55 : GHOST OF THE PAST
They made a very sweet love last night and Steve made her forget how much she mad at him for disappeared on her like that. Half of the reason she easily forgive him was she missed him so much that sometime it hurt.
Now Steve was awake. He shouldn't be up this early after how they went at it last night. Steve spend a good hour watching her sleeping form, taking in her beautiful features.
He still had to make up to her.
Steve slowly got up from his bed. Being as gentle as he could so she didn't wake her up. He dressed up and left a little note saying 'Morning run. Don't go anyway. Breakfast in bed.'
2 hours later, Nat woke up because of a very nice smell from outside. Her Stevie must have made something nice for her again. She really wanted to get up and meet him outside but the bed was too comfy and she didn't want to move.
Then she felt something on her face. It was on her nose and she could felt it light touch. She opened her eyes and saw a blue butterfly flew away from her. The next thing she saw was a sea of roses filled their room. There were at least a dozen of butterflies flying around the room.
The only thing that came to her mind was that her crazy boyfriend was the one behind this
"Steve, what is with all the roses in our room? I can't move!" Nat shouted as she put on his football jersey.
Steve beetled for the door and smiled brightly at her.
"What's with all of this?"
"My apology to you as I am being a complete idiot."
"I love it." She told "But babe, I seriously can't move."
"I will go get you then."
Steve slowly tiptoed himself into the room without braking the vases. He lifted her up in his arms and carried Nat into the living room.
"How did you get the butterfly anyway?"
"Lend some hands." That's all his answer.
He gave her a very amazing morning kiss and it was really hard to pull away from him. Steve sat her on the countertop and placed his lips on her neck and sucked hard that made Nat moaned and whimpered as he trailed his hand down her legs. It was Steve's turn to groan when he discovered that his girlfriend didn't wear anything underneath his jersey.
"Babe, you are so fucking hot." He growled against the skin of her neck and took a sharp bite on her pulse point. Nat gripped her hands tighter to his arm and shoulder. "Seeing you in my jersey always turn me on."
Before Nat could say anything, Steve already slid his two fingers into her. Nat moaned uncontrollably and parted her legs to make his invasion easier. Steve smiled seductively and leaned closer to her ear.
"I really want to fuck you in my jersey." His voice turned hoarse and it was so sexy and turned her on.
Nat remembered only that she moaned in his ears and the breakfast had to wait.
The important point was no matter how much they did an experiment in their bed room, the basic thing like she wearing his clothes always turned him on the most.
The football team were only one week away from their championship game. Steve could tell that his team was ready for this big game against Clairvoyant Hydra, their biggest rivalry in Marvel Football team's history.
The game will hold in Chicago and the team will leave three day earlier before the game to avoid fatigue and injuries that might happen during the traveling.
Steve whined because he had to be away from Nat for too long. She promised she will Skype with him every night before bed time.
"Good luck, my captain." Nat said as the team prepared to leave. "And call me when you arrive at the hotel."
"Yes, ma'am."
Steve kissed her deeply and lifted her off her feet. Everyone who came to send their team off could witness the love of the Captain for this girl. It was not just him screwing around with girls anymore. This time it was real. He was deeply and madly in love with this girl. They all knew about the ring on her finger.
Everyone in the group was there to wish the two superstar a good luck too. They promised to be there on the game day. Finally, Steve was able to let go of his girl and got in the bus, heading to the airport.
They arrived at Chicago two hours later. Thor's family let the team stayed at their hotel with no charges. The team got the whole floor all to themselves.
"Team meeting in one hour!" Fury shouted in the hallway.
"Yes, couch!"
Steve and Thor stayed in the same room. They were in the separate corner and called their girlfriends.
The team met at the meeting room. Couch Fury began to tell the team about the play they will use against Hydra and its key players they need to be aware of. Fury knew their coach for a long time. Hydra's coach was Alexander Pierce who attended SHEILD academy with him. They should be aware of the defensive team because they were the strongest and the media dubbed a nickname 'The Fortress' for them.
It was a fight between the best offensive and defensive in the country.
