Once again, HUGE THANKS to everyone reviewed my last chapter! You are all awesome and lovely and I appreciate it so much!

This chapter is weird. It doesn't have too much fluff or anything because it's kind of a set up for the next chapter, which is going to probably have too much fluff. Hahaha so there will be a payoff. But it is the next chapter in the original storyline, so we're back on track.

Hopefully you enjoy it despite it being a bit short and lacking in fluff and stuff. :)

x

As Steve predicted, Bucky's flu does get worse before it gets better. He spends the entire next day sprawled on the couch in front of the television - not really watching it and sweating profusely - restless and miserable, staunchly refusing to take another shower.

"I'm dizzy, Steve," he argues weakly, not even bothering to knock away Steve's hand when he feels Bucky's forehead for the tenth time in the past hour. "I can hardly even stand up, how am I gonna take a shower?"

"I know, Buck, but you'd feel a lot better," Steve says earnestly, hovering by the couch. "If you needed help I could – I mean, I wouldn't look, I'd just be there in case -"

Bucky gives him a long, flat stare that clearly says Not on your life and Steve drops it.

x

That night, he helps Bucky back to his bedroom, where his friend collapses like a rag doll and only grunts in reply when Steve tells him to shout if he needs anything.

Steve heads back out to the living room and sits down in front of Tony's laptop, doing a quick search to see if there's any news possibly related to Hydra – something he does almost every day - and then he visits YouTube. He types in Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters and watches silently as the page loads. It still really amazes him how all the music he remembers from the '40s – and every other decade too that he hasn't heard before - is here, all in one place, to listen to any time he wants.

I spend way too much time here.

But he can't help it. When he's listening to those familiar tunes, if he closes his eyes, he can almost imagine that he's back there. That none of this ever happened. And that's something he can never spend enough time doing, in his opinion.

The bedroom door opens very slowly, and Steve looks up in surprise. Bucky is standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame, the very picture of misery.

"I can't sleep," he says after a moment, and Steve swears his friend is ten years old again.

"Why not?" Steve asks, smiling sympathetically. He wasn't expecting Bucky up for another few hours at least.

"I'm too tired," Bucky replies, almost whining, and Steve would ask him what that even means, if he didn't actually understand exactly what Bucky means by that. He glances back down at the computer, and then back up at Bucky, who is watching him with dark, tired puppy eyes, strands of damp hair hanging limply around his face. He's clearly waiting for Steve to do or say something that's going to make him feel better, and that makes Steve feel needed, which is nice.

Getting an idea suddenly, Steve gets up and crosses over to him, takes his arm. "C'mere." He leads Bucky over to the couch, sits him down, then brings over the laptop and puts it on the coffee table in front of them.

Bucky shivers, rubbing his arms and frowning, but he's looking at the computer with mild interest.

Steve clicks on "Victory Polka" and then leans back as the familiar horns begin.

There's gonna be a Hallelujah day, when the boys have all come home to stay...

Steve smiles and glances at Bucky, who looks back at him, fever-bright eyes questioning.

"Just listen." Steve leans back and closes his eyes. This is familiar. This is me.

...and when we've lit the torch of liberty, in each blacked-out land across the sea, when a man can proudly say "I'm free"...

A few lines later, Steve senses a sudden a stillness next to him, something that definitely wasn't there before, and he opens his eyes immediately.

Bucky is leaning slightly forward, his eyes glued to the computer screen, and there's the oddest expression on his flushed face.

"Buck?" Steve says softly.

Bucky doesn't even look at him. "I know – I know this song."

And we will give a mighty cheer, when a ration book is just a souvenir...

"You do?" Steve is grinning way too big. Don't get excited yet...

Bucky's eyebrows furrow, he looks like he is in physical pain. "Why do I know this song? Steve?" He looks at Steve again, and his expression is a mix of panic and hope.

...and we'll heave a mighty sigh, when each girl can kiss the boy she kissed good bye...

Steve remembers a bar, and a girl in a red dress... and even before that... being small, and watching a tall, handsome, confident young man in his dress uniform dance the night away with every girl in the room. He swallows hard past a sudden lump in his throat.

