Two years later
Lily was closing up her office for the day when someone called her name.
"Hey, Maria" Lily greeted turning to look at her.
"You're out of here early" Maria noted now by her side.
"Bucky got his orders" Lily muttered sadly "he wants to spend a day with me and Steve."
"Ah" Maria nodded then smiled "I have the perfect place where you guys can go."
"Where" Lily eyed her, it's no secret that Maria's perfect places can be scary and/or dangerous.
Maria pulled out three tickets from her purse "I remember you telling me Bucky is a nerd so I figured you guys could head there."
Lily took the tickets and gasped "Maria, I can't accept these" the tickets were all access and came with bracelets that when wore, the person only had to pay for the games.
"Alright, truthfully they're from Howard but you know how he is with people thinking he has a heart" Maria snorted "he overheard you and I talking about not having spent that much time with Bucky or Steve lately because one of you three are always working. He decided to do this for you, since he knew that Bucky was getting shipped out soon."
Lily couldn't refuse that "alright" she placed them in her purse.
"You're not going in your work uniform are you" Maria wondered.
"I was planning to."
Maria grinned at her making Lily fearful.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Where's Lily" Steve asked as they got to the Expo.
"She said she'll meet us here, something about tickets" Bucky smiled.
"Are you going to do it tonight" Steve wondered.
"It's in my pocket" Bucky grinned.
Steve grinned.
"I don't see what the problem is," Bucky said as they walked through the crowd to the ticket booth. "You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know there's three and a half million women here?"
"Well, I'd settle for just one," Steve sighed.
"Bucky, Steve" they heard called and they looked.
"Who's that with Lily" Steve gulped
"Someone she works with; she didn't want you to be a third wheel" Bucky smiled.
Lily threw her arms around Bucky's neck and gave him a kiss "hello, Sarge" she grinned.
"Hello Doc" Bucky grinned back wrapping his arms around her waist.
Lily pulled back and looked at her friend "Steve, Bucky this is a dear friend of mine, Maria. She's the one that got our tickets for us."
"Thank you, ma'am," Bucky smiled at her as they headed to the ticket booth.
"I only did it to size you up" Maria smirked "make sure you're right for my flower."
"I'll help you beat him up if he hurts her" Steve joked.
"Good, let's leave these lovebirds to themselves" Maria accepted Steve's arm and the four headed inside after getting their bracelets.
"You didn't bring Maria here because you thought she'd be a fit for Steve did you."
"No, Steve needs to have more friends besides us. I think he's getting tired of being excluded when we're out together. Maria won't be able to stay the whole night though, she's still technically on the clock."
"What is it she does."
"She's Howard Stark's assistant" Lily smiled.
"Her"
"Yes, she's one of the reason's I got my job. She came into the shop looking for a pain relief for cramps."
"Is that why you suddenly got more herbs."
"Yes, it is, Howard flat out said he's going to keep me in supply of the ingredients I need for that elixir because apparently Maria is scary when it's that time."
The four walked around the Expo when Maria glanced at her watch "I better get to the stage, Howard is probably freaking out that I'm not there yet."
"Tell him thanks for me."
"I will. It was nice to meet you boys."
"You as well, ma'am"
"None of that ma'am stuff, Maria is just fine" Maria smiled at them before turning and disappeared into the crowd seamlessly.
"Wow" the boys muttered seeing that; Lily smiled used to it.
"We have an hour before the main event, what would you boys like to do" Lily wondered.
"I want to win you a teddy bear" Bucky smiled leading her over to a game.
"Bucky remember the last time you tried to win someone a bear" Steve smirked "you spent all our money."
"I have training this time" Bucky defended.
Lily and Steve stood back ready to watch Bucky fail.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Bucky was smiling triumphantly as Lily held a small stuff bear.
"I'm impressed, you only spent half of what you used to" Lily teased.
"You're welcome" Bucky smiled holding her hand.
The trio stopped to get some snacks; Steve popcorn and Lily cotton candy.
"Lily, give me some" Bucky whined as they walked.
"No, you could've got your own" Lily huffed at him, taking a bite of her candy.
Steve laughed at their arguing just as an announcement came over the intercom.
"Welcome to the Modern Marvels Pavilion and the world of tomorrow. A greater world. A better world."
Lily grinned "it's starting" she said running pulling Bucky along behind her.
"Ladies and gentlemen," one of the girls on stage said. "Mr. Howard Stark!" Howard ran onto stage, taking his hat off and handing it to one of the ladies before giving her a large kiss.
Howard took the microphone, wiping his mouth off. "Ladies and gentlemen,"
Lily took some of Steve's popcorn causing him to smile, stealing a piece of her cotton candy "What if I told you that in just a short few year, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all?"
