End of the line

[CaptainObvious]

One thing Steve could never say about growing up with Bucky was that it was boring ... Bucky had a zest for life and he always took Steve along for the ride. He dragged him along to dances and conventions and fairs. Money was tight, and on more than one occasion they'd had to hitch a ride home or worse still, walk, but they were always rather happy. Pretty poor, but rich on memories and adventures. He never told Steve just how little cash he had when they were particularly skint, he always found a way to take them out, that and the other ladies he chased around town. Bucky was a charmer and a flirt, he had a roguish smile that melted a girls heart and he never went to a dance where he failed to have a date for the evening (or two), dragging Steve along too of course and an extra dame on his arm for his best friend to dance with.

Tonight was no different than any other. A pretty red-head batted her eyelashes and giggled, brushing a loose pin-curl out of her eyes. She knew she was Bucky's date for the night, but it was clear as day that Bucky's attention wasn't solely on her, he always kept Stve in his periphery, clearly the scrawny blonde held a huge portion of his heart. Romantic or familial, it was hard to discern, but the red-head didn't like to share, even if she was Bucky's #1 for a night, Steve was also his #1 and had been for much longer.

Several dances later, a good night eventually came to an end, the red-head went home and Bucky and Steve had to stumble home together, tired but happy. He slung an arm over his shoulder amicably as they swaggered down the street.

He was in for a nasty shock when he got home, after dropping Steve off his apartment. He was just across the street but he wouldn't dare let him walk home alone in the dark, he was too much a gentleman for that and Steve had an awful habit of getting his ass kicked by "bullies" he just feld he had to intervene even if they more than doubly outweighed him.
"I'll see you tomorrow Steve, at the usual spot" he said, giving him a friendly parting hug.

He went home to find his mother sitting, looking terse, at the kitchen table. His little sister Rebecca had teary eyes.
"What's happened Becca? Whose ass do I gotta kick?" he asked, noticing the envelope on the table, it was untouched but it was no secret what was inside upon inspecting the postmark.
"Open it" his mother said hoarsely.
Reluctantly, Bucky tore open the envelope and scanned its contents ... "James Buchanan Barnes ... Selective Service System"
"I've been conscripted" he confirmed, Rebecca let out a sharp wail. He'd have thrown an arm over her shoulder but he was numb with shock. He had his mom and Becca, they'd look after each other ... but who the hell would look after Steve? He'd promised to always be there to bail him out of trouble ever since they were children, how could he do that while fighting Nazi's on the other side of the ocean?
"I have to go down to the community centre for a medical assessment" he trailed off, it was no secret, the War in Europe had spilled out and it was all over the newspaper and radio. He knew what came next and his gut sank because he knew he was fit and healthy, he'd be sent to fight the Nazi's in a matter of months or weeks even.
"Don't tell Steve- ... Maybe I- ... Maybe I won't be eligible" he insisted, but it was unlikely ... Once he hit the weigh in and medical checks, he'd be sent off to Camp Leigh in a moments notice.
His mom was sympathetic, teary eyed, she promised to cover for him.

The next morning he went to get assessed and as he'd expected, he was in perfect condition for basic training and later, deployment. He still didn't tell Steve, he couldn't face it, and his training was to begin soon. He needed to face up and tell him ... enlistment posters and promotional cinema pieces were popping up all over now, it was impossible to ignore the war, it was only a matter of time before he found out that Bucky was on the growing list of young men who'd fight, and possibly die, in Europe and that they both knew Steve couldn't go with him.

He would try appeal it first, he'd fight it as long as he could. He didn't want to fight, even though the camaraderie and exotic adventures were appealing ... not to mention picking up lots of pretty dames, chicks dig uniforms, he didn't have the ambition to fight the good fight, to stop the bullies like Steve did ... and it would crush him to find out ... There had to be a way...

 

[Supernova]

Again Steve was being dragged out against his will to the dance hall with Bucky. It was something he had told himself that he had to enjoy because Bucky really seemed to love going out dancing. If he was going to be completely honest the only reason Steve got out much was because of Bucky. Dames weren't into him.... They didn't even try to pretend that they were. More often than not Steve's "date" was gawking at the other man the entire night. Could he really blame them though? Bucky had more to offer, and he was not the one to stand back and wait for what he wanted. Steve never stepped out of his shell when it came to dames.... his longest conversation with a woman was no longer than a few minutes. Just long enough to confirm that he was Bucky's friend, and promise that he would ask him to reserve a dance for her.

That was pretty much the position he was currently in. His girl had left a long time ago, leaving Steve to sit at one of the tables as he waited for Bucky to come back. A large part of him was ready to leave. He didn't fit in here anyway, and the look's he was on the receiving end of were down right pitiful. Even though most of the dance hall would not even notice if he left Steve was fully aware that Bucky would notice. Whether that be immediately or closer towards the end of the evening it didn't matter. Bucky tried to make Steve feel included, and sometimes he managed to do just that perfectly... other times he failed, but he didn't want to lose Bucky. Leaving would only prove that he did not belong in that world. Eventually Bucky would realize that and he would leave Steve, but until he did notice it Steve was going to take every moment and treasure it. Was that weird? Maybe.. He loved Bucky though. They had been pals sense grade school, and they had grown up almost like brothers. Bucky was all he had anymore.

Thankfully, Bucky hadn't planned on dragging out the night for as long as he could. He of course insisted on walking Steve home, which was nice in terms of getting their first bit of time together of the night. It sort of made him feel weird though.... As if Bucky felt obligated to ensure Steve was not getting beat up in an alley before he could continue with his life. " Goodnight Buck" he offered before making his way up to his apartment room.

