Part 19

There is always a strong sense of sadness in saying goodbye to those that you share a strong love, a deep connection and bond with. Looking into the confused eyes of Brogan and the children, Steve Rogers could feel his heart firmly at breaking point as he prepared to share the news of his upcoming departure to the select few that he loved more than anything. It didn't help that he'd been part of all their lives for so long with this making the pain even more deep. He'd seen little Rebecca take her first steps, say her first words and finally grow into the beautiful young girl that stood before him. He'd watched James blossom from the shy insecure traumatised little boy he once was to the now confident protective big brother and pretty much Bucky's very own mini me...

With Bucky reassuringly squeezing his shoulder, Steve took a deep breath and filled the three in on his plan of returning the stones and choosing to stay in the past. Brogan's jaw fell open stunned and she instantly felt emotionally bankrupt at his news. This man had been her rock over these past several years. He never left her side and had thought of him as the big brother she never had...her best friend...always

"So you're going away uncle Steve? " Rebecca could already feel her lower lip begin to tremble as she bit it hard. Her blue eyes already glistening with damp watery tears "but you can't...we need you"

"I know sweetheart and believe me its killing me knowing I'm going to apart from you all but..." dropping to his knees he reached up and gently began to brush away her tears with his thumbs "Rebecca you have got your Papa back now and your family Is complete at last. They need you more honey" forcing out a smile, Steve reached up and squeezed the equally distraught James's arm "Nothing will change how much I love you guys but its time for you to start your new life as one. You're a family now and the time for you to embrace it together is now.. I need to set out on my own"

"but.. But. You're part of this family too" the intense heartache continued to eat little Rebecca up inside. Her heart almost feeling like it was encased in a block of ice "please don't go Uncle Steve" the little girl sobbed, collapsing into a mountain of tears on his shoulder "don't leave us...don't go"

It is a cruelty of life that a heart can keep beating even after it has been broken in two. Right now as he tried to comfort the sobbing youngster, Steve could feel as though his own heart was being gripped into an ice cold vice. There was an intense ache from the very depths of his core that overwhelmed his soul. Steve could do nothing but just hold her in silence, slowly rocking back and forth as the little girls tears began to soak his shirt. Every now and then there would be a tiny lapse as she would pull away from him, her eyes blinking with tears as sobs once again took hold. The pain of the realisation of being apart from beloved uncle filling her heart with deep intense grief...

"Sweetheart listen to me..." stepped in Bucky as a guilt stricken Steve got to his feet. Tenderly he kissed her forehead as his glowing metal hand tucked one of her curls behind her ear "Im home now and I promise you that I'm going nowhere. We are a family at last Rebecca Barnes. A happy family right?" Stifling her sobs Rebecca nodded at her father "well uncle Steve wants to go out there and experience that same happiness that we have together. We have our happy ending at last now but its time for him to head out and find his own..do you understand honey?"

"But we won't see him again Papa will we?"

"Rebecca, Everyone deserves to be happy right? That's something your mother taught me. So even Uncle Steve does too yes?" turning to Brogan Bucky smiled and stroked Rebecca's face once more "this is why we need to let him go and live his life. Yes he may not be with us but nothing honey will change the fact that he will always be part of our family always. He will never stop being my best Friend, my brother or your much loved uncle.."

"plus remember what Papa told you just before he went off to fight and what you told Morgan at the funeral. You just got to look to your heart and he will be with us always" Brogan smiled warmly before pulling Steve into a tight hug "let him be happy honey. We need to let him go"

"We'll miss you uncle Steve...so much" whispered James, resting his head on Steve's arm as the man grew even closer to tears "you won't forget us will you?"

"James, trust me on this but whatever happens with me I will never forget any of you" pulling the boy in close, Steve clung tight and softly kissed the top of his head as Bucky scooped up Rebecca in his arms. "i wish I could stay here but this is something I need to do. Do for me. But I can't go without the three of your blessings. Bucky has giving me his but what about the rest of you?"

