AN: The third and last chapter for this story. Once again, I got it out quicker than I was expecting. Thank you to all who've read this. I enjoyed writing it. I hope you enjoy this.
Bucky didn't have long enough to come up with some long monologue in his head like the ones you read in books. Bucky wasn't able to go over all of the things he'd miss or wouldn't be able to experience. There wasn't time for him to pull up one last, happy, image from his memory.
It was a long way down but the fall was lightning quick for Bucky. The only thing that was able to get through his head was the scream that ripped through his throat right before he hit rock bottom and then there was only the darkness.
Or, that's what should've happened anyway.
Instead, seeming like only seconds later for Bucky, his eyes flashed open in panic. The sudden light made him momentarily blind and he immediately tried to sit up only to find himself strapped down. A clear mask was over his mouth and nose, pumping whatever into Bucky's breathing system.
His sight began to clear at this point and he saw people running around him, passing notes and/or tools. One man, near him, lifted up his arm to show a long needle.
Bucky's heart was beating rapidly and out of beat. He was breathing so hard that it was truly amazing he hadn't passed out yet either. Clenching his hands into fists, he tried to break free of his bonds and was amazed when he actually heard something snap.
More people ran past his vision, some held guns and it was clear they were soldiers. However, Bucky didn't recognize their uniforms. They, along with the scientists and everything else in this place, looked like it had fallen out of some strange science fiction novel.
The people running around, the feeling of someone injecting something into his veins, the unknown area; it was all to much and Bucky was frightened. He was more scared than it should be possible.
Adrenaline began to pump through his veins and he tried to break free again. More snaps broke and his right hand became free. He ripped off the mask and then punched the nearest man as his left hand broke free. He bent forward, trying to get his feet free and knocking people aside as they tried to stop him.
Finally, Bucky was free and he pushed off the people around him and got onto his own two feet. He felt, felt, movement behind him and quickly ducked only for the scientist in front of him to drop dead from a bullet.
Bucky had always been good at detecting certain things. That's what made him so good especially on stake outs or when some sneaking was involved. But with all the commotion that was going on, all the noise, he shouldn't have been able to sense that bullet.
Suddenly, he moved to the side, grabbing a scientist and throwing him one way so that numerous people and equipment were knocked over. And now, he was surprised by his own strength but he didn't let that distract him.
Instead, he was able to knock out several more people before taking a gun from a soldier and at the people. Bucky didn't recognize the type of gun it was but that didn't matter. He could use and it worked just fine.
He ran, bursting through doorways and crashing into people and things as he tried to get out wherever he was. Bucky looked into several rooms but he couldn't find a way to the outside. Finally, he came upon a staircase that led upwards so Bucky decided to take his chances.
This new level seemed more like an office than some lab. Bucky didn't have to shoot; the people simply ducked or ran at the sight of him. Going as quickly as possible, he made as much distance as he could, running faster than he should, from where he had come from. Eventually, he grabbed a man and asked where he could get to the outside.
He didn't even have to threaten the guy. He just told him.
As Bucky began to run again, he looked down and saw that he was in a hospital gown. He had no idea where he was and just running outside with a gun in a hospital gown probably wouldn't go over to well. At the next chance, he made one guy give him his pants and another one a jacket after throwing the gown off.
Bucky was finally then within sight of the door that would lead him to the outside. He was in some type of city and, even though he didn't like it, he did throw the gun down and ran for it.
Into the streets and through the crowd of people he ran. The temperature was nearing freezing and yet, despite no shoes or shirt, Bucky didn't notice. He tried asking people where he was but most either walked away, looking at him like he was crazy, or spoke in some language that was completely unknown to him.
However, not everyone was rude and unhelpful and one man did seem to know a little bit of English. When asked where he was, the man replied, "Moscow, Russia."
Moscow, Russia? Bucky needed to get back to New York now. Maybe he could try and find Steve. That seemed like a good idea, until of course he really thought it through.
"What . . . what year is it?" Bucky finally asked, not even wanting to know the answer.
"How drunk are you?" asked the man with a laugh.
"Um, I had a hard night last night," Bucky tried and his answer seemed satisfactory enough.
"2012," the man replied and then, with the tip of his hat, left.
