Author's Note: amberhardy- I'm still reeling from seeing Chris Evans yesterday... I probably will remember that moment forever (even though its the second time I've seen him in real life, it was the first time I saw him smile in real life.) Anyway, it's about to get real...
As the sun fell behind the lake, Steve sat by the fire. His foot tapped against the ground nervously as he stared into the flames, holding his hands together against his lips. His mind was working overtime, trying to figure out his next actions. He could sense a shift within the group after his conversation with Jack and Phillip. Phillip was more friendly than he'd been the whole trip, smiling grandly at Steve and keeping the conversation flowing easily. Ryan was none the wiser about their conversation before dinner. The younger man though, seemed tense and uneasy, watching Steve's every move with terrified eyes. Jack seemed to know something was coming, and Steve had a pretty good idea of what that was.
But as the last rays of daylight gave way into the darkness, Steve prepared to vanish into the night. It took everything in him not to text Kayla, to loop her in, but he didn't want her to worry. He was worried enough for both of them.
It was only a matter of time.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket, trying to decide who he should text. He looked up, catching Phillip's eyes. Phillip raised his beer bottle toward Steve with a devious smile, tapping the side of his face next to his eyes.
The glasses.
Steve realized Phillip could see the reflection of his phone, and he clenched his jaw. He could put the phone away, and figure a way out on his own. Or he could take off the glasses, and face the questioning about not needing them. He chose the latter because somebody needed to know. He couldn't disappear tonight without someone knowing what he'd learned.
Steve pulled his glasses off, hanging them from the hem of his blue shirt. Phillip's smile turned into a simmering frown, and he side-eyed Jack, trying to figure out what was happening. Steve quickly typed a message out to Sam before turning on a tracking app on his phone.
Come to this location. ASAP. Found Hydra.
Steve shoved his cell into his black jacket, turning back to Phillip with a coy smile. Steve folded his hands together, fiddling with his wedding ring as he waited for his phone to buzz, an answer from his friend.
"I've never seen you without your glasses, Steve. You ever think of contacts?" Ryan asked casually, not noticing the tension between his friend and his brothers.
Steve shrugged, looking down at his hands with a modest grin, "Not really. I'm not trying to impress anyone, I've already got the girl." Steve grabbed the glasses and placed them onto his face.
"A beautiful one at that. She'll be a perfect maid of honor." Ryan pulled his hot dog off the stick into a hot dog bun, setting it onto the plate he had balanced in his lap. He picked up his beer and raised it in a toast, "To my groomsmen! That is if you'll all accept." He took a sip of his beer, looking around the fire at Jack, Phillip, and Steve.
Steve looked up in surprise, not expecting to be asked into the wedding party, especially at this moment. He was trying to make it through the night alive, not join a wedding with the two men he expected would kill him.
"Of course brother. No question." Phillip clanked his bottle against Ryan's and Jack agreed, slinging his arm over his engaged brother's shoulders. The three look at Steve in unison, waiting to hear what he would say.
Steve's perfect smile broke across his face, reaching all the way up to his blue eyes as he raised his own bottle. "I'm in."
Phillip zeroed in on Steve, shifting his jaw angrily at the blonde's answer. Steve gave the slightest shrug, taunting the oldest brother.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
"Well, on that note, I'm going to hit the sack. Sunrise fishing, right?" Jack said as he stood and stretched. Steve looked up at him, realizing he couldn't pull out his phone now without Jack seeing it from that angle. Steve forced a smile, nodding at the young man as he went to his tent and zipped it up.
"I actually think I'm going to head to bed too. I should call Katie, I don't want her to worry. You know how it is." Steve gestured toward Ryan who just laughed and pulled out his own phone.
"You aren't wrong, Tessa's been texting me nonstop. She misses me."
Steve bid Phillip and Ryan goodnight and went into his tent, zipping it quickly and pulling out his phone to see what Sam had sent.
In too deep on a mission. Not able to reach you. Get out now.
Shit.
Steve rubbed his hand along his face, feeling his stomach flop. He looked back at his phone and dialed Kayla, waiting impatiently for her to answer.
"Hey, honey. How's camping?" Kayla asked cheerfully, but Steve knew better. He could hear the way her voice wavered as she spoke. "You catch any fish?"
"I did actually. I did." Steve answered quietly. He couldn't force such a happy demeanor. He just wanted to hear her voice. "I caught a couple."
"Are you having fun? Are you being safe?" Kayla chastised, her voice even tighter than it was before. After thirteen years together, Steve and Kayla could read each other with ease. Kayla knew something was very wrong.
Steve choked out a dry laugh, rubbing his eyes with his hand, "No bears yet. How are the kids?"
"They are fine. Having fun. We're at Tony's."
Steve raised his head to the roof of the tent, thanking God that Tony got his family to safety. "Yeah? They're having fun?"
"They are. They miss you. Maybe you can bail on camping early and come visit us." Kayla teased, but the longing in her voice was real.
Come home.
"I, uh, I'm not going to be able to do that, Kay. I have to stay here with the guys. Finish out the weekend." Steve scratched the back of his head, looking at the front of the tent with a guilty expression.
Kayla could sense something was off, and she began to panic, "Steve? Do you need me?"
