Sorry this took so long. I've been working on other WIPs that I've left slightly neglected. Also this is a long chapter and took me the best part of a week to write. There's probably mistakes but I hope you like it.
As before I have taken dialogue from the film. Any dialogue from the film is obviously not mine and the last section is very much lifted from the film but it's my interpretation of Steve's thoughts during the scene. I do not own the dialogue or any part of the film.
That being said a lot of the dialogue and plot are totally my own. I hope I got the balance right.
The soldiers cheered jovially when Captain America and his team returned to base camp. They'd been out in the field for almost a month tracking down specialist Nazi bases. Peggy Carter smiled from the sidelines when she saw that Rogers and Barnes were once again walking side by side as they strode from the surrounding forest. A blonde soldier rushed forwards from the crowd and threw herself at the American Hero. Steve looked a little perturbed by the sudden attention but kept a respectful distance from the young Private. He turned away as she reached up to kiss him and her red stained lips landed on his cheeks. The girl looked a little hurt by his reaction but gracefully backed off as she retreated into the crowd. Barnes stood stoically by the Captain's side, barely reacting to the encounter but Heimdall didn't miss the fond smile the Sergeant gave the Captain as the girl ran off. The surrounding soldiers all gave a mighty cheer and a few wolf whistles, Heimdall had ensured the rumours of the Captain's encounter with both Lorraine and any relationship he might have with Agent Carter were always circulating around the camp. The rumours allowed the two men to have some privacy in their relationship which was apparently a necessity in this century on Midgard. He never did understand that, he hadn't paid much attention to Midgard before Thor's involvement with the Avengers so he had never noticed the intense hatred of love between men. Asgard had never seen such bigotry. It helped of course that the young Prince Loki had never quite settled on a gender and Asgardians as a race always seemed to be more fluid in both sexuality and gender. Heimdall wondered how humans had time for all the hate that seemed to consume them.
Heimdall had kept a close eye on the Captain's assigned missions, he knew the exact moment that he needed to fix and going after the Hydra bases was not it. Heimdall needed to stop Sergeant Barnes from falling off the train. The only problem was he had no idea how to stop the tragedy and ensure that both the Captain and Sergeant Barnes would still end up in the 21st Century to help the Avengers defeat the mad titan.
"I don't know how to fix this" He whispered to himself, the noise the soldiers were making easily masked his voice to all but the most sensitive ears. The Captain's vibrant blue eyes shot up and Heimdall found himself shifting uneasily under the intensity of his gaze. Steve nudged the brunet next to him and nodded in Heimdall's direction. Barnes looked less than pleased when he saw Heimdall in the crowd, he rolled his eyes and stalked away from Steve with a thunderous expression. Apparently some things never change.
Bucky was exhausted. Every day in this godforsaken continent was hell on Earth. It was always so damn cold and Bucky wasn't sure what was worse; the eery silence in between battles or the never ending explosions and blue flashes of light. They were both as terrible as each other as far as he was concerned. They'd spent a good solid day trudging back to main camp, the team walked mostly in silence, worn down by the strain of their latest mission. It had been a key Hydra base they had taken out but the mission had been complex and they'd almost lost more than one man on the field. Dum Dum had taken a nasty shot to the shoulder on their final attack on the base but they'd managed to pull through without him. He'd been whining the whole walk back to base though. Bucky had threatened to shoot him in the other shoulder if he didn't shut up which earned him a steely glare from Steve.
Bucky had relished the quiet moments on the walk where he'd been able to link his fingers with Steve's as they walked through the forest; their boots crunching on the frozen soil beneath their feet. They didn't flaunt their relationship in front of the team but they were happy they didn't have to hide either. They were lucky that the unit didn't seem to care and they both got teased mercilessly whenever they did kiss or got caught spooning in their sleeping bags. Of course, the others soon realised that Captain America gave off more heat that the average human, and Bucky wasn't too far behind either. By the end of the long mission it wasn't unusual for the whole team to be curled up together, everyone fighting to be next to Rogers or Barnes.