The next morning, Steve was out of bed before the sun even began to rise. He hadn't been able to sleep all that well because yet again he had woken up in the middle of the night to not being able to breathe. If he was keeping count of how unworthy he was he would now be breaching triple digits. He couldn't even do what every other man in the country could do! He didn't need all of the dames in the world or all of the money in the world to be happy. He just wanted one person to have a family with, and the ability to stand up against the bullies that had kept him down for so long. Was that really to much to ask for?

 

[CaptainObvious]

All the young men at the makeshift draft centre in the community hall were for, strapping lads. Tall, thick, some a little portly but none were waifish. There were no "Steve's" here because those types of guys were too frail to fight, not that there was any telling Steve that fact.

"Barnes. James Buchanan"
Bucky rose as his name was called. A sweet little nurse pulled a curtain and hovered at the side of the doctor.
Bucky was measured, weighed and examined. By now, Steve would have gotten a 4-F, unfit for service, but Bucky was given congratulations.
"Welcome son, you're gonna go kill some Nazis"
"I can't" Bucky insisted.
"I have people to look after here, I can't leave. I can't fight"
The doctor frowned, Bucky knew he wasn't the only one who wanted to avoid the draft ... There were plenty of volunteers but not enough it seemed.
"You have family you wanna protect? " the doctor asked rhetorically, "Protect them from the Nazis". Already the doctor was signing Bucky's papers and if Bucky fled or resisted, he'd be arrested ... There was nothing he could do.
" Camp Leigh, youll train up then wait to get shipped out"


His mother and sister didn't take it well ... But they had known what was coming ... Steve didn't even know about the draft letter coming in the night before. How would he tell him?
"Steven can stay with us, we'll take care of each other" his mother and sister promised but it was little consolation for Bucky ... Even though he'd be safe here, no one understood him like Bucky did. They had their usual rituals, their in-jokes ... A mutual understanding, and a promise.
"I'm with you to the end of the line pal".
This wasn't how its meant to be.

Steve would be devastated ... Or disappointed maybe when he knew Bucky got in but didn't want to go ... It wasn't the fear, Bucky wasn't scared for himself, the war had a buzz of excitement about it. There was an appeal to be a dashing young soldier with all the girls on his arm, but deep down this wasn't his war to fight, his job was to protect his family and Stevie, not to fight Nazis. He didn't have the same desire as Steve but it seemed he had the necessary qualifications.

Maisie's Diner down the street ... Their usual haunt. Bucky ordered two breakfasts and waited for Steve to show up, the usual time, usual place. He decided he'd tell Steve he enlisted voluntarily so maybe he wouldn't be disappointed in him, he'd just miss him ... Tomorrow he'd be sent to camp for a month, then maybe he'd get a couple of days to come home before they sent him out to Europe ... He hoped he could make it up to Steve somehow, maybe when this war was over.

 

[Supernova]

It should have been obvious... it really should have. No matter how many times Steve dragged himself down to one of the hundreds of different enlistment centers the outcome would always end up the exact same way. Changing your residence and name was not getting him any closer to going overseas. They weren't planning on ever allowing Steve the opportunity to fight. No one would ever take him seriously, and he would only be a risk to his squadron. As obvious as that should have been it never stopped Steve from trying again once and a while. Maybe after enough tries they would see that even if he wasn't useful on the front line than there had to at least be something he could do. Well anything besides staying behind and "supporting the troops" by buying war bonds. Which reminds him he should probably take some of the money from his last job and get a few.

This mornings attempt was nothing different... He was called to the back and examined not long after he had arrived. The nurse examined him and weighed him. He was given the same old apology and reasoning as to why he was not needed. Reason's like your body couldn't even hold up to the weight of the gear, your asthma would put you in more danger than the Nazi's. They never spoke to him about just why he had tried to enlist over thirty times. Never once did they try to see anything more than a scrawny man with to many health issues to count.

He wasn't going to argue though because at least he had Bucky. As long as he had his best guy he would be alright. It would help him forget... Forgetting would take a while, but he wouldn't even have the chance to dwell on it. ' Of course you will... You are a fool if you think that Bucky won't be drafted. He's exactly what they want'. Yes he was completely aware... until that happened though Steve wasn't going to think about it. Bucky was an amazing fighter He would be an amazing soldier without question, but Steve couldn't lose anyone else. As selfish as it was for him to think he couldn't help it... Steve had lost his father in combat during World War I, his mother had passed six week's after his 15th birthday from pneumonia, and he was the only child. Bucky had supported him throughout his life, and so it was just hard to ever imagine possibly losing him to battle. There would be no chance to be there until the end because he would still be over in the States scraping for money so Bucky's family would have enough to live!

As Steve approached the diner he tried to sweep the negative thoughts under the rug. Bucky wasn't leaving yet... so there was no reason to worry. " Hey sorry I am late... I overslept" he lied, hoping to pull the bag over his eyes enough that he would not correctly assume that Steve was again spending his morning at the enlistment center. Bucky never seemed to like it when he constantly went in only to get rejected. Probably because he knew exactly how much it bothered Steve.

 

[CaptainObvious]

((Sugar I missed this in my watched threads!!!!))


Steve was never late if he could avoid it ... which meant one of two things. One, he'd got into a fight on his way over and had had to run down various back alleys to haul ass to safety and was presently meandering around to get to Maisies, or Two, he'd tried enlist again and spent the morning being denied at a recruitment centre ... Or both ... Bucky wouldn't put it past Steve to tackle both of those.

He'd been picking at his now-cold bacon and eggs with his fork. Barely touched, debating on seeking out Steve, when lo and behold, Steve passed through the doors, fortunately in one piece with no bruises, black eyes or dirt on his clothes.
He'd been at the recruitment office as Bucky had expected.

