For old times sake

May 31st, 1944

Today is Bucky's birthday, he should be 27 today, except he's not. He's at the bottom of a ravine. Annabelle was back in New York, her and Bethany were staying in with Jack and his "roommate" Alex.

Both had been exempt from the draft, Alex was getting his doctorate in children's medicine at NYU and Jack was working in the mayor's office, in a very important position. The two had met three years ago when Jack had gone with the mayor to deliver a speech at the university about the importance of supporting the war effort in any way possible. Alex was one of the nicest people Annabelle had ever met, he was down to earth and loved Jack very much.

Jack had been incredible for the past three weeks, since Annabelle had arrived on an airplane, with a baby in a basket and a broken heart. She had tried staying in the apartment that her and James had lived in for nearly four years. But the panic attack that ensued that night had nearly hospitalized her. So Jack insisted that the two came to stay with them.

Bethany had been doing very well, she'd cried a lot for the first few weeks, she missed her father and then the new environment was a bit of a shock. She was far to little to have any idea what was going on, but even she could clearly tell that her mother was far from okay. She's starting to become more alert, her big blue eyes don't stop exploring now she was beginning to jerk her tight fists around and move her head from side to side. She hadn't made any massive leaps yet, but Annabelle had noticed every little thing that her daughter was doing, because the only way she'd been able to control the drilling pain in her chest was to throw herself entirely into caring for her infant child.

"Hey Annabelle, do you want anything special for dinner? Jack's asking." Alex called from the kitchen.

"No thanks, I don't need anything." Annabelle said back to him, cradling the tiny baby in her arms and gently rocking her.

Alex went back to the phone call and spoke in a hushed tone that Annabelle couldn't quite hear. 

"You know, I met Steve first." Annabelle whispered to the baby, she'd been doing that a lot lately, telling her epic love story to the tiny infant that had been the result of it. "He was this skinny little thing, we were about the same size if you'd believe it." Alex leaned against the door frame and listened to the story. "I was actually going with another boy the first time I met your father, his name was tommy, back then he wasn't a very nice person." Bethany cooed at her mother who continued speaking. "He was the most handsome man. I'd ever seen, and his smile was...." She sighed. "Is the brightest I've ever seen. We were friends first you know, I think. That's why we worked so well, before we were madly in love we were very close friends, but we both knew that we were meant to be more to each other." Alex smiled and closed his eyes imagining the beautiful fairy tale he was hearing. "My mother didn't like him, though, if I'm honest, she wasn't very fond of anyone. But everyone else did, not Danny, of course but you understand why, Danny can be a little cranky at times." Alex stifled a laugh. "But we fell in love, all the same, we did break up once. It was awful, I thought we'd never be able to.... Be okay again, but Steve saw to it that everything worked out. He proposed to me on my birthday, in the snowy garden. I wasn't expecting it at all, but it was the happiest day of my life to that point. We got married in July of 1936, it was a beautiful ceremony and a lively and exciting reception, we danced and laughed and drank and it was just incredible." Jack. Walked in and Alex motioned for him to come over. "We moved into our apartment, the one I tried to take you to, I'm so sorry that I couldn't take you home, maybe one day, but I can't imagine sleeping in that bed with out him." She whispered, Jack wordlessly walked in and pulled a stool right in front of his sister and his niece.

"Annabelle." He said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "That boy loved you more than anything in this world. I never knew anyone could love like that until I saw you two. Your story is one for the ages, and it was cut way too short. But I promise you, Bucky would have wanted you to be okay. He would have wanted you and Bethany to live long, happy lives, he would not want you to sit here every day living in the past. You need to mourn him Annabelle, and then you need to move on." They both began weeping, Alex came and took Bethany and set her in her cradle, Jack held his sister as she cried and a few tears slipped down his own face as well.

"Jack, I need you to promise me something." Annabelle said.

"Anything, sis." Jack said to his crying sister.

"If anything happens to me, I want you to take care of Bethany. You and Alex can raise her as your own. Tell her about me, and James, make sure she knows how much we loved her and wanted her." She choked on the words and Jack held her.

"It's not going to come to that." He said defiantly. "But you know I would take her in a heartbeat, but don't you dare put me in that position." He said firmly, Alex came over and pulled both of them into his arms.

"Annabelle, don't worry, you will come out of this, and you and Bethany will have an amazing life, and Jack and I will be here to support you both through all of it." He said, kissing Jack's forehead lovingly. 

***meanwhile, in Siberia***

"Doctor Zola, he's gaining consciousness!" A German solider shouted, running through the secret compound to the doctor's private office.

The small man jumped to his feet and raced to the lab where the American solider was strapped to a table, the shiny new appendage twitching as his eyes fluttered open.

"Ah, Mr. Barnes, you are awake." The doctor leaned over the young man, who instantly tensed. So the electric therapy had not been successful.

"Get the fuck away from me you nazi scum!" He shouted, straining against the straps. His new metal arm ripped through the nylon easily and his head snapped to the side to stare at it. "What have you done to me?!" He screamed, ripping the other straps away and jumping for the doctor angrily.

"A small improvement. James, we have.... Upgraded you." A large needle was thrust in his neck and the prisoner's vision faded again and he slipped into unconsciousness again, desperately clinging to the three faces he loved more than anything else.