Wouldn't Leave You (A Captain America Fan fiction)

New Mission, Right Away?

Chapter 25 - Rachel Stark

Steve places the last box on the truck and we hop into my car. I get the engine to turn over as the movers pull the truck away. The movers have his bike on the back of the truck, so I have been specifically instructed by Steve to make sure that I follow right behind the truck so that he can see how his 'baby' is doing. I remember laughing when he told me that. 

I click the little play button on my wheel, starting the playlist I had pulled up before we left. The first thing that comes on is 'It's Been a Long, Long Time' by Harry James and His Orchestra.

"I know this song!" Steve says. I smile.

"Yeah, I put it on my phone the other day. Peggy told me stories of the Stork Club and this song came up a few times. It was one of her favorites. I heard it one time when she was looking after me and I fell in love with it." Then I notice something. "You didn't stiffen when I mentioned Peggy." 

"I think I've moved on," he admits, turning his attention out the window.

"I think you should get some closure. I mean, if I could get closure with David, while he was tied up, behind bars, and if it could end with a bullet going into his eye socket, I'd sleep better at night." I say with a shrug.

"Yeah, well, my closer wouldn't end with bullets," Steve says, chuckling.

"Well, everyone is different," I say with a smile. I cock my head to the side, a thought striking me. "You know, I really don't know your story," I look over to him, finding his attention squarely on me. "I mean, I know what I've read, but I don't know anything about your personal life." 

"Well, that's because I don't usually talk to people too much about it," he starts to fiddle with the air vents awkwardly. 

"It's not like I know nothing. Bucky, I know about him," Steve shifts in his seat. 

"Yeah, he was my best friend my whole life. He served in the 107th and became one of the Howling Commandos," I nod, hoping that he would continue. "He was a huge nerd, big science guy. We actually saw your father's exhibition at the World's Fair right before he was shipped off. Actually, his flying car didn't work there and that was the only impression I had of him before going into the surgery." I turn my head quickly in surprise. Steve laughs at my reaction. 

"Not exactly the most reassuring, huh?" I question, turning my attention back to the road with a big smile on my face. 

"No, not really," he chuckles. "Yeah, Bucky loved stuff like that. He also really liked school. He always had better scores than I did." 

"You guys sound really close, I am sorry you lost him," I say sincerely. He sighs, nodding. "What else can you tell me about your life? I love this." He chuckles at me. 

"The transformation... it was the most painful thing I've ever done in my life. All I could see was a blinding light and I thought I died. When I came out of the tube, I felt really different. I obviously looked different, but I felt more confident, more powerful. It was way different than how I had felt my entire life," I look over to him smiling. "For a while, I wasn't even a part of the military. I sold bonds in the U.S., raising money for the troops. I hated every second of it. Once I traveled overseas, I left my tour because I had heard that Bucky had gone missing. I found him and a bunch of other soldiers in a HYDRA compound and brought them back to the base." 

"If you don't mind telling me, how did Bucky go?" I ask. 

"Um... we were on a mission and it went south. There was a scientist we had to capture traveling through the mountains on a train. There was a fight and Bucky fell off of the side. I wasn't able to save him," his voice trails off. After a few minutes of silence, Steve takes a deep breath.