Of course, once they had begun to near the main base camp, Steve dropped Bucky's hand and they shifted so they weren't quite as close when they walked. Bucky refused to drop back in line with the rest of the team though. They were Captain America and Bucky Barnes, he was America's favourite sidekick and that was all the excuse he needed to stay by his boyfriend's side. The soldiers all cheered when they breached the tree line and pride swelled in Bucky's chest. Bucky even managed not to act like a jealous boyfriend when Private Lorraine tried to plant one on Steve. He bristled slightly at the wolf whistles that echoed round the camp but Steve avoided the kiss like a champ and Bucky flashed Steve a thankful smile. He knew it would be better for their cover if Steve had let her kiss him but Bucky would really rather not see that.
Steve bumped against his shoulder and nodded towards the crowd. Bucky's eyes found a pair of familiar gold ones looking back at him. He cursed under his breath and moved to confront the man. He was now wearing army uniform and his long dreadlocked hair had been shaved to army standards. Why was he infiltrating the US army? Bucky should probably mention it to Phillips but first Bucky had his own words to say. He stormed up to the man and poked him hard in the shoulder. He vaguely noted that Steve had trotted behind him as the other Commandos, as they had started calling themselves, dispersed.
"What are you doing here Asgardian?" Bucky gave Heimdall a cold stare, what he affectionally called his murder stare. Heimdall had the nerve to smile knowingly at him and Bucky was severely resisting the urge to knock the smile off his face. He didn't trust this man and he didn't like how he kept randomly turning up in their lives.
"Ass what?" Steve butted in when he caught up with Bucky. He looked between Bucky and Heimdall in confusion. Bucky supposed that his reaction to the strange man had been a little intense and out of character. Out of the two of them he was usually the easygoing charming young man who could make friends in Antartica if he were given the chance and yet here he was being cold and confrontational towards a man neither of them really knew.
"Some made up place in Norway. I checked the map, Asgard doesn't exist asshole." Bucky replied cooly. He didn't mean to snap at Steve but something about Heimdall rubbed him up the wrong way. Heimdall chuckled, to Bucky's displeasure, apparently he wasn't surprised that Bucky had caught him in a lie. Bucky wondered what he had said to the Commanding Officers to manage to worm his way into base camp. Bucky thought that perhaps it was only him and Steve that could see him. That would explain a lot, but then again the Commandos had basically sung ballads about the man who rescued them from the godforsaken factory. Bucky felt a twinge of guilt when he remembered the man had saved his life but it was short-lived. The man had interfered too many times.
"Bucky…." Steve started, placing a comforting hand on Bucky's shoulder. Bucky saw the confusion in Steve's pretty blue eyes as he tried to comprehend the situation. It was almost enough to make Bucky stand down and let Steve take control of the conversation but Steve didn't know this man. He didn't know that Heimdall had known the entire time that Steve would become Captain America even when he was just a scrawny kid trying to earn his way by drawing by the Hudson.
"No, Steve. This guy has been following me since Brooklyn. He's been messing up our lives Rogers." Bucky continued to glare at the golden eyed man in front of them. Steve gave his shoulder a quick squeeze then dropped his hand to his side. His fingers brushed against Bucky's sending a familiar spark up Bucky's arm.
Steve took a while to answer. Heimdall waited patiently as Steve processed the information. When he did speak it was quiet and almost thoughtful which was almost unheard of from the blond. "You've seen him too?" He whispered so low that Bucky was probably the only person that heard him, thank god for knock off Captain America serum.
"What?" Bucky was stunned. He'd thought Heimdall had just been following him, to stop him from preventing Steve's destiny. Now it turns out he was following Steve too. Was he some kind of crazed fan from the future or something? "Explain yourself! Now!"
Heimdall sighed as he closed his eyes. For a moment Bucky could almost see the long dreadlocks and tattered brown armour that he was wearing the first time they met but that was impossible. Bucky was sure he was imagining things, it wouldn't be the first time. Zola had really done a number on his brain. "Very Well. I have been given a mission. If I fail then half of the entire universe will die." Heimdall spoke as if he were not in the dark forest of Europe.
His eyes were glazed over and there was a shimmer that surrounded him. It was mystical and Bucky found himself entranced by the rainbow colours. He thought he saw another creature wrapped around the Asgardian's torso. It was long and scaly, the colours were indescribable like nothing Bucky had ever seen before. The creature winked at him with one big beautiful eye and Bucky was filled with warmth right down to his frost bitten toes. He glanced over at Steve who was deep in thought and hadn't seemed to have noticed the anomaly. Bucky thought that he must have imagined it. He needed to sleep, they'd been out in the field for too long. He blinked quickly and shook his head to wake himself up. When his eyes focused on Heimdall again the illusion had gone and he was cold once again.
