brooklyn, new york.
december 1937.

     "DID you hear?"

     "You mean Pearl Harbor?"

     "Yeah."

    "Yeah, I did. Look, Steve, I know you're gonna try to enlist. But, kid, ya fall apart when the wind blows. They won't take you. But they might take me." he gave her a look of knowing and she nodded, continuing on, "Yeah, but you can't tell James."

     "Dammit, Diane."

     "Don't worry, Steve, I'm gonna tell him. Just... after I've enlisted," she reassured with a half smile.

☆

brooklyn, new york.
june 1943.

     Diane swirled her straw around in her glass of Coke. She glanced up at the clock for about the tenth time since she'd arrived. She was anxious about telling them, but she was more worried about how Bucky would react. He was already completely against her enlisting despite her good reasoning behind doing it. She tried to explain to him that this was an opportunity to fight alongside whites and possibly be a gateway to them finally seeing blacks as equals. But he was having none of it.

     "You could get seriously injured! Or-or killed! Or, Jesus, worse! And, you know, you should've told me before you went down there!"

     "I know. I should have. But I knew you'd act like..." she looked his frantic form up and down, "...this. I knew you'd try to talk me out of it and this is something I need to do."

     "Damn right, I would've talked you out of it. Jesus, Diane! Combat! Do you have a death wish?" he looked at her pointedly then went back to pacing. "You barely know how to fight, Di. I mean, there's so many other things you could do instead! Typist, clerk, nurse, stay home, anything else. Why do you have to do this?"

     "I know how to fire a gun. Been doin' it since I was a little girl. And I remember everything you taught me about boxing. I'm not content sitting at a desk when I'm just as capable as the other men out there on the front lines." she said, sipping her tea.

     "Jesus. Between you and Steve, your pride could take up all of New York."

     She shook her head, "This isn't about my pride, James. This is a war. If I can fight, who am I to sit idly by?"

     "That isn't the point! What if you got shot? What then? You could die. Don't you get that?" he stopped in front of her.

     "I do. But, James, please calm down."

     He scoffed, "That's kinda hard to do when you're- you're out here running off to a battlefield! Goddammit." he ran his hands through his tousled hair. "Combat, I just-" he shook his head with a heavy sigh of dismay and defeat.

     He hadn't taken it well.

     But no matter what argument, albeit good ones, his mind conjured up at any given time of the day: taking a shower, eating breakfast, or even randomly in the middle of the night, it wasn't enough to sway her mind. At one point, he even suggested that she tell the military she was pregnant which she shot down immediately.

     And now was the moment it all became real. For the longest time, it was just words and papers and signatures. Now it was happening. And every word everyone had told her since she broke the news of deciding to enlist was running through her mind. Her nerves were going haywire and with every passing second alone with her thoughts, a new worst-case scenario bubbled to the surface.

     Finally, she spotted two familiar faces approaching the drugstore counter. An infectious grin broke out on her face as soon as she saw them and she relaxed just slightly.

     "Diane!" Steve called, waving his hand excitedly even though it was evident that she was aware of their presence already.

     She shook her head as they took her seat on either side of her. "Hello, boys," she greeted fondly. She avoided eye contact with them and focused her attention back to her pop.

     "Hey, Di, what's goin' on?" Bucky tried to look at her, but she continued to watch the bubbles rise in her cup. They waited for her to respond.

     After a long pause, she looked up. Staring ahead back at her reflection, she told them, "I got my orders." Without waiting for a response, she continued, "Italy. Azzano. 92nd. I leave at the end of the week."

     "Well," Steve piped up, "at least we have a few days together before you leave. Uh, what day do you leave?"

     "Thursday."

     "Oh. Hey, Buck, what day was the World Expo?"

     "Friday," they both replied in synch.

     "Oh," Steve's face fell a little bit.

     "Don't you boys have too much fun at the expo without me, you hear?" she nudged them playfully. Bucky finally managed a small smile despite the clutch of fear that was slowly creeping around his heart.

     "Nah, you're the life of the party, Diane."

     "I know," she said with a smirk.

     "Come on, this place is gettin' crowded. Let's go somewhere else," Steve hopped off the stool and headed back for the exit. Bucky and Diane trailed slowly behind him. They both tried to find something to say, but neither one could find the words after so much arguing back and forth about it. After all the words said, none of them seemed to matter now. Except for the ones like "stay safe" and "I love you."

     His hand slipped naturally into hers as they stepped out into the stuffy, summer air. The trio aimlessly walked the streets of Brooklyn until they came across a hot dog stand and decided to get something to eat.

     When Steve went off to get them all hot dogs, Bucky turned to Diane and gently pulled her close to him. He swept her curled locks behind her ear, "Di, I just want you to know that I love you so much and I need you to protect yourself. I-I need to come home to you."

     "And I need you too, lamour. I know you didn't want me to go, but you know this is something I have to do."

     "I understand. I don't like it, but I understand. And I know that it's your choice and I can't change that.

     "Thank you, lamour." she smiled sadly.

     "Hey, can I pick you up tomorrow night?"

     "Of course."

     He finally cracked a genuine smile. "Wear that dress you love so much. It's gonna be a special occasion," he instructed with a wink

☆

brooklyn, new york.
june 1943.

     Diane waited with baited breath in the living room of her and her sister's tiny, shared apartment.

     "Oh, you look so darling!" Geraldine cooed over her, rearranging her curls and applying last minute touches to her makeup.

     "Isn't that what Pa used to call me when I was a baby?"

     "Yeah, 'my darling Diane.' You'd make Pa and Willie so proud," she beamed.

