Peggy moved to run forward, but was stopped by a metal arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her back.

"You can't just run in there Carter! You need to sit and have that arm looked at."

"Hell with that!" she screamed at him. "I refuse to just sit here while he needs help! It's not happening James, let me go!"

"If you had let me in there earlier this wouldn't be happening!" he snapped back.

She wrenched out of his grasp and glowered at him. "Oh yes of course, so we would have to hunt for both of you! I am looking for him and there is nothing you can say to stop me!"

"And what would Steve say if he knew I let his best gal, his injured best gal, run around and dig through rubble and dangerous materials!"

She stopped at the familiarity of the words and then her glare intensified. "You Commandoes are all the same. He would say to do as I say!" she turned away and hurried back through the fence, ignoring the others as they followed.

"Steve!" She called, kicking wreckage away from her, pushing through the mess around them. "Steve darling please be okay! Steve! Answer me dammit!"

Silence answered and she bit back a sob as the others continued calling out variations of his name. She headed in the direction of where the door had been her eyes and ears sharp as she stumbled through the chaos.

"Steve?" She called again, halting near an area filled with metal and glass pieces, most singed some even on fire. It seemed to be where a large part of the lab had landed. "Steve please answer me!"

A moment of muffled quiet and then a faint groaning and even fainter call of her name.

"Steve! Was that you!"

"Your right." His voice came from said direction and she tore through the clutter carelessly until she reached him.

He was pinned on his back, a huge slab of stone crushing his left leg. Burn marks covered a portion of his skin where heated metal had melted his suit and he was covered in various cuts and bruises. She gasped at the sight and dropped by his side, reaching out a hand to run through his filthy blonde hair.

"I'm here darling." She babbled to him. "I'm here I promise."

She then raised her voice and called out. "I found him! Guys I found him!"

"Leg hur's Peg." He moaned, reaching a lightly burnt hand to brush against her bullet wound. "you aren' more hur' are you?" he asked, his words soft, all hard consonants slurred.

"I'm okay Steve." She assured him, clasping the hand in hers. Seconds later three of the other four reached them, Natasha instantly dropping down beside her; her own small hands reaching out to hold Steve's other.

Bucky immediately moved to the stone pinning him down and lifted it effortlessly, tossing it away angrily and then falling onto his knees to gently pull away the torn uniform. "God damn it Steve! Even after seventy years you still don't fucking listen!"

"Didn' know would 'splode." He groaned. "Wasn' supposed 'a happen."

"Chemicals remember Cap?" Clint reminded him gently. "It's okay though, you'll be fine."

"My leg bro'en?"

"More like crushed." Bucky growled. "Seriously, we're locking you in a bubble."

"Can' figh' in a bubble."

"That's the point punk." He replied fondly, his flesh hand resting so gently on his knee it almost wasn't touching it. "Sam went to get some medical supplies, he'll be here in a sec and we will get you patched up as much as possible."

"Then we're going back to the Playground okay?" Peggy informed him as she stroked his hair. "They'll get you all patched up."

He smiled dopily at her and then frowned. "You shoul' be a' the plane."

She gave a watery laugh and shook her head. "I had to find you, you ridiculous man."

"Gla' you did."

"Holy shit!" Sam exclaimed as he reached their side, dropping everything in his hands in surprise. "God Steve man. Is his leg even in a solid piece at all?"

"Not likely." Bucky replied, his tone still angry. "And it's going to mend itself all screwed up and we'll have to break it again. It happened before, and Jim was all upset at having to snap his arm again after it healed crooked."

"You remember tha'?" Steve asked turning his exhausted eyes onto his best friend who gave a sad smile and reached over to clasp his hand over Natasha's, who still had said nothing, just stared down at him with sad green eyes.

"I remember a lot Steve. A whole lot."

Steve just nodded, his eyelids flickering with the effort to keep his eyes open. Sam frowned and looked up from his task of bandaging the worst of the burns and cuts. "He shouldn't sleep. There's a good chance he has a concussion."

"Hey come on buddy." Clint said, shaking his shoulder. "You need to stay awake Steve."

"Leg hur's Clin'" He muttered. "An' my eyes are heavy. Sleep is goo'."

"Nu huh Stevie." Bucky said, jostling him again "Your heads hurt, it's not good."

"Tire' Buck."

Bucky looked up at Clint and Sam. "How long to this Playground?"

"Twelve hours. If we have enough fuel I can do it in ten." Clint replied.

Bucky stood and then bent, quickly lifting Steve into his arms, jolting the two women back. "Let's go. He'll just get worse with time." He glanced down at Peggy and frowned. "You will too."

"He's right; we could all use medical attention as quickly as possible." Sam agreed, helping the two of them to their feet. "Let's get the hell out of here."