"And that involves us how exactly? Schmidt's bad but I don't think he could wipe out half the universe." Steve's voice cut through his daze.
He'd taken off his helmet now and was running his long artist's fingers through the messy blond strands; a nervous habit that he'd never managed to shake. Bucky loved it. He always imagined what it would feel like to be the one combing his fingers through the soft golden locks. Of course now he didn't need to imagine, he could just remember or when they were alone he could reach up and cover Steve's hand with his own. He'd spent hours in Steve's tent with his boyfriend's head in his lap, fingers nimbly untangling the knots and massaging the scalp. Steve would hum contently as he drifted off to sleep. As long as Bucky's fingers were entangled in Steve's hair then the nightmares stayed away. Bucky loved that even though Steve was strong now, he was still able to protect him, to look after him.
"The Tesseract, Skull's energy source. It's part of a bigger plan and one that can only be stopped by a mighty team of heroes." Heimdall answered in a hush tone as he walked further away from the crowds of soldiers; gesturing for Bucky and Steve to follow him.
"Heroes like Steve." Bucky stated because Steve was a hero. There was no doubt about it. He had always been a hero, a moral compass stronger than the Nuns at Bucky's old school and a will stronger than Atlas. Steve had always been Bucky's hero from the moment they met, Steve getting the crap beat out of him in the back of an alley just to save a younger girl he didn't know from senseless thugs. A girl that just happened to be Rebecca Barnes.
"Like Steve and like yourself Sergeant." Heimdall corrected. Bucky's cheeks warmed at the sudden and unexpected praise. He was sure he was no hero. He just followed Steve. Bucky sometimes struggled to see wrong from right. He would run away from the fight if that meant they got to survive another day. He was the gun to Steve's shield. The winter to Steve's summer. The Sidekick to Steve's Hero. It was Steve that led the way in glimmering light. That was just the way things were, even the stupid movies could see that. Heimdall was a fool if he thought otherwise. "The universe has noticed that you are both stronger together. Like soulmates, if such things exist." Heimdall continued.
Bucky tried to calm his heartbeat at the word soulmates. Soulmates weren't real. Then again neither was Asgard or strange dragon like creatures. Soulmates; him and Stevie. It didn't sound so bad. Bucky glanced over at Steve who had a cold mask across his face. Bucky's stomached dropped. Apparently Steve didn't like the idea of soulmates as much as he did.
"So you used us like puppets" Steve hissed icily
"Like Hydra tried to use me, like the Government used Steve." Bucky added as he worked out where Steve's head had gone.
"What makes you any better than them?" Steve asked with one hand on his hip. They'd done this routine a hundred times before. Steve and Bucky against the world, inseparable and unbeatable. Bucky quickly mirrored Steve's posture and tilted his head as if to echo Steve's question.
For the first time Heimdall looked taken back. Then again it was the first time he'd been face to face with both Steve and Bucky at once, in this lifetime at least. Bucky smirked at him whilst he regained his composure. "I'm not the one pulling the strings here, Captain."
"None of this makes any damn sense." Bucky almost yelled with frustration. He'd had enough of the manipulation and mind games, and maybe just maybe he really needed a good 8 hours sleep without being woken up by damn gunfire.
"Maybe not but you have to trust me or you'll be kept apart by your enemies for more than a life time." Heimdall stared off into the distance. His face paled and his eyes were haunted by some unseen event. Bucky felt a wave of nausea clench in his stomach. The only way him and Stevie were going to be separated was by death, til the end of the line, that's what they always said. Bucky would be damned if he let Steve die first. He didn't nurse Steve through countless bouts of influenza and pneumonia, and at least four last rites, for the little shit to die on him at war.
"That's not possible." Steve's shoulders squared up to Heimdall and he got this look in his eyes. He got the look in his eyes. The way his muscles tensed, as if he was coiled up and ready to pounce, his blue eyes like ablaze with indignant passion. Steve Rogers was about to do something very stupid which meant that Bucky Barnes was about to do something stupid to try and protect him.
