Goldridge (Steve Rogers AU)

18

Once he knew Elsa was safely in the closet, Steve made sure his gun was loaded before quietly venturing out of the bedroom and along the hallway to the stairs. Any noise he heard was coming from the direction of the study - the one that was his but had been Wyatt's. Of course Jack would be in there if his suspicions were right that it was him. 

He was sure though, after all the figure outside that he'd glimpsed had been Brock Rumlow, and that had been enough to tell him that this visit was anything but a friendly drop in. If anything Steve had been waiting for some sort of retaliation from Jack. The news had spread quickly around the town after the incident in Sharon's shop that Elsa had taken the Rogers name. 

How festive of him to show up in the early hours of boxing day morning. 

Creeping down the stairs, he held off barging into the study. There was rummaging around, and if Steve knew anything, it was that Jack Rollins made a shit burglar. With the safety catch off, he  now made himself known. 

"You've got three seconds to get your ass outta here before I paint your daddy's walls with your blood". Stepping into the doorway, he flicked the light switch, seeing Jack behind the desk with the papers strewn around. 

Jack glared at him. "Could paint 'em with yours and my sisters - dad would be spinning in his grave knowing she married you". 

"She's smarter than you, that's for sure.  I kick the bucket and she gets it all". 

"And what about both of you huh? You both go then I can get back what's meant to be mine!" 

Steve rolled his eyes. "Oh come off it Rollins! Your dad knew better than to let this place go to shit with you in charge! You could've stayed, made a hell of a lot of money maybe even sharing in the business? But you made your choice, and so did Elsa". 

Jack shook his head. "You said she was smart, she would've known better than to marry you - even if it meant getting everything". 

"But she did". Steve looked at him with some satisfaction. 

"What did you do then? Make her? She wouldn't have gone willingly or quietly".

"I'll say it again - she did. Whether you like it or not? She chose the better option". 

Outside the commotion was beginning, proving that Rollins had brought back up that wasn't just consisting of Rumlow. Jack glanced to the window. "Wonder which one of us is leaving here alive..."

"After what you did to your dad? Hopefully not you - but I'm prepared to make a sacrifice. I'll let you leave on the grounds that you ever set foot here again? Then you're gonna be spitting bullets". Steve noted the gun in one hand. 

Jack sighed, his hand going to his pocket. "Y'know...I wish I could be as naive as my little sister when it comes to making deals with the likes of you? But I'm not. My dad deserved everything he got, and given the chance? I'd do it again - except I'd make sure that the old bastard would sign everything over to me with a gun to his head". Steve watched as he pulled a lighter out. "This place is going up and with you in it. Can't carry on dicking my sister and carrying on that Rogers legacy if you're both burning away". 

Raising the gun and dropping the lighter, the gunshots rang out. 

Upstairs, Elsa flinched and then burst out of the closet, gun to hand and calling for Steve. The smoke and flames that were already building were enough of a giveaway to know the place was alight and going up quicker than expected. "Steve!" She screamed through the smoke, "baby where are you!" 

The door burst open, both Nat and Yelena making their way through. "ELSA ROGERS! WE'RE HERE!" Yelena called, the three of them finding one another in the family room. "Oh thank god, where is Steven?" 

"I don't know, he thinks it's Jack and..." 

"We've gotta get outta here, can't you smell that?" Nat began to pull her to the exit. 

Gasoline hung thick in the air. "I'm not leaving without him". 

"I'll get Bucky, but you need to get outta here with us! You know Bucky will look for him!" Nat urged. 

Elsa glanced towards the hallway that was filled with flames. She wouldn't be able to get to the study, which was where she suspected the pair were. 

"You girls go! I'll get him!" Bucky yelled as he now fought through the smoke. "Where is he?" 

"The study! But I can't reach him!"

Bucky grabbed Nat. "Get her out of here, I'll go around the back and break the study window". 

She nodded, grabbing Elsa and leading her to the door, Yelena helping as Elsa fought back determined not to leave without Steve. The blonde sibling ended up slapping her across the face. "James Buchanan will not leave him! But you need to come with us!" Dragging her out and away from the ranch house that was up in flames. 

All Elsa could do was watch as her home burned, smoke and flames filling the air while the ranch hands had seemingly taken care of her brother's accomplices. Their bodies lying on the ground as everyone rallied around to get the flames under control. 

"Don't leave me..." She said to Steve quietly, not that he'd hear. "Please...I never needed anyone in my whole damn life until I met you". 

A truck pulled up  in a cloud of dirt, Sarah and Joe practically flinging themselves out of it while the elder Rogers woman screamed for her son. "Where is he!" Joe yelled. 

Elsa simply felt numb, but could only muster the strength to point to the burning ranch house. 

He looked back at the house and then pushed his wife toward Elsa. "Stay here". 

"Bucky's in there too!" Nat now told them. "He went in to try and get him". 

"FUCK". Joe put his head into his hands, a loud crack making everyone turn to watch in horror as the roof collapsed. 

Sarah simply held onto Elsa tightly, unable to do anything else until the fire services were there and getting the blaze under control. 

Then she froze...

"Joe!" 

Two figures were stumbling from around the back of house, the elder Rogers running to help them. "He's been shot..." Bucky managed to say before he coughed, holding Steve up and getting him over to where Sarah and Elsa were. 

"I'm alright..." Was all Steve said, "It's fine...was a cheap shot..." lying on the ground as Elsa sank down beside him, pulling his shirt up to find the wound. "I'm fine". 

"You ain't fine baby..." She told him. "Stop saying you are...we're getting you help ok?". 

She ripped her nightshirt to place it against the wound, hoping to stem some of the blood. "I shot him..." Steve told her a little deliriously. "He was gonna shoot you too..." 

"But he didn't. Now you keep your eyes on me ok? Stay awake..." 

"Mhmmm" Was all he said, eyes closing and opening every so often. "Sor-sorry about your home". 

"Fuck my home! You're my home! You just gotta keep those eyes on me yeah? Don't you dare close 'em". 

He smiled faintly, wanting to just sleep off the ruined Christmas so he could get back to running the ranch. However his traitorous eyes grew heavier against his fight to keep them open until he closed them. "Always hard to keep my eyes off you baby..."