GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART
{Author's Note: Last chapter set in the 1940's. Now I get to have fun and bring in The Avengers *evil laugh*. Thank you to everyone for your continued support by reading/adding to favourites and alerts. And a huge thank you to Lily & Banjonora for reviewing: *hugs*. Anything you readers would love to see incorporated into this story? Please tell me, I would love to know. Enjoy my lovelies! Please Read & Review.}
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the character(s) you don't recognise.
EDIT: In the plane, I have added two pilots seats to fit in with my story. I hope I haven't offended :).
Thank you so much for reading x
Informing my parents of James's death had been one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.
My Mother just collapsed to her knees and let out this chilling scream that I will never forget for as long as I live.
Whereas my Father did what most men of his time would have done.
He had gone quiet and took off his glasses to shakily clean them, before nodding at us all and going to the back garden, closing the door behind him on his way out.
I didn't know what to do or say to console my Mother, instead I just stood there pathetically, with my hands entwined tightly with Steve's and my eyes firmly set on the pattern of our living room wallpaper as tears fell down my cheeks.
Now I had more than enough reason to take on HYDRA.
~+~
{SSR HEADQUARTERS| LONDON, ENGLAND| GOING AFTER HYDRA}
~+~
We were sat around the long table in what I had dubbed as the 'War Room'.
All of us were there in that dimly-lit room: from The Howling Commandos, to Peggy, Howard Stark and Colonel Phillips.
Everyone wanted a chance to have a role in bring down HYDRA.
Colonel Phillips sighed as he paced around the top area of the table, "Johann Schmidt belongs in a bughouse! He thinks he's a God. He's willing to blow up half the world to prove it! Starting with the U.S.A."
He pointed to the map as we all acknowledged that now was the time to take the final course of action.
Howard came over to the table from where he had been standing from the back of the room, as he said simply, "Schmidt's working with powers beyond our capabilities. He gets across the Atlantic, he will wipe out the entire eastern seaboard in an hour."
Gabe then asked the question which we all wondered, "How much time we got?"
Colonel Phillips looked up from the files in his hands to answer, "According to my new best friend, twenty four hours."
Determination shone behind my eyes, as I looked over at the Colonel, "Do we know where he currently is?"
He nodded, "HYDRA's last base is here…" Lifting up a picture of the Alps, he pointed to it.
"In the alps. Five hundred feet below the surface."
He then threw the picture down in front of Jim.
Jim sighed at the picture before asking to us all, "So, what are we supposed to do? I mean, it's not like we can just knock on the front door."
We all went silent as no plan could be formed in my head over how we could safely get into the base and take down Schmidt without casualties.
Steve-who had been deep in thought through out the meeting-now looked up to say, "Why not? That's exactly what we're going to do!"
All of us looked over at him as I nodded, "I'm in."
The Howling Commandos nodded as well as they all echoed what I had just said.
Colonel Phillips smirked proudly at all of us, "We'd best let HYDRA know what they're missing…"
~+~
{HYDRA BASE| THE ALPS| TAKING DOWN SCHMIDT}
~+~
Peggy had looked over at me as we continued to wait for further orders.
"Are you worried?"
I chuckled humourlessly, "I'm terrified."
"You'd be a fool not to be…but he will be okay, you know? So will you!"
"You know why I'm here and not by his side?"
I glanced at Peggy with a smile, "Steve had made a promise to my parents that he'd keep me safe. The only reason I'm not locked up in London, is because he had made me a promise that I could go after Schmidt with him."
She smiled back, "He loves you very much; as you do him."
Nodding, I turned my attention back to the front of me, "Yes, which is why the minute I receive orders to go in; I am not looking back."
Colonel Phillips suddenly nodded to us all as he shouted, "MOVE OUT!"
I burst into action as I started to run, going as fast as my legs could take me, now no longer expecting to feel the cramps or aches from running that I used to get.
Ever since HYDRA had done what they did to me, my stamina has been beyond what should be physically possible.
Running at full speed towards the facility, I was shooting at HYDRA men whom I passed, whilst also trying to dodge their own superior weapons.