"Stevie…" He groaned. He just wanted to go back to Steve's tent and cuddle. Was that really so difficult?
"If you go I follow. Til the end of the line, Buck." Steve insisted. Bucky knew there was no point in arguing. Steve was as stubborn as a mule; a mule with the body of an angel.
"That might work…" Heimdall murmured thoughtfully in a way that put Bucky on edge. He wanted them alive, why was the man encouraging Steve's stupidity.
"What might work?" Bucky asked reluctantly. This felt remarkably like being back in Brooklyn and he was about to drag Steve's dumbass away from thugs twice his size.
"Captain Rogers, whatever happens in the next mission. You must follow Barnes. No matter what." Heimdall stated gravely. Bucky was about to object but Steve was faster.
"Done." Steve reached out his hand and the two men shook on it.
"Steve! You have no idea what he's talking about. You could die!" Bucky flung his arms up in the air in exasperation. How Captain America got a reputation for being a goodie two shoes Bucky would never know.
"Only if you die Bucky." Steve shrugged as if that meant nothing at all. As if following Bucky into death was the same as going for a stroll along the Hudson. Then again Bucky had followed Steve into their special force team and into lethal missions. "I'll follow him. The universe depends on it right?" Steve raised his eyebrow at Heimdall as he ruffled Bucky's hair. Bucky glared up at him. Stupid Steve with his Stupid serum. He'd always be a punk to Bucky.
"Correct." Heimdall nodded.
"Steve you're being stupid!" Bucky yelled at his friend as he attempted to smooth down his hair. When did his life get so complicated? He missed Brooklyn. The worst that could happened is the electricity cutting out when they couldn't pay the bill or Sarah Rogers yelling at them because they forgot to call her that week.
"Buck, I'd follow you regardless of the universe. You know that right?" Steve replied earnestly. His ocean blue eyes piercing into his soul in a way that no other person could. Bucky felt his heart skipped a beat and a familiar blush coloured his cheeks. Did Steve even realise the effect he had on Bucky? The gorgeous blue eyes, with green and golden specks, the soft golden blond locks tussled by his helmet, the way the navy uniform contrasted his pale skin and his smile that was brighter than a thousand suns. Bucky snapped out of his daze when he remembered his was supposed to be mad at his lover.
"Punk." He muttered as he sauntered away towards his tent. He'd sneak into Steve's when night fell and he was less angry at him.
"Jerk" He heard Steve call after him with a laugh.
Steve pulled nervously at the green sleeves of his uniform. The Captain America suit was one thing but the green monstrosity they made him wear for strategic meetings was, in Steve's opinion, worse than Bucky's meatloaf, and that was saying something. Having grown up in the slums of Brooklyn and spending most of his young adult years wearing Bucky's old hand me downs, Steve found the suit restricting and not like him at all. He particularly hated the tie. How did business men wear these on a day to day business? He much preferred his baggy shirts and artist's overalls. Bucky, however, had a different opinion on Steve's formal army wear and Steve had ended up wearing it back to his tent on multiple occasions. Bucky came up with increasingly ridiculous excuses as to why Steve's uniform needed washing. The last one had involved wolf piss. Steve had no choice but to play along; blushing profusely.
Peggy had called both him and Bucky to the Colonel's tent which meant only one thing; they had a mission. Peggy pushed through the gap in the tent, barely ducking as she went though. Steve almost smacked his head on the canvas of the tent as he forgot that he was no longer just over five feet tall. Bucky chuckled behind him as he realised what Steve had done. Steve blushed but continued as if nothing had happened. It wasn't the first time he'd made that mistake and it probably wouldn't be the last either. What Steve hadn't anticipated was finding Howard Stark leaning casually on the large map in the centre of the room. Steve wondered whether they were taking Stark's private jet again. One of their unofficial, highly classified missions again then.
"Howard, to what do we owe the pleasure?" Peggy asked, calm as ever, with her hands on her hips. The pair had an unconventional friendship. Howard never failed to flirt outrageously with Agent Carter but Peggy seemed to have a deep respect for their friendship and Stark's specialised skillset.
