, cupping his face with my free hand and wiping a trickle of blood that dragged below his eye. "You okay?"

"Pain wise? Fine." He smirked, gripping my shoulder tightly as we followed T'Challa into what appeared to be the tallest building in the city. He looked away in an attempt to hide the frown that had tinted his expression.

"Tell me."

"Not now."

We followed the Dora into the building, T'Challa bidding us goodbye for a little while, along with the General, having important things to address. The country had lost their king, after all.

But T'Challa had lost his father.

Steve, Bucky and I kept our mouths clamped shut, not daring to poke and prod at an already fragile situation that we all felt could have us to partially blame for, even if we didn't kill the King.

We silently followed the two Dora leading us through a hall with white lights lining the ceiling and floor.

Ding

The three of us followed the source of the noise curiously, watching as one of the Dora tapped on the grey bead of the bracelet around her wrist, when a holographic image of T'Challa suddenly popped up in front of her.

"What the hell..." Bucky whispered, almost inaudibly.

"Your Highness."

"I'd like to have a small word with Captain Rogers. Escort him to the med room, please." He spoke through the call. "And let the two soldiers know that the cryogenic machines will be ready by tomorrow morning."

"Right away, your Highness." She nodded, turning to us the moment his image flickered away.

Steve took that as his queue, nodding to her and flashing us a brief smile as he followed the other Dora.

"These will be your temporary quarters." She gestured to the two doors in front of us. "Enjoy your last night." She offered, before leaving us to stand alone in the hall.

We both held each other's gaze for a moment, letting the silence engulf the two of us after hours of torment.

"We're really doing this tomorrow, going back under."

He frowned, shaking his head. "I don't see us having any other choice. I mean... look at this place. Wouldn't wanna destroy it. I feel bad even walking on these floors, they're so clean."

I looked down at our absolutely filthy combat boots and grimaced. "You're right."

Our attention drew to the bedroom doors. "Guess a little rest wouldn't hurt." I muttered under my breath, twirling a piece of my tangled hair around my finger. "Should probably freshen up too. I know we both just barely escaped incarceration and possible death but I look like-"

In a flash of a second, his hand was wrapped around mine. "You think I care about how you look after fighting, Y/n? Still? After every damn battle we've been through together." He pointed to his left side. "Y/n, I don't even have a fucking left arm."

He smiled when I immediately burst out laughing, not expecting that answer out of any other possible response.

"Okay! I'm sorry. I'll meet you back out here in a bit."

I tapped my finger on the small screen attached to the door, stepping back when the door whooshed as it slid open in front of me. My jaw hung open as I let my feet carry me away from the entrance until I was fully inside. It's funny, how fast things can change in a span of three fucking days.

I got to sleep here? Not the concrete floor of a HYDRA basement cell, or a dusty mattress in an abandoned apartment infested with rats and bedbugs.

A real bed, with a real mattress, and real pillows and sheets.

I bent down to untie my shoelaces, discarding the mucky boots by the door until I felt what I expected to be the chilly tiled floor.

It was warm.

Another touchscreen on the wall caught my attention, with a small icon flashing on the screen. Heated floors. When did that even become possible?

The room was not small as T'Challa had mentioned it to be earlier. At least, to me it wasn't. This one bedroom was no bigger than my old Brooklyn apartment. A queen sized bed was centered in the very middle, with a wall of windows behind it letting the sunset cast its glow through the panes, tinting the room a soft amber hue. To the right was another door. A bathroom with a small shower.

A proper shower, with hot water, and multiple tiny bottles with different soaps and shampoos of a variety of scents, all placed intricately on the shelf. I don't even remember the last time I've had a shower like this. One where I wasn't blasted with a hose or just left to pour stolen bottles of water on myself like I had reluctantly resorted to doing during some missions. It suddenly became less inviting, more overwhelming.

I stepped backwards out of the bathroom and felt my gaze become starry, failing to hear my breaths becoming heaves as I slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.

You're okay, for god's sake. This is real, it's not a dream. It's not a memory for HYDRA to wipe away.

