Waiting for Superman

Bucky leaned against the chair as he thought about the last couple of weeks, still trying to figure out how he was going to avoid being seen. Now that Steve knew he was still in DC he wasn't going to rest until he found Bucky. He thought about sending a message telling his friend that he needed time. As Bucky continued to think, he was interrupted by a soft voice. He looked up and smiled at Annie. Standing up ge shook his head, "just five minutes, I'm kind of punctual to everything" Bucky chuckled. "Anywhere in particular that you'd like to show me?"[line[

After she picked everything up Sam had insisted on helping her with her stuff. "Won't you be late to that hot date?" Natasha asked him, Sam looked over "she won't mind. I told her I was running late." Iris was a little confused Natasha shook her hand "it's a pleasure to meet you, Sam has mentioned you a few times.." she stood up "if I didn't know any better I'd say you were planning on a date" Sam teased. "Why? Because I bought strawberries, chocolate and rum? Its for the cake I burned. Anyway, how are you Steve? Looks like you heal quickly .. then again I haven't seen you in a while"

Annie smiled. "It's better than being late." She said, letting out a quiet laugh. And that was what she usually was. She didn't know why, but she usually just could never get ready and be somewhere on time. Something always just seemed to get in the way. She really didn't know what it was. Maybe it was just rotten luck or something. "I have a few places in mind." She told him as she started towards the exit.

---

"He probably made it up." Steve joked, chuckling slightly. He looked to Iris, smiling slightly. She was even prettier than he remembered her being. Maybe it was because he could really get a good look at her now that he was no longer in the hospital. "I'm doing alright." He told. "It might have something to do with the excellent service I received at the hospital." He chuckled softly. "How've you been?"

Bucky smiled softly, "Yeah, that is very true. I'm usually early for most things" Bucky followed her out the door holding it open for Annie. He thought Annie had a cute laugh. "Great because i wouldn't know where to start, DC is a big city with so much to do." He hoped that he wouldn't run into Steve l, at least not yet. Bucky had a lot to think about. "So, where to? "

---

Sam shook his head, "funny, well, I better go then. Don't scare Iris away, she's a nice girl" he teased before waving. Iris chuckled, "I told you. I get things done" she grabbef Sam's arm "those are my berries" before waving at him. Iris held her bags close as she walked "I've been good, just busy running my bakery I'm thinking about changing the hours around so I can have more free time. So, did you try those cookies ot just tossed them?" She teased.

"I'm usually at least five minutes late for everything. I don't even really know why...something usually just comes up and delays me leaving or getting to wherever I have to be." Annie admitted with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Well, you've lived in New York, so at least you won't be too overwhelmed." She told him with a smile, not realizing just how long it had been since he'd last been in New York. "There's a lot, so I don't really think we'll get to everything today. I was thinking we'd start with one of the memorials." There were quite a few, including the Vietnam memorial, the WWII memorial, and Thomas Jefferson memorial. And then there were a ton of historical buildings and museums as well, and those were just the history-oriented places in the district.

---

Steve chuckled softly, shaking his head. He watched his friend walk off, not before Iris grabbed the bag he'd picked up for her though. "You run a bakery?" He asked, pretty surprised. Sam had mentioned how amazing her cookies were, but he'd never mentioned that she owned a bakery. He wondered how she did that and work at the hospital at the same time. He was sure that it kept her busy almost constantly. "I did, they were really good. If I'd known you ran a bakery, I would've stopped by and asked for some more."

Bucky listened as Annie talked, "sometimes that happens and you can't help it, I know I'm late to some things and it's usually because I slept in" he chuckled. He smiled, "I haven't been to New York in years, I've been stationed out in Europe for a bit." While that wasn't a lie he wasn't going to go into details about his past or present. "I think it will take us weeks just get through everything" he nodded. Bucky had walked around the district and it was large and it would definitely take some time to look around everything but maybe that would give him more reason to stay. Spend more time with Annie and get to know her better. She was really pretty and easy on the eyes and her smile lit up her face. "That sounds good" he finally spoke up. "Lead the way"

---

Iris watched Steve take the bag before she could get to it and she chuckled "are you always this polite?" Before he could answer Natasha spoke up, "yes, always. I'd be surprise if he didn't hold a door open for a woman" she chuckled. Iris smilef softly "well, thats refreshing. Not many guys do that around here," as they walked she nodded. "Yes, it's not far from here, I'll be honest I didn't think I'd ever see you again" Iris chuckled. "I mean you must always be busy with your lifestyle and all and I understand. I may not be a solider or a spy but my bakery keeps me busy. Especially when I volunteer at the hospital which I do twice a month I do my part to help my community."