"The usual ... It's a little cold though but sunny-side up, just how you like it" Bucky said lamely, not bothering to chastise Steve for holding him up ... For the first time ever, Bucky had no appetite anyway.
Peeking out of Steve's pocket was another rejection docket which Bucky plucked free, flipping through, another 4-F, no surprise.
"Oh, Steve from Ohio this time" Bucky said, Steve had already been rejected claiming he was from New York, New Jersey, Indiana, and Florida. "You can't even do a convincing Ohio accent" Bucky chucked the rejection-stamped docket aside.

Cmon Buck ... get it over with fast, just say it, you're only wasting time you don't have. You have to go to Camp Leigh fucking soon. You can't leave Steve high and dry.

He pushed a scrap of untouched slightly cold egg around his plate. Ordinarily he'd have long since wolfed the entire thing down but his stomach was in knots.

 

[Supernova]

It was completely pointless to try to hide anything from Bucky. Spotting the damn paper before Steve even had a chance to start eating. Cold eggs certainly was not his favorite thing, but he was not really in a place to complain. The eggs certainly were far more interesting than listening to Bucky being amused by his failure. So Steve had lied about where he was from... It obviously wasn't going to change anything, Bucky would never understand anyway...." Jerk"

He didn't even want to think about the war at the moment. It didn't seem like it was going to be ending anytime soon and eventually they might need him. You know if for some apparent reason all of the able bodied men somehow are unable to fight anymore. That didn't seem to be happening anytime soon so their was no point to dwell on it anymore. At least for the moment, plus he was beginning to become concerned with Bucky. Now that he was pulling his head out of his ass it was becoming more noticeable that something was wrong. By this time Bucky would have already devoured his entire meal, and Steve would have snuck majority of his food over to Bucky's plate. " Are you feeling okay? It's not like you to just pick at your plate"

Normally Steve was the one Bucky was having to care for. It was almost unheard of for Bucky to get sick. Something was telling him that Bucky wasn't sick. His skin wasn't flushed, in fact he looked just as good today as he always did. " Whatever it is you know you can trust me right?" They had always been really close... Secrets between them were practically nonexistent. Well at least on Steve's part, he always hoped Bucky was just as honest.

" Did you get some dame pregnant. Is everything alright with your family?"

 

[CaptainObvious]

Of course Steve noticed something was up ... Bucky was always watching Steve's back, it was easy to forget that Steve was watching his too ... Bucky being too tense to eat was .... well it never happened so it wasn't entirely surprising Steve picked up on it.
He stabbed at a streaky slice of bacon and ate it as if to prove "I'm fine, don't be silly Stevie", but Steve was already onto him ... and it wasn't as if he could hide this forever either, he had to tell him sooner rather than later or else Steve would show up looking for him and he'd be gone, off somewhere in a set of military fatigues living up Steve's dream ... Fighting for freedom and justice. It left a bitter taste in his mouth because he knew Steve deserved it more than he did, and it was the last thing Bucky would ever wish on him. Steve would be destroyed out on the battle field.

Bucky sighed. Steve guessed.
" Did you get some dame pregnant. Is everything alright with your family?"
He chuckled a little at that. Oh if only. A shotgun wedding was one thing, his mom and sister would forgive him for that eventually ... but the war was another. Bucky promised to always be there for Steve now he was going further away than they'd ever imagined they'd be. It just wasn't right.
"Cut me some slack Steve, I know how to treat a lady" he joked, though his heart wasn't in it.

He swallowed, stared into his eggs for a minute before yanking his gaze up to meet Steve's. Be brave ... this is his dream, if he can't do it, you have to, make him proud, make sure he's happy. Don't let him know you're scared.
Bucky's internal mantra seemed to work, he pulled out his docket, identifying him as James Barnes of the 107th.
"I ship out to Camp Leigh soon ... then ... Europe." he explained. There wasn't much else to it, but at the same time ... there was so much more to say.

"I hear dames like a man in uniform" he joked, but right now ladies were the last thing on his mind. "Guess I'll have to test that theory huh" He gave a cocky smirk and hoped Steve would be okay ... hoped this would be a little easier than he'd expected it would be.

 

[Supernova]

It was offensive that Bucky though he could possibly trick Steve into thinking that he was just over analyzing and that he was just fine despite his full plate. They were BOTH there for each other until the end of the line. Bucky was the one who could finance majority of the things they did. He was the one that pulled Steve out of fights even though he had them on the ropes. He set him up with every girl he had gone on a "date" with. Took care of him when he was sick. Bucky did a lot and Steve was fully aware of that. It did not mean that Steve was not willing to return the favor on all of those things. He genuinely was happy that Bucky was able to live a happy life. It meant more to him than his own happiness at times.

" I am not questioning your ability to treat a lady, my fear is that you did it just a little to well" Would he want to see some random dame carry Bucky's baby for a few months, and then watch his friend feel forced to marry a girl for that reason alone? No... He supposed if that was something Bucky wanted he would try to be happy for him, but their was no reason for him to make a choice so early in his life.

' because you want him to think of you that way'

No he didn't...

He almost wish he wouldn't have asked. More so once Bucky was pulling out a paper that Steve immediately recognized because he could only dream he would receive such a thing. " Oh..." his voice came out as nothing more than a whisper. How was he supposed to react to this. He knew he should have been happy for his friend ,grateful that more than just Steve saw how wonderful he was. How good of a solider he would be. It was just he didn't know how drastically things would change. Surely Steve could survive on his own, but how would he live without someone to push him to do things he didn't want to. His eyes stayed fixed on the docket, his face showed his thoughts like a picture. Lost. Confused.

