The day after their first date, Bucky met Sharon at The Falcon. As they sat and talked with Sam, they brought up her plan. As they went over the details of how to go about finding Natasha, he could only listen. When Sharon finished relating the idea, Sam was infuriated. The talk he had with Steve was meant to help him move on. Not encourage them to go on a wild goose chase that would only end in more heartbreak. He was against it and said as much.

"Are you two out of your minds? Bucky, how can you possibly even consider this? He's your best friend; you need to help him move forward, not regress. Did you even consider the ramifications of this plan?"

"I know what the ramifications could be. But he's already regressing. I found him on his knees at the gym where I trained him to defend himself. Maybe he's been bottling all of this up because it's what everybody expected him to do. Be strong; don't let them see you bleed. He's a soldier, and that was drilled into our heads from day one. I have no doubt the Air Force told you the same thing. Sam; he needs your help. I…, no, we can't do this without you. You're his friend, think with your heart."

"No…, no. This isn't going to help him. I can't be a part of it. And did you think that maybe Natasha doesn't want to be found?"

"I thought about that. Even if it is the case, they both need closure. When he first got to Italy, he told me what happened. How she just walked out. For the last week on campus he never saw her. She skipped class, she didn't even come home. Every day he noticed more of her clothes gone. So she was coming in when she knew he was in class, or at the part time job he had. Please, Sam. Help us."

He tried so hard to resist. Looking at both Bucky and Sharon, he finally relented. Bucky and Steve both filled a void left by Riley's death.

"I still think this is a bad idea. But I'm with you. If only for Steve's sake. So how are we going to do this?"

With Sam on board, Sharon tells him what she came up with while Bucky was talking.

"My Aunt Peggy still has contacts in British Intelligence. One of her friends knows some agents in the Bureau. Maybe we can use that as a medium to get the information we need?"

"No, can't do it that way. It's a waste of government resources. Besides it would be like putting Natasha on a watch list for enemies of the U.S."

"Then what do you suggest, Sam? Even if her phone number isn't unlisted, do you really think we can just look in the white pages? I mean, there could be a lot of Natasha's in New York. She may not even go be her last name anymore, right Bucky?"

"I know she didn't get married. Odds are she still goes by Romanoff."

Listening to them again, Sam finally gets exasperated.

"You two, I swear. Going to the F.B.I. Calling in to a relative in British Intelligence. And the phone book, really? Did the easiest way really slip both of your minds?"

If his two companions are startled at his tone of voice, they don't show it. They just look at him with questioning eyes.

"She graduated college. And it was locally. Why don't we just look up the University? There are probably Alumni Associations. Social media, we can use these avenues to locate her other friends from college. She's bound to still be in contact with some of them."

From the new look Bucky and Sharon gave him, he realizes they didn't think of that. It gives him a chance to make a joke at their expense.

"You know, I didn't think it could be possible. You two are perfect for each other. You're both as thick as a brick, when it comes to common sense."

With a new determination to find Natasha, the three set their plan in motion. Bucky heads to the school he teaches at to do some internet research. Sharon goes to her apartment to start looking up local art design firms. It's a good place to begin. Meanwhile Steve is at Bucky's, looking at the last letter he ever wrote to Nat. He saved it in his duffel, having never sent it last year.

"Nat, I know we didn't part on the best terms. Sometimes I wish I could change how things ended between us. I don't regret my decision to join the Army. My greatest regret is not trusting you enough to discuss it with you first. And you were right, Bucky was a grown man. He didn't need me. At least, he didn't until he got injured. As I write this, he is laid up in a recovery room. The Doctor's had to amputate his left arm. There was just too much shrapnel embedded in it to save it. They say he'll be going home soon. But I won't be. I still have a platoon to lead. We also made a new friend over here, Sam Wilson. He's Air Force para-rescue, and one of the bravest men I've ever met. Bucky and I provided the cover fire against the enemy forces that enabled him to pull his friend Riley off the battle field. Colonel Phillips says both of us are going to be honored for our actions. Buck is getting awarded the Purple Heart, and I'm getting the Medal of Honor. I also just got informed I'm being promoted to Captain. But to be honest, I'd give up all of it, just to see your smile again. To hear you laugh at my stupid jokes. If you don't reply, I understand. Just give Clint and Bobbi my best."

"Love, Steve."

He folds the letter up and places it back in the envelope. He wipes the tears away, and pulls out one more package from his duffel. Opening the box he looks down at the diamond ring. It still catches the light the way it did when he bought it. While he kept his promise to come back, this is the one promise he never got to make.