As your packing your things, you hear someone enter the room.
"(Y/N)" Steve said as he approached you.
"Hey bud. Heading out to war?" You smirk at him as you keep packing.
"Something like that I guess. Anything to help... (Y/N) I saw what happened earlier in the lab. We haven't had a moment to talk. But we do now. What was that?" he said waking a seat on your bed, motioning for you to take a seat.
You sigh, taking a seat next to him. "I honestly don't know Steve. My serum has given me this glow you can call it. It surges through my veins and comes out when I really need it. But what happened today. Those wings. That's never happened before. I don't know why it happened. How it happened. Or if I could ever do it again."
You look down at your hands, knowing you will probably never know what you are now.
As if reading your mind Steve says, "you're still you (Y/N). You just have a gift now."
You chuckle "you sound like Erskine. He used to call me an angel. I just told him I'm a patriot."
"So what are you going to do now?" Steve said, unsure and uncomfortable of leaving you behind.
"I don't know. Howard promised me he wouldn't let me rot away in a lab. So I'm hoping that'll be the case. Maybe I can go work for him, at least be useful to the war in one way." You say standing up continuing to pack your belongings.
"When they finally give me my orders for the field, I'll come and get you (Y/N). We will do this together." Steve said taking a hold of my shoulder.
"I'm counting on it Steve. You better bust me out..." you take his shoulder in your hand and give it a light squeeze.
"Till the end of the line (Y/N)..." He smiles back.
"Till the end of the line."
-.-.-.-
After a week in Alamogordo, Howard was able to keep true to his word. He got you out, insisting he needed your new gained knowledge of technology that he had taught you. They let you be his assistant of sorts. Constantly working on new technologies, weapons, armor. Anything to help in the war. It made you feel useful.
You made sure to continue your training in hand-to-hand combat as well as taking up a new affinity for marksmanship. All in all you felt useful and felt like you were becoming a well rounded agent. You knew you'd be ready for whenever Steve came for you.
You finally started receiving letters from Bucky. He told you about his time in the war at brief, but never got too detailed. In part he mostly kept telling you how much he missed home. And couldn't wait to get back. You never found it in your heart to tell him what you had become, or where you were. So you always wrote back how much you missed him, constantly reminding him to stay in one piece and come home safe.
In your spare time you'd read those Captain America comics that have been so popular lately. Steve had become a figure head for the war. A part of me was happy for him, but deep down I knew this wasn't what he signed up for. I hoped he was okay. I hadn't seen him since the day he left, his touring taking up all his time.
Bucky's letters stopped coming in for the last week or so. You worried for Bucky but understood if he was too busy in the middle of a fight there would be no time for a letter.
You found yourself working with Howard one day, when Peggy came into the lab.
"Howard... (Y/N)... I may need a bit of assistance with something. You know just between us." She said as she approached us quietly.
"What is it Peggy?" You ask confused as to why she would be going behind her superiors back. She'd never do that.
"Steve needs a pilot, and a friend" she said looking at Howard, then at me.
You nod at Peggy and then look at Howard. You have been waiting for the day Steve would need you. You had begged Howard to secretly make you a suit for whenever he called you in. You were hoping he actually had something for you.
"Come on (Y/N), time for you to suit up." Howard said with a smile. He led you to a box in the corner of the lab. Taking it from it's hiding spot he placed the box in your hands and nodded for you to go get changed.
Once in your room, you opened the box to find a body suit. White, lined with gold, red and blue extending from your chest down your arms. It felt tough, like it could withstand damage. Yet felt soft, enough for you to feel agile and mobile.
Slipping the suit on you felt instantly charged and ready for anything. How funny an outfit can change the way you carry yourself. You stepped out of your room, heading back for the lab. The moment you caught Peggy and Howard's eyes you stood still, a smile on your face. "So? How do I look?"
"Like an angel" you hear Howard say. You roll your eyes at him, then glance at Peggy for some better critique.
"You look ready." She said with a curt nod and a smile. And with that you followed them out.
"So what's the mission?" You finally ask Peggy as you board an aircraft.
"We're saving Bucky." You turn to see Steve staring at you intently. The words registering in your mind.
"What?" is all you can find yourself to say.
Steve walks up to you with a small smile, placing his hand on your shoulder. "He's trapped behind enemy lines. Him, and so many more men. We're breaking them out. We can do this."