The idea that he wasn't in his own time had become pretty clear to Bucky in the beginning. However, hearing it from someone else made it that more terrifying. And of course, there was that small factor that everyone Bucky knew was now either dead or in a nursing home.
What was he going to do?
Four months later and Bucky was still full of questions and practically no answers. It had taken him two months until he'd finally had enough to get a plane ticket across the Atlantic and to New York again. Yes, it wasn't his time anymore but he would at least be in a place that spoke the same language.
Everything Bucky owned, everything Bucky ate, everything he slept on was stolen. He couldn't risk getting a job, at least not here. The people who he had woke up with were probably still searching for him even though he hadn't encountered them again.
Whatever they had done to him was one of the main reasons he hadn't been found out. The cold didn't bite as much and it took hotter temperatures before he really burned. Bucky was faster, lighter on his feet and stronger. Everything seemed better but it was this better that scared Bucky.
He wasn't really himself anymore.
However, he couldn't just go up to someone and try to figure out why. He'd get thrown into either a cage and become a lab rat or people would think him crazy and he'd be thrown into an insane asylum. There seemed to be no way out of this.
When Bucky reached New York, he couldn't help but smile despite how different it was. Yes, there seemed to be twice as many people and there were those weird moving boards everywhere but there were still things that remained the same.
Certain official landmarks were of course still there but there were smaller, more import items as well. Bucky's favorite pizza place was still where it had been the last time he had seen it. It was much more modern looking of course but when he asked he found out that the current owner was the son of the original one which did make Bucky smile.
At one point, Bucky was able to find where his old apartment had been. It had been remodeled and looked a lot nicer now but there were a few things that looked the same.
Bucky was able to find an apartment. It was cheap and crappy but he didn't really care. It gave him a place besides a park bench to rest his head. Now that he was in America again, he got a lowly job as a taxi driver. He learned quickly and once again found something new about himself.
He seemed to be able to grasp certain concepts so much more easily and seemed to be able to adapt to certain things quicker as well. It was useful but that didn't mean he liked it.
He was in New York for only a few weeks when he finally started hearing things about the so called superheroes known as the Avengers. However, Bucky didn't watch TV, didn't have one, and he never felt the need to buy a paper so he actually never came across their faces.
Bucky was a lowly cabdriver and that was it. Besides, he didn't really care about much else except when it came to trying to piece his past together.
However, one day he was walking downtown. Usually, he stayed more to the outskirts of the city but for whatever reason he decided to go more inward today. Everything seemed normal until the streets seemed to become more crowded than usual. Bucky frowned, trying to think of a reason for that.
People began to push and shove others out of the way and Bucky would've normally been able to keep his balance but there was just to many of them and eventually fell over. Bucky was about to push himself up when he felt a hand on his forearm. The man helped pull Bucky to his feet and he was about to say thank you when he froze.
No it, it couldn't be! However, he looked closer and realized it wasn't Howard Stark like he had thought it was.
The man looked very similar but now Bucky could see some clear differences. "Thank you," said Bucky briskly. Seeing this man unnerved him and he wanted to leave as soon as possible. Thoughts of Howard were rising up and he did not want to be caught crying in public.
He turned, quickly pushing through the crowd when he heard someone yell out, "Bucky!"
Bucky knew that voice but it couldn't possibly be him. But, who else would be able to know his name? He froze, not moving until a hand grabbed him and spun him around. He ended up coming face to face with Steve.
After believing everyone he had ever known to be dead, seeing Cap made a wave or relief and confusion wash over him as he collapsed to the ground.
When Bucky woke up, he was in an unknown room that looked extremely expensive. At first, puzzlement came over him until he remembered what exactly had happened. He jumped up rushing to the door and throwing it open.
He looked down both hallways and was beginning to wonder which way to go when a voice suddenly said, "I do believe you are looking for Mr. Stark and Mr. Rogers in the living room sir. It is to your right."
"Who's there!?" yelled out Bucky, spinning around as he tried to figure out who had talked.
"Apologies, sir. I forgot you're not from this time. I am the artificial intelligence J.A.R.V.I.S. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now, if you'd just turn to your right and keep going straight, you will meet up with Mr. Stark and Mr. Rogers."
