It’s Been a Long, Long Time
Summary: A recurring nightmare of a woman who died in Bucky’s arms during the war keeps waking him up. Sam does some research to help his friend figure out what the dream means.
Length: 3.5K
Characters: Bucky Barnes, two named female original characters, Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark
Warnings: traumatic death of a character, angst (Bucky’s)
Author’s notes: This one-shot is inspired by a cheesy 80’s movie, called Made in Heaven, basically true love will find a way even if death occurs. Although it starts with a sudden death it ends in the fluffiest way. The song title, used as the one shot title, is associated with Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter at the end of Avengers Endgame. Because this is set in an AU where Steve stayed in the future I have used it for Bucky. The song was written in 1945 by Jule Steyne and Sammy Kahn.
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It was Christmas, 1944 and the Howling Commandos were in London, England on a well-deserved break. He was at a dance, drinking and watching the couples dancing. The few single women there were in high demand, and he just didn’t feel up to cutting in on the lucky guys who had a dancing partner. Then she walked in, wearing a blue dress and a smile. Her presence was like feeling a warm spring breeze caress your face.
“May I have this dance?”
That’s all he had to say for her to turn that smile towards him, place her hand in his and let him lead her around the dance floor. When another soldier came to cut in she looked at the guy with surprise.
“I’m dancing with my fiancé,” came the words straight from her mouth in this lovely British accent. When the man murmured his apologies and left she looked up at Bucky. “You don’t mind being my fiancé tonight, do you?”
“Not one bit,” he said, totally taken by her vivaciousness.
They danced until the band called it quits then headed out into the night to catch a bus to her flat. Just a few months previous the blackout conditions had been relaxed allowing for the use of lighting levels at the equivalent of a moonlit night. It was still dark, however, and pedestrians were warned to be on their guard while crossing the roads. As they walked, the last bus suddenly drove past them and they realized they would have to walk the full distance. Bucky kept an eye and ear out while he and Miss Sabrina Cooper strolled, holding hands as they shared their lives. When they arrived at the door of her building she looked up at the handsome American soldier.
“I share a bedroom with my sister so I can’t ask you in,” she said apologetically. “Would you meet me here tomorrow morning? She’s going to Bath with her fellow for the weekend. We can spend the day together and you can stay the night.”
“Only if you’re sure,” replied Bucky. “I wouldn’t want you to get a bad reputation.”
She laughed and he felt the effect of it down to his core. He was hers and would be there in the morning with bells on, as the saying went. When they kissed goodnight it was like tasting the best dessert that Bucky’s ma ever made, it was so sweet and tasty that he couldn’t get enough of it. As Sabrina watched from the step Bucky crossed the road to find his way back to his billet. He had only gone a few yards when he heard her call his name then run into the street towards him for one last kiss. To his horror a lorry appeared out of nowhere and struck her down right in front of him. Just like that, she was gone, dying in his arms. Then a man’s voice from the dark told him he had so many days to stop it from happening again.
Lately Bucky had been experiencing the same dream. For the past ten nights he had relived this memory from his past, and it was driving him crazy as it seemed to be a countdown. The first night the voice told him he had 30 days. Now on this most recent experience it was down to 20 days, and he still didn’t know why this was happening or what he was supposed to do. Seeing it was well after 2am, he got up and came out to the kitchen in Stark Tower then pulled open the fridge, looking for something to eat.
“Again?” said Sam’s voice as he entered the space. “How many nights is that?”
“Ten,” stated Bucky. “What are you doing up?”
“Had a date,” explained the other man. “Told me she wanted to stay friends.”
“Ouch,” said the super soldier, pulling out some leftover Chinese food. “Want some?”
Sam nodded his consent and Bucky divided it up between the two plates, heating up Sam’s first before heating his own. He pulled out a beer for each of them. The two men sat next to each other as they ate the leftovers. After several minutes Sam took a drink of beer and looked over at Bucky.
“What do you think it means?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” replied Bucky. “I mean, it really happened, right? She was hit by the truck and I know she died because she died in my arms. I couldn’t get to her in time. As for the significance of it, it’s beyond me. It’s not even happening at the same time of year or the same city. Why now?”
“Maybe something like it is going to happen again and it’s a precognition thing,” said Sam. “Maybe you’ll save someone’s life for real this time.”
Bucky smirked. “Sure, that’s got to be it.”
