Authoress Note: Welcome to Chapter 22 of The Winter Soldier and the Luna Wolf. I want to thank those who have left reviews for this story. It truly does mean a lot to me. I know that the last chapter was a tear-jerker. This one will most likely be the same. I can't wait to see what you guys think of this next chapter. Without further ado Chapter 22. ENJOY!

Chapter 22

Violet sat next to Steve, both of them drinking. He a beer and her whisky from the bottle.

Peggy stepped through the makeshift door seeing the both of them drinking. She knew that both of them were fairly upset with what had happened.

Steve stopped seeing Peggy walking towards the two of them. "Doctor Erskine told me the serum wouldn't just work on my muscles and my reflexes - he said it would work in my cells, creating a protective system of healing, of regenerating. Which means…" He turned to Peggy, somber but clear-eyed even though he drank a lot already. "I can't get drunk. Did you know that?"

Violet took another large swig of her whiskey looking at the two of them with red puffy eyes from crying. She wasn't even drunk yet and it would be hard for her to get drunk as well.

Peggy took a breath looking at the two of them. "Your metabolism burns three times faster than average. He thought it could be one of the side effects." Peggy explained to Steve knowing that he was having a hard time with what was going on.

"Probably didn't want anybody stealing his schnapps."

"It wasn't your fault."

"You read the report?"

Peggy pursed her lips together before slowly replying. "Yes."

"Then you know that's not true."

Violet gripped the bottle tightly in her hand. She hadn't even heard this yet. She knew that she needed to. After all this was her James that they were talking about. She couldn't even ask him what had happened. She didn't have the heart to do so. Perhaps it was her trying to save her heart from breaking even more than what it was.

"You did everything you could…"

"I got in over my head. Bucky waded in and pulled me out, just like he always did. And the one time he needed me to return the favor, I couldn't." Steve said, shaking his head.

"I doubt it's that simple."

"All I had to do was hold him."

"Did you believe in your friend? Respect him?"

Steve looked up at Peggy. Of course, he respected his friend. He wouldn't have asked Bucky to join him in the Howling Commandos if it wasn't out of respect. He knew his friend was a fighter till the very end.

"Then stop blaming yourself. Allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He damn well must have thought you were worth it."

Steve stared at his beer for a moment before finally replying to what was being said to him. "As soon as I finish this, I'm going after Johann Schmidt. I'm going to burn out every hole there is for him to hide in. And I'm not going to stop until he and all of Hydra are captured or dead."

Peggy nodded her head before she took his beer, drinking it down. A coy smile came to her lips. "Let's go then."

Violet got up to her feet. "I'm coming with you." She said looking at them. "I need to do this too."

Steve looked at her, seeing the clearness in her eyes. He was surprised with how much she had drunk that she was still fairly sober. "Are you sure that you're up to it?"

Violet looked up at Steve with a determined look on her face. "Yes, I am sure. I need to do this." She said, gripping her hands tightly at her sides.

Steve swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded his head knowing that was very true. "Alright."

Violet took a breath. "Let's go."

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This is the end of Chapter 22. I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter. This chapter kind of hurt to write out. But I did a fairly good job I hope. I can't wait to see what you guys think of this chapter. Please leave a review and let me know what you think of it. Reviews help me keep going when it comes to writing. I hope to have the next chapter out next week. Until next time.