Bucky warily headed the way J.A.R.V.I.S. told him to go, deciding that if the thing wanted to hurt him it would've already done so. Carefully, he came out into what he guessed to be the living room to find Steve and the one that Bucky was guessing was related to Howard.
"Bucky! Are you sure you should be walking around already?" asked Steve upon seeing his friend.
As he looked at him, Bucky couldn't help but suddenly realize just how much he had missed seeing familiar faces. Instead answering Steve's question he instead said, "How can you . . . how can you be here?"
"Well, that's kind of a long story," replied Steve. "I was actually wondering how you came to be here as well."
"I don't know," replied Bucky. "I woke up in a lab in Moscow, Russia several months ago. I haven't been able to figure out anything else. Now, tell me what happened to you."
Steve sighed and gestured for Bucky to sit down. Bucky did so but made sure to sit farther away from Stark. He knew it wasn't Howard but seeing the similarities was hard for him. So, instead he concentrated on Steve as he explained everything. Steve's story was much more complete than Bucky's and after about an hour Bucky understood everything.
Stark had remained silent for this but when Steve was done talking he said, "Is your real name James?"
"Um, yes," Bucky said hesitantly. He didn't understand why the man was asking him this.
"Interesting," muttered Stark and then he stood up and went and grabbed something. "I've got something for you. Technically, I doubt he ever thought you'd actually get this but it's still yours."
"What is?"
"A letter from my dad to you. I found among his old memoirs one day. I've never opened but I did keep. I guess it only seems right giving it to you," Stark replied as he handed Bucky a now yellow, blank envelope. "You can read it now if you like and then we can go back and focus on how you got here."
"Oh, uh thank you then," Bucky said awkwardly as he looked down at the envelope. When he looked back up, he saw Steve and Stark leaving, giving him some privacy which he was grateful for.
He carefully opened it and took out the old letter. Bucky began to read:
Dear James,
You'll never actually get this. I know that but I feel like I should write it anyways. You see, I'm getting married today. She's nice and everything and I think you'd actually like her if you ever got the chance to meet her. But, I'd be lying if I said I didn't think of you at all.
Years have passed now and I still will grow silent at the mention of your name. God, who knew I could be such a romantic. They never found your body but you still have a grave which I frequently visit. It's simple which I think you'd like.
I know that nothing could've really happened between us James. I mean, we never could've gotten married and we never would've been able to tell anyone but I still wish I could've had a life with you. Your one of the reasons I keep on going really. If I just stop, I know you'd get mad at me. You'd want me to keep going, just like I would want you to keep living if our roles had been reversed.
I love you James. I really always love you and as much as that hurts me, I'm glad I have loved now. I don't believe in a god or an after really, you know that. But if there is one, I hope we meet there.
Forever your beloved,
Howard
Tears began to follow but Bucky quickly wiped them away before they fell on the old letter. He wouldn't let those tears tarnish the words.
Within the next week, Bucky met Nick Fury and the group called S.H.I.E.L.D. He was getting help now from that he figured he could trust sense Steve did. His resurrection was coming together and they were looking into who had brought him back.
Bucky also got acquainted with the rest of the Avengers and moved into Stark Tower. He had gotten a little more use to Tony but he still hated it when he did things that Howard would've clearly done.
However, none of this was important to Bucky. Not really. The most important thing that happened to Bucky that week was something he did on his own.
He found the graveyard where Howard was buried and went there, buying flowers before he got there. It didn't take him to long to find the grave and when he did, he froze. Next to it was his grave.
It's a curious thing, when someone sees their own tombstone. Some men would weep at the sight of it and others might tremble in fear. Bucky did neither for he was frozen, a coldness creeping into his heart.
I should be there. I should be lying next to Howard, not standing above him, thought Bucky. It felt wrong, being the one to be alive after reading Howard's letter because now their roles were reversed.
Bucky bent down, placing the flowers on the grave and then glanced around, looking for Mrs. Stark's grave but she apparently hadn't been buried next to Howard. As cruel as it might be, Bucky was glad of this that she wasn't here.
He let his hands go over the engraving of Howard's name first and then his own. He looked at the dates of each one, and the small little words that said things like beloved friend.
What is written down and read in stone becomes permanent and unyielding just as the rock itself. James would meet Howard again in the afterlife. That was a promise.