June 14, 1943 - Brooklyn, New York: STEVE

AJ was coming home today. Almost as soon as she came home from Wisconsin, she had left. Of course, Steve understood why. His friend still wrote him letters while she was visiting her brother Samuel and his family in Savannah – but something had clearly changed. Even just reading her words in the letters...the tone was off. Steve knew that AJ cared a great deal about Frank. But he also knew that she had guilt about not loving him the way he should have been loved – the way he had loved her. It was hard for her.

She had written to him last week saying she'd be back by tonight and Steve was happy about that. But he was also very worried about her.

Steve knew that AJ was strong and that she'd pull through this. But Steve also knew just how hard AJ could get on herself when it came to guilt.

Strong-willed and strong-headed.

Kind of like Bucky.

Bucky sure did give him Hell for not writing him as many letters to him as he did AJ while he was at basic. All playful teasing, of course. Bucky understood that Steve had been worried about AJ being the only female at Camp McCoy. And when Steve had voiced the concern he had had, Bucky's jaw had twitched. A very clear indicator that something was bothering him. Steve pestered him about it, asking why he made the face – but his best friend never told him.

Something had happened.

And it was clear that Bucky wasn't going to tell Steve what that was. Had someone been crude towards AJ? Steve knew that she was at a camp full of male soldiers and they could be lewd at times. But it seemed as though something else had happened.

Not that Bucky would ever tell him.

Bucky had been waiting inside Steve's apartment when he had returned the next morning from AJ's. He had been worried. "Your neighbor said she hasn't seen you since yesterday morning." Bucky said in anger. "I damn near looked in every alley I could think of praying I didn't find you beaten up and bloody somewhere!"

That's when Steve had told Bucky about Frank Jackson.

"AJ...She'll pull through this." Bucky said as they sat at Steve's kitchen table drinking coffee. "She's a strong woman." He said in admiration.

Steve had smiled a bit hearing his friends tone. Bucky, it seemed, was still carrying quite the torch for Adelyn Frost.

Bucky wasn't at the theater yet. He was running late, but that wasn't anything new to Steve. So, Steve sat by himself in the small theater and watched as the black and white pictures played before him. A war propaganda ad playing first.

Earlier that morning he had tried to enlist again.

But with just one look at him, the Doctor had already made up his decision.

4F

Unfit for Duty.

Steve just wanted to help.

"War continues to ravage Europe. But help is on the way. Every able-bodied young man is lining up to serve his country. Even little Timmy is doing his part by collecting scrap metal. Nice work, Timmy!"

"Who care?" The man in front of Steve began to shout. "Play the movie already!"

Steve leaned forward a bit. "Hey, you wanna show some respect?" He kept his voice quiet, not wanting to disrupt peoples outing to the movies any further.

"Meanwhile, overseas, our brave boy are showing the Axis powers that the price of freedom is never too high."

"Let's go! Get on with it!" People around Steve began to look toward the man in front of him. But no one did anything. "-Hey, just start the cartoon!"

"Hey buddy, you wanna shut up?!" Steve said louder this time. Hoping the guy would come to his senses.

"Together with the Allied forces, we'll face any threat, no matter the size."

The man stood up and looked down at Steve.

He knew how this was going to go.

The first punch was always the worst, Steve had learned. Especially when you're least expecting it. This one sent Steve stumbling backwards and into the trash cans in the alley just outside of the theater.

But Steve got up again.

He always did.

Another swing to the jaw sent him falling towards the trashcans again. Steve was quick to grab the lid of the garbage can to use as a shield when he spun around to face the guy. But the guy was much bigger and much stronger than Steve and yanked the lid away before punching Steve again.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" The jerk asked when Steve managed to stand again, putting his fists up in the fighting stance.

"I can do this all day." Steve breathed heavily and then swung his arm at that man. But the jerk had caught his arm before Steve could throw his punch and hit Steve again, knocking him over.

"Hey!" He heard Bucky's voice. "Pick on someone your own size!"

Steve could hear the sound of something getting punched and despite the aching he still felt in his jaw – it wasn't him that got punched. He looked up just as Bucky kicked the guy in his butt as the jerk ran away.

Steve pushed down on his hands to get up off the ground. "Sometimes I think you like getting punched." Bucky said as he walked over to Steve.

"I had him on the ropes." Steve replied once he was finally standing.

Bucky bent down and grabbed the enlistment papers that had fallen out of Steve's pocket. "How many time is this?" He asked, reading the form. "Oh, you're from Paramus now? You know it's illegal to lie on the enlistment form. And seriously? Jersey?"

Steve's ears finally stopped ringing and his vision had cleared a bit as he looked to Bucky. He was in uniform. That only meant one thing.