Nat told him that she already landed in Chicago with the rest of the gang and will check in at the same hotel as the football team. The majority of the fans were staying here too. Steve sneaked down to meet with his girlfriend while Jane sneaked up to his floor to be with Thor.
Steve knocked on the door and when the door pulled open, Nat pulled him in and kissed him deeply, legs wrapped around his waist. He groaned when he saw her wearing the jersey again.
"As much as it turn me on but if we do it, I might not have enough energy for tomorrow game." Steve said when he pulled away.
"But I miss you…" Nat whined "Only once…"
"You say that for like twenty time already and you know we both failed to do so."
Nat laughed "Aww, I already wear the jersey."
"I know…you little vixen tried to wind me up."
"Just do it already, okay?" Nat was impatient and glided her hips against his and Steve took sharp intake at the sudden friction.
"You little minx." He said affectionately and carried his temptress to bed.
After all, whatever she want she always got it.
Championship game day
Nat woke Steve up at 6 AM because he needed to meet up with his team for breakfast at 6.30. The captain quickly took a shower and kissed her deeply before he left. The team met up for breakfast and listened to coach moral boost speech before they left the hotel.
When the team arrived at the stadium, they were fans and reporters everywhere. Fury forbid them from giving any interview and went straight into the locker room but one particular player was always the center of attention.
"Steve! Do you think you can get that Trophy for Marvel after the last year loss?"
"Of course, I am." Steve replied smugly "I'm Steve Rogers and I have my Angel of Luck with me today so nothing can possibly go wrong."
"Did you heard that your childhood friend will face you in this game?"
"What?" Steve's expression changed immediately and went to the reporter who say it.
Fury turned to see his star quarterback being distract by the reporter. The coach marched into stop the interview but it was too late. Steve already saw the picture in the reporter's hand.
"It's James Buchanan Barnes, your childhood friend, isn't it?" The reporter asked, watching Steve's reaction closely as the Captain flipped through the file. "He's playing for Hydra today."
Steve was shocked and didn't reply anything. The media already break him before the big game. Fury knew and threw the file away before pushing his star quarterback away from the reporters. Steve was compromised.
"Get your head in the game, Rogers. They were trying to play you. They want to see you fall."
Fury said before walking away. Steve changed into his football gear and Thor noticed the captain's face.
"I never knew he's playing for Hydra. I always thought that he move out of the country."
"Have you ever contact him since he move out of New York?"
"Two or three times but no respond from his end. I literally never heard anything about him again."
"What are you going to do, Steven?" Thor asked "It's your old friend standing between you and the trophy."
"We have to win this game. I cannot disappoint anyone anymore." Steve replied "Even it was Bucky standing in my way."
They got ready before they were told to wait in the tunnel with another team. Steve looked along the line of his opponents in black and red gears then he saw a very familiar man with long dark hair. The guy turned and Steve starred at him.
"Bucky?" Steve called, unsure.
"I'm surprised that you still remember me, Rogers. After all this time, you never tried to contact me for once."
"I'm sorry, Buck. I tried but I never got any reply from you too."
"A little too late for that. I don't recall receiving any letters or anything from you. I'm probably not your friend anymore which I great because you're not mine. And you will be sorrier because I will not hesitate to break you in half in the field."
"Don't make me do this. I don't wanna fight you."
"You're my mission, Rogers. My only mission even I have to break you in half to get that trophy."
Steve looked closely at his best friend. There was no sign of the old Bucky left within him. The protective and caring Bucky who always looked after him was gone. Steve could only see rage in his eyes.
He didn't understand what he did wrong to make Bucky hate him like this. Maybe it was because of he didn't try to contact him hard enough so Bucky thought he forgot him.
"Let's the best team win, Buck."
Steve walked to the front of his team and led them out to the field when they called out. Marvel's fan cheered loudly and every camera made a close up shot at the captain. Steve quickly looked around and found his girl and his friends at the front row behind the bench zone. His mom was there too.
The teams made a coin toss and Steve's team will play defense first. Steve sat down on the bench and watched how effective Hydra's offensive team was. He knew they got Wolfgang von Strucker as their quarterback and Tomi Shishido as his wide receiver. Steve only prayed that the defensive team could pull their best performance today.
