The flight to New York took just over an hour. Not a long flight, but long enough for Sam, Tony and Natasha to play a spirited game of Screw the Dealer.
Steve wasn't interested in playing because, well, Steve, and Pepper refused to play because she knew damned well Tony cheated.
So Steve kibitzed and Pepper took a stroll to the back of the plane where Bucky was sitting on his own, staring morosely out the window.
Sitting down beside the former Hydra assassin, Pepper waited until he turned to face her, and stuck out her hand.
"Hi. I'm Pepper."