Steve and Natasha quickly ran inside the building, only to be met by plenty of HYDRA agents. Steve swore silently to himself as both him and Nat looked at each other.
"What a surprise," Natasha muttered.
Steve gripped his shield and placed his helmet over his head, preparing for the inevitable battle. He spotted Rumlow in the mix of HYDRA agents.
"Rogers. What a surprise," Rumlow grinned, stepping forward. Steve only glared back in reply. "I would recommend you leave and not interfere, but I guess it won't end that way will it?"
Steve shook his head and glared defiantly. "You're right, Rumlow. It won't."
Natasha turned to look at Steve with an amused grin slowly spreading across her face. "Ready?"
Steve chuckled. "When am I never?" He whipped his shield out in front of him and launched Natasha forward. She instantly began to kick down and punch multiple HYDRA operatives, who quickly regained their footing when they were downed.
Rumlow turned to him, pulling out a large gun. It barely took a second before he began firing, but the vibranium shield blocked every projectile shot Steve's way.
While Steve was dealing with Rumlow, Natasha continued to spin-kick the HYDRA agents to the ground. Gunshots rang throughout the building, followed by yelling and pained screams.
Steve charged at Rumlow, dodging most of his attacks quite impressively. He was struck a couple times, but it barely delayed him. His foot connected with Rumlow's face and he heard an eerily satisfying crack, followed by blood beginning to flow from the man's nose. He scowled and punched Steve in the side of the face.
He spoke something inaudible through his comm channel that Steve couldn't make out. For now, he decided to ignore it.
Rumlow stood back up and smiled. "Backup is on the way."
Steve was caught, only slightly, off-guard by that. It wasn't all surprising, because most of the HYDRA agents were taken down by Natasha already. Those who remained ran off like the cowards they were. Nat flashed an amused smile his way and ran to help him. She jumped onto Rumlow's shoulders, repeatedly striking him in the head with her elbows.
He quickly spun around and threw her off. But luckily, Steve kicked and pinned him to the ground, shield at the man's throat. "That wasn't so easy, now was it?" Natasha stared at Rumlow from beside Steve, arms crossed.
Suddenly, a fist made contact with Steve's face, sending him flying backward. He landed on his feet and looked up, noticing a strange man dressed mostly in black and with shoulder-length hair throw Natasha into one of the metal support beams. She was knocked unconscious.
Steve noticed the man's metal arm as well, a red star painted on its shoulder. He strode toward him, taking out a gun and firing. Once again, Steve was forced to raise his shield in order to avoid being struck by the ray of bullets flying at him.
The man was wearing some sort of muzzle over his nose and mouth and had black paint around his eyes. Steve was somewhat creeped out by this.
Rumlow stood back and watched in amusement. Steve wanted to punch that smile right off the man's face.
He found himself being tackled to the ground. But suddenly, he knew this man as the Winter Soldier, the so-called ghost story. He lifted Steve up and threw him elsewhere with ease, taking out a small, yet sharp knife and walking quickly toward him.
Steve barely had time to react before the knife was slammed into his vibranium shield, which he managed to throw in front of him just in time.
He then became engaged in a fist battle. The metal arm had an iron grip on his shoulder as he was thrown and body slammed into the floor.
"Ouch," he muttered. He jumped back to his feet and leaned out of the way of an incoming punch. This continued for about 10 minutes, none of them breaking from the fight. The Soldier seemed extremely determined to kill him, which wasn't a surprise.
Steve was suddenly thrown backward, slamming, once again, into a metal beam. This time, he didn't have time to get up before the Winter Soldier grabbed his helmet and ripped it off his face.
And froze.
Steve was confused as to why the Winter Soldier had suddenly stopped when he took off his helmet. Unless he recognized him? But he didn't know him, so how could- What?
"Come on, Asset," Rumlow snarled from behind. "Finish him."
Steve was horribly surprised that the Winter Soldier hesitated. From what he's heard, the Winter Soldier rarely fails missions, and has usually always succeeded at killing his targets, or whoever he's fighting against without hesitation nor mercy.
The Soldier's visible, blue eyes had widened, his brows furrowing in what could only be confusion.
After about 2 more minutes, the Soldier had thrown Steve once again, continuing the fight. But this time, he didn't seem to be fighting as aggressively as before, which had Steve stumped. It's like he was trying not to hurt him, while at the same time trying to, which made no sense.
Steve managed to body-slam the Winter Soldier into the ground, grab him by the mask, and flip him over. He watched as the mask tumbled to the ground and out of the corner of his eye saw Natasha get up as well.
The Winter Soldier turned around and stared at Steve with barely any emotion.
Steve's breath hitched.
No.
This couldn't-
BUCKY?
Steve's eyes had flown widely opened. Rumlow just watched both of them with a smile upon realizing what was happening.
"Steve!" Natasha shouted. Steve turned toward her, but then quickly looked back toward the Win- no, Bucky.
