It's finished! I literally cannot believe it. I never thought I'd make it. Pesky Commandos making every chapter longer than intended and random one-shots set in the universe to distract me from the main story line. Anyway... this chapter is like super short (Sorry!) but it's an epilogue and we're wrapping up here. I hope you like it. :D
Bucky gasped for air as he was shocked back to consciousness. He was soaked in ice cold water and surrounded by white coats. He blinked and took in his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was Steve crashing the Valkyrie.
"Steve!" His voice was hoarse and his throat hurt but he didn't care. He rushed to his feet but stumbled almost immediately as his knees gave out. There was a strange tugging sensation in his arm and his eyes darted down to see and needle in his wrist. His heart started to race in a panic, why was it always needles when he woke up in strange rooms surrounded by scientists? He pulled at the wire attached to the needle and winced as blood pooled around the tiny wound. He pushed past the white coats towards the door, only focused on finding Steve.
He had to find Steve.
His body betrayed him as he fell again and slipped on the puddles of ice cold water on the floor. He grunted at the impact and took a deep breath.
What the hell was wrong with him?
"The Captain is ok, Sergeant Barnes." A man said calmly. Bucky focused his attention on the man. He had a long coat and eyepatch. He seemed like the kind of man who knew too much and shared too little. The man extended his hand and Bucky took it cautiously. He was pulled to his feet and helped backed to the bed in the centre of the room. He hated the way his legs shook with every step but he refused to let them see how much it bothered him. "He's taking a little longer to thaw but his vitals are strong."
"How…?" He started to say as he looked around the room properly for the first time since he opened his eyes. His original question faded away. The tech in the lab was incredible. There was a huge television set imbedded in the wall. It was flat and crystal clear, a far cry from the boxes he had seen during the war. Even Howard's technology was never this good. "What is this place?" He asked in awe as a new thought struck him. "or… when is this place?"
The man laughed and gestured for Bucky to follow him. Bucky was reluctant to follow him. He really wasn't sure that he trusted this man but there was always the hope that he would find Steve if he played along. He couldn't afford to fight until the serum had started to heal his body, if it still worked at all. He was led through to another lab. Bucky rested heavily on the man's arm, his legs felt like jelly and his head hurt like a bitch.
Bucky inhaled sharply as they walked, or maybe hobbled is a more accurate description on Bucky's part, through the doors into the second lab. Steve was lying on the table, his lips were blue and ice was still melting around his shoulders. Bucky held back a whine as he saw Steve looking so still and deathly cold on the bed. Is that what he had looked like before he'd opened his eyes? He remembered there had been a lot of water surrounding him on the floor and his clothes were still damp. He yearned to reach out and brush his fingers through Steve's sopping wet blond hair but he didn't know these people and they'd managed to survive the war apparently so now was not the time to get reckless.
"It's 2012. You've been asleep for almost 70 years." Bucky heard him say. He was too busy staring at his Captain still frozen in the ice. There were heat blasters surrounding him and he was hooked up to all sorts of machinery. Stark would have a heart attack if he saw this.
Wait.
70 years….
Fuck!
"Huh." Bucky heard himself say. "Figures."
This was fine.
He was fine.
"Sergeant Barnes?" The man asked. He was clearly judging Bucky and assessing his reactions. What was this? Some kind of test run for when Steve woke up?
"Why me?" Bucky blurted out.
"Excuse me?" The man seemed confused by the question but Bucky was sure his theory was right. He was a test run. These people had no idea what effect the ice would have on their bodies or whether their minds would still be functional after so long, 70 years, in the ice.
Now, Bucky would say he was a good guy. Sure he wasn't Steve, he wasn't Erskine's shining example of a moral compass but he was alright. He tolerated a lot of shit in his life, more than Steve but people treating Steve like a weapon, like nothing more than a puppet really made his blood boil. He narrowed his eyes and stared the one-eyed man down.
"Why. Me?" He hissed. "Cos the way I see it, Cap should have woken first."
"He has a larger body mass Sergeant Barnes." The man started to explain but Bucky cut him off. He did not have time for his bullshit.
"He also runs hotter than the rest of us and heals faster than all of us but I have a feeling that you already knew that." Bucky appraised the man's reaction. He was good, barely even flinched at the accusation. "The heaters in my room were already turned off when I woke up. So you defrosted me first. Am I right so far?" Bucky raised his eyebrow.
Still no answer.
"So you defrost me first. Now I gotta know why? Steve's more important to you government types so surely you would need your precious Captain America back over little old me. The answer is because you have no idea what's going on in that brain of his. You have no idea whether he will even wake up or whether it is safe to try." Bucky felt the strength return to his muscles as his serum started to do it's work. He moved slowly towards the man. Bucky was shorter but that didn't mean he couldn't be intimidating. He'd killed more men in the army than most people would believe possible.
"Go on." The man said without blinking an eye.
"So you wake up the sidekick. If I die or go crazy then you have another shot at getting it right with America's sweetheart. If you get it right then there's two miracles and everyone cheers for the Government or whoever you people are."
The man just smirked at him and Bucky saw red. He grabbed the man by his collar and pushed him backwards.