I dug my nails into my chest as my body rejected the air that was well in front of me

Breathe.

I can't

Yes you can.

Through the ringing noise that shook in my ears I could just barely make out a gentle voice.

"Breathe, Y/n. You're safe now."

Steve.

I fought the burn in my throat and sucked in a breath, resisting the urge of immediately letting it go. I delayed my exhale as I much as could, repeating until my shaky breaths began to even out.

Steve had sat himself down next me, rubbing my shoulder gently as he waited patiently for my fit to ease. I clamped my eyes shut until I could muster up the strength to finally meet his gaze. "There's not a lot of people who can sneak up on me anymore."

He raised a brow. "There was a time when I enjoyed watching Rebecca scare you from behind the fridge door, you know, those times when we went over to Buck's for dinner."

"Yeah, well." I straightened up, rubbing my eyes. "Rebecca definitely took on Bucky's humor. Ms. Barnes always compared her to me but... I'm glad she never changed from being herself."

I let my gaze finally meet his, instantly regretting it. The look that tainted Steve's expression, as if he couldn't comprehend just where we'd both ended up, or how much I'd changed from the girl he last saw fighting a war and drinking rounds with the rest of the Commandos, celebrating a successful mission.

My mother always believed in reincarnation and past lives. Lives that we aren't quite meant to ever remember, yet sometimes they're suddenly present in your memory and you wonder how it had felt. What it was like, if it was better than the one you were currently living in.

Looking at Steve only reminded me how real that day really was, when I watched his little frail body enter that machine, only for a towering, muscly figure exit from it. I almost believed that that God-like person couldn't possibly be Steve. At least not anymore. But he was still Steve. The same old Steve I grew up with who fought bullies in an ally or a parking lot. And evidently, that same Steve couldn't be broken even after 70 years. In fact, he was sitting right next to me, his old patterned, collared shirts replaced with a navy bomber jacket and a simple T-shirt I knew Natasha had helped him pick out to fit in to the new century.

"You alright?" His hand hadn't left my shoulder.

I blinked away my daydreaming and nodded quickly, wringing my clammy hands in my lap. "Just... had a moment. You know, with everything that's happened and.."

"You don't have to explain yourself, Y/n. Waking up from the ice and runnin' out into Time Square, think I was in shock for a good few hours. Thought I was dreaming, that I'd head out to the nightclub and meet Peggy for that dance I promised her. Soon as Fury closed the door to my new room I broke down."

I squeezed his hand. "You shouldn't have had to do that alone."

He only shrugged as he let his eyes fall to the floor. "I could say the same for you two."

"We had each other, at least..." I frowned the more I thought about it. Were we really together if we didn't even remember each other? Steve's gaze pressed me to elaborate further. He wanted answers, and he deserved them. "Bucky and I obviously weren't the only Winter Soldiers, but we were the first. And we the only ones who weren't volunteers." I felt Steve grip my hand harder, sorrow flooding his gaze.

"We had a fair share of solo missions, but they soon began pairing us up for the heavy jobs. Every time... every time we'd first see each other, something switched. He didn't have to say anything, I didn't even have to hear his voice. Just him. I knew I'd seen him before, and with HYDRA conditioning us to believe our whole lives had been dedicated to serving them, it threw off our whole state of mind. So..."

Steve must've seen me wince when he gently nudged my elbow. "Hey, don't go opening fresh wounds yet, alright? You can tell me about it when and if you're ready."

"Okay." I let my head fall onto his shoulder. Over two years it'd been. I could still feel the electricity surge through my head just picturing that nightmarish piece of machinery. The way my throat felt like gravel from screaming.

The sound of Bucky's screams.

I blew out a sigh as I pulled myself off the cushiony bed. "I should freshen up. I'll see you back outside in a bit."

Steve nodded slowly, still wary. "Just take it easy, alright?" He headed towards the door and reached for the very nonexistent doorknob, jumping slightly when it slid open automatically.

"Yeah, I saw that." I quipped from behind him and he rolled his eyes playfully.

Bucky's POV

No, don't touch that. You might break it.

He's a real doctor, he's not gonna hurt you.