     Diane gave her sister a tight hug, "Thank you, Ger."

     Then there was a knock at the door. Like always when Bucky comes to pick her up, Geraldine ran to the door and swung it wide open with a radiant smile on her face. Bucky greeted her warmly and stepped inside the cozy apartment.

     When he caught sight of Diane he stopped in his tracks.

     "Damn, I gotta be the luckiest guy in the world to have a gal like you."

     She looked down with a shy smile, tugging at the hem of her red dress.

     "Aw! You two are so cute! Now go while the night is young!" Geraldine shooed them out the door. "Love you, Diane."

     "She's awful eager to get us out the door," Diane noted as it closed behind them. "Are you two up to something? I can tell when she knows something I don't," she narrowed her eyes.

     Bucky chuckled, avoiding her accusatory glance, "What? No. Come on, let's go."

     The club was buzzing with life when Bucky and Diane showed up. Despite the scattered uniforms weaving in and out of the crowd as a reminder of the war, there was an air of whimsy galavanting through the night. It didn't take long for them to find their way onto the dance floor along with the other men and their sweethearts.

     Bucky took Diane by the hand and guided her to the center of the room, "Come on, a little jive is good for you."

     "Stay lightly, so lightly! Hold tightly, in a minute you'll be in the mood!" Diane sang gaily as she twisted, throwing her skirt around. The two broke out in laughter. They were natural dancers and always captivated a room when they danced together.

     "You're awful cheery tonight," Diane noted as he took her hands in his.

      "Well, I've got a reason to be," he said as they swung and jived.

     He had her intrigued now, "And why's that?"

     "You'll see," was all he said with his signature cheeky wink and lopsided grin. That didn't satisfy her curiosity, however.

     "Your charm and good looks won't work on me, big daddy."

     He pulled her suddenly flush against his uniform-clad chest, "You sure 'bout that, doll?"

     "What were we talking about again?" she joked in a trance-like state. She decided to let it go for now and let him be cryptic.

     The crowd parted to make room for them as Diane twirled and spun around her man. Bucky watched in awe every time she broke off and let the music become a part of her. She looked like a goddess to him, moving like something beautiful had possessed her and took over her body. She beamed at him every time their eyes connected and he couldn't help the flutter in his chest when she did.

     The song changed and the ambiance suddenly became slow and romantic, but Diane and Bucky never stopped moving. She spun back into his arms and he wrapped his arms around her petite frame. A bubbly, hearty giggle erupted from her at the sensation of his arms around her. The sound of her laughter only made his grin grow wider.

    "God, I love you," he mumbled under his breath as he dipped her earning yet another laugh. She looked at him with adoration in her eyes and returned the sentiment.

When you smile at me, I hear gypsy violins. When you dance with me, I'm in heaven when the music begins.

I can see the sun when it's raining, hiding every cloud from my view.

     As the song was ending, Bucky twirled Diane and she stopped with a flourish in a grand finale. As if she were on stage performing for an audience, she stayed in position catching her breath.

     The sound of gasping and awing made her turn back around. Her heart skipped several beats as she looked down at Bucky. Tears were already welling up before he could say a word.

     "Diane An-" she ran to him and almost knocked him over with a strangling hug. His free arm latched around her waist.

     With uncontrollable excitement in her voice, she rambled sheepishly, "Sorry, sorry! Continue."

     Now with their faces mere inches apart, his steely blue eyes met her cocoa brown, kohl-lined ones. Both of them were ear to ear as they stared lovingly at each other, their attention never wavering.

     "Diane Antoinette Freeman, you make me feel like the luckiest guy in the whole world. Your smile, your voice, everything about you brings light to my world. I don't know what I'd do without you, beautiful," he laughed, "Diane, will you please marry me?"

     Tears were flowing freely and he wiped them away with a smile. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

"Wi," she whispered, "Yes. Bien sûr! Of course, I'll marry you!" They both burst out laughing and showered each other with kisses.

     The other couples around them cheered. For a little bit, differences were forgotten to make way for a celebration of love.

☆

brooklyn, new york.
june 1943.

     "When we get back, we'll get married," Bucky promised with a toothy grin.

     "I love you so much," Diane sighed lovingly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

     "I love you too, Di. And I know it sounds dumb when you're going off to a war zone, but please, please, try to be safe. If anything happened to you..." he placed a hand on her cheek.

     She leaned into his hand, "I'll be fine, James. But the same goes for you, lamour." He nodded his head softly. She got on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss.

     "Mrs. Diane Antoinette Barnes," he whispered sweetly against her lips. She giggled, loving the way it sounded.

     "Mr. and Mrs. James Barnes." she laughed. The chiming of the clock and an announcement reminded them of Diane's impending departure.

     "You have to go now, doll. Don't miss your train."

     "Come back to me, okay, Sarge?" she whispered with a teary voice.

     "To you? Always, sweet stuff." he winked with a coy smile.

     "Stay safe, James. I love you. Et si vou plé, si vou plé, reviens-moi."

     "I love you too. Now go before the train leaves without you," he half-heartedly coaxed her.

     Her grip on him only increased. "I don't want to leave you," she whispered into his chest.

     "I know. But you have to go, beautiful," he said sadly, pulling her arms off of him. She nodded, wiping the tears from her face.

     It took everything in Bucky's power to restrain himself from taking her small frame in his arms. He knew he wouldn't be able to let go if he did. Every fiber of his being was screaming at him to keep her from going. But he didn't.

     She turned without sparing a glance back at him and marched off to the train. Off to war.