It was not until he realized Bucky was still sitting across from him that his eyes snapped up to meet his. In that split second he forced a smile on his lips and did his best to try to show him that he was truly okay with it all. " This is amazing Bucky. I am so happy for you.." he didn't need to be so negative about this. Bucky should be excited, and he shouldn't have to worry about Steve while he was on the front lines. " They aren't going to be able to keep their hand's off of you Buck.. Not that it will be any different than what you are used to already"

He almost wishes that it was all about Bucky knocking up some dame. At least then he wouldn't have to constantly wonder if his best friend was alive. He would know that he wasn't in some prison camp being tortured . " I really am happy for you.."

 

[CaptainObvious]

" I am not questioning your ability to treat a lady, my fear is that you did it just a little to well"

"I could do worse things" Bucky retorted with a wolfish grin. He was a gent, certainly didn't sleep with a girl on the first date, even if she offered. Others might, but Bucky had some respect for the ladies, he made them feel like they were worth the wait, worth the case, rather than take a bite the second he got the chance. There weren't many girls anyway, a dance here, a kiss there, but his conquests were few and far between. Anything farther than a kiss and a dance was a rare occasion because he did't take that sort of thing too lightly ... all the same, it was easy to get a girl pregnant, even if you treated her right.

Bucky had half-heartedly hoped Steve would be thrilled ... genuinely, and even though his voice said supportive utterances ... his face betrayed him. He was shocked, frightened and confused. Bucky would be a soldier for the US Army and would fight the Nazi's in Europe ... but before all that, he'd been Steve's shield, he'd fought the world to protect his best friend. Maybe Steve felt naked by the thought of Bucky not being there ... Bucky felt like he'd be missing a limb if he tore himself from Steve for too long (oh the foreshadowing ... my heart).

Steve wasn't convincing but he'd always been a terrible liar so that came as no surprise ... Bucky had to lie right back and pretend he wasn't painfully away of Steve's fear and disappointment ... The only condolence in the sad situation was the face Bucky hadn't gotten anyone pregnant, leaving behind an even bigger mess.

"I dunno how long I'll be gone for, but when I get back, you, me and all the dames in New York are gonna dance holes in our shoes" he promised, as if he was going to a show the next state over for a weekend, not a warzone for god-knows how long.

"You think you can stay out of trouble till I get back?" he asked, half joking but more-than-half serious. "I'll even punch a few Nazi's for ya while I'm over there" he promised, as if it were a fair game, like that one where you had to try knock the coconuts off the pedestals, but Bucky and Steve knew they were rigged, glued in place. That didn't stop them playing a couple goes sometimes when they hit Coney Island.

 

[Supernova]

"I dunno how long I'll be gone for, but when I get back, you, me and all the dames in New York are gonna dance holes in our shoes"

Yeah because the minute he got his best pal back Steve was wanting to hand him off to some dame so they could fall right back into their routine. Going dancing although Steve still didn't know how to properly dance. Not that it mattered anyway because the dames would be so ecstatic to see Bucky back, knowing he was a veteran . Please they would be all over him in a heartbeat thinking that they would be the lucky girl that would get to " protect" and care for the man while he was returning back to normal life. He was going to have to pass on that. Which of course meant that he came back safe and sound, and there still was a possibility that he could get killed out there.

That would only make the life he was going to be living permanent. Then he was almost okay with the first scenario because at least Bucky was alive in that one. Although he wouldn't truly love having to share his best friend on his first day back, it surely beat not even having the chance to do that.

" I can't promise that. You know better than anyone that I will never be the one to back out of a fight.... ever. Although I always have them on the ropes before you show up. It's why you hitting them one time does the trick, you just never give me the satisfaction of that last hit." He himself knew that what he said was not true. It was something he had to do though. Bucky shouldn't have to feel like he was always the one saving Steve's ass, and he didn't want Bucky to realize that Steve was incapable of practically everything and it cause him to think any less of Steve. " You won't have to punch them for me, I will get there.... eventually. Don't you dare win the war without me, I'm with you until the end of the line even if it takes me a little while to get there. "
Steve would get there.. He just had to, and it was even more now that Bucky was going. Who would be there to keep his head from blowing up from arrogance?

 

[CaptainObvious]

" I can't promise that. You know better than anyone that I will never be the one to back out of a fight.... ever. Although I always have them on the ropes before you show up. It's why you hitting them one time does the trick, you just never give me the satisfaction of that last hit."

Bucky did know that, and that was the problem ... Steve didn't back out of fights and he often got into fights he couldn't win. As for putting these guys on the ropes before Bucky cleaned up the mess ... Bucky knew that was far from the truth. It wasn't from lack of trying, goodness no, Steve stood up to bullies wherever and whenever they presented themselves, and he had a fighting spirit, but he wasn't physically fit enough, strong enough, big enough to take these guys on.

Usually Bucky would smirk at Steve's assertions and tell him "Yeah, you're right buddy, you had him there", but now he was in no mood to keep up that joke ... He was serious, he had to go and Steve had to stay safe while he was gone. Bucky would have a hard enough time trying not to get shot at without worrying about Steve as well. That could prove distracting, he needed to know Steve would be safe.

He thought no less of Steve because he was a scrawny little shit, heck if anything, he admired Steve's courage and tenacity. Steve was braver than Bucky in a way. Bucky knew better than to pick fights with big guys and avoided it, but Steve didn't even think twice, didn't hesitate. He may have a weak system, but Bucky knew he had balls of steel.

