Authors Note: I'm 100% sure this concept has been tackled before by quite a few people as well, with better and intriguing stories. But here's my version. Mostly focusing on the MCU, most likely merging it with the 616 continuity as well.

HYDRA base near the Borders of Russia.

"Lieutenant. What is it?" shouted a heavily armed officer as they raided the last containment pods of HYDRA

"My God. It can't be, is that..."

"We found them."

"Let S.H.I.E.L.D know. We've done it. We finally found Captain America."

Secret Location of S.H.I.E.L.D

She ran through the doors and the great halls towards the room. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the message. It's still in a rapid motion since she got the news, never in battle or near death situations has her heart beaten this fast or extremely. She felt happy,relieved and excitement of seeing him again. After so long.

The fact that he may be able to live a life he was denied. It brought joy to her heart.

He may finally get his wish, their first dance.

Howard had called her the minute he received the message.

"They found him" she thought to herself.

"After so long, he's been found." She had to repeat it to herself.

She drove here as fast as she could and even her legs didn't want to stop, no matter how slow and restricted she felt. She dodged the few employees who obstructed her and knocked one off his feet. She wanted to help him up but now she felt was not the moment to do so. Another thought occupied her mind.

She halted at the door and the sudden stop caused the greyish brown strands of her hair to brush all over face. The years had been kind to her but alas like everyone and everything else nothing lasts forever, not even him but maybe he can now. As she walked towards the window to see him. Howard Stark faced towards her. Standing by his side was his faithful butler and her dear friend Jarvis.

"Peggy. I'm sorry. But..' Howard started.

She looked at the figure lying on the bed opposite the window screen, with the many machines and operators standing by monitoring his every breathe and fibre of his being.

She placed a hand on the cold glass. Her heart sank slightly not being able to cope that the hope that was renewed vanished again. All her relief turned into cold fear. For a moment the glass temperature did not affect her. She didn't even bother questioning why it's cold.

Before all of this, for some time she was near the brink of giving up of ever finding him again. At least in her lifetime. The day he vanished had been a sad day for them all. After all his efforts in helping to take down the rogue Nazi Science division, Hydra, he was robbed of rejoicing like them all.

Howard placed a hand on her shoulders to console her.

"I'm sorry Peggy. I'm sorry for giving you the false hope. I should have checked before telling you."

She could almost hear the tremble in his voice as well, he wanted to see his friend once again and was denied by fate. After Her, He may have felt a greater loss.

After all he spent the time and money to track him down. Over and over again he spent the last couple of years searching for him, Howard felt he owed him that much, because if the roles had been reversed He would have never given up on Howard.

Eventually Howard had given up hope of ever finding him, he didn't bother joining the expeditions anymore and instead focused elsewhere, his life, his company and most importantly his Wife and child, although Peggy felt that he could improve the relationship between him and his son. But Howard still funded a search party, just in case some trace of him is still out there.

Somewhere. If there is a possibility.

"No Howard don't be sorry. Steve wouldn't want to see us like this. It's not like it was a total loss. At least we found someone."

Peggy tried to cover up her sadness and broken tone as she consoled herself and Howard.

She covered her friend's hand on her shoulder and looked back at him with reddish teary eyes.

It would be a lie to say she was not disappointed and sad to see the person they found was not Steve. The joy and excitement she dug up from inside her was deteriorating again. She closed her eyes and she could still see the frail man who had the most courageous and big heart she met. He wanted to protect whomever he could even if his body was not up to the task. As she wiped her eyes dry before the tears could fall she said.

"Oh, how happy Steve would be right now."

Peggy's memories latched on the two friends and how each would protect the other during those old films during the war.

"That he would be. After All he risked his life to save him and the rest of 107th"

Howard with a big smile said remembering Steve's first call to action.

She looked at the brunette haired young Man. At the state he had been he still looked the way he once did before he was lost in 1945. A few bruises and cuts but he looked exactly the same, albeit his hair seemed longer. While her, Howard and the rest of the Commandos had aged ever so slightly, he did not. It had been 46 years since the war was won. But I guess Hydra still crawled in some hole on this Earth.

He looked comfortable and in peace so she did not bother entering the room. Instead she stood their for a while trying to keep herself in control.

"Bucky's home Steve."

She told herself with a smile as she walked away from the window. She took one last look again at his left chest. It had been covered in bandages. His arm had been completely cut off. But it was not bleeding instead looked to be covered by a metal exterior, the bandages was SHIELD being careful, more so than usual.

"Bucky's home."