It had been a few months since Bucky told Sam he killed Riley and Sam noticed people looking worried and would come over to talk to Sarah a lot about something and hand her papers either at the shop or the house.
He saw Cass and AJ writing letters every week and was starting to get confused and a little annoyed.
They were having a group cookout with the whole town today and he had had enough.
"Alright, you all need to tell me what the hell's going on right now. You've been looking worried, handing over papers and I'm getting confused and worried at the same time." Sam said and everyone looked at him and then Sarah.
"He asked me not to tell you this but I think it's way past time you know." Sarah said with her arms crossed.
"Know what Sarah?"
"After you kicked Bucky out of the family he felt as though he had nothing left and went back out there. As in back to the army."
"What?" he whispered.
"You heard me. Those papers? They're letters we write to him and that he writes back. He was actually promoted last week. Turns out since he was technically going through so many wars as the Winter Soldier they considered those and put him straight up to Lieutenant Colonel when he started. Now he's a full Colonel and proud to call himself that. He's letting all the anger he has at himself out on the battlefield as he should this time and a lot of people are actually looking up to him as if he were Steve now. While you're out being Captain America and hating him, he's out being a true soldier and getting the title he deserves."
"He even sends us birthday cards from the places he stays at." Cass said.
"You told us to always forgive people uncle Sam. So why won't you forgive uncle Bucky? You know he had no control over what he did to uncle Riley." AJ said.
Sam stood there in silence while everyone else looked at him waiting for an answer.
"Mom and dad taught us to always forgive someone no matter what they did." Sarah said. "He lived through so much for seventy years Sam, you know that and he had no control over any of it." she said and Sam sighed.
"When does he get back?" Sam asked.
"I don't know."
"How long has he been gone?" he asked so he can try and calculate how long Bucky will be out.
"About six months?"
"He should be home in about six to eight months then. Damnit." he said and sighed. "A letter works to."