Distant Lover, One Day I'll Hold You Like the Sun Holds the Moon

"Hold my head inside your hands
I need someone who understands
I need someone, someone who hears

For you, I've waited all these years
For you I'd wait 'til kingdom come
Until my day, my day is done
And say you'll come and set me free
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me"

It could be anyone. Someone dropping something off or hell someone coming to look at the place despite that he swears his heart didn't beat once from the minute he heard the car door.

"Excuse me?" The voice says. "Sorry I'm supposed to be meeting someone here. I hope I'm not intruding."

Steve panics for a second because he doesn't recognize the voice but then he remembers he's not supposed to.

"Maybe you know him. He used to live here?" The voice continues, getting closer. Steve starts to turn around, his brain finally connecting to his legs. "His name is Ste-"

The voice stops as Steve turns.

"Steve?" He says, eyes squinting to get a better look, not believing who was in front of him.

"Bucky?" Steve says breathlessly. It's him, Steve's sure of it. A little older than he remembers both in the picture and in the horrible memory that's quickly fading. But it's him. It has to be.

"Steve," the other man says, certain this time, as he makes his way to Steve.

"Bucky. Bucky," Steve says as the distance between them grows smaller as Bucky moves closer to him. It's a matter of seconds but it feels like hours when he feels Bucky's arms around him. "Bucky, Bucky," Steve repeats.

"It's me. I'm here," Bucky assures him. "I'm here." Steve nuzzles his face into Bucky's neck, takes his scent in, something he's never experienced but felt like home regardless. He lifts his hand up, feel's Bucky's hair. It's long, but not as long as he recalls that fateful Valentine's day. It's long on top but ends at the nape of his neck. He feels all down Bucky's back not able to even think about looking at his face, into the eyes he dreamed about for the first time. "God you're real," Steve says. "You're really real."

Bucky laughs lightly. "I am." Steve can feel Bucky squeeze Steve's back but more prominently with his right arm, his left still lays still by his side. Steve doesn't notice the oddness though. He pulls away readying himself to look at the man he's fallen in love with but couldn't see for 2 years. He holds Bucky in front of him but Bucky's eyes are closed, as deep in his emotion as Steve is.

"You waited," Steve says softly and Bucky opens his eyes to look at him. God his eyes, more beautiful than Steve could've imagined. Like peaceful oceans Steve wanted to bask in. His fingers grace every surface of Bucky's skin feeling every indent, every line, until Bucky smiles. And if Steve's heart wasn't already full it was now overflowing with adoration.

"Of course I did," Bucky says, glowing. "I always told you I would."

And he did. Every time Steve had wavered or panicked about them never being reacquainted Bucky had assured him over and over that he'd wait a long as he had to. Steve never should've faltered, never should have doubted Bucky wouldn't have kept his promise. Then Steve remembers.

"Wait," he says. "There someone else who needs to see you."

And almost as if on cue Sam comes walking through the front door. Steve can see past Bucky. They must've turned at some point in their embrace because now Bucky's back was to the house. Bucky looks at Steve curiously. Steve nudges his chin behind Bucky. 

He's not sure who caught who's look first but he hears Bucky start to say "Hey! Sam what did I say about reading my letter-" before he's cut off by Sam dropping the box of letters to the ground, slipping from his hand in shock. "What're you doing here anyway?" 

But Sam doesn't answer. He steps away from the box, carefully at first as if he was afraid to make a noise. Then Steve sees the realization on Sam's face and then the shock of it. In the blink of an eye Sam is right in front of Bucky, hugging him fervently. Steve can see Sam's face, holding Bucky still in shock. He makes contact with Steve and silently asks "How?", "Is this real?" and all Steve can do is smile and nod. 

-

-

 Sam. 

Sam had gone into the house to gather Bucky's letters. He sees what finding them did to Steve and doesn't want the next resident to do the same, lord knows he doesn't need a stranger doing this shit to him. Let Bucky finally rest. He should've never left the letters in the first place. He briefly looks around to see if there's anything else of Bucky's but there isn't. He was pretty thorough minus the box he's holding right now. He heard the car pull up. Didn't think anything of it. Heard the footsteps hurriedly down the walkway as if someone was running. Didn't think anything of that either. He goes for the door readying himself for the fact he was taking the last pieces of Bucky from this house as well as coming face to face with the knowledge that he'd have to say goodbye to his other best friend, for his own health and Steve's too. 

