A/N: I'm going to use this first line again later with Bruce.

...

An obese girl enters an elevator with me.

All dressed up fancy, a green butterfly on her neck.

Terribly sweet perfume deafens me.

She's going to dinner alone.

That makes her even more beautiful.

Bucky headed towards the tall building that Stark was his party in. He didn't even want to go to the stupid thing. Bucky entered the elevator and pushed the button for the top floor.

"Hold the elevator, please!" Bucky held the elevator open and a chubby woman entered. She pushed the button for the floor she wanted and stood next to him. The moment the doors closed, the floral fragrance of her perfume enveloped him. Bucky took the time to look at her. Her hair was done up elegantly and her makeup was impeccably done. She wore a dress that complemented her body in all the right places. Bucky took notice of the emerald butterfly tattooed on the side of her neck.

"The man that's waiting for you must be a lucky fella," he smiled. She looked surprised by his statement.

"I'm actually dining alone, this evening. Men hardly give me a second glance because of my size," she said sadly. This upset Bucky. No woman should ever be made to feel like she's undervalued.

"Perhaps, under the circumstances, maybe I could join you," he offered. She was stunned at first but then shook her head.

"It's a nice offer, but I don't need your pity. Besides, a handsome man like you probably already has a gorgeous girlfriend."

"Nonsense. I was raised with old fashioned standards and I believe that every woman should be made to feel like she's worth something. Please... Allow me the honor of taking you out on a date. No strings attached." Her painted lips curled into a smile.

"You're too kind." When the elevator to her floor dinged, Bucky offered his arm to her and they walked into the restaurant together.

...

The first thing I ever heard was a wandering man telling his story

It was you, the grass under my bare feet

The campfire in the dead of the night

The heavenly black of sky and sea

Ever since Bucky had been freed on his mind control, he didn't know what to do with himself. He was afraid of hurting people so he fled to the country side. The serenity and the fresh air helped him collect his thoughts. One night as he was walking along the coastline, he saw a faint glowing. Curious, Bucky followed the light and stopped when he reached a campfire. The people all looked up at his and he felt a wave of discomfort flow through him.

"I'm terribly sorry, I didn't mean to intrude." He turned to leave.

"Wait..." He turned back to them.

"Come, stay a while, friend. We promise we don't bite." A man with greying hair and a lined face extended a welcoming hand.

"Speak for yourself, Jethro," a young dark-skinned woman quipped, making them all laugh. Timidly, Bucky sat down next to little girl with red hair and freckle dusted skin.

"What's your name, stranger?"

"Uh, Bucky," he replied, slightly unsure of himself.

"Well Bucky, it's very nice to meet you," the man named Jethro smiled. Bucky smiled back at him.

"Here, you look like do with this," the dark-skinned woman said, getting him a bowl of stew from the pot they had sitting over the fire. Bucky took it gratefully.

"My name is Vivian, by the way." Bucky smiled at her. He looked around the circle at the gathering of people. They were from all different backgrounds, yet they melded together like one big family. After a while, Bucky started to relax as he listened to their stories. He could feel some of his memories returning to him.

"May I share?" he asked. They happily allowed him to do so. Bucky shared the pieces of his childhood that he could remember. They all swapped stories deep into the evening.

As Bucky settled down to sleep that night, he couldn't help but think about these people and the kindness they had bestowed upon him. He was nothing but a stranger to them yet they welcomed him as one of their own. Bucky looked up at the star-scattered sky until he fell asleep.

The following morning, Bucky parted ways with them. His encounter with these people had really helped him. Bucky felt that he was ready to go back into a metropolitan area as a new man.