He could hear them say his name gently, but he didn't listen. This kid couldn't actually be gone. He didn't know who he was, but he was just a kid for crying out loud! God, he looked so much like Steve when they were younger.

"Bucky," someone said, using his nickname instead of his title. He let himself glance to the side and he found Steve looking at him, with those sad blue eyes Bucky hated.

Bucky shook his head violently. "No," he finally said since he started doing compressions on the kid's chest. "He can't be."

"Buck. He's gone."

Bucky stopped. His hands was just barely on the boy's chest. He stared at his face, silently praying for those closed eyes to snap open. There were lots of documented cases of such miracles happening.

There was a large pair of arms that enveloped him from behind and pulled him back. He blocked out Nurse Darcy, the one nurse who could match his wit and humor, as she announced the time of death. She had no laughters this time as she draped the white cloth over the boy.

Bucky felt like vomiting.

He was a doctor, and he was in the army. By now, you'd think he was used to the sight of death.

He wasn't.

Holy shit! This was only a child!

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. A child. Christ.

"I get it, Buck," Steve said as he slowly unhinged his arms.

Bucky's upper lip twitched.

He didn't get it.

He discarded the bloody surgical gloves and stalked off to the break room. He needed more damn coffee if he was ever going to finish his shift.

Since Tony was declared missing, he didn't stop working. He was only supposed to be in the night shift, but he started working in the day shift as well, under the nose of Miss Hill; a task that was easier said than done, but he was able to pull it off anyway.

If Bucky ever felt tired or sleepy, he'd up his caffeine intake or end up crashing in the locker room. Steve tried getting him out of this self-destruction until Bucky made it clear he didn't want to go home.

Steve just couldn't understand how painful it was to go home with no one in it.

He was a wreck.

Upon entering the break room, he halted his tracks. He was stunned, to say the least.

"Pepper?" He said, slightly dazed. It wasn't even five minutes a boy died in his hands, now Pepper was in his workplace?

"God, you look awful," she commented, wrinkling her nose.

It's been so long since he had even seen Tony's assistant. She's been working closely with Tony for so long she was practically considered a sister to him.

He intentionally avoided Pepper. Pepper was a direct associate of Tony, and he was avoiding everything that reminded him of Tony.

"Change your clothes. You… look like you've had a rough day," she said.

He glanced down at his scrubs, splattered with the blood of multiple patients, mostly from the boy.

Jesus, he didn't even catch his name.

"My shift isn't over," he said.

"As a matter of fact, it is. Five hours ago."

"Why are you here?" He asked tiredly.

"Direct orders from the boss."

"You know I don't give a shit about Stane."

"Not Stane, James."

Bucky stared at Pepper, eyes widening as he slowly registered her words.

"Boss…? You mean—"

"Rhodey found him. He's coming home."

"Stop fussing!" Pepper scolded him as he checked his reflection at the car window again. "You look fine."

"You wouldn't be saying that if you haven't seen your husband in months," he muttered under his breath as he ran his hand through his hair and returned to Pepper's side.

"What did you tell Steve, by the way?" Pepper asked.

Bucky smiled a little. "That I'm getting laid tonight."

Pepper groaned before gasping and lightly swatting his arm. "He is in no condition—"

"Relax, Potts. I was kidding." He couldn't stop grinning. He was finally going to see Tony again. After months…

The cargo door finally descended, and Bucky was seriously considering jumping onto it when it was low enough because he was barely able to contain himself.

Then he saw him.

He was thinner.

That was the first thing he noticed.

Then he saw the limping.

Then he saw the arm sling.

Then the cuts and bruises in his face.

But he was alive.

Tony Stark was alive.

That was it for his control. Sorry, Pepper. He couldn't help himself. He launched forward and had his arms wide open for his husband.

He was a doctor. He knew what he was doing. He made sure he wouldn't hurt Tony.

He was careful as he was finally able to wrap his arms around Tony. Rhodey let go of Tony's hand.

"I love you," Bucky said before he realized. He couldn't help himself. He let his lips kiss whatever he could reach—Tony's hair, Tony's temple, Tony's cheek, Tony's nose, Tony's jaw… "I love you, I love you, I love you…" he kept saying again and again, stuck on repeat.

"This was exactly the kind of reunion I was hoping for," Tony said, his eyes closed and the corner of his mouth twitching. Tony opened his eyes and looked at Bucky. "You grew your hair." Tony's grin was wider. "I like it."

"Where to, Sir?" Happy asked as he started the engine.

"The hospital—" Pepper began before she was effectively cut off by Tony.

"No," he said stubbornly.

"What?" Bucky asked in disbelief. Right. Tony's stubbornness could be cute at times, but this was just a nuisance.

"Tony, you have to go to the hospital," Pepper said at the same time Tony said, "I don't have to do anything."

"Tony—" Bucky began but Tony interrupted him.

"Honey, don't even start. You're a doctor, you can just check me out later. But point at hand, I've been in captivity for three months and there are only two things I want. I want an American Cheeseburger and the other—"

"No."

"It's not what you think. I want to go home."

Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave a review.