" You won't have to punch them for me, I will get there.... eventually. Don't you dare win the war without me, I'm with you until the end of the line even if it takes me a little while to get there. "

"This isn't a street fight Steve ... this is a war" Bucky said seriously, all jokes aside. Steve was determined but even he wasn't so disillusioned he couldn't see why he was unfit for duty. "You can do things here, sell war bonds, work in the factories, look after my 'Ma and Becca" he put a firm, strong hand on Steve's bony shoulder, his narrow shoulder-span another reminder of why the hell he had to stay away from the front-lines and Bucky would do his damnedest to keep it that way.
"I believe in you Steve, honestly, I do ... you don't have to prove yourself by throwing your life away. Promise me you won't do anything stupid till I get back? Promise me. No more enlisting under fake addresses, no more stupid alley fights."

 

[Supernova]

"This isn't a street fight Steve...this is a war."

Did Bucky really think he was that stupid... of course this was a war. A lot more was at stake than a bloody nose and a few cracked ribs, but Steve could take it! He had no more right to be alive than any of those other men, and it wasn't fair that they told him he couldn't serve because he was at a higher risk of getting killed. It was Steve's life! If he wanted to die on the battle field standing up for what he believed than who the hell was anyone to tell him that he couldn't. His own life wasn't any more precious than anyone else's. So he had really bad asthma attack's, got sick more often then the average person.. He had no physical strength. His body was easily compared that to of a dame, except he was thinner... he had no curves to his body. The list literally went on, but he had heart...

The positive to all of that was that if he was captured you wouldn't have to plan a rescue mission, and he would be pretty useless to the enemy's. If they thought the United States was that desperate than they would underestimate their ability to fight. Steve was by no means a good soldier and even he knew this, but he was a strategist. His major chunk of funds came from writing and sketching out comic books. From the likes of Batman, The Human Torch, and Flash. Steve taken part in creating bits of these superhero's identities and fighting skills. Sure being able to run faster than the speed of light was far more useful than anything Steve could offer, but he could still be useful. Even though he was far from being like them.

So what could knowing how Batman would react to an attack from the Joker do in real life? He didn't know... It could help him predict how the bad guy was going to act. It could force him to get creative with his attacks. All things that those beefy men wouldn't ever need to think of. Even if it did nothing! What did the U.S have to lose?

It actually hurt that Bucky had no faith in him. That he knew Steve better than anyone else did, and yet he apparently couldn't see past his appearance. If anyone was supposed to have faith in him it was supposed to be his best pal. " You don't... what the hell happens if you don't come back Buck. How do you think that would feel to your ma and Becca? They are already struggling with you being there, but if you don't come back they won't have anything. You know I would give them all I could, but it wouldn't come close to what you bring home.... If I go, no one will be affected. My family is already dead. I am not saying it wouldn't upset anyone for a while, but it would devastate them to lose you far more ."

Steve had nothing to come back to... Bucky? Please, Bucky would be happily married in a few years and wouldn't have time for a best friend anymore.

He shrugged Bucky's hand off of his shoulder, tossing a few bills for a tip as he stood up from the booth. " I'm really not that hungry anymore.. I will see you around Barnes. " Steve walked out of the diner, pulling his coat further around his body as the winter air hit him full blast.

He always hated the cold.. If he wasn't so sentimental towards New York he would have left along time ago. Brooklyn had everything that Steve knew, and loved. He would probably leave one day. Move down to the South, or out west to California. Maybe take this art degree and make it useful for something.

 

[CaptainObvious]

"If I go, no one will be affected. My family is already dead. I am not saying it wouldn't upset anyone for a while, but it would devastate them to lose you far more ."


"If you think that's true then you're as stupid as you are blonde" Bucky replied drily, not offensively, closer to the playful banter and teasing shared between close friends, except this time there was an edge of seriousness. He was serious about this. "You're my best friend Steve ... I'd be devastated to lose you."

But there was no telling him ... he'd made up his mind and evidently ... didn't care enough for Bucky as Bucky cared for him ... Maybe it was just grief and anger talking ... but Bucky didn't have time for this, he would be on the way to New Jersey in the morning and he'd only be back to Brooklyn for one night, if he was lucky, before he was deployed ... He couldn't dwell on this, he tried to tell himself Steve was lashing out out of shock at Bucky's sudden deployment, that he didn't mean what he'd said, and tomorrow morning it would all have blown over and they'd be back to normal again, just like old times. But he knew that wasn't going to happen, not this time.



The next morning Bucky was gone before the crack of dawn. His mom and Becca tearfully bid him farewell and he hopped onto the bus with the other recruits bound for New Jersey.

The sun rose and Ms. Barnes sat by the window mournfully. It was hard not to feel like the only woman in the world feeling how she felt ... but she was acutely aware that there were thousands of other fretful mothers in a similar position. It was easy to argue why her son was special, why she shouldn't have to say good bye to him. His father had died out in that same camp and now she waved off another young man she loved (albeit differently), to what could possibly be his death. If not in some tragic training accident like his father, he could be felled out on cold, alien soil in Europe, far away from all he knew and loved.

It was cruel. Why had the fates done this to her, taken her husband and now snatched away her son. She could only hold onto the hope he'd return a brave hero but there were so many who set off with those same intentions and ... didn't.

At the very least ... she had Steve. A good lad, kind, humble, always very considerate. Bucky's best friend since childhood, they could wait for him to get back together, that was some comfort at least. Bucky had stressed to her that he wanted Steve and his mother and sister to look after each other, so he wouldn't have to worry about them and they shouldn't worry about him either.

It was easier said than done.

