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marie12141989 · 1 year

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This One Is Not A Test ch. 15

Word Count: 1463

Pairing: BuckyxOFC

A/N: Since I'm not going to be posting another chapter before it starts I just wanted to wish a happy Hanukkah to those of you who celebrate it.

Summary: Karli finds out about Tessa along with Sarah and the boys and she has to go into hiding with Tony. While she's hiding she sees the video someone took of Walker killing a member of the Flag Smashers.

“Come on Tessa, come on. Answer the phone.” Bucky said with a groan as he listened to the constant ringing. Somehow Karli had found not only found out about Sarah and the boys but Tessa as well and according to Sarah she had threatened all four of them. He hung up as soon as it went to voicemail before hitting the button to call her again, Sam had been able to get a hold of Steve and he had agreed to take Sarah and the boys to DC to keep an eye on them until it was safe again. Sam was on the phone explaining the situation to Tony while Bucky did his best to try and get a hold of Tessa to tell her to back up a week or two’s worth of clothes just to be safe but she wasn’t answering which caused his heart to sink. A whole bunch of what ifs popped up in his head and he mentally kicked himself for not being there to protect her.

“Hello?”

“Tessa finally.” He let out a sigh of relief.

“What’s going on? You sound worried.” She asked, Bucky turned to Sam who nodded his head and mouthed Happy before turning his attention back to the phone and Tony.

“I don’t know how but Karli found out about you. I don’t know what she’s planning on doing to you but she threatened you. Happy’s going to pick you up after work and take you back to your apartment. Pack up enough clothes and other things to last you a week or two because he’s taking you to Tony’s after you grab Alpine.” There was silence on the other end and he was worried that she hadn’t heard him.

“Why would she come after me?”

“Because of me. I got involved in all of this so now she’s going to try and hurt you to get at me.” He admitted. He expected her to start shouting at him but instead she got quieter.

“Okay. I was just about to clock out so I’ll just wait here.” She said and he heard the sound of something beeping followed by her turning her lock and opening and closing her locker door before he heard her walk out of the room.

“Okay. Just be careful alright? Please.”

“Hey compared to what you’re probably going through right now I think I’m in the eye of the storm right now. So I think if either one of us needs to be careful it’s you.”

“I’m always careful.”

“Uh huh. I doubt it.” The two of them laughed at that and said their good-byes before hanging up. Happy showed up rather quickly and took her to her apartment before going to Bucky’s to pick up Alpine and taking her to Tony’s cabin.

Two days later Tessa was in Morgan’s room playing with Alpine when Tony quietly walked over, one look at his face told her that whatever it was was not good news. “Hey Tony what’s up?”

“I need you to see something out in the living room.” He said quietly. A bit concerned now Tessa put Alpine on the floor and followed him out. Morgan started to follow but Tony put a finger up “Not you. This is something only for adults.” He said before they walked away. Pepper was standing in the living room biting at her thumb nail and staring at the television.

“Two days ago John Walker also known as Captain America was caught on video chasing down and killing a man. Apparently he believed that the man was responsible for killing his partner Lamar Hoskins while they were trying to apprehend the terrorist group known as the Flag Smashers. We have video proof of the incident, but we do have to warn you that those with young children might want to send them out of the room right now.” The man on the television said, they paused for a minute so that parents could send their kids away before they started the video. The video started with a woman standing by a fountain with a young boy on her right side and a young girl on her left, they were smiling and laughing and seemed to be having a good time when there was a commoction behind them. They turned around to see what was going on as did the person taking the video, Tessa watched as a man ran through the crowd shouting something a second before she watched the shield come flying towards him and hitting him square in the back possibly breaking his spine. She heard the man let out a shout of pain as he fell before John Walker came into view, she couldn’t see the man very well since he had fallen onto the steps of the fountain but she could hear him now that everyone had gone quiet.

“No! No! Please! It wasn’t me! I didn’t kill him! Please! It wasn’t me!” she could see the tips of his fingers in the air as he begged for his life just as Walker raised the shield. The woman let out a scream and covered the children’s eyes at the same time he slammed the shield down onto the man. Tessa let out a gasp as he did so before covering her mouth, she could hear the sounds of the shield hitting the man and the inhuman noises coming from him as he struggled to breathe. His legs twitched every time Walker brought the shield down and she could see his blood running beside his leg right before he stopped making any noises. Walker didn’t stop though, she watched as he brought the bloodied shield down onto the man a few more times before a thunk could be heard from the shield hitting the stone underneath.

“Jesus fucking Christ he cut him in half.” Tony said in horror. They watched as he calmly put the shield back on his arm and stared at everyone as if daring them to say or do something at that moment. She watched as Sam and Bucky came running up to late to stop him, she watched as Sam looked from John to the now dead Flag Smasher and back while Bucky ran his hands through his hair and looked at the ground while shaking his head. Before either one of them could say or do anything John took off and a second later she watched as they followed after him. Tessa left the room right as the video stopped, she pulled her phone out tapped on Bucky’s name in her contacts.

She listened to the phone ring a few times while her heart pounded in her chest “Hello?” Bucky sounded tired but at least she knew that he was still alive.

“Bucky where are you?”

“I’m headed towards the Sokovia Memorial. Zemo slipped away a few days ago and I’m pretty sure that’s where he’s headed.”

“What happened with Walker?” there was a slight pause.

“What are you talking about? Nothing’s going on with Walker.”

