Battlefield ★ Bucky Barnes

V. This Is My Choice

JANUARY 1945

Her stuff was gone; her clothes, her shoes, her everything. It was all gone and Steve wasn't really sure why that was; all he was sure of was that it terrified him. He had no clue where she was, only that she had left, and she had left without even saying goodbye.

He paced around hers and Bucky's shared room, running a hand over his tear-stained face as he did so. He wasn't sure what to do or where to go in order to start looking for her. His mind was so muddled; not only was he still dealing with the pain of losing Bucky, but it now seemed as if he would have to get through the pain of losing her, too. But he didn't want to lose her—he couldn't lose her. Connie was the only person left in his life that he truly cared about, and the thought of her leaving him pained him to the core.

Steve's pacing was interrupted as his gaze fell upon a small slip of paper sitting in the corner of Connie's vanity mirror, covered in her handwriting. He rushed over to it, ripping it from its spot before his tear-filled eyes met the words scribbled onto the piece of stationary.

Steve,

If you're reading this it means I'm gone. The last thing I ever wanted to do was leave you, Steve. You're my brother and I love you more than anything in this world, but I love Bucky, too. When you told me about what happened yesterday, it really got to me, and I thought to myself that maybe just maybe he could still be alive. He told me about Hydra's experiments, y'know? He told me about how strong he felt because of them. He told me what they did to him made him feel like there was nothing out there that could break him, physically, at least, so maybe his fall didn't actually kill him. It's a very slim chance, but I refuse to give up hope, and how can I believe the love of my life is dead when I have yet to see for myself? I'm going after him, Steve. I'm going to find him and I'm going to bring him back home. I would've told you what I was planning, but I knew you'd never let me do it if I did. But please don't come after me, okay? This is my choice and I need you to respect it, just as I respected yours all those years ago.

You'll always be my best pal, Steven Grant Rogers. I love you, okay? I'll see you soon. I promise.

Yours,

Connie Mae

Steve folded the letter up and reached up to wipe the tears from his face. He never would've imagined losing the two people he cared most about in the world only a few days apart from each other. Despite the fact that he despised what she was doing, he respected her decision to do so, just as she always respected his. He would see her soon, though—she promised. He just wasn't aware that it would take 70 years for her to fulfill that promise.