In a 1945 room Steve looked paler and thinner but alive while Bucky sat there reading a book.
Then Steve's eyes flicker open to see and old glass light fixture on a white ceiling. He sat up and found himself on a bed in a quiet, 1940s room as the sun shone through white curtains and the Dodgers game played on an old vacuum tube radio on a wooden dresser.
"Workman up for the Phillies, now." the radio announcer said. "Holding that big club down at the end. He set, Chipman pitches. Curveball, outside. Ball one."
"About time you woke up." Bucky said and closed his book while Steve looked at him.
"Bucky?" Steve said and slid his bare feet to the worn, wooden floor. "What's going on? And where the hell am I?" he asked and Bucky opened his mouth when the door opened and a 1940's brunette SSR agent walked in.
"Good morning." she said and Steve looked at her folding a copy of The Brooklyn Eagle and checked her watch. "Or I should say, afternoon." she said smiling gently.
"I don't… remember going to sleep."
"Well, it was quite a while ago." she said and he rubbed his face as the radio played while Bucky already knew this wasn't going to work.
"So the Dodgers are ahead eight to five. And Chipman knows one swing of the bat and this fella's capable of making it a brand new game." the announcer said and Steve looked at the radio then took a long look at her and then Bucky.
"How long have I been out?" Steve asked.
"Outfield deep, round toward left, the infield over shifted."
"I'm afraid I couldn't say With lightning speed," SSR agent said and Steve grabbed her arm. "Captain Rogers, please!"
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Steve asked while Bucky stood there with his arms crossed.
"We know all about you." she said wincing.
Then, a large, menacing man in strangely modern garb rushed into the room, carried a set of metal restraints but Bucky noticed.
"Stand down agents." Bucky said and Steve let go of the SSR agent and stared at the man who backed up. "Now." he said and the man left and Bucky sighed, shook his head and looked at the SSR agent. "Where. Is. He?" he snapped.
"I can't-" the SSR agent started but the door opened and they looked at who it was.
"I can see you still scare people away agent Barnes." someone said.
"I retired Nick." Bucky said with his arms crossed.
"Fine, Sergeant Barnes. You still answer to that right?"
"Yes."
"Alright then." the man said and looked at Steve. "I'm Director Nick Fury. Director of SHIELD." he said and Steve nodded. "If you come to my office we can settle all this." he said and Steve nodded again.
"Excuse me?" Bucky said and Fury looked at him. "Don't I have a say in this?"
"You retired so no." Fury said but Bucky could see a smirk on his face. "Unless there's something you want to talk to me about?"
Bucky shut his eyes tight and had his hands in fists but knew if he wanted to be with Steve he had to be smart.
"As a matter of fact, there is." Bucky said confusing Steve.
"Alright then. You can come with us to my office." Fury said and they headed to his office.
"What was that?" Steve asked.
"I don't know right now to be honest." Bucky said.
When they got to Fury's office Hill looked at Bucky in shock.
"Bucky?" she said confused.
"Maria, long time no see. Deputy Director. You must be proud. I'm sure Peggy would be if her dementia hadn't gotten so bad. A woman taking charge when Nick retires." Bucky said and Hill couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you. What about Colonel Phillips and the rest of the guys?"
"Oh they'd be scared. As for me, I'd be proud of you. You're going to be great when it's time." he said nodding and sat down along with Steve.
Steve couldn't help but smile happy Bucky believed in women unlike some men still.
"So, let's get this started." Fury said.
"What do we start with?" Steve asked.
"I wanna talk to Sergeant Barnes first if you don't mind."
"Sure?" Steve said and Bucky looked at Fury.
"Alone."
"But-"
"Go Steve, I have a few things I wanna talk to him about myself." Bucky said and Steve nodded, got up and left followed by Hill.
When the door closed Fury and Bucky looked at each other.
"What do you want? I know you want something Nick." Bucky said.
Meanwhile Hill and Steve watched Fury and Bucky talk and saw Bucky slam his hand on the desk.
"What's going on in there?" Steve asked.
"Those two don't get along very well. When agent Carter retired ten years ago, so did Bucky. Bucky was the best agent out of them all. He called himself the Winter Soldier. Winter because you were in the Arctic Ocean and Soldier because he's a soldier. Over the years SHIELD changed and secrets were hidden and he was getting tired of it. So a few months after agent Carter left, Bucky left." Hill said and he nodded and they watched.
Inside Bucky and Fury looked at each other again.
"Alright, I will make you a deal." Bucky said and Fury leaned back on his seat.
"And what would that be?" Fury asked.
"If you let Steve have a normal life, I will start working here as the Winter Soldier again whether Steve agrees to this himself or not." Bucky said and Fury smirked a little little and sat up.
"Deal." Fury said, got up, took out his hand and they shook hands.
"What level am I?"
"Ten." Fury said and Bucky nodded.
"OK." Bucky said and Fury waved Hill and Steve back in while Bucky looked out the window.
When they got in Steve sat down while Hill stood next to Fury.
"What happened?" Steve asked and looked at Bucky but got no answer so looked at Fury.
"Soldier work. There's a place for you here Cap. And we're willing to give it to you and a normal life to if you want it." Fury said so Steve stood there quietly thinking.
"Alright." Steve said and Fury nodded.
"You can go now." Fury said and Steve nodded, got up and started to leave along with Bucky. "And Barnes?" he said and Bucky stopped when Steve was gone and looked at him. "Come to my office tomorrow so I can give you your card and everything." he said and Bucky gritted his teeth and fists.
"Yes sir." Bucky said and left.
When he met up with Steve, Steve saw something in his eyes.
"What was all that Buck?" Steve asked.
"Not here Steve." Bucky said and they headed to his bike.
When they got on Bucky started heading to his apartment in Brooklyn.
"You better tell me when we get to where we're going." Steve said.
"I will. Just not here." Bucky said and started driving.
On the way to his apartment they stayed quiet.
When they got there Steve was surprised at how big it was.
"How can you afford something like this?" Steve asked.
"Seventy years Steve. A vet of WWII, friend of Howard Stark, Howling Commando, godfather of Howard's son so he literally gives me money if I need it. I literally raised him myself because Howard was at work so much. I have enough money for a house but prefer an apartment so I got a decent one." Bucky said and Steve nodded.
"Now, what did you do back there?" Steve asked and Bucky sighed.
"I," Bucky said and shut his eyes. "made a deal with Fury."
"What did you do?"
"I rejoined SHIELD so you could have a free life. I knew you were going to be offered a job and would accept it." Bucky said with his arms crossed.
"Bucky." Steve said gently.
"Till the end of the line pal. That's what I said."
The next day Bucky was back at SHIELD and bumped into two people.
"Sorry." he said and they recognized him.
"Barnes?" they said and he looked at them.
"Agent Barton. Agent Romanoff." he said nodding and left as fast as he could to try not getting more attention.
"What's Bucky doing here?" Barton asked.
"I don't know. But I don't think he's here for a meet and greet." Romanoff said.
"Knowing Fury? I don't think so either."
Meanwhile Bucky was at Fury's office and knocked on the door.
Then the door opened and he walked in.
"Agent Barnes." Fury said.
"Fury." Bucky said with his arms crossed and saw Coulson looking at him. "What?" he snapped.
"It's just, you don't look any older." Coulson said.
"I was given a serum from Zola in '43. I'm immortal like Steve." Bucky said with his arms crossed.
"Oh." Coulson said and Bucky rolled his eyes and looked at Fury.
"Now what do you want? A new picture for my card? Giving me the old one? What?"
"New one." Fury said and Bucky nodded.
Then they got everything they needed done.
When they were done Bucky headed home.