"Oh that's happened to me loads of times." Annie said, letting out a quiet laugh. She wasn't afraid to admit to her faults. She really didn't understand people who were. Nobody's perfect, not even the people who think that they are. "So you're a soldier then?" She punctuated her words with a raised eyebrow. "I can definitely see that." A slight grin played upon her lips. "At least a couple of weeks, definitely." She didn't really mind though. She was beginning to find that she quite enjoyed Bucky's company. "You got it, soldier."

---

Steve shrugged, a sheepish smile on his face. "It was how I was raised." He said simply. He'd noticed that things were very different today. More than he would have expected, and some things shocked him quite a lot. He didn't understand why men treated women differently than they did back in the 40's. Granted, women weren't given the respect in the job industry that they were given today, but that was besides the point. A woman should be treated with respect. "I was going to call you..." He trailed off a bit. "But things just got a little crazy...I hope you didn't take it the wrong way or anything."

Bucky grinned "are you saying you sleep in a lot?" He was only teasing of course, Annie seemed like a laid back kind of girl and someone he can joke around with. Bucky smiled and nodded "yes, I served two rounds. Ha, do I really?" He followed Annie and chuckled, "I mean if by the end of the day you decide you want to blow me off that's fine. I'll understand I'm not that fun " he laughed. He hoped that she would stick around though Annie seemed nice and was very pretty.

---

Iris kept walking as she listened to Steve and she turned to look at him and smiled. "Don't worry about it, I understand you're always busy," as they walked she let out a soft sigh. Natasha stopped when Iris came to a stop, "so, I don't suppose you're seeing anyone?" She asked with a smile. Iris looked at Natasha and chuckled "not at the moment, running my bakery keeps me busy. Though I would make an exception for a certain super solider" she grinned. Iris smiled "here's my bakery, Iris's Sweets. Not very clever but you know it works"

Annie laughed. "Well, I'm not saying that I don't sleep in a lot." She said, a slight grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "And then you decided to move to DC?" She asked him. She wondered why he hadn't gone back to New York, though she wasn't going to ask him too many questions. She wanted to get to know him better, but she didn't want to seem too pushy. "I'll be the judge of that." She said, sending a small smile his way as they walked.

---

Steve smiled slightly, glad that she understood that he hadn't meant anything by not calling her. He'd just been busy, busier than he usually was. Finding Bucky was just something that was extremely important to him. He was kind of surprised that his friend was still in DC though. He wondered if there was something keeping him here. "See, Steve? She'd make an exception." Natasha said, causing Steve to chuckle. "You never give up, do you?" He shook his head slightly before looking back to Iris. "Well, if you're willing to make an exception for me, you wouldn't mind getting coffee with me tomorrow?" He looked up once they'd stopped, looking over the bakery. "How long have you owned this place?"

Bucky chuckled as they walked he looked over at her and grinned back. Annie's smile was amazing, she was just pretty in general. "Well, I was needed down here so yes, I had to make the move, I don't mind though," Bucky smiled, "what about you? Are you from around here or did you move here too?" He nodded "yes of course, I'm just saying if I bore you let me know." Bucky hoped to see more of Annie he was surprised at how kind she was to a complete stranger, she didn't even know him and agreed to show him the district. He didn't complain though, he was enjoying himself so far.

---

Iris let out a giggle, "well, something tells me that you'd be a fun date and yes, I'd very much enjoy that." As Iris walked through the door and leading them inside she smiled widely, "Three years, I've been so lucky that business is booming, everyone loves sweets around here" she chuckled. Once she set her things down on the kitchen she turned to face Steve, "if I didn't have anything to do today I would definitely suggest we go out now, but I have to get this cake done" she sighed. Iris quickly gathered a small bag and filled it with different kind of cookies and brownies. She handed the bag to Steve "it's on the house, you've been so kind to me"

Annie nodded. She was about to ask why he was needed here in DC, but she didn't want to ask too many questions just yet. "I moved here about two years ago." She told him. "My brother-in-law passed away, and my sister needed help with the kids and everything else. When I'm not at that coffee shop, I'm usually with my niece and nephew." Her sister still needed to work so that she could support her family, so Annie helped out with the kids. She probably could've moved back home, but her life was kind of here now. It would be strange to just leave it all behind. "Alright, I'll be sure to keep that in mind." She smiled.

