The Clone

17.

Bucky sits with Steve having breakfast, he hadn't slept very well, he'd had to sleep alone as Sara and Tony were up all night watching horror flicks, which means that Bucky hasn't really slept, three weeks of them sleeping side by side and then one night, he can't even go one night without her. He sighs and Steve looks to him.

"You thought about what we talked about last night?" Steve asks, Bucky looks to him and stares. "About how you're going to ask Sara out. Have you even decided what you are going to do?" Bucky cocks his head.

"I was thinking.....picnic in Central Park" Bucky answers. "Something simple but...I could put in her favourite foods...." Steve smiles and nods.

"Sounds great actually...."

"Yeah, except all I got is cotton candy and apple cinnamon pie" Bucky counters. Steve chuckles.

"Well then it's simple" Steve starts. "Finger sandwiches...with all different fillings" he offers. "But if she is anything like me..." Steve teases, Bucky shoots him a look. "Then you can't go wrong with a Reuben. Oh and strawberries....chocolate covered strawberries and champagne"

"Champagne" Bucky mumbles.

"And music" Steve offers. "A phone or a radio...." Steve pats Bucky's shoulder. "And dance with her"

"I do remember how to do this.." Bucky counters. "Kind of. Wait...it's wrong now to sleep with the girl on the first date, right?" Steve punches Bucky's human shoulder as Bucky laughs. This is what Steve's missed. His best friend laughing, the two of them talking like this.

"Remember...she's still getting over her ex" Steve points out. "So don't..."

"I know, Steve" Bucky interrupts him. "I know I have to go slow....we both do, because I still have slithers of the Winter Soldier lurking in me and she's still hurting. I just know that I feel more like the old me around her then I do....around anyone else" he admits. "Even you. I need you to help me with this, you need to make sure I don't screw this up" Steve nods.

"I promise" Steve offers. "Whatever you need" Bucky nods in thanks and taps his fingers on the table.

"I need to make some sandwiches" he mumbles and then stands.

"I can't wait to watch this" Steve mumbles.

"Watch?" Bucky asks. "No, you're helping.....whatever I need, remember?" Steve sighs and stands.

"I'm going to regret promising that" Steve complains.

..................

Bucky leans in the doorway to the gym where Sara is training with Clint and Natasha. Two on one. He's seen Sara train before, but watching her in an actual combat situation is different, she moves more fluidly, gracefully. Though she was designed to be another Captain America she was trained to move more like an assassin, the way she spins and ducks and dances around her opponents, her fighting style tuned to her size and height, she's smaller then Steve, she has to adjust her fighting because of it. Howard knew what he was doing when he had her trained. Sara turns and sweeps Natasha's legs out from under her, Natasha hits the matt with a thud, and Sara turns and manages to floor Clint within two moves. It's beautiful. She stands over the two of them who groans and push themselves up off the mat, Clint spots Bucky and then looks to Sara.

"Same time next week" Clint tells Sara.

"Later, Canary" Natasha throws over her shoulder as she leaves with Clint, Bucky raises an eyebrow.

"Canary?" he asks, Sara turns to him.

"Tony calls them super-names" she answers. "Iron Man, Captain America....Black Widow...." she motions to him. "Winter Soldier...." she motions to herself. "White Canary" she unwraps the tape on her hands and cocks her head as he shuffles slightly. "Bucky? Everything okay?" she asks.