Written in the Stars: Bucky Barnes

32. Memory Lane

Stella walked into the diner and spotted Sam sitting in a corner booth waving her down. She sat across from him and they both ordered a burger with fries.

"So you and Steve anything there?" Sam asked as their food arrived.

"No, why does everyone think that? We've been friends since we were kids."

"Yeah, I saw something about that in the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian."

"I'm sorry did you just say Captain America exhibit?"

"Yeah, it's fairly new you should go, thinking about it didn't you two have another friend?"

"Yeah, Bucky," Stella replied with a stiff nod "he's the reason I chose Nightingale, it was a nickname he gave me."

"They didn't have much about you in there, what's your story?"

"You sure you have the time for that long of a story?"

"Yeah, I got all day and I like getting to know my new friends."

"Is that what we are now Samuel?"

"I've been known to do some charity work Purple Storm, help the elderly here and there," Sam said with a laugh causing Stella to scoff and throw a fry at him.

She went through her entire story from the moment she had met the boys to the moment she got her powers and on as they ate their meal. By the time they were done talking and getting to know one another several hours had passed. She liked Sam a lot he was easy to talk to and kind.

She made her way back to her apartment checking her phone to see a message from Steve letting her know he'd be back the next afternoon. She ran a bath and lit some candles deciding to just unwind and relax. After the water had turned cold she got out and looked up hours for the Smithsonian deciding it may not hurt to take Steve.

***

Stella picked Steve up at the Triskelion seeing he was in a bit of a mood.

"Do we have to go?" Steve whined.

"Yes, now quit pouting you'll get wrinkles."

Steve put on a hat hoping he might be able to go unnoticed. Stella rolled her eyes at him pulling her hoodie over her hair. A huge banner with Steve's figure on it hung at the entrance causing Stella to raise an eyebrow at him.

"So, you didn't tell me how the mission went," Stella said as they walked through the exhibit together.

"It went fine, I know you trust Fury Stells, but he always seems to have an ulterior plan. I don't like it."

"Is it the plan or your need to control everything?"

Steve scoffed knowing she was partially right, "Rumlow missed you, kept asking when you were going on a date with him."

Stella stopped in her tracks in front of an image of pre-serum Steve. "I miss scrawny you."

"I hate you."

"Love you too Stevie." The pair continued through only one person noticing Steve, a little boy who seemed happy with keeping the secret. They rounded to a large room where the main part of the exhibit lays.

"Battle-tested, Captain America and his Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes. Their mission, taking down HYDRA, the Nazi rogue science division," a narrator's voice spoke as they walked up to mannequins with the commandos uniforms on them. A large mural was painted of them standing over their respective clothing. Stella's hurt squeezed inside her chest and she swallowed down the tears threatening to spill. The pair walked to a display of Bucky as the narration continued, "Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country. Another friend joined the pair on their adventures, Stella Turner who they had met as teenagers, she and Barnes had a long relationship. After Rogers's disappearance into the ice Stella went on to work with Howard Stark before disappearing herself a few years later. That was until she was announced as the adopted sister of Tony Stark, and joined the Avengers in their fight against Loki in New York. She is now regarded as the Nightingale."

Stella was shocked that she had been included and a few images of her along with a video of the three friends while they were in London together. Stella's hand subconsciously reached for the dog tags she kept around her neck. Steve looked over to his friend grabbing her hand and leading her away towards a small theatre room.

Peggy Carter gushing about Steve, "Hey it's Maggie." Stella said trying to lighten the mood.

Steve laughed lightly and looked at the video, "You know her name is Peggy never got over not liking her huh?"

"I punched her, in the face, the day you went into the ice. I think the friendship sailed and sunk on that one."

Steve looked at her shocked "I was going to end things between us I think I realized when she kissed me that it would never feel quite right between us. But I'm glad she was able to have a happy life"

"I know you still care for her in your own way, I know the nursing home she's at, we could go visit her."

"You kept tabs on her?"

"I thought you were going to end up marrying her Stevie of course I did. I may not like her but she seemed important to you. She has dementia it sucks I visited her once it didn't go over well. Sometimes I send her flowers."

"I'd like that."

They left the walk down memory lane and Stella drove them to the nursing home.

"You go ahead, I'll stay here you need to do this alone."

"Thanks, Stells," Steve said reaching over and giving her a small hug.

***

An hour later Steve walked back out of the building getting into the car with a solemn expression.

"You okay Stevie?"

"Yeah, it was the closure I needed. Hey, remember that guy from the run?"

"Yeah Sam, we had lunch after I like him he seems like a good friend."

"What do you say we go visit him, help him impress that girl at the front counter."

"I'd say yes to that poor Samuel could use all the help he can get."

AN: Lena's story is up go check it out it's called Poison, I'm not sure how often I'll update but I'm very excited about it. The writing style is different than WITS I hope you guys love it.