"You get your orders?" Steve asked.

"The one-o seventh. Sergeant James Barnes. Shipping out for England first thing tomorrow."

Steve looked away from Bucky and then down to the ground and gave a little shake of his head. "I should be going." He brushed the dirt off his jacket from landing on the ground.

Bucky shook his head and pulled Steve over to him, wrapping his arm around his shoulder. "Come on, man. My last night!" Bucky said, dropping his arm from Steve's shoulder. "Gotta get you cleaned up!"

"Why?" Steve questioned. "Where are we going?"

"The future." Bucky said as he handed him the newspaper he had been holding. Steve opened it up and saw a big ad: World Exposition of Tomorrow.

They walked out of the alley and Bucky began to tell him that they were going on a double date together. Steve had argued with Bucky saying that he didn't want to go. But somehow Bucky suckered him into yet another double date where the night would end with him leaving early and Bucky being left with two women on his arms. Not that Bucky ever minded that.

It wasn't till they were about two blocks away from Steve's apartment that Bucky finally asked what Steve was sure he been wanting to ask the entire time. "So uh, you hear from AJ yet?"

He smiled at that. "She's coming home tonight." Steve said. "That's all I know." Steve looked over to see Bucky frowning slightly. It caused Steve's smile to fade. "I'm sure you'll get a chance to see her before you leave, Buck."

He nodded, standing up a bit more. "She didn't write me back." He admitted to Steve out loud for the first time.

But Steve already knew that. Bucky had gone to him and asked for AJ's brothers address so he could write to her. And Steve knew that if Bucky had received a letter back from her – it's all he'd be able to talk about for weeks. But he was very quiet about it.

"She's got a lot going on." Steve said, pressing his hand to Bucky's shoulder in a quick pat. Bucky nodded again. Bucky was aware that AJ had written back to Steve – but Steve's relationship with AJ was vastly different from Bucky's own with the woman.

Steve was sure AJ considered him the harmless little brother type. Someone she could always turn to if she ever needed a should to cry on.

Bucky?

Now, that was just complicated.

With how vague Bucky had been about his time with AJ at Camp McCoy, and AJ leaving for Savannah, Steve did not know the nature of their friendship.

"You think she'll go to this thing?" Bucky asked.

"She might. I know she works with Stark." Steve then looked to Bucky with a raised brow and amused expression. "What's it matter to you? I thought we had a double date tonight?" He smirked.

Bucky rolled his eyes and shoved Steve on the shoulder. "Punk."

Steve smiled and kept walking. "Jerk."

_

AJ

AJ had gotten back to New York early in the afternoon.

Dr. Erskine had invited her out to lunch to discuss Project Rebirth and the candidate that AJ had picked out of all the solider she interviewed at Camp McCoy. They talked business the entire meal, which AJ was grateful for. It wasn't until Dr. Erskine walked her back to her apartment that he brought up Frank.

He gave her his condolences.

"Grief...I'd like to say that in time it goes away. But... it does not. I will say though, that there are days you won't feel it as strongly as you do now – there are days you won't feel it at all. But it is always there. Mourn him as much as you need, but honor him by living your life. I am sure that he would want a happy life for you."

His words stayed with her when Howard Stark showed up to her apartment in the evening asking her to attend the Stark Expo. The man had even brought her a dress for the occasion. Normally she'd refuse, but Howard was oddly spot on when it came to knowing the type of dress a woman looked best in. AJ loved the dress the moment he unzipped the garment bag.

"I won't take no for an answer, Frost. Now go put on this dress because I needed to be there twenty-minutes ago."

AJ had shaken her head with a little smile and grabbed the garment bag from Howard and went and changed. Her hair was still done up from her lunch with Dr. Erskine, all she needed after changing into the dress was a few sprays of her perfume and to but on another layer of her lipstick.

Now she stood just off the stage with Howard as he waited for someone to introduce him.

"Ladies And gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!" A woman said and the audience erupted into applause. AJ laughed when Howard leaned in close and said, "That's my cue!" Winking before putting on a top hat and then made his entrance.

He went on stage, taking off the hat and then handed it over to the woman who introduced him. AJ rolled her eyes with a laugh Howard pulled the woman to him and planted a kiss on her lips.

Every woman in the audience cried out their love for Howard. "Ladies and gentlemen," Howard said after wiping his mouth clean of the dark shade of the woman's lipstick. "What if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all?"

She raised her brows at that. Is this what Howard has been up to while I was gone? She wondered. When AJ had asked him what he'd be showing tonight he had told her that it was a surprise.

