i'll always find you

CHAPTER 2

1942

"Did you tell her?" Steve asked. "No." Bucky replied blankly. "Buck, you should tell her, you leave in two weeks." Bucky sighed, "I can't. She'll want to come with me." Steve gave him a sad smile, "so do I, and you know I want to fight. Are you just going to leave her without saying goodbye? And not to mention I know you love her, and she loves you." "Steve-" Bucky started, "I've known from day one, and I've waited 12 years for one of you to make a move. You need to tell her your going to war and you need to tell her you love her. And you need to do it tonight." Bucky's face was shocked, "If I don't push you Buck, no one will." He nodded. "I know thank you Steve, I'll tell her."

~

"I got it!" Lizzie yelled to her younger sister as she ran to the door after hearing a knock. "Bucky!" She smiled at the bouquet of flowers in his hand. "I was just wondering if you wanted to go out with me tonight?" She looked at his outfit, he was wearing a nice button down, blazer, and dress pants, and his hair was slicked back. "Bucky, oh my god. I would love that." He smiled, "well let's go now, doll. I want to walk you to dinner." Lizzie looked at her strawberry patterned white dress. "Should I change?" Bucky smile turned into a smirk. "No. I love that dress on you." She blushed. "Mom, Lizzie is going to kiss in a tree with James." Lizzie' little sister, Peggy laughed as she ran towards the kitchen. Lizzie laughed and followed Bucky out the door.

~

"Thank you, Bucky. That food was amazing." She said with her arm in his, as they walked back to her family mansion. "Buck? What's wrong?" She asked noticing his blank face that suddenly turned to sorrow. "I waited to long." She stopped walking. "Waited to long for what?" He sighed. "I've had a crush on you since that day you tackled me in your yard. I was always to scared to make a move, I didn't want to mess up, I care about you too much." Lizzie grab his hand. "It's okay, I feel the same way. I promise I'm not mad, it's okay. I've always loved you and I always will." His eye showed so much sadness in those last words. "What aren't you telling me?" She asked, her own smile starting to fade "Lizzie, I- I'm going to fight in the war." He said his voice breaking.

"Lizzie?" He asked she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "When?" She asked so quiet, Bucky almost didn't hear her. "Two weeks." She let out a sob. "Bucky, I can't lose you." He wiped the tear running down her cheek. "You won't lose me, doll." She let out another sob. "I'll come with you." He shook his head, "No. You have to stay here with Steve. And plus my sister could use the company too, I know how close you two are." She grabbed his other hand. "Steve can come too, please, please, and Rebecca too if she wants." Her tears started flowing harder just as the sky suddenly started to as well. "Lizzie, I'm not letting you go. It's not safe." She dropped to her knees her beautiful dress getting soaked by the rain, Bucky dropped down after her, not caring how wet he was getting. "Please...don't go." She begged. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I have to doll, they are counting on me to fight. I have no choice, it's my duty. I'm so sorry." She pulled him into a hug, and he held her tight. "Just promise me again, you'll come back?" He kissed her forehead. "I promise."

~

"I don't see what the problem is. You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know there's three and a half million women here?" Bucky said laughing, "well I'd settle for just one." Steve replied. "Good thing I took care of that." He said smiling as he waved at a pretty blonde. "Hey Bucky!" She waved back. "What did you tell her about me?" Steve asked sighing. "Only the good stuff." Bucky said with a big smile.

Steve walked awkwardly over to the blonde while Bucky walked over to Lizzie. "My god doll, you look absolutely beautiful." He looked at her pale pink dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. "Thank you, you look quite handsome yourself." She smiled at his uniform but Bucky could tell her heart broke seeing him like that, knowing he wouldn't be in Brooklyn tomorrow. "Welcome to the Modern Marvels Pavilion and the World of Tomorrow. A greater world. A better world" Howard Stark announced. Lizzie smiled she'd been waiting weeks to hear this and see what new inventions Stark had come up with.

"Oh, my God! It's starting!" The blonde with Steve exclaimed. "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!" Another announcement exclaimed, Lizzie smiled and clapped. "I love you, Howard!" A random girl in the crowd yelled. "Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all?" Howard asked, "Yes. Thanks, Mandy." He smiled at the model she brought out of an automobile. "With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology you'll be able to do just that." Suddenly the automobile lifted off the ground, Lizzie smiled and cheered.

"Holy cow." Bucky said looking at the car with fascination in his eyes. Lizzie smiled at seeing him so happy, he was trying to make the best of this night-even though he knew the horrors that would come for him tomorrow. Suddenly a loud bang snapped Lizzie out of her thoughts as she looked to see the car on the ground again.

"I did say a few years, didn't I?" Howard asked laughing. "Hey, Steve, what do you say we treat these girls..." Bucky smirked, turning around when he realized Steve was gone. He looked at Lizzie, "Steve's gone."

"Steve, come on. You're kind of missing the point of a double date." Lizzie exclaimed running towards the enlistment building Steve was walking towards. "We're taking the girls dancing." Bucky explained as he grabbed Lizzie's hand. "You go ahead. I'll catch up with you." Steve smiled. "You're really going to do this again?" Bucky sighed.

"Well, it's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck. And plus your leaving tomorrow, I want to go too." Steve said confidently. "As who, Steve from Ohio?" Bucky asked. "They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you."

"Look, I know you don't think I can do this." Steve started, "this isn't a back alley, Steve. It's war." Bucky snapped. "I know it's a war."

"Why are you so keen to fight? There are so many important jobs." Bucky asked, grabbing Lizzie hand tighter. "What do you want me to do? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon?" Steve asked. "Yes. Why not?" Bucky responded. "I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky."

"Bucky, come on. There are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me." Steve explained. "Right. 'Cause you got nothing to prove." Bucky said sacrasily. "Hey, Sarge! Are we going dancing?" The blonde that was with Steve asked. "Yes, we are." Bucky answered turning towards her. "Don't do anything stupid until I get back." Bucky said as he turned back towards Steve. "How can I?" Steve replied. "You're taking all the stupid with you."

"You're a punk." Bucky joked pulling him into a hug. "Jerk." Steve joked back. "I'll see you later, Stevie. Good luck." Lizzie said pulling him into a hug. "Be careful." Steve yelled after Bucky as he started walking away. "Don't win the war till I get there!" Bucky saluted him before heading off with Lizzie's hand in his. "And now we have to find your girl a new date." Lizzie joked as she walked away with Bucky. "I don't think she'll miss me." Steve smiled. "But Bucky and I will." Lizzie blew him a kiss. He laughed, "have fun!"

~

"Where's Steve?" Lizzie asked Bucky as they stood at the train station. "I don't know, but it's okay we said our goodbyes last night." He noticed Lizzie's heart drop at the word 'goodbye' "Hey it's okay." He said, pulling her into a hug. "Please write to me, so I know you're okay." She asked, nuzzling into his chest. "Of course, doll. And that dance last night was incredible." She smiled. "I love you, please come back to me."

"I love you more, and I promise." She hugged him tighter as a voice called for him "James Buchanan Barnes. For the 107th." He kissed her cheek, "We'll have a real kiss when I get back." He said with a smirk, "I love you doll." She grabbed his hand. "I love you, Bucky." Her heart broke as his hand slipped out of hers, and he walked towards the train. Lizzie ran after that train all the way till the end of the station and her heart broke as she saw Bucky waving at her with a tear rolling down his cheek.