“Bucky there’s a video of him killing a man on the television. I watched you and Sam chase after him.”

“Yeah we went to stop him to keep him from hurting anyone. It took a while but we got the shield back from him. From what I understood they arrested him and he’s getting sent back to the states to stand trial. Not sure what they’re going to do to him but the government’s going to want to make themselves look good.”

“Are you coming home after you deal with Zemo?”

“Yeah I’ll catch the next plane home after I’m done with him. Why? Miss me already?”

“Well that and as much as I love Tony I’d feel a little bit better if I had a super soldier around to protect me from another super solider.”

“Ah I see. So it’s my muscles you like. And here I thought you liked me for my personality.” He said faking hurt, she was ready to defend until she heard him laughing.

“Oh shut up. Go hunt Zemo down and just hurry home smart ass.” She said before hanging up.

“So what did he say?” Tony asked.

“He said that they got the shield back from Walker and that he’s been arrested. Bucky thinks the government’s going to try to make themselves look good in all of this by punishing him.”

“Well knowing the government like I do I’d say that that’s a fair guess. They’re not going to admit that they messed up so they’re going to point the finger at their new puppet. It’s why Steve quit being Cap.”

“I guess this will be a learning moment for Walker then.” Tessa said before she went back to Morgan’s room.

0 notes

lizzie-is-here · 2 years

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acta, non verba

tfatws- part iii

summary: the pressure keeps adding up. how long until you break?

wordcount: 6.8k (ik it’s a lot smaller)

warnings: cussing, extra violence, guilt, death, pining, bad flirting, inaccurate google translate, sam both trying to match make and then foiling his own plans, that scene at the end of episode 4

a/n: hnggggh i don’t really like this one, it’s more filler and setup for the next part (which i promise is big). i also promise that the lovebirds will get together soon (cough cough next part which is why this one’s boring cough cough). hope you enjoy anyway love y’all🤍

series masterlist

Wakanda, 2016.

During your many visits to Wakanda, you quickly discovered your favorite part about the secluded country.

Not the bustling market, nor the kind people, no matter how pleasant both were. No, it was the night sky. Wakanda had long since eliminated light pollution via Shuri’s tech, leading to a nigh uninterrupted view of the stars. Constellations shone down, casting a light glow on your skin in contrast with the orange light from the bonfire Ayo had lit.

Barnes had protested you coming up on the hill. Hell, he hadn’t even let Steve come, and he was a super-soldier. But you assured him that you wanted to be there. Not that the Dora Milaje soldier couldn’t hold her own, but you knew that, if it all went to hell, the Winter Soldier wouldn’t attack you.

So you stood alongside Ayo as the Sergeant sat on the ground in front of the fire. You didn’t know much about the newest super-soldier addition to the team, but his body language radiated fear and worry.

“It is time,” she said.

“You sure about this?”

“I won’t let you hurt anyone. And neither will she.” You nodded in agreement. A part of you felt like you owed him this. If you had gotten him into this mess, you should help get him out.

As she began to recite the trigger words, you held your breath. Shuri and T’Challa had reassured you both that the former’s work and tech left no room for error, but the possibility still remained.

Only three words in, Barnes shook his head. “It’s not gonna work.”

You bit your lip, ignoring Steve’s worried texts. “It will. It has to,” you whispered more to yourself than him. This was vital to healing the rift in the team, and starting his mental journey to recovery. And maybe to relieve a portion of the guilt you still carried from Siberia.

Ayo took a deep inhale of the crisp air before continuing her flawless Russian. The ex-Winter Soldier’s breaths quickened and his eyes teared up. He was fighting off the Soldier.

With the last trigger word, Ayo smiled. The super-soldier let out a watery sob, relief covering his face. You sighed, tilting your head back to release a shaky sigh into the air.

“You are free,” she whispered.

Not long after, Steve came bounding up the hill, screeching to a stop when he saw his best friend sitting in the dirt.

“Did it work?” he asked you. You smiled, nodding. He raced forward to hug Barnes, you stepped to the side to thank Ayo.

“Wakanda fights for freedom. That means freedom of the mind, as well,” she replied, nodding to the two super-soldiers. They exchanged hushed words, though Steve’s whispers were far from discreet. He spoke of traveling, sights to see and all of the new things to try in the 21st century.

“Buck, everything’s gonna be alright now,” you heard him chuckle.

With a shivering voice, he laughed back. “Maybe it will.”

———————————————————————

Life was shit. Zemo made hella good tea, but after this, he’d have to go back to jail. This wasn’t fair.

“Tell me your secrets,” you pleaded, cradling the cherry blossom tea like a prized possession. He simply laughed, shaking his head and heading to the bathroom. You grumbled to yourself, passing Sam, who sat on a barstool.

“Is it that good?” he asked. You offered him the mug, but he declined. “I don’t like tea.”

You rolled your eyes. “Well, I like-“

“Bucky,” he finished, a shit-eating grin on his face. You went bright red, fumbling for words.

“No- I mean, yes, but- That’s not what I was trying to say!” you exclaimed, hitting him with a rolled-up towel. He dodged the halfhearted blows, cackling the whole time.

“But you admitted it,” he sang, pointing at you.

You flung your arms out, spilling the tiniest drop of the deep pink liquid on the counter. “I admitted it a long time ago, and it was one of the worst mistakes of my life. Did you know Nat got Yelena in on it? When I went to visit, one of the first things she asked was, ‘So you like older men?’. This is out of hand,” you complained, sipping the annoyingly-perfect tea.