...when this lovely dream has all come true...

"Steve?"

Steve snaps back to the present, forcing himself to focus on this Bucky and his earnest, confused young face.

"Steve, why do I know it?" Bucky brushes the back of his hand across his forehead. "I remember... something."

Steve smiles, remembering himself. "It was big in 1943. Really big. They used to play it in every bar... everywhere. And you –" He swallows again, laughs even though it isn't funny. "You used to dance to it all the time."

Bucky frowns openly. "Really?" He looks skeptical.

Steve nods, sighing. "Yeah. You loved it."

"But..." Bucky trails off, looks at the computer again, leans back on the couch. "... I don't... know how to dance."

Steve's eyes burn suddenly and unexpectedly, and he blinks fast. He half-smiles at Bucky and pats his shoulder, too warm under his hand. "Trust me, you did."

...we'll be dancing the Victory Polka!

The song ends, and even though there isn't the scratch of a blank record afterwards, Steve still can hear it in his head and he is more aware than ever of the vast chasm of time and space between those days and now – this world they do not know and this time that is not theirs. Oh Bucky. What happened to us?

Bucky is watching him carefully, and when Steve meets his eyes his eyebrows relax a little. "Can you... play more? Please."

Steve clicks on "Playlist" and YouTube starts playing "Hot Time In the Town of Berlin".

They both end up falling asleep to the music, and when Steve wakes up in the morning his neck is stiff from sleeping upright and his mouth feels dry. Bucky's feet are resting on Steve's knees and he's sprawled against the arm of the couch, breathing with his mouth slightly open, drenched in sweat.

X

All that sweat in the morning seems to have been the fever burning itself out, because for the rest of the day Bucky appears to be improving.

His eyes are less glossy, he's not as flushed, and he doesn't complain about being dizzy at all within a few hours of getting up. He even agrees to take a shower, and looks refreshed and much happier after.

Bruce drops by in the evening, and at Steve's request gives Bucky a quick check up (Bucky can't look at Bruce and trembles the whole time, his arm stretched out on the couch toward Steve, eyes pleading), stating that he is on the road to recovery and yes, his fever has indeed broken.

They both sleep peacefully - for them - in their own beds that night, for the first time in three days.

X

All in all it takes about a week and a half for Bucky to completely recover from his illness (apart from a dry cough that won't seem to go away), and by the end of that time both he and Steve are getting a bit of "cabin fever", as Tony puts it.

For the first time since they came to stay in Stark Tower, Bucky seems to be feeling closed-in and restless, frustrated with being stuck inside the Tower - but at the same time he has a constant, crippling fear of Hydra that rears its head every time he even thinks of leaving the building.

Steve's observed him many times standing at the window, looking out at the busy streets, a definite look of longing on his face. But these times inevitably end with a sudden, terrified flinch, seemingly out of nowhere, and a hasty retreat from the window. He always returns to Steve's side, staying very close, while Steve firmly pretends he didn't notice and greets Bucky with a pat on the back or a one-armed hug.

An idea starts to grow in his mind after a couple of days of this, and he takes to the Internet (so helpful) to check if what he has in mind is even still there after all this time and he's very surprised and pleased to see that it most definitely is – although it seems to have a changed a lot... just like everything else.

He thinks of running the idea past Tony and Bruce, getting their opinion, but in the end he decides it's really up to him and Bucky foremost, so he instead approaches Bucky where he's sitting on the couch, back to the window - an improvement in itself - looking at one of Tony's car magazines.

"Hey, Buck." Steve sits down heavily, grins at his friend as Bucky looks up, blue eyes clearer and more alive than they have been in days.

"Hey." Bucky gives him a half-smile, puts down his magazine, clearly able to tell that Steve's got something to say.

"So... I've been thinking." Spit it out Rogers, why are you skirting around it? He isn't sure why he's nervous to bring it up. "See, me and you, we used to go camping... before. There's this place called the Adirondack Mountains and we used to go camping there. It's a really nice place and there's a lot of stuff to do and..." he trails off, unsure if he should keep going.

"I don't remember," Bucky says after a minute, frowning.