"ok...uncle Steve" still resting on Bucky's hip, Rebecca leant over and rest her head on Steve's shoulder before stroking his face "be happy... I love you"

"love you too honey " relief hit Steve instantly. like a huge weight had lifted from his shoulders "thank you all for understanding...you will all forever be my family..."

With the families blessing now filling his heart with love, Steve at last didn't feel as anxious and scared at leaving now. Regardless of the timeline, he would savour each and every memory he'd had with them and through them would live on once more. The strands of love he had for each of them would make them connected forever

"Be happy Steve...you deserve it" hugging Steve close in a loving hug. Brogan took his head in both her hands and kissed his cheek "thank you for everything. I'll never forget when you laughed with me, those moments you cried with me. I don't regret a single memory I've had with you Steven Rogers. Thank you for being you and being with me always.. Now go out there and find your happy ever after"

"Thank you... Thank you all for understanding how much I need to do this" Steve smiled "ill be with you all...always i promise"

A week now had passed since that deeply emotional goodbye and for Steve Rogers the day of reckoning had at last arrived. It was time for him to put the Stones back in place and set his plan of staying in the past firmly into action. Today he was going to say goodbye to another of those who cared about and considered a friend in Sam Wilson and Bruce Banner. Yes the two were friends with him but nothing could truly compare to the brotherhood that Bucky and Steve shared. A week later and Bucky still couldn't help but still feel sad that his best friend was leaving permanently. Yes Bucky had gained a family now and was happy but how else was he supposed to feel at the prospect of losing what felt was part of him? His brother.. His best friend. All of those times growing up and from just before the war when they would just talk, just laugh and do normal things that normal people would do began to fill his head. Deep down he wished Steve wasn't leaving but at the end of the day, his friends happiness was Paramount and if Steve wanted to do this then Bucky would continue to be the supportive friend once more. Exactly as he had been...

Watching on from a distance, Bucky let out a sigh as Steve and Sam were going through the of procedure. Feeling subdued, he tried time and time again to convince himself that everything was going to be alright. Yes they were on different paths now and were ready for new adventures but he still couldn't help but hope that they would reunite again one day. They would always be brothers, eternally bonded together for better or worse. Sharing a connection so strong, just like a fusion of two souls. A feeling that to lose the other would be a fate worse than death. They had both been through so much and whatever came next, Bucky and Steve knew they would always be there for one another. That reliability, that trust, it built them both and sustained the two of them. This bond and connection would never change. It was indeed killing him to day goodbye but Steve's happiness was and would always be the most important thing to Bucky...

The woodlands where Bruce had set up the machine ready for Steve's departure was ominously quiet at this moment in time. As he picked up the case containing the stones and reassuring Bruce he knew what he was doing, Steve let out a sigh and headed over to where the still distraught Bucky stood. He paused for a moment in front of his best friend. All that could be heard was the deep saturation of the leaves in the gusty wind that surrounded them. Staring at one another the men were calm and almost hypnotised as it dawned on them both that this was it. It was soon time to say that final goodbye goodbye. Bucky's shoulders were now slumped and his eyes cast down in a deep mournful gaze. Taking a deep breath, he cast his sad eyes up to his friend and forced out a smile. Still feeling deeply dejected and heartbroken

"Don't do anything stupid till I get back" Steve nodded guiltily biting his lower lip as he could see the deep sadness etched in Bucky's eyes

"how can I? You're talking all the stupid with you" a look of deep pride filled Bucky's face as he smiled at last. The two men moved closer and shared one last goodbye hug. Now with them both on the great crossroads of life and on two separate paths to the future. The hug was tender. Full of closeness and more importantly love. Slowly they parted and Bucky once again forced out a smile, his heart still at breaking point. He took a step back, knowing he'd never see him again now after this "im gonna miss you buddy..."