They quickly got settled on the jet with Steve lying across most of the seats, his head in Peggy's lap while Sam sat on the ground before him, working to stabilize the leg.

She glanced up from stroking Steve's hair to look at Bucky who was sitting across from them staring blankly at the super soldier.

"How long have you been following us?"

He moved his gaze to her face and gave a tight smile. "Not long actually. While at the base in Miami I looked into any place that held the Winter Soldier. It led me to Azzano and so I went there, but was really confused as to where Steve was, why he wasn't following me anymore. I liked having him there, knowing that he wanted to find me. It was a little upsetting that he suddenly stopped, but then when I got to Italy and saw you guys had already been." He shrugged and his smile transformed into a real one. "It really wasn't that hard to find you from there, but of course I don't have a plane so I was too far behind then I wanted to be."

"You caught up to us here pretty fast." Sam pointed out.

"I stole a Hydra car from one of the Russian bases." He replied. "They are equipped with a fair few illegal modifications."

"Were you planning on actually letting us know you were there?" She asked.

"Yes, I wanted to before you attacked the lab but then you met up with those other women and I lost the nerve. I didn't think they would accept seeing me."

"You know that's where we're going right?"

Bucky sent the airman an unamused dry look. "Well aware. As long as they help Steve I don't really care."

"Phil wouldn't let anything happen to him, don't you worry Barnes!" Clint called from the cockpit.

"Bucky." He replied.

"I refuse to call a grown man that." Natasha stated from the archers side.

He just rolled his eyes and muttered, "James is a boring name."

"Bucky sui's you." Steve whispered near silently and then hissed in pain as Sam tightened the brace around his leg.

"Sorry man! I'm just trying to align it, that way there's less to have to re-break."

"Is 'k Sam." He replied and then rolled his head to peer up at Peggy. "Sleep?"

"No darling not yet. Not until we get to the others and we can make sure you would wake up."

"Course wake up." He said in what she assumed was supposed to be a scoff.

"You do have a habit of too long naps." Bucky said in a teasing tone, reaching over to hold the blondes hand. "Can you try and stay awake for a little while more?"

He made to move his head in a nod and then groaned pathetically, cringing into Peggy's lap.

"Shh Steve. I'm here." She resumed the stroking of his hair again, alternating between running through his hair and cupping his face and caressing his cheek.

"You should sleep Carter. Your body needs to recuperate to heal that shoulder." Bucky said gently.

"Not happening James."

"God you are stubborn." He muttered, but stood and switched to the spot on her left, situating her so the injured shoulder was supported by his body. "Fine, don't sleep, but rest."

She just frowned and concentrated on Steve, willing her body to ignore the pain in order to keep him awake as long as possible. Her gentle talking and continuous caressing kept him conscious for a few hours, but eventually nothing she could do stopped his eyes from sliding shut, the long lashes fluttering against colorless cheeks.

"How far are we?" She called. "Steve's out now!" She moved her hand from his face to lightly rest on his neck over the pulse point.

"Hours still. Monitor him; we're going as fast as this thing can." Natasha called back. "How are the three of you holding up?"

"I don't think Bucky and I are hurt, are you?"

"Nothing that is of concern." He stated. "Carter, your shoulder?"

"Hurts." She said simply. "Is it still bleeding?"

"Not like it was at any rate. I don't want to take off the bandage, just in case, but it doesn't seem to have damaged you in a way that will be irreparable."

She glanced over at him with a sad smile. "I'm sorry this is how you and Steve had to reunite."

A dark look crossed his features and he frowned. "I wish this is how Steve and I were able to reunite."

She groaned as she moved her injured arm to clasp his hand. "You know him James. It won't be a reunion until you can hug."

He laughed and leaned his head onto hers briefly before sitting straight again. "Thank you Carter."

"Peggy."

She saw him smile out of the corner of her eye, but all of her attention was focused on Steve's unconscious form. She kept her fingers gently against his pulse for the rest of the flight and sagged in relief as Clint began to radio the Playground.

"Phil? May you in?"

"They aren't here Barton." Bobbie's voice responded. "Can you fly around a bit? Now really isn't the best time."

"Yeah no, not happening Bobbie. I don't really give a shit what you have going on down there because we have an unconscious Captain America with us and a wounded Agent Carter, as well of minor injuries to the rest of us. We need medical attention stat and I am landing this plane even if I have to break my way in."

"Is it bad?" Simmons voice was very concerned.

"Yeah pretty bad."

"You're clear Barton."

They landed and Bucky quickly stood before gently lifting Steve. "You need help Peggy? You're loosing color."

"No, no I'm fine." She went to stand and her vision promptly blurred. She tried to steady herself, but it was to no avail and a moment later her eyes were closing and she was falling to the floor.