You won't hurt him.

Steve told me to relax when they offered to tend to my injuries and take off what was left of my metal arm. Punk made it sound so easy.

"Relax."

Yeah, I'll try not to think about the last time I had a doctor next to me fixing my arm.

I started getting desperate after a little while. The nice Wakandan doctors carefully... gently handling me like any other real patient. I could hear that voice telling me to lunge at them and keep them away.

Keep them away from him.

I bit my tongue as I tried to refocus my thoughts elsewhere.

The band playing Harry James or Nat King Cole  on a quiet weeknight.

Coming home to ma making those brown sugar cakes and inviting Steve and Y/n over to share a slice.

Y/n.

I fought the stupid grin that threatened to spill in front of the doctor and the others working in the room. Just her name turned me to mush, for God's sake.

Maybe we were running from the authorities, hiding out in a dirty apartment, saving our cash stolen from HYDRA just to scramble enough food for the week and come home to lie on an old mattress. Didn't really matter, though. She was there with me. Just us two, against the world together.

But romanticizing it won't atone for the wrongdoings of the past. The memories I wanted back so fucking bad now ones I wish I didn't have to bear anymore.

I let my eyes travel around the room. HYDRA to us was a basement, a dungeon. We never saw the light of day outside of a mission. In front of me now was a wall of just windows that glinted as though they were made from crystal itself, showing off the nature and glorious skyscrapers outside. The machines around me didn't whir and creak like medieval instruments. They were almost soundless, light hums here and there and upbeat dings to alert the user.

No metal restraints attached to the sides of the chair was possibly the best part. Of course, there were two Dora Milaje standing anticipant by the entrance in case I were to attack, but I didn't blame them in the slightest. They were taking precaution, protecting their own. I respected it.

"Incredible." I heard a light whisper from somewhere behind me. The voice of a young adult. God, after that spider kid, the last thing I needed was another teenager.

"Shuri, don't meddle with the data."

"Relax, I'm just taking a look. Brother said this lab partially belongs to me, you know. I've never seen cells do such a thing on their own before. Their ability to regenerate tissue in a quarter of the time of a typical human being without artificial technology?"

The girl speaking suddenly stopped, I heard her footsteps beginning to approach my chair and I felt my body tense.

A young girl smiled as she looked up from a tablet. "Sorry, I should probably introduce myself to the patient if I am going to staring at your DNA all afternoon. My name is Shuri. I'm sure you already know my brother, T'Challa."

Her eyes had a hint of sadness that lingered behind them. Similar looks surrounded the other staff here. They'd just lost their king, she lost her father, just so Zemo could get his hands on us.

I mustered up the best smile back I could manage. Last thing I needed was to be bitter to these people who had zero reason to help me in the first place.

"This serum was made before the Second World War? Impressive for the West." She chuckled to herself, intending for her words to be for her own ears only.

"Well, mine was technically stolen so..." I joked. She laughed out loud which reassured me somehow. She wasn't scared of me. My eyes flicked towards the two Doras again. Guess she had no reason to be.

She returned to the big screen behind me, reading over the data and frowning. "Captain Rogers gave us this... book." She began slowly, reading my expression.

She's not gonna open it. They want to help you, not control you.

"Yeah that's..." I cleared my throat, opting for my voice to come out a little less pathetic. "It was used by HYDRA during my time there. From the very beginning."

She grabbed an office chair and sat down slowly, listening tentatively. "It's only been a few hours since you arrived here. There is no need to rush."

"No, no. I'm fine. There's this list of words, the page should be bookmarked. They repeated them and used them to... control my mind somehow. Don't really know how it works, it's like a switch almost."

"And they work on the other girl too?"

"Y/n. Yeah."

She jotted down notes on the tablet as I further explained how they'd control us, how an alter ego seemed to take over and only obey whoever got their hands on the book. Shuri eventually set down the tablet, bidding me goodbye until tomorrow when we'd be put back under.

If only it could happen sooner.

•••

Bucky swung his legs over the medical chair, his gaze trailing over towards the hallway curiously. Maybe a little exploring would do him some good. Take his mind off of tomorrow.

