Spending the afternoon with Steve had been a joy. He was the same funny, earnest man she'd known for almost a decade, and if she closed her eyes she could almost imagine that she was back in the twenty-first century.

She'd insisted on paying for lunch, much to his chagrin, but she knew money was tight for him and Bucky right now. Howard had been very generous and had instructed Jarvis to give her whatever she needed, whether it be clothes, money, or transportation.

After lunch, they'd taken the train to the shore and walked along the beach as they talked. She told him as much about her life as she could without revealing the fact that she'd grown up in a era he wouldn't experience for another seventy years.

As the sun began moving toward the western horizon, the temperatures began to cool down a bit. Steve had reluctantly told her that he'd planned to have dinner at home with Bucky before going back out on the town. She knew she should let him go and head back to Howard's, but she felt the urge to see the younger Bucky again.

"Let me take you both out for dinner tonight," she suggested as they boarded the train to take them back to Brooklyn.

"Bucky will never go for that," Steve told her with a shake of his head. "Why don't you come back to our place and you can have dinner with us before we go dancing. I know Buck won't mind."

She thought about it for a moment before nodding her head in agreement. "Why not? What do you guys normally eat for dinner?"

"Sometimes the guy at the butcher shop by the docks will give Bucky some of the older cuts of meat that didn't sell that day," Steve explained, looking a bit embarrassed. "It's still good, but it's usually not the best cuts. I usually boil some potatoes to go with it."

"I see," she said, trying not to turn her nose up at his culinary skills. He hadn't been joking when he'd said they'd boiled everything. "How about you let me cook for you guys tonight?"

"Really?"

"It's no probably. Let's stop by the store so I can pick up a few things."

Steve had seemed reluctant to let her buy groceries for him and Bucky, but she waved away his concerns as she placed the items she wanted on the counter for the clerk to ring up. Food seemed so ridiculously cheap, but she knew that the cost of living was actually higher than normal due to the war. Remembering how tough she and Nat had had it for the past year on the run, she vowed never to take luxuries like a decent meal for granted again.

She was in the kitchen peeling and slicing the potatoes to scallop them when she and Steve heard the front door open. A sudden bout of nervousness set in and she anxiously wiped her hands on the dish towel she'd draped over her shoulder.

"Hey punk," Bucky called out. "Where are you?"

"I'm in the kitchen," Steve answered, giving YN a sly grin. "You'll never guess who I ran into today at the park."

"Yeah, and who would that. . ." Bucky stopped mid sentence when he rounded the corner and saw her standing in the middle of his kitchen. "YN?"

"Hello, Bucky," she said.

He gave her a confused look before turning back to Steve. "I don't understand?"

"Steve and I spent the day together getting to know one another and he mentioned that he needed to get home to meet you for dinner," she explained with a smile. "Steve invited to me join you, but I insisted that he let me cook." She looked down at the white paper package in his hand. "What did the butcher give you today?"

Bucky looked down at the package of meat in his hand like he'd never seen it before. "Oh. It's just a pork loin."

YN thought for a moment. "Didn't I see a bag of rice, some chicken broth, and a can of beans in the cabinet, Steve?" She took the pork loin from Bucky and began to unwrap it on the counter while Steve got the ingredients she'd asked for. "Bucky, why don't you grab a pot and fill it about a third of the way full of water and put it on the stove to boil while I dice this pork."

The two men were eager to follow her every direction as she ordered them around the kitchen. Less than an hour later they were sitting down at the table staring at the food before them as though they'd never eaten a home cooked meal before. In addition to the scalloped potatoes, she'd combined the beans, rice, and diced pork into a skillet mixture that smelled heavenly.

"This looks amazing, doll," Bucky said as he looked back up at her in awe.

She couldn't help but grin when she heard the familiar term of endearment roll off of his tongue. She'd given this version of him a hard time about it the night before, but only because he'd been so overbearing. Letting it slide, she thanked him and grabbed her fork.

The compliments kept flowing as they kept eating, and even she had to admit that she'd outdone herself with the few meager ingredients she'd had to work with. She'd made enough for them to have leftovers the next day, but both of them had gone back for seconds and had scraped the pans to get every last morsel on their plates.

When she started clearing the table, both men started protesting. Not one to deny a man the opportunity to wash dishes, she gladly returned to her seat at the table and watched as they cleaned up the kitchen.

"Steve and I were going to go dancing again tonight," Bucky said as he scrubbed skillet in the sink. "Would you like to join us?"

"Are you planning to dance tonight, Steve?" YN asked, thinking of him sitting all alone the night before while everyone else was having a good time.

"I don't really know how," he admitted with a sheepish look.

She wanted to offer to teach him what little she knew, but then she remembered Peggy. He hadn't met her yet, but it would only be a few more weeks until he found the love of his life. She'd grown up reading the stories about the two of them and the date they'd set right before he'd taken a nose-dive into the Arctic to save the world.

"You need to get on that, then," she said with a laugh, deciding to let the subject drop.

"No one wants to dance with a guy they might accidentally step on," Steve said with a shrug.