“Oh, boo-hoo. Just ask the man out! You two are so frustrating to be around. You should see yourselves, all sappy and heart-eyed. It’s disgusting.” His smirk told you he thought otherwise.

“Oh, yeah, because I’ll totally just ask him out in the middle of a mission… Are you insane?” you asked, digging through drawers for snacks. “This has already been hard on him, and I don’t want to apply extra pressure-“

“I, for one, think you and James would make an excellent couple,” a voice from the bathroom said. You slammed a drawer shut.

“Stop eavesdropping!”

“Listen, (Y/N),” Sam said, tone turning serious. “You both like each other, and it’s putting stress on both of you trying to dance around it. Just talk to him.”

Zemo emerged from the bathroom in a fluffy robe. Huh.

The door swung open. “Talk to who?”

“No one,” Sam said, shrugging. “Apparently Zemo makes good tea.”

Bucky eyed the mug in your hand. “Did he poison it?”

“If he did, I’ll die happy,” you quipped, taking another sip. He shrugged.

“Well, the Wakandans are here. They want Zemo. Bought us some more time.”

“Were you followed?” Sam asked.

Zemo stared out the stained glass windows. “How can you be so sure?”

“‘Cause I know when I’m being followed.”

“It was sweet of you to defend me at least,” the fugitive said, a smug grin on his face.

“Hey, you shut it,” Sam snapped. “No one’s defending you. You killed Nagel”

“I might defend him for more of this tea,” you mumbled, pouring yourself more.

Zemo sighed. “Do we really have to litigate what may or may not have happened?”

“There’s nothing to litigate. You straight shot the man.”

“Sam, (Y/N),” Bucky called, looking at his phone. “Karli bombed a GRC supply depot.”

“What?” You asked. “What’s the damage?”

“Eleven injured, three dead. They have a list of demands and are promising more attacks if those demands aren’t met.”

“She’s getting worse,” Zemo said. “I have the will to complete this mission. Do the three of you?”

“She’s just a kid,” Sam said. You made a so-so sign with your hand.

“You’re seeing something in her that isn’t there. You’re clouded by it. She’s a supremacist. The very concept of a super-soldier will always trouble people. It’s that warped aspiration that led to Nazis, to Ultron, to the Avengers,” the Baron warned.

You frowned. “Hey, those are our friends you’re slandering.”

“The Avengers, not the Nazis,” Bucky clarified.

“So Karli is radicalized,” Sam cut in. “but there had to be a peaceful way to stop her.”

“The desire to become a superhuman cannot be separated from supremacist ideals. Anyone with that serum is inherently on that path. She will not stop. She will escalate until you kill her. Or she kills you.”

“Maybe you’re wrong Zemo. The serum never corrupted Steve,” Bucky added.

“Touché,” he said. “But there has never been another Steve Rogers, has there?”

You furrowed your brow, a crease forming on your forehead. “He might have a point,” you mumbled. “We might have to stop Karli without talking her down.”

Sam stared at you. “(Y/N), she’s a kid-“

“So was I.” You blinked, analyzing what scrambled memories you had. “I was a kid when I did all that. If someone had stopped me, it would’ve prevented a lot of bloodshed.”

“And killed you? If they killed you, a whole lotta people would be dead right now,” Bucky argued.

You shook your head. “It’s the same way reversed. Either way, innocent people died. I can’t let that happen to another-“ Another family. “Someone else.”

Sam ran a hand over his face. “We aren’t killing her. And you-“ he pointed aggressively in your general direction, “-are going to get aggressively therapized.”

“Is that a word?” Zemo asked.

“I hardly think that matters,” Sam muttered.

Bucky sighed. “Well, maybe we should give him to the Wakandans right now,” he offered.

“And you’ll give up your tour guide?” Zemo chided.

“Yes.”

Sam was quick to change the subject. “From my understanding, Donya is like a pillar of the community, right? So, when I was a kid, my TT passed away.”

“Your-“ the brunet stuttered. “Your ‘TT’? Who is your TT?”

“His aunt,” you explained, sitting on the couch near him.

“Yes, thank you, (Y/N). And the entire neighborhood got together for a ceremony. It was like a week long. Maybe they’re doing the same thing for Donya.”

“Worth a shot.”

Zemo fished around a metal tin of sweets, grabbing a few. “Your TT would be proud of you.” He held up one of the wrapped candies before tossing it to Sam. “Turkish delight. Irresistible.”

You pulled out your phone, checking the news for the latest on the Flag Smashers. “So what? We head out in a bit?”

“Yeah, I’ll give Obi Wan over there some time to get dressed,” Sam snarked, pointing to Zemo’s robes. The man ignored him, disappearing into a room to get dressed. Sam followed suit, wandering into the bathroom in a poor attempt to get you and Bucky to talk.

“Do you really think we should kill Karli?” he asked. It wasn’t hostile. Just… curious.

You chewed on the inside of your cheek. “I don’t think killing her should be our first course of action…” You sipped the tea. “But I think we have to be prepared to, if worse comes to worse.”

“What makes you think that it will?”

“… She reminds me of me.”

He met your gaze with a tilt of his head. “What’s so bad about that?”

“Uh- well…” you chuckled breathily. “A few things. She won’t stop.”

