Seize the Day

24

Bucky and Helen made their way back to Brooklyn, New York.

Helen glanced at Bucky. "Are you ready?"

He shook his head. "No.  But Sam was right. As were you."

They walked up to Yori's front door and he knocked on the door.

Yori opened the door and asked, "Hey, what are you two doing here? It's late, come in before someone call the cops." Bucky and Helen entered and Yori closed the door behind them. "What are you two doing here? It's not Wednesday."

Bucky replied, "I, uh, I have to tell you something. About your son." He sat, pulled off his glove to reveal his Vibranium hand, and Rosie stood next to him, a hand on his shoulder. Yori sat as well. "He was murdered."

"What?"

"By the Winter Soldier." His voice shook as he whispered, "And that was me."

"Why?"

Bucky inhaled before replying softly, "I didn't have a choice."

He left and Helen glanced at Yori before saying, "He really did have no choice. I beg of you to try and understand that all he wishes to do is redeem himself."

She left the apartment and walked up to Bucky and said quietly, "I'm proud of you."

Bucky met her eyes and his expression turned to one of extreme guilt. He fell into her arms and Helen held him tightly as she listened to his soft cries. She pulled him closer and ran a hand through his hair.

After a moment, Bucky said, "Thank you, Helen."

Helen continued holding him and said softly, "I love you, James."

"I love you too."

The next day, after dropping off a gift bag and card for Dr. Raynor, Bucky and Helen, who had an arm linked around Bucky's left arm, walked the streets of Brooklyn.

They passed Izzy's and Bucky and Helen looked in the window to see Yori sitting at the bar. Helen caught Leah's eye and smiled.

Helen glanced at Bucky and asked, "Would you like to go in?"

Bucky stared at Yori and slowly shook his head. He took Helen's hand, squeezing it gently.

---

Sam made his way to Baltimore to make a visit.

He walked down a familiar street in Baltimore and up to a front door. He knocked on the metal screen door of Isaiah's home.

Eli opened the door and asked, "What do you want, Black Falcon?"

"Hey, you need to learn some manners," Sam told him.

"He ain't a Falcon anymore, but he's still black," Isaiah said, motioning for Sam to follow. Sam sat in the garden as Isaiah tended to his plants. "I saw what you did out there. And it seems, so did everyone else. I heard the GRC was standing down on those plans of theirs, so you must have done something right. I ain't gonna lie. You're special."

"Thank you."

"I mean, you ain't no Malcolm, Martin, Mandela, but..."

"No argument there." Sam chuckled with a nod. "But I know what I've gotta do."

"So, a Black Captain America, huh?"

"Damn right."

He chuckled lightly. "The fight you taking on ain't gonna be easy, Sam."

"Yeah, I might fall. Shit, I might die. But... We built this country. Bled for it. I'm not gonna let anybody tell me I can't fight for it. Not after what everybody before me went through. Including you."

Isaiah's voice shook as his expression softened. "Shit. I almost bought that."

"Man, do you ever lighten up?"

"Nope," Eli replied, standing on the back porch. "Mm-mmm."

Sam chuckled and gently hit Isaiah's shoulder. "Hey, why don't you clean up. There's, um... somethin' I wanna show you."

Isaiah glanced at Sam and made his way inside.

Eli leaned over the railing and asked, "So, uh, where we going?"

Sam shook his head, keeping his plan a surprise.

As soon as the two were ready, they made their way to the Smithsonian exhibit.

---

Isaiah and Eli remained quiet as they strolled through the exhibit.

Sam led them to another room where he'd had them place a statue of Isaiah and the history of what he'd done for the country. Isaiah and Eli looked around while Sam stood back and waited.

After a moment, Isaiah walked up to Sam who nodded and said, "Now they'll never forget what you did for this country." The two shook hands. "Never." Isaiah hugged Sam tightly and Sam smiled.

---

Bucky and Helen made their way to Sam's. Bucky held a cake and the kids ran up to him and pretended to fight him. Bucky ducked with a smile. Helen glanced at her husband and smiled, happy to see him in such a good mood. She didn't think it was possible to fall more in love with him, but alas she found herself doing so.

"Oh! There they are!" a man said.

As Bucky and Helen walked up, they asked, "Where is everybody?"

Sam hugged Bucky, then Helen.

They enjoyed an afternoon of food, drink, and conversation. Helen kept glancing at Bucky, happy to see a wide smile on his face. He returned her smile with a soft expression.

Bucky and Helen spoke with Sarah and the kids hung on Bucky's Vibranium arm, which he no longer had covered.

Sam, Bucky and Helen stood on the dock, watching the sunset. After a moment, they began walking back to the others. Sam placed an arm around Bucky's shoulders and Bucky took Helen's hand.

Bucky stopped, seeing Helen's expression, and asked, "You okay, doll?"

Helen met his eyes. "It's good to see you so happy."

"I owe a lot of that to you. But you didn't answer my question."

"I'm trying to be. Losing the baby was the worst thing imaginable. And we were taken and used by HYDRA for evil."

"I know. But we'll get through it like we always do. Together." He pulled her close and held her. "In time we'll heal."

She nodded and rested her head on his chest.

Sam walked up and said, "He's right. You never get over losing a kid, from what I've heard, but it does get better. I'm gonna join the others. If you two are ready, feel free to follow. But take as much time as you need."

Bucky glanced down at Helen who nodded as she pulled her head away from his chest. He took her hand again and they followed Sam.