He walked into the Smithsonian looking for answers.

He didn't know the questions, no, but he needed answers.

Rogers called him Bucky and the name hurt, but didn't trigger any particular memories.

When he got to the exhibit, he glanced around the pieces on Captain America and World War 2. Information he knew, but didn't really care about. Eventually he got to the section on the Howling Commandos, and saw a reflection staring back at him. The Soldier grimaced, but when the reflection didn't react with him, he realised it was a picture.

Bucky Barnes, 1925-1945

He skimmed the information as quickly as it could, not really taking any of it in, until he saw a picture. A picture of a young man and woman kissing. He stood closer to it, and recognised himself as the young man, and felt pain looking at the young woman. He furrowed his eyebrows and let his fingers trace over the picture, looking for the information about it.

Picture, above, B. Barnes and V. Valastro.

Vitoria (Tori) Valastro was Barnes fiancee at the time of his death. This picture, among many others of the young girl, were found with his personal possessions after his death.

He looked over the other pictures desperately, until he found a bunch of ones with the girl in them.

Vitoria Valastro was a singer, famous in New York at the time. She performed in bars mainly, and was one of the few performers to keep singing during the war era. Her Father and brother were both killed in action, with her other brother wounded. After Barnes death, and subsequently the suspected death of Captain America, she stayed in touch with Peggy Carter and helped put together a program that reunited soldiers with their families after the war. Eventually, she married a banker and became Vitoria Morelli, giving birth to 3 children. Before her death in 1980, she wrote a letter about her love of Barnes included in the frame to the left.

His eyes immediately darted left and he saw the framed letter with ease. His breathing got heavier, and he didn't know why he felt upset. He couldn't remember the girl, but he somehow felt cheated. Like he'd lost something.

"I love my children, my husband and my life. That's a given. The life I got was not displeasing at all, although it started off rocky. My husband always knew he was second in line for me, and that's an unfortunate truth that we both had to live with. I tried lying to myself, and to him, but we both knew. He was happy being second, and I was truly happy with him.

But if, even for a second, I knew James was coming back I would drop everything and run. He was my one great love and I will always be in love with him. He was brave in the most honest way, he was handsome, he was loyal and he was my everything.

The time we were together wasn't long, and he always said he wanted more, but it was good. Better than good, it was amazing.

He was right when he told me things don't always get worse.

He was, is, and always will be my star. And I always will be his doll.

Per sempre insieme."

He knew what the phrase meant, of course, he spoke Italian fluently. But he didn't know why it registered with him so deeply.

"Son, we're closing soon, better start finishing up," A voice behind him said softly.

"Of course, thank you," He replied, not tearing his eyes away from the letter. He read it and re-read it probably 11 times, until he knew it word perfect.

"So you ended up here, huh?" A familiar voice called. He turned and his eyes widened as the one person he didn't want to see walked towards him. He immediately went on defence, staggering one foot back, ready for attack. Rogers held up his hands. "Whoa. I'm not here for that," Rogers shook his head and put his hands back down slowly. "Reading about Tori?" He pointed to the pictures. "She was amazing, you loved her,"

"I didn't know her," He asserted, feeling a pain in his head that wouldn't go away.

"No, well, you didn't. But the old Buck did. You used to talk about her all the time and I let you because I liked her too," Rogers shrugged. "Not in that way, obviously, she'd never even look at me like that. But kind of like a sister. She was beautiful,"

"I can see that," He sneered.

"Too beautiful for you. And she was kind from the inside out, in a way that you never deserved. But she loved you anyway,"

"Was she..." He dragged a thumb across his lips and tried to stop the hurricane of emotion from affecting him. "Was she okay, after... I- no, he. After he died?"

"No," Steve shook his head. "She was devastated. Didn't want to live, didn't want to do anything without him. But she got there, and I wasn't there for her. I left to go fight HYDRA and avenge you, and then I went under and she lost someone else. I'll feel guilty about that forever,"

"She's dead now, you don't need to feel guilty,"

"I know you've been brainwashed but you're not that heartless, Bucky,"

"My name isn't Bucky,"

"No, it's not," Rogers put a hand on his shoulder. "She always called you James," James sounded familiar, but he was too proud to admit that. Rogers pointed to a picture, and the Soldiers eyes followed. The young couple were standing again, James had an arm tightly around her shoulder and she was kissing his cheek. They were laughing, not fake picture laughs but real, big, honest-to-God laughs that made your belly ache. The Soldier didn't know how, but he could hear them laugh, he knew there was a sea in front of them, behind the camera, but he didn't know how.

Suddenly his face felt wet and he sniffed.

"That was your favourite picture of her," Rogers pointed to another one. She was standing by herself in the sea, she was smiling and posing, one hand on her hip and the other holding a gold chain around her neck.

"That's mine," The Soldier said, pointing at it, before checking himself and bringing his hand back in. He wiped at his face and realised his eyes were crying. He pulled his hat down further, hoping the Captain wouldn't see.

"Yeah, she wore it till the day she died, apparently," Rogers took his hand off the Solider's shoulder. "You broke her heart. Twice. And she forgave you. God, she loved you. I would've killed to have someone love me like she loved you. Or the way you loved her,"

"All I've ever wanted, is a girl like you. A little doll," He muttered, not knowing what it meant, but knowing that it meant everything.

"What?" Rogers asked, looking at him curiously.

"What does Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree mean?" There was information flying around his head and he pressed his hands to his forehead to get it under control.

"That was your song," Rogers explained. "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree, it was a song she sang,"

"Do you think she was happy? In the end?"

"Sure," Rogers nodded. "She could've been happier, but we all could've. I think she done the best she could with what she got. She started a program, after we died, that helped to reconnect soldiers with their families. Because so many people moved because of bombings and because soldiers got lost as prisoners of war, it really helped. And even before the war finished, she helped raise money to patch up troops and she rallied to get Veterans better health care. She even started a club for wives and girlfriends to go to while their partners were away, just so people wouldn't be lonely. She made a massive difference to the world and it was because of the pain she felt every day,"

"You said she was heartbroken?" The Soldier asked, looking up at Steve who nodded at him. "Was he- I. Whatever. Do you think I was worth it?" Rogers's face broke into a solemn smile and he nodded slowly, willing himself to stay stoic.

"She always said you were,"

To everyone who's ever read this story, I'm infinitely grateful to every single one of you. This is the first thing I've ever published on a website like this and the reception and advice I've had is so incredible.

I'm thinking about maaaaaaaybe starting a new story with an idea from this one... I'm just overly attached to the Winter Soldier I guess.

What do you guys think?

I love each and every one of you

Till the end of the line

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