Author's Note: Some of you caught the reference to Adele's All I Ask at the end of Part 19. I've had this song in mind for this part since the beginning, so if you haven't heard it (or even if you have) listen to it, but imagine it from Bucky's perspective instead of the Reader's - I think it has more of an impact if you imagine those are Bucky's words and thoughts.

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Bucky had been shocked by YN's words but had offered no resistance when she took his hand and began leading him through the crowd toward the exit. He'd known she wasn't like the other women he'd met, but he also knew better than to ever say those words aloud again. But it was true. She didn't act, or speak, or even think like the other women he'd dated in the past. There was something about her that didn't fit in with the world they lived in, but at that particular moment, he really didn't care what it was that made her so special, just as long as he got to spend his last night with her.

As they boarded the train back to Brooklyn, Bucky led them back to a mostly-deserted car where they could have a little bit more privacy. He found a seat and pulled her into his lap as the train began to move. When her arms wrapped around his neck to keep herself from toppling over from the sudden jolt, his hands tightened around her waist.

She was looking into his eyes and he knew he'd never seen eyes as beautiful as hers. From a distance most everyone's eyes looked like one solid shade, but once you moved in for a closer look it was easy to pinpoint all the different flecks of color that were hidden unless you were lucky enough to be that close to another person. In the harsh light of the train car, he could distinctly see the myriad of colors that continued to fascinate him the longer he stared.

He'd always been mesmerized by the stars in the sky, and the different constellations that he'd learned to recognize over the years. He'd spent an entire summer in high school reading every book the library had to offer on space, so he knew that the stars in the sky were unique to the Milky Way and that if someone were to travel to a different galaxy, the stars in the sky wouldn't look like the ones seen from Earth. In that way, eyes were like galaxies, and each pattern of colors were unique to that individual. As he continued to study YN's eyes, he began to see patterns between the different colored specks in each of her irises. He used his imagination to come up with names for the constellations he saw in her eyes and because of that, he knew without a doubt that he would recognize the eyes looking back at him no matter the circumstance.

He wasn't sure how long the two of them sat on the train gazing into one another's eyes, but Bucky didn't care. If this was his last night with her, he wanted to memorize everything about her – from the color of her eyes, to the shape of her lips, from the sound of her voice, to the softness of her skin beneath his fingertips. She was staring at him just as intently as he was staring at her, and he wondered if she too was trying to memorize his features like he was trying to memorize hers.

Time seemed to stop for just a second, but like all good things in life, the moment passed too quickly. All too soon the conductor called their stop and with a smile, YN rose and took his hand again.

Once they were on the street again, she threaded her arm through his and leaned into his shoulder as they made their way back to his apartment. He wasn't sure what he'd done to find such a perfect woman, but he'd recognized early on that she was something special – something to be cherished. She was smart and fiery, but she was also loyal and kind. Most of the women he'd known had hated having Steve tag along on their dates, even if they'd brought along a friend of their own to help keep him occupied. But YN wasn't like that. There were times when Bucky wondered if YN didn't actually prefer his best friend to him, but then he'd hold her in his arms and kiss her, and his doubts would be washed away. Her friendship with Steve was just that – friendship. That alone was enough to make him fall in love with her.

He stopped in his tracks as he realized that he'd never responded to her when she'd told him she loved him. He'd known for days – maybe even since the night he'd met her – that he loved her, but he needed to make sure that she heard the words. He had to make sure that she knew how he felt before he left tomorrow morning. There was always a chance he might not make it back from this war and there was no time for second guessing. Time wasn't a luxury they had any longer and they needed to make each second count.

"I love you, YN," he told her as they stood outside of the apartment building he shared with Steve.

A slow smile spread across her face as she leaned in to kiss him. It was a simple kiss, barely even a brush of her lips across his, but it one of the sweetest kissed they'd ever shared.

"I know."

That was all she said – just those two words, but they were like music to his ears. He'd heard declarations of love from many of the other girls he'd dated over the years, but it had just been an empty expression devoid of any real emotion – just like his utterance of those three words in return. But when YN declared her love for him, Bucky knew it was different. Her words were like an unbreakable oath full of intensity that would never diminish over time.

He framed her face in his hands and she met him halfway as their lips found one another's yet again. This kiss was different – it was full of emotion that had only been hinted at before but was now overpowering and intoxicating. He'd never wanted a woman like he wanted the one in his arms at that moment.

Reluctantly, he pulled away from her as his fingers trailed down her face. He took her hand and led her up the stairs.

Once they were behind the closed door of his apartment, his nervousness began to take over. He knew she'd been the one to suggest this change of plans, but there was a part of him that wanted to remember her just the way she was in this moment without anything else clouding his memory.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and began to kiss him again. An aching need began to overtake his senses, and he almost lost his resolve, but he eventually gained enough clarity to pull away.

"Let's take things slow," he whispered as he ran his hands up and down her arms as they stayed wrapped around his neck. "We have all night long."

