![The Winter Soldier and the Queen of the Moon [SailorBucky]](https://fanfictionbook.net/img/nofanfic.jpg)
Chapter 1
Bucky and Maeve in their house were in a bad mood, because it was the last they would spend together in their house and Maeve had no idea when they would have the opportunity to go back to their everyday life. As much as she had agreed to stay on Earth to defend it like so many times since she was reborn on the planet, she was now secretly regretting her choice of hers. When Maeve found out that her Bucky was going to England with the 107th regiment, while she was staying in America, the woman wanted to scream; but she just held onto Bucky crying.
She would have liked to assert her rights as Crown Princess of the Moon Kingdom and be able to follow her husband, but... it wasn't fair, compared to the other women waiting at home, but above all for Bucky. The man had worked so hard for those ranks, he was a sergeant and had chosen to serve his country. Maeve promised herself and him that she would do anything to reach him too just to give him all the support, but in the meantime they would write letters from one camp to another.
Maeve would have liked to assert her rights as Princess of the throne of the Moon Kingdom and to be able to follow her husband, but... it wasn't right, when compared to the other women waiting at home, but above all it wouldn't have been right for Bucky. The man had worked hard to get his ranks, he was a sergeant and had chosen to serve the United States government, to defend his country. Maeve promised herself and him that she would do anything to reach him too just to give him all the support, but in the meantime they would write letters from one camp to another.
They had slept very little that night, they had made love, they held each other for a long time and when the alarm went off, Maeve knew she had slept much less than the nine hours she needed to feel at least rested.
Maeve missed the Moon Kingdom castle terribly, its inhabitants, its rhythms and all; she knew it would take very little to get home; but she had promised herself that she would not go back to the moon until the second world war was over.
After we had breakfast with Bucky, she Maeve washed the dishes, dried them and headed to the room.
There she found her husband who had already put on his uniform and sergeant ranks, so she followed suit by wearing his civilian clothes, she was not supposed to be on duty that day.
«I was told you're going out with two girls tonight.» she said looking in the mirror.
«Yes, dear. I'm dating Bonnie who is taking her friend Connie to the World's Exposition of Tomorrow, or as I call it the "Howard Exposition", so we introduce her to Steve, who deserves some bliss. He's obsessed with this story about joining the military, but maybe by introducing him to a pretty girl, he'll pass the cue. I've lost count of how many times he's tried to join the military.» Bucky said with a smile, walking up to Maeve.
Maeve noticed in the mirror that the tie wasn't tied tightly and she knew her husband loved it when she did it for him; so she adjusted both that and the collar of the shirt, then the jacket.
«I've lost count of how many times I've done it, but he's one of those who don't take 'no' for an answer. He'll try to get into it any way he can, even if he gets beaten up. I'm only sorry about one thing: I'm going out with Bonnie tonight and I shouldn't be jealous of Howard, but it makes me nervous to see you up there with him. You know how I feel. Howard has a string of female dancers on stage, he doesn't need you up there...»
Maeve looked into her eyes and smiled at him, giving him a light kiss on his lips, then putting her arms around his neck, squeezing against him, as Bucky returned her hug.
«Listen to me, Howie isn't interested in me that way, and he knows damn well I'm married to you. Either way, I promise you I'm not going to turn, especially since I've been asking the girls to enjoy the night. I don't think Hydra decides to attack just tonight in front of all those people anyway. The boys?» she said referring first to the sailor warriors who had the task of protecting her, then to the Shitenno, the warriors who had the task of protecting him.
«We will all leave tomorrow, but Kunzite will be with me and maybe Jadeite. I wonder why you didn't think about having the girls with you, Serenity, since you are the Princess and the sailor senshi are your armed escort, as Shitenno is mine. There's going to be a lot of chaos tonight because of the Exposition.» Bucky said.
Kunzite was the leader of the Shitenno, the Four Heavenly Kings, Bucky using that name meant his personal escort that he had even when he was the prince of the Earth Kingdom which was destroyed. Since Bucky was Endymion he had a more confidential bond with Kunzite than the other three, a bond that was tied in the same way even when they were reborn on Earth and had not recovered their memories.
«Endymion… They need a night off. Since I've been heir to the throne they don't leave me for a minute and I thought I'd leave them alone one evening. I don't think anyone is trying to ruin this evening, it helps everyone not to think for a few hours. If it's any consolation, Minako will be at the Exposition in civilian clothes and if anything happens she can warn the others and Jadeite. I have the impression, however, that since Jaedite and Minako have been married, they are inseparable, like bread and butter.» Maeve said looking at him.