"The pleasure is all mine, Agent Carter, looking lovely as ever." Howard replied with a wink. Peggy rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. "Captain Rogers, Bucky bear!" Howard grinned like a maniac when he saw Bucky. Apparently Howard had become quite the collector of Bucky Bears and Captain America's merchandise and he loved to tease the Sergeant mercilessly about his comic book alter ego.
"That's Sergeant Barnes to you Stark." Bucky responded drily used to Stark's overzealous jesting. Steve couldn't help but smile at the exchange. War was difficult but he was grateful for the friends he had made. Plus Bucky was kind of cute when he got mad.
"Here, new issue." Stark picked up a magazine that was next to him on the table and threw it at Bucky who caught it in his left hand. His eyes lit up as he read the front page. Judging by Bucky's reaction it must have been one of the science magazines that he was so fond of. "Hasn't even made the stands yet. I included a special article on a new project Stark Industries is working on. We developing the technology to take photographs of Earth from Space." Howard smirked at the look on Bucky's face.
"That's impossible!" Bucky whispered in awe as he frantically flipped through the pages to find the right section.
"So was old Captain Spangles before we zapped him in a lab in Brooklyn." Howard gestured to Steve with a wink. Steve cursed Morita under his breath, that damn nickname was supposed to stay within the team. He wondered how Stark had found out. "Open your mind Bucky Bear. The future is whatever we want it to be." Howard gave Bucky a pat on the back. He sounded like he was making one of his speeches from Stark expo and Bucky was completely entranced. Steve smiled fondly at his boyfriend. He was completely adorable.
Peggy coughed and Steve tore his eyes away from Bucky, desperately hoping he wouldn't blush and give himself away. Stark still wasn't privy to the exact nature of his and Bucky's relationship. "Back to the matter at hand, Howard" Peggy's voice cut through Stark's chattering. Steve shot her a grateful smile and the conversation returned to business. He noticed a faint blush paint Bucky's cheeks and he had a blissful smile on his face but he tucked the magazine into his pocket. In the time it took Steve to take his next breath, Bucky Barnes: Science Nerd had disappeared and in his place stood Sergeant James Barnes: Howling Commando.
"Right you are Agent Carter. We've been collecting and analysing the data from that tracker you put on Zola. Nice job there by the way Barnes." Howard gave Bucky a playful wink but continued his little speech without a hitch. "He's been pretty close to the Skull this whole time but we think they'll be an opening."
Peggy cut in; stopping Howard in his tracks. Howard pouted indignantly but let the brunette talk. She was more qualified to talk about the mission and they had both learnt that you don't mess with Agent Margaret Carter. "We've received intelligence that Zola will be on the move. He's travelling by train, following this route." She gestured to a point on the map in front of them. The railway appeared to be travelling around the side of a mountain. Steve felt a little queasy just thinking about it, heights had never been his favourite thing but capturing Zola would make it all worth it. "It'll be dangerous but if we can somehow manage to board the train in between towns then we might just be able to capture him."
"So we're just gonna land on a moving train?" Steve asked sceptically. He would do it without hesitation if Peggy said it was possible but it was a reckless plan even by his standards. Was Stark going to drop them off with Parachutes?
"What's that you said about having an open mind stark?" Bucky nudged him and Howard laughed.
"Attaboy Bucky Bear!" Howard cried with jubilation. Peggy rolled her eyes and Steve tried to ignore the uneasy feeling in his stomach.
In the end Stark did drop them off just not on the train. They landed near the railway on a mountain across the valley. From there, it was a day's hike to their chosen location with all their gear. Steve tried to carry most of the heavy equipment but the team insisted on doing their fair share. It had taken the good part of two hours for them all to decide on the best strategy. Phillips had joined them after the first hour and made it known that he thought his mission was a waste of resources. There was apparently no point going after Zola, it was Schmidt they needed. Bucky had almost growled at the Colonel and Steve had to order him back to his tent to cool off.
Cooling off was now the last thing on their minds. The mountain was at higher altitude than camp and the wind had a lethal bite to it. The snowflakes burned on their skin as they walked through the trees. It only got worse once they broke the past the tree line and they were exposed on the snowy mountainside. Morita had tripped and almost broken his ankle as he slipped on the jagged rocks. As it was he had a deep gash on his hand where he tried to break his fall. Eventually with only a few hours to spare they made it to the cliffside overlooking the railway. Falsworth had shot a line across the valley, giving it a few tugs to make sure it was secure, and Morita started setting up the communication equipment to monitor the train as it approached. Gabe stood nearby to help translate any incoming messages.