"Who the fuck are you people and what do you want with Captain America?" Bucky snarled at the stranger. The white coats all drew their weapons that were hidden under the lab coats and Bucky was surrounded. He hissed in frustration and pushed the man away with more strength than necessary.
"At ease soldier." The man chuckled as he stumbled backward. "You're stronger than you look."
"Yeah. You didn't read that in my file?" Bucky raised his eyebrow. "You didn't answer my question."
"Nick Fury. I represent an organisation called Shield." The man said.
"Shield? That's one hell of a coincidence." Bucky huffed.
"Strategic, Homeland, Intervention, Enforcement, Logistics, Division." Fury counted on his fingers with a smirk. "The founder was determined that it spelled Shield, any guesses why?
"Steve." Bucky replied without hesitating. "Captain America." He added. It was probably more accurate. No one else seemed to care about the man behind the shield.
"Bingo. Director Carter just wouldn't budge on the name if the stories are to be believed." Nick chuckled.
"Peggy? This is all her?" Bucky stared wide eyed. Wow, his friend had really done well for herself. "Atta girl, Pegs" He smiled proudly.
"So you see, we don't mean you or the Captain any harm, Sergeant Barnes." Nick patted him on the shoulder.
"I'll reserve judgement for now. If that's alright by you." Bucky took a step back from Fury, a step closer to Steve. He glanced over at his frozen boyfriend. The water was dripping off the edge of the bed faster now and the blue tinge in his lips had faded back to the soft rosy pink that Bucky knew. "Can we have a moment?"
"Of course, Sergeant, but in case you're wondering. I have some of my best agents on the other side of that door." Nick turned to leave with a dramatic swish of his long coat.
"Great." Bucky mumbled.
He decided to ignore the fact that they were essentially prisoners of Shield and shuffled closer to Steve as the last of the white coats left the lab. As soon as they were gone he sank to the floor and grasped Steve's hand like it was a lifeline.
"You gotta stop doing this to me Stevie…" He whimpered. It never got easier seeing the blond on the brink of death.
"They gone?" Steve's voice sounded like heaven to Bucky. It was rough and a little shaky around the edges but to Bucky it was a choir of angels.
"You bastard!" Bucky cried as he hugged his lover's chest "How long you been listening?"
"Director Carter eh?" Steve croaked. "What's going on Buck?"
Bucky sighed. How was he supposed to explain to Steve that they were suddenly living almost 70 years into the future? He could barely rationalise the thought himself. Peggy had founded an entire Government agency in that time. Hell was she even alive?
"I don't know doll." Bucky answered truthfully. He brushed a strand of blond hair from Steve's eyes and kissed his forehead. "But we're not in Kansas anymore Toto."
Steve laughed at him and pulled him down for a kiss. Bucky smiled against Steve's lips, they were still freezing cold but it didn't matter. They were alive. They had made it. "We'll figure it out." Steve mumbled against his lips.
Bucky just hummed in agreement and nuzzled Steve's neck. Heimdall had told them that they had to stay together otherwise they would be separated for a lifetime and here they were, a lifetime later, and still together. They had done it. They won. Now they had all the time in the world to figure out this future business and they could do it together.
"I love you." Bucky sighed happily into Steve's chest.
"Til the end of the line." Steve replied and his fingers weaved into Bucky's hair.
"Til the end of the line." Bucky agreed.
Heimdall blinked as the now familiar white realm surrounded him. It was blindingly bright as always. A glowing warmth bloomed in his chest. He had succeeded. Barnes and Rogers were both safely in the 21st Century without any of Hydra's meddling. If Time was to be believed then he had successfully corrected the first mistake. They were one step closer to defeating Thanos and hopefully to saving Asgard.
"You did well little one." A serpent-like dragon swirled round him as they shimmered into view. The realm was filled with colour and beauty. Heimdall smiled fondly at the creature as it's scales brushed past his cheek. The raw power of the creature was radiating into the surrounding light but he could feel their joy, their playful happiness.
"Thank you." He bowed respectfully.
The Asgardians may be hailed as Gods on Earth but Heimdall had a feeling that Time, this beautiful mythical being, was the real deal. He thought back to their first encounter, the creature had remained hidden from view. They were haunted by the pain that had been caused, the destruction of half the universe had not been kind to the creature. Now, Heimdall only saw happiness in their eyes and their voice was like the most beautiful folk song and they wrapped around Heimdall like a human's cat embraced their owner. Heimdall had truly been blessed.
"It is not over yet little one." The creature hummed in his ear. Heimdall laughed and swatted them away.
"It never is with you." He rolled his eyes. "So where to next?"
The creature laughed and Heimdall felt his whole soul lift with glee. It was truly magical.
"A lost boy with only a robot for a friend" The dragon's laughed echoed as it faded away. Heimdall sighed. There was truly no rest for the wicked.
Let me know what you think! Obviously I'm setting up for the sequel but I'm gonna take a break from this universe whilst I get some other ideas out of my head and onto paper but I will be back I promise. I've got to stop Thanos after all :D Reviews are appreciated as always, you can follow me on tumblr Avengersbarnes.
Anyhoo. See you next level!