He leaned forward, taking your cup and setting it on the table. No coaster, and it would likely leave a ring on the wood. Well, it was Zemo’s table.

“You know none of that stuff was your fault, right?” he asked, taking your hands and sending those butterflies all of the books talked about fluttering around your stomach.

Despite the feeling, you couldn’t bring yourself to nod. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because you said the same thing to me. And you’re never wrong, are you?”

———————————————————————

After Zemo had gotten dressed (and presumably powdered his face) you all set off to find the GRC camp. When you made it inside of the decrepit building, you were met with a group of children playing in the courtyard. A few adults kept watch over them.

“When I was young, we used to come here for fabulous dinners and parties. I knew nothing of the politics of the time, of course, but I remember it being beautiful,” Zemo said. He seemed disappointed as he took in the GRC posters plastered where paintings once stood.

Sam nodded. “I’m gonna take a look around upstairs. See what you can find out here. And keep an eye on him.”

You remembered Nat’s request and how a market was only a block or so away. “Sam,” you called. “Mind if I dip out for a bit? I need to look for something.”

“You too?” he asked, referring to Bucky’s “walk” from earlier.

“Yeah, I have a missing person I got a tip on. I think she’s around here.” He nodded and you turned back to the other two. “You, behave.” You pointed at Zemo.

The streets of Latvia were filled with commotion, vendors hassling customers for prices and sales. It reminded you of the first time you’d met Bucky, in Romania. Maybe you’d find the person you were looking for again.

You decided against asking around. Mentioning the young witch’s name could invoke a commotion, and the last thing she needed was attention. If you were lucky, you’d spot her making a trip into town.

Each brunette and redhead made your heart leap, only to be disappointed when a woman that looked nothing like Wanda would turn around. This was very discouraging, you thought to yourself as you passed a stall selling spices. The bold scents reminded you of paprikash.

You searched for a few more minutes before relaxing onto a bench, considering how to best go about your search. You couldn’t call her or contact her in any form.

But maybe she could reach you.

You closed your eyes, feeling for the thrum of her power. Even when she wasn’t flinging red bursts of energy at an attacker, she emitted a sort of buzzing that you’d grown used to.

“Wanda,” you thought. “Come and get me.”

You projected your thoughts as loud as possible, grappling for any tendril of her power. And just as you were about to give up, you felt a presence prod at your mind, taking control. When you opened your eyes, they glowed red.

“(Y/N)?”

“Wanda, where are-“

“Hey, (Y/N)? We’re heading back.” Sam’s voice tore you away from the connection, and you cried out in pain when a ringing overtook your ears. The sudden lack of her energy left your mind reeling.

“Woah, are you okay?” You felt a metal and flesh arm helping you from the pavement, steadying you.

“I almost had her,” you gasped, squeezing your eyes shut to clear the ringing. “I… I was so close.”

“To what?” Sam asked, watching in concern as you stumbled with them back to the apartment.

You swallowed, feeling the last of the pain leave. “Nat knew where Wanda was. She wanted me to look for her,” you explained. He sucked in a harsh breath.

“And you found her?”

“Kind of.” He pushed the door open to help you up the stairs. “I projected my thoughts loud enough for her to hear. I still have no idea if she’s in Latvia.”

“The witch?” Zemo asked. You nodded reluctantly before shaking your head. “Did you guys find anything?” you asked as you made it back into Zemo’s apartment.

“No, we got nothin’” Bucky grumbled. “No one’s talkin’ about Donya.”

“Yeah, it’s because Karli’s the only one fighting for them,” Sam muttered. “And she’s not wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

“For five years, people have been welcomed into countries that have kept them out using barbwire. There were houses and jobs. Folks were happy to have people around to help them rebuild,” Sam explained. “It wasn’t just one community coming together, it was the entire world coming together.”

“And then, boom. Just like that, it goes right back to the way it used to be.” A sweet smell invaded your senses. When you looked over to the counter, you saw Zemo brewing more tea. Fuck yeah.

“To them, at least Karli’s doin’ somethin’,” Sam finished.

“You really think her ends justify her means?” Bucky asked. “Then she’s no different than him or anybody else we’ve fought.”

“She’s different. She’s not motivated by the same things,” Sam insisted.

Zemo approached, carrying a tray. Bucky eyed him suspiciously. “That little girl. What’d she tell you?” He must’ve been referring to whatever happened back at the camp.

“The funeral is this afternoon,” Zemo admitted, setting the tray down.

“You know the Dora’s coming for you any minute. In fact, they’re probably lurking outside right now. Keep talking,” Bucky warned. You pulled up a screen, running a thermal scan.

“They are,” you mumbled, reaching for a cup of tea. Sam smacked your hand away, making a face at you.

“Leaving you to turn on me once we get to Karli,” Zemo concluded. “Hmm. I prefer to keep my leverage.”

Bucky stood up, wrenching a cup from Zemo’s hands and hurling it against the wall behind him. You flinched as the glass sprayed everywhere. So much for tea.

“You wanna see what someone can do with leverage?”

Zemo tilted his head before Sam approached. “Take it easy. Don’t engage him.”

“Yeah,” you said, still laying on the couch. “He’s just gonna extort you and do the dumb little head tilt.” At your words, Zemo untilted his head.

“Let me make a call,” Sam said, an unsaid warning. As he walked past, he smacked Bucky’s arm.

“Want some cherry blossom tea?” Zemo offered.

“No, you go ahead.”

