December 24th-Recommended Music: The Christmas Song-Nat King Cole

For the first time in several days, Bucky felt safe and confident enough to venture outside. The nuns had given him money and a shopping list and it was his job to procure a Christmas ham and all the trimmings. It was a responsibility he took very seriously. He wanted everything to be perfect for his kind benefactresses.

The nearest grocery store was only a couple blocks away, so he didn't have far to go, though he kept a close eye on everybody who passed him by on the way. By the time he arrived at the store, he was confident that there were currently no HYDRA agents in the area, and turned his thoughts back to the task at hand. It would be the first time since leaving the Winter Soldier behind that he would be going to a store to buy food with money. It was nice to not have to steal any longer.

The selection of hams this close to Christmas was sparse, but he managed to find one large enough for everybody. He placed it in the shopping cart and continued with his list. The nuns wanted rolls that came in cans, something he had never heard of before. He was forced to ask for help after a failed attempt at finding them himself. One of the store employees directed him to a refrigerated area and he was astounded at the variety of breads in a can. Biscuits, miniature croissants, French bread, pizza dough, and cinnamon rolls, among others. He wondered how they fit all the rolls in such a small can. He shook one of the cans, but couldn't hear anything inside it, and was even more confused. In the end, he picked out two cans of biscuits and added them to the cart. He hoped the nuns knew what they were doing in asking for them.

Next, he made his way to the produce section and was intimidated by all the different types of potatoes he saw. Small, large, red, white, even purple! He picked out some of the russets that looked the most familiar to him and hoped he'd chosen the right ones. Green beans and Brussels sprouts hadn't changed since his time, and he felt confident as he stocked up on them.

There were now pre-made pie crusts one could buy in the frozen foods section. Frozen foods were a revelation to him. The industry hadn't existed before the war and he hadn't been privy to anything related to cookery afterwards, until now. As he stocked up on the items he needed for a pumpkin pie, he felt grateful that the women would be cooking the meal, for he had never cooked anything in his life before and wouldn't know where to begin.

When his cart was full and his list was complete, he made his way to the check-out line. The sisters had given him cash and he hoped he had enough for all the supplies. The total came to just a couple dollars less than he'd been given, and he breathed a sigh of relief as the bagger filled four bags with all the food.

It was no problem carrying all the bags home in his arms, though his sight was partially obscured by them. He arrived back at the church just before lunchtime, and helped them unpack the bags.

Once lunch was over, Bucky was sent to the sanctuary to sweep and clean for Midnight Mass. There was dirt and leaves all over the foyer from parishioners traipsing in out of the snow throughout the week. It took a couple hours to sweep and mop the floors. All the while, he thought about going to Midnight Mass when he'd been a child at the orphanage. He would usually sit in the back, with Steve and the other boys, and ignore most of what was going on. They would whisper to each other and do their best to stay awake. He had never taken it seriously as a child. Once he'd become of age, he'd stopped attending altogether.

This year, he was all jumbled up inside. He had a lot of guilt and anger over what had been done to him. A Happy Christmas celebration might not be the best place for him. Perhaps he should spend the evening in his room, alone, contemplating his life instead.

Sister Mary Helen snapped him out of his thoughts when he was finishing up with the mopping. "It all looks wonderful, Bucky," she said with a smile. "It will be perfect now for Midnight Mass."

"I hope the parishioners enjoy themselves tonight," Bucky replied as he picked up the mop and wrung the water out into the bucket.

Sister Mary Helen furrowed her brow. "You will be joining us, right?"

Bucky shrugged his shoulders before picking up the bucket and beginning to walk it to the back to dump it down the sink drain. "I don't know, Sister…I just don't know if God and I are currently on speaking terms."

Sister Mary Helen sighed. "I understand, my son," she replied. "But please consider coming. You never know what might happen at Christmas."

What harm would it do? All he'd be doing otherwise would be sleeping. And it would make his friend happy… "All right, I'll come," he agreed reluctantly. "But I'm sitting in the back row, where nobody will see me."

"Very good, I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

They arrived in the back living area and Bucky poured the bucket down the bathtub drain. "Guess we'll see."

(SCENE)

Later that night, as promised, Bucky walked into the sanctuary and sat in the farthest pew back, where he'd gone the first night he'd come to the church. The balcony shielded him from view, and nobody noticed he was there. He sat, arms folded, looking at the pew in front of him. He did his best to ignore everybody else around him, for they all seemed far too joyful and happy for his tastes. He felt a surge of annoyance when somebody sat down next to him, even though there were spaces available elsewhere.

"Is this seat taken?" the man asked quietly while settling in and taking off his jacket.

"No, go right ahead," Bucky replied sullenly. He continued to look straight ahead, paying the man as little attention as possible.

"Great," the man said. Another man sat down next to him and removed his jacket as well.

Several minutes passed and Bucky managed to almost forget about the man sitting next to him. It was then that the man leaned in close to Bucky and whispered to him, "Do you remember when we used to sneak down into the basement and steal the Communion wine?"

Bucky looked sharply at the man before gasping. It was Steve! "What? How? What?" he sputtered.

Steve didn't answer right away, but drew Bucky into a tight hug instead. "I've finally found you again," Steve murmured. "Sister Mary Helen and I exchanged Christmas cards and she told me about you. I had to come. I had to see you again."

Steve let go of Bucky and introduced him to the man to his right. "Bucky, this is Sam Wilson. Sam, this is Bucky," he said, smiling back and forth at the two men. Sam held his hand out and Bucky took it, shaking it in return.

Mass began a minute later, and there was no more talking after that. Bucky's mind was reeling. Steve had found him! What would happen now? What was Steve doing with his life? Would he expect Bucky to join him and act as his sidekick again? It looked like he had somebody else to fill that role now, and he wasn't sure he wanted to play that part anymore now that the war was over. They couldn't just go back to the way they'd been before; too much had changed for both of them. He and Steve would have to get to know each other all over again.

When the Mass was over, the three men stayed in the pew as the church emptied out. Sister Mary Helen approached them slowly and came to a stop in the pew in front of them. "Bless you, my children," she said. "You've found your way back to one another once again, and I suspect there is a lot for you all to discuss. I'm sure we can find space for you all to stay tonight, if you like. Two more for Christmas dinner will make for a jolly party."

Bucky nodded his head. "I wouldn't mind hearing what you've been up to," he admitted while glancing at Steve.

"There's a fresh supply of Communion wine down in the basement," Sister Mary Helen said casually as she turned to leave. "I'll leave you boys to it, and I'll see you in the morning." She turned back towards them, and made the sign of the cross. "Merry Christmas, my dears."

The three men stood up and Bucky led the way down to the basement. He wasn't sure what would happen in his life, or where his state of friendship with Steve stood, but at least at this moment he felt perfectly safe, and happy, and hopeful. What more could a man want for Christmas?

A/N: I wish everybody the merriest of Christmases tomorrow and as a special present to you all, I have an additional Christmas day chapter for you to look forward to. So, tune in tomorrow or whenever you have the time, and see how Bucky's Christmas day goes!