Girls took the wheels off the car. "Yes. Thanks, Mandy. With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology, you'll be able to do just that." He turned a knob on the podium Mandy gave him and pulled a lever up, the car slowly starting to levitate.
Howard smirked at the crowd then spotted Lily, who smiled approvingly at him; he winked at her in response.
"Holy cow," Bucky muttered.
The car continued to float, but suddenly the engines sparked, and the car crashed to the ground. "I did say a few years, didn't I?" Howard laughed trying to cover it up.
Lily chuckled, at least it stayed off the ground for more than ten seconds unlike the last time she was shown it.
Bucky started turning. "Hey Steve, what do you say we…" he trailed off when he noticed Steve was gone.
Bucky sighed seeing the sign "I swear stubbornness runs in your genes doesn't it."
"Yes, it does" Lily grinned.
"Come on."
Bucky and Lily entered the recruitment center "Doctor Steward" some greeted her, and Lily nodded at them.
They came up to Steve who was standing on the platform that showed your own face in a soldier photo.
"This was supposed to be our last night together Steve" Bucky told him.
"You go ahead. I'll catch up with you," he said with no intention to at all.
"You're really gonna do this again?"
"Well, it's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck." Steve said with a nod.
"As who, Steve from Ohio?" Bucky snapped. "They'll catch you. Worse, they'll actually take you."
"Look, I know you don't think I can do this-" Steve started.
"This isn't a back alley, Steve," Bucky interrupted. "It's war."
Lily sighed at the argument since Steve couldn't see that they didn't want him to join the war since they like the rest of his naiveness intact. Plus, they might not be there to protect him like the always have.
"I know it's a war," Steve insisted.
"Why are you so keen to fight?" Bucky asked, exasperated. "There are so many important jobs."
"What do you want me to do? Collect scrap metal in-"
"Yes!"
"-my little red wagon?"
"Why not?"
"I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky. Bucky, come on. There are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. Besides even Lily is doing something to."
"Hey, leave me out of your arguments" Lily stated.
Steve always brings up her helping the army when him and Bucky get into an argument like this.
"That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me." Steve continued ignoring Lily.
"Right. 'Cause you got nothing to prove." Bucky said, disbelievingly.
They kept staring each other down, until Lily got tired of the stare down and place a hand on Bucky's arm knowing Steve wasn't going to back down "Come on Bucky, you know he's not going to stop, let's go dancing?" Bucky to turn to her at that.
"Alright" His tone completely changed to something more carefree. He turned back to Steve as he backed away out of the doorway with Lily following, "Don't do anything stupid 'till I get back." he warned half-heartedly.
"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." Steve smirked.
Lily stuck her tongue out at him.
Bucky came forward and gave Steve a hug. "You're a punk."
Steve replied with, "Jerk," but before the taller man turned and left, he said, "Be careful." Then he took a breath and called, "Don't win the war 'till I get there!"
Bucky replied with a salute, Lily then hugged him "please be careful" she said kissing his cheek. Steve hugged her back "I will and same to you alright" he said.
"Find us when you're finished alright" Lily asked.
"Of course," Steve nodded smiling.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The couple got to the dance hall and saw people dancing.
"Draga mea, may I have this dance" Bucky asked holding out his hand.
"Of course," Lily beamed accepting his hand loving when he talks Romanian to her.
Maria was dancing with Howard in the crowd when she noticed Lily and Bucky "Howard, get a photographer, Lily is going to want to capture this moment" she muttered.
"How do you know he's gonna propose, you just met him"
"I noticed him fiddling with something in his pocket when Lily wasn't pay attention to him" Maria smirked.
Howard accepted that answer and went to go hunt down the photographer as Maria blended into the crowd to get a good view.
The two danced silently for a while "so are you going to miss me when I'm gone" Bucky asked.
Lily smiled and decided to toy with him for a little bit "maybe but I'll might get some soldier to distract me from you being gone."
Bucky raised an eyebrow "well I guess I have to give you something to remember me by" he said pulling away from Lily and pulled something from his pocket.
Lily gasped when he got down on one knee and held an open ring box in front of her.
"Lillian Marie Steward will you marry me" Bucky asked.
Lily put a hand to her mouth with tears in her eyes then nodded at Bucky "yes of course" she said, and Bucky smiled putting the ring on her finger while standing up.
Lily looked at the ring and smiled "kiss him" Howard yelled from where he was, Maria appeared to slap him upside the head "ow Maria."
Lily smiled and kissed him just as a flash went off.
The couple pulled away as everyone clapped for them "I'll give the photo to Mr. Stark once it's developed ma'am" the photographer assured her.
"Thank you" Lily smiled at him before turning back to Bucky "you want to go celebrate."
"Yes ma'am" Bucky beamed leading her out of the dance hall.
As always my stories are purely for entertainment purpose and if you have any suggests, questions or comments please feel free to PM.