Hydra got their first touchdown but it was only the beginning of the game. It was time for Steve to taste his metal with the best defensive team. He saw Bucky's eyes locked at him. The first two plays were easy but then Bucky was able to breach the pocket and tackle him. That was the first of many tackles to come.
Buck hit him pretty hard every time he got a chance. Steve started to think that Hydra assigned Bucky especially to take him down or Bucky made it personal to tackle him that hard it might shattered his bone.
Well, It kinda feel personal.
Bucky made it hard for Steve to play this game. When the best weapon was neutralized, Marvel couldn't do much and the momentum of the game change.
Everything went down to hell pretty fast because Steve couldn't score any touch down. From his first two plays. He couldn't use a run game because their defense already took Danny Rand out.
Overall it was a brutal game for Marvel's offensive team. Even Steve got them two touchdowns but it wasn't enough to put them on the lead.
At the end of the first half, Marvel was behind by two touchdown. They tried their best to penetrate the defensive line but it barely worked. Steve felt sore all over his body from being hit countless time by Bucky. It was a miracle that he wasn't injured yet. Thor helped him back to the locker room but they walked into Bucky in the main tunnel.
"Getting used to being hit, huh Rogers? You better be because I'm coming for you." Bucky mocked as Steve slowly walked pass him.
"Shut the hell up, Barnes. I don't want to punch you."
"So you gonna run? Or you gonna stand your ground like the old days and wait for someone to come and help you? Getting beat up to save your ass countless time?"
"I say I'm sorry for like…every time I got in trouble back in those days!"
"Yeah, I'm glad that you realize you are the one who cause all this trouble, Rogers. You always got in a fight and I had to help you out. I almost died protecting your ass!"
Bucky made a mistake and pushed Steve too hard that he hit the wall. The Captain was angry too and did not hesitate to tackle his old friend to the ground. The tunnel was a messed up when two teams saw their player fight each other.
"Friend, stop!" Thor boomed and trying very hard to pull Steve away from Bucky. "We still have one half left to play!"
Coach and staff had to come in and help separate each player before taking them to the locker room. Fury smacked Steve's head pretty hard and yelled at him.
"They are playing with your head, Rogers! They're trying to compromise you and you make their job easier! Get your head out of your ass! They are trying to take out the best player."
Steve deeply inhaled and tried to collect himself. He had a game to play and he needed to win.
Second half of the game, Steve struggled to put his team on the lead. Now the captain realized that he was the target from everyone on Hydra defensive line. He will take that as his advantage when everyone tried to stop him and forget to cover his teammates.
Hydra relied on Bucky's rage over Steve alone to stop the quarterback. Alexander Pierce knew about this and her saw the best opportunity to use this against Marvel when the Captain was fully compromised. He always knew that Barnes was the perfect piece to stop the star quarterback.
"Do anything by any mean to stop Rogers." Pierce said "He's the only thing in your way to that trophy."
"Yes, Coach"
"Good. Now get in the field and break him in half."
Bucky followed his order very well. Even Peter Rasputin tried very hard to stop Bucky from tackled Steve. Every time Steve saw rage burned in his best friend's eyes.
Every tackle Bucky made as if he wanted to tell how much he mad at Steve. As if the Captain would know what he think, Steve never really tried to listen to him anyway, he always stubborn and stupid for getting in the fight when he tried to warn him to stay out of trouble.
Steve made the pass again but Bucky hit him too. Steve fell to the ground and quickly pushed Barnes away from him. But Bucky didn't let Steve go so easily. He threw a punch at Steve's torso before he got up.
"What's your problem, Barnes?" Steve yelled angrily.
"You!"
Steve calm himself down and walked away. Simon and Peter had to stop Bucky from following the captain.
Bucky sighed angrily and got back in his line. All the while he thought back to the old days between him and Steve. His parents ripped him away from his childhood friends, his town, and the only life he ever knew because of Steve Rogers. Steve Rogers who always got himself in trouble. The man who considered himself his friend but immediately forgot about him.
How could someone not trying to contact his friend?
He will punch the answer out of Steve's mouth one day. He had to know why Steve easily forget him and moved on with his life while Bucky had to suffer everything from Steve's action.