Left, right and centre, our troops were being disintegrated-the only warning being given was the flash of blue light.
Explosions went off before us all, as I was forced to slow down and evaluate how we were going to all get safely inside.
I didn't know how far I could push my abilities.
I knew that I was durable, but surviving being shot, or an explosion?
No one could.
Looking around, it was only when Peggy gestured to me that I started to run again and push my concerns to the back of my mind.
"MARILYN!"
She waited for me before we both made our way inside, shooting any HYDRA guard we came across.
Frantically I searched around for Steve, my eyes wide as I couldn't see him.
Then an ungodly noise echoed, as I had originally thought a fire had broken out.
As I turned the corner though, I realised that it was a HYDRA soldier with what looked two guns mounted to his back that shoot out fire.
Angrily, I aimed steadily and shot fast and precise at the canisters, looking away briefly as he blew up.
"Rosie!" Steve had run up to me as he held onto my face, "Are you okay?"
I nodded shakily, "Yeah, I'm fine-"
Peggy looked at us both, "We'd better be going!"
Steve then nodded as he looked at me, "Stay back, Rosie-"
"You made me a promise Steve. I'm with you until the end of the line!"
He paused as if my words had struck a chord with him before saying to me, "I also made a promise to your Mom and Bucky…I'm not losing you too. Go with Peggy and help them; we'll meet up!"
I watched as he left, before I turned around and started running in the direction that Colonel Phillips and Peggy were going.
Peggy then pointed to where a car was set up, "Over there!"
Quickly, we all got into the vehicle as Colonel Phillips started driving towards the sound of shooting and the rumbling of an aircraft could be heard.
In the distance, I could make out Steve as I shouted over to him, "Get in!"
He smiled at me lightly before getting in, as I felt Colonel Phillips putting his foot down hard in order to catch up with Schmidt.
Suddenly, the car lurched forwards as we were propelled closer to where the aircraft was about to take off.
I knew that our window of opportunity wouldn't be long.
Steve stood up, as I knew that he was going to make an attempt to jump onto the plane.
Defiantly, I stood up too as I handed Peggy my gun, both of us exchanging a knowing look.
"STEVE!" I looked at him firmly, "WE CAN BOTH DO THIS!"
He looked back at me with the same level of boldness, as he said, "ROSIE-"
In order to stop him from telling me no, I grabbed onto his face tenderly to look into his eyes, "Trust me, if I go now and lose you, then I'd be dead inside; keep your promise to me, Steve."
Pausing for a moment to evaluate the situation, he then nodded as he took my hand as we both started to climb onto the bonnet of the car.
"WAIT!" Peggy shouted to us both, "BE CAREFUL!"
I smiled at her in return, before taking a deep breath as we both took a flying leap, just about managing to land of one of the wheels of the plane.
Eagerly, we both started to climb up into the plane itself, as Steve kept me by his side constantly.
My eyes searched the area, before focusing on the different missiles that had city names written on them.
"Steve…" I pointed to one that said 'New York'.
The look on his face said it all, as suddenly HYDRA men were surrounding us.
Steve had moved in front to protect me, but I chose to take on the two men who were coming up behind me.
Fiercely, I pulled my fist back and punched the first man who was coming towards me, as the blow sent him flying backwards, knocking his head hard into the railings as he fell.
I still wasn't completely in control of my abilities, but right now I didn't care.
As the other man tried to land a punch on me, I ducked and swerved out of his way, which caused him to stagger forwards.
Taking that opportunity, I kicked him in the back, sending him falling off the platform, as I looked over at Steve who was now nowhere to be seen.
My eyes desperately searched the area, before I noticed a gleam coming off an object to my left.
As I got nearer to it, I realised that it was his shield.
"STEVE!" I called out frantically, my heart clenching painfully at the thought of something happening to him.
Suddenly a low vibration could be heard as I turned just in time to see the missile coming towards me, as instinctively I put up the shield for protection, crouching down as something crash landed into the bay.
Rubble piled down onto the shield as I still kept it up, surprised at my own strength.
