Relapse ★ Bucky Barnes

All I Need Is You

Bucky shook his head and hugged her tighter. "No. I'm not. I'm not leaving you again, Marlena. I can't."

"W-what?" she stammered, moving her head to look up at him.

"I'm staying right here, doll," he told her with a small smile on his face.

"But what about what you said about-"

"Forget what I said," Bucky cut her off. "I read that journal. I don't have the heart to leave you behind again; I don't have the heart to put you through that much pain again. I'm not going anywhere, baby. I'm staying right here where I belong-with you."

Marlena opened her mouth to respond, but she couldn't muster up anything to say. She simply let out another sob and hugged him tighter, her relief and happiness beginning to overwhelm her. Bucky wasn't leaving her after all, and because of that she was ecstatic. She felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her chest knowing that he was staying.

"In a few days," Bucky brought his metal hand up to rest on her head, moving his fingers through her short locks, "when Steve, Sam, and Tony leave, you and I are gonna go back to DC, okay? We're gonna get Mason, and we're gonna take a much needed vacation."

Marlena sniffed and looked up at him again. "Can we go somewhere overseas?"

"Probably not the best idea," Bucky chuckled.

Marlena frowned when she realized why they couldn't just hop on a plane and go where they wanted, but she decided not to make a big deal about it. "Take me to Coney Island. Win me a stuffed bear and feed me cotton candy like those normal couples do," she murmured.

"We're not a normal couple, Mar." Bucky gave a soft laugh, "Sorry to break it to ya."

"We aren't, but that's okay," Marlena said quietly.

Bucky brought his free hand to her face, using the pad of his thumb to wipe the tears from her face. He smiled down at her, his blue eyes filled with nothing but love and admiration for her. He dipped his head down to catch her lips in a gentle and loving kiss. After a few short seconds he pulled away from her, though his eyes remained solely on her.

Bucky couldn't begin to express the amount of love he had for Marlena; he loved her so much it physically hurt him. He could never imagine his life without her in it. He had lived a single month without her and was miserable, and even after being released from cryo he still felt that agonizing pain of missing her burning in his veins. He would be nothing without Marlena; he would be nowhere without Marlena. Aside from Steve, Marlena was the one person in his life that he was the most thankful for. She had come into his life at a time in which he needed someone, a time in which he needed someone to turn to, a time in which he needed someone to listen to him. She had done it all, and for that he was forever grateful.

Marlena was all that Bucky could see in his future-Marlena was his future. Once upon a time, Bucky wasn't sure whether or not he would be allowed to have the life he once wanted before he had fallen off the train back in 1945, nor was he even sure if he still wanted it after all the pain and suffering he had been put through. After meeting Marlena, however, he found that he did, and he found that he wanted that life with Marlena. He wanted to see her walk down the aisle in a beautiful, white gown with all of their closest friends and family watching; he wanted to hear her say "I do"; he wanted to laugh as he watched her attempt to cook their first meal in their new home; he wanted to watch the way her beautiful hazel eyes lit up as she gazed at the small face of their son or daughter. He wanted to be able to call Marlena his wife and the mother of his children, which was something he never thought he would ever be allowed to have. Now that he could have it-now that he could have it with her-he wanted it more than he ever thought he possibly could.

"You're starin', Buck," Marlena giggled as she looked up at him.

Bucky took a nervous breath and gently grabbed her face with both hands. "Marry me, Marlena Claire."

Her eyes widened in surprise, her lips parting slightly as she looked up at him. That was not at all what she had been expecting him to respond with. "W-what did you j-just say?"

"I said 'Marry me, Marlena Claire.'"

"And you're serious?"

Bucky nodded, running the pad of his thumbs across the soft skin of her cheekbones. "Never been more serious about anything in my life, except for the times in which I tell you I love you."

"Oh my gosh, this is just so unexpected," Marlena breathed out.

"Is that a 'no'?" Bucky chuckled.

Marlena shook her head quickly and reached up to grab his arms. "No, no it's definitely not a no. I just. . .wow."

"You're so awkward, and I can't stand how cute it is," Bucky laughed. "Just give me an answer, babygirl."

Marlena smiled widely and nodded her head, tightening her grip on his arms. "Yes. God, yes. A million freakin' times yes I will marry you, James Barnes."

"That's what I like to hear."

Bucky smiled and leaned down to kiss her, his lips meeting hers in a loving but lustful kiss. He pulled away after a few seconds, however, to look at her.

"I don't have a ring, but I'll get one," he told her.

"I don't need a ring, James," she said, placing her hand on the side of his face. "All I'll ever need is you."

Bucky's smile seemed to grow at the sound of her words, his happiness far too great for him to conjure up a verbal response. He simply pressed his lips to hers once more, savoring the moment as he held his very future as tightly as he could within the safety of his arms.