The game went on even Steve managed to level out the score. He was pretty battered from being hit every time he made the pass. It was a real miracle that he wasn't break in half yet. His offensive line tried their best to protect him but no one see Bucky coming.
He was a ghost. It was really hard to detect him.
It was the last minute of the game with Marvel in the possession. Steve knew the only way to win was to make a throw to his wingmen. He couldn't rely on Maximoff anymore when they targeting him too.
"Rumlow, they will think that I will pass to you." Steve said "After all they knew you likely to be my choice than Sam."
"How do you know that for sure, Steve?"
"Just trust me on this. You will be the decoy, pull everyone with you as much as you can."
"Got it."
"Simon and Peter. I need you to hold the line for me as long as you can. Sam, find the most open space available and I will throw to you. I may look like I'm not gonna throw to you but I will throw to you."
"Got it, cap."
"Let's win that mother fucking trophy!"
It was his last chance to win this game and Steve knew everyone was counting on him. His teammates, his coach, his fan, his mother and his little red. The angel was on his side.
Steve smiled lightly at the thought. The ball flew in his hands. This time his offensive line held them off, gave in enough time to throw to Sam but something hit him in the back and sharp pain went up his spine. Steve fell and his head hit the ground pretty hard he swore he saw stars.
The last thing Steve heard was a screaming from every corner of the stadium and the commentator screamed loudly that they won the game.
And everything was blacked out.
Steve's conscious slipped in and out all the time. He didn't know what happened to him or remember anything after he passed out. He saw white light or sometime saw somebody he didn't know. He barely recognized what they were talking.
"Steve…" He heard one familiar voice. "Steve, stay with me. We are taking you to the hospital."
Her voice. Nat's voice. He closed his eyes again knowing that she was this close to him and there's nothing to be worry.
"Don't close your eyes, baby. Stay with me, alright? You gonna be alright."
Steve was trying to do as she told him but he couldn't. She kept talking to him, giving something to hold on so he will not give in to the white light that ready to succumb him into it.
They were moving to somewhere. He heard a loud siren. They must be in the ambulance. Then they stopped and he felt someone lifted him up. He heard footsteps echoed.
"He had a major concussion in the head and his back. Probably spondylolisthesis." One guy told the doctor.
"Ma'am, you have to stay here." One guy said.
"I'm his fiancée! Let me go inside with him!" Steve heard Nat yelled "No! Let me go! Let me go with him!"
Steve tried to open his eyes and say something. I want her with me, he tried to tell people around him. I need her.
"Steve!"
He was trying to move but his body betrayed him. She was screaming and yelling in pain and Steve wanted nothing but to be there by her side and told her he was fine but he couldn't.
When he didn't hear Nat's voice anymore, the last thing that held his consciousness was gone.
The gang waited outside the diagnose room to hear a word about Steve. Sarah was talking on the phone with some of the best specialist she could find in case her son had major injury. Nat sat quietly and tried to keep herself from crying.
She saw him injured and hurt himself before but not like this time. He couldn't even respond to her voice or to her touch and it feared her. She afraid that something might happen to him. Even she understand the possibility of injury from football, she couldn't bear that thought. What if it's a permanent thing? And with that thought, Natasha cried.
If he was paralyzed his entire life? If he never wake up again? Or if he died? She couldn't watch him suffer from the consequence of this situation for his entire life. It hurt her too to see someone ripped his dream and future from him.
She couldn't take it anymore. She just wanted her Stevie back in his normal healthy and alive self.
"Hey, Tash. He's gonna be alright, sweetie." Pepper tried to console the crying Natasha.
But it only triggered Nat to pour everything in her mind out, what she feel and what she fear. The girls tried very hard to make Nat stop crying but when they almost succeeded…
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Thor yelled at someone.
Everybody looked up and saw Bucky Barnes standing there. Thor was in his way and stopped him in his track. Nat immediately got up and went straight to Bucky.
"Go the fuck away! You shouldn't be here after you put him in there!" She bellowed.
"Ma'am, I don't know who you are. I just want to come here and say I'm sorry."
