Bucky stared down at the gravestone. It was odd, strange, to see the stone standing there. He had not expected to find the graves in this particular graveyard, standing beside each other.
Removing his hands from his pockets, the male crouched down. His hand felt the letters engraved on the strong stone, tracing them as if they would help remember his past, and all the things he had done. Just like he suspected, the words on the stone did no such thing.
Here lies James Buchanan Barnes
Loving Son and Fiancé
His eyes saw a flash of gold from the ground, his cerulean eyes moving to it. Bucky's eyebrows furrowed as his hand reached down a grabbed it, the golden ring flashing in the fading sunlight. There was a faint memory of putting the ring into an envelope, righting a quick note before going on a mission for the U.S. Army.
Lara.
Bucky's eyes darted to the gravestone connected to his own, a woman's name scrolled on the stone.
Here lies Lara Caroline Roth
Loving Daughter, Sibling, Friend, and Fiancé
James felt confusion flood his system, a headache forming from how hard he was thinking. He felt like he was drowning in memories, trying to grasp on to one as he sunk deeper and deeper into the abyss. Though, if one of them got close to breaking the surface, it never happened as so etching dragged to back to the back of his mind. Bucky felt useless like this.
Swiftly standing up, slipping the ring onto his ring finger on the flesh hand, his robotic hand grabbing the white slips off paper. They were practically destroyed from the weather, but Bucky could make out some of the words that had been written in the delicate pages.
Dear Lara,
Should I come back to wash your mouth out with soap?
Honestly, I have to say that the swearing was kinda sexy. You should say it more often around me. Or when I'm back.
It was strange to read this. It was literally a lifetime ago, one that the Winter Soldier could not remember. Only bits and pieces, sometimes of a small, blonde male laughing and joking with him. Another was of a woman dancing and smiling with him, though he could never recognize the face until he saw it at the Smithsonian. The most prominent one that stuck in his mind was him telling that small man I'm with you till the end of the line, Pal.
Bucky glanced around, fixing the baseball cap on his head, before turning on his sneakers and walking away. He passed through the graveyard quickly, still running from Captain America and his friend. It was strange how easy it was, and yet he felt as if he wouldn't do this. His gut was telling him to let the man find him, and let him talk to him. He obviously knew James in another time.
Though, Bucky's brain always overruled his gut, and he would run. Find a new hotel to stay in for the night. Go to a different country, buy new clothes, just stay out of sight until he was ready. This was second nature to The Winter Soldier. This was the part he wanted to leave behind, and yet it was so hard to. He had been living this life for over seventy years, it was rather hard to break the habits when you've been brainwashed by an evil organization.
As he jogged away, looking back to make sure nobody saw him, before he was taking off down the street. Once he was a good distance away, Bucky started walking, hands back in his pockets. He made sure to look inconspicuous, so nobody would be suspicious over him. It was somehow easy, even with his metal arm, which was hidden by the baggy sweater he was wearing.
The letters were stuffed roughly in his back pocket, sticking out slightly, and he fixed them quickly as he walked. Maybe these would be able to help him remember. Lara, whoever that was, had seen the good in him when he had visited her. Steve, or The Captain, was searching high and low to find him, because he saw the old James in him. And hopefully, he would get back who he was. Bucky wouldn't be this person anymore.
This would be his redemption.
**********
Wait, no, I can't believe you're dead. You're coming back. Fall from heaven or crawl out of hell, I don't care. Just come back.
I won't give up on you.
Love you,
Lara.
__________
so... this happened. hopefully, this works out and will lead to a third book that will be based in civil war.
sebastian stan as james buchanan barnes
anna kendrick as lara caroline roth
disclaimer; i don't own anything except the plot lines and the original character. please don't steal anything.