Bucky managed to swing by Steve's house just before the bus. It was darkened, of course, it was crazy early and no one with any sense would be up this early. He left an envelope, slipped under the crack in the door that they hadn't gotten around to fixing yet, Bucky insisted it be fixed soon to keep the draught out. In the mean time, a bundled up chunk of salvaged carpet served as a draught-stop.

Inside was the cash Bucky could spare. $2.50 (roughly $43 in 2017), and a note.

"It's not much, but it's all I can spare right now. Try not to blow it all on one date. Dot's coming over around 8 tonight, you two kids have a good time. Ma wants you to come over for lunch if you can spare an hour, she said it wasn't important, but I think she needs the company, so if you can, it would mean a lot if you called over.

p.s.

Stay out of trouble, punk.

Buck."

Hastily scrawled at the very end of the note, squeezed in in tiny writing to fit in, "I'm with you till the end of the line pal."


He was already well on his way, but still, he was trying to care of his mom and sister and Steve.

 

[Supernova]

Steve had hoped the day would never come. If it didn't than Bucky would still be at his apartment, playing whatever game Becca had blackmailed him into. Sadly that was not how things worked. Bucky would already be half way to the boot camp by now. That didn't mean that Steve had to face that fact quite yet. Steve could sleep longer than a war right? Okay so no he couldn't, and he couldn't just sit here and sulk forever.

Bucky being gone became even more real when he noticed the envelope by the door. He didn't even bother waiting to open it. Bucky and him didn't end on an amazing note the other day and he wanted to know things were still good between them. Not that Steve and Bucky would ever stop being friends... He had just gotten so caught up in the situation the other day. Bucky leaving without him. Actually thinking for a minute that Steve would rather go dancing rather than spend their last day together at Bucky's. The contents of the envelope was enough to make Steve feel the exact same awful feeling that he had experienced when Bucky had told him about leaving. The money he had left would be enough to feed Steve for a few weeks if he spread it out.

Try not to blow it all on one date.

Bucky really didn't know Steve did he... Sure he was going to go on the date his friend set up for him and he would treat the girl as nice as he could, but he was sure it would end at a first date. He would have been happy just going to visit Bucky's mother, completely ignoring the girl. He would give all of the money to her and let her know that it was to help her and Becca out. Steve would give them more as often as he could.

(Would you want to skip ahead a little?)

 

[CaptainObvious]

Bucky was surprised with a single days leave before he was due to depart for England and from there, the Italian front. Of course, he arranged a double date for him and Steve, a last hurrah, a trip to "the future", Stark's Science Expo. Bucky tried to play it kinda cool of course, he didn't want to be a geek about it ... but he was thrilled, Howard Stark was sort of a hero of his. This suave, clever guy inventing all sorts of cool gadgets.

Despite scoring two chicks, one for him, one for Steve, both of the girls seem utterly smitten by the lad in the military uniform. Sergeant Barnes of the 107th. Even though Bucky had never wanted to leave for camp in the first place, he had no choice, and once he was there, he made himself into a damn good soldier so then maybe he'd survive and be able to come back.
Despite his attempt to make their last day together fun as all hell ,Steve was once again occupied by the recruitment drive posters that were spreading like a virus through every city across America.

At least their parting this time was slightly more amicable ... Bucky scored a hug from his best friend and a dance from both of the girls. He'd said his words to Becca and his mom ... no more loose threads ... then he was gone ...


((Skippity Skip!))


War wasn't all fun and glamour and chivalry ... The recruitment ads in the picture theratres and posters were far more appealing than the reality. Murky muddy camps, perpetual rain turning the world into swampy sludge. It was cold and damp. Bucky wondered if he'd ever feel heat again or if he'd be cold for the rest of his existence. Still ... his buddies were good. The soldiers kept each others morale up. There was DumDum Duggan, Morita, Jacques, Gabe and Monty- And then ... They got caught storming a weapons facility on the border between Germany and Italy (or rather, German-occupied Austria...


((GO GET JUICED CAP!!!! lol))

 

[Supernova]

He had to admit it was nice having another day to say goodbye to Bucky. They had gone off to some science expo and while Steve did think it was great that there were people who understood all of this.. it really just wasn't for him. That was okay though because Bucky really seemed to like it, and even though he was trying to act cool for his date Steve could see the younger version of his bestfriend in complete awe of all of it. He could handle a few science expos if it meant that he got to see Bucky looking so carefree. Steve saw the appeal. Flying cars.. Cell phones. It was hope for an easier an more carefree world.

Although he was beyond happy to have another night with his best friend, Steve still was thinking about Bucky leaving. How much he wanted to join the effort on his own accord. So it was inevitable that once he had noticed the enlistment center he was drawn to it like a moth to a light.

Inside there were men walking in and soldiers walking out. Posters encouraging people to enlist and buy war bonds. One of the posters in particular caught his attention, it had a mirror to reflect the persons face onto the person in the uniform. Steve.. well the mirror barely caught the top of his head, compared to the poster of the 6'1 man he looked like a joke... It was like that that Bucky had found him and they got to have a redo on their goodbye. He even managed to get a hug out of the jerk.

By the end of the night he was going home with papers. Yeah it was a really good day.

-
Steve had more or less breezed though training camp. ( He didn't do very good..) In the end, despite his less than top performance Steve seemed to impress someone enough to be chosen for a top secret government experiment. Dr. Erskine said it wasn't because of his ability, but his heart. That for once was something that was enough to make the cut.

To make a long and painful story short Steve was injected with the super-soldier serum. Went in Steve Rogers and came out feeling taller and nothing like he had ever felt before. Even Agent Carter seemed a little surprised. Steve couldn't say that he didn't love the feeling of one being taller than a woman , and two not being looked at like he was this fragile little doll. One glimpse in the mirror was enough to make it extremely clear that he wasn't a small guy anymore.... Completely on a different note he was also glad that the clothes grew with him and he didn't have to walk out stark naked infront of tons of government officials.