You took the opportunity, filling a glass for yourself before heading into the kitchen to find a broom and dustpan. Once you dug them from a closet, you swept up the glass and dumped it in a trash bin.

“Sorry,” the super-soldier mumbled to you. You shook your head.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m used to cleaning up after you guys.”

———————————————————————

“Karli Morgenthau is too dangerous for you guys to be pulling this shit.”

You rolled your eyes. “Oh, great. Fucking hell, hold me back before I shove a baton up his-“

“Ah!” Bucky interrupted. “How’d you find us now?”

“Come on. You think three Avengers can walk around Latvia without drawing attention?” Hoskins asked.

“No more keeping us in the dark,” Walker ordered. You grumbled under your breath, mocking him. “You could start by telling us why you broke him out of prison.”

“He did that himself, technically,” Bucky snarked.

“Oh, this better be an unbelievable explana-“

“Do you ever, like, shut up? Take it easy before you make it weirder than it already is,” you said, watching him fume.

“I know where Karli is,” Zemo said, beginning to guide your now much-less-happy group along the road. As he tried to pass Walker, the Captain stopped him with a hand on his chest.

“Well, where?”

Sam kept his cool. “All we know is, it’s a memorial. So we’re gonna intercept her there.”

“That means civilians,” Hoskins added. “High risk of casualties.” Well, at least one of them was decent.

“All right, good, we’ll move in fast. Take her by surprise.” You raised a brow.

“No, I wanna talk to her alone,” Sam argued.

“I’m not losing her again.”

“Look, the person closest to her died, she’s vulnerable. If there’s any time to reason with her, it’s now.”

Walker evidently couldn’t handle that. “What? No. Wait, no! No! Stop. Hold on. Stop, okay? I think we’re way past reasoning with her, unless you forgot that she blew up a building with people still in it.”

“Didn’t you just say ‘good’ to a high risk of civilian casualties?” you asked, smirking. He stuttered, not answering.

“Sam, you walk in there cold, she could kill you,” Hoskins reasoned.

“And if I go in hot and the op goes wrong, more people will die.”

“You gonna let him do this?” Walker asked. It took another sentence before you realized he was speaking to you and Bucky. “Are you gonna let your partner walk into a room with a super-soldier alone?”

“Um, A, stop with the manipulation, that’s my job. And B, Bucky’s a super-soldier, so watch your mouth,” you said. The ex-Winter soldier inched in front of you, as if to block Walker from you.

“He’s dealt with worse. And he’s not my partner.”

“I used to counsel soldiers dealing with trauma, okay?” Sam asked. “This is in my wheelhouse.”

Walker didn’t listen. “I know. And I know those soldiers, which is why I know this is a bad idea.”

Thankfully, Lamar stepped in as the voice of reason and probably the only reason why John Walker wasn’t dead in a ditch somewhere. “Wait, John. If he can talk her down, it might be worth a try.”

The discount Captain scoffed before realizing it was five-to-one. “We’ll deal with you later,” he said, glaring at Zemo.

“I’m sure it will all come to an agreeable conclusion. My associate is just up ahead.”

When he pointed to a young girl, he walked ahead, exchanging words and a wad of bills with her before gesturing for you all to follow him.

“What the hell?” Walker asked. You turned around and gave him a shrug.

“Just roll with it, man. If you wanna be in the superhero business, you can’t question every little thing.”

The young girl led you into a building, disappearing up a staircase.

“Karli’s in there,” Zemo deduced. As Sam headed up, Walker grabbed the Baron, slamming him against the wall and cuffing him to a pipe. You rolled your eyes at his dramatics.

“Hey. You got ten minutes,” he called to Sam. “Then we’re doing things my way.”

From there, you waited, patiently leaning against the wall and trying to catch up on rest you’d lost over the past few days. Your eyes blinked lazily as soft sunlight filtered in through the dusty window. There was dust everywhere, honestly. Not a great place for a funeral, but a good place to hide.

Just as your head dipped onto your chest, you jolted awake, gently smacking the sides of your face as you groaned.

“You alright?” Hoskins asked. You had begun to tolerate the man. You nodded, waving a hand dismissively.

“Yeah. Probably just need an energy drink or something.”

Bucky nudged you. “Or you need to actually sleep more than a few hours a night.” You shoved him back.

“Я буду, когда ты это сделаешь [I will when you do].”

“Шучу с тобой, я сплю как убитый [Joke’s on you, I sleep like a rock].”

You winced. “Don’t say that in Russian, the literal translation is ‘like the dead’. I’d hate for you to jinx yourself.”

“I’ll be fine. What’s on your mind?”

You peeked over to Hoskins and Walker. Neither of them were paying attention. “I’m not sure, just, the whole thing has been bothering me more recently.” By “thing”, you really meant your murder of your family while under HYDRA’s control, but Bucky knew what you meant without you having to say it forthright. He always did.

“You can’t dwell on that, doll. That’s what you told me, now take your own advice.” You nodded.

“I know. I know, I should. It just feels like it’s building, you know? Like one little thing’s gonna set me off, and-“ you poofed one hand, dropping it with a bored shrug.

He nodded, thinking for a bit. “You really should get ‘therapized’,” he said, mimicking Sam’s earlier words. You shoved him.

“Oh, hush, Barnes. You’re the one who got arrested for missing therapy.”

The whole time you both bickered back and forth, Walker began to breathe heavily. You frowned at his heavy sighs.