AJ moved forward a bit, closer to the stage to get a better look at the red car and watched as the women on stage with Howard began to take off the car's tires.

"With Stark robotic reversion technology, you'll be able to do just that."

Howard fiddled with a few dials on the platform next to him and AJ watched in awe as the car began to lift off of the ground on its own. After a few moments of hovering above the ground the car dropped down onto the stage. Something must have malfunctioned – but this was still so groundbreaking.

The audience applauded.

"I did say a few years, didn't I?" Howard chuckled. But AJ could see the look of determination on Howard's face to fix it now. If he wasn't dragged away by one of his showgirls, he'd be working on it for the rest of the night.

And she'd be alone.

Which she didn't exactly mind.

After spending the last few weeks in Savannah, Georgia with Samuel, his wife, and his kids. AJ didn't mind having some time to herself.

While staying with her brother and his family, Sam had requested that AJ spend some time with his wife, Eileen. After a few hours alone with the woman, she understood what had attracted her brother to the southern belle. The woman was clever, smart, and very kind. AJ had expected her to be soft spoken and reserved, but she was not. She had no problem telling Sam off when he was in the wrong. Many of the times she did so in AJ's defense.

AJ had grown up with her older brothers telling her what to do and how she should act – the second Sam said something to AJ that Eileen did not like – the woman sure as hell let her husband know about it.

And boy did the woman have a mouth on her!

AJ really liked her. Which wasn't something she had expected. It didn't help that she was overly protective of all her brothers and always thought that no woman would ever be good enough for them. But Eileen...she fit the bill pretty perfectly.

Dougie had grown so much since the last time she saw him at George's wedding. And Lauren Grace! She had only been fourteen weeks the last time AJ saw her. Now the little girl was running around her house terrorizing their pet cat.

"She kind of reminds me of you when you were this age." Sam had said when he caught AJ watching as Eileen put Lauren down to bed. "The way she chases after Dougie always wantin' to do what he does."

AJ had smiled, thinking back on her childhood. Growing up surrounded by brother at time had been difficult. But she wouldn't change it for the world.

"Hopefully Dougie won't get Lauren in as much trouble as you and Westly got me in." She had said, nudging her brother who laughed loudly at her words.

"Got you in trouble? I'm sorry, I do not recall you ever getting' in trouble because of me and Wes. More along the lines of Dad yellin' at us for lettin' you come along wherever we went."

"Well, you two didn't really have a choice in that." AJ had reminded him. She would follow her two oldest brothers around even when they told her to turn around and go back home. She was stubborn, even as a child. One-time, when she was eleven, Samuel, a moody seventeen-year-old, had threatened to run off when she followed him out of the house one night when he went to go on a date. Sam knew that he was faster than AJ and she wouldn't be able to catch up.

AJ had fired back at him saying that even if he were faster than her; if he left her alone at night their father would never let Sam leave the house again for the rest of his life.

Walking around, AJ began to people watch. There were young girls still standing by the stage, hoping to catch another peek at Howard. There were older couples walking around, completely amazed by some of the exhibitions. The longer she people watched, the more her gut told her she should be at home.

AJ looked at the stage one last time before she decided she'd head home for the night. On her way out, AJ stopped just outside of the recruitment center when she saw Steve's small frame. He was standing a bit away from a solider in Uniform. They were arguing, it seemed. She turned her head a bit to the side when she heard a woman yell, Hey Sarge! Are we going dancing?

When AJ turned back to look over at Steve, she saw who the man in uniform was.

"Yes, we are." Bucky shouted back to the woman.

Bucky. She hadn't seen him since Camp McCoy.

He had written to her while she was in Savannah telling her he was sorry to hear about Frank. But she had never replied. A part of her felt guilt about Bucky and what she may or may not have felt for him while at Camp McCoy – because the entire time she had been there trying to deny how she felt – not that she felt anything, per say – Frank was dead.

But she couldn't exactly explain that to Bucky.

He had been a good friend at Camp McCoy.

And he had been a good friend by writing to her.

AJ just hadn't been ready to face him yet. Even if it was just writing him back.

And it didn't matter if she wasn't ready to face him now because as Bucky turned around, he briefly caught her eye. The man almost tripped over his own feet when he must have realized it was really her after doing a double take. Steve had gone back inside the recruiting center and Bucky now stood there alone staring at AJ while, who she presumed to be his date, hollered for him to hurry up.

But he didn't move.

He stood frozen staring at her. Almost as if he needed to stay completely still or else she'd disappear.

It made her smile.

AJ took the first step in Bucky's direction but stopped when the woman he was with called his name again.

"Bucky! Let's go!" She hollered.