The Four Heavenly Kings, Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoicite and Kunzite had a romantic relationship with the Sailor warriors, as happened in ancient times: Nephrite and Jupiter, Zoicite and Mercury, Jadeite and Mars, Kunzite and Venus. Maeve thought it was bizarre that the four warriors who were supposed to protect Bucky had the same names they had in their old life, while the sailor warriors had other first names: Ami was Sailor Mercury, Rei was Sailor Mars, Makoto was Sailor Jupiter, while Minako it was Sailor Venus.
«Inseparable just like us. Either way, you're right, maybe I'm just anxious that something might happen to you while I'm gone.» Bucky said.
«You always come when I need you.» Maeve answered giving him one last kiss and moving away from him.
Maeve didn't know that Bucky had a bad nightmare that night and that evening she put him terribly anxious, she would never be able to reassure him, as much as she wanted to try.
«And vice versa, you always come when I need you. If I can tonight I'll go home at least for a while. I love you.» he said returning the kiss.
«I love you.»
Maeve watched the man leave and she touched her moon brooch, which was used to hold and protect the silver crystal. She had always worn it pinned to her chest, she knew she would miss it when Maeve would become Queen: she would no longer need her because she, in her intentions, would no longer come down to Earth. She should have reigned over the moon and she would have lost her role as a warrior, honestly she would have missed her. She reflected that until she was a teenager, she didn't mind the last transformation brooch, it was pink and quite flashy, but now that she was an adult, with the help of technology from Wakanda, they had made it small enough to be small and elegant. In any case, although she could keep the brooch anywhere she wanted now, it made her feel safe to always find it where it had been: on her chest.
That day she didn't have to go to work, he had kindly been given a day off, when he received a call on her communicator, a watch that Luna had modified, giving one to her, to the other warriors and one to Bucky too.
«Steve's in trouble and he's near the movie theater. Get to him now.» said Luna.
Maeve thought Luna was back at the control room, so she could see where everyone was. They knew that Steve was Bucky's best friend and kept tabs on him from time to time as well.
«Yes, Luna, I'll go right away.» Maeve said.
She hid in an alley, near the cinema and decided to transform herself into Eternal Sailor Moon: in those guises she had powers almost comparable to those of the Queen and she didn't necessarily have to impersonate the Princess to attack.
«Silver moon crystal power, make up!» said Maeve, transforming into Eternal Sailor Moon.
Maeve decided to arrive on a roof near the cinema: she knew that place very well and Maeve could reach it with his eyes closed, so she used the Sailor Teleport: it would have done it faster and it would have been more effective.
«I can do this all day.» said Steve, while a man knocks Steve back into a pile of garbage.
«Ehi, you!» Maeve said, getting off the roof, but at that moment Bucky intervened, taking the stranger by the shoulder and making him turn around.
«Pick on someone your own size.» Bucky said, slugs the man, spins him around, and plant an army boot in the butt. The stranger rubbed his cheekbone which Bucky hit, then running away.
«I didn't even get to do anything that you came along. It's not fair, Bucky. At least let me tell you how sexy you look in uniform.» Maeve said as she joined him.
«Sorry my love, but I don't think the guy wanted to hear your motivational speeches. Ah, you are sexy. Did he send you Luna?» Bucky asked after her giving her a kiss on her lips as they walked over to Steve.
«Yes, but if I knew you were there I wouldn't have dared come to the rescue, since you don't like my motivational speeches.» she admitted Maeve with a smile as she slipped back into the typical American girl she wore before turning into Sailor Moon.
«I actually like them, but they tend to be a bit long-winded for a fight. Steve, sometimes I think you like getting punched.» Bucky admitted with a smile.
«I had him on the ropes. Hi Mae, always good to see you. Shouldn't you be at work?”
«No, today I had a day off, but I thought you needed help, but I was wrong; Bucky had already come to your aid.» Maeve answered with a smile as Bucky picked up a piece of paper from the ground and Maeve realized it was a draft application. She recognized it as Bucky had compiled one himself years before.
«How many times is this? And you’re from Paramus now? It’s still illegal to lie on an enlistment form.» Bucky said disapprovingly, showing it to Maeve who took it in her hands. She looked at it with a sigh and handed it back to Steve.
«Steve… if the bosses notice, you're going to have a rough time. Show me your nose.» Maeve said, taking the handkerchief and dabbing at the blood coming from his nose. She had tried to wipe it with her jacket sleeve, but it hadn't been a brilliant idea.
«And seriously, Jersey?» asked Bucky ironic.