How the hell was he alive?
His friend had been turned into a deadly assassin-
He realized, with surprise, that Bucky's eyes were studying him, his lips forming a tight line as if concentrating; remembering something, or at least trying to.
Steve's breathing rate suddenly increased dramatically. He began to show signs of an incoming panic attack. His heart was pounding against his rib-cage, as if trying to escape.
Bucky was still staring at him, this time there was a small hint of concern.
"How does it feel, Rogers?" Rumlow asked with a laugh. "To find out your friend, who you thought was dead for 70 years, became a very helpful asset to Hydra?" He got closer to the panicking Steve, his voice toning down to a whisper. "You don't know how he survived the fall do you? If you remember when you rescued him in Azzano that day..from what I've heard, he was experimented on."
Rumlow stood back and watched in amusement as Steve's breathing increased even more. He put his hands on the side of his head, feeling tears threaten to overwhelm him.
"D-Damn you.." His voice shook with emotions. Natasha was by his side in a second, rubbing his back. "Hey, it's okay."
Steve coughed a few times and looked back up. His eyes were red-rimmed and puffy. "Stop it.." He croaked. "Just- Just stop.."
Bucky's expression seemed to harden. He glared at Rumlow, and then at Steve.
Natasha turned to Steve. "Do you know him?" She glanced at Bucky, who was watching them closely. Steve nodded.
"Bucky.." He whispered harshly. "He-" He swallowed, but couldn't continue. Rumlow cut in.
"You know, if you only could have caught him. Instead, you let him fall," He snarled. "Your pal, your buddy, your Bucky."
Steve couldn't take it anymore. "Shut up!" He yelled, and even the Winter Soldier- or Bucky- was surprised at his tone of voice. "I tried! I know its my fault. If I could have at least searched for him..I- I can't-" His breathing was shaky, and soon he had slipped down to his knees in broken sobs. Natasha was down next to him, trying her best to do what she could to comfort.
Rumlow grinned and looked at Bucky. "Kill them, Asset."
The Winter Soldier stood there, unmoving. His gaze landed on Rumlow and hardened.
"Do it," Rumlow snarled, his hand reaching for the gun at his side.
Bucky looked toward Steve's shaking form. He allowed his expression to soften. Then, he turned and lunged at Rumlow, metal fist colliding with his face, rendering him unconscious almost instantly. He then grabbed him and threw him toward the far side of the building.
Natasha looked up in surprise. Steve, however, didn't even seem to notice.
Bucky cautiously walked toward them, his gaze landing on Steve, but at times flickering to Natasha, as if asking silent permission.
Natasha stared at him firmly, but nodded. He figured she would keep a close watch on him though, clearly knowing what he was capable of.
Bucky carefully knelt down in front of who he now remembered to be his best friend. Of course, the memories only came in small snippets, but he remembered enough about Steve to know that he wasn't okay right now.
He placed his flesh hand on Steve's shoulder and gently eased him into a hug, which seemed to completely surprise Natasha.
She was so used to the harsh and aggressive Winter Soldier, she didn't even know that this was possible. Of course, the only thing she knew was that the Winter Soldier was apparently Steve's lost childhood friend.
Steve's breathing finally settled and he looked up in confusion. His eyes widened when he finally realized it was Bucky who was hugging him. This triggered the tears to start flowing freely down his face as he instantly embraced his friend in return.
Natasha had to admit, the two looked adorable together. Even when one was a deadly assassin who killed over a dozen people.
When Steve's breathing rate started to pick up again, Bucky rubbed his back carefully with his metal hand, hoping that he wouldn't hurt Steve with it.
"B-Bucky.." Steve whispered miserably. His head rested on Bucky's shoulder.
Bucky knew that was his name, but for some reason it was hard to accept. But seeing Steve in a panic attack had broke something in Bucky's mind, allowing memories to escape of when Steve was much younger and skinnier.
"Hey…" Bucky muttered softly. His flesh hand grabbed Steve's and squeezed. He felt an instantaneous squeeze in return. Through the memories that had returned, he knew that he had done this to help calm Steve down. It seemed to work this time, too.
Natasha remained silent, but smiled. This wasn't a deadly, murderous assassin. This was just a broken man who was tortured beyond imaginable and ripped from the life he once knew, only to be shoved into an entire new one.
It was almost like releasing a captive-born animal into the wild; completely helpless, alone, and confused, taken away from the only thing its known. She continued to watch the two childhood friends.
"I-is this r-real?" Steve asked, and the pain in his voice caused Bucky to just want to take away anything that could possibly do anything harmful to his friend.
Bucky let out a weak chuckle. "Of course this is real, you punk.."
Steve's grip tightened, as if afraid Bucky would disappear again if he let go. Despite him being a, pretty much, grown man at this point, the fact that he had some part of Bucky back made him feel like he was that 16 year old kid back in Brooklyn again.
"Jerk.." Steve muttered tearfully.