AJ looked over at the woman, recognizing her now as one of the nurses from the recruitment stations. Her name was Connie, a sweet girl who started the month before AJ left for Camp McCoy. Bucky looked over to Connie and then back to AJ, who gave him a soft smile and a little wave goodbye. It was her way of telling him to go to his date. She turned away from him and headed in the direction of the exit.

He had been in his uniform.

That only meant one thing; Bucky would be shipping out in the morning.

Dr. Erskine had mentioned soldiers shipping out in the morning briefly during their lunch earlier today.

She felt her stomach twist at the thought of Bucky going over-seas.

It wasn't until she was almost to the exhibits exit that she realized that someone was now walking next to her. "You leavin' already?"

AJ stopped and turned to face Bucky who was looking down at her with a crooked grin. She narrowed her green eyes at him. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm doin' whatever you're doin' for the rest of the night, Frosty." He then motioned forward, "So lead the way."

AJ ducked her head when she failed to hide her smile.

When she looked back up at Bucky, he was grinning. "I thought you were taking Connie dancing?" She reminded him with her eyebrow raised, keeping her face serious.

He shrugged. "She'll get over it eventually."

AJ laughed at that, shaking her head at Bucky. "Terrible."

"Come on, I wanna show you something." Bucky said and walked forward. When she didn't follow after him, Bucky turned back to face her. "Come on, Jay – don't make me spend my last night here alone."

It was his last night. AJ frowned, feeling her stomach drop at the thought of Bucky going overseas. "I'm sure Connie will be much better company than me, Buck." She told him and walked over to where he was now standing. If he left now she was sure he could catch up with Connie and go dancing. He deserved to have a fun night out before he left for England. And AJ didn't think she was the girl who could give that to him.

"AJ," He began to say.

But she cut him off, "Honestly, Bucky – you should go spend your last night with Connie."

"I don't want to spend my last night with Connie." He said, stopping her from saying anything further when he next said; "I want to spend it with you."

She closed her eyes and smiled before she looked back up to Bucky, playfully glaring at him before she turned around and headed back into the exposition. He was at her side almost as soon as she turned around.

"Lead the way," AJ told him as they walked.

_

STEVE

Steve had watched Bucky leave.

But not with Connie and her friend Bonnie.

Instead, he watched as Bucky left the area with AJ.

Steve had been tempted to go up to her when he saw her but he knew that if there was anyone Bucky would want to spend his last night with before shipping out? It was Adelyn Frost. And he didn't want to intrude on that.

He rolled up his sleeves while sitting on the medical table in a small room with the Doctor who had given him his physical. Steve watched as a nurse walked in, whispering something to the doctor causing him to head towards the curtains.

"Wait here." The doctor told Steve.

"Is there a problem?"

"Just wait here."

He left.

Steve glanced behind where he sat, seeing a sign just above his head that read: It is illegal to falsify your enlistment form.

He thought back on what Bucky had said earlier.

"They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you!"

Steve wanted nothing more than to join the war. But he couldn't do that from a jail cell. He hopped off the medical table and walked over to where his shoes were. Steve took a seat and quickly slipped them on but when he looked back up, an Enlistment Office MP was opening up the curtains.

He sat there for a moment, frozen, not knowing if he should speak. But then the curtains opened further an older gentleman came into the room. He looked to the MP who quietly left the area with a nod, shutting the curtains behind him.

"So," The older gentleman began to speak. "You want to go overseas. Kill some Nazis."

"Excuse me?" Steve said back.

"Dr. Abraham Erskine." The man introduced himself as he walked over to where Steve was sitting. "I represent the Strategic Scientific Reserve." He held out his hand that Steve was quick to shake.

"Steve Rogers."

Dr. Erskine let go of Steve's hand and walked over to the medical bench, setting the file he was holding down and read over it.

"Where are you from?" Steve wondered out loud.

"Queens." He looked up to Steve. "73rd Street and Utopia Parkway." He adjusted his glasses. "Before that, Germany." He looked at Steve for a while before asking him a question. "This troubles you?"

Steve shook his head. "No."

"Where are you from, Mr. Rogers?" Dr. Erskine asked, looking back down at Steve's file, flipping through the pages. "Mm? Is it New Haven or Paramus? Five exams in five different cities."

"That might not be the right file," Steve began to lie.

"No, it's not the exams I'm interested in. It's the five tries." He held up his hand before closing Steve's file and walked back over to where Steve now stood. "But you didn't answer my question. Do you want to kill Nazis?"

Steve frowned, asking out loud what he was thinking in his head. "Is this a test?"

Dr. Erskine nodded his head. "Yes."