After all of this he had assumed he would be on the front lines, fighting with the men. Or he would be in the back guarding the higher ranking officials. Never in a million years would he have imagined that he would be parading around on stage in a costume with tights with a bunch of chorus girls. " Fighting" Hitler. He knew he shouldn't complain because at least he was doing something. Kid's loved Captain America. Women loved Captain America.. They would parade him around on old battle grounds and pretend that he was leading the troops on the front lines. Great so he went from getting his ass handed to him to being a showgirl.

 

[CaptainObvious]

The HYDRA weapons facility was about as miserable and soul-crushing as one would expect it to be. Dark, cold, full of Nazi's, it really had no redeeming features to it. And Bucky found himself trapped within its foreboding, grey, concrete walls. Bucky couldn't tell one day from the next once they had gotten captured. There was no windows, no clocks ... no sky no stars.

Of all the things he'd learned in this retched war, he'd learned that the stars looked really nice at night out in the middle of the Black Forest. You didn't see stars like that in Brooklyn, the streetlights blocked out the twinkling in the sky. That was one of the reasons Bucky always kept telling Steve "We gotta go see the Grand Canyon someday Stevie! All that desert and space and a whole lotta nothin else".

For someone so fascinated by tech and the future and gadgets at Stark Expo, Bucky hadn't lost the ability to appreciate the great outdoors either. The serene beauty was the only thing that kept him sane sleeping in trenches and ranger graves during the war. But now, locked down in Germany or Austria or ... hell he couldn't even remember where they'd taken him, the Nazi's had taken away the one piece of serenity he really had left. They took away the sky. They took away his freedom.

That's why we gotta fight 'em. That's why Steve wanted to fight them.

He thought of Steve sometimes. When he was lying on the cold, bare floor in the giant cell they locked the prisoners in when they didn't subject them to forced labour and beatings. Was Steve cold? Did he have enough money to keep the rads warm? Little worries like that were welcome distractions to keep him from sinking into inescapable misery.

At least it's me here and not Steve.
At the very least, Bucky had kept Steve from getting embroiled in this war. He was safe, that was all he'd ever ask for.

The days dragged out into weeks and by the end of the second week in captivity, Bucky was succumbing to pneumonia. He was almost pleasantly surprised when Dr Arnim Zola appeared and instructed some soldiers to take him to the infirmary. Delirious with fever, he wondered why they were going to treat him instead of leaving him to perish, when he remembered the others who'd fallen before him ... the whispers around the work camp ... People get taken by Dr Zola to his "infirmary" but no one ever sees or hears from them again ... There's screaming but ... then nothing and no one ever comes back.

Maybe they were going to give him a quick execution? But that didn't seem right. Nazi's didn't waste bullets and cyanide on prisoners. What was going to happen to him?

"Sergeant Barnes" Zola looked at Bucky through thick circular glasses that made his eyes bug out and rendered his already-ugly face even more grotesque.
"You killed quite a few of Johan Schmidt's men in the Black Forest. I was impressed ... and now look at you." Zola tutted.
Even the best soldiers could get pneumonia and look worse for wear after being imprisoned in a labour camp.
"The American's are making Super Soldiers. They created a hero, their Captain America, using Erskine's formula, OUR formula. HYDRA should be making Super Soldiers, not Howard Stark."
"Stark?" Bucky croaked, his body racked with fevers and shakes ... and schakled to Zola's table.
"Not to worry. Stark is a vainglorious egotist with a handful of good ideas and he had Erskine ... Had ... A pity, I'd have preferred him alive so I could ask him about the formula myself"
"What formula?" Bucky didn't know why he was asking but it felt important.
"Why the Super Soldier Serum ... The original has been lost ... but that is where you come in..."

Bucky was awake for the painful experiments and procedures. Zola worked tirelessly, with a nauseating lust, drawing a sadistic pleasure in seeing how far he could push Bucky before his body could no longer remain conscious.
After a week of endless tortures, Bucky was reduced to a confused, beaten mess. Still strapped to the table, though he couldn't pull himself up even if he tried, the restraints were rather unnecessary, he wasn't fit to escape.

Zola deemed him a failure, but as long as he stayed alive, repeating his ID number to keep himself from going mad, to keep his mind sharp and his own, Zola continued to run tests in the hopes that he'd salvage something.

 

[Supernova]

Steve being the overly concerned and obsessive person he was made it a point to check in on each troop that he was forced to parade around in front of. He had hit a lot of them, but not yet the 107th. Those were the men on the front lines. That was where he should have been so he could protect Bucky. It wasn't until a good couple months down the line that he came in contact with the 107th. His first thought? Bucky. While he was on the stage his eyes searched the crowd, but he didn't once see the face of his friend and that didn't sit well with him. So what else would he do besides storm into the captains tent and question the whereabouts of James Barnes. What was the answer he had received after a little bit of begging. That Bucky had been captured and they were presuming him and over one hundred others were dead.

Bucky...

Dead.

No. No. No. No! that couldn't possibly be right. Bucky was strong, and he had promised he would come back. He promised they would go dancing. He had finally found the perfect dame... and Bucky would never meet her. Bucky's mom and Becca would be devastated. They probably are already sitting around the table crying, just staring at the document hoping Bucky would walk through the doors with a shit faced grin going on about how he had fooled them. No he couldn't agree with that. He wasn't going to admit he was dead until he saw it for himself. Bucky Barnes was many things... a bit of a jerk, a complete ass, a ladies man, but he was not a liar. If Bucky promised him something than he was going to take those words with him to his grave. He trusted the man with his life and he wasn't about to just take someone's word when they weren't even sure!