"I'm his girlfriend! And you miss that chance, Barnes. The moment you decide to tackle him that hard." Nat pounded her fist at Bucky. She wanted to hurt him the same way he did to Steve but Thor tried to drag her away. "He could be paralyze! Do you ever think about that before you hit him from the back?! You could break his neck!"
Bucky looked shock and guilt suddenly tripled its amount in his gut. He hurt his friend intentionally by his blind rage. His best friend that he swore to protect. He hurt Steve.
"I didn't know…I'm sorry."
"Just go back to where you're from and don't even think about seeing him again!" Nat yelled angrily and tried to wiggle out of Thor's hold. "You! Of all those people who try to hurt him. It has to be you that hurt him. You are his friend. He always tell me many story about you. You are his brother! How could you do that to him, Barnes?!"
It was heartbreaking for everyone to see. Nat completely lost it by the thought of losing Steve while Barnes stood still, feeling ashamed of what he did to his friend. Nat flopped down on the floor and broke down. Clint, Pepper and Maria had to take her to another room while the rest had to deal with Barnes.
"Why exactly you are here, Barnes?" Tony asked "To mock him? Or to watch his future end right here by your hands?"
"I'm here to apologize to him even he doesn't want to listen to me anymore." Bucky replied "I've made a mistake and I shouldn't do that to my friend. Especially him."
"You will have to get through Lady Natasha if you want to meet Steven." Thor said. "Judging by her reaction, it's not gonna be easy."
"I know."
"I will try to calm her down and reason with her." Maria suggested "But no promise."
"Thank you"
The specialist Sarah found flew in from New York. He will check that there was no permanent damage done to Steve. The only thing that everyone worried was his neck injury after he fell to the ground. His spine and nervous system were doing fine even he might feel sore for a week. The concussion in his head wasn't that serious.
Nat sighed in relief when she heard some progress. At least her boyfriend won't have to be paralyze. He still had his life and his future in football.
They released Steve from ER in the next hour and put him in the recovery room. The doctor said he had a little subluxation and they had to put a soft collar to support his neck and he will wake up within two days.
Maria managed to talk Nat into letting Bucky see Steve but the redhead kept very close eyes on him. Bucky sat next to Steve, brown eyes kept looking at his best friend and trapped in his own deep thought.
He put Steve here. After all those years he spent on protecting him. He admitted that he was mad at Steve. The severe injury was the last straw that made his parents decided to move him away from New York and left Steve and Peggy behind. He remembered himself crying, begging his parents not to take him away, that he want to stay with his friends.
They moved him to the other side of the country.
Maybe his defensive mechanism help create that lie he tried to make believe. He couldn't exactly remember what he was saying to Steve in that moment but he remembered Steve ran away. His brain created the scenario in his mind, Steve was running away rather than helping him fight or when he was crying out for help.
He made believe that Steve betrayed him all the time, plus, he never heard anything from Steve or Peggy again and he swore he will get back at Steve one day for betray him like that. But as far as it turned out, he was the one who betrayed him.
He will talk to his parent when he went home. He had to find all the truth so he could face Steve and Peggy again without carry all that guilt with him.
"He's not going to wake up soon. You guys should go back to the hotel and get some rest." Sarah told when he saw how everyone was.
Bucky wanted to stay until Steve wake up but everyone insisted he should come back tomorrow. Nat refused to go back to the hotel and stayed here. Sarah already had someone delivered Nat's clothes to the hospital.
She couldn't bring herself to sleep. She was worried that the moment she fall asleep something might happen to him. Nat decided to climb in the hospital bed with him and snuggled close to his warmth. It was the only thing that confirmed her he was still alive.
"Please wake up, Stevie. I don't want to lose you." Nat whispered. "I love you."
Awww, this pain suck! Steve groaned in his mind as he felt his head was about to explode. And what the hell was up with his neck? Is someone tried to break it while he was sleeping?
Steve slowly began to regain conscious. He opened his eyes but the sudden flash of light almost blinded him. He blinked a couple time to adjust and saw that he was in the hospital room. Then he smell a familiar scent and saw a fiery red hair of his girlfriend. She was sleeping next to him and wrapped her arms tightly.
