"Mrs. Stark… I mean Pepper…. I really… this is too much." Bucky shuffled his feet nervously feeling like he was a small boy in grade school with the nuns again. The morning light streamed through the massive windows of the Avengers Tower in New York City. People below were busy turning the clock back on five years of neglect.
"Bucky don't be ridiculous. You have nowhere to stay and honestly, if Steve is here, you should be too." Pepper's eyes were red rimmed but kind. She had valiantly soldiered on after Tony's death just like he knew she would and certainly could.
"Well, you know our history and it just wouldn't feel right." Bucky continued glancing away from her honest face.
She smiled compassionately. Tony had let her know years ago what the Winter Soldier had done to his parents. Then came the rift between Steve and Tony, and then came Thanos. With a blink over sandpaper eyes from lack of sleep she replied, "James, if Tony made good with Steve, that means he made good with you." She put out her hands and took Bucky's in hers, "And I am saying it's fine. Wakanda was good to you."
Barnes exhaled nervously. "Thanks."
Pepper let his hands go with a chuckle, "And I need you to keep Steve out of trouble."
"I may be 99 years old, but I can still hear." The wizened voice of Steve came from around the corner of the spacious family room of the Avengers Tower in New York City. The now frail man moved carefully like he would fracture, his robot enabled walker glided along, monitoring his every move, ready to catch him. Morgan had decorated the walker with red white and blue paper streamers and put a large white star on the front, like a headlight. Bucky's heart hurt every time he saw Steve. They had discussed his plans with the stones and Barnes encouraged him, even agreed with him, but it still was painful to see.
"Funny, I never recalled you coming to inspection on time before mess hall."
"Different motivation." Steve replied; his eyes still mischievous.
"Well, I'll leave you two to discuss how you want to set up shop here. I need to get Morgan to the nanny." Pepper looked graciously at the two men, who seemed oddly juxtaposed and said over her shoulder as she walked to the elevator, "Friday, whatever these gentlemen want or need, see that it gets done."
"Yes, Boss." came the disembodied brogue of Friday. Steve frowned slightly as Friday called Pepper 'Boss'. It reinforced the obvious; Tony was gone.
The two men looked at the floor, heads dipped in a gesture of respect, then at each other. "So, what do you want to do?" Bucky asked the aged Rogers.
"Let's have some coffee and catch up." Steve replied and shuffled off to the kitchen.
"That sounds perfect."