“Are you… okay?” you asked, not believing you actually cared enough to ask.

He ignored your question and peeked past Bucky up the stairwell before shaking his head. “Uh-uh. No, no, no. This is a bad idea.”

“It hasn’t been ten minutes, John. Just sit tight,” the super-soldier next to you said.

“Don’t do that,” he spat. “Don’t patronize me.”

“He knows what he’s doing.”

“You know, that’s the first time you’ve said something nice about Sam,” you mumbled.

He shook his head. “No, when we came back before the big fight with Thanos, I told him I was glad he wasn’t dead.”

Zemo tilted his head. “I’m not sure if that counts as a compliment.”

Suddenly, Walker adjusted the shield and began marching towards the door. “I’m goin’ in.” You and Bucky both moved to stop him, with you sliding a hand discreetly to the borrowed gauntlets while Barnes sat a firm hand on Walker’s chest. The Captain glared at both of you, deciding it was easier to target the ex-Winter Soldier.

“This is all really easy for you, isn’t it?” he condescended. “All that serum runnin’ through your veins.”

“What did you just say?” you hissed, stepping forward as a gentle hand landed on your shoulder. You stared up at Walker. “Choose your next words very carefully.”

He took the time to consider what shit came out his mouth next, deciding to lay on the pressure. “Barnes, your partner needs backup in there. Do you really want more blood on your hands?”

“All right, that’s it,” you growled, attempting to shove Bucky off your shoulder as you reached for a baton. Walker backed up and readied the shield as your weapon crackled to life.

“Doll, no, come on.” The brunet tugged you back, wrapping his vibranium arm around you as he tried to grab the baton from your hands. He succeeded, sliding it back into its holder and waiting for you to calm.

“Nu merită, dragă [He’s not worth it, sweetheart].” At the pet name, you went limp, sighing before nodding. He released you, keeping a hand close just in case it was a ruse and you tried to claw Walker’s eyes out.

“Wilson is going to get hurt,” Walker said, eyeing you. “He’s your friend, your family, and you’re leaving him to die.”

You froze. Somehow, John Walker managed to land a solid hit. You couldn’t let another family member die, whether it be due to your actions, or inaction.

You stared at the ground, panic building. He took your silence as approval and stormed past, hurrying up the circular stairs.

Walker’s voice boomed off the walls. “Karli Morgenthau, you’re under arrest.”

You ran, sliding into a large room where a woman laid in a casket, flowers and candles arranged lovingly around her. Donya Madani, you supposed.

With a yell, Karli slammed into Walker, sending him flying into a table. She ran, jumping a staircase as the only super-soldier on your team trailed her. You stayed low, pushing through crowds of people as you activated your suit with a tug on your necklace. Shit. You hadn’t been able to fix it.

You grumbled under your breath as you raced through the building in your old SHIELD/HYDRA suit, coming to a dark, abandoned area. Sam and Bucky appeared shortly after.

“I lost her,” the latter said.

“This place is a maze.”

Gunshots rang out, all three of you ducking at the sound. When no bullets penetrated the brick walls around you, you analyzed the sound before pointing down a hall. “That way. Let’s go.”

By the time you came to the room where the gunshots had emanated from, Zemo was passed out on the ground, surrounded by shattered vials of blue liquid, with Walker looming over him.

“What did we miss?”

———————————————————————

Back in Zemo’s apartment, he iced his head. Evidently, he’d gotten the super-soldier serum away from Karli and had begun to smash it, but Walker had knocked him out with the shield. Not surprised.

Still fatigued, you’d opted to buy an energy drink from a vending machine downstairs. Sam kindly “suggested” that Bucky go with you, seeing as the Flag Smashers were on the loose. The super-soldier agreed without hesitation.

You both made your way down the carefully designed stairs, and you marveled at how modern technology was integrated with old architecture.

“If we ever get free time, there’s more museums in Europe I want to show you,” you offered as you fished for money in your pockets. You’d swiped it from Zemo’s kitchen drawers, taking far more than you needed.

“That’d be nice. Which ones?”

“The Natural History Museum, the National Art Gallery. Those two are both in London, so we could make a day of it.” You punched in the code for your desired drink, watching with mild curiosity as the machine retrieved it and dropped it into a container for you. You pulled it out, cracking the can open.

He scanned the nutrition label. “Those things are so bad for you,” he mumbled.

You sipped the chemical-flavored beverage nonchalantly. “Oh, yeah. You wanna try?” He contemplated the brightly-colored container before gingerly taking it and taking the tiniest sip you’d ever seen.

“What? Scared you’ll get addicted?” He passed it back to you, wrinkling his nose.

“Like you? Yeah, I’ll pass, that’s disgusting.” You gasped, feigning offense.

As you made your way back up the staircase, you shook your head in mock disapproval. “I thought you liked sweets.”

“I like chocolate,” he clarified, opening the apartment door for you. Maybe chivalry wasn’t completely dead. Maybe it was all contained in one James Buchanan Barnes.

You shooed away your infatuated thoughts. “Well, when they make a chocolate-flavored energy drink that’s not a coffee, I’ll let you know.”

He chuckled before calling out to Sam and Zemo. “Something’s not right about Walker.” And back to work mode, you thought, thankful for the small break.

“You don’t say.”

