"So, where are we going today, Steve?" YN asked once they'd finished breakfast and left Howard's.

"About that. . ."

She turned and gave him a long look. "Steve Rogers. What have you done?"

Steve's face blossomed in an assortment of reds and pinks. "I haven't done anything. . .yet." He paused and took a deep breath which caused him to go into a coughing fit.

YN grabbed his hand and ushered him to a set of stairs leading up to someone's house and made him sit until he could catch his breath. He looked up at her with pleading eyes and she knew in that moment that she would do anything for this man, no matter what he asked of her. She may be completely furious with the older version of him for leaving her and Bucky stranded in 1942, but she could never stay mad at the man sitting before her.

"You can trust me, Steve," she said as she kneeled down in front of him and placed her hands on his bony knees. "You're my best friend and I'll help you in any way I can. After all, you've been here for me these past few weeks. It's about time I returned the favor."

"I'm your best friend? What about Bucky?"

"He's my best friend, too. There's no rule that says you can only have one best friend, right?"

Steve laughed and nodded his head. "Right. I guess that means I can have two best friends, as well. After all, rules were made to be broken."

"Heaven help me," she said with a shake of her head as she muttered to herself. "How did I ever think you were a Boy Scout?"

"What?"

She grabbed his hands and helped him to feet. "Okay, where are we going and what are we doing?" She paused and gave him a pointed look. "And is it illegal?"

"Slavery was legal, but that didn't make it right."

"And now you're getting philosophical on me. I have a feeling I'm not going to like what you've got planned. How much trouble am I going to be in with Bucky once he finds out?"

A wide grin spread across his face. "Oh, Bucky knows I do this all the time. He doesn't care."

"Right. Spill it, Rogers."

"Fine," he said with a huff as they continued down the street toward the train station. "I heard about a new recruiting station opening up a few blocks from here. I thought it wouldn't hurt to try again."

YN tried to hide the smile from her face. Steve had already told her this story years ago, but it was odd to be living it with him now. She knew there wasn't any harm in letting him try to enlist since it wouldn't be until later that night that he met Dr. Erskine. Grabbing his arm, she motioned for him to lead the way.

When Steve had been rejected yet again, YN felt a moment of pity for him, but she was careful not to show it. He didn't mind accepting help when he needed it, but he hated for people to pity him. It was hard for her, though. He'd told her about being rejected time and time again, but seeing it firsthand broke her heart. She knew he was destined for great things, but it just wasn't his time yet.

Knowing what was supposed to happen next, she suggested they go back to Brooklyn and catch a movie. Steve was reluctant, but he agreed anyway.

The small theater was surprisingly full, and YN was on the edge of her seat as she waited for what she knew would come next. She'd already witnessed first hand what happened when people were disrespectful in a movie theater, but this time, she would have to let the events unfold as they had before. The theater went dark, the screen before them came to life with the image of a Nazi flag blowing in the wind.

"War continues to ravage Europe," the announcer said as a video showing men in battle began to play. "But help is on the way – every able-bodied young man is lining up to serve his country. Even little Timmy is doing his part collecting scrap metal. Nice work, Timmy."

"Who cares? Play the movie already."

YN and Steve both looked to see who had called out. From what she could tell, it was a man a few rows in front of them.

"Hey, show some respect," Steve whispered toward the man.

YN bit her tongue to keep from saying something.

"Meanwhile, overseas our brave boys are showing the Axis powers that the price of freedom is never too high." The movie continued to roll on in the background, but most everyone was focused on the man making a scene.

"Let's go, get on with it," the man continued to yell. "Just start the cartoon."

Steve had finally had enough. There was a woman silently crying in the next row over and the other people in the theater were starting to get uncomfortable."

"Hey, wanna shut up?"

The man slowly rose and turned back to stare menacingly at Steve. YN picked up her things and with a shake of her head followed Steve and the arrogant asshole out to the alley behind the theater.

Bucky was at work when he got the call – the call he'd been dreading since he'd finished his winter training at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin. He told his boss the news and then headed back home to change into his uniform. He'd hoped that YN and Steve would be there, but he knew they were most likely out enjoying the pretty day.

He hit a few of the most likely spots, but they were nowhere to be found. Taking a chance that they were at the theater, Bucky headed that way, but a sound from the alley drew his attention.

Shaking his head in frustration, he already knew the scene that would await him at the end. True to form, there was Steve, lip bloodied and his clothes filthy, as some brute punched him right in the jaw. The guy went to hit him again, but Bucky stopped him.

Grabbing the other man's arm, Bucky spun his around. "Hey. Pick on someone your own size."