You feel your gut clench at the thought of Bucky being captured, tortured, or worse. You push that thought away. "We will do this." You find yourself saying to Steve, letting all your courage take the forefront, and your worries take a backseat.
"Let's get our friend back" he says taking a seat on the plane. You nod. Taking a seat next to him.
"The Hydra camp is in Krausberg. Tucked between these two mountain ranges." Peggy says pointing at the location to you and Steve on a map.
"It's a factory of some kind." She states. "We should be able to drop you both off right in their doorstep" you heard Howard say from the cockpit.
"Just get us as close as you can" Steve replies.
"You know you two are going to be in a lot of trouble when you land" you look at Peggy and Howard, shaking your head.
"And you won't?" Howard calls back.
"Where we're going, if anyone is angry at us, we just shoot them." Steve replies back. "And they undoubtedly will shoot back" Peggy says, looking worried at Steve. These two have such chemistry. They should just kiss and get it over with.
"Agent Carter, if we're not in too much of a hurry after this, I thought we could stop off at Lucerne for a late-night fondue." You hear Howard ask, looking back at Peggy.
A weird look between Peggy and Steve makes the air a bit uncomfortable. You clear your throat to snap them out of it.
"Stark is the best civilian pilot I have seen, he's mad enough to break this airspace. We're lucky to have him." Peggy says, as if trying to clear the air.
Steve just decides to make the whole thing even more awkward by implying if Howard and Peggy "fondue". I really need to tell him that's not what he thinks it is.
"Here's your transponder" Peggy hands me a device. "Activate it when you're ready and we will come get you."
"Got it. Stark this tech yours?" You look towards the cockpit.
"You know it hun!" He smiles back.
Suddenly shots start surrounding us. Steve and I look at each other, practically reading each other's mind. We make a bee line for the door.
"Come back here you two! We're taking you all the way in!" Peggy says staring at us.
"As soon as were clear you turn this thing around and get the hell out of here!" Steve yells to Peggy and Howard.
"You can't give me orders!" Peggy yells back at Steve. He smirks, "Yea I can, I'm a Captain". And with that he jumps. "You heard the man!" I smile and wink at Peggy and jump out right behind him.
The rush of air catches my breath. But before you know it I pull the cord on my chute and find I can catch my breath. Once my feet touch the ground, I discard the backpack and run to find my way next to Steve who landed a few feet away from me.
He motions for me to follow him, and we quietly make our way through the woods. With the camp in sight, we study the layout quietly trying to find our in.
Suddenly Steve makes me duck down, as cars approach behind us. We both look at each other, the idea evident in both our minds. When the last car passed us we sprint forward, making our way to the back of the van. When we jump in were met with two armed Hydra guards.
We each take one, knocking them out with ease. Once the car comes to a stop, Steve uses his shield to smack a guard back a few feet. Giving us enough time to jump out of the car and into the building.
This place is like nothing I have ever seen before. Machines and guns, with bright lights. So many weapons. I follow Steve as we get by unnoticed. I noticed he pocketed something but paid it no mind.
We found our way to where they were keeping the prisoners. Knocked out the guards without raising alarm.
The prisoners looked up at us from the cages they were in. One of them spoke up to Steve.
"Who are you supposed to be?" he asked.
"I'm Captain America." He replied. "And her?" Said another prisoner.
Steve looked at me, at a loss for what to say. Without thinking too much I just say "I'm just a patriot". You grabbed the keys from the unconscious guard and dropped it down to the prisoners.
You get down to their level with Steve as everyone is being let out of the cells.
"Is there anybody else? I'm looking for a Sergeant James Barnes." Steve asks some prisoners. My heart clenches realizing I haven't seen him among them yet.
"There's and isolation word, but no one has ever come back from there." A soldier states. My heart clenches tighter.
"Steve get these guys out. I'm going to find Bucky." You say as your start headed for the isolation wing.
"Hold up (Y/N)" you feel Steve grab your hand.
He looks at the soldiers. "The tree line is northwest, 80 yards past the gate. Get out fast, give them hell. I'll meet you in the clearing with anyone I can find."
