The warped, coded face of Doctor Zola grinned on the dark screen.
"You thought you could get rid of me?" His voice had lost some of its accent, becoming more robotic, testing out every syllable.
Steve stepped back, feeling the heat and warmth of Sam, Natasha and Bucky.
They had been searching for Bucky for months, following leads, trails, red herrings. They had been in so many shaded alleyways, so many hours of pouring over dusty, yellowed files, of computer screens and conspiracy theories and running and hoping and yearning.
And now, finally, they were together again, memories replaced.
One last thing.
"I was the greatest mind in that time. Better than Stark," he spat the names out like poison. "Doctor Erskine. I had a back up plan!"
The man- computer- chortled.
"Well, I found a way to replicate the serum." Steve went cold. How?
"You bleed, Captain. Whilst you played the hero, you were injured. I found a puddle of your blood, extracted the DNA. I know exactly how to kill you. I could destroy you without harming our Soldier here, nor the young lady or gentleman. Your shield can not help you."
The image on the screen shifted and Natasha yanked his arm.
"Steve we're leaving. He can't hurt us."
Bucky grabbed his other arm, and pulled, his strength countering Steve's.
"Steve." his voice was deeper than what he remembered. If he died now, he would never see Bucky again, and while that also would've been true a month ago, it was so close to him now.
Steve backed away from the monitor, following Bucky and Sam. Natasha let go of his arm and walked to the monitor, pulling her gun.
"Dickwad." she spat and fired three rounds into the glass. It shattered and Bucky flinched, but Steve gently nudged him, pulling his arm away from Bucky's hand and returning his hand to lightly touch Bucky's.
"Nicccccccccccce... T-t-t-t-t-t-ry, C-c-captainnnnnnnnnn." the speakers slurred and stuttered over the words. Steve stopped and stared back at the monitor.
"H-h-h-heillllllll Hy-hy-hy-hy-hy-hydraaaaaaa." He hissed and the screen went black. Bucky clenched his hand around Steve's, ignoring Sam and Natasha and how they might react and pulled Steve along with his as he ran.
Steve ran too, glancing over his shoulder to see that Sam and Natasha was following.
He could see the block of light at the end of the bunker corridor and ran faster.
As they passed a flickering light strip, there was a hiss in the ventilation shaft.
Bucky glanced at it and carried on running.
But Steve was slowing down, his lungs rattling. He felt like he was pre-serum again, with asthma, bad knees, joints, eyesight, breathing and one hundred and fifty other problems.
Bucky stopped, looking at Steve.
"Captain..."
"Bucks..." Steve managed before doubling over coughing, chest spasming. He was in so much pain. He forgot how it had felt, being small and vulnerable.
Bucky bent in front of him, grabbing his knees and lifting him up like a babe, and began sprinting with determination to the light.
Natasha had caught up, Sam's breathing echoing in the dank corridor.
"What's the matter? Steve? Steve!?" She said, arms pumping.
"It's a poison specially meant to kill him. Coded to his DNA." Bucky explained. If he could just get Steve out of here, he could get Stark or Bruce to look at him. Steve had said they were good at that stuff. Or they would know someone. They might not like Bucky, he had killed Tony's parents after all, but they would do it for Steve?
He could hear Steve's rattling breath, like when they had been kids. Tears welled up in his eyes, years of HYDRA training being overridden.
"Steve? Hold on."
They were yards away, Bucky still cradling Steve.
When they got out of the door, Bucky carried on running, he had to get Steve away from any poison that had gotten out of the open doors.
"Call Stark, anyone." he said, hardly panting. Bending over Steve, watching is chest rise and fall, tears trickled down his face, landing on Steve's blue outfit.
"Please, Steve come on." he almost whimpered, holding Steve's head. The Captain gritted his teeth and wrenched himself off the ground.
Suddenly Bucky knew it was too late. He had seen men be killed by mustard gas, this was far worse.
"Please, Steve. I only just got you back." his voice cracked and more tears poured down his face. He could faintly hear Natasha giving orders into the... Phone? And Sam muttering behind him, but he cut it out, focusing on his one friend.
"Its... The end of the... Line... Buddy." Steve made out as his lungs finally gave up, muscles aching as they relaxed, a single tear dripping down his cheek.
I'm so sorry, Bucky...