𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬

After Peggy Carter's funeral, Steve stood on his own in the middle of the aisle. Dressed in all black, he barely reacted when Natasha approached him. When he finally looked at her, he began speaking immediately.

"When I came out of the ice... I thought everyone I had known was gone. Then, I found out that she was alive. I was just— lucky to have her." He spoke, jaw tight.

"She had you back, too."

"Who else signed?" Steve finally asked, knowing he wasn't just going to lose one person. Natasha grimaced.

"Tony. Rhodey. Vision." She listed shortly, being interrupted by Steve.

"Clint?" He questioned. Now that they knew about the man's wife and children, he wasn't sure what the famous Hawkeye would do.

"Says he's retired." Natasha offered, a small trace of a smile on her lips. She couldn't believe her partner would stay retired forever.

"Wanda?"

"TBD." She replied. Wanda didn't actually know what to do. She was well aware that the public blamed her for what happened — even she blamed herself!

"Pietro and Ava?" Steve questioned, though he knew they basically retired already — he was very aware they'd be there as soon as he said he needed them. He also knew that Ava did not support the Accords.

"Also TBD, but I'd go with retiring." She answered. "I'm off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. There's plenty of room on the jet," she offered, though Steve only sighed and lowered his head. "Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path. Staying together is more important than how we stay together." She attempted, trying to convince both herself and Steve.

"What are we giving up to do it?" He asked her, rhetorically. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Nat. I can't sign it."

"I know." She admitted, surprising the super soldier. His eyebrows furrowed, showing her his confusion.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I didn't want you to be alone."

And then, she hugged him, tight enough — as if she was trying to keep their friendship together. She knew it wouldn't be the same, he did, too. He had lost enough, and he would not lose the only constant thing he had — Captain America.

●

Pietro and Ava sat in their living room, both sulking at the prospect of never being able to use their powers for real good. Everything was different, but they both felt their hearts drop at the text Pietro received.

'Check the news' it read, and Ava's stomach churned. She didn't realise it was possible for something else to go wrong at this point — but the world found a way.

"A bomb hidden in a news van ripped through the UN building in Vienna. More than 70 people have been injured, at least 12 are dead. Including Wakanda's king, T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier. The infamous HYDRA agent, linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations." The News anchor announced, a blurry picture of someone who did resemble Bucky Barnes appearing.

The two sat there, gaping at the TV. They were very aware of who Bucky Barnes is. Or was.

Steve's childhood best friend — the man he believed to be dead after falling off of a train. Up until a couple years ago, when he reappeared as the Winter Soldier.

He caused a lot of damage, but Steve somehow managed to bring some fragments of his old friend back before the man disappeared once more.

●

Hours later, after bloodshed and carnage, Bucky had been taken in. The people caged him up like some sort of animal — a reinforced glass box surrounding him so they could watch him.

He was supposed to be there.

However, there was a man who was not meant to be there. A man who had one goal — to see an empire fall.

Somethings never change. Like the words that ruined Bucky's mind and shattered his free will.
As the lights died out, the former soldier knew something was wrong.

"Желание."
Longing.

"No." Bucky denied, squeezing his eyes shut and snapping his head backwards.

"Ржавый."
Rusted.

"Stop." He breathed, distraught. He was fully aware of what happened after the words were completed.

"Семнадцать."
Seventeen.

"Stop." Bucky repeated, his metal arm trembling with effort against the restraint.

"Рассвет."
Daybreak.

Bucky screamed, clenching his fist as he ripped his metal arm from the metal holding it.

"Печь."
Furnace.

Bucky shifted down he could face one of the glass walls.

"Девять."
Nine.

He thumped against the glass, protesting against the man.

"Добросердечный."
Benign.

Bucky yelled as he repeatedly punched the glass, hitting it harder as the man continued to strip away his mind.

"Возвращение на Родину."
Homecoming.

"Один."
One.

Bucky continued to pound against the glass, almost screaming as he attempted to save himself. Just as the glass wall flew away, the man finished.

"Грузовой вагон."
Freight car.

"Солдат?"
Soldier?

"Я готов отвечать." The winter soldier answered as his face went blank.
Ready to comply.

●

When they got the call, Ava was spooked — to say the least. Steve didn't usually admit when he needed help, but he did today. That meant it must've been important.

Now, for Pietro... he did not want to take Ava with him. She was barely getting over her PTSD from the fight with Ultron, the last thing he wanted was for all of her hard work to come undone. But Steve had specifically said he would need Ava's help, and she was a helpful person! What was he meant to do?

Ava immediately jumped to help — to prove that Steve's friend was innocent, to help the man who just lost the love of his life... to prove that they didn't need some stuck-up boss to tell them what to do. She was all for it.

"Be here as soon as you can." We're Steve's departing words — so Pietro picked Ava up, and he ran.

author's note!—
hiiii! i am alive, I promise!
I've actually been really ill lately but I'm slowly getting better!

this chapter is super rushed & bad so I'm sorry for that, but I am working on the next one already!

I kinda just wanted to get to Bucky, not going to lie...

Anyways, have a great day! Much love, Kara!