My entry for BeautifulBlues's second one shot contest.

2249 Words.

|||Modern Day|||

You sat in the hospital, your husband, James Buchanan Barnes, laying on a hospital bed. You held his hand in yours. He was asleep at the moment. You stared at his peaceful, wrinkled face. You thought about what a charmer he had been when you had met back in the 40's. That had been long ago. He had been healthy. He wasn't the same man anymore. Now he was fighting a brain tumor, and you knew that he wasn't going to come back from this war-not like he had years ago.

|||1943|||

You stood in your family's small Brooklyn apartment. You were in the small room that you shared with your two sisters. You were expecting your boyfriend, Bucky, to pick you up any minute. He was going to take you out dancing. You nervously straightened the locket he had given you the night before. He had told you that he loved you and gave it to you. You couldn't help but love the man, even if he was a flirt sometimes. You were wearing your favorite dress. It was (Y/F/C). Bucky said that it looked perfect on you. Just then, your younger sister, Nancy (if that's your name, change it to Jane), came in.

"He's here, (Y/N)."

"Thanks, sis. Tell him I'll be right out. Don't bug him too much." Your sister rolled her eyes and left the room. You turned back to the mirror and put on red lipstick. You checked your hair again for the 5th time in the last 3 minutes. You knew you were ready. You walked out and saw Bucky talking to your mother and father, his back to you. Your father smiled when he saw you, which caused Bucky to turn and look at you. He stared at you, his eyes wide. You gave him a big smile. He turned back to your parents.

"I'll have her back by 10." They nodded, smiling at both of you. He took your arm and escorted you outside.

"You look fantastic, doll." You were about to return the complement when you realized what he was wearing-a military uniform. Your eyes grew wide as you silently stared at him.

"Buck, what are you wearing?" He froze and turned to look at you.

"A uniform. I...I enlisted, (Y/N)." Your stomach dropped.

"What? Why?" You ask quickly.

"They need men to go fight the Nazis, (Y/N). I had to." He keeps walking, but you make him stop.

"Bucky, when are you leaving?" He sighs.

"Tomorrow." He says quietly. "I was gonna tell you, darlin'. I promise, I was, but I didn't want you to get upset. I wanted this to be one last happy night that we can share together before I leave. What do ya say? Will you give me one last happy night with you that I can always remember?" He stares into your (E/C) eyes with his bright blue ones.

"Anything for you, Buck." You take his arm again.

"That's what I wanted to hear, doll. Now, lets go have some fun." You two start walking again.

Bucky took you out to see a movie, then he took you to your favorite dance hall. As you were dancing, a song that you two had always loved, "I'll Never Smile Again" started to play, but this time as you two danced to it, it felt realistic. After you two had danced for a while, and you both felt winded, he got you two some drinks, and you sat together at a table.

"I'm gonna miss you so much, (Y/N)." Said Bucky, suddenly.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Bucky." You then noticed a blonde girl over at the bar making eyes at Bucky. You death glared over at her. He was your man, and even if he was leaving tomorrow, he would still be yours. She ignored you and kept staring at Bucky. He finally noticed and gave her a small smile before turning back to you. He saw you giving her the death glare and laughed. It snapped you out of your evil staring trance.

"Doll, don't worry. I only have eyes for you." You blushed and tried to enjoy your drink, but the girl came over to your table.

"Hi, my name's Polly (if that's your name, change it to Ashley). Have I seen you before, mister?" Bucky glanced up at the girl who stood next to his chair.

"I don't believe so, miss. I don't think I'd remember meeting someone like you. I'd've been too busy staring at my girl here to notice you." He looked over to you. You felt so happy at his comment, you could burst. The girl looked taken aback, but soon regained her cool.

"Well, you've met me now. What do you think?" Bucky was starting to look annoyed.

"I think it's time you left us." He said, his jaw showing that he was mad. You could feel anger welling up in you.

"But, mister, I think that you don't really want me to leave. I think you are just putting on a face for the kid here. How about we leave this frumpy wreck here and go have some fun?" You couldn't take it anymore. You jumped out of your chair and grabbed the girl's hair. You started to punch her like Bucky had taught you and Steve to do if you were ever being attacked.

You kept pulling her hair, punching her where ever your fists landed, and calling her names until you felt someone grab your waist and pull you away from the girl. Her dress was now torn, her head was covered in bald patches since you had pulled out some of her hair, and she was holding onto her ribs as if you had broken some of them. Bucky had always said that you had a strong right jab.

Bucky picked you up bridal style and carried you out of the dance hall. You were still yelling. He put you down on the sidewalk when you two got outside. You wouldn't stop yelling.

"You couldn't stay out of trouble for one night, could you?" He yelled back at you causing you to go silent. "I had to step in and save you like I had to when we were children."

"I don't need you to take care of me. I'm not a child anymore, Barnes!" You start to feel your eyes filling up with tears. You started to walk away from him. To just leave him standing in front of the dance hall and possibly never see him again. After you were about a block away from him, you heard pounding feet behind you. You didn't think you could bring yourself to look at him. You felt ashamed of your actions.