It had been decided that only three of the Commandos would have time to land on the train before it passed. They tried to argue they could land at least four of them but Colonel Phillips refused, the risk was too high. Therefore none of them would be landing on the final carriage, if all went according to plan. Steve and Bucky would make up two of the three and the others had decided to draw straws. Morita would stay on the mountain monitoring the comms but the others all took their chance. Nobody really wanted to join the Captain and his Sergeant on this mission but in the end it was Gabe who drew the short straw. He paled and turned his attention to the radio. They let him take the moment to be alone. He wrote a letter to his father whilst they waited for the train and pressed the thin paper into Dernier's hands, just in case.
They stood on that icy clifftop chattering idly whilst Gabe listened to the Hydra dispatch channel they had managed to hack into on one of their earlier missions. Most of the team were huddled around Steve and Bucky to keep warm and Bucky had his fingers wrapped around Steve's. They were both wearing gloves but it was still comforting. Soon enough Jones gave them the signal.
The train was approaching.
The team broke apart as they prepared for the fast approaching locomotive. Morita and Jones were glued to the comms. Jones had the headphones on, probably trying to block out his thoughts and Morita was constantly fiddling with the settings to make sure they didn't lose signal. Dernier was quiet, pensive as he huddled for warmth. Dum Dum was taking the mission hard. Steve could see he felt like a spare part, no matter how much use he'd been helping them make it up the mountain, and they needed all the hands they could get to return to Stark's plane once they'd made the jump. Sergeant Dugan began to pace along the loose rocks, his hands anxiously fiddling with his belt strap. Falsworth had a pair of binoculars pressed up against his face. His eyes looked haunted every time he pulled back to look at the team mates. They all had a bad feeling about this.
Steve and Bucky stood apart from their team as they watched out over the mountain. The tracks of the railway were buried in the snow and there was a cold wind blowing against their faces. The crevice below appeared to go on forever but Steve could just about make out a river snaking its way through the valley. It was a hell of a long way down and it was a jump that he really didn't want to make. Bucky wrapped his arm around his waist and nuzzled into his neck. It wasn't much but it made Steve smile. Even though he was big now, Bucky still found ways to protect him, even if it was only from himself. Steve hummed appreciatively and Bucky pulled back with a smirk before turning back towards the mountains in front of them.
"Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?" Bucky asked playfully, still trying to distract Steve from his worrying.
It was his anxiety that so often caused him to act before thinking or to jump without looking. Spending hours waiting on top of a mountain, thinking about how many ways they could die was not Steve's favourite activity. His whole body was itching and he felt restless, he knew the fight was on its way but there was nothing he could do but wait. Bucky however was cool as the snow around them. He could analyse the situation without getting panic attacks and he was always there to keep Steve grounded. Of course now Heimdall had planted the idea in Steve's head that they would be separated which gave him a whole new bag of things to worry about. What would he do without Bucky? Steve repressed a shudder. That was not something he could think about right now. He would follow Bucky, no matter what.
He tried to focus back on Bucky's words, on the sound of his voice. Bucky had asked him a question. Coney Island, sitting on the ferris wheel together, the way Bucky's eyes sparkled in the moonlight, Cyclone… Steve grimaced as he remembered the memory. "Yeah, I and I threw up?"
"This isn't payback, is it?" Bucky asked with a playful smile dancing on his lips. Steve barked a laugh. It was tight and restrained from his anxiety bubbling up but it was a laugh all the same. He looked up to where the zip line was buried deep into the rock of the mountain above them. He could see the parallels between this and the Cyclone. Both of them made Steve's stomach roll but Captain America would never admit to that now.
"Now why would I do that?" Steve he teased his friend and they bumped shoulders.
Gabe's voice pulled them back to the mission at hand."We were right. Dr Zola's on the train. Hydra dispatcher gave him permission to open up the throttle. Wherever he's going, they must need him bad." Gabe stood up and passed his headset to Dernier as he readied himself for the jump. Steve put on his helmet with a final nod to the brunet next to him and they made their last minute preparations.