He shook his head, still irritated at experiencing that real life nightmare over and over again. When he finished eating Sam was only half done so Bucky put his dishes in the dishwasher and said goodnight to his fellow Avenger. Sam finished a few minutes later and put his dishes away then leaned back.
“Friday, can you start a search for me, my eyes only?” he asked.
“Certainly, Mr. Wilson,” said the female voice. “What would you like to know?”
“Check newspaper databases for London, England during the month of December 1944,” said Sam. “You’re looking for the pedestrian death of a young woman, age unknown, name Sabrina Cooper. She was hit by a truck. There may be an American soldier who witnessed the accident.”
“Is it possible the pedestrian survived the accident?” asked Friday. “That would increase the possibilities of an accurate result.”
“Sure, add that to the mix,” said Sam. “Any results can wait until I wake up tomorrow. Goodnight, Friday.”
“Goodnight, Mr. Wilson. Sweet dreams.”
He slept in the next morning, not waking up until after 10 am. After a quick shower he came out to the kitchen, finding no one there. Making himself a coffee he was just about to sip it when Friday interrupted his actions.
“Mr. Wilson, I have results of the search you assigned me this morning,” said the friendly female voice.
“Already?” exclaimed Sam. “Let me hear them.”
“Sabrina Cooper was struck down by a lorry in the Chelsea area of London, early in the morning of Saturday, December 23, 1944. An unidentified American soldier, a Sergeant in the army, witnessed the accident. She died in his arms.”
“Hmmm,” said Sam, thoughtfully. “There’s nothing else?”
“That is correct,” replied the AI.
Back to square one.
An hour later, the two men, along with Steve Rogers headed out for a run through Central Park. When they stopped for a break, more for Sam’s sake, they all sprawled on their backs in the grass. Bucky sat up first and looked around at the people walking nearby. Something caught his eye and he stood up.
“Buck?” asked Steve, looking in the direction that his friend was looking. “What is it? Trouble?”
“No,” replied Bucky, sitting down again. “Just saw something familiar for a moment. A woman in a blue dress but I don’t see her now.” He looked at Sam. “Don’t say it. She didn’t look anything like her.”
“Ah, the woman from your memories who you’ve been dreaming about,” said Steve. “That’s ten nights now. You never talked about her when you got back from your leave. None of us knew what had happened.”
“I only knew her for a few hours,” said Bucky. “Then she was gone. Wasn’t much to tell.”
“It must have bothered you,” replied Steve.
“It did,” said Bucky. “She lived with her sister who was going to Bath for the weekend with her fellow. Sabrina asked me to come back in the morning and stay the weekend.” He smiled. “I would have spent a lifetime with her.”
“You did,” said Sam. “It was her lifetime.”
Bucky couldn’t disagree with his friend’s apt observation. When they returned to the compound Sam retreated to his room.
“Friday, could you do another search related to the search I requested earlier?” It answered in the affirmative. “Sabrina Cooper had a sister, first name unknown, living at the same address. She planned to go to Bath with a male friend that day. Is she still alive?”
“I will perform the search with the new parameters,” said Friday. “Shall I extend the search to any descendants?”
“Yes, please,” responded Sam.
He showered, changed and headed out to the kitchen area where several people were cooperating on preparing a meal. Sam offered to help but was told everything was in hand. When the meal was ready he took his share, sitting at the large table where others were reading a newspaper, or browsing on their tablets while they ate.
“Mr. Wilson,” said Friday. “I have a result on your search. Would you like me to share them here or in your room?”
“Here is fine,” said Sam.
“The name of the sister was Deidre Cooper. She was engaged to Flight Lieutenant Wallis Overton, a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force. The couple married in 1945 and she immigrated to Canada with her husband at that time. They had three children. Their youngest son, John Overton, born in 1952, married Teresa Fielder. Their oldest daughter, Marianne London was born in 1973, and is currently a resident of New York City.”
“That’s it?” asked Sam, as Bucky looked strangely at him.
“No, Marianne is a widow, and lives in the Chelsea neighbourhood of New York with her daughter, Sabrina London, born December 23, 1994.”
Sam looked at Bucky. “I played a hunch,” he said. “Maybe you’re meant to save someone who was connected to Sabrina Cooper in some way. She was born on the same day 50 years after your Sabrina died. You’re welcome.”
Steve grinned as the others asked who Sabrina Cooper was. Bucky left the explanations for Sam and Steve while he acquired Sabrina London’s address and workplace. He planned to go the next day to begin his surveillance of her but that night they got the call for another mission that took most of them out of town for 2 ½ weeks. While he was away the dream continued with the countdown marching it’s way to the end. With 2 nights left the team returned to the compound and no one was surprised to see Bucky run to his room, shower, change and leave.