«Looks like you got your orders.» Steve asked, only now noticing Bucky's uniform.
«107th ships to England first thing tomorrow and leave my wife at home. Well, home... This is my last night.» Bucky said looking up
«I should be there too. Since when are you married? Why didn't I know anything about it? I'm your best friend!" Steve asked confused.
«This is a story for another time. Come on, it's my last night, I need to clean you up before we go to the future. Honey, see you later?" Bucky said.
«Sure, see you later. I love you. Hi Steve.» the boy said.
«I love you too.» Bucky said.
«Bye, Maeve.” Steve said following Bucky mumbling.
A couple of hours later, a very elegant Maeve - she thanked that she had brought along her moon pen which had given her a last minute change of look - started talking about some new technology, trying to buy time while Howard tried to arrange behind the scenes a panel that would have allowed him to levitate the car that was on stage. Maeve saw Bucky and smiled at him, waving and winking, the guys below the stage booed, thinking it was a nod aimed at them. The blonde smiled when she noticed that Bucky nodded back.
Actually Maeve had told Howard before going on stage that it wasn't a good idea to introduce her since there was a structural problem, but like any man who loves motors, Howard didn't listen to her.
«You don't understand much about cars, Maeve, although you're certainly super advanced on the Moon, with technology» Howard said, defensively and the girl knew she shouldn't insist to postpone.
«What if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile wouldn’t touch the ground at all? Thanks Mandy. With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology, that's all you need to do» Howard hits a button and the cadillac rises, leaving its tire on the ground, bulky devices where the wheels should be. The car remained raised for a few moments before falling back to the ground. Maeve looked amused at Howard and heard a giggle or two from the audience, to her applause and she knew that one of those who laughed was her husband. Maeve and Howard continued to talk, introducing other products and secretly Maeve envied him, she really wished she could be so much more outgoing, but this was Howard's world and not hers. It could be seen that she was in her environment, Maeve felt safe speaking in front of an audience only on the Moon: she knew what the subjects expected of her, how to speak, but she could not do it in front of humans, with whom she had grown up after the rebirth .
After introducing her, with the aid of the moon pen, she changed back into her everyday clothes and Howard approached her.
«Thank you so much for helping me, I know I asked a lot of you. Do you want to come with me somewhere and have a drink?» Howard asked, and Maeve shook her head.
«I'd rather go home, forgive me but I'm exhausted. I'm not used to all this audience, but thank you. It was a nice evening.» she admitted with a smile.
«Come on, I'll take you home, I wouldn't feel safe if you come home alone, despite... well, everything. There's no Bucky and I don't want anything to happen to you.» Howard said, leaving the matter unfinished.
Maeve had been forced to tell all about her second life to Howard: the man had seen her transform years earlier into Sailor Moon to save both their lives, she had told him about the silver crystal and she admitted to him that she was a princess; so despite the fact that he knew about her true identity, Maeve appreciated that he truly cared about her.
«Okay, thank you very much.» she said.
«There's no need to thank me» was the man's reply.
Howard put a hand on her back, leading her to the parking lot where she kept her car. Maeve got into Howard's car and drove slowly towards the small Barnes house.
They talked of this and that and when they arrived Maeve smiled at him.
«See you the day after tomorrow at work, don't get in trouble with General Philips (*), please." Maeve said with a smile.
«Okay, I'll be good. Say hello to Bucky.» Howard said with a smile, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
«It will be done.» she smiled back.
Crossed the threshold of the house, she found everything wrapped in darkness and she Maeve sensed that she had arrived before her husband and she called him with the watch that also served as a communicator.
«I'm back home, I'm going to change into my pajamas and I go to sleep, Buck.»
«I'm on my way home, I'll be there shortly. Tomorrow will begin a long period without you at the front and I want to be in your company as much as possible.» said the man's voice on the other end.
Maeve mentally thanked Luna who had created - improved thanks to the help of some scientists from Wakanda - advanced watches that also served as communicators, but they had recently made an improvement: in addition to having a common channel for all sailor warriors, they managed to match Maeve and Bucky's watches so they could talk to each other privately.
When the man returned about ten minutes later, Bucky found Maeve in bed reading a book. The two talked about their evening, made love and Maeve fell asleep close to Bucky, not knowing that the man stayed awake for a long time staring at the ceiling.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I decided to use this transformation as I consider Maeve, now an expert sailor senshi and the last known transformation is that of Eternal Sailor Moon.
(*) General Philips in the film is a colonel, but I decided to keep the role of him from the comics.