She rose from her chair and walked over to place her hands on his shoulders. "One day you're going to meet a woman who sees you the way I do, and she's going to be the luckiest girl in the world." She paused, knowing she shouldn't say anything else, but she couldn't help herself. "Just make sure when you do meet her, you don't wait too long – grab on to happiness whenever you find it and don't let go until you have to."

"YN's right," Bucky agreed. "There's a dame out there for you, pal."

She turned and gave him a chiding look.

With his arms outstretched, he shrugged. "Sorry. There's a lady out there for you, Steve."

Bucky quickly changed out of his work clothes and they headed out to the Three Deuces. The music was just as lively as it had been the night before, and Bucky was just as eager to have her all to himself. As much as she loved being in his arms on the dance floor, she was mindful of the fact that Steve was sitting by himself in a booth in a corner. Every few songs, she'd insist they go back and have a few drinks while they talked to him so he wouldn't feel like a third wheel.

When the clock on the wall behind the bar read a quarter to ten, YN turned to Bucky with a sad smile. She knew it was still early, but she had a date with the older version of him that she was eager to get started.

"I should probably be getting back," she said as the band started playing a slow song.

"You can't stay a little longer?" he asked as he pulled her closer to him.

"I wish I could, but I'm supposed to be heading home tomorrow morning," she explained. "I probably won't see you again for a while." It wasn't technically a lie, but she still felt a bit guilty not being honest with him.

"Is there an address where I can reach you?" he asked, his expression growing sad. "We can write to one another."

She shook her head. "No, I'm not sure where I'll end up." At least that much was true. She had no idea what she and Nat would do once she made it back. Steve seemed to think that Tony had the Accords straightened out, but would he want the team to get back together again, or would they go their separate ways once the threat against Strange was taken care of?

"Can I walk you back to where you're staying at least?"

"It'll be a long walk to Manhattan," she teased with a smile. "I wouldn't mind some company on the train, though."

"Let's drop off Steve back at the apartment and then I'll make sure you get home safely," he said as the song started to end. "You won't run off again if I kiss you, will you?"

She didn't answer, choosing instead to wrap her arms tighter around his neck and pull him closer to her. When their lips met again, she was prepared for the onslaught of emotions. The body pressed against hers wasn't the same, but the lips were, and at that moment, they were all she could focus on.

"Don't forget about tomorrow, Steve," YN reminded him as he walked up the steps to the door of the building he and Bucky lived in.

"Of course not," he said with a nod. "What time did you want me to pick you up?"

"How about eight? Is that too early?"

"Not at all."

She gave him a sad smile as she walked up the steps. Wrapping her arms around his tiny frame, she gave him a hug. "You're a good friend, Steve Rogers." She pulled back and brushed her hands down the lapels of his khaki overcoat. "I'll see you in the morning."

She and Bucky waved goodbye to Steve and headed for the train that would take them to Manhattan. The train was mostly deserted, so they spent their time wrapped in one another's arms as they bumped along the track.

Park Avenue had a decent crowd even this late at night, so Bucky had pulled her close to him to keep her safe. When he reached down and threaded his fingers through hers, she'd smiled and leaned into him.

"I had a great time tonight, Bucky," she told him as they strolled along the sidewalk.

"Me too, doll," he said as he leaned down and gently kissed her.

"You're one of the kindest men I've ever met."

He looked over at her in surprise. "What brought this on?"

She thought about the man waiting for her at Howard's house and she hoped that he was paying attention to this memory. "Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in what's going on in the world around you and you forget who you are." She stopped walking and moved to stand in front of him. "You are a good man, James Buchanan Barnes, and the world is lucky to have you. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you're not worth fighting for – that you're not worth saving."

His brows knit together in confusion. "Not to sound conceited, but I think I'm a pretty decent man." He gave her a little smirk and cocked his head to the side. "I might flirt with the ladies a little too much, but that's all just for fun."

She rolled her eyes as she started to laugh. "Just promise me you'll never change." She knew it was a promise he'd never be able to keep, but it wasn't so much for the man standing in front of her as it was for the version of himself that had seemed to have forgotten these simple truths about himself.

"I promise, doll," he told her, his tone as sincere as he could make it.

She took his hand and started walking again. When they came to Howard's house, she looked up at the front door with dread in her heart. She knew it was ridiculous not to want to say goodbye to him when she knew perfectly well that he would be waiting for her on the other side of the door. Still, though, it felt like she was saying goodbye to someone she might never see again. Looking into his beautiful blue-grey eyes, she hoped that her Bucky would remember the night they'd shared tonight and that this new memory of her would help him realize that he was still the man he used to be.

"Well, this is me," she said with a sad smile.

He looked up at the impressive building and shook his head. "You have some interesting friends, you know that? I can't figure out why you'd come all the way to Brooklyn to spend time with me and Steve when you can be hobnobbing with the fancy folks in Manhattan."

"I prefer men with character over men with money," she said with a shrug before she leaned in and gave him a kiss. The words had barely left her lips when she realized what she'd said. Deep down she knew that Tony wasn't like other conceited rich men, but he'd spent years playing with her emotions and that spoke volumes about his character. He wasn't a bad guy, but he'd used her feelings for him to sway her to his way of thinking too often over the years. For some reason, she didn't think Bucky would ever treat her that way. Maybe it was time to finally let go of her toxic obsession with a man that would never love her and take a chance on someone who just might.