"Wait do you know what you're doing" asks a soldier. "Yeah I've knocked out Adolf Hitler hundreds of times." Responds Steve. You chuckle and shake your head as you grab him and pull him towards the direction the soldiers told you the isolation ward was.
You can hear a commotion taking place outside as the soldiers make a run for it. You know this is the perfect distraction to help you find Bucky or anyone else in the isolation ward.
After punching a couple of soldiers down, thanking god you had kept training. You and Steve fall into a good rhythm. No Hydra soldier can stop you as you make your way into a corridor.
You and Steve both stop to see a small man running away from a room. You pay him no mind as you run into the room he just came out of.
And as soon as you step in the room, you see him. Bucky. Your heart stops. He's tied down to a table. Muttering his name and his soldier number, barely aware of what's going on around him.
Steve and you break his restraints with ease. "Bucky..." you hear a cry escape your lips.
Bucky barely acknowledges you both standing there. "Bucky, pal." You hear Steve say as he shakes his shoulder a bit. "Is that..." Bucky moans, trying to focus.
"Yeah it's Steve buddy." "Steve?" "Yeah come on." "Steve..." you hear Bucky repeating as Steve helps him to his feet. You stay frozen in place. Your heart breaking to see Bucky this way.
Steve grabs hold of Bucky's arms, keeping him balanced. "I thought you were dead." Steve said, relief washing over his features.
"I thought you were smaller..." you hear Bucky say as he looked at Steve up and down. You couldn't resist to let out a small chuckle hearing that.
At the sound of your laugh Bucky turns his gaze from Steve and looks straight at you. His eyes widen like saucers. "Ok, I must be dead. You're taller and (Y/N) is here. My angel is here." He says as he tries to step towards you, somewhat losing his balance. Both you and Steve take him by either arm, balancing him.
"Why does everyone call me an angel?" You sigh as you look at Bucky in the eyes. "You're not dead Buck, we're here to get you out."
"Come on." Steve says, and we take Bucky in our arms, guiding him out of this place.
"What? What happened to you?" Bucky says looking at Steve. "I joined the army." Steve quips back. You almost laugh again. Then Bucky takes a look at you, "Why is my girl here?" he says back at Steve. His girl. God my heart could burst right now.
"Long story, tell you later. Let's get out of here first." Steve says rolling his eyes at you.
Bucky eventually finds his footing and starts walking on his own. You hand him a gun from your holster, continuing to follow behind him and Steve.
Steve was taking up the front, you are flanking the back. No one would get between you two and Bucky. No one. I'll make sure of it.
Bucky keeps asking Steve questions, to which Steve quickly answers them. Almost comically to me. I continue to keep my focus on our surroundings. Making sure we were safe.
All of a sudden, I hear explosions all around us. I reach the ledge of the walkway we were on right behind Bucky and Steve. Everything bellow us is engulfed with flames. I push the guys to stairs behind us, to continue on to higher ground away from the flames.
As we make it to the higher ledge, we hear a voice call out, "Captain America!".
I turn to see the man I have come to learn about standing right on the other side of a walkway. Schmidt.
"How exciting! I am a great fan of your films! So Dr. Erskine managed it after all." Schmidt says as he and Steve walk closer to each other on the walk way. I stand in front of Bucky protectively, trying to see what I could do in this situation.
"Not exactly and improvement. But still, impressive." Schmidt says. Before he can react Steve throws him a punch, "You have no idea."
"Haven't I?" Schmidt says, punching Steve's shield, causing a nice dent to form. I immediately react. "Stay here" I tell Bucky, then run towards Schmidt. Ready to pounce.
Schmidt goes to punch Steve, but you stop his hand with yours. "Ah, who is this? Another one of Erskine's toys?" Schmidt says impressed at your strength.
You take the opportunity that he's taking you in to straight kick him in the gut with all your force. He fell back a few feet. The little man he was with pulls a lever, making the walkway split.
"No matter what lies Erskine told you. You see... I was his greatest success!" Yelling that Schmidt removes his face, to reveal a red skull underneath.
Well I did say to myself I never wanted to see the other guy.
You shake your head and yell back at him "I don't see us running around looking like the devil himself!"
"You are deluded Captain" He speaks to Steve, ignoring your comment. You pretend to be a simple soldier, but in reality you are just afraid to admit that we have left humanity behind. Unlike you, I embrace it proudly." He says as he reaches an elevator door that opened up. "Without fear!"