"(Y/N)." You hear behind you. You freeze. The pounding feet behind you slow to a stop. "Look at me. Please, darlin' look at me." He was pleading with you. You turn around and look at him. He takes your hands in his-his large hands that were always warm and made yours feel small. You felt safe standing there with him.

"I love you, (Y/N), and even though I'll be gone for a while, I want to ask you to still be my girl. I know that it's a lot to ask, you being a pretty young girl and all, but I would really love it if you would. I would love it if you will be what I'll fight for. Will you let your soldier go?" He stared into your eyes. You could tell that he looked nervous, as if he was expecting you to say that you were not going to wait for him.

"If you think I'm going to say no, James Buchanan Barnes, then you are very mistaken. Of course I'll wait for you." His face lit up, and he took your head in his hands. He then kissed you for the first time. It was magical. He wrapped his arms around your waist as you two stood there. You put your arms around his neck. When you two finally pulled away, you couldn't help but giggle.

"What is it, doll? Am I not as good of a kisser as you expected?" He said.

"No, that isn't it at all! It's just that your lips are bright red." He started laughing too. He then engulfed you in one of his big bear hugs.

"So, is this what you expected as your perfect night to remember me by?" He laughed.

"Not exactly." He said, taking your hand in his as you started to walk back to your house.

"Was it that bad?"

"No, it was better than I could ever imagine. What guy wouldn't love a memory of his girl starting a fight because the man she loved was getting hit on?" You laughed. "I can't wait to tell everyone I meet in the army how much you care about me."

"I doubt they'll believe you."

"It's their choice, but I'll know it's true, right?" You look up at him.

"Of course. I'll always love you, Buck. I love you enough to let you go, too. It kind of reminds me of that saying,' if you love something, let it go.' Well, I love you, and I'm letting you go. You'd better come back."

"I will, darlin', I will."

|||1945 (two years later)|||

It had been the longest two years of your life, but finally, Bucky was coming home to you. He had sent you letters while he had been gone, telling you how much he missed you and couldn't wait to see you again. It was finally happening. You stood waiting with Bucky's mother and father at the bus station. You were wearing your (F/C) dress that Bucky had always loved. You smiled nervously at Mrs. Barnes. She smiled back at you and took your hand in hers. She gave it a squeeze.

"He'll be so glad that you came, dear. You're practically all he ever talks about in his letters home to Frank and me." You felt your cheeks redden and then saw the bus approaching. Mrs. Barnes let go of your hand and took a handkerchief from her pocket. Mr. Barnes wrapped his arm around her waist. You smiled and looked back at the bus which was just pulling into the station.

There was a large crowd in the station, so it seemed very hectic, but then, you saw him. Your soldier. He was one of the last people to climb off of the bus. You were the first thing he saw. He ran off of the bus, swept you up into his arms, and gave you a long, passionate kiss. When you two pulled away to breathe, he just stared at your face, taking in every detail. After he stood, holding you in his arms for several seconds, he turned and saw his parents. He have his mom and hug and shook his dad's hand. He nodded towards his dad. He then turned back to you.

"I missed you so much, (Y/N). I have to ask you something before I loose my courage. I honestly can't believe that you agreed to wait two years to be with me, but it made me realize something. I can't be with anyone but you, and so, I must ask you, (he kneeled down, holding a small box) Will you marry me, (Y/N)(Y/L/N)?" You stare at him silently for a moment.

"If you think I'm going to say no, James Buchanan Barnes, then you are very mistaken. Of course I'll marry you!" He took a ring with a small diamond on it out of the box and placed it on your left ring finger. He then gave you another kiss.

"I love you, doll."

"I love you, soldier."

|||Modern Day|||

You sat holding your husband's hand. You thought back to all of the memories you had shared with him. The birth of your daughter Louisa (If that's your name, change it to Elizabeth). Her first day of school. The birth of your son Samuel. His first baseball game. You had had so many happy memories with him. Now as you sat with him, you knew that those happy days were over.

His eyelids fluttered open, revealing those bright blue eyes you so loved.

"Hey, doll." He said quietly.

"Hello, Bucky." You said, smiling over at him.

"(Y/N), I gotta ask you something." You nod you head, signaling him to continue. "Will you let your soldier go?" You knew what he was doing. He was asking you the same thing he had asked you before he left to fight in World War Two. You tried to control your emotions. You weren't going to let yourself start crying.

"Of course I will, James, of course I will." A smile settled on his face, and his eyes closed. One of the machines that was hooked up to him started making a loud noise. A nurse soon came in after hearing the noise. Your daughter, who had been standing in the hallway, helped you out into the hallway. She helped you into a chair and sat across from you, Samuel sitting beside you.

"What happened, mom?" Asked Samuel.

"I let my soldier go."

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So yeah! This is my entry for @BeautifulBlues 's one shot contest. I hope you like it!