That's how he ended up deep into enemy territory. Somewhere in Austria? Getting in had been rather simple. For people who claimed they were the dominant race they sure were stupid. Having one guard searching a truck in the middle of wartime. They might as well not even had one posted. One hit with the fake shield and he was out like a damn light. Getting through the compound was slightly more difficult, but still possible. Before he knew it he was standing ontop of a grate hovering over the prisoners cells. They had looked up at him confused, asking who he was. 'Captain America' was all he felt comfortable giving in reply before he was asking them about Bucky.

" They took him off to the infirmary, but no one ever comes back from that"

No one. Except Bucky Barnes. Steve was not about to give up, and so he released the prisioners, and continued his search to find his friend. The compound was a little eerie. Dark grimy concrete walls. The only light being from the moonlight shining through the windows and the poorly illuminated candle stick lanterns. He could just imagine the screams. The cries of desperate prisioners tiered of being experimented on... begging to just die already. It wasn't a place he wanted to return to, and once he got Bucky back than he wouldn't ever come back.

He didn't know what led him to check in one of the rooms, but once he got close he heard the sound of boots hitting the ground. Steve's eyes shot over just in time to see a small man wearing a coat and glasses running out of the same room and into the hall. Part of Steve wanted to chase the man, but the other was curious as to find what he was in such a rush to get out of. Bucky..

The man was restrained to a table sitting in the middle of what the supersoldier could only assume was a lab. He was breathing. Alive.. " Bucky?" he whispered walking over to the table, pulling the restraints loose. He couldn't care less what had happened because Bucky was okay and that was all that mattered. Anything else they could work through. " Bucky.." he whispered again carefully trying to wake him up out of his daze.

 

[CaptainObvious]

It was DumDum who told Captain America the news.
"The doctor ... and his guards, they took him to the infirmary" Already, Captain America was darting off toward the point of no return, DumDum called out "No one ever comes outta there!"

DumDum sighed as he and the other prisoners, now free to arm themselves and storm out of the facility, shuffled out of the cell they'd previously been imprisoned in.
"Dammit ... I don't wanna know what he finds down there" DumDum muttered to himself, hauling Morita to his feet. No one deserved to stumble across their beaten and bewildered, probably dead and butchered friend ... Boy would DumDum be surprised when he found Bucky came back in one piece!!!

32557038

32 ... 55 .. 7 ... 0 ... 38

3 ...2 ... 55 ... 70 ... 3... 8

32 ... 5 ... 5 ... 7 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 38

Bucky muttered his service number, over and over, wearily, breathlessly. That was all a soldier could say when they were taken captive. Name. Rank. Service Number. But for Bucky, it wasn't just his answer to Zola's questions, it was his life-line. It was a tether.

Surrounding the cold, hard, metal table Bucky was strapped to, were various contraptions and devices and spent syringes. Whatever Zola had been doing, it hadn't been pretty, and Bucky was half-dead. As Zola fled the facility, he presumed Bucky was on the way out anyway. He was never supposed to get up form that table, not as far as Zola was concerned.

It was a pity, but he'd find other POW's to experiment on. Bucky's loss was just a means to an end... Little did he know, Bucky had enough life left in him and Zola's experiments, his attempts to replicate the Super Soldier Serum, had indeed proven somewhat successful.

"Bucky? ... Bucky!"

Bucky blunk, his vision was swimming, out of focus. The restraints snapped free and he struggled to make out the face of his rescuer, but what hit him first was the voice.

"Steve?" he mumbled ... it couldn't be, it just couldn't, and yet, the guy with Steve's face (but several inches taller and considerably heavier and muscled ...)
"Wha'happened-"

He struggled to slide off the table, were it not for Steve's support, he'd have collapsed on the floor. Hell if it were anyone else, he'd have tried to stand up a little better on his own, but it was Steve, he'd propped Steve up enough times to not feel ashamed when his friend had his back, though it was odd ... Steve used to be a little skinny squirt, now he was propping up Bucky's half-dead weight without breaking a sweat at all.

 

[Supernova]

Steve helped Bucky down from the table, and took the brute force of most of the other mans weight. Any other time he would have made a comment about the situation. He was in a mix of feelings. Relief. Concern. Fear. Love. It was hard to believe he had actually made it to Bucky's side. The promise wasn't broken between them. and Bucky was alive. He wasn't in the best shape though. The scene around him looked like it was taken from a horror film. Bucky was alive, but he needed to get him out of here and back to the base for medical care. God knew what had happened to him. Would he ever be the same again? That was all that was bouncing around his head. He needed to get Bucky out of there before something made it impossible to do. He was terrified himself, so he couldn't imagine what was going on in his best friend's mind, but he could swallow his fear and be there for Bucky. Just like the other man had done for him more than a million times. It was about time Steve started to repay his debt's.

" There's no time to talk about it we have to get out of here"

It took every muscle in his body to keep himself from throwing Bucky in his arms and running out on his own, but that was a last resort. He didn't know how much his new body could take anyway, and he didn't need to risk wearing himself out.

Being as patient as he could, Steve walked Bucky outside of the room and down the hallway he had come up. Suddenly alarm's began to blare and Steve was having to make a new plan of escape. He figured that the run away prisoners would cause some sort of panic, but he hadn't exactly known how far he would be in his plan by the time they were seen. This mission was completely impromptu, and Steve knew he would have to get creative. He knew the risk coming in to this and it wasn't enough to make him want to drop out.

(Can we sort of bypass the whole Red Skull run in, and kind of veer of the movie)