Two days later, Steve started his work at the museum. It was the same day Nat and Carol started purchasing the art work for Mack's project. Over the next days, neither of them heard from each other. The work on the mural was keeping him busy from sun-up to sun-down. Likewise her work kept her traveling back and forth between the office and the building upstate. Three weeks passed and there was no news on whether Sam had given her address to her old college friends. Since they hadn't come by, she guessed he hadn't seen them either. As the weekend approached, she and Carol were wrapping up the preparations for the grand opening of the new B&B/museum. Friday night they went back to The Falcon, hoping to find the guys there. When they walked in there was only one person seated at the bar. He was talking with Sam.
"About time you stopped in here again, Buck. I haven't seen you guys since Steve's birthday. Where's he been?"
"He's been at the museum every day working on the mural. If he even comes back to my place, I don't know. I'm beginning to think he sleeps there."
"Well, since you're here, I should give you this. I've been holding on to it and…"
He pauses as he looks up and sees a familiar blonde and redhead enter the bar.
"What is this Sam? Why are you giving it to me?"
When his friend doesn't reply, Bucky turns in his seat and follows his gaze to the door. He's just as surprised now, as he was on July 4th when he saw her again.
"Natasha?"
"So you do remember my name, Barnes. I was hoping to catch you here. Is he with you?"
"No, Steve isn't here. He's still working on the mural at the Natural History museum. He got hired to repaint it a few days before his birthday."
"That's great. He's painting again like he always used too. So, are you going to open that note Sam gave you?"
"That depends on what's in it. Is it for Steve?"
"It is mainly for him. But after I went home that night, I was reading his letters from the front. If not for Carol, I wouldn't have come running back, but you were both already gone."
His curiosity got the better of him. If it was a private note for his best friend, he knew he shouldn't be reading it. He did anyway, and was confused because it was a street name and a number. He thinks he knows it, but can't place the location.
"I don't understand. It's an address?"
"You always were a little slow on the uptake Bucky," she replies with a smirk, "it's not an address. It's my address."
After a moment of staring at the paper, he realizes why the street name is so familiar.
"I know this place. The apartment complex there is the one Steve grew up in. How long have you been living in a building that's barely a mile from where I live?"
"Does it really matter how long? I just need you to do me a favor Bucky. Give him that paper. Tell him he needs to go there. He'll know about the covered pavilion."
"Yeah, we both know about that. You want him to wait for you there, don't you?"
"Yes. It's where I want him to meet me."
"Okay, I'll tell him. I'll tell him you're…"
"No. I don't want him to know it's me. I want this to be a surprise. I have something planned, and I need it kept as secret as possible."
"You want me to lie to my best friend?"
She doesn't reply to that, but as she and Carol walk out of the bar, she turns back and gives him a wink. It's at that moment that he realizes they were successful. Sure it wasn't Sharon's plan, but if this works out, they'll have healed two broken hearts, for the price of one. Later that night, Bucky comes home to find Steve asleep on the couch. The noise he made when he entered the living room didn't wake his friend. Before heading off to his bedroom he scribbles out a short note, and attached the slip of paper with her address on it. He carefully leaves it on top of Steve's alarm clock, where it will be sure to be found. The next morning, this is what he reads:
"Hey, buddy. I've got to be out early this morning. I've got a lot of business to take care of before the new semester starts next week. Follow the directions in this note. There is an address you need to go to. It is on the scrap of paper attached. I'm not sure I understand why you need to go there. Sam just told me that it was important that you be there. Wait at the covered pavilion at 10 a.m. I'll be looking forward to hearing all about it when you get back."
"Take Care, Bucky"
Steve is confused at the note. He reads the address twice, and while it looks familiar, he can't place it. He's even more mystified that in all the years he has known Bucky, he's never acted this strangely before. He'll have to ask about him about what's going on later. Quickly, he showers and gets dressed. On his way out the door he forgets the note and has to go back in. With the situation remedied, Steve heads back out the door on the way to this mystery destination. It's a nice morning, so he walks. Fifteen minutes later, when he arrives he remembers why the street address was so familiar. He knows he's home.