---

Steve smiled. "Great." He said. He figured that it was about time that he start putting himself out there again. He knew that he wouldn't find someone with shared life experience as he'd once told Natasha, but he couldn't wait around, hoping that someone like that might come along forever. And he was beginning to realize that his life was going to be crazy and hectic no matter what. He couldn't keep using that as an excuse either. And Iris was nice, and she was pretty too, so why not? "It's alright, tomorrow works for me." He assured her. "You didn't have to do that, but thank you." He smiled at her. "I guess we should let you get to that cake..."

Bucky listened as he walked beside Annie and nodded every so often, "I'm sorry about your loss," he wanted to ask what had happened but figured it was too personal to ask. He thought about what would happen once they become better friends if he should open up to her about the whole ordeal. With what happened to his arm and everything else, would Annie believe him? Would she look at him like a monster? So many thoughts ran through Bucky's mind. "Though I think I'm quite the fun person, when I live in New York I'd take my dates to Cony Island, maybe one day If it's all right with you, I'll take you " he hoped that didn't come across as creepy or too forward.

---

Iris could just tell that Steve wasn't the type of guy to stand her up, he was kind and very much a gentleman. She hadn't met a guy like that in years, well, other than her father but that doesn't count. "Great, just let me know whatever is comvient for you. i know but I figured you could use some sweets" she grinned. Iris walked over and placing a small kiss to his cheek, "thank you go walking me back and I'll see you tomorrow, it was nice meeting you Natasha" she waved.

Annie nodded. "Thanks." She said quietly. It had been hard for the whole family, with how unexpected it had been and all, but Annie knew that her sister needed her, so she'd moved to DC rather quickly. "Are you saying that you took a lot of girls out on dates?" She asked, her tone light and teasing. A small smile graced her lips as they walked. He wasn't being too forward at all. She'd dealt with guys who were forward, and that certainly wasn't what Bucky was being right now.

---

Steve smiled, nodding his head. "Alright, I'll let you know." He told her. He would've stayed there and talked with her for a while longer, but he one that she was busy and had stuff to get done. He didn't want to be a distraction or anything like that. He could tell that this bakery meant a lot to her. "You don't have to thank me." He assured her. "I'll give you a call later." He added as an after thought before leaving with Natasha.

Bucky knew losing someone one is close to was hard especially a parent or significant other. He had remembered watching Steve lose both his parents and he had promised to be with him til the end of the line. Of course other things had happened after he went away to war. He didn't want to dwell too much on his past because he was a different person now, but when he felt ready Bucky would go search for his old friend. Bucky grinned, "i suppose I did, just dates though. I'm not that type of man I can assure you of that. I just like showing a pretty gal a good time,"

---

Iris nodded and smiled "I'll right, you two have a great afternoon and I'll see you around" she waved before they walked out. Iris walked to the kitchen and washed her hands and she began prepping. "Someone's smitten" she could hear one of the workers chuckle. Iris rolled her eyes, "I am not.. He's just a really nice guy who is also really cute" she grinned. "Mhm, Well, I'm just glad you're dating again, the last guy left you kind of broken and angry" Halle pointed out. "Yeah, well, the last guy was a jerk. Anyways we better hurry with this order"

"I didn't think that you were." Annie said simply. "You don't seem like that type of person." She set a small smile his way. He definitely didn't seem like that type of a person at all to her. She was sure that that would have been something that she'd have picked up straight away. "We're almost there." She added as an afterthought. She figured she'd take him to see the WWII memorial first. Her grandfather had served, so it was one of the first places she'd visited when she first moved to DC.

---

Steve sent one last smile her way before exiting the bakery with Natasha. "So, I guess I won't have to try to set you up on dates anymore." Was the first thing Natasha said once they walked out. Steve chuckled softly. "Not so fast, it's just coffee, not a marriage proposal." He said, shaking his head slightly. "That's all it is right now, but it could be something more in the future. What happened to finding someone with shared life experience?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Steve shrugged his shoulders. "I figured it would take me a while to find someone like that. At least now you and Sam will stop bugging me. And she's nice."

Bucky ran a hand through his hair and smiled, "okay, I didn't think I gave that impression," Bucky was never that type of man, even in the 40s. Sure, he'd go out on plenty of dates, but that's all they were, having a good time at the movies or at Cony Island. He never took advantage of women, he wasn't like that. Bucky sent a smile her way, "great, I've always wanted to come check all th historical landmarks out well, everything really" he chuckled. He wondered of his name would pop out somewhere like at the Smithsonian. Bucky wanted to tell her everything but he wasn't sure how Annie would react so he would have to wait it out until he knew her better.