The guy didn't respond. He snarled as he threw a sloppy left hook. Bucky dodged it easily and hit the man square on the jaw with a clean right hook. As the man spun around from the force of the blow, Bucky took the opportunity to plant his boot right on the man's ass, sending him flying toward the entrance of the alley. Assured that he was no longer a threat, Bucky turned back to his friend who was doubled over as he tried to catch his breath. He gave YN a cocky grin and wink as he passed by her.

"Sometimes I think you like getting punched," Bucky remarked as Steve gingerly touched the heel of his hand to his soon to be bruised forehead.

"I had him on the ropes."

Bucky leaned down and picked up an enlistment card where it had fallen to the ground during the fight. "How many times is this?"

Reading the card, a grin spread across Bucky's face. "Oh, you're from Paramus now? You know it's illegal to lie on an enlistment form? And seriously, Jersey?"

Steve wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth and looked at Bucky for the first time since he'd come into the alley. Narrowing his eyes at the sight of his friend in uniform, he asked, "You get your orders?"

Bucky looked down for a moment before raising and eyebrows and cocking his head to the side. Bouncing on his toes, he replied, "The 107th. Sergeant James Barnes shipping out for England first thing tomorrow."

He glanced back at YN and she could see the underlying edge of sadness in his eyes. She knew he didn't want to go, and it wasn't because of her. He hated the thought of leaving Steve behind.

With a huff, Steve turned away from Bucky, shook his head, and stared at the ground. "I should be going."

Bucky had a moment of pity for his friend, but he didn't want to dwell on the negative. Plastering a smile to his face, he wrapped one arm around Steve and the other around YN as he pulled them along, out of the alley. "C'mon man, it's my last night. I gotta get you cleaned up."

"Why? Where are we going?"

Looking straight ahead, Bucky handed Steve a copy of the newspaper. "The future."

Steve unfolded the paper and saw the advertisement for the World Exposition of Tomorrow before passing it over to YN. "We're going?"

"You better believe we're going," Bucky said as they headed back toward the apartment. "I've heard there's going to some amazing things there tonight. Plus, I need to do something special for my best girl."

YN smiled and leaned into him. She knew that this would be her last day with Bucky – this Bucky – no matter what happened tomorrow. Whatever happened to her and the older version of him, she wanted to make sure that today was as perfect for the man beside her as possible.

Once Steve had gotten cleaned up, Bucky had treated them both to a nice dinner. YN had remembered what it had been like to go out to eat as an Avenger where everyone had bent over backwards to make sure that everything about your meal was perfect. The same thing was happening to Bucky and it made her ridiculously happy to know that at one point in his life, people had seen him as the hero and not the villain.

Once they'd gotten to the Expo, it was already packed full of people ready to see the latest technological creations. YN looked around at the displays and smiled at some of the ridiculous things she saw behind the cases.

As the three of them wandered around, a narrator could be heard from the loudspeakers. "Welcome to the Modern Marvels Pavilion and the World of Tomorrow. A greater world. A better world."

They heard a group of people start applauding and with a shrug began walking in that direction. When they got to the stage, they saw a bright red car surrounded by five women dressed in sexy tuxedos and top hats.

"Ladies and gentleman, Mr. Howard Stark," one of the women announced as Howard began jogging onto the stage.

The woman who had announced him took his top hat from him as he bent her over and planted a kiss right on her mouth. YN shook her head as her eyes rolled back in disbelief. He took the offered mic and the women began filing off the stage.

As Howard wiped the lipstick from his mouth, he looked out into the crowd and spotted YN. When he saw Bucky standing beside her, his eyes grew wide in shock. YN placed a finger against her lips and gave him a wink. With a shake of his head, he focused his attention back on the crowd before him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all?"

The girls took their places and removed the wheels from the car as Howard moved the control panel out of the way. "Yes. Thanks, Mandy.

"With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology you'll be able to do just that," Howard continued with a huge grin on his face.

He turned a dial and moved a lever as the crowd watched in awe as the car began to rise into the air. YN looked over at Bucky and was delighted to see the look of shock on his face.

"Holy cow," he said in wonder just before the car began to spark and fall back to the ground.

Bucky looked over at YN and Steve with a smirk on his face. Steve didn't look the least bit impressed, but YN was enjoying the show. She knew the truth behind Howard's genius, so she wasn't fooled by this show of haphazardness – his true talent was being utilized for more important endeavors.

As the crowd gasped and then eventually clapped, Howard tried to save face. "I did say a few years, didn't I?"

YN was focused on Howard's feigned look of panic, so it was a few minutes before she and Bucky realized that Steve was missing. Bucky started to look around frantically until YN touched his arm and pointed at the sign for the recruitment station.

"I'm going to kill him."

"Bucky, he just wants to do what's right." They began to head toward the recruitment office, but YN stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "Before you go yell at him again, can I have a minute or two alone with him?"

