Author: The Wayward Angel
Story: The Red String
Rating: M
Word Count: 798
Chapter: 5/?
Pairings: Starbuck
Spoilers: Captain America: The Winter Soldier spoilers apply
Trigger Warnings: a/b/o dynamics, alpha!Bucky, omega!Steve, explicit sex
Summary: It was snowing out and Steve had a cold. Those were the two things Bucky focused on. Their heating had been cut off two days prior and Steve had taken to burning old sketches and drawings to try to keep warm. Bucky had started sleeping next to Steve at night to keep him warm. *Alpha/Omega AU*
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.

AN: Eek super short chapter, really sorry guys. The next chapter will hopefully be a longer one.

Unbeta'd. All mistakes are mine. Please feel free to point out any grammatical or spelling errors.

The Red String
Chapter Five

1944

They had a mission in the morning and Steve had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something was sitting solid, like a rock, making him concerned and a little sick. He grabbed Bucky and wrapped an arm around his waist, watching the Alpha sleep. He pressed his face into the other man's neck, breathing in the scent of safety and protection. Bucky had always smelled like home to Steve. Bucky huffed a little, blinking open sleepy eyes. "You okay?" Bucky mumbled, petting Steve's hair.

"I'm fine." Steve replied, "Just…have a bad feeling about tomorrow."

"'s just another mission." Bucky sat up a little so he could pull Steve's head onto his chest, running his fingers through blond hair with one hand, his other rubbing soothing circles on Steve's back.

"I love you." Steve said softly.

Bucky's hands stilled in shock for a moment, he began moving them again just a moment later. "Steve…" He sighed.

"No." Steve said, "No, just listen. Someday we're going to win the war, and we'll go home to Brooklyn. You're going to find some dame and get married. Hell, I might even get married too. Peggy's swell, and I'd love to see her more after this. But Bucky, you're my Alpha, and my mate, and my best friend and I love you. I know we can't be together forever or anything ridiculous like that. We can't get married or anything. But…" Steve trailed off and Bucky patiently waited for him to finish, "I know I'm allowed to love you, okay."

Bucky kissed Steve on top of the head, "I know, Steve." He held the Omega tighter, "I know."

The wind was harsh and cold, yanking him away from the wrecked side of the train.

"Bucky!"

Bucky hung on to the side of the train and looked up at Steve, "Steve!" He called desperately. He could smell the fear on his mate, even with the icy wind whipping around him. He could feel the metal rail he was holding on to breaking.

"Hold on!"

Bucky knew Steve wouldn't reach him in time, could feel the rail breaking.

Steve reached out for him.

The rail snapped and he was falling.

"No!"

Bucky could hear the anguished cry of his mate echo through the wind.

Then everything went black.

Steve felt like ice had been poured into his veins to replace the blood. He felt numb, finger tips to toes. Like he was drowning. It hurt, losing Bucky. It hurt so bad, and he'd been trying for hours to get drunk, but he couldn't. He'd downed enough alcohol at this point to kill him, but it didn't help. He wished he could have done more. He was strong enough, fast enough. He should have been able to save his friend. He should have.

He should.

Steve threw his shot glass at the wall and heard it shatter. He put his head in his hands, but he didn't cry. He hurt too much.

1945

The plane had to be downed, there was no other option. It was him, or New York, and between the two it was an easy choice. He had to sacrifice himself. But if he was completely honest with himself, it was a relief. Since Bucky's death he'd felt numb, hallowed out. Like someone had taken a carving knife to his insides and emptied him out with clumsy hands. He could make that all stop, right now.

He placed Peggy's picture on the odometer. He could have loved her, once the war was over. He could have asked her to marry him. They couldn't have had children, since he was an Omega and she was a Beta, it wasn't possible. They could have adopted though, maybe. Maybe they wouldn't even want kids, and would have preferred the company of animals. Or even to be alone, just the two of them. He wished things could have ended differently for them. For all of them.

To be continued…