"No, no everything's great. Tons of fun actually."
There was silence for a moment, and Steve was half-convinced Kayla was already on her way to him. He prayed she wasn't. He had to make sure she stayed away. "Steve... I love you."
"I love you too, Kay."
"Please tell me you're safe."
"I'm doing my best."
Steve heard Kayla inhale sharply. That wasn't what she wanted to hear. "I love you."
"You said that already."
"I know." Kayla snapped back, holding her mouth for a second so Steve couldn't hear her cry, "Is it the last time you'll hear it?"
Steve chuckled, shaking his head at his wife's worry, "No, no of course not."
"Is it Ryan?"
"No." Steve defended quickly, shaking his head, "No."
"The brothers?"
"Mmmhhmmm." Steve hummed back, pretending to be listening to his wife. He could hear talking outside his tent, but he could make out Ryan's voice along with Phillip's, meaning he was safe. For now.
"Steve Rogers," Kayla whispered under her breath, allowing his real name to slip out since her children were downstairs with Morgan and Pepper watching a movie. "Come home to me. And we'll figure it all out from there, okay?"
"I will. I promise."
"Come in the morning. First thing. Do you understand me?"
Steve nodded, swallowing hard, "Yes ma'am."
"Don't you dare break your promise. I'll see you in the morning."
The line clicked and she was gone. He laid on his back with his knees in the air, playing with his wedding ring absentmindedly as the talking outside got farther and farther away until everything was silent.
Every moment felt like a year. Steve was beginning to think he was paranoid, that he was making all this up in his head. Had he spent so long living in fear of Hydra and Schmidt that he saw them in every face? Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe everything would be fine.
Steve picked up his phone- 10:52. He'd been in his tent for an hour already. The others had been silent for forty-five minutes. Everyone was asleep. Steve was safe. Everything was fine.
Everything was fine.
Kayla leaned back against the pillow, chewing on the side of her finger anxiously. Her husband was confident he could fix the problem. Alone. But it didn't sit well with Kayla. She opened up her phone and dialed a number, "Hey," She said, clearing her throat, "How soon can you get here?"
"Two hours?"
"That'll do. Trace my cell. Steve needs you."
A twig snapped.
Steve's eyes popped open to stare at the top of his tent. He looked to the side, seeing a shadow moving beside him. He slowly looked the other way and saw a second figure. Whispers that were far too loud echoed between the two men.
"Is he asleep?"
"He won't be if you don't shut up."
Steve heard the gun cock and felt his muscles tense. The hardest part of escaping would be getting out of the tent. Steve laid flat on his back, seeing the gun aiming toward his head.
Once it steadied, Steve lurched forward, unzipping the front as he did. He somersaulted away from the tent and jumped to his feet, turning around to see Phillip and Jack on either side of his tent. Jack was shaking, but Phillip was steady, aiming the gun at Steve.
"You made the wrong call, Carter." Phillip taunted, taking a step closer, "I thought you wanted to keep your family safe."
"My family will be safe, once I turn you two in." Steve threatened, holding his ground. He clenched his fists, and steadied his breathing, preparing to fight for the first time in four years. Excitement burned in Steve's veins, and he forced back the urge to smile.
Steve leaped forward, closing the space between him and Phillip in two large strides, grabbing onto the gun. Phillip used his free hand to sock Steve on the jaw, but the super soldier didn't even flinch. "Jack? A little help?"
Jack tentatively moved toward Steve, but Steve released one of his hands from the gun and grabbed Jack when he got close. He held the man by the jacket with one clenched fist and Phillip's gun with the other. Phillip kneed Steve in the thigh and he stumbled back a step, just enough for Phillip to regain full control of the gun. Phillip aimed the gun at Steve and Steve pulled Jack in front of him.
"You really want to do this? Is killing me worth your brother's life?" Steve asked as Jack trembled in his grip, squirming as he tried to pull away, but Steve held him by the arm now, and he was just too strong to get away from. "Put the gun down."
"Phillip, please..." Jack whimpered as Steve took a step closer to his big brother, using him as a shield and a bartering chip.
Phillip scoffed, "You don't climb the ranks of Hydra by being sentimental. Sometimes, sacrifices need to be made..." Phillip tilted his head, his eyes softening, "I'm sorry Jack. But I can't let this information get out."
Phillip positioned the gun at his brother's collarbone, which was held right in front of Steve's chest. Steve quickly thrust Jack to the side and lunged at Phillip, grabbing the gun and trying to wrestle it away from him. Jack watched in horror as Philip pulled the trigger, and the bullet went straight through his own head.
Steve let go of Phillip and the body dropped to the ground. He looked at Jack in terror, realizing what he had done. "I-I didn't mean to-"
Jack scrambled over to Phillip as Steve began to back away, looking around. There was movement from Ryan's tent. Ryan wouldn't believe that his brother had tried to kill Steve. He'd only see that a gun went off in Steve's hand, and his brother was now dead.
Steve turned on his heels and started running as fast as he could away from the campsite, but before he got too far, he felt something prick the back of his neck. He turned to see Jack hovering over Phillip with a gun in his hand. Steve continued sprinting, disappearing into the night at inhuman speed.