He awkwardly gripped onto the part of his shoulder that was once attached to his metal arm as he trudged down the hallway. 70 years ago there'd been a real one. While it felt better to no longer bear the red star emblem on his body, the void was something to get used to. And while he told Y/n to reject vanity earlier, he couldn't help but wonder how he looked. His hair was longer and unkempt, scars littered his entire body, and now his arm was missing.

He ran his finger through his hair. "Well, that's one thing I have the power to maybe fix someday."

He suddenly halted when he came across the door to the balcony. He recognized her silhouette immediately.

"Haven't seen stars like this since your birthday."

Y/n whirled around and flashed him an unforgettable smile. "The one at Coney Island?"

"Yeah.." His voice dropped slightly as he walked to join her, leaning against the railing. Ahead was what might as well have been a whole galaxy of stars that scattered like pearly paint against the obsidian sky.

Her hair looked softer than it had been earlier, the smell of cinnamon and vanilla radiating off her figure.

"Feeling a bit better?"

She shrugged, not taking her gaze off of the scenery ahead. "Haven't felt this well kept in God knows how long. Got myself cleaned up after that fight but... everything still feels..."

"Wrong?"

She turned to him, her body fully facing him now. All he was wearing was a white tank top and a pair of grey sweatpants that sat low on his hips. She flicked her eyes back to his, hoping he hadn't caught her completely drinking him in.

But what if he did? Would be that so bad?

"I just want all of this out of my head. I want her out of my head."

He nodded, his gaze not leaving her's. "I hate to say it but, we just gotta be patient. Few more hours and we'll be back under. Away from that book. Away from hurting anyone else."

"I won't get to see you every day, anymore." She frowned, her fingers unwittingly trailing to his left shoulder where his arm had been.

"It'll feel like you're asleep, you know how it is." He held her hand tenderly. "Like a really long nap, but this time we'll know what our dreams mean. That they've really happened."

Her brows furrowed. "I don't remember ever dreaming when in cryo. Just one moment I'm asleep, the next I'm waking up seven months later."

"Well let's hope it doesn't take seven months, then."

"What's seven months to seventy years." She scoffed.

They both fell silent, turning back to the sky. The blend of the sounds of the forest and some live music booming within the depths of the city lulled the two ex-soldiers as peaceful white noise.

"This feels like the last place on Earth I should even be in." Y/n muttered as she watched two birds dance across the night sky, flitting around each other excitedly. She then grimaced. "Their king is dead because of us, Buck."

Bucky shook his head, tearing his gaze off of her for a moment. "No, no. Stop saying that, Y/n. It's hard enough being here, accepting their help that I don't deserve. It's been one thing after another these past few days; Stark's parents, the king, Zemo."

"I know, I know." She shushed him gently as she grabbed his shoulders. "I'm sorry, jus' can't take my mind off of any of it."

"That makes two of us."

He watched as her expression softened, a faint hint of a smile ghosted her lips. "I'm gonna sound selfish when I say this. Worse than selfish, really. But I'm glad it's always been the two of us."

"What do you mean?"

"Just..." She shrugged as she spoke, not sure where to look. "I tried saving you, on the train. Sometimes I think about what it would've been like if I'd been the one you or Steve had to save. If I'd been the one Zola experimented on and survived the fall alone."

"If you hadn't been there in HYDRA, I wouldn't have remembered my life. Having your hand to hold on to when we were wiped, it just reminded me that even though I wouldn't remember, I'd have someone there with me on the other side. We'd just keep remembering then forgetting over, and over again until..."

Bucky suddenly pulled Y/n into his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I never wanted you to go through that just to become what I have, Y/n. But I know. I know because I wouldn't have made it out without you there with me either, and there aren't any words that can make it up to you."

"There's nothing to make up to me." She shook her head, biting her bottom lip to fight the tears brimming her lids. "Why would you think that?"

"Why wouldn't I, Y/n?" Bucky stepped back. His voice shook in frustration, not quite believing she didn't hold a single regret. "I watched you that day." He ran his hand over his face, pausing for a moment as he pondered his words carefully, the memory never easy to revisit. "You jumped towards me, I was already well out of that train and for a second I thought, maybe it's better this way. I would die saving my two best friends."