"its gonna be OK Buck" Reaching over, Steve gave Bucky's shoulder a reassuring squeeze "Trust me...now look after that family of yours for me...you've earned your redemption now and you can finally be at peace...just as I'm going to be now...goodbye Buck"

Bucky was the only one that knew about Steve's plan to stay in the past with Peggy. Steve knew that if either Sam or Bruce knew, they would only try to talk him out of it and convince him to stay. That was obviously something he didn't want. Focusing back on the task in hand, Bucky watched on as after one last glance from Steve, the man loved by the world as Captain America vanished before his eyes. Almost like he was able to dissolve into the air itself and vanish into the breeze of the crowded woodland that surrounded them. With Bruce soon counting down from 5 and Steve nowhere to be seen, Bucky smiled up at the empty space to where his friend had once stood moments earlier. This was it now, Steve Rogers had officially gone. In Bucky's mind though, this wasn't the end of them both. This was just a new chapter In both their lives. Watching Sam and Bruce panicking as they desperately tried to work out what had gone wrong, Bucky turned away and pulled a small faded black and white photo from his pocket. His metallic hand began to glow as he proudly looked down at the picture. It was a photo that he'd taken from one of his many visits to the captain America wing at the Smithsonian. Both he and Steve were wearing full military attire and smiling at the camera. He kept it with him always as a constant reminder of his past to when he was Sgt James Buchanan Barnes, proud member of the howling commandos and not the feared notorious assassin The Winter Soldier...this was Bucky...just Bucky...

"Look after yourself Buddy" Bucky smiled, placing the photo back in his pocket. Yes he was now gone, but Bucky Barnes knew that Steve's spirit would be watching over him always. Living on in all the cherished happy memories they shared from happier times "Ill miss you...always my friend...be happy "

With the picture safely in his pocket, Bucky turned around when suddenly something strange on the horizon caught his eye almost stopping him in his tracks. There seemingly appearing out of nowhere sat an old man on a small bench who hadn't of been there moments earlier. Nervous, Bucky felt drawn to the mysterious old man and as he edged toward him, he turned giving Bucky a salute before smiling proudly. Bucky knew instantly who the old man was and smiled, returning the salute with pride. The old mans deep wrinkled seemed to carve a map of his life on his still agile and mobile features. His twinkling eyes were framed by thick white eyebrows and on his chin were a few white whiskers. As he stared at Bucky, the old mans eyes shone in the bright light of the sun above there heads.

"sam..." called Bucky to the still arguing pair behind him. The old man had now turned back around and just sat peacefully staring into the distance. Saying nothing, He and Sam headed over to the bench. The old mans identity soon becoming even more recognizable to them both. It was Steve... Bucky watched on proudly as Sam stood even more confused "go ahead...go to him... "

From afar Bucky watched on and nodded approvingly as Steve handed the shield over to an overwhelmed Sam. Seeing it proudly on his arm, Bucky couldn't have been more happier at Steve's choice for a successor and to carry on the legacy of Captain America. Sam had earned this chance and both Bucky and Steve knew he would make the country as well as the world proud. He was a good man with hard work, dedication and heart firmly running through his veins. Steve had chosen the right guy indeed...

"he'll do you proud Steve" smiled Bucky from afar "i'll make sure of it I promise"

Waking him from his thoughts, a loud sound of an old fashioned telephone soon snapped Bucky to reality. Fumbling in his jacket he soon realised it was his brand new mobile phone that Brogan had bought for him going off. He smiled at the beaming image of Brogan blowing him a kiss signalling an incoming call from his beautiful wife. Bucky was still getting used to the phone but thankfully he remembered James telling him that he just had to press the green button to accept the call. With the phone now at his ear, he smiled...a content happy smile at last

"Hey Honey. Yeah its done...I'm okay honestly... Now i am" looking back he watched on at Sam and the old man hugging "Everything is how it should be now...its going to all be fine now Brogan...yes I'm coming home..see you soon...I love you too"

For the first time in decades, Bucky Barnes was at last ready for the future. At last he was ready to embrace life not as The Winter Soldier but as James Barnes. Husband to Brogan and father to Rebecca and James. Even now he still couldn't believe how his life had turned out like this. At last he had met his soulmate and with her at his side, he knew he was complete. Yes he wasn't perfect but who is in life to be honest right? Yet together they would ride every storm brewing as they waited to see what this new dawn would bring their family. Together at last and more importantly together as a family ...