Endings And New Beginnings

CHAPTER TWO - I SPY WITH MY EYE, ONE RETIRED GUY AND TWO SPIES

Two weeks later, Steve and Bucky drive into a small town several miles from their house. Along with the real estate property, Steve also bought an SUV to get him around. He still has his bike that he takes for a spin once in a while and reserves for special trips. They park in front of a diner and go inside.

Steve spots a corner booth at the far end wall of the diner and they take it. They give their orders to the waitress, who is trying so hard to keep herself from blushing when Bucky called her 'doll'. Steve shakes his head and tries to hide his smile.

"What?" Bucky asks, acting innocent. "She is!"

Steve raises his arms in surrender, "I didn't say anything."

"I'm not gonna stop just because you got a girl," Bucky defends himself.

"I don't expect you too," Steve chuckles. "And, I don't have a girl. So, I'm more than okay to be your wingman. I might just ask Sam for pointers ---"

Bucky looks surprised. He props his elbows on the table to lean in closer. "Wait, what happened to Sharon? Didn't you just go out on a date a month after we moved?"

Steve shakes his head and says, "Nope. I'm not doing this, not until you spill on you and Nat---,"

"Oh, Come on!!!" Bucky says in excitement, almost yelling.

"Fine," Steve surrenders and keeps a small smile, "It didn't work anymore."

"What do you mean? You're on your phone all the time, texting her!"

"It's not ---," Steve tries to explain but stops abruptly to gather his thoughts. It takes him a few seconds before speaking up again. "Thanos, the snap, that last fight changed everything. It changed me --- somehow. When I started wanting, planning things for myself she suddenly didn't fit anywhere anymore. And believe me, I tried to find her a place, you know that, you saw that I tried, but, I don't know what happened." Steve finishes with a defeated shrug. "Don't worry, it was amicable."

Bucky studies Steve. He's sad that his best friend, who managed to save the world time and time again, couldn't get a win in the relationship department. But what puzzles Bucky is that Steve doesn't seem heart broken at all. There's sadness, sure, Sharon is a nice woman, she's Peggy's blood, but Steve's not too shaken about it.

"Sorry, man. I guess fate does have its own way of putting things in perspective for us, right?" Bucky simply says in an attempt to salvage the mood from getting too sullen. Bucky's relieved when Steve smiles brighter. "Don't worry, someone's out there for you."

Steve shrugs his shoulders again, "If you say so. But I'm not holding my breath."

Moments later their order arrives and they start eating. Bucky keeps glancing over his watch. "He's not usually late, right? You said eight, it's almost nine."

Steve shakes his head and speaks in between chews, "No. He has impeccable timing, always. You saw that before. I respect that about him. We're just early."

Bucky looks at Steve puzzled. Steve finishes chewing, swallows his food and takes a sip of his coffee before continuing, "He said nine, but I thought making him look like a slacker will change your mind or at least rattle your resolve. Which brings me to my question, have you changed your mind?"

Bucky smiles at his friend's unexpected slyness. They've know each like the back of their own hands, but he must admit, Steve's changed in certain aspects.

"Man, you've been hanging around spies too much," Bucky teases and Steve only shrugs.

"Speaking of the devil with an eye patch," Steve whispers. Bucky turns around to see the super spy enter in his usual all-black ensemble, minus the trench coat. Good thing there are only at least three other customers in the diner to bear witness to these three strangers huddle in a corner booth. But Bucky's sure the entire town will learn of their visit before the clock even strikes noon. In towns like this, something this strange will spread like wildfire.