He saw the surprise, as well as a look of disappointment, in her eyes before her lips turned up in a smile. He was sure he was mistaken, but he was almost sure he'd seen a trace of relief in her expression. Or maybe he'd just imagined it.

"It's your night," she said. "We can do whatever you want to do."

"I know it's going to sound strange, but what I really want to do is talk to you. I want to know everything about you, YN." He paused for a moment and laughed when he saw the look of fear in her eyes. "What? Are you scared to tell me your life story? Got some ugly skeletons in the closest you don't want me to know about?"

She laughed along with him before shaking her head and letting out a sigh. "My life is an open book, Bucky Barnes. Anything you want to know, I'll be more than happy to tell you."

He stepped out of her embrace and took off his hat to lay on the table by the door. "Let me get out of this uniform real quick."

She shook her head and started to take a seat on the couch. He turned to walk back to the bedroom he shared with Steve, but he stopped at the door to look back at her. There was nothing wrong with sitting on the couch and talking, but a part of him wanted to know what it would be like to hold her in his arms all night long – to wake up in the morning with her by his side. Tonight might be his only chance to ever have those experiences, and he didn't want to look back with any regrets.

"You don't have to stay out there, doll."

He saw one eyebrow shoot upward in question, but with a shrug, she rose and started walking toward him. "Change your mind?"

He ran a hand down the side of her face as he contemplated her question. He loved the shape of her face and he found himself tracing the outline of her features over and over again like he was a blind man trying to memorize the way she looked by touch alone.

"No," he finally answered. "I just want to hold you tonight. Is that okay?"

He watched her eyes soften and he could've sworn he saw tears start to form before she blinked and grabbed the labels of his uniform jacket. Before he could prepare himself, her lips were on his again.

"I'd love nothing more," she answered as she turned toward the bed. "Which one is yours?"

Bucky looked over at the set of twin beds and as his eyes settled on Steve's he let himself wonder about his friend. Would he finally get his wish tonight, or would he be walking through the front door any minute feeling rejected and useless once again? He'd hate to make Steve sleep on the couch, but he'd do it for Steve if the roles were reversed.

"The one by the window. Steve catches a cold if there's a draft."

Bucky watched as she walked to the bed he'd indicated and began to slip off her shoes before tucking her feet up under her and fixing her gaze on him. He loosened the knot of his tie and slipped it free of his shirt before placing it on the outermost doorknob and shutting the door. With YN's eyes still glued to him, he began to take off the rest of his uniform and hung it up neatly so he wouldn't have to worry about wrinkles in the morning.

When he was wearing nothing but his boxer shorts and a ribbed tank, he retrieved a pair of pajamas from the small chest by the door. They were old but soft, and he knew it would probably be the last time he'd get to lie in a semi-comfortable bed in worn, comfortable pajamas for the foreseeable future so he needed to enjoy this as much as possible.

He walked over to his bed and reached out for YN's hands. When she'd placed hers in his, he gently pulled until she'd risen. "Do you want to change?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine the way I am. This dress is more comfortable than it looks."

He pulled back the covers and slipped in so that his back was against the wall. He held up the covers and waited for her to join him. Once she was settled in beside him, his hand instinctively went to her face again before it slipped down to her waist to draw her closer to him.

She reached up and brushed a strand of hair off of his forehead before her hand laid to rest along his left arm. They were both using one arm to prop up their heads as they shared the single pillow on his bed. Their faces were only a few inches apart and Bucky was glad that the moonlight was shining in through the window so he could see the colors of her eyes again. He knew he'd never look up at the night sky again without thinking of her eyes.

"So, what do you want to know?" she asked with a smile.

"Everything," he answered. "Tell me about your childhood, your parents, school, whatever. I want to know every single thing about you."

She didn't answer him right away and he could tell that she was thinking. He knew the woman in his bed had secrets, and he respected her need for privacy, but surely something as simple as childhood stories couldn't be classified information.

"My parents live in the Upper East Side in a penthouse apartment on Park Avenue," she told him with a sigh.

"Not the place I've been dropping you off every night?"

"Oh, no," she quickly assured him. "That's a friend's house. My parents and I don't exactly see eye to eye on certain things."

"Like what?"

She took a breath and thought for a moment. "Buffy and Fitz have standards they expect the people around them to meet and I come up lacking on every one of them."

"I find that hard to believe."

She cocked an eyebrow and gave him a little smirk as she swept her hand across the two of them. "Really? Have you met me?"

Realization dawned in his eyes and he began to chuckle. "On second thought, you would be a socialite's nightmare. You're headstrong and too independent for your own good. Not to mention that you're currently in the bed of a man that you're not married to."

"Scandalous."

"Downright wanton," he teased.

"I left New York pretty early on and I was fortunate enough to meet some amazing people along the way who took me in and gave me a home."

"That's who you're trying to get back to, isn't it?"

"Yeah," she answered with a sigh. "A friend and I were separated from our other friends a few weeks ago and we've been waiting for them to come back and get us ever since."

Bucky nodded his head in understanding. "And once they come back for you, you won't be returning to New York again?"

