Two
1942
Bucky watched as Steve fell from the train.
"Steve!" Bucky held onto the side of the train where he could see Steve hit the side of one of the cliffs and the sound of his bones breaking. He threw up beside himself as the train sped away from the cold mountains.
Peggy stormed into the room where Colonel Phillips was debriefing Sargent Barnes and the rest of the Howling Commandos.
"Where's Steve?" She asked them.
Bucky looked up and his face was red and tear tracks were still on his face.
"No..." Peggy sat down and closed her eyes.
"If you all will excuse me, I have to interrogate Doctor Zola." Colonel Phillips left the room.
Peggy broke the long silence. "Someone has to step up as Captain America."
"But who?" Dugan asked. They all looked at Bucky, who was holding a picture.
Peggy found Bucky in a bar later that night drinking whiskey straight from the bottle. He looked like a wreck. He had dark purple bags under his blood-shot eyes. His figure was hunched. Peggy sat next to him.
"It wasn't your fault." She said.
"Have you read the report?" His voice was rough. Peggy nodded. "Then you know that's not at'll true."
"James-"
"Shhhh." Bucky slammed the bottle he was holding on the counter. "Can you hear that, Agent?"
"Hear what?"
Bucky leaned in close enough to see the pores on Peggy's nose. "If you listen closely, you can hear lil' Stevie's breathing. And his ol' heart beat patterin' around. You can see 'im, too, if you watch closely." Bucky's eyes glaze over and he turns away drinking back more of the whiskey.
Peggy looks at him for another minute before standing and giving his back a firm rub. "08:00 tomorrow, Barnes. Don't be late." She leaves after.
Barnes flies the Valkyrie into the Arctic two days later.
2011
When Bucky wakes up he listens. He listens to the radio and thinks, 'Maybe I'll be okay.'
He should know better.
The game playing was from 1941, he knows because he took Steve to it.
Once the woman comes in to check on him, Bucky has a hole through the wall and is already getting a head start away from there.
When he finally gets outside, he's surrounded by black cars and a black man walks out of the chaos. "Welcome to the future, Mr. Barnes."
Bucky screams.
2012
Its almost August when Bucky meets Damien and Natasha. He's going up on a SHEILD carrier on the ocean when the tall brunet man stops him. "You're Bucky Barnes."
Bucky looks down at himself. "Yup, that's me."
"Holy shit, Nat! Look! It's an antique collectable!"
A stunning red headed woman walks up and smacks the man on the back of the head.
"Respect your elders, Damien!" She smiles at Bucky. "I'm sorry about him. The Red Room didn't teach him manners. I'm Natasha and that's Damien."
Bucky smiles back and a short curly haired man steps into his view. He turns towards him. "Doctor Banner? I've heard about you." He sticks out his hand to him. Banner extends his and they shake.
"Good things I hope." He smiles timidly.
"Only the ones I care about." They smile at each other. Damien clears his throat.
"Hate to break this bro-ment but we're asked to go inside." Damien turns and leaves as the SHIELD agents run around them.
"He may be older than me but he's still a child. Right this way, gentlemen." Natasha turns and looks back with a smirk.
"Is this a submarine?" Bucky asks.
"I really hope not." Bruce pulls his eyebrows together. The ship lurches and then rises, exposing engines and propellers. A flying ship.
Bruce shakes his head. "Oh, no, this is much worse."
Coulson is dead, Thor is missing, Bruce is missing, Clint is injured, Natasha is injured, Damien is eating tacos, and Tony is brooding in a corner. Bucky really doesn't know how this became his life.
"Hey, is it stealing if I go grab a pizza from this caved in store?" Damien asks through the coms.
Natasha answers first. "Damien, I swear to God-"
"D-Dog no-" Tony screams.
"Brother Damien-" Thor starts as he flies by.
"As long as you get some for me!" That'll be Clint.
Bucky catches his shield. "Same, Damien!"
"Jesus fucking Christ, I'm surrounded by children." Natasha says as she decapitates an alien.
No one realizes they're being watched.