She brought her focus back to Bucky. "When you get home tonight, make sure to remind Steve to come get me in the morning."

"Whatever you say, doll." He leaned in and kissed her again, this time a little more passionately.

After a few minutes, she pulled away with a sigh and ran her hands over his smooth face. "Take care of yourself, Bucky Barnes. And remember your promise."

"Yes, ma'am," he said as he took a step backwards.

She walked up the steps, but paused just before she opened the door. He was still at the bottom of the steps waiting to make sure she got in the house safely. With a wave, she stepped into the foyer and closed the door behind her. Leaning against it, she screwed her eyes shut to keep the tears from forming. It wasn't really goodbye, but for some reason she couldn't make herself see reason.

Looking up toward the second floor landing at the top of the main staircase, she knew what she needed to ease her aching heart. Taking the steps two at a time, she raced to her room. When she opened the door, he was waiting for her.

Neither of them said a word as they fell into one another's arms. When she felt the cool touch of the vibranium hand against her skin, she let out a sigh. She was finally where she knew she belonged.

Just as he'd promised that morning, he'd helped her out of her garter and stockings, and she'd thought she was going to die of frustration before he'd finished. With every caress of his hands, and kiss of his lips, he'd reminded her of the ways she'd tormented him that evening.

"That was for cooking me dinner," he said as he trailed a hand up the inside of thigh, stopping just short of where she needed his touch the most.

"I promise I'll never do it again," she said with a smirk as she lay on the bed beneath him.

He gave her a dirty look and started to tickle her feet. "That's for being a smartass."

"Okay, okay, okay," she said, begging him to stop.

He relented with a smile as he leaned over and began to kiss along her jaw, refusing meet her lips with his own. "That was for teasing me on the dance floor."

"Bucky, please," she pleaded, desperate for him to touch her – to kiss her – the way she needed him to.

Framing her face in his hands, he looked deep into her eyes before finally kissing her tenderly. "That was for reminding me of who I really am."

"The world is a better place with you in it," she told him as she ran her thumbs over his cheeks, her fingers laying against the nape of his neck.

"You've almost got me believing it."

"I won't stop reminding you until you accept it as the truth."

"Is that a promise?" he asked.

She could tell he was trying to sound flippant, but she'd been able to see the worry in his eyes. She almost wished that she could stay in 1942 a little longer so she could spend some more time helping him to see himself the way that she did. Her interactions with the younger version of him seemed to be opening doors within him that had long been shut. With a few more days, or even a week or two, she was sure Bucky would start remembering who he really was.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she knew it was useless to wish for something that couldn't happen. Steve would be there in the morning with Strange to take them back to their own time and she would just have make sure that she stayed by his side. A few days ago, that prospect would have almost scared her, but now she realized that she wanted to be with him – both as a friend and a lover.

"I'm not going anywhere, Buck," she finally answered, pulling him down so she could kiss him again.

The passion between them ignited and all conversation was forgotten as they focused on bringing the other as much pleasure as they could possibly manage in one night.

When she'd awoken the next morning, she'd been sad to realize the bed was empty. Rolling onto her side, she looked around the room for him. She had a moment of confusion when she saw him sitting in one of wing backed chairs.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she sat up and drew the sheet up to her chest.

"Getting dressed," he told her as he finished lacing his boots up. "It's almost eight o'clock. Steve should be here soon, so you should probably get some clothes on."

"This is it, isn't it?" she asked as she rose from the bed and grabbed the neat stack of tactical gear Ana had washed and folded for her again. "We're really going home today."

He stood up and grabbed her hips, pulling her close to him for a kiss. She dropped the clothes and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Have I told you how sexy this new look is on you?"

"I'm pretty partial to the look you've got going on right now," he teased as his gaze raked over her naked body.

"Think we've got time for. . .?" she didn't finish her thought, letting her wagging eyebrows convey her sentiments for her.

He let out a groan of frustration as he kissed her forehead and took a step back. "If Steve comes back and finds us canoodling in bed instead of waiting for him, I'll never hear the end of it."

"Steve is a stick in the mud," she said with a wink as she bent over to get her clothes. "We've really got to get him a girlfriend. As much as I love him, he can't be our third wheel forever."

She'd already started dressing, so she didn't notice the way Bucky froze and stared at her. He'd wanted to believe that whatever was going on between them would continue once they got home, but until that moment, he wasn't sure she would be ready for anything more serious.

He started to say something, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Go see who that is while I finish dressing," she told him as she grabbed her clothes and walked toward the bathroom.

Opening the door, Bucky found Jarvis waiting on the other side looking a bit worried. "What's the matter?"

"There's a Steven Rogers at the front door asking for Ms. YLN," Jarvis said, nodding toward the stairs leading to the front entrance. "I had Ana take him back to the kitchen for a glass of water. The poor man looked as though he was going to pass out on the stoop. Seriously, a man suffering from the multitude of ailments I suspect he has shouldn't be out walking around on his own."

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