𝗀 𝗁 𝗈 𝗌 𝗍 | | 𝗌 𝗍 𝖾 𝗏 𝖾 𝗋 𝗈 𝗀 𝖾 𝗋 𝗌

𝗍 𝗁 𝗂 𝗋 𝗍 𝗒 － 𝗍 𝗁 𝗋 𝖾 𝖾

ఌ 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟧, 𝗇𝖾𝗐 𝗒𝗈𝗋𝗄 𝖼𝗂𝗍𝗒 ఌ

MARTA SAT BESIDE ANDY ON his patio one afternoon. The Avengers were leaving to go after a Hydra base the following morning, and Marta wanted to check in with her godson. She had visited Peggy briefly on her way into Washington. It had been a long six months since Marta woke from the ice, and everything was changing faster than she could wrap her mind around it all. She was on edge, waiting for the next time she would snap, and Andy could tell.

"Nobody blames you for what you did. You didn't have a choice." Andy spoke softly, a photo of his father on the end table between his and Marta's chairs.

"I blame me. All the agents I killed, their families? They blame me. This isn't just going to blow over." Marta sighed, her blonde hair braided messily over her shoulder.

Andy frowned. He knew Marta would take this to heart, and he didn't know how to help. "You're gonna make amends. I know that's the only reason you even agreed to help Steve and the others take down the last of Hydra." the elderly man said gently.

"That's not the only reason," Marta began, glancing at the photograph of Thomas, and Bucky's dog tags. "Hydra killed my brother and your father. They ruined my life. They all deserve to die." she said darkly. The thought of raizing every Hydra facility and agent inside to the ground brought her great satisfaction. Steve didn't know that, of course.

Andy gently took his godmother's hand. "Don't ruin your future because you're too focused on the past. I know everything is still fresh to you, but you have a chance at a new life now. You have Steve. Have you talked to him about what you told me?"

Marta shook her head. "I love him too much to break his heart again." she said quietly. Marta couldn't tell Steve about the dark thoughts that swirled around in her head day and night.

"Would it hurt him that badly?" Andy wondered.

"Yes. He would think it's his fault, and feel guilty for not noticing any signs. I can't do that to him after everything he's been through. Steve doesn't need to be worrying about me while we're fighting Hydra." Marta said firmly, fiddling with the ends of her hair.

Andy nodded and dropped the subject. Soon, it was time for Marta to leave. Andy stood up and nearly fell, Marta helping him stand upright. "I'm okay." Andy brushed off.

Marta didn't believe him. "Are you sure?" she questioned, handing Andy his cane that he didn't like to use.

"I'm getting old. But don't worry about me. Go be a hero." Andy smiled, drawing Marta into a soft hug.

"I love you." Marta said, Andy returning the phrase. She made him promise to call her if he needed anything before she left. Marta knew her time with Andy was running out, but she couldn't let herself go down that road.

ఌ

THE AVENGERS WERE ALL DISPERSED throughout the tower when Marta arrived back in New York. She made her way to Steve's room, knocking on his open door. Steve looked up at hearing Marta's presence. "Hey." he smiled, seated on the edge of his bed.

Marta pasted on a light smile. "Hey." she stepped into Steve's room, taking her jacket off.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked with concern, standing and crossing the distance towards Marta.

She nodded, eager to keep up her act of pretending, though it was hard. Marta was an excellent liar, but Steve had a unique way of edging the truth out of Marta. Saying anything to make Steve believe that she was fine was false, so Marta didn't speak. Instead, Marta walked to Steve, pulling herself close to him with her arms around his neck. Steve was surprised at the closeness, but he didn't dare pull away. "If Hydra activates me tomorrow—" Marta began quietly.

"That's not going to happen." Steve said decisively, gripping Marta's waist.

"If Hydra activates me tomorrow, I need you to do whatever you have to do to stop me. I can't let them take me." Marta spoke. She would rather die than be taken again by Hydra, doing unspeakable things without any control.

Steve moved back slightly, looking down at Marta's pale face. "You want me to kill you?" he gasped, confusion and hurt rushing through his body.

Marta's hand involuntarily brushed Steve's hair from his face. "If that's what it'll take, then yes. I don't want to be a killer for them." the blonde woman whispered.

Steve placed a soft kiss on the side of Marta's head. They weren't together, but they hadn't been 'just friends' since the 1940s. "You know I love you, right?" Steve's gaze bored into Marta's eyes. She nodded lightly. "I'm never going to let anything happen to you. Not tomorrow, not ever." the super-soldier promised, hand framing Marta's face, brushing against the dampener she wore on her temple.

"Promise me that you'll stop them before they take me." Marta demanded gently, her blue eyes meeting Steve's. She hadn't shown this level of vulnerability to anyone since she woke up from the ice.

Steve nodded, drawing Marta close to him again, his hand holding her head to his chest. "I promise." he whispered delicately. Steve didn't know how nervous Marta had been, and he wished he had been paying more attention to her demeanor these past months. Steve honestly felt like he didn't truly know Marta anymore, and he knew it was his responsibility to better adapt her to the world she was forced back into.

In the early hours of the morning, Steve's enhanced hearing picked up Marta's terrified screams floors away from her. When Steve reached her, Marta was on the floor of her room, hyperventilating from her petrifying nightmare. When she snapped out of her dissociated state, Marta knew she didn't want Steve to go. It was conflicting for the both of them to be in each other's arms again, but Steve's presence made everything quiet in Marta's mind.

Her rate slowed down and her breathing grew steady, all because Steve was smoothing her blonde hair down, whispering simple phrases into her ear as she tried to forget about the demons in her mind, even for just a few minutes. "I love you." Steve whispered, falling asleep.

"I wish you didn't." Marta spoke in her head, gripping Bucky's dog tags.

ఌ