---

Iris ran around her kitchen taking out ingridients and mixing them and taking pans out. "So, you think Captain America is a good kisser?" Her friend teased. Iris rolled her eyes, "how about we focus at the task at hand, and I don't know, If we get that far I'll let you know" as she continued to mix and pour the cake batter into the pan. "Besides its just coffee whose to say if there will be a next time, he's busy looking for his friend. I don't think dating is on his priority list," Iris explained. Sure, it'd be nice to see him frequently but that wasn't going to happen and she understood that.

"You definitely didn't, so don't worry about it." Annie assured him with a smile. Bucky seemed like a good person, and she got on really well with him already. She just felt really comfortable with him, and she liked talking to him a lot. And that was only after talking to him yesterday and a bit today. "Well, you'll be pretty busy for a while then. There's a lot of those to see around here." She let out a quiet laugh. "When I moved to DC, this one of the first out of all the memorials and landmarks that I visited."

---

[Did you wanna skip for Steve and Iris?]

As they walked into the memorial Bucky looked over at Annie. She was definitely someone he was comfortable with and he enjoyed spending time with her so far. She was pretty and had the cutest laugh, he wasn't sure if he should tell her yet. They just met and hardly knew each other yet. "Guess I will be them, unless you'll keep me company?" He asked grinning. "You have family in the army?" He asked curiously.

---

[yeah that'd be fine.]

Iris was running around finishing up decorating some last minute orders when she thew her apron to Halle. "I have to go get ready, I agree to meet Steve at this little cafe down the street from here and look I'm a mess." Halle laughed, "How long do you have?" iris looked at her watch, "an hour so I gotta go, bye" with that she ran out the door.

Annie looked over to him. "I suppose that something could be arranged." She said, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She wouldn't mind spending more time with him and showing him around the district some more. She quite enjoyed being in his company. She nodded in response to his later words. "Yeah, my grandfather served in the 107th." She'd seen pictures and everything, though the thought hadn't once crossed her mind that the man who was with her now might've been in some of those pictures.

---

Steve had put looking for Bucky on the back burner for the time being. He was getting coffee with Iris that morning, and he could only hope that his friend wouldn't leave DC so soon. He had stayed longer than Steve expected him to, so he could only hope that he would stay longer. He still didn't know why his friend was sticking around, though he was sure that he would find out eventually. He'd agreed to meet Iris at the coffee shop just down the street from her bakery. He'd be lying if he said that he wasn't nervous.

Bucky walked along as he smiled, his arm draping around her shoulder. He hoped she didn't mind, Bucky was just comfortable with her. Once Annie mentioned her grandfather serving In the war and he realized that he might have known her grandfather. Bucky wouldn't mention it though, not now he didn't want to scare her off, he liked Annie. Bucky wasn't sure how she would react if he told her that he was in that war and that he was tortured and used as a weapon of destruction.

---

Iris finished getting ready and fixed her hair in loose curls, once she was done she grabbed her bag and made her way out the door. She was a little nervous as she walked down the street, Iris hoped that she wasn't over dressed for coffee. Iris walked for ten minutes before arriving at the cafe, she entered and waited by a corner.

Annie smiled when she felt his arm go around her shoulder. She didn't mind it at all. It only seemed to prove that he was just as comfortable around her as she was around him. And that was honestly quite a relief. She really hadn't given much thought as to who Bucky was. She didn't really know much about him. She only knew that his name was James and that he'd rather be called Bucky. She knew his phone number and that he was from New York and had served for two tours in Europe. Other than that, she knew next to nothing about this man, but she was comfortable around him. And she liked him, and that was all that really mattered to her right now.

---

Steve was running late. And that was something that he normally wasn't. He was sure that his mother would've scolded him for it too. Before he'd lost his parents, they'd been around long enough to teach him right and wrong. He'd been taught to pull out chairs and open doors for women. And he'd been taught to always say please and thank you. All stuff that it seemed as though a lot of people weren't taught, or had just forgotten about in this day and age. It was so strange to him, how different things were today. As he made his way down the street to the coffee shop, he'd parked his motorcycle a little ways down the street from it. Walking inside, he looked around, spotting Iris. He smiled, walking over to her. "Hey, sorry I'm late."