*narrator pov*
3 weeks later.
Bucky was now living temporarily with Tony, Pepper and Morgan in their cabin. Although he had managed to buy his own place in the city. He never stayed there. He was waiting for you.
You were still asleep.
Bruce came by at the end of every week to check on how you were doing. He had modified a machine that detected your heart rate, as it didn't beat like a human's did. It basically just told them that you were still alive and breathing.
Bruce had also worked on building another Time Machine, as the other one had been blown up.
They still needed to return the stones.
The Time Machine was ready, so they planned to do it on that day.
Bucky sat on your bed next to you. He needed to take off the gauntlet.
He couldn't bare to disturb you before, and neither could anyone else, so it was left on your wrist.
Bucky smiled at you softly, and brushed your hair behind your ear with his fingers.
Then, he gently tugged on the gauntlet and slipped it off your hand.
With his Vibranium arm, he picked off the stones one by one.
He put them in a small black bag, which he then placed on the bedside table.
He leaned over you and kissed you gently on the cheek.
He sat with you for a moment, then sighed as he left with the stones.
You rolled over comfortably in bed.
Bucky went outside to where the others were waiting.
Bruce, Steve, Sam and Tony were there.
(Thor had left a while ago. He'd given up hope that you were going to wake up soon, and he trusted you were safe with the others when you did eventually wake up. So he had left with the guardians of the galaxy a week ago. Peter had returned to Queens, and had started school again.)
"Now, remember" Bruce said. "You have to return the stones to the exact moment you got them. Or you're gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities."
"Don't worry Bruce. Clip all the branches" Steve nodded.
"You know, I tried. When I had the gauntlet, the stones, I really tried to bring her back. I miss her, man."
"Me too."
"You know, if you want, I can come with you" Sam offered.
"You're a good man, Sam. This one's on me though" Steve said, then turned to Bucky.
"Don't do anything stupid until I get back."
"How can I?" Bucky grinned. "You're taking all the stupid with you."
They hugged each other goodbye.
"Gonna miss you, buddy" Bucky sighed.
"It's gonna be okay, Buck. Take care of her."
"I will."
Steve stepped in front of Tony.
"Bye" Tony nodded.
"Sentimental" Steve smirked sarcastically.
Steve went to stand in the middle of the Quantum portal, wearing the Quantum suit.
"How long is this going to take?" Sam wondered.
"For him? As long as he needs... For us? Five seconds" Bruce explained.
Steve picked up Mjölnir from the floor by his side.
"Ready, Cap? Alright. We'll meet you back here, okay?" Bruce asked.
"You bet" Steve nodded.
"Going quantum... 3,2,1..."
Steve disappeared as he teleported back in time.
"And returning in... 5,4,3,2,1..."
Nothing happened.
Bruce looked down at the machine in front of him, and he seemed confused.
"Where is he?" Sam asked.
"I don't know. He blew right by his time stamp. He should be here" Bruce said.
Bucky turned around, facing away from the portal, worried.
"Well bring him back" Tony complained.
He and Sam started arguing with Bruce to bring him back.
"Guys..." Bucky interrupted.
Sam and Tony looked at Bucky, then followed his gaze to an old man sitting on a log.
"Go ahead" Bucky said.
"Cap?" Sam asked as he walked towards him.
Bucky and Tony followed loosely behind Sam.
"Hi Sam" old Steve said.
"So did something go wrong, or did something go right?" Sam asked.
"Well, after I put the stones back, I thought, maybe I'll try some of that life Tony was telling me to get."
"It was good advice" Tony smirked. "Glad you took it."
"How'd that work out for you?" Sam wondered.
"It was beautiful. I met someone" old Steve explained. "Her name was Peggy."
"Hey I remember her" Bucky recalled. "Vaguely. Didn't you kiss her once?"
"Yeah. So I went back and did it again. I thought maybe I'd try the love thing, and forget about my best friends girlfriend."
"Good choice" Bucky said, unimpressed, but happy for him all the same.
"I'm happy for you. Truly" Sam nodded.
"Thank you" Steve smiled.
"Only thing bumming me out is the fact I have to live in a world without Captain America" Sam complained.
"Oh that reminds me..." Steve bent over and picked up his shield. He offered it to Sam. "Try it on."
Sam took it and held it properly.
"How does it feel?" Steve asked.
"Like it's someone else's..." Sam sighed.
"Well..." Tony objected.
"It's not" Steve interrupted. "It isn't. It's Sam's now Tony."
"It's a good choice" Tony smiled at oldie Steve.
"Thank you" Sam held back his tears. "I'll try my best."
"That's why it's yours" the old man smiled and shook Sam's hand.
Tony and Bucky walked back indoors, leaving Sam and Bruce with Steve.
"You gonna be okay?" Tony asked Bucky.
"Yeah. I'll be fine. I've got... y/n" Bucky hesitated.
"Things will get better. Believe me" Tony smiled as he opened the door. Morgan came running up to them, proving Tony's point perfectly.
"Are you still busy? Can you play with my toys with me now?"
"Of course I can" Tony grinned.
"Do you want to play?" Morgan looked at Bucky.
"Uh..." he paused, looking at Morgan's pleadingly hopeful face. She was adorable. Impossible to say no to. "I would love to."
———
A few hours later, Bucky returned to your room.
He was tired after playing hide and seek with Morgan all day.
He opened your door and changed into some pyjamas.
All his clothes were new since his others had been ruined in the compound.
When he had changed, he sat on the bed next to you.
Just as he was about to kiss your forehead like he did every night, he realised something.
You were on your side. Not your back.
You had moved. You hadn't moved before.
Bucky walked out and across the hall, and knocked on Tony's door.
"Come in" Tony called.
Bucky opened the door slightly and poked his head through.
"Hey did you go in to see y/n today?" Bucky asked.
"No not today. Why? Is she okay?" Tony wondered.
Bucky smiled to himself and shut the door without answering.
He returned to your room and lay down on his mattress on the floor.
He went to sleep, happy, as he knew it meant you were closer to waking up.