"It was fun, you loved it," Steve says lamely. What else is there to say? Not that there's much point in telling him he loved it when he doesn't remember. "Anyway, I was thinking we might... go."

Bucky's eyes flick up to his face sharply. "Go?"

Steve nods, smiling hopefully. "Yeah. I mean if you don't want to, we don't have to. But I just thought it might be kind of good for you to get out of this place for a bit and go somewhere where there isn't tons of people and buildings everywhere. And me, too. I haven't done anything fun like that in... well, ages. And honestly, I could use the vacation."

Bucky is just looking at him, and Steve can't read his expression at all, but his eyes are getting lighter – always a good sign. "Is Stark going to be there?"

Steve laughs, probably too loud. "No. God no. Just me and you."

Bucky nods. "Okay. Let's go then."

Steve is so taken aback at the speed of his answer that he can't think of anything to say for a moment. "Really?" is what finally comes out.

Bucky smiles, he looks amused at Steve's shock. "Yeah, let's go. I don't remember it... but I do kind of want to get out of this Tower."

"Are you sure?" Steve sits up straighter. "I mean it might be a bit... weird. We'd be sleeping in a tent... and it's kind of out in the middle of nowhere. It might... be too big of a change. It might bother you. I don't know."

Bucky puts down his magazine and looks straight at him. His blue gaze is so fragile and yet... steady. "Yeah, but - I trust you."

Steve finds he has to blink very hard and fast all of a sudden and stare at the floor very hard. "Okay, Buck."

X

Steve starts planning it all out immediately, and this means running it by Tony, of course. He goes to talk to him in his workshop that evening, while Bucky's listening to music on the mp3 player Steve picked up for him.

Tony stares at him for a good minute before he says anything, and then "Are you crazy, Captain Underpants? I mean – really? You're going to take Terminator there out into the middle of the woods and just let him run off?"

"He's not going to run off," Steve snaps hotly. Why does Tony always manage to say exactly what I don't want to hear?

"Are you sure about that? You don't sound so sure." Tony waves a wrench at him and disappears back under the car.

"Tony, I think I know what I'm doing, thank you very much." Steve glares at the car, because he can't see Tony's face. "Bucky's been here for two months now and he's getting back a lot of his memory. Everything's going great. Why would he leave now?"

"I dunno. Unfinished Terminator business? How would I know? OUCH!" Tony curses and slides back out from under the car, sucking on his finger. "Damn car. Useless. Look, Captain Know-It-All, it's up to you. He's your long-lost BFF. What do I know?"

"Exactly." Steve clenches his teeth.

"So why are you asking my opinion then?" Tony leans against the car nonchalantly, wiping grease off his hands.

"I'm not," Steve snaps angrily, abruptly deciding not to tell him about the huge smear of grease across his forehead. "I'm just... running it by you. Like, how long is it going to take to get there?"

Tony rolls his eyes and sighs. "You do know you can use the Internet for this, right? But fine. I'll help you plan it all out. Always help your elders whenever you can. I was raised right."

X

Steve has to admit that Tony is a lot of help. He finds them maps, he looks up different routes, and he offers to lend them any camping equipment they don't have, which is... pretty much everything. He lends them sleeping bags, pots for cooking food, backpacks, an actual tent, and a little battery-powered fridge so they don't have to worry about their food going bad.

Bucky is excited, which makes Steve very happy. Seeing his friend's bright eyes and interest in everything they're doing is exactly what he had been hoping for when he suggested this trip.

Just... get his mind off everything a bit, if that's possible. Maybe just a change of scenery will help. Maybe going back there to where we used to camp will jog his memory a bit. I've got to take that chance.

All he knows is that staying cooped up in this Tower is not helping either of them anymore. It feels like they're delaying something inevitable, or ignoring something in the room that they both know will have to be talked about eventually.

Tony's earlier words about Bucky running off... Steve can't deny that the thought did cross his mind, and is kind of still there. The thought of losing Bucky now... after all this time... it makes him feel physically sick. Actually, the thought of taking Bucky out there into the vast open forest where there are no walls to speak of anywhere is probably more terrifying to him than it is to Bucky (and he does know Bucky's scared – he keeps catching him looking very nervous and shivering sometimes when they discuss mountains and tents and how far from civilization they will be), but...