“Should we provide backup?” asked Sam. “To be honest, I kind of want to see this through.”
“I agree,” said Steve. He looked around at the others. “Anyone else want in on this mission?”
〰️
Bucky was already in the Chelsea neighbourhood of New York when the rest of the team decided to get in on the action. He found the address soon enough and set himself up to watch until someone came out of the main door of the apartment building. It was the doorman and Bucky realized that he might not have much luck with the residence so he sought out Sabrina London’s workplace, a record store that carried 78s, LPs, and CDs. When he stepped inside he smiled at the sound of Duke Ellington playing.
“Hiya!” said a cheerful voice and he looked to where it came from.
Suddenly, he was back on the dance floor in London as he saw Sabrina’s Cooper’s double behind the cash register, wearing a blue dress and a smile.
“Hi,” he replied. “Nice store.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I grew up listening to a lot of different genres and after I got my degree in musicology I decided to open my own place and bring music to the masses. There’s nothing wrong with digital music but there’s nothing like listening to the older stuff on vinyl, you know?”
“I agree,” smiled Bucky. “You carry any Benny Goodman or Harry James?”
“1940s fan, huh?” she said, then she looked at him again. “Have we met before?”
“Maybe in another life,” joked Bucky. “I’m Bucky, Bucky Barnes.”
“No shit, sorry,” she blushed. “I have a potty mouth sometimes. You really are him so the 1940s thing is for real. You must have seen some of those artists live.”
“I did,” said Bucky, stepping closer to the counter. “Billie Holliday, Benny Goodman, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Lena Horne … I saw them in the clubs. The best way, in my opinion.”
She leaned forward, cradling her chin on her hand as he spoke. “Wow! I’m so jealous,” she replied. “I would have loved to have seen those people perform live.” She stuck her hand out. “Sabrina London. Owner, manager, soon to be ex-owner, ex-manager.”
“Why?” asked Bucky, watching her intently.
“Even though I’m in the middle of New York City I don’t really get enough business to make a profit. I’m barely keeping my head above water. Add in a jerk of a building owner who doesn’t seem to understand that you have to maintain these older buildings so that plumbing leaks don’t damage one’s inventory … sorry, I’m venting.”
“You need someone to invest in you,” said Bucky. “Your business, I mean. Maybe buy the building and restore it to something iconic. I’m pretty sure this was a high end retail store back in the 1940s. There has to be marble columns behind the drywall and hardwood floors beneath this sheet linoleum.”
“I wish,” she smiled. “You don’t think Tony Stark would be interested, do you?”
“If he doesn’t I might know a guy or two,” said Bucky. The sound of the door opening made them both look and he grinned as Sam and Steve walked in. “Hey, may I present Sabrina London, owner of this establishment. Sabrina, Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson.”
Steve looked all around, hearing the music. “We should be coming here to look for our music, Miss London. This place has character.”
“Just not enough business,” she said, “but go ahead and have a look. I can talk music all day.”
“Motown?” asked Sam.
She gestured towards the wall and he went over, beginning to flip through the selection. The door opened again and Tony Stark walked in, looking all around then seeing the young woman.
“Is this her?” he asked.
Sabrina looked at him, puzzled. “What do you mean by Is this her?” she asked, looking between Bucky and Tony. “Have you been watching me?”
“No, nothing creepy,” said Tony, to Bucky’s glare. “You might as well tell her. You got any AC/DC or Metallica in here?”
She gestured to another wall then looked at Bucky for an explanation. His face turned pink then he took a deep breath.
“Are you named after Sabrina Cooper?” he asked. “She was the sister of your great-grandmother Deidre Cooper.”
“How do you know that?” she asked, a crease appearing between her eyes as she frowned slightly. “It’s a family thing.”
“Because I’m a genius and I invented a very sophisticated AI that can search almost anything,” said Tony loudly from the heavy metal section, three LPs already in his arms.
Steve looked sympathetically at Bucky. “You might as well tell her the truth,” he said. “I’m going to look for some albums.”
Bucky ran his hand through his hair. “It’s just that I met Sabrina Cooper on December 22, 1944 at a dance in London. We connected and I walked her home to her flat in Chelsea. She told me her sister was going to Bath for the weekend with her guy and wanted me to spend the next couple of days with her. I was charmed by her and agreed. She ran across the road to kiss me one more time.”