"Rosie?"
The minute I heard Steve's voice, I had lowered the shield and looked over to where he now was starting to walk over to me.
"Steve!" I ran over to hug him tightly, causing him to stumble a bit but still hold me to him.
"We need to stop Schmidt!"
He nodded whilst pulling away, as I handed him back his shield with a smile.
"I'll go in first, you stick to the shadows. He can't take us both on at once-one of us will get the drop on him!"
Steve gave me a confident smile before slowly walking towards the door at the end.
I waited a few moments before following him, as I then heard the inimitable sound of one of Schmidt's weapons being fired, as I rushed to the door and carefully opened it.
As soon as the door had slowly opened, I witnessed Schmidt with his back to me, aiming a gun at Steve whilst all Steve could do was hold up his shield and try not to acknowledge me.
"You don't give up, do you?!" He seemed amused, as I crouched down low and started to move up behind him.
"No!" Steve answered before running at him, reflecting every shot from Schmidt's gun, off his shield, as he got close enough to hit him back and engage in combat.
I knew that now was my chance to pilot this plane and get it back to Allied territory; with Schmidt under our custody.
Swiftly, I started to run towards the console, before Steve then shouted out to me.
"ROSIE!"
Stunned for a moment, I moved backwards as Schmidt's body landed where I had been standing moments before, as suddenly the plane started to spiral rapidly out of control.
All of us were thrown about the cockpit as gravity took its toll.
My back hit the side of the plane hard, as I gasped in pain, urging my aching body forward towards the controls.
As soon as I had reached the controls and turned on the autopilot, Schmidt had grabbed me by my neck and hurled me to the other side of the plane.
"YOU COULD BOTH HAVE THE POWER OF THE GODS!" Schmidt called out as he had produced a gun from his person and started to shoot at Steve and me.
Groaning, I gripped onto the railing and stealthily pulled myself up whilst remaining out of his line of sight.
"YET YOU WEAR A FLAG ON YOUR CHEST AND THINK YOU FIGHT A BATTLE OF NATIONS! I HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE CAPTAIN! THERE ARE NO FLAGS!"
Still, he kept shooting at Steve as I edged closer.
Steve looked at him fiercely to announce, "NOT IN MY FUTURE!"
He then leapt towards his shield which was on the ground a few feet from him, and threw it at Schmidt.
The shield then bounced off of his chest, and hit the machine protecting the Tesseract, immediately exposing it.
Both of us stared in shock at it as Steve had come to stand beside me, making sure that Schmidt didn't make a move towards me.
"What have you done?!" Schmidt growled out in shock, as he stumbled towards it.
"No!" He then picked it up, holding it in his hands greedily.
All of a sudden the Tesseract started to glow, as flashes and beams of blue energy erupted from it, making me blink and watch in wonder as Schmidt then started to be sucked into the object.
My eyebrows furrowed as I wasn't too sure on what I was seeing.
All Steve and I could do was stare as Schmidt let out a frustrated cry before a bright flash exploded, which made Steve grab onto me and keep my head protected against his chest.
After a vibrating shockwave had shook the plane, I felt Steve's hands start to loosen their grip on my head, as I pulled away from his chest to stare at where Schmidt had been standing just seconds before.
"What just happened?!" I looked in shock at Steve as I noticed that the Tesseract had melted through the plane and landed in the ocean underneath us.
"I don't know…" He just kept looking around in disbelief, as I quickly ran over to the controls and sat down.
My heart sank as I realised what would have to happen.
"Rosie?" Steve had come to sit beside me as he realised what had made me go quiet, "We need to force it down…"
Closing my eyes briefly, I sighed before taking a deep breath and nodding whilst I opened my eyes, "It's the only thing we can do."
Steve had turned to look at me, "Your parents…"
I shook my head, my voice breaking as I said, "Please, don't…we all knew how this could end."
Taking a deep breath, I shakily placed my hands on the steering, getting ready to send it into a downwards spin.
"Rosie..." Steve placed his hands on top of mine as we both pushed forwards.