I want him to know I trust him. That's a big part of any friendship. I can't keep him cooped up like an animal in a cage cause I'm scared of what might happen if I open the door. I have to trust him. And I do.

X

"It's gonna take you pretty much five hours to get there," Tony is saying. "Long drive. I hope you like driving, Frosty."

"I do," Bucky replies, lifting his chin defiantly, and Steve grins at him.

They're leaving this morning – it's early, Tony's still in pajamas and drinking orange juice – and he and Bucky are just eating breakfast too.

Steve's got a funny sort of excited-nervous-terrified feeling in his stomach. He's actually never even driven this far, ever. But the thought of that mountain air and wide open space... no buildings and cars... just him and Bucky - It'll be just like the old days. I can't wait.

They packed the car with everything non-perishable last night, so all that's left to do is pack the food and then they're free to go.

Steve studies Bucky across the table. He didn't sleep well last night, waking up whimpering and shaking around 2 o'clock, but Steve had managed to soothe him enough that he'd fallen back asleep.

But this morning, despite being slightly pale, Bucky seems excited and ready to go. His eyes are light and shining and he keeps smiling, and it reminds Steve so much of Before Bucky it kind of hurts to look at him, but Steve keeps looking anyway.

They get in the car around 8 o'clock, and Steve can't help grinning at his friend, unable to hold back his excitement. "Buck, this is going to be great. I know it."

Bucky smiles back, already clearly comfortable in the car seat, one arm draped comfortably out the window.

He looks so at home.

Steve rolls down his window, too, and sticks his head out, looking back at where Tony is standing just outside the Tower. "See you Tony. Thanks for all your help." He smiles, because he is grateful, even if Tony annoys him ninety-nine percent of the time. And that fridge is pretty damn cool.

Tony sighs, lifting his orange juice in a salute. "Hey look, be careful. Have fun. Don't miss me too much. You can always call. You got your phone, right, old man? Good. Keep it charged. I gave you that portable battery charger for a reason. Use it. Are you listening? Okay. Fine. Bye."

Steve lifts a hand in farewell, and pulls out onto the road.

X

It's such a warm day, driving with the windows all the way down is no problem at all – and clearly Bucky is loving it.

He's just staring out the window at the passing scenery, openly fascinated, and his expression is so hungry, but at the same time so fearful, that looking at him makes Steve both stupidly happy and furious at the same time.

He loves seeing Bucky so interested, but it's the thought of what he had to go through to make him look that scared that makes him so angry. Don't think about that right now.

The miles are flying by, and Steve can honestly say that right now there's no place he'd rather be and no one he'd rather be with. He remembers road trips in the '40s – Bucky was driving then – and being all excited to go camping then too.

"We're gonna climb a mountain this time, Steve!" Bucky claps him on the back, grinning like a ten-year-old. "Maybe Algonquin."

"You're crazy." Steve shakes his head, looks away down the long stretch of highway ahead of them.

"Crazy excited," Bucky laughs, slapping the steering wheel. "Even if I have to carry you we're gonna climb it this time, I swear."

"That's probably exactly what you're going to have to do," Steve sighs, but he starts laughing too, because Bucky's excitement is infectious and his best friend is crazy – but Steve knows he'll follow him wherever he goes – even if it is up some damn mountain.

X

Four hours later, they're well out of New York City and Steve is in no way tired of driving, but Bucky is asleep – he passed out around the three hour mark, and he's been sleeping peacefully for the last hour, somehow looking far more comfortable in the car seat than he ever does in his own bed. Steve had rolled up the windows when Bucky fell asleep, and now he's just watching the sun climb higher in the sky and the hills get bigger and greener as they pass.

According to Tony's time estimate, they've only got about forty minutes of driving left. Steve taps the wheel lightly and glances over at Bucky again, takes in his innocent, boyish face and the shining silver arm, blinding in the sunlight.

I've got a good feeling about this trip, Buck.

x

Meh. I hate writing in-between chapters.

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