"Then you were above me." He whispered. "Steve was screaming my name, then yours. You were no longer safely next to him, but reaching for me instead. The train was getting further, and further away. You were getting closer to me. When I felt both of your hands grab me, it dawned on me that both of us were gonna die. Not just me, but you as well."

"And I don't regret it." A tear spilled down her cheek that she didn't bother wiping away.

He felt his own eyes well up. "You could have lived."

"What life could I have lived without you?" Y/n laughed dryly. "If I'd survived, I would've lived on thinking you were dead. Then I would've lost Steve not long after and been left with no one. My parents, you, Steve. What point would there have been to live?"

Bucky's face scrunched up in concern. "You really think dying without us would've been better than living your life? You dreamed of having a career, of one day getting married and having a family."

"I've spent my life losing people, Bucky. When I lost mom, when I lost Sarah? Without you two, my whole world would've been gone."

Bucky didn't respond. He couldn't. The girl he loved since he could even comprehend love itself had stood in front of him and admitted to rather dying than living without him. He blinked and for a moment, in front of him stood Y/n Y/l/n from Brooklyn, New York. She worked as a nurse six days a week, lived alone in her fathers old apartment and used her grocery money on her rent. She played the cello and piano, had a love for all and any kind of music, as long as she could dance to it somehow. Would come over and help Rebecca with her homework and stay for dinner. Admired his and Steve's artwork and kept a wall in her bedroom just to hang their sketches and paintings.

"You're insane." Was all he could manage, cracking a smile.

Yeah, insane for you. Y/n thought to herself. She turned away smiling, hoping to hide the blush that crept onto her cheeks. I definitely overshared. The hell is wrong with me?

"I wasn't even meant to survive that fall, you know?" She said as a matter-of-factly.

"Of course I know."

Her brows knitted together. "I told you already?"

"Before I blacked out, I heard the sound of water. You were holding on to me and I pushed you to the side." He frowned as he watched the realization grow in her eyes.

"You..." She sucked in a breath. "I fell in the river and lived because... because you pushed me towards it?"

The amount of times she thought about death when the whips from a HYDRA general stung her back in punishment, the experimental drugs injected into her system while she was strapped down head to toe, the dreaded machine that wiped away the only ounce of hope she held, or when she found her hand holding onto the dagger planted in the center of someone else's chest. If she hadn't remembered Bucky, she certainly would've found a way to end it all. End her own anguish, save the lives she would eventually have to end with her own weapon.

But had she died, Bucky would've been alone in that embodiment of hell.

"If I'd know that we'd be captured by them, Y/n. I don't know I just..." He shook his head and quickly wiped away the tear that escaped. "At the time there was nothing worse than the idea of losing you."

She didn't let him continue when she pulled him into her, wrapping her arms around him before lifting one hand to dab at the tears that threatened to spill from his icy blue eyes.

"Bucky, you saved my life. That's all that matters to me. Of course you couldn't have known what would happen afterwards, nobody could have predicted something like that. Besides, if I died that day, you would've been alone. That idea hurts me more than anything."

He nodded as he stroked her hair, no longer wanting to drag on the conversation. The fact was that they were both here, together, almost completely free from HYDRA and far away from hurting anyone else.

Y/n trailed her hand down his left shoulder and frowned. "I miss having more of you to hug."

He let out a laugh. "Think if I ask nicely, they can fix me up a new one?"

"Awe." She pouted sarcastically. "You'd do that just for me."

"I would."

"Would you, now?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

She cocked an eyebrow, a grin playing on her lips. "Where's this coming from? Sounds like you're getting a little defensive, if you ask me."

"Because I'd do anything for you, doll."

Y/n's eyes instantly widened and she stepped back. He called me doll? But that name is only for...

Bucky stuttered and put up his hand, wracking his brain for any possible, valid excuse. "I mean, I..."