He made his way over to the kitchen, flinging open cabinets until he pulled a large decanter of whiskey out. “Well, I know a crazy when I see one. Because I am crazy.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

“Yeah,” you agreed. “Crazy for trying to drink something that’s probably been in there for years.”

“I’m trying to get that nasty chemical flavor out of my mouth. How do you drink those? You’re disgusting.”

“Oh, please, you love her anyway,” Sam said, halfway a joke and halfway a blunt attempt at matchmaking. You and Bucky choked on your respective drinks, avoiding eye contact and flushing several shades of red until he cleared his throat.

“Shouldn’t have given him the shield,” he muttered.

Sam stood. “I didn’t give him the shield.”

“Well, Steve definitely didn’t.”

The doors swung open violently, slamming against the wall. “All right. That’s it. Let’s go. I’m now ordering you to turn him over.” Walker was still suited up, the shield still strapped to his arm.

“Hey, slow your roll. Shield or no shield, the only thing you’re runnin’ in here is your mouth,” Sam warned. “Now, I had Karli and you overstepped. He’s actually proven himself useful today. And we’re gonna need all hands on deck for whatever’s comin’ next.”

You watched as Zemo began to slink around, eventually standing behind the kitchen bar.

“How do you want the rest of this conversation to go, Sam?” When Sam didn’t respond, Walker chuckled smugly. “Yeah. Should I put down the shield? Make it fair?” As soon as he set it against a pillar, a vibranium spear flew through the air, embedding itself in stone a few inches from the Captain’s face.

More Dora Milaje came through the open doors. Ayo nodded to Bucky, speaking in rolling Wakandan. You managed to pick up a few words. Mainly, “Time’s up.”

“Release him to us now,” she demanded.

“Hi. John Walker. Captain America.” Ayo stared at his extended hand. “Well, let’s, uh, put down the pointy sticks and we can talk this through, huh?”

You clicked your tongue, hopping up to sit on the counter next to Bucky. “Watch it, Walker,” Sam warned. “You might wanna fight these two before you tangle with the Dora Milaje.”

“The Dora Milaje have no jurisdiction here-“

“The Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be,” she sneered.

He nodded. “Okay. Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot-“ When he set a hand on her shoulder, you knew he was done for. She smashed her spear against him, planting blow after blow before kicking him back into the spear still embedded in the wall.

“E al naibii de frumos [That’s fucking beautiful],” you laughed, watching Hoskins try to intervene but fail miserably.

The super-soldier crossed his arms, leaving one hand free to sip his drink. He hesitated for a moment before flashing an almost flirty smile. “Nu la fel de frumos ca [Not as beautiful as]-“

“Do you two ever speak in a language I can understand?” Sam interrupted, causing Bucky to groan. He was so close, and Sam just had to mess it up.

“Sam, they were making progress,” Zemo mumbled from behind his glass. You glared at him, but nodded.

“We should do something,” Sam mumbled, watching the fight escalate. You shrugged, exchanging a knowing glance with Bucky.

“Looking strong, John,” he yelled, looking over to you when you laughed.

Sam rolled his eyes. “You two…”

The disgruntled brunet stomped forward, grabbing Ayo’s spear. “Ayo. Let’s talk about this,” he yelled as she struck back. Sam went to yep Hoskins soon after, but you stayed firmly in place. This wasn’t a fight you were interested in getting in on.

You felt Zemo slip into the bathroom behind you, and you frowned. He would likely escape from there. As you followed to trail him, Ayo skidded in front of you, still fighting Barnes. As you analyzed her fighting style, you noticed something odd.

She kept targeting Bucky’s left shoulder, where the prosthetic was attached. As if there was a pressure point there. She drove her hand into the machine, and a series of clicks followed before the arm fell off.

Um. You both stared at her, you confused and Bucky a bit betrayed. She muttered something to him before walking off, leaving behind the shield as they continued their hunt of Baron Zemo.

“They didn’t tell you they could do that,” you whispered. He shook his head, reattaching the arm and stretching the hand.

“No.” He swung it in a wide circle, allowing the prosthetic to calibrate once more. You frowned, considering texting Shuri and asking about the feature. You rested a hand on his shoulder with a sympathetic gaze, causing him to soften to your touch.

You offered a weak smile which he returned, though he was still wiggling the tips of his fingers as if there was an odd sensation.

When Hoskins and Walker finally left, you three leaned into the bathroom, spotting the open sewer drain. You’d always known he was a rat, you joked to yourself.

“I can’t believe he pulled an El Chapo,” Sam grumbled.

Bucky scoffed. “I can.”

———————————————————————

The three of you strolled down the paved streets of Latvia, Sam on the phone once again. You had tried to reach out to Wanda, but to no avail. The witch was gone.

“She said what?” he asked. “Right. Hold on, hold on. I know, I know. Listen, pack an overnight bag and take the boys.”

“What happened?” Bucky asked as you leaned around him to see Sam’s worried face.

“Karli called Sarah. She threatened my nephews.”

You nodded, listening as Sam instructed his sister on where to go and what to do. You couldn’t imagine how bad he must’ve felt, dragging his family into this. One of the few perks of your situation. No one left to hurt.

He hung up, stopping to catch his breath. “Karli wants to meet. She left a contact number.” His phone dinged, likely a text from the girl. “She said come alone.”

“Well you know we aren’t doing that,” you decided, crossing your arms. “We’re coming with you.”

