Bucky had been standing next to Natasha and her boyfriend Clint in a corner away from the rest of the crowd when Nat had spotted Steve and his leading lady walk inside. "Wow, Steve really hit the jackpot." She says motioning to the doorway. Bucky looks from her over to the door where Steve was and his jaw drops. This wasn't possible. Bucky's heart starts to race in his chest as he unconsciously starts to walk toward them. It was her. There was no mistake about it. She was here.

A hand grabbing him pulls him back to the moment and he looks at it too see that it belonged to Natasha. He narrows his eyes at her as he silently asks what the hell she is doing. "Do you really think that going over there right now is the right thing to do? If half of what you told me about her reaction to how you acted all those years ago is true... you are going to send that poor girl into a panic. Do you really want to cause a scene at your sister's rehearsal dinner?"

"She knew..." Bucky says barely above a whisper his eyes turning dark.

"Knew what?" Natasha asks her face filling with confusion.

"Becca," He pauses his heart clenching. "She knew that this (Name)," he points across the room at her before he turns back to Natasha, "Is the one I've been looking for all these years, and she never said a word."

"I'm sure she didn't do that because she wanted too." Clint says making Bucky's eyes snap to him. He had obviously been reading Natasha and Bucky's lips so he knew half of what was going on. "How do you know that (Name), didn't beg your sister not to say anything to you?"

"Exactly," Natasha adds moving slightly to the side so Clint could see her lips better. Clint was deaf, but he didn't let that keep him from doing what he loved. Clint owned a café/Bar downtown. Clint usually only worked the day shift, mostly because of his love of coffee, also because working days freed up his nights for Natasha; who ran her own clothing line. "James, you can't just run over there, guns blazing. You have to think this through."

"You're right," He pauses his eyes moving back over to her. "It's just that after all these years of searching; she's right there."

"Well at least your parents don't seem to recognize her, that's a plus." Natasha says releasing his arm and rejoining her boyfriend.

"Yeah, if they knew who she really was they wouldn't have let her step a toe out of the car." Bucky replies grabbing a champagne flute at it passed by on a server's tray. He downs it instantly and sets on a passing servers empty tray. He needed something stronger than Champagne. "Can you cover for me if my mother starts to ask where I am?" He asks the two of them and they nod.

"Yeah sure, but where are you going?"

"I need something stronger." He replies and she nods. "I'll be back." He adds as he practically jogs up the stairs and heads off into the east wing toward his father's office. He still couldn't believe she was here. As he walked down the hall memories and thoughts of how her and Richard used to run through these halls with Becca and himself racing after them filled his mind. How stupid had he been to believe that she had been the cause of Richard's death? Really fucking stupid, that's how he felt about his state of mind back then.

He turns into his father's office and quickly walks over to the liquor cabinet and opening it pulls out an expensive bottle of Whiskey. He moves back to the door and heads back toward the party. Just because he grabbed this bottle didn't mean he was going to share it with anyone. He needed it more than anyone down there at that party. Twisting the cap off he takes a big swig and grimaces as it burns his throat on its way to his stomach. Deep down he knew he really shouldn't be doing this but he couldn't help it. SHE was here.

Speaking of, she, as he starts to near the main hall he looks across the way to see her walking down the hall of the west wing. He cocks an eyebrow as he has the sudden urge to follow her. Taking one last deep gulp of Whiskey, he puts the lid back on the bottle and setting it down starts off after her. He knew that he most likely shouldn't follow her but his feet were moving on their own. As he followed her, her figure morphed from her now to her when she was a child. His throat tightened as the younger version looked back at him and smiled.

She suddenly stopped in front of a door and he tries his best to hide himself as he checks his surroundings. It took him a moment but he knew where she had stopped. It was Richard's room. A room which hadn't been touched or unlocked since his death all those years ago. He gulps down a breath of air as she reaches forward to open the door only to sigh as she finds it locked. Not able to contain himself anymore he moves from his hiding spot to stand behind her. She must have been completely zoned out not to notice him.