Y/n paused and just stared, searching his gaze for what she sorta knew and definitely hoped was really there. The black consumed the blue of his eyes as he took her in, her face starlit and perfect, even if she had been crying a minute ago.

"My God-"

Suddenly, his shirt was fisted in her hand and her warm, gentle lips were on his. His shock immediately replaced itself with intention and affection as he pulled her closer until her fist collided into her own chest.

This was really happening. Finally happening.

Decades of unspoken feelings, of inexplicable love that was brushed off for friendship, of trying to forget about the obvious attraction. All poured into one kiss the two could only dream would last for eternity.

Bucky slipped his hand around her waist and up her back under her t-shirt with a newfound fervor. She drew back for a moment for air, eyes flushed with adoration. "I've wanted this for so long." She said breathlessly. "So long."

He cut her off with another kiss, it was rushed and driven with passion as he cupped her face, resting his head against her's after a few seconds. "Darling, you have no idea."

He felt her smile against his lips, fireworks erupting excitedly in her heart as her hands found their way into his hair, wanting more of him, never wanting to let him go.

She tilted her head to the right and parted her lips, letting him into her warm mouth and whimpering at the action, which only caused him to speed up his actions.

Bucky had kissed a fair amount of dames back in the day. Years and years of trying to find someone else to forget about Y/n, yet none of them could ever compare to this very moment, the girl of his dreams kissing him back like the world was about to end.

She ran her hand down his chest, remembering briefly the time their dance at the club had been cut off by Steve and Peggy, before she could kiss him just as she was now.

Both soon eased their make out into small pecks until their foreheads rested against each other, panting with bashful smiles.

"If there wasn't a window looking out into the hallway, I'd stay here kissing you all damn night." Bucky breathed, wiping at nothing on her cheek with his thumb, just wanting to feel her skin.

"James Buchanan Barnes." Y/n muttered under her breath, playing with a strand of his hair. "You're gonna be the death of me."

They fell into silence, just admiring each other. It took every ounce of strength within Y/n to not smash her lips into him one more time, the way the moonlight accentuated his jawline threatening her knees to give out.

She brought his face between her hands, sighing at the sensation of finally having him in her grasp after years of imagining. It almost didn't feel real. "Now, how the hell am I supposed to go under tomorrow morning knowing I won't be able to do that again until I wake up?"

He brought his hand up to hold onto her's, chuckling in both amusement of her words and disbelief of what just happened. "Wish I had an answer, because I won't be able to keep you out of my mind either."

Her smile faded slightly. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin the moment, but her mind was conditioned to believe things were unlikely to ever go in her favor.

Bucky quickly noticed the shift in her gaze. "Hey, what's the matter?"

"No, no it's nothing. Just me being negative again."

"How so?"

"I don't know, I just..." She dropped her hands from his face to his shoulders. "For years I always watched you go out with those other girls. They always seemed so perfect. From then I always thought there's no way you'd ever see me like-"

Bucky used his right hand to pull her back onto his lips, kissing her slow but desperately like she would disappear into thin air. When he drew back, he held onto her hand tightly. "Y/n, the only reason I went out on dates was so I could forget about how much I wanted you. To me? You were perfection. Sure, those girls were lovely, but they weren't you. I couldn't ever picture spending my life with anyone else other than you."

Y/n laughed through her tears and nodded, letting her body fall into his and resting her head against his chest. "Good to know you still live up to your ladies man title."

Bucky grinned sheepishly. "Well."

"And you're cheesy lines."

Y/n let out a deep, belly laugh as he rolled his eyes and scoffed. "I should've known."

Author's Note

AAAAAHHHH I was so excited to publish this chapter once I figured it out. I know you've all been waiting for this moment. Aside from that, I know I owe some of you an explanation to why I'm taking so long to update. First of all, YES I will be completing this story. I love it with all my heart. I'm starting university in September and this past year preparing for admissions and all that has been hell, so yes updating and having motivation to write to my best quality has been hard. Also, I began writing this story when I was just 14 and had no clue how I wanted to format. I regret writing this story in first person POVs and if I make a sequel, it'll likely be in third person instead. But enough said, thank you for all the continued support and patience. Love you all💕