Like a Brother

Sam and Bullets

"You really gonna do this again?" I asked as me and Bucky walked toward Steve. I smiled at Steve, my red ruby lips curving up.
"Well, it's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck" Steve said as I walked over to him. I always looked up to Steve. He was so determined.
"As who? Steve from Ohio? They'll catch you. Worse, they'll actually take you" Bucky said.
"Look, I know you don't think he can do this-" I started but my brother interrupted me.
"This isn't a back alley, Steve. It's a war!" Bucky said.
"I know it's a war. You don't have to tell me" Steve said.
"Why are you so keen to fight? There are so many important jobs" Bucky said.
"What am we gonna do? Collect scrap metal-" I started.
"Yes!" Bucky said.
"-in our little red wagons" Steve finished.
"Why not?" Bucky asked.
"I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky. Bucky, come on!" Steve said, "There are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."
"Right. Cause you got nothing to prove" Bucky said causing me to glare at him, "Don't do anything stupid until I get back."
"How can we? You're taking all the stupid with you" I said.
"You're a punk" Bucky said as he walks back towards me and Steve and hugs us goodbye.
"Jerk. Be careful" Steve said as James is walking away, "Don't win the war till I get there!" Bucky turned and gave us both a salute.

I thought about the past as we entered the building. This is the building Sam said he worked at. Me and Steve go to a PTSD group meeting where Sam is counseling other veterans.
"The thing is I think it's getting worse. A cop pulled me over last week, he thought I was drunk. I swerved to miss a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED" one of the veterans said.
"Some stuff you leave there, other stuff you bring back. It's our job to figure out how to carry it. Is it gonna be in a big suitcase or in a little man-purse? It's up to you" Sam said after the meeting ends Steve waits for Sam as he finishes saying goodbye to the veterans.
"I'll see you next week" the veteran said to Sam.
"Yeah" Sam said.
"Yeah" she said back as Sam walks over to Steve and me.
"Look who it is. The running man and his sister" Sam said smiling.
"Caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense" Steve said.
"Yeah, brother, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret" Sam said.
"You lose someone?" I asked.
"My wingman, Riley. Fly in the night mission. A standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before, till RPG knock Riley's dumb ass out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch" Sam answered.
"I'm sorry" I said.
"After that, I had really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?" Sam asked.
"But you're happy now, back in the world?" Steve asked.
"Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero. So, hell, yeah. You thinking about getting out?" Sam asked.
"No. I don't know. To be honest, I don't know what I would do with myself if I did" Steve said.
"Ultimate fighting? Being with your sister without danger?" Sam said as Steve laughs, "It's just a great idea off the top of my head. But seriously, you could do whatever you want to do. What makes you happy?"
"I don't know" Steve said and I turned and slapped his shoulder, "okay Steph makes me happy."
After seeing Sam me and Steve are walking to his apartment we hear his pretty neighbor talking on the phone as she goes to do her laundry.
"That's so sweet. That is so nice. Hey. I gotta go, though. Okay, bye" Kate said turning to Steve, "My aunt, she's kind of an insomniac." Steve smiles at her. Wow. Really? Steve likes her doesn't he? My bro has a crush?!
"Hey, if you want...if you want, you're welcome to use my machine. Might be cheaper than the one in the basement" Steve said.
"Oh, yeah? What's it cost?" She asked.
"A cup of coffee?" Steve asked making me rub my hand over my face. Wow. I may be a kid but I know what love is. I'm gonna have to give him lessons.
"Thank you, but um...I already have a load in downstairs, and, uh...you really don't want my scrubs in your machine. I'm just finished orientation in the infectious diseases ward, so" She said.
"Ah, well, I'll keep my distance" Steve said.
"Well hopefully not too far" She said Steve nods and turns to go into his apartment.
"Oh, and I think you left your stereo on" She said.
"Oh. Right, thank you" Steve says.
"Yeah" She said Steve watches her go down the stairs before turning in suspicion to his door. We press our ears against the door listening carefully to the music playing inside.
Me and Steve go around the side of the hall and through a window towards our fire escape. He opens the window to his apartment and goes first then helps me inside, he grabs his shield for protection and I follow behind him, we look around the corner to find Fury sitting on the couch in the dark.
"I don't remember giving you a key" Steve said as he seemed more relaxed. I relax a little and cross my arms over my chest.
"You really think I'd need one? My wife kicked me out" Nick said.
"Didn't know you were married" Steve said.
"There are a lot of things you don't about me" Nick said.
"I know, Nick. That's the problem" I said as Steve turns on the light he notices Fury's injuries for the first time, but Fury indicates for us to be silent, he turns off the light and writes something on his phone and shows it to Steve and me; "ears everywhere"
"I'm sorry to have do this, but I had no place else to crash" Nick said as he writes another text and shows it to Steve and me; "SHIELD compromised"
"Who else knows about your wife?" Steve asked. Fury shows us another text; "You two and me"
"Just...my friends" Nick said standing up.
"Is that what we are?" I asked.
"That's up to you" Nick said suddenly Fury is shot three times from through the window and he collapses. I covered my mouth in shock as Steve looks out the window for the shooter then he quickly drags Fury to the next room. I follow over and stand against the wall, before Steve leaves Fury hands him the flash drive.
"Don't...trust anyone" Fury said then he passes out. Me and Steve hear someone breaking into his apartment and hears his neighbor calling out to him.
"Captain Rogers?" Kate calls as Steve sees her walking in with her gun pointed.
"Captain, I'm Agent 13 of SHIELD's Special Service" Kate said.
"Kate?" I asked.
"I'm assigned to protect you" She said to Steve and me.
"On whose order?" Steve asked then she notices Fury lying injured on the ground.
"His" she said as she goes to Fury then contacts SHIELD through her radio.
"Foxtrot is down, he's unresponsive. I need EMTs" She said.
"Do you have a twenty on the shooter?" an Agent asked through the radio. Steve notices the shooter though the window.
"Tell them we're in pursuit" Steve said as we both run to the window smash through his window and runs after the assassin. Me and Steve chases the man through an office building smashing through the walls, when we finally catch up with him on the roof he throws his shield at the assassin, but he catches it with one swift move, then throws it back to Steve. I ran to edge of the building and jumped down following after the assassin. I landed on the ground and looked around. His metal arm glistened in the light as he ran away.
"COWARD!" I yelled loudly before walking back into the apartment building. I never thought about who was the man behind the mask and metal arm.