This one-shot head canon came about from an idea I had for an art piece, which I will link here when it is complete. The following is what happened in the moments before.

People always called him a hero. Sure he had saved a lot of lives, but he did it because he always believed it was the right thing to do. Steve had known his whole life that he wanted, needed, to protect people. But he also knew that for every one hundred lives he saved, surely at least one life would be lost.

"We're almost there! We just need to clear everyone out and-" Steve yelled back to Bucky only to realize he had fallen behind.

"They're here." Bucky flatly stated staring with a blank expression as a voiced echoed in his mind. *vy ne mozhete skryt' ot menya, soldat…vy ne mozhete zapustit' ot HYDRA.

"What do you mean? Where?!" Steve quickly scanned their surroundings. *We are everywhere Captain, you have lost.* the voice said, now infiltrating Steve's mind. *It is time for Hydra to collect its asset*

Steve's eyes darted to Bucky who still stared, motionless. "They must have an enhanced. We have to keep moving!" Bucky remained still. "Buck, we have to move, come on, we have to get those people to safety! I won't let them take you back there!" Bucky's vision finally focused on Steve and he began to take a step towards him.

*zhelaniye*

Bucky again stopped as the word echoed through both of their minds. His eyes widened for a moment as he realized.

"What is that?" Steve questioned insistently.

"You know what it is." Bucky replied flatly.

And then that realization hit Steve.

"You have to tune it out somehow, push it out!"

*prorzhavevshiy*

Their eyes flashed simultaneously. Bucky began to look disoriented.

"I can't."

"Yes you can dammit, Buck, try!" Steve pleaded.

Bucky pulled his side arm from its holster, walked over to Steve, flipped it around and held it out.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"There's a frequency detonator embedded in my arm. As soon as I activate, they will make me trigger it. This is the only way."

"No! I'll stop you!"

*semnadtsat'*

"Even you aren't that quick."

"We can disable it!"

"You know there's no time for that."

*rassvet*

"There are thousands of people in there Steve!" Bucky yelled as he thrusted the gun into Steve's hand. He fell to his knees and held Steve's hand with the gun to the center of his head.

Steve tried to pull away but the metal arm tightened it's grip. "There's another option, there has to be, we'll just…I can knock you unconscious!"

*pech'*

"This is Hydra, they have contingencies for contingencies. If I'm incapacitated they can just set it off remotely. As long as I have a pulse, they'll have a signal. You have to do this, or all those people will die!* Bucky yelled staring straight into Steve's eyes. "Don't make me responsible for more death! Kill me, now!"

"NO!" Steve yelled back pleading harder.

*devyat'*

Bucky began to struggle again to focus. Memories flooding in beginning to overwhelm his senses.

"Buck, I cant-" Steve could see Bucky fighting his instincts to turn the gun at him. "After everything we've been through, it can't end like this."

Bucky's face softened slightly and he let out a light laugh. "It couldn't end any other way." He let go of his hold on Steve's hand. Steve kept the gun in place.

*dobrokachestvennyy*

"Bucky's face hardened again, resisting with even passing second he had left.

They just stayed like that staring at each other, not saying a word. What was there to say?

*vozvrashcheniye domoy*

"End of the line" Bucky said calmly.

"I'm with you." Steve answered painfully.

*odin*

Bucky took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, for Steve's sake, not his. Steve began to squeeze the trigger and stopped. He looked down at Bucky's eerily calm expression. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't do it.

*gruzovoy avtomobil'*

Bucky's eyes snapped open. His friend was gone. Steve let out a torturous yell and pulled the trigger.

People always called him a hero. Sure he had saved a lot of lives, but he knew for every one hundred lives he saved, surely at least one life would be lost. After all this time, he finally realized.

He wasn't a hero. He was an executioner.

Feel free to leave a review should you like to scold me for any negative emotions you may feel. xx