Guardian Angel | Steve Rogers

12

Arden stole the Avengers' Quinn jet that she had used earlier with Natasha, disabling the tracker on it and headed to Bucharest. Arden and Steve walking into an apartment, she was confident was Bucky's, while Sam was looking after the perimeter. 

"Well, someone's been staying here." Arden commented, pointing at the bed. 

Steve walking towards the kitchen, picking up a journal off of the top of the fridge. Arden walking to him to peek at the journal. 

"Heads up, German Special Forces approaching from the South." Sam informed them through comms. 

"Understood." Steve replied. 

"What's with the mask?" He added, looking at the mask covering the bottom half of her face.

"Gotta be a ghost." She scoffed, looking up from the book, feeling another presence in the room.

"Hi James." She greeted, slowly turning around.

Steve quick to turn, seeing Bucky staring at them, dressed in normal clothes, along with a hat to hide his long hair. 

"Do you know me?" Steve asks lowly. 

Bucky hesitated, just staring at Steve. "You're Steve. I read about you in the museum." 

"They've set the perimeter." Sam informed them.

"I know you're nervous, and you have all the reasons to be." Arden empathized, taking a small step towards him.

"I wasn't in Vienna. I don't do that anymore." Bucky defended. 

"They're entering the building." 

"Well, the people who think you did are coming here now. And they're not planning on taking you alive." Steve mentioned. 

"That's smart. Good strategy." Bucky replied, slowly taking a step forward. 

"They're on the roof. I'm compromised." 

Arden looking slightly down, hearing the footsteps getting closer and closer to them.  

"15 seconds." Arden mumbled to them. 

"This doesn't have to end in a fight, Buck." Steve pleaded. 

"It always ends in a fight." Bucky insisted, pulling off his glove, exposing his metal hand. 

"If you're gonna make a play, now would be the time, Cap." Arden whispered.

"5 seconds." 

"You pulled me from the river. Why?" Steve asked sternly. 

"I don't know." Bucky answered quickly. 

"Yes, you do." Steve added, staring at him.

"Breach! Breach! Breach!" Sam announced, then two flash grenades crashed into the window.

Steve deflecting one back out the window, while they stared at the other on the floor. Bucky kicking it towards Steve, but with his quick reflex he covered it with his shield, making a minimal sound and flash. 

Two Germans entered through the window, Arden fighting one while Bucky threw a table against the door so they couldn't breach. Steve countering the one at the back door, holding his gun up as Arden kicked him back down the door. 

"Bucky, stop! You're gonna kill someone." Steve begged, holding his arm from running out the back door. 

"James." Arden pleaded with, looking into his eyes.

Instead Bucky twisted Steve's arm around, slamming him onto the ground, punching a hole right by his head, grabbing a backpack and slinging it out the door.