My Star Spangled Hero

Chaper 22

I almost died. There's no simpler way to put it. And I had so much regret. As Bucky pinned me down I know I should have felt regret towards the people I have killed, or the hearts and lives I have shattered. Although I regret every life I ever took there was one regret that I could have prevented. I regent not saving Bucky while I had the chance. But even that wasn't enough. There was one thing I could have done to make me die a satisfied man knowing I had done everything for her. As i fell into the water there was only one sentence going through my mind.

'I should have said I love you Emily Stark while I had the chance'

~Steve POV~

It was dark...it was familiar...it was peaceful...and I hate it. There was no pain, no nothing. I was down. I had to get up. I tried. I would think of Sam, Natasha, Director Fury, the Avengers, Bucky but nothing worked. Something just seemed to push me down. Then I saw her face, Emily, and I knew I had to get up. For her. I pushed myself to my knees, I fought hard against the darkness that was suffocating me. But I didn't do it for me. I did it for her. I did it to see her face again. 'Let me go!'

Then came the pain. It was unlike anything I had ever felt before. The light came rushing to my eyes. I knew I had won the battle. I opened my eyes and saw the plaster white hospital room. I could hear a song I didn't recognise (song above) playing quietly in the room. My head hurt like it was about to split open. I shift my eyes to see the figure of a man next to my bed.

"On your left" I mumbled. I heard the muffled laugh next to me.

"About time you got up" said a raspy voice from next to my bed. I turned to see Sam sitting there in his jogging clothes. It looks like he was asleep, or was close to it. He looked exhausted but otherwise fine. That's a good sign.

"Sam" I sigh. He smiles and nods. "where is she?" I ask. Sam points to a small table and chair in the corner of the room. There is Emily, asleep. She looks underfed and dehydrated but other than a cut or two, alright.

"She hasn't left the room, in fact she hasn't eaten anything since the day you got here" Sam says.

"How long...?" I ask, not needing to finish the question.

"A week and a half" says Sam, leaning back in his chair.

"And Bucky?" I ask.

"Gone" Sam says, he's face straight. I take a deep breath and listen to the song. It seemed to calm me, like a wave. "Yeah don't blame me for the crappy music. This is Em's playlist. She loves this song" Sam said defensively. I just closed my eyes and relaxed to the song.

"I like it" I said simply as the song ended and started from the beginning for what must have been the thousandth time that day, "it's soothing".

"I find it annoying" Sam commented. There was silence for a minute before I dared to break it.

"What happened. To her?" I ask.

"You're friend got to her. A couple of gashes" Sam said causally.

"Didn't he want her dead?" I ask, "why keep her alive?"

"I can only think of two reasons. Either she got lucky or she's a good fighter" Sam said.

"Or maybe Bucky's coming back...trying to fight it and be his old self" I said. Sam let out a snort of laugher.

"Or he got a change of mission" Sam said. I turned around to ask him what was so funny when I heard the one voice I wanted to hear more then anything.

"Steve?"

"Emily" I said as she ran over and hugged me. I could feel her gashes and her bones underneath her paper thin skin. Her hair fell in my face, tickling my nose but I didn't care. I had her here with me. We were both alive and going to be okay.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" she wept. I just shook my head and pulled back so I could see her. Her brown eyes were spilling over with tears of joy. I opened my mouth to say it...to say the three words that would change my life forever.

"How's Tony going?" I could have kicked myself. I chickened out at the last moment. It was her eyes, her everything that caught me off guard.

"I don't know...I haven't called yet. I was going to pack my bags and go home as soon as I knew that you'd be okay. Which you are so..." She trailed off backing towards the door. But I grabbed her hand and held it with all the strength I had. She seemed surprised. But she didn't pull her hand away which was a good sign, I hoped.

"Look Emily, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. And I haven't had the guts. But I figured life's to short" I said.

"For most of us at least" Sam said but I ignored him. Right now Emily was more important.

"Emily...I need to tell you something. Right here right now because I need to know that if I was to die I had told you the truth. The complete truth. I wasn't lying the day I saw you at the museum. You are a sarcastic know it all and your brother is a pain in the ass" I said hurriedly.

"Gee. Thanks" she said sarcastically trying to pull her hand away but I held on tight.

"That's not what I was meaning to say. What I'm trying to say is that I lied before we went up against HYDRA. Emily I can't see a future for me that hasn't got you in it. And us as humans get to chose what part we play in each others lives. And...I'm loosing all my courage and I'm running out of things to say to win you over. But I love you" I said frantically. Her expression remained blank and shocked. She stood frozen as i gripped her hand.

"Say something" I begged. The suspense killing me. She smiled and squeezed my hand gently.

"I love you too"