———————————————————————

For all of the complaining the guys of the team did about how “You girls take so long to get ready,” you were pretty sure they were just projecting. It took Sam 15 minutes and 19 seconds to change into his suit, as where you simply tugged on your chain.

As you headed towards the address Morgenthau sent, you brought that up to them.

“You know, not everyone has a magical Wakandan suit that can appear out of nowhere,” Sam griped.

“It’s nanotech,” you corrected, pushing open the gate. “Shuri would happily make you one if you asked politely.”

He shook his head as you stepped into the courtyard of the decrepit building, spotting Karli leaning against the railing on the upper level.

“Karli!” he yelled, leading you all up the stairs. “You called my sister? That’s how we’re gonna play this?”

“Sam, I would never hurt her. I just wanted to understand you better.”

You and Bucky stepped off to the side, watching from a distance.

“I see you, um, didn’t come alone,” you heard her say.

“You have to end this now.”

“I don’t wanna hurt you. You’re just a tool in the regimes I’m looking to destroy. You’re not hiding behind a shield. If I were to kill you, it’d be meaningless.” Sam glanced back at you both.

“I was gonna ask you to join me,” she offered. “Or do the world a favor and let me go.”

In the silence, Sharon’s voice sounded in your earpiece. “Hey, Sam, new Cap is moving, looks like he’s found them. Or maybe they found him.”

“It’s Walker,” he said. Bucky jumped down from the ledge to go after him, but Karli leapt as well, tackling him into a stone column. You winced, watching as Sam ran down to engage her.

“I’ll send you the location,” he yelled. “Go!”

As he took off, you stayed high, jumping from roof to roof. Occasionally, a gap would pop up, causing you to have to use your grappling hook to swing to the next building. After one particularly rough jump, you rubbed your shoulder as you ran.

“How does the kid do that?” you grumbled to yourself.

As you made it to the location Sam sent you, you eyed the glass roof. You could hear fighting below you. It was an awfully pretty building, and you hated the idea of ruining good design. Then you saw Bucky kick a Flag Smasher into a wall before looking up to where you were hiding.

“You coming?” he yelled, voice muffled through the glass. With a sigh, you nodded, and he shielded his face as you slammed through the glass, lowering yourself gracefully via hook. “You are very reliant on that thing, you know?” He asked. You shrugged.

“It’s gotten me out of some tough spots, om batran [old man]. Don’t knock it ‘till you try it.”

“I know you did not just call me old.”

“You’re 106, I think that-“

Sam’s voice rang out as you both entered a large room where the main fight was going on. “A little less flirting and a little more kicking ass, please and thank you!”

You rolled your eyes. If he hadn’t interrupted you twice now, maybe you wouldn’t have to flirt, you thought to yourself.

You went hand to hand with a Flag Smasher wielding a knife, kicking him down before grabbing a folding chair nearby. Slamming it down on him, you grabbed one of the legs that broke off, hitting the man square in the face.

“Make this easy, and stay down,” you warned him, turning abruptly when Walker screamed out in frustration. He was being held back, Karli gripping a knife as she ran toward him.

Hoskins came out of nowhere, tackling her away. As he stood up, she punched at full-force, sending him flying into a pillar. Oh, shit. The concrete cracked from his body slamming into it, and he crumpled to the ground with no resistance.

All movement stopped. The only sounds were heavy breaths from multiple people in the room. Amidst the shock, Walker wrenched himself away from the Flag Smashers that were previously restraining him, cautiously approaching where the body of his friend laid.

“Hey, hey. Hey… Lemar. Lemar,” he pleaded, searching for a pulse. Even Karli removed her mask in horror of what she’d done.

The Flag Smashers ran, emptying from the room as you, Sam, and Bucky followed. They both hit the street as you returned to the roof, following along as Walker headed toward the town square.

You got there first, watching as he threw the shield at a random rebel. The man slammed onto the stone steps of a peace monument, crumbling to the ground from the blow. Walker stalked towards him.

“It wasn’t me!” he screamed desperately, holding his hands up. “It wasn’t me!”

When Walker lifted the shield, you realized he was going for a public execution.

Maybe the Flag Smasher wasn’t necessarily innocent. But he didn’t deserve what Walker had planned. As Walker landed the first blow, you leapt.

In one smooth motion, you swung from the roof, expanding the staff you’d kept firmly strapped on your back and sliding between the shield and the man’s chest. The force of the vibranium disc caused your knees to buckle. Had Walker found serum and taken it? You pressed your hand against the grip of your staff as you struggled. You glanced down to the Flag Smasher, who was still in shock with his breaths coming in short gasps. Walker likely broke his ribs with only one blow.

With a scream, the Captain grabbed your arm, throwing you with a superhuman force. You slammed against a brick wall a short ways away, coughing from the force of the hit. Each breath sent an ache through your chest. Not a good sign.

As you gasped for air, you heard a bloodcurdling scream. Walker had continued his assault. Blood splattered over the stairs, and although the view of the man was blocked from you, the fact that Walker was stepping away was enough to tell you that he’d finished the job.

“Oh, my God, (Y/N).” Two pairs of arms help you up as you stare at the crime scene. A man killed for a crime he didn’t commit. Your stomach turned.

“He- he just…” It felt like all of your training had disappeared. The sight of a man younger than you, sprawled and beaten across a monument to peace, sent a chill through your veins. You choked out a noise as Walker lifted the bloodied shield. His trigger finger twitched as he surveyed the dozens of people around him recording his actions.

And he ran.

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