Soldier

CHAPTER THREE

BUCKY'S POV

After telling Nat about what I remember from the last time all of us were at that restaurant, we got up and went and showered but not after talking a little longer. Tony called me into the lab and did some checks on my arm to make sure things would be okay, and so he knew how to make me a new one in case I ever wanted another.

Those checks took hours to do and by the time he finished, I barely had enough time to change for dinner. But I managed to get in some nice jeans, leather boots, a dark leather jacket with a plain blue shirt underneath and a glove over my left hand.

Oh God, I think to myself. I hope there aren't too many people at the restaurant tonight.

I even brush my shaggy hair just as there's a light knock on the door, and Nat walks in. She still never fails to make my jaw drop, even in everyday clothes. I notice she's holding to motorbike helmets.

"Ready to go?" She asks, holding up a helmet. I nod with a smile, taking one of the helmets from her.

"I hope you don't mind if I don't talk much." I mumble awkwardly, slipping my other glove on my right hand, shifting from foot to foot.

"You don't have to talk if you don't want to." She assures me, rubbing my arm.

We head out to the garage which I hardly go to but what I see is awesome. There's classic cars and bikes around the place. But Nat goes to the front corner where there's a tarpaulin over something, and she rips it off to reveal two very familiar bikes.

"Steve brought it here when he left the army after you..." She trails off and I'm thankful for that but I still smile. "Tony had them serviced and the tanks are full."

"Wicked." I say, pulling on my helmet and doing it up along with my jacket.

Man, I forgot how good it was to ride again. The ride into Brooklyn from the compound takes close to two hours but it was so worth it. Brooklyn has changed a lot since I last saw it but it's still amazing as it was growing up.

We pull up in front of Barbocino's and I swear that it hasn't changed once in eleven years. The brick building is a little worse for wear but still amazing and inside had changed a bit but it still had that familiar comfortable feeling with the amazing smell of pizza being cooked in an open oven.
We grab a table a little away from everyone and look at the menu but I already know what I want. Nat starts making jokes that I can't help but smile about, and slowly, I start to relax.

"Hey, this time we can order alcohol." Nat points out excitedly, getting me to laugh.

"No way!" A voice calls out and someone approaches the table. I feel my heart rate pick up but under the table, I feel a hand on my knee. I smile thankfully at Nat and look up to see a familiar guy from high school. "Bucky Barnes and Natasha Romanova, it's me! Justin Ryan, the quarterback."

"Oh, hey." Nat doesn't sound too happy but I'm not surprised. Justin was an absolute jerk in school.

"Long time, no see!" Justin grins but I just stare at the wall behind Nat, trying to get my breathing under control. "Man, you let your hair go. Doesn't the army make you keep it - "

He didn't get to finish before I slam my fist into his stomach and take off running. So much for a nice date. But I don't care. Everything was overwhelming enough and that jerk from pushed everything over the edge. I hadn't meant to punch him, it just sort of happened. At least it wasn't with my left hand.

When I stop running, I look around to see where I am. I found myself outside a very familiar building. The sign read 'Dion's Gym', and it was still open. I push open the door and smile a bit when I see a one on one training session. A kid about fifteen being taught moves by a heavily tattooed, muscular forty year old with a shaggy beard and short hair.

I wait off to the side and text Natasha to tell her where I am and that I'm sorry.

When the kid and Dion finish, the kid runs off to go get ready to leave, and Dion finally notices me but he doesn't recognise me at first.

"Hey, how can I help you?" Dion's voice is still as deep as ever.

"A hug from a brother would be nice." I watch as his eyes go wide and he pulls me into a tight hug that for once I was prepared for. I gladly hug back, loving this familiarity.

"My God! How have you been?" Dion asks, holding me at an arms length to look me over.

"You didn't hear?" I ask, pulling away and sitting on a bench behind me. Dion frowns and sits next to me. "I was a P.O.W. I can't go into it, please don't make me."

"Hey, I won't. I'm just glad you're alive and back in New York." Dion ruffles my hair. I guess he's one of the few people who can get this close to me now. Him, Nat and Steve. "Stevie still serving?"

"No," I tell him, wringing my hands together. "Our old group is basically back together with a few others who are awesome. We're working for this organisation but I can't tell you much about it."

"Always figured you'd work for some secret organisation." Dion teases, nudging me slightly. "What about you and Nat? Last I heard, you two broke up."

"We were actually on a date tonight," I admit, rubbing my red knuckles. "Punched a jerk from school because I freaked."

"And he found his way here." The two of us look up to see Nat walking over with an understanding smile and a couple pizza boxes in hand. "Are you okay?"

"Better." I sigh, staring down at my feet. "Is Justin okay?"

"He'll be fine, he won't press charges." I don't question how she managed to do that. It's not something I want to know. "How are you doing, Dion?"

"Not bad, training the next generation of ass kickers." Dion chuckles, probably hugging Nat. "I should go shower, I'm all sweaty and gross."

With that he leaves and Nat sits next to me, her free hand on my back.

"I'm sorry I ruined dinner." I mumble, rubbing my face harshly. "Fucking things up is the only thing I'm capable of now."

"Justin is an insensitive douchebag," Nat spits his name with distaste. I feel her thumb rubbing circles between my shoulder blades. "You still have a heart. He doesn't."

"Don't be too sure about that." I tell her, peaking my head to the side to look at her.

"Too bad. I am sure because I know you." She moves her hand through my hair, pushing it out of the way. "The date wasn't a total waste, still got pizza."