June 14, 1987 - Tupper Lake, NY

Scarlet rolled over in her bed and instead of rolling over to empty space like she was used to, there was a body next to her. Opening her eyes, she found a pair of gray-blue eyes staring down at her. "Buck?"

"Hey baby." Bucky said with a smile pulling her closer.

"What... what are you doing here?" Scarlet asked confused as she looked around her new home, "Am I dead?"

"No... it's our anniversary... I don't want you to spend it alone." Bucky told her.

Scarlet ran her hand over his face, "How... how are you so..."

"Solid? I've been a guardian angel and the big guy thought I deserved a special favor. One night only." Bucky told her.

Scarlet sat up in disbelief.

Bucky grinned, "How can I convince you?"

"Tell me something only you would know." Scarlet said.

"Well... you have a spot under your ear right here." Bucky said as he leaned over and kissed it then nipped, which instantly made her moan. "It is an instant turn on for you."

"Oh god... Buck." Scarlet said as she pulled his face down to hers and straddled his lap. "I... I don't know how but... thank you God."

"Scarlet... I am so sorry how things went down." Bucky said as he ran his hands up and down her back, "When I went on that mission with Steve... I didn't think it would be the end. Then the baby... I wish I could have prevented that. He deserved to be born to this world."

"He?" Scarlet asked.

Bucky smiled, "It was a boy... I was able to meet him before he moved on. He was so perfect."

Scarlet laid her head on his shoulder and the tears started falling, "All I have wanted to be was a mother... now I will never get that chance."

"Why not?"

Scarlet looked at him, "What do you mean? You are in heaven and I am down here."

"Scarlet...angel...I don't want you to put your life on hold because I am gone. You deserve the world. If I can't give it to you, there is someone out there that can, like James did for you and like Ikaris is going to do for you. You have the second chance Angel... you are 30 years old when you should be nearly 70 years old. You are going to be a great mother." Bucky told her.

"But I don't want it to be without you." Scarlet cried.

"I know baby but... if it's meant to be, it would be." Bucky told her, "But... I do want to give you one last thing."

"What is that?" Scarlet asked.

"Me... one last time." Bucky told her as he rolled her onto her back.

Scarlet felt his fingertips slide up her forearm, around her elbow and down the inside of her arm until his hand was in hers as he pinned it over her head.

"Can you-" Scarlet said as he silenced her with a kiss.

"Yes... I'm yours... flesh and blood for one night only." Bucky told her as she felt his fingers slide down under the crotch of her panties under her nightdress and enter her.

Scarlet gasped as her body tingled for the first time since the serum, in a way that was heightened from what she had ever felt before.

His mouth continued to cover hers, muffling her gasp. She felt him smile through their kiss as he pushed his fingers deeper into her. Her head lolled back. "God," She groaned from deep within her throat.

"Nah, not a God... just a really special angel for my Angel girl." Bucky said as he let go of her hand and she grasped his shoulders as he bent down, pushing her panties completely down to her ankles. She kicked them aside before wrapping a leg around his waist.

She looked into his eyes, as she felt him slide against her, searching for entrance. His face was flushed and he was gasping with each thrust until he finally drove himself deep within her with a long, low moan.

"Buck!" Scarlet gasped.

"Angel, are you ready to go to heaven?" Bucky asked.

Scarlet laughed and sobbed at the same time.

"That was bad." Bucky said as he grabbed her other leg and wrapped it around his waist, going deeper and deeper inside her.

She had no idea how long they were there, how long Bucky thrust into her, how many times her heels dug into his behind, pushing him further and further in so that she felt, at the height of it, as if she was going to split in two before she burst. She was aware, more than she ever had been before, of him moving inside her - in and out, in and out - and how every time he pulled out her she felt empty until finally, with a deep thrust he buried his face in her neck and groaned in release. She felt him shudder as he ground his hips into hers and thrusted again and again until he was finally still, the only sign of life his rapid breathing.

Tears fell from her eyes and she bit her lip trying not to sob into hysterics.

"Shhh," he replied, lifting his head to look at her, "It's going to be alright."

Scarlet let him pull her close and she rested her head on his chest.

"So...I've seen your powers from afar." Bucky said as he pointed towards the ceiling, "Can I see?"

Scarlet held her hand out and a ball of light danced between her fingertips.

"Wow, so just the serum brought this on?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah and some electricity." Scarlet said settling back onto his chest.

Bucky ran his hand up and down her arm, "Angel... you need to go back to sleep"

"I don't want to... you will be gone when I wake up," Scarlet said.

"I'm always here. You just can't see me." Bucky told her as he kissed her, "I'm in the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. Anything to see you smile."

"I love you so much Buck," Scarlet told him.

"I know... I wish we had longer but I am glad we had this time." Bucky told her. "I love you so much Angel."

Scarlet lost the battle with her eye lids then immediately opened them again to find herself, dressed again in an empty bed and sighed as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

'I don't want you to put your life on hold.' She heard Bucky's voice whisper in her mind.

She pushed herself out of bed and pulled her robe close to her, walking downstairs to make herself a cup of tea.