Written in the Stars: Bucky Barnes

24. Stevie

"He's alive?" Stella asked quickly skimming through the file seeing the report where they had found him.

"Perfectly fine although maybe a little cold. We found him only fifty miles out from where you were looking last."

"I was so close," Stella ran her hand through her hair trying to process everything a thousand emotions flowing through her at once. Excitement, that he was back apprehension, that he may not want to see her, but mostly hope. "When can I see him?"

"We need to take this slow it's been almost seventy years. I can allow you to be on the sidelines when he wakes up, but that's it."

"What's the plan then?" Nick ran through the carefully planned facade he had created for Steve to wake up to and Stella had tried to warn him against it. Contrary to popular belief Steve was not nearly as naive as people thought he was, but Nick was dead set on his plan thinking it would work.

Stella watched the whole thing go down from monitors and was unsurprised Steve caught on to the mistake with the baseball game and newspaper not matching up. She was the one who had bought him tickets for that game after doing odd jobs all summer. She looked over to Nick and raised an eyebrow at him.

"I know, I know, get in the damn car we'll cut him off at Times Square."

"I tried telling you," Stella said getting in the front seat next to Nick.

"You know, for not having any blood relation to the Starks you somehow managed to inherit the know-it-all attitude."

"Thank you."

They arrived at Times Square with several other black SUVs and everyone except for Stella got out of their cars Nick having told her to hold back for a moment. Her heart was pounding against her rib cage and she waited for Nick to give her the okay to step out. He saw him talking to Steve she saw the subtle motion he gave her and took a deep breath before opening her door.

"I have someone here who you might want to see, she never gave up looking for you," Nick said gesturing to Stella and Steve made eye contact with her his mouth agape.

"Stella?"

"Hey Stevie, I tried telling them you were too stubborn to die like that," Stella said a wide smile spreading across her face and she moved to hug her best friend when Nick stopped her.

"Agent let's get back to headquarters." Stella nodded but made sure her annoyance was noted by Nick. They rode back and she was told to go back to her room and wait until she was given further clearance.

Once she got back she was moved to a different apartment that was joined with another and told Steve would be there soon. Her anxious energy had her quickly making a trip to the store and stocking up on food and making her new apartment a little more homely. She heard movement from the other side of the door telling her Steve had arrived at his new home. She knocked on the joining door and Steve flung it open within seconds. He scooped her up in a quick hug and tears immediately poured from her eyes as she clung onto him. He pulled her back checking her over not like he couldn't believe she was there.

"How are you still alive after all these years?"

"That's a long story but first, dinner you've been gone for a few years and a lot has changed." She motioned to her apartment and he stepped in. "My favorite part about this time is how much easier it is to get food." Stella had spared no expense getting the two a large spread of the food this age had to deliver. She had ordered pizza, chinese, tacos, and burgers. Stella laughed while Steve ate trying some of everything and stuffing his face. "I guess you were hungry?"

Steve threw a napkin at her face causing her to laugh more "I was stuck in ice for nearly seventy years cut me a break, besides it's so nice to not have to eat boiled everything."