Time After Time (Book 3)

What if...Bucky Never Fell?

A/N - Here's a festive one-shot as requested by @natsforbiddenluver, a glimpse into what could have been for Betty and Bucky if fate had taken them down a different path.  There's fluff, sweetness, love, and spice - and then the angst, it had to happen, but it's after the row of Christmas trees so you can avoid it if you want to.
Happy holidays ❤️

San Ciascian, 1945

Breath fogged in the icy mountain air as Steve stared through the window into the kitchen of the mountain chalet they'd all began to think of as home.  The orange glow from the large fireplace and the single lamp showed the two figures inside like a scene from a Christmas card.  His enhanced hearing allowed him to hear exactly what the couple were saying.  He tried to tune out their words but couldn't and so he stayed, watching the scene unfold before him.

His sister stood in front of her husband, his best friend, looking so sad and small, her teeth worrying her bottom lip, a far cry from the usual firecracker persona that Betty Rogers usually projected. He knew the moment her tears began to fall when Bucky pulled her tightly to his chest, his forehead pressed against her hair.  She'd asked him not to go.  For the first time ever, she'd asked him not to follow Steve, but to stay.  With her.  Safe.

Of course the crazy fool had said no, having vowed to follow Steve wherever he needed to in order to crush the threat of HYDRA, and Steve's heart twisted in his chest when Betty nodded her understanding and acceptance, choking down a sob and turning her head away.  He heard when Bucky started to softly hum and sway them gently around the kitchen, offering as much comfort as he could to the wife he adored so much.  Gabe arrived at the kitchen doorway and gave Bucky a two minute warning, to which Bucky nodded but as he turned his head back to Betty Steve saw the glimmer of tears on his cheeks.

A crunch of snow from the side of the house alerted him to another presence, Dugan, the heaviness of the footsteps giving him away.  Steve turned towards his Corporal, who was taking in the same scene, his large moustache down-turned with shared sadness.  He caught Steve's eye, seeing the desperation there and shook his head sadly.  They both knew there was no way that Bucky would agree to remain behind, no matter who ordered him to.

Betty stood as the men left the chalet one by one, coats buttoned up to the neck to stave off winter's chill.  Bucky was the last to leave, for once not walking at Steve's shoulder, and he made it six paces from the door before stalking back to Betty, grasping her face between his palms and giving her a fierce impassioned kiss.  They were both breathing hard when he finally pulled away and Steve's eyes filled with emotion when he heard her words.

"I love you James.  Just...be careful."

Bucky nodded and kissed her once more before joining the rest of the Team on the transport.  Steve wiped over his face with the back of his hand, the moisture from his tears stinging his icy cheeks.  He caught Dugan's eye, who nodded imperceptibly, before he turned around to his friend.  Bucky was staring back down the road towards the lights of the chalet and the lone figure silhouetted in the glow of the doorway.

"Buck?" He said, but Bucky didn't turn around until the chalet had disappeared from view.

"Yeah?" He answered distractedly.

"We need to go over the mission details again.  There's been a slight change of plan..."

The sky had turned to shades of grey and rose when Betty heard the unmistakable rumble of the transport jeep pulling up outside the chalet.  She leapt out of the chair with an excited smile at Marghi, throwing her sock repair behind her, and raced to the door, casting it wide open despite the freezing temperatures.  She danced on her toes, peering out into the twilight.  Dugan, Gabe, Monty, and Frenchie, trudged through the snow towards her but there was none of the usual post-mission banter filling the evening air and she couldn't see the tall figures of Bucky or Steve anywhere.  She scanned the men as they walked past her through the doorway, looking for signs of injury but couldn't detect any.  Monty squeezed her shoulder as he passed and she smiled at him.  He didn't return it and the look on his face made her chest tight and a feeling of dread settled in the pit of her stomach.   She whipped her head round and peered out of the door again, craning her neck for signs of Bucky and Steve, but there was none.