Changes Are Coming // TFATWS

24

Bucky made his way back to Brooklyn, New York. Sally and Mara had returned as well.

Sally glanced at Bucky. "Are you ready?"

He shook his head. "No. But Sam was right."

"I'll be waiting here with Mara."

He nodded and walked up to Yori's front door, then knocked on the door.

Yori opened the door and asked, "Hey, what are you doing here? It's late, come in before someone call the cops." Bucky entered and Yori closed the door behind him. "What are you doing here? It's not Wednesday."

Bucky replied, "I, uh, I have to tell you something. About your son." He sat, pulled off his glove to reveal his Vibranium hand. Yori sat as well. "He was murdered."

"What?"

"By the Winter Soldier." His voice shook as he whispered, "And that was me."

"Why?"

Bucky inhaled before replying softly, "I didn't have a choice."

He left and Sally immediately walked up to Bucky. "I'm so proud of you."

Mara hugged him. "I'm super proud too. Good job, Daddy."

Bucky gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Mara." He met Sally's eye and the two shared a long gaze before turning away.

Bucky met her eyes and his expression turned to one of extreme guilt.

"This is the first step," Sally said softly. "Mara and I'll be with you every step of the way."

After a moment, Bucky said, "Thank you, Sally." He put a hand in his pocket, fingering a velvet box. While he hadn't known her long, he knew she was the one.

---

The next day, after dropping off a gift bag and card for Dr. Raynor, Bucky walked the streets of Brooklyn.

They passed Izzy's and Bucky looked in the window to see Yori and Sally sitting at the bar. Sally had a laptop open and was working on what he presumed to be some sort of article.

Bucky stared at Yori.

Sally, who had happened to see him, excused herself and walked up to Bucky.

"Hey. Do you want to come in?"

Bucky shook her head. "Nah. I was just passing by. Listen, I'm headed back to Louisiana. If you and Mara want to come... I'd be glad of the company."

Sally smiled. "I'd like that. You know as well as I do that Mara would as well."

---

Sam and Gianna made their way to Baltimore to make a visit.

They walked down a familiar street in Baltimore and up to a front door. They knocked on the metal screen door of Isaiah's home.

Eli opened the door and asked, "What do you and your girl want, Black Falcon?"

"Hey, you need to learn some manners," Sam told him.

"He ain't a Falcon anymore, but he's still black," Isaiah said, motioning for Sam and Gianna to follow. Sam and Gianna sat in the garden as Isaiah tended to his plants. "I saw what you did out there. And it seems, so did everyone else. I heard the GRC was standing down on those plans of theirs, so you must have done something right. I ain't gonna lie. You're special."

"Thank you."

"I mean, you ain't no Malcolm, Martin, Mandela, but..."

"No argument there." Sam chuckled with a nod. "But I know what I've gotta do."