"Let's get going, because they're moving like the devil." Falsworth stated solemnly as the train finally came into view as it hurtled through the mountain pass. As Steve's blond hair became encased in his helmet, he felt Steve Rogers melt away and Captain America took his place. He squared his shoulders and faced his team for the final briefing. He hoped he would see them again, this mission felt different to the others.
"We only got about a 10-second window. You miss that window, we're bugs on a windshield." Steve called to the Commandos over the wind rushing through the mountains.
"Mind the gap." Falsworth muttered to himself darkly.
"Better get moving, bugs!" Dum Dum's voice boomed. Steve appreciated the attempt at humour. It was dark but sometimes it was the only way to handle these situations.
"Maintenant!" Dernier called as he signalled with his hand.
Steve didn't think. He just jumped. He dimly heard Dernier's signal to Bucky and then Jones but even to his enhanced ears it was difficult to hear him over the wind. The wire bounced as each of his friends made their leaps off of the cliffside. The train was approaching fast but so were they. After the initial dip in his stomach, Steve didn't notice the sensation of falling much at all until his feet finally made contact with the metal as he landed with a thud. He didn't dare breathe until he heard the sound of Bucky and Gabe make their landing. He made his way across the carriage, the wind whistling in his ears. The serum made the noise almost unbearable and he was regretting not bringing earplugs but he gritted his teeth kept his face forward. About two thirds of the way down the train he climbed down a ladder to get inside the carriage. Bucky watched out as he descended before following him inside. It had been decided that their third, Gabe as it turned out, would move on top of the train to take control of the locomotive whilst Steve and Bucky would search the carriages.
The first carriage was quiet, too quiet. There were rows and rows of weapon cases stacked in the centre of the carriage. It was dark which made Steve feel uneasy. Bucky had his gun raised and Steve signalled to him for them to keep moving down the carriage. Steve was starting relax as the mission began to feel more familiar. They had done this a thousand times before, moving through Hydra bases silently and checking that each and every corner was clear before proceeding. It didn't matter that this particular room was a train moving like a bullet through the mountains. Bucky had his back. That was all that mattered. Still Steve had his gun drawn as a precaution. It felt unnatural and clumsy in his hands but Bucky and Peggy had insisted he carried a weapon. Apparently the shield didn't count. Steve stepped cautiously into the next carriage.
Then all hell broke loose.
The door slammed shut before Bucky could get through. They stared at each other through the small windows with panic on both their faces.
You'll be kept apart by your enemies for more than a life time.
Heimdall's words came rushing back to him and he desperately tried to break through the door. Bucky spun round and started firing his weapon as Hydra agent's swarmed the carriage. Steve shivered as he heard the familiar sound of Hydra's lethal blue weapons preparing to fire. He tore his eyes away from Bucky and forced himself to focus on surviving his own fight. He only just managed to get his body behind his shield as blue light filled the carriage. He took aim with his own gun and fired. The soldier was impossible. It was taller and broader than he was and covered from head to toe in metal armour. Steve noticed bright tubes pulsing with energy trailing from the weapons to the soldier's back.
"Stop him! Fire again!" Zola's voice echoed throughout the carriage and Steve saw red.
Arnim Zola was once again the reason he was separated from Bucky and Steve would walk through fire to make sure the weasel never saw the light of day again. He could hear the sound of Bucky's rifle firing from the next carriage. That was good. It meant that the brunet wasn't dead yet. Steve's own battle wasn't going particularly well. His weapon wasn't even making a dent in the metal armour but he couldn't get close enough to use his shield effectively.
He looked around the carriage, whilst he hid behind a stack of weapon cases, to see if there was anything he could use to help. He tried to remember all the things Peggy had taught him about fighting. When you're at a disadvantage or your opponent is bigger than you then use your environment to your advantage, hit fast and get out quick, use every single inch of your body to fight not just your fists or weapons. Steve took a deep breath and launched himself at the ceiling before the Hydra agent could register he'd moved. He grabbed onto a hook and zip-lined down the carriage with his trusty shield covering his face. He did try to curl up his body so it tucked behind the shield but the gravity and momentum made it difficult. Luckily for him the Hydra agent seemed to be fixated on blowing his head off and hadn't noticed the obvious weakness in his defence. His arms shuddered as the blast hit his shield but the vibranium was able to absorb most of the shock so it didn't hurt too bad. He managed to kick the agent square in the chest and he was propelled back towards the door. Steve bashed his shield straight through the agent's skull, he winced as he heard the crunch of the bones but didn't linger to see the blood seeping from the metal helmet. He quickly used the Hydra weapon to blast through the locked door and ran to help Bucky.