But when he steps out he see's Steve with someone. Someone with dark hair and a toned build similar to Bucky's but it couldn't be.

Sam steps out of the doorway and closer to the two men and he'd recognize the back of the man if he was standing in a crowd of hundreds let a lone right in front of him. But it couldn't be. It had to be an illusion, a trick of the eye. But as the man turns and starts to say something, something Sam couldn't hear. He knows.

Sam knows.

It's Bucky.

Still he walks carefully to get a better look or to prepare himself when the image of his friend blows away with the wind. But he doesn't. He stays standing there waiting for Sam to acknowledge him. And as Sam realizes it's safe, he's safe, it comes down on him that's his friend, in the flesh. He sprints towards him, grabs him, holds him close squeezing him not so gently. He had to know he was real. As he holds Bucky in his arms memories of losing Bucky starts to get replaced by memories of almost losing him and that's when he hears Bucky wince. 

"I'm sorry. I'm,' He stops realizing. He pulls away. Bucky laughs and Sam wants to cry. He's missed that noise so much. 

"It's okay," Bucky says. "Still sore." 

And Sam remembers. The accident. It still happened but this time Bucky had a warning, he knew what would happen and he was prepared, or as prepared as he could be. 

"You still saved that kid didn't you?" Sam asks, not in an accusing way but in a 'of course you did' way.

Bucky just smiles. 

And the replacement memories come flooding. Getting the call. Seeing the seemingly millions of needles in Bucky's arm holding it together. Bucky trying his best to not complain or cry out but Sam knew. The recovery process putting Bucky in even more agony than the numerous surgeries but Bucky still being strong and determined, regaining the use of his arm months earlier than expected. It all came to him, replacing the memories of a casket, saying goodbye to his best friend, watching him get lowered into the ground as he stood by his weeping mother. They were all gone. More like memories of a bad bad dream it took too long to wake up from.

"Bastard," Sam says lightly and Bucky grins ear to ear. "I told Steve the kid would've been fine either way." 

"I know," Bucky shruts. "But-"

"You didn't listen?" Steve asks innocently and Sam laughs.

"Get used to it," He says to Steve with a soft smile that goes from 'I approve of this union' to 'Thank you for bringing him back'.

And they stay like that the rest of the day, at some point opting to go inside.

They talk, they laugh. The more Bucky talks about the last few years the more of Sam's memories get replaced. Bucky had called every week after Sam moved to see how his new job was. The bar was doing well, gaining even more notice after the fire and after Bucky's father's book was published, even though he claimed no association. Bucky visited DC a few times, Sam showed him the Air and Space museum and had to drag Bucky out eventually because they were closing but Bucky wasn't done looking at everything for the dozenth time. 

Sam watches Bucky wrapped up in Steve's arms, Jack sleeping soundly at their feet. Not only was his friend here with him ALIVE but he was happier than Sam has ever seen him and there was no greater joy Sam could've felt than that moment.

Jack leaves a few days later, to be the guardian over some other couple that was separated by distance or time Bucky's sure of it. He visits often though, tail wagging as if he never left.

When Sam gets back to DC he puts in his notice and moves back home, not wanting to be away from his friends, family, and friends that were family anymore. Steve and Sam start up their Private Practice again this time smarter and with more experience (and more people on their team). They locate it just outside the city. It takes off better than they could've hoped.

The Lakehouse still stays on the market for a bit. Steve wants to take it off for sentimental reasons but Bucky convinces him it could be where another couple get their start. Hopeless romantic that one is Steve thinks. When they don't get any offers they use it as a weekend getaway a few times a month then more frequently.

Jack comes back as he usually does but this time wearing a collar with the name Cosmo and a green emerald like stone bellow the name etching. Steve asks if the emerald was always there and Bucky shrugs. So they call him Cosmo from now on, in respect of his new (or old) owner.

A few months down the road they decide to take the house off the market and stay there. Steve inquires about the rent no longer coming out of his account one day. He is told it was bought in his name by an anonymous person. They letter he gets from said anonymous donor leaves no name except an emblem of a praying mantis.