He let out a groaned when he was trying to move but his neck was painfully arched.
"Damn it." He muttered but then realized he wasn't alone in the room with only Nat.
Everyone in the gang was lounging around the room and then his eyes fell in Bucky who was sitting next to his bed.
"Jerk." Steve called and Bucky immediately turned to him
The man smiled, "Finally you wake up, punk."
"You hit me real hard, buddy. Are you trying to kill me?"
Before Bucky could reply, Nat began to stir and move. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Steve smiling at her.
"Hey, sweetheart." He greeted and pressed a loving kiss on her forehead. "Sorry for putting you through this."
Nat smiled and snuggled closer to him, "It's okay, baby. I'm glad that you're alright."
"Hey, Captain! We thought you might want to see this." Thor boomed and showed Steve to trophy.
Bright smile painted on his face and received the championship trophy from Thor. Finally, thing that he had been waiting for.
"I should be the one accept it." Steve said as he admired the shiny trophy "But it's okay. We finally got it."
Steve had to hand it back to Thor after the weight of it made him felt he shape pain at his neck. Nat became on high alert when she saw him winced in pain.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, it's not that bad, little red."
"We should leave you to get some rest." Bruce spoke up "But we are glad that you finally wake up Steve."
"Yeah, red cried a lot yesterday." Tony told
"What? You cried?"
"Well, my boyfriend got knocked out and didn't wake up for a day. I have every right to cry, Rogers."
Everyone said goodbye to the captain and left the room. Bucky lingered behind and waited until Thor closed the door.
"Steve, I'm sorry." Bucky said "I shouldn't do that to you."
"It's okay, buddy. I understand you want to win the game as much as I do."
"But it's not only the game…I'm angry at you. I blame you for everything until I realize yesterday that it wasn't any of your fault."
"You're blaming me for what?"
"For always getting in trouble. For being the reason I got stab. For being the reason to make my parents move me out of New York. For not trying hard enough to contact me."
At that moment, Steve realized he was the one that left Bucky behind. He didn't try hard enough to find his friend.
"I just want you to know that I tried, Bucky." Steve said "You're my best friend. It hurt me as much as it hurt you. You and Peggy were the only friends I have back then."
"I heard your health got worsen, is that true?"
"Yes, I went through a lot of pain to cure my illness. It changed me into this." Steve told "I thought I lost you forever after not hearing anything from you. I had to move on, Buck. I had Peggy to protect. I had to be strong to protect her because you weren't there with me."
"I'm sorry, Steve."
"Me too. I should've try harder."
Bucky hugged Steve and be careful not to hurt him again.
"You know what, Buck. You should transfer to Marvel next year." Steve suggested "We could play football together! Just like we talked when we were kids."
"I don't know, man."
"Just think about it, okay? But you're welcome at Marvel anytime you feel like you want to visit us."
"Thanks for the offer, buddy."
Steve yawned loudly and exhaustion took over him again.
"I should head back and give you guys some privacy." Bucky said.
"Don't go, man. We still have a lot to catch up."
"Another day, buddy. You need to rest. I will visit you at Marvel one day."
"Fine." Steve rolled his eyes because he knew he couldn't say anything to change Bucky's mind. "By the way, I forget to introduce you guys to one another."
"Don't worry, babe. We already introduce ourselves while you're asleep." Nat told
"Yeah, she introduced me with her fists" Bucky pouted. "I like her a lot so try not to break her heart, okay?"
"You know I will not do such thing."
"You better be because I will break you back if you decide to break her heart." Bucky warned "For you, Miss Romanoff. If you break his heart, I'm not afraid of hurting you too. He's my best friend. Take a very good care of him."
"Sure thing, Barnes. He's mine. I always take a very good care of people I love."
Bucky smiled and said goodbye one more time before he left the couple alone. Steve had his happy face that Nat haven't seen in a while. It was like he found another missing part of him. She couldn't help but felt happy with him.
"I'm glad that you are happy, Steve."
"Thank you, babe. I was like another doubt…another puzzle I always wonder finally got it answer." Steve replied and looking at her lovingly "You will like him too when you got a chance to know him."
"I'm looking forward too"