He didn't have to think long on his answer. He just spoke from the heart. "I don't want to kill anyone. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from." Steve told the doctor.

"Well, there are already so many big men fighting this war. Maybe what we need now is the little guy, huh?" Steve looked at him with hopeful eyes. "I can offer you a chance." The doctor said, turning to leave the room. Steve was quick to follow him. "Only a chance."

"I'll take it!" Steve said willingly.

"Good. So where is the little guy from, actually?" Dr. Erskine asked, standing at the front desk now with his file on the table. Steve watched as he fiddled with two stamps before settling with the one on his right.

"Brooklyn." Steve answered with a little smile.

Dr. Erskine stamped down on Steve's file and then handed it back over to him. "Congratulations, solider."

Steve took the file and quickly opened it as Dr. Erskine left. 1A. He had been accepted.

He felt his chest tighten with excitement.

Finally, someone was giving him a chance.

_

AJ

"And here is your prize, Soldier!" The man behind the booth said loudly, handing over the stuffed bear to Bucky. AJ laughed, shaking her head as Bucky proudly held up the bear. They had made a bet that if Bucky lost, he'd have to do whatever AJ wanted to do next. And if he won? Bucky got to choose what they'd do next.

"Don't say I never gave you anything, Frosty." Bucky handed her the stuffed bear he had just won. She rolled her eyes playfully before snatching it from his hand. "What do you want to do next?" He asked.

AJ raised her brow at his words. "You won the bet...or have you already forgotten that?" She teased.

"I wanna do what you wanna do." He smiled.

AJ gave him a look and shook her head. "You're too much." She said quietly. But Bucky heard her and gave her a big grin. "If you insist on doing what I'd like to do next...I'd like to go get some food." She admitted, her stomach growling from hunger pains for the last ten minutes. She and Bucky had visited almost every expo booth and because of that, she ended up staying longer than she had planned on staying– but she had been walking around with Bucky for the last few hours and time seemed to fly by without her even realizing. "There's a diner that stays open all night just a block away from my apartment...would you like to join me?"

Bucky grinned and nodded his head.

They left the World Exposition of Tomorrow and walked to the diner.

Once they arrived, the diner was deserted. Only one waitress and a cook talking to one another when they walked in. The waitress quickly grabbed her pad and greeted Bucky and AJ, seating them at one of the many open booths.

"I'll let you to look over the menu, wave at me when you're ready, yeah?" She asked as she handed over the menus. AJ smiled politely and nodded her head. But the woman didn't leave, she looked over at Bucky. "Sir, I just want to thank you for your service." She smiled.

AJ frowned.

For a bit she had almost forgotten that he was leaving in the morning.

"Thank you, ma'am." Bucky replied, taking off his cap and setting it down next to him. The woman smiled and then walked away.

AJ took in a deep breath as she looked over the menu. She suddenly no longer felt hungry. Only sick to her stomach about Bucky leaving in the morning.

"What time are you set to ship out?" AJ asked, keeping her voice even as she kept her eyes on the menu.

"0500." He told her.

AJ looked down at her watch. It was 11:00 PM.

Six hours until Bucky would have to leave.

He shouldn't be here with her! Bucky should be spending his limited time in the States with his family. "I'm sure you'd like to go spend time with your family." AJ said and set her menu down and grabbed her purse that was sitting next to her. Bucky stopped her though by grabbing her wrist gently, stopping her from getting out of the booth and leaving.

"I already said my goodbyes to my family." He assured her.

She frowned, "Well, what about Steve?" AJ asked him, letting him continue to hold her wrist.

"I said goodbye to him too, Jay." He spoke softly. "Please just...stay with me until I have to leave." His voice broke a bit, making the begging in his tone more obvious.

AJ closed her eyes but nodded. "I just can't...see you off." She managed to get out.

"I understand." Bucky said, letting go of her wrist. "I wouldn't ask you to."

When she saw Frank off, he had asked her to marry him. She moved her hand to her neck, the silver cross he had put on her afterwards no longer hung from her neck. AJ had sent it to Franks mother, saying she knew he'd want her to keep it. Every time AJ would look at herself in the mirror and see the necklace all she felt was guilt.

"Whaddaya say?" Frank had asked her after proposing.

The imagine of his face when she had told him she couldn't accept his proposal still haunted her. The absolute heartbreak she saw in his eyes kept her up at night. AJ could hear herself telling Frank she wasn't ready, that they had only been dating for ten months and she didn't think she could do it. That it wasn't his fault – that it was hers and that he deserves who knew what she was feeling, because AJ didn't know how she truly felt.