The gunfire was still loud and ringing in his ears as he approached the door between his carriage and Bucky's. He glanced through the small window and saw his best friend crouched in the corner taking sporadic shots from behind a weapon crate. His rifle had been abandoned and he was now using a smaller shotgun like the one Steve there were no more shots. No more flashes of light from Bucky's gun. Bucky had run out of bullets. Steve pressed his back against the wall of the carriage and drew his weapon. Bucky was the best shot he knew and Steve was famously terrible with ranged weapons so Steve could see only one option. He needed to get his gun into Bucky's hands. He took a deep breath and push the button to open the door.
Bucky's eyes flashed up to him in a panic but he quickly realised that it was Steve and not another Hydra agent. Steve nodded to him and tossed his gun quickly. Bucky caught it with ease and Steve stormed the carriage with his shield raised. He threw all his wait into a weapon crate that stood in the middle of the room. The agent moved to avoid getting crush and Bucky fired a single shot into his head. The agent fell like lead against the floor. Bucky pointed his gun at the dead agent as if he didn't quite trust the man to get back up off the floor but he didn't fire. They were almost out of bullets and Steve could always bash his shield into the man's skull if they wanted to make sure he was truly dead.
"I had him on the ropes." Bucky's voice was hoarse and strained. The battle had taken a lot out of them both. They weren't used to being split up and cornered like that. They worked better as a team. Heimdall had been right about that.
"I know you did." He smiled fondly at his friend but it was short lived as he heard that sound again. The sound of Hydra weapons getting ready to fire. There was a second metal gunman on the train. Without thinking He pulled Bucky behind him and flung his shield up to protect them both "Get down!" He yelled as Bucky's body was tucked behind him.
The blast bounced off his shield and blew a hole in the side of the train. The impact propelled him back as he dropped his shield and the frozen wind suddenly filled the carriage. The noise resounded in his head and he was dazed by the overwhelming sound, the one downfall to his enhanced hearing.
"Fire again! Kill him! Now!" Zola's voice called through the overhead speaker. Steve pulled himself off the floor just in time to see Bucky holding his shield and the whir of the Hydra gun sounded again. Steve tried to get his muscles to move, to push Bucky out of the way but it was like one of those nightmares. Time stood still and he couldn't move fast enough. His mind was muddled and he felt like he was wading through the water. He just watched as Bucky was hit and flung from the carriage. His adrenaline spiked and his mind finally cleared. He grabbed his shield and threw it at the soldier with every ounce of strength that he had. The man was thrown backwards and Steve raced towards the torn up metal that was flying on the outside of the train.
"Bucky!" He screamed, there was moment of relief as he saw his boyfriend clinging on to the side of the train. He hadn't fallen but the metal was fragile and about to give way. He scrambled to climb along the edge of the train. Bucky tried to climb back up towards him but the wind was pushing him back. "Hang on!" He cried in desperation. He had to get to Bucky. He had to save Bucky. "Grab my hand!" He reached out with his left hand, his right shoulder protested as it tried to hold the rest of his weight and his feet struggled to grip on the bent up metal. The railing that Bucky was clinging onto buckled with a sickening screech.
Then Bucky was gone. His arms flailing as he screams filled the valley. Steve's knees gave way and he almost fell off the train. Grief came crashing down around him.
"No!" He screamed still reaching towards his best friend.
Bucky.
The thought echoed around his head.
Bucky.
His friend was gone.
Bucky.
He couldn't be dead.
Bucky.
Captain Rogers, whatever happens in the next mission. You must follow Barnes. No matter what.
The promise he made.
You could die!
The words Bucky had said.
Only if you die Bucky.
How could he have known?
His body felt numb. His heart was empty. His friend was dead.
You must follow Barnes. No matter what.
No matter what.
You must follow Barnes.
"I'm coming Buck." He whispered into the wind.
Then he let go.
I can only apologise... I'll fix it. I promise!
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Much Love,
Yaz