"Steve…it's okay." I turned to look at him and force a smile on my face for him, choosing to not speak in past tense for fear of falling apart.
"We can still have the life we deserve! A family…kids! I've always wanted a dog…"
He looked over at me, "I wanted to make you my wife…"
I looked at him seriously, "You don't need a piece of paper to tell you that I'm yours forever Steve."
Both of us leant forwards as our lips met in a passionate first kiss that I knew in the back of my head would be our last.
Pulling away, Steve had said in frenzied desperation, "I love you."
I smiled through tears, "I-"
The pain of the ice-cold water hitting me sent my body into complete shock as the impact had caused me to black out.
My last remaining thoughts were of the life we would have had if it had been another time, or another place…
~+~
{HOSPITAL ROOM| NEW YORK CITY, AMERICA| SIXTY-SIX YEARS LATER}
~+~
Soft music could be heard playing as I just lay in the comforting warmth for a few extra minutes.
My mind was muddled as I vaguely remembered being on Schmidt's plane before crashing…
"STEVE!"
I suddenly sat upright in the bed, as I started to look around me in confusion at not seeing what I expected.
It was a box-shaped room with plain white walls and two bedside tables, from which newspapers and a jug of water with a glass had been placed.
My eyes drifted over to the dresser in the corner of the room, where the radio was perched that was still playing the slow tune.
"Agent Barnes?" A young woman was smiling at me excitedly, as she cleared her throat before saying, "Welcome, I am Agent Collins-"
"Where am I?" I looked at her in confusion, as I made a move to get up.
She looked nervous, "You're in a recovery room in New York City. How are you feeling?"
Looking around the room, I couldn't help but feel as though something was clearly off.
"Where's Steve?"
"He is currently resting. There is no need to worry about him."
I raised an eyebrow at how she was struggling to stand still and keep her eyes locked on mine when we conversed.
"Where am I really? Who are you?!"
As I started to move around the room, she pulled a face and sighed, "I'm going to be in so much trouble with Agent Coulson…" She looked nervous, "Agent Barnes? I am Agent Grace Collins of SHIELD."
Pausing, I had turned away from inspecting the room to look at her, "SHIELD?"
"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division!" She smiled happily, "I don't normally remember it…"
At seeing that I still looked at her suspiciously, she cleared her throat and explained, "When your plane plunged into the Artic, you and Captain Rogers were both…well, frozen."
"Frozen?" I widened my eyes as I shook my head, "But…how can I be standing here?"
"I am not really the one who can explain that. I am only meant to try and keep you calm so that we can ease you into this…"
"Ease me into what?" By now I was getting extremely worried over where I was and what might be going on.
"You were frozen for nearly seventy years Agent Barnes; you are currently in New York City, but the year is twenty-twelve."
I gasped out in disbelief, wanting to believe it was a joke, but the expression on her face said otherwise.
"The war-"
"We won!" She smiled brightly, "And now, women are soldiers too! Thanks to your efforts and sacrifice, we started to be seen as equals! I mean, it would take a good few decades, but you set the ball rolling Agent Barnes!"
At me not saying anything else, Agent Collins had looked anxious, as she chewed on her bottom lip.
"I'm sorry, this must be a lot to take in…"
I scoffed lightly, "Just a little…"
She smiled in understanding before pressing her finger up to ear and nodding as she looked over at me, "Director Fury is ready to speak with you Agent Barnes, if you will follow me?"
Judging by the tone of her voice, I guessed that this man would have more answers for me than the young agent who was trying her best.
"Thank you for your help." I smiled at her as I was led to a big room with one long window, a desk, and two chairs.
"You are welcome, if you need anything-"
Suddenly a man's voice could be heard as he said calmly, "That will be all Agent Collins, thank you for your assistance."
I turned around to come face-to-face with a man whom I knew controlled a lot of what I was now involved in.
Agent Collins nodded quickly as she smiled at me before hurrying off and closing the door behind us.
The man gestured to a chair as he said simply, "Take a seat Agent Barnes; there's a lot you don't know."