Frank had been so kind, silencing her nervous ramblings by settling his hands on her shoulders to spin her around to face him. "You're kind of a hard shell to crack, AJ. One that I'm willing to wait for, if you'll do the same for me. Can you at least do that?"

She had promised him she'd wait for him and he had grinned so happily that it was almost enough for her to forget the way he looked as she looked over her shoulder at him to tell him she couldn't marry him.

"You ready?" Bucky asked, breaking her away from her thoughts.

She looked up and saw concern written in his eyes. But he never asked her if she was okay. That's the thing she liked about Bucky. He knew when and when not to ask her if she was okay or how she was feeling. AJ enjoyed that she could sit in silence with him and just enjoy his presence.

He knew her.

Bucky would never ask her to marry him or even ask her to wait for him.

Because he knew that she wasn't in a place right now to make that kind of promise.

"Bacon, eggs, and toast." AJ said with a nod, closing her menu.

Bucky smiled. "I think I'll have the same." He closed his menu. AJ waved over the waitress who hurried over to them and took their orders. They both ordered a cup of coffee so that they wouldn't get too tired. If Bucky really wanted to spent the rest of the time he had left in New York with her? AJ was not going to refuse.

They ate their meal, Bucky teasing AJ about how she put both butter and jam on her toast, to which AJ countered back with how much pepper Bucky put on his eggs.

"I didn't mean to put that much pepper on my eggs. The damn shaker is broken." He mumbled, pushing the eggs around. AJ had laughed and waved over the waitress again.

"You two ready for the check?" She asked.

"I was actually wondering if you could bring us two slices of pie?" AJ asked, looking over at Bucky briefly who smiled and pushed his plate forward, probably glad he didn't have to finish his eggs.

"Sure thing, sweetheart. What kind?" She asked. "We got apple, peach, cherry, blackberry and chocolate cream pie."

AJ looked back to Bucky. "I don't think there's gonna be much chocolate for me to eat while I'm fighting, Jay." He said, lips trying not to twitch up as he tried to remain serious. "This may be my last chance to have some until the war is over."

AJ rolled her eyes at that, huffing out a laugh at his dramatics. "Two slices of chocolate cream pie, please." AJ said to the waitress who chuckled, walking over to the counter and relaying what had just happened to the cook who laughed before going in back to grab their pie. He came out holding two plates and walked over to where Bucky and AJ sat.

"You got yourself a good woman, solider. You better make sure you come home to her." He said as he set down the plates in front of them, placing two forks down as well. "And don't worry about the check. It's on the house."

"You don't have to." Bucky started to say.

"Yes, I know that. But I'm still gonna." The cook said before he left AJ and Bucky to eat.

Neither mentioned what the cook had said when he had first come to their booth. Instead, they ate their pie together. AJ was too full, not able to finish her slice and Bucky happily reached for her plate and brought it over to his side of the booth and began to eat it.

AJ smiled, biting down on her lower lip as she watched Bucky eat the pie happily.

She hadn't realized it until just now how badly she missed his presence in her life while she was in Savannah. AJ frowned, thinking that Bucky must have thought she was awful for not writing him back.

"I'm," She started to say causing Bucky to look up from his pie. "I'm real sorry I didn't write you back, Bucky." She apologized.

He shrugged a bit and gave her a kind smile. "It's okay, Jay."

"No, it's not." She disagreed with him. "I should have written you back – I," She inhaled deeply, "and now," now you're shipping out in a few hours. "I'm sorry." She said instead.

Bucky nodded, moving his last piece of pie around his plate. "Can I ask why?" He looked back up at her. "Why you didn't write back?"

AJ nodded. "I just," She stopped, pulling her lower lip between her teeth as she tried to come up with a way to explain her actions to Bucky without completely humiliating herself in the process. "Guilt." She finally said.

Bucky cocked his head to the side and looked to AJ, not understanding.

"Frank had written me before I left for Camp McCoy. I didn't receive it until I had already been at Camp McCoy for ten days," She took in a breath before going on. "When I read the letter...I realized then that I wasn't in love with Frank." AJ admitted.

"You didn't write me back because...you felt guilt for not being in love with Frank?" Bucky said back to her slowly. "I don't," He stopped when AJ became visibly uncomfortable, seeing now that she didn't want to continue on with the conversation. So, he just nodded and took his last bite of pie. "How much time we got?" He asked her.

AJ looked down at her watch. 12:30 AM. They had spent the last hour and a half talking, laughing, and eating in the diner. "Four hours and thirty minutes." She looked back up to Bucky. "What do you want to do?"

He gave her a look, raising his brow at her with a little smirk.