She slid her hand up to cup his cheek. "You will see me again, Bucky. That I can promise." She paused. "But when we meet again, I might not remember you. . ."

"What?"

She let out a frustrated sigh. "War changes people, Bucky, and you and I will be no different from anyone else coming back from over there."

Bucky nodded his head. "You're right. I've seen guys coming back that I've known my whole life. They have this vacant look in their eyes and it's almost like they have no idea who I am – like I'm a ghost from their past."

"Something like that," she agreed. "Just make sure that when we meet again, you do whatever it takes to make me remember who you are and what we've shared these past few weeks."

"Doll," he said as his hand found her face again and drew her in for a kiss. "If I make it out of this war alive, I will move heaven and earth to find you, and if you don't remember me, I will spend the rest of my life telling you how much I love you until you have no choice but to love me back."

He watched as a tear slipped from the corner of her eye. He brushed his thumb across her cheek to wipe it away as he whispered soothing words to her.

They spent the next few hours telling stories – some made them laugh and some made them cry, but eventually they both felt as though they knew the other as well as anyone could say they knew another human being. Bucky struggled to keep his eyes open because he didn't want to waste a moment of what little time he had left with her, but eventually he succumbed to sleep with her safely wrapped in his arms.

YN knew she should sleep, but a searing pain had settled into her heart as the night wore on. She'd imagined that she and Bucky would spend these last few hours together lost in passion, but he'd had other plans. While she couldn't complain about the turn of events – she'd learned more about him in one night than she'd learned in the past few weeks with the older version of him – it also left her with too much time to think about what would happen next.

As she lay next to the love of her life, she remembered the files Nat had uncovered after the fall of HYDRA. When she'd read through them the first time, she'd only felt a general sadness for Steve's friend. But now that she'd gotten to know him, had grown to love him more than any other person she'd ever loved in her life, she saw the horrors he'd endured in a whole new light.

She wanted nothing more than to wake him up and take him back to Howard's with her – the future be damned. She had no idea what would happen if the Bucky from this time met the Bucky she'd come back to the past with, but she didn't care. The entire world could come crashing down around her ears and it would be worth it just to spare him one iota of pain.

But eventually her better sense prevailed. She'd talked her Bucky out of doing something just as stupid a few weeks ago because it wasn't just their lives that were on the line. There were billions of people in the world who would be affected by their actions. Mentally going over the list of reasons she'd given Bucky for not killing the man lying in her arms, she was able to quell her desire to do something rash. Maybe she had been spending too much time with Steve lately – his utter disregard for rules had started to rub off on her.

Thoughts of little Steve had her mind centering on big Steve again. Where was he? Why hadn't he come for them yet? With her emotions already raw from saying goodbye to little Steve at the Expo and her upcoming farewell to this version of Bucky, it was hard to keep her mind from going down the darkest paths. She and Bucky had never discussed the most likely reason why Steve and Strange hadn't come back, but they'd both been thinking it. She could see the worry and doubt in his eyes and she knew that he also believed that something horrible had happened to their friends once they'd been catapulted back in time.

The buzzing of the alarm clock woke them both. YN wasn't sure when she'd finally drifted off, but at some point in the night, she'd ended up with her head resting on Bucky's chest. She felt him reach over her to silence the alarm before she felt his lips on her temple.

"I need to go, doll."

As the rays of light from the rising sun began filling the small room, her heartache and fears came rushing back. "Don't go. Stay here with me. We can run away some place where no one will ever find us. . ."

He leaned in and silenced her with a kiss. She could feel him pouring every ounce of love he had into that kiss, but it wasn't enough to stop the tears from filling her eyes.

"Don't cry, doll," he said as he began to wipe the tears away. "You said it yourself last night – we'll see each other again someday."

He sat up and pulled her onto his lap as he cradled her head against his chest. She did her best to stop the flow of tears – he didn't need to see her break down right now. He needed her to be strong so he didn't feel as though he had to worry about her. That was least she could do for him in this moment.

She rose and headed toward the bathroom to freshen up and wash her face.

Once she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes, she stood in front of the small mirror and looked at the woman staring back at her. Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile onto her face and headed back to the bedroom.

Bucky was already dressed in his uniform by the time she'd gotten back, and she took a moment to admire how handsome he looked. He gave her a kiss on the cheek as he took his turn in the bathroom.

"Do you have time for breakfast?" she called through the closed door of the bathroom as she glanced at the clock on the wall.

He opened the door as he finished drying his hands. "They said they'd have something for us to eat at our briefing this morning." He paused to look at the clock. "Which is in less than an hour, unfortunately."

"So this is goodbye?"

He laid the towel on the bathroom sink and walked toward her. Pulling her into his arms, he looked into her eyes. "This is not goodbye. It's just until we meet again."

"Until we meet again," she repeated, liking the hint of hope behind the words.

He leaned in and kissed her one last time. There was a desperation in this kiss that hadn't been present before. They could both pretty up the words, but deep down, they knew that this was the end of the way things had been before, and no matter what happened next, they would never be the same two people ever again.