Suddenly it was like someone else took over his body making him reach out and wrap his arms around her waist and hold her tight. He buried his face in his hair as she leaned back into him. Did she know it was him? was she not scared of him? All that didn't matter for some reason. He had ahold of her and he wasn't about to let go. "I miss you." She says the words shaky as they leave her mouth.

Oh god her voice sounded heavenly to his ears. Bucky doesn't know what possesses him but he gently kisses the back of her head. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. It should have been me. Your sister is getting married, you should be here for her. You should've stayed away from me." Bucky suddenly tenses everything he was responsible for coming back to him ruining the moment. As if sensing something (Name) quickly pulls away from him and turning around her eyes fill with fear and panic as she says, "Oh god."

"Please don't freak out." He says holding his hands up at his side to show he wasn't going to hurt her.

"Um... I..." She says her eyes filling with panic as her breathing starts to become rushed.

"Okay (Name) just take deep breaths." He says inching closer to her making it worse.

"Stay away..." She replies making him stop in his tracks and speak in a low voice.

"I will not hurt you again. I am just trying to help."

"Why?" She asks her face becoming pained.

"Because I'm sorry. Oh god, (Name), I have never been sorrier in my entire life." He says and her eyes focus on his. "I have so much I want to apologize to you for but I can't do that unless you calm down."

"It was you..." she says reaching up to touch the back of her head. "Why?! Why would you do that?!" She yells out anger lacing her words.

"I don't know." He answers honestly letting his hands fall to his side. "I swear I don't know what came over me... plus I think I might be a little drunk."

"And you think that gives you the right to do what you did?"

"Okay are we still talking my kissing your head or?"

"Why would I be angry about anything else? You made me think..." She pauses tears stinging her eyes are she reaches up to grab her necklace.

"That I was Rich..." He takes a step back and leaning against the wall lets out a heavy sigh. "Please don't cry. I don't think I'll be able to keep from hugging you if your do."

"Why would you hug me? According to you, I killed your brother." She retorts angrily wiping the tears that had gotten through from her cheeks.

"Can you please just follow me somewhere else, if mom or dad-" He pauses seeing the fear on her face. "Please just trust me on this. I need to talk to you."

"If I follow you, and you tell me what you want to tell me, how do I know it's not going to make me even more fucked up than I already am?"

"I promise. I just want to talk." Bucky says as he holds his hand out to her.

"I'll follow you; but I refuse to hold your hand." She replies reaching down to grab the skirt of her dress. Bucky's hand falls to his side as he nods.

"Understandable." He replies moving to let her walk beside him. "It's not far. It's just up here a ways."

"Why do you want to talk with me?" She asks her eyes focused on the end of the hall.

"I want to apologize to you." He says making her stop in her tracks.

"Apologize... To me..." She blinks her eyes as confusion fills her face. "Why?"

"For what I said all those years ago. I just want you to know. What happened to Rich, it's not your fault."

"But he died because he came to help me." She says making his heart clench. Confusion and pain filled her (E/C) eyes. He had caused that pain. It was his fault she was like this. His head starts to pound making him reach up and pinch the bridge of his nose.

"(Name), you had nothing to do with his death." He says the pain increasing.

"But if he hadn't-"

"It's not your fault, okay!!" He yelled a little louder than he meant to making her jump in fear. "Look, I did some research of my own after you left. It wasn't your fault or his." He pulls his hand from his face and unconsciously reaches down to take her hand in his. "There was another car, their brakes failed and they hit you guys. No matter what anyone ever says, it was never your fault."

"But, I..." he reaches out and pulls her into a hug making her tense. "Bucky... what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm hugging you, you looked like you needed it." It takes a few moments for her to relax but once she does he feels her body shake as she cries into his chest.

"You are the last person I ever wanted to see me cry." She says making him grit his teeth.

"I know, I'll just pretend I didn't see anything." He answers making her shake her head.

"Thank you," She pushes away from him and clearing her throat says, "I need to get back, but first I need a bathroom."

"Oh it's-"

"I remember where it is." She says cutting him off as she moves away from him down the hall without looking back. He watches her walk away and lets out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Reaching up he runs a hand through his hair and lets out a heavy sigh. He turns back to look at Richard's bedroom door and feels his head start to throb again. "I need a drink."