She scoffed; knowing that his mind was filth. "Well, I suggest you better go find Connie for that." AJ said, balling up her napkin and throwing it directly at Bucky's forehead. He laughed, grabbing the napkin and holding it in his hand. "I'm serious, Bucky! We've done all the things I've wanted to do tonight and it's your last night. Tell me something you want to do before you leave, okay?"

He squinted, pressing his index finger to the dimple on his chin. He then smiled. "I want to sneak into the World Exposition of Tomorrow and sit in Howard Starks flying car." He grinned, probably thinking that it was impossible.

AJ nodded her and got out of the booth and headed towards the counter.

"Where are you goin'?" Bucky said, shifting to look over at AJ now speaking to the waitress and cook quietly.

"May I use your phone, please?" AJ asked, leaning over the counter a bit. The waitress nodded, motioning for AJ to follow her.

"Jay!" Bucky hollered when AJ followed the woman into the back. She shouted over her shoulder for him to stay put just as he was moving to get out of the booth. AJ chuckled quietly when he sat back down with a defeated sigh.

Once she was in the kitchen and the waitress had left her to give her some privacy, AJ dialed Howard's house, praying that he was there and not in one of the showgirls beds tonight.

"Yeah?" He answered with a yawn. "What? Who is this?" Howard then grumbled.

"Howard, it's me. I need a favor."

"AJ?" Howard said in confusion. "You disappeared on me – are you okay?" He was more alert now.

"I'm fine." She assured him. "That car you showed tonight – is it still at the expo?" AJ asked.

"No, it was taken back to one of my factories in Manhattan."

"Get a pen and paper." AJ ordered him.

"What in the hell," He began to grumble again but AJ cut him off.

"Please, Howard."

He sighed. "Fine, give me a second." After a moment he came back on the phone. "I got a pen and paper."

AJ gave him the address of the diner they were at and told him to get in his car to pick up her and a friend (she really didn't want to catch any grief from Howard just yet) and to bring them to his factory. "And hurry, we only have four hours and twenty-three minutes." AJ said, looking down at her watch.

"Yeah, yeah, boss. Whatever you say."

AJ smiled, liking when Howard Stark called her boss. She knew he was only being sarcastic – but boy did it make her feel good. She hung up with the man and hurried back over to the booth she and Bucky sat at.

Bucky raised his brows at her, waiting for her explain whatever was going on.

She simply smiled and folded her hands together onto the table.

"What are you up to?" He asked.

AJ grinned, shrugging innocently.

_

Howard hadn't been too keen on chauffeuring Bucky and AJ around for the rest of the night after he had taken them to one of his factories where the car was still being worked on. He also wasn't too thrilled when AJ had pulled him aside to try and persuade him to let Bucky sit in the car while it hovered over the ground.

"It's his last night, Howard!" AJ had said in a huff when Howard instantly began to shake his head no to her request. "In fact," She had looked down at her watch to check the time. "Not even night – it's his last few hours in the States and I just want him to have a good time!"

He gave her a look and AJ instantly regretting how she phrased her words, "There are many other things you could do to show him a good time until he has to leave." Howard had smirked. AJ glared at the man and refused to back down. Howard eventually groaned and called Bucky over to sit in the car.

The way his eyes had lit up while they hovered in the air while sitting in the car was something AJ would never forget. The way his blue eyes grew large and how his grin looked like a child's smile on Christmas morning. She had laughed, wishing she could capture the moment so she could keep it with her forever.

They drove around for the next few hours, Howard still mumbling about how he was not a chauffeur and AJ would tease him from the backseat next to Bucky. Eventually Howard drowned AJ out by turning on the radio, bringing the conversation to a halt as they all listened to the soft lulling voice of Dick Haymes.

Somehow, though AJ swore she wouldn't see him off, they ended up at the same docks she had said goodbye to Frank on. They had stopped by Bucky's apartment where he grabbed his bag after AJ suggested that Howard might as well drive him to the docks given the time.

"Are you sure?" Bucky had asked her.

AJ nodded with a sad smile.

"I suppose I don't get a say in this?" Howard piped in from the front seat.

So here they were, sitting still in the backseat watching as soldiers said goodbye to their loved ones. They sat there, completely still in that moment as they watched everyone outside until Howard opened the door, stepping out of the car only to stick his head back in briefly and said. "I'm just going to stretch my legs...give you kids a moment." He winked at AJ and she had to close her eyes in embarrassment.

She chuckled, biting down on her lip as she shook her head. "I apologize about Howard. He's not exactly,"

"-Subtle?" Bucky suggested with a little chuckle as well.

AJ looked back up at Bucky, "I was going to say mature." She smiled. He was looking down at her with the same smile. AJ looked away and tucked her hair behind her ears. "You should get going. You don't want to miss your ride." She teased.

