WARNING: SPOILERS FOR MARVEL MOVIES AHEAD, SPECIFICALLY STEVE AND BUCKY'S STORYLINES
"You're my friend.." was the last thing Steve got a chance to say before Bucky's entire body hit him full force, knocking him down.
"You're my mission" is the only thing he heard as Buck's fists pounded against his face, Steve realized that it wasn't the physical pain that was affecting him. It never had been. It was the pain of knowing that this man beating the life out of him was the one that he trusted the most in the world. His best friend that had seemed an entire world away mere days ago. The one he thought that he lost 70 years prior to a war that changed the future forever.
"Then finish it…" he mumbled, staring up at the one who'd protected him all those years ago.
"Because I'm with you till the end of the line…"
The horrified look on his best friend's face told him everything he needed to know, as he felt the structure beneath him disappear, sending him tumbling through the air.
This was it.
He knew it would be.
There would be no shield, no ice and no James Buchanan Barnes to save him this time.
Steve had accepted his fate.
His end was now.
He felt his back hit the water with a loud slap, his body becoming submerged in seconds.
Steve quickly started to sink…
He quickly woke up, gasping for air and looking around. As his brain woke up fully, he realized that it hadn't been real, just his mind replaying a memory. He clambered out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom, splashing water on his face. The man he saw in the mirror barely resembled the one he once was, he realized as he took notice of the deep tiredness in his eyes. He willed himself to look for Bucky, just to help his brain past the nightmare that had haunted him moments before.
As he looked around, he suddenly remembered.
"Steve…?"
As he turned around, Bucky turned to dust before his eyes…
Even though Steve hoped to god it wasn't true, maybe they'd finally found the end of the line…