“You were the soldier,” interrupted Sabrina. “She died in your arms.”
Bucky nodded. “For the past 27 days I’ve relived that night over and over, and the only thing that changes is at the end a voice says that I have so many days to prevent it from happening again. It’s been counting down from 30 days. Sam got the idea that maybe I was meant to save someone with a connection to Sabrina, and Tony’s AI came up with your name. You were born exactly 50 years after the date that Sabrina Cooper died, and your great grandmother was her sister. You live in Chelsea here in New York and your last name is London. It seemed to make sense at the time. We can leave if this bothers you.”
“You think something bad is going to happen to me?” she asked. “You came here hoping to prevent that?”
Bucky stuck his hands in his jacket pockets and shrugged. “Sounds crazy, I know.”
“It does sound crazy,” said Sabrina. “But what if I told you that for the past 27 days I’ve had a dream of a young WWII soldier, dancing with me to Bing Crosby’s version of It’s Been a Long, Long Time which is weird because it came out in October, 1945 at the same time as the Harry James version, but this dance that we’re at was just before Christmas, 1944. In this dream I distinctly remember saying to a guy who wanted to cut in that I was dancing with my fiancé. At the end of my dream a woman’s voice says I have so many days to find this soldier. It’s been counting down from 30 and reached the number 3 last night.”
The others had come over as Sabrina related her dream, looking back and forth from her to Bucky. He just looked at her, then leaned across the counter and kissed her for several moments before stepping back.
“Then I would say we found each other again, Sabrina,” he said. “We get to start over again, if you want.”
“It took us long enough, didn’t it?” she smiled. She looked at Tony. “Could you buy this building and fix it to its original glory? I’m a great tenant and you’d be helping a small business owner in the heart of New York City.”
“Sabrina Fair, it would be my delight to help a small business owner with the treasures that you have here,” he said, grinning like a schoolboy.
Six months later
Sabrina London looked up at the door as it opened to the arrival of her fiancé, the Avenger Bucky Barnes. A skiff of snow flew in as he entered. The place was full of people shopping for the perfect Christmas present and he stepped around the lineup of people at the register.
“You’re back!” she said, coming out from behind the marble topped counter as her assistant beamed.
“Wasn’t going to miss this weekend,” said Bucky, looking at his watch before kissing Sabrina. “It’s not everyday that I get married. Everything’s ready according to the wedding planner. All we have to do is say the words and we’ll be husband and wife.” He looked up and nodded to the assistant, Jenny. “You ready to let your boss go for the next two weeks?”
“Absolutely,” she said. “Go, get out of here.”
Sabrina went into the back, got her coat and purse, then pulled her boots on. Bucky helped her into her coat, making sure her scarf was covering her neck, then with a wave he opened the door again and followed his fiancée out the door. A limousine, courtesy of Tony Stark, was waiting for them and Bucky opened the door for her, before sitting inside. Nodding at the driver the couple sat back and Bucky put his arm around her shoulders.
“We have to make one more stop,” he said. “I need to practice something.”
“What?” asked Sabrina. “You said yourself everything is ready.”
“I know, but this is for me,” said Bucky. “Indulge me.”
It didn’t take long before the limousine stopped at the Rink at Rockefeller Center. The giant Christmas tree was lit up and the rink was full of skaters.
“We’re not going skating,” said Sabrina. “I don’t know how.”
“No, we’re not,” said Bucky, “but we do need to get on the ice.”
Making their way through the crowd they stepped onto the ice near the tree, where a large rubber mat had been placed. When they reached the mat the music playing for the crowd stopped and a song came on, sung by Bing Crosby.
Kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It’s been a long, long time
A photographer took several pictures of them as the snowflakes fell and Bucky smiled at Sabrina.
“They wanted a picture and I wanted to practice our first dance,” he said. “How much more romantic is it than being under the falling snow in front of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center? I’m so glad I found you Sabrina Fair.”
She laughed, as much at the situation as at the nickname that Tony gave her.
“I’m so glad you found me, my handsome soldier,” she replied.
The couple danced closely together on the rink in the heart of New York City, continuing the romance that began 80 years before in London during blackout conditions of a world war. It had been a long, long time but they were together now and they thanked whatever forces brought them back together, as they should have been from the start.
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This is one of the sweetest one shots I've read! 😭. Thank you @sjsmith56 for writing it! I've read it a few times it's so sweet. 💜
