The Hurt And The Healing: Bucky X OC

Chapter Fifty One: Lost Times

For an ambient soundtrack for this chapter go to https://countryside.ambient-mixer.com/the-cabin-at-night

As Mara lay curled into Bucky's side and listening to him breathe she could not believe where she finally was. After years of feeling nothing, months of feeling too much, and weeks of feeling everything, here she was, lying beside Bucky and finally feeling peace.

He loved her. Oh God, he loved her. Even without all his memories. Even knowing what the Winter Soldier had done. Even with her rage and hurt and inability to control her emotions, he loved her.

She turned her head slightly, taking in every detail of his beautiful face. The moonlight shone through the opened curtains and illuminated his profile. Brows that spent most of his waking hours furrowed but when he was asleep were smooth and stress-free. Deep, dark eyes, now closed, yet when opened burned her very soul with their intensity, a sensation she had grown to love. Nose broken far too many times and still perfectly suited to him. Lips that made her feel as if she were breathing for the first time in her life when she gasped for air between kisses. A jaw that she had dreamed of tracing with her finger, stubble rough against her skin. All coming together to form a face that had consumed her every waking moment and many of her sleeping ones.

And now here he was. Asleep, one arm tucked under a pillow so that he could wrap it around her and hold her to him. The fire still burning brightly in the corner. The sound of his breathing both soothing her and thrilling her because it felt so right to be here with him. They were together and they were safe. And that was all Mara had ever wanted.

Bucky shifted slightly in his sleep, pulling her to him even more and burying his face in her hair.

"Go to sleep, darling," he murmured, the sound of his voice combined with the heat of his breath sending shivers down her back.

"How did you know I was awake?" Mara asked in surprise.

"I can feel you. You're tensing up," Bucky replied sleepily. "Are you uncomfortable? I can move my arm."

"No, if anything I'm too comfortable," she admitted with a soft laugh. She rolled over so that she was facing him. Their noses were practically touching and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Too comfortable?" he muttered, his lips skimming her skin with each consonant. Mara sighed and nodded.

"It's just-" she reached up and ran her fingertips over his cheekbone. "I am so happy right now," she explained, caressing his face. "I keep trying to fall asleep but I don't want this to ever end. I want the world to stop spinning and you and I to spend the rest of our lives together."

"But?"

Mara frowned slightly and moved so that she could rest her head on his chest. "But the sun is going to rise eventually. And Movoniv is not going to stop searching for you until we stop him. And you have to get the rest of your memories back. And eventually we need to go home to New York. And-"

Bucky chuckled, the sound reverberating through his chest and into Mara.

"Always thinking ahead," he said softly, rubbing her arm and planting a kiss on the top of her head."But none of those things will keep us apart. They can try, but I'm going to keep my promise to you." Mara craned her neck to look up at him and Bucky grinned. "You will never lose me."

"Good," Mara replied, pushing herself up on her elbow and leaning over him. She kissed him sweetly and he ran his hand up her back, curling his fingers around the hair at the base of her head. Mara felt him smile through the kiss and couldn't help but laugh. "I really do love you," she continued, pulling up so that she could see him gazing up at her, a soft look in his eyes.