"I have to go see Shuri, but I'm sure your friends will tell you more about what's going on. After all, they know more than we do," T'Challa told him as they reached their mansion.

Bucky nodded and watched him disappear inside the building. T'Challa had already mentioned that his friends had arrived, but he didn't name anyone, so he didn't know who would be here. He would love to see Steve, but he secretly hoped for someone else. But he did not move. The last time he saw Steve, he didn't remember much. That was different now. Now he remembered everything.

"Bucky," the blonde woman breathed in surprise. She was going to Wanda, trying to avoid him, but it was just her luck that she had run into him anyway.

Her surprise disappeared in a millisecond. She put on her typical hard expression, but now he knew how to look through it. He remembered how to look through it. And he also remembered their meeting in Germany. He remembered her words - you could at least recognize me. He did recognize her now.

"If I remember correctly, you always called me James," he said calmly, but at the same time very recklessly. They had a battle ahead of them. He shouldn't start talking about it, but what if they don't survive? She needed to know he remembered them.

"What?"  she snapped, trying to hide all the feelings that were swirling in her. She didn't want to hope. And yet... "Do you remember it all? Our time together, when I was young?"

"I remember everything. Natalia. And you were the one good thing in all of it," he said with a small smile.

"I'd love to kiss you right now. I'm so glad to have you back, James!" she said, walking closer to him as if she was really about to kiss him, but then she remembered where they were and why they were here. "You should go to Steve, he'll tell you more. I'm going to check on Wanda. If we survive, we'll talk," she promised him with a sad smile that told Bucky that she didn't believe much in their survival.

Bucky just nodded, not knowing what to say. When she walked away from him, he had to tease her a little, "If we survive, you need to get rid of these blond hairs. Your color had always been red." And then he went to Steve.

He was dusted a few hours later, and when he returned after five years, he found that his redhead was dead. How was that fair? Living without her was so hard when he had all those memories. He tried to resolve the matter with Karli, but wherever they were, something reminded him of Natasha there. The only time his own life didn't hurt him was when he was with Sam's family. But now he was returning home, and all those unpleasant memories were coming back.

"She's gone, Buck."

Steve told him when he asked about her.

"She sacrificed herself so everyone could return. I am sorry."

He explained, a little confused. Bucky never told him about her.

He unlocked the door to his apartment and reluctantly went inside. He knew that something was different as soon as he closed the door behind him. He automatically pulled out his weapon and quietly set out to explore his small apartment. He decided to check the kitchen first. And he froze when he walked in.

"It hasn't changed much," said a slightly amused red-haired woman. Her hair was longer than when he last saw her in Wakanda. And they were red again. And they were tangled in a braid, as she used to braid them back in Russia when they were alone. She kept her hands over her head to keep him from shooting. She held two glasses in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other. They could never stand Russian vodka and instead fell in love with this golden drink, which was hard to find in Russia, especially back then.

"I could have killed you!" he growled and hid his weapon. He stared at her in disbelief, wondering if he was crazy. If he saw her ghost.

"You always said that and yet you never hurt me," she said, placing the glasses and bottle on the table. In Russia, they had to sneak a lot to hide their relationship, and sometimes they almost attacked each other when they thought they were someone else. But they never hurt each other.  Unless she counted the two gunshot wounds when he was brainwashed.  She took a deep breath and poured them some whiskey. "Do you remember it all? Our time together, when I was young?" she asked, as she had asked five years ago in Wakanda.

"I remember everything. Natalia. And you were the one good thing in all of it," he replied without blinking.

She smiled at him with the smile she always had reserved for him and handed him one glass of golden liquid.

"Are you really here?" he asked, staring at the glass. If he touches that glass, it means that it is real. It means Natasha is real.

"I left signs everywhere, but you don't seem to notice them," she said softly. She didn't know what to expect. It's been so many years since their relationship ended. But she still loved him. He was the only one she had ever loved. But does he still love her?

"I noticed them, but I thought I was just imagining it from all the sadness I've been carrying since Steve told me you were dead," he muttered. Then he finally reached for the glass, and when he realized that he was indeed holding it in his hand, he drank all its contents. "How is this possible?"

"It shouldn't be," she said sadly. She understood that he was confused. And she didn't want to tell the story again, but she had to tell him how she got another chance to live. "Bruce tried to bring me back to life with you, but it didn't work. Sacrifice is sacrifice. But it showed that it still had one solution. When Steve returned the stones, he was the first to ever try to return the soul stone. Usually, the stone appears on Vormir after some time, but when Steve decided to return it, it worked the same as when you want to get the stone. Soul for the soul.  He gave up the soul stone and I could return," she explained and drank the whiskey. "I had to go to Clint first, and when I decided to find you, you were working on something with Sam. So I followed you, making sure you were safe and leaving you a sign. I wanted to let you know that I was alive when you were done, but you were so happy in that port, so I left and now I'm here."

Bucky pushed an empty glass toward her. She refilled it and handed it back to him. "What now?"

"I don't know," she replied uncertainly, finishing her whiskey, then refilling the glass. She thought she had come a long way, but suddenly she felt like the young girl who had fallen in love with her teacher again.

"You know, I meant what I said. But it's been a long time and we're both completely different people now," he sighed. They were no longer in Russia. And even though they both hated the country, the truth was that life there was easier for them. They were just struggling here. They constantly had to prove that they were no longer the people the KGB had created.

"Are we? Because, James, now that we're here together. Both alive, both with memories. All I know is that we finally have a chance to be together. Really together. No more sneaking in front of Madame B. No punishment if someone catches us. Just you and me. We've always wanted that, haven't we? We wanted to run away together," she reminded him and walked around the table so she could stand by him. She put her hand on his cheek.

He leaned in. "Nat..."

The redhead withdrew her hand and took a step back. "Unless you don't want to," she said in a hoarse voice and her face hardened.

"I didn't say that, Nat," he sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"You didn't have to," she said coldly. "I won't beg you. If you don't care about me anymore, just say it and I'll leave."

"Nat-"

"We were always going to say goodbye, weren't we?" she whispered the words he had once said to her in Russia.

"Natalia," he addressed her a little desperately and took her hand. "You know that a time ago you made me remember what it was to feel like a human. The truth is that you making me remember it even now. The few months I had to live without you were terrible. And I don't want to experience it anymore. I'm just afraid that after all we've been through, it won't work between us," he confided.

"But it's us," she whispered.

"Yeah, and you should know that I love you so much," he said softly. He has never let fear win, and he certainly cannot let the fear win now when it comes to Natasha.

A pause.

"I know, I know," she nodded and she leaned her forehead against his. "I love you too."

And then they finally kissed. After so many years. After being ripped apart for so long. After they were both told in the Red Room that they had both died. After she found out he was alive, but he didn't remember anything. After they could finally have a chance, but he turned to dust. After they figured out how to save them, but she died doing it.  They could be finally together. They had one more chance and they had to use it.

"So..." she said as they broke apart. "Zemo? Really?"

Bucky had to laugh. "You can tell me all about how stupid the idea was later. The main thing is that it worked out. And now don't stop kissing me, Natalia," he said in a hoarse voice.

"As you wish, James," she smiled and kissed him again.

•••
I know, BuckyNat again, but they are all I can think about. And I am not even sorry.❤️