Okay, guys! Here you are, the second chapter! Really hope you like it! There is more to come. And I don't know if I can keep my promise about just writing 3 chaps. Who knows?

Enjoy! Thank you!

Steve wakes up. He is in the hospital. Sam is by his side, a song playing on the other. That's all he knows, and that's all he can comprehend. When he finally comes around, the war is over, and there is only one thing left for him to do. Find Bucky. He is certain that it was Bucky. Bucky saved him. It means that he remembers. Maybe not everything, but he remembers something about them. So he has to find him.

Bucky does not return to the lab. Whether his boss wins or loses, it's not his business any more. He does not stay with Steve either. Steve will be taken care of by his people now. And he was just about to kill him. He cannot stay. He doesn't deserve after what he has done. And without doubt he will be kept in another lab again. So he has to do this on his own. Then maybe after he finds his past, maybe he will come back. Back to Steve, forever.

Sam goes back to where Bucky's home used to be in case he visits, and Steve waits at the museum, thinking that the museum might serve as a shortcut for Bucky to find out his history. Before this, they went to the lab where Bucky was kept. Looking through all the files, Steve was torn apart knowing what Bucky had been through. He swore he would find Bucky. However, his promise has to take a halt because after three days waiting at the museum Natasha calls him back. There is another enemy to defeat, another war to win.

For a week or so Bucky is just wandering. He doesn't remember a lot about how he went through the week except for endless nightmares, non-stopping headaches, and pieces of broken memories. Eventually he hears about this museum that displays the era of Captain America. In the museum, surrounded by normal people, disguised in a dirty hoodie, Bucky sees himself, a self that is still a whole, beside Steve. He sees his face printed on a big glass with his life summarized in several sentences written and broadcasted. He stands in front of the black-and-white film, watching him and Steve laugh like fools for three hours. After the phase of initial shock, disbelief, and revelation, before the security found his abnormality and call the police, he flees out of the museum. There are memories that he still cannot recover. But he remembers almost everything about him and Steve. Looking down at his metal hand, Bucky realizes what a monster he has become, and he cannot go back to Steve. Never.

Apparently their enemy knows that they are at their weakest point. Hundreds of war robots are hard enough to handle, let along robots that think like human and want to rule the country. This time, Steve really wonders if they will walk it out alive. They have no backup, no enough supply to maintain, and no strength strong enough to defend. What's worse, there are stupid TV news press to protect in the battle field. Who watches TV at this time? Steve wonders as he shelters the camera guy under his shield.

Bucky sees Steve on TV. He is trying to drink himself to death at a bar in a godforsaken town when he glances at the TV and sees Steve fighting and getting shot by a bomb on the screen. He doesn't know what happened. He doesn't care. He doesn't care about anything but Steve. And what happens next is that Bucky robbed someone of his SUV, and is on his way to DC, to Steve.

Steve is exhausted, but he has to stand by. Although they have fought back the robots army for now, they can come back at any time. This time maybe more are coming. But there is also good news, backup is coming too. Soldiers with advanced equipment are coming. Maybe they can help and make this war a little bit easier. But Steve is wrong. By the time their so called backup comes, the robots are ready for a second attack. And the promised advanced equipment turns out to be vulnerable. This is a mess. They not only have to fight against artificial intelligent robots, but also have to protect soldiers from jumping straight into death's arms.

There is another soldier to save. Steve sees him surrounded by three robots. Steve has to save him. But he is not strong or fast enough for himself. This might be suicidal, but Steve doesn't hesitate. He sheltered the soldier beneath himself. One robot is already beheaded by his shield, another about to meet its end. But there is a third one. It finds Steve's blind area, and is prepared to attack. Steve sees it, but it is too late. He closes his eyes.

The blow doesn't come as Steve expected. But there is indeed a collision of metal to metal. He turns around and is shocked at seeing what is in front of him. It is Bucky. He uses his metal arm taking what was supposed to be stricken on Steve's back. In a blink of an eye, the robot is dismembered by Bucky. Bucky remains his stance. All Steve can see is Bucky's swaying back, half of his dirty hoodie soaking wet. It is the color of scarlet. It is blood. Before Steve thinks he is going to have a panic attack, Bucky falls into his arms.

There are more robots coming to them. But Steve doesn't care. He holds Bucky tight in his arms, eyes dimmed with tears. And suddenly, the war is ended.

The war is ended, indeed. It might be so predictable to say that it has something to do with the alien blue magic cube. But actually it has everything to do with that. Finding this out directly ended the war at the last second. It is cliché, of course. But they win, then there is nothing to complain about. And there is something even better. The government is too busy pulling itself back in one piece to care about the heroes that helped them win the war. Sure, some medals are bestowed, some ceremonies are held. But medals will soon end up in the corners of drawers, ceremonies forgotten in people's mind. Heroes should have got more. However, thinking on the other side, Steve is grateful for being forgotten. Because at least he can keep Bucky safe by himself, with the help of Stark's really advanced instruments.

Thanks again for reading!