He gave her an odd look, but nodded his head. "Sure thing, doll. Take all the time you need."

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."

She jogged up the stairs and caught Steve before he walked in. "Steve Rogers, stop right there."

He turned around and gave her a look. "You know I have to do this."

She leaned in and gave him a hug. "I know you do, and I'm proud of you that you never stop trying to save the world – even when the world keeps telling you they don't need you." She took a breath and chose her next words carefully. "I meant what I said this afternoon – you're my best friend and there's nothing you can do to ever make me stop loving you."

"Where's this coming from, YN?"

She forced a smile onto her face as she tried not to cry. This may very well be the last time she'd ever see her friend and she wanted to somehow make him understand that she didn't blame him for leaving her and Bucky in 1942. She had no idea what had happened to him and the others after she and Bucky had gone back in time, but the longer they stayed here, the more convinced she was that they had either changed the future too much, or that Mordo had somehow overtaken them all and destroyed the Eye. Either way, it looked as though she and her Bucky would be spending the rest of their lives hiding out.

"I just want you to know that I understand if you can't make it by to pick me up in the morning."

He nodded to the recruitment station behind him. "You really think this time is going do the trick?"

She framed his face in her hands. "You are destined for great things Steve Rogers and don't you dare ever let anyone tell you differently." She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Now Bucky is going to come yell at you, but go easy on him – he's heading to war tomorrow."

"You won't be here when he gets back, will you?"

The tears were threatening to break free, but she took a deep breath and held them back a little longer. She knew she needed to be strong for these two tonight. "No, I won't be. If my friends can't come get me in the morning, then I'm going to have to find somewhere else to go. But don't worry about me. The gentleman upstairs will take care of me, but I need you to take care of Bucky. You two have a bond that nothing in this world can break, but he's going to need you."

"Bucky doesn't need me," Steve said with a laugh.

"Oh, yes he does," she said as she gave him one last hug and said something she knew she shouldn't say. "And don't blame yourself for what's going to happen. It's not your fault and Bucky knows that."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's not important now. Just promise you won't forget me. In seventy-six years, I want you to remember this moment and if by some miracle you do, remember that I love you." She shook her head and headed back down the steps before she screwed up the future any more than she already had. Stopping beside Bucky, she gave him a nod and he headed up to confront Steve.

Steve had been confused by YN's last words. Why was it important that he remember her in seventy-six years? Would he even still be alive then? Turning around he spotted something that caught his eye. He walked over and stepped onto a device that projected his image onto the body of soldier, but only his eyes were visible in the space where his face should be. Bucky came up behind him and gave him a playful shove.

"You're really going to do this again?"

"Well, it's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck."

"As who, Steve from Ohio? They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you."

"Look, I know you don't think I can do this."

"This isn't a back alley, Steve. It's war."

"I know it's a war," Steve interrupted, starting to get agitated.

"Why are you so keen to fight?" Bucky was getting angry. "There are so many important jobs."

"What do you want me to do?" Steve asked, finally letting his anger get the best of him. "Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon?"

"Yes. Why not?"

"I'm not going to sit in a factory, Bucky." Bucky started to say something, but Steve kept going. "Bucky, come on. There are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."

"Right. 'Cause you got nothing to prove." Bucky stopped and shook his head. He knew there was no use trying to talk Steve out of this. "Don't do anything stupid until I get back."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."

Bucky leaned in and gave Steve a hug. "You're a punk."

"Jerk." Steve pulled back. "Be careful. Don't win the war till I get there."

Bucky gave Steve a salute and headed back down the stairs toward YN. "Well, I guess that's goodbye for now."

"You'll see him again, I'm sure of it."

"So, doll, what do you want to do now? Dancing?"

"I don't want to go dancing, Bucky."

He looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean? You love to go dancing."

She took his hands in hers and looked into his eyes. "This is your last night in New York, Bucky. I don't want to spend it surrounded by a bunch of people."

"What are you saying, doll?"

She leaned in and kissed him. "I love you Bucky Barnes, and I promise that I will love you for the rest of my life." She may have been with the younger version of the man she loved, but she knew the other Bucky was going to remember this moment and she wanted to make sure he knew why she was making this choice. "All I ask is, if this is my last night with you, hold me like I'm more than just a friend."

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading Part 19 of this story! I hope you enjoyed it! We've finally made it to the last night the boys are in New York together. It's always fun to go back and figure out how to describe the body language we're so used to seeing in the movie! I hope you were able to picture it like it's supposed to be, just with our Reader added in! So, do you think by some miracle, the older version of Steve will be able to come rescue them, or are they stuck in the past forever? The Reader was doing everything she could to tell him without putting the entire future in jeopardy. What about Bucky? What do you think is going to happen in the next part between them? I look forward to your comments and please consider voting if you enjoyed this part!