A/N: Many thanks to my team of betas and support: xxdustnight88, gaeilgerua, & mystrana.

I hope everyone reading enjoys this. xx

Chapter Nine

Hermione gripped the program chip in her hand tightly. She was to hit one of the three helicarriers. She was nervous, but she knew that she'd be able to slip through undetected for the most part with the use of a Disillusionment charm.

"Steve?" she said, her voice small. He had just finished giving a rather rousing speech over the PA system to the employees of S.H.I.E.L.D. She hoped that there were still some good people there that would fight for what was right.

He turned to face her. "Yeah?"

Hermione wet her lips nervously before leaning up and tenderly kissing Steve. "Good luck."

"You too," he said, resting his forehead against hers. "And after this…"

Hermione closed her eyes and nodded. "I'm holding you to it, Steve." She looked at Steve, hating that this felt like goodbye.

He grinned. "Good, now let's do this." He turned to Agent Hill as he placed his shield on his back.

"The launch sequence has begun," Agent Hill said, looking at the computers. She was typing furiously on the keypad. "You three need to move now."

"Hermione, I'll bring you down to the launch pad with me," Sam said, holding out his hand.

"Good luck, Steve," Hermione said, kissing him chastely on the cheek before allowing Sam to pull her into his arms. He jumped up, and she resisted the urge to cry out as he flew them down to the carrier pad. Glancing back, she saw that Steve had jumped the distance down, and once more, she was amazed by him.

"You ready?" Sam asked, turning to face her after adjusting the straps on his set-up.

Hermione nodded. "Good luck." Pulling out her wand, she cast the Disillusionment charm so that she was no longer visible to the human eye. This would help her move quickly and unnoticed.

"Woah," Sam said in appreciation, looking at where she was previously standing in awe. "I need to get me one of those." He grinned before taking off into the skies.

Hermione knew that she needed to move quickly. She was to target the second helicarrier. She quickly made her way across the launch pad, careful not to make too much noise or bump into anyone. There was a lot of fighting, and it seemed like some people were fighting back, but she couldn't let herself get distracted. She needed to stay focused on her mission.

Recalling the map that Agent Hill had showed her, Hermione was thrilled that she had made it to the helicarrier without being detected.

Gripping her wand, she began to move along the corridors. She needed to get down to the lower level so she could replace the active program with the one she was carrying.

Things were going along smoothly until she came to a hall that had two armed soldiers. There was no way she was going to be able to fit by without being noticed, so she raised her wand.

"Stupefy, stupefy!" she shouted in quick succession, stunning both of the soldiers. Once they were down, she continued on her way.

"Yes," she hissed in celebration as she slid down the stairwell to the port. Moving forward, she pulled the correct card out and inserted hers.

"I'm done," she said on her communicator towards Agent Hill.

"Good, Steve and Sam did one, so there's only one left."

"Great, I'll go help," Hermione reported.

"Be careful, they're engaged."

Hermione knew exactly who they were likely engaged with. Closing her eyes, she focused on where she wanted to be and Disapparated outside of the helicarrier she was on.

She began to run towards the third one, shouting "No!" when she saw that it was taking off in the air. She ran closer, watching as Sam fell. "Sam!" she screamed, raising her wand to help slow him, but at that moment, he engaged his parachute. She reached him as he stood.

"You don't have magic to get us up there?" he asked, looking at her hopefully.

"Magic can't do everything, Sam," Hermione told him sadly.

"Steve, we're grounded," Sam said.

"Rumlow is headed towards Fury, Sam, Hermione, cut him off," Agent Hill told them both.

"On it," Hermione said. Looking at Sam, the two of them ran towards the building.

"Bucky, you know me," Steve told him, struggling to pin Bucky down. "Your name is James Barnes, we went to school together."

"I don't know you!" Bucky shouted, struggling to get out of the hold he was in.

Steve closed his eyes. He didn't want to hurt Bucky, but he had no other choice. He tightened his grip on Bucky before his friend suddenly went slack and dropped the key.

Standing, he quickly grabbed it and began to run up the stairs. He was nearly there when the sound of a gun went off, and he stumbled to his feet, pain radiating in his left shoulder.

Closing his eyes, Steve stumbled to feet once more. He got a bit closer when he was shot once more. He fell to his knees again, groaning in pain.

He knew he had to finish the mission. If he didn't, so many innocent people would die. He couldn't let that happen.

Reaching up, he took out the active chip and replaced it with his. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he collapsed to the floor.

"Great job, Cap, now get out of there," Agent Hill said over the com device.

Steve shook his head. "Just do it."

"But-"

"Do it now," Steve told her firmly. There was no answer on the other line, but he knew that she had listened because, in the next moment, explosions rang out. The helicarriers would now destroy each other.

Closing his eyes, he thought of Hermione. He thought of her smile and the way she had made him blueberry pancakes after their night together. He thought of the sound of her laugh and the way she looked when her eyes welled with tears.

A scream filled the air, and Steve knew that it was Bucky. He dragged himself to his feet.

At least if I'll die, it will be with Bucky,, Steve thought.

They'd be together - til the end of the line.

Hermione cast spell after spell at Rumlow, but it was hard to hit him with Sam so close. He flung Sam across the room, and Hermione cast another spell, but they seemed to be bouncing right off of him.

It suddenly hit her. "Shit," she whispered. He wasn't all human.

He approached swiftly and quickly, hitting her back against the far wall. She yelled out in pain as she fell on top of a chair, breaking it. Her shoulder throbbed and immediately she knew that it was broken.

Sam resumed the fight, and Hermione tried to stand, but she collapsed. She crawled closer to Sam, who had been knocked back to the ground once more.

"We need to go!" Sam shouted, eyes wide. He turned and book it, stopping to pick up Hermione. He flung her over his shoulder and ran.

Hermione could feel herself weave in and out of consciousness. She could hear Sam yelling at someone about the floor number, and she could see fire and destruction behind them.

Her body screamed in pain, there was a shattering of glass, and Hermione knew no more.