She could still feel Bucky's eyes on her, but she didn't have the courage or strength to look back at him. "Thank you." He finally spoke. She did not want to, but AJ finally looked back up at him after he had thanked her. "For letting me spend my last night here with ya, Jay."

"Of course." She replied, her voice small.

Upon hearing the shouts of some of the nurses, Bucky looked away from AJ and out the window. She heard him sigh before turning back to face her. "I should get going." He said what she had moment earlier. He opened his door and got out.

AJ had sworn that she would not step foot on those docks again – she would not say goodbye to Bucky the way she had Frank. And somehow Bucky knew that, even though she had never said it out loud. Bucky didn't look back at her after he shut the car door behind him, going around the car to grab his bag from the back. AJ closed her eyes, keeping her head down when she heard the trunk shut closed. "Can I ask you a favor?" She looked up and saw Bucky was still there, now leaning down to look in the car.

AJ nodded. "Yes." She answered without hesitation.

"If I write to you while I'm overseas...will you write me back?" He asked, his voice small but hopeful.

AJ had to laugh a bit, "Yes." She agreed.

He let out a sigh of relief that made AJ feel warm. He then looked back at her after looking down for a moment. "Now, don't go fallin' in love with Steve while I'm gone." He grinned.

"I make no promises." AJ grinned back at him.

He took in a deep breath and forced a smile. "I'll be seein' ya, Frosty."

She nodded and forced herself to smile as well. AJ couldn't open her mouth to speak, because if she did, the tears would appear in her eyes and she knew that they wouldn't go away for a few days. Bucky gave her a little wave and then moved, shutting the door and took a few steps backwards, still looking at her in the car. One last sad smile and then he turned his back and headed to where all the other solider were gathered up.

AJ closed her eyes, resting her forehead against her palms.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she was opening up the door Bucky had just closed and hurrying after him. "Bucky!" She shouted, stopping to look around where she had last seen him. She felt her eyes swell with tears when she saw that he was nowhere in sight. AJ's lower lip trembled as she took in a deep breath to try and calm herself.

He was gone.

She closed her eyes and let a single tear roll down her cheek.

"Adelyn!"

AJ opened her eyes and spotted Bucky coming towards her. She breathed out in relief and began to run in his direction, not caring that she probably looked like a mad woman. When she reached him, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight, hiding her face against his shoulder, her tears wetting it in the process.

Bucky held her back just as tight as she held onto him. His face moving to the crook of her neck, staying there for quite some time smothered against her dark brown hair. When her grip on the back of his uniform finally loosened, the two slowly parted from the other.

She looked up to him, wiping away a few stray tears in the process, watching as his eyes grew watery as well.

AJ closed her eyes and shook her head before she said what she needed to say. "I already lost one good man to this war, Bucky, please," She stopped and looked back up at him. Please don't die? Please be smart? Please don't always do the brave thing? Please come home? AJ took in a deep breath. "Just...be safe."

Bucky pressed his hand to her cheek, his thumb wiping away another tear. "Always." He promised.

They hugged one more time, Bucky pressing a lingering kiss to her hair in the process. The soldiers were now boarding the ship and AJ found herself gripping onto his uniform tighter as the people around them slowly went their separate ways.

"Thank you," He whispered against her hair. She nodded, still holding onto him.

You need to let go, she told herself.

Bucky pressed another kiss to her head and then let go of her, moving backwards taking one last look at her before he stood up straight and brought his right arm up straight and raised his hand to his brow, saluting her.

AJ smiled, saluting him back in a less formal way. She simply raised her hand to her brow as she bent her head to the side, saluting him back.

Bucky gave her a big grin before he turned his back and headed towards the ship.

AJ stood on the dock waiting until Bucky boarded the ship and then waited until the ship set sail and once the ship was only a blur of a dot, she walked back to where the car was parked. Howard was leaning against the car, his expression that of empathy, not pity. AJ looked over her shoulder one more time and could no longer see the boat. And in that moment, AJ, who was not overly religious, found herself praying to God that she'd see James Barnes again.

Howard slung his arm over her shoulder when she walked over to him, he helped her into the front seat and then got into the driver's side. "Where to, Miss?" He asked, trying to lighten the mood.

It worked. AJ let out a huff of a laugh and told Howard Stark, inventor, engineer, multi-millionaire business man, turned reluctant chauffer; "Home, please."

AJ let her head rest against the window as Howard drove her home, closing her eyes and slowly fell asleep. The last thing she heard in her mind before falling asleep completely was Bucky's voice telling her;

I'll be seeing ya, Frosty.