"Then why are you running?" Steve answers back at him. And with that Schmidt closes the elevator door.
"You don't have that do you?" Bucky asks Steve. Then he looks at me, confusion in his eyes.
Ignoring the question I look at Steve. "We need to get out of there. The place is going to blow." I say looking for an escape.
Steve looks around as well. We both see it at the same time. "Let's go, up!" He starts pulling Bucky toward the stairs. I'm right behind them.
We get to the level above and look at the beam both Steve and I had seen earlier. "Bucky, you first" Steve and I both say at the same time. We catch each other's eyes and almost smirk.
"Let's go, one at a time. I'm right behind you." You hear Steve say, then you push Steve to follow Bucky. Knowing he's not perfectly well yet. "Help him, I'll be right behind you." I say.
As Steve and Bucky walk through the beam, it moves slightly. As they reach then end, it almost gives way. "Guys!" you yell. Steve grabbed Bucky under his arm and made a jump for it. Thankfully they landed on the other side, pulling themselves up to safety.
The beam no longer between you guys, you look at them with no way to escape. "Just go! Get out of here!" you scream to them. "No there's gotta be a rope or something!" You hear Bucky yell. You see Steve looking around for anything. "Just go!" You scream at them, "Steve get him out of here!"
"No! Not without you!" You hear Bucky yell, Steve holding him from falling over the edge. Steve looks at you, pleading in his eyes.
Dammit. You look around, thinking quickly. You bend a broken beam in front of you, clearing your path. You start to back up.
You look at Steve, he clearly understands what your about to try. Worry flashes through his face. You look at Bucky and give him a wink, not daring to see his reaction as you make a full sprint towards the edge.
As you jump you hear Bucky scream out your name. You see the other side, a sudden fear that you won't reach it comes to the pit of your stomach.
In a moment of instinct, you feel yourself engulfed by your glow. Your wings surround you as you come in contact with the other side of the floor, protecting you from impact. You slowly stand up, letting your wings open wide on either side of you. You see Steve, relief washing over him, and maybe even some pride. You glance at Bucky, his eyes fixed on you. Frozen in place. Confusion, relief and wonder swimming in his eyes. He finally speaks "My girl is an angel." When he says it like that, I don't mind it so much.
You let the glow fade, grabbing both Steve and Bucky towards an exit.
-.-.-.-
After what feels like walking forever. You finally make it back to base camp. Steve in the front, taking the lead, you and Bucky on either side. The rest of the soldiers in tow. All of them, safe and back where they belong.
The men at the base, start cheering clapping. Immediately recognizing Steve as Captain America. Hoot and hollers of joy surround you. Eventually you see Peggy and Colonel Phillips come into view.
Steve and I both stand our ground and salute Colonel Phillips. "Colonel.." I say. "Some of these men are in need of medical attention" says Steve. "(Y/N) and I turn ourselves in for any disciplinary action."
I glance at Steve, but don't say anything. Bullshit disciplinary action. We just saved lives.
"That won't be necessary" you hear Phillips say.
"Yes sir." You hear Steve reply. You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding in. Phillips glances at you, "and what do you call yourself soldier? Miss America?" He playfully chuckles, for the first time ever you see a glimmer of trust in you in his eyes.
"No sir, I'm just a Patriot." You reply. "More like an angel..." You hear Bucky say.
"Patriot Angel. Hmm.. I'm sure Senator Brandt would like that for the papers" Phillips mutters as a smile washes over his face and he turns away saying something to Peggy.
Peggy walks up to Steve. Looks him over. God Steve better just kiss her already. "You're late" she says looking at him in the eyes.
Steve smiles and looks at me. I pull out the device, "well we couldn't call our ride". Peggy smiles at me then looks back at Steve, they keep staring at each other in complete silence. It's cute.
All of a sudden you hear Bucky yell, "Hey! Let's hear it for Captain America and the Patriot Angel!"
Everyone around you all start erupting in cheers and praise. You look at Bucky, stunned. He smiles at you, a smile that could melt you right where you stood. You don't break eye contact. You don't want this moment to end.
But suddenly your pulled from it, when Steve grabs you and Bucky both in for a hug. The three of you walk into a tent, knowing a lot of questions had to get answered.