It's Now or Never

Part 4

After we went over the plan, Steve disappeared. I decided to go find him and see if he was alright. Steve was standing on a bridge in front of the facility when I found him. I could tell he was thinking of something and I knew who. Bucky.
"He's gonna be there, you know?" I said to Steve as I stood next to him resting my forearms on the railing of the bridge.
"I know." That was all Steve said.
"Look, whoever he used to be, the guy he is now, I don't think he's the kind you save. He's the kind you stop." I said looking down off the bridge.
"I don't know if I can do that," Steve said giving me a sideways glance.
"I'm with you, no matter what happens there. He may be the Winter Soldier now, but Bucky might still be in there somewhere if you think so. I know you would do anything to go back to the way it was and have a familiar face who knows you well. I'm lucky to have Sam who can do that for me, but you have the Avengers and us to be that for you." I said. Steve didn't answer so I started turning to leave Steve alone after he didn't answer me. He then reached out and stopped me from leaving.
"It's hard knowing he's out there. I want to save him." Steve said softly to me.
"Trust me I know. I can only imagine what it was like coming out of the ice and having everyone you know and care about gone. When all this fighting is done you want someone that you can call home and that's hard to find. When my brother died, I thought I had nothing since he was the only family I had left. When they needed another soldier to go on one last mission, I volunteered. It took me a while to realize that Sam was my rock." I said staring at my hands as they gripped the railing.
" You and Sam have something special," Steve said looking at me.
"He's my brother," I said with a small smile. I reached out and placed my hand on the side of Steve's face.
"We'll get your family back. If that's what you need." I said.
Steve pulled me into a hug. As we slowly pulled apart our faces hovered next to each other. I wanted to kiss him and I knew he wanted to kiss me. It just didn't feel like the right time. I placed my hand on his cheek and gave him a small smile.  I turned and headed back to the facility to get my stuff and get ready for the battle ahead.

As we headed towards Triskelion where the Helicarriers are being held, we made a pitstop at the Smithsonian for Steve to grab his uniform. I laughed at him as he came out of the Smithsonian with it on.
"Couldn't live without it I see." He gave me a small smile as we drove off.
As we enter the building we hear the man on the PA say,
"We are in the final launch sequence."
We all look at each other and head towards the door. As one of the Tech guys goes and opens the door, he's faced with Steve, Sam, Hill, and me. I step forward and aim my gun at him.
"Excuse us," Steve says to the man. The tech guy holds his hands up and steps aside to let us enter.
Steve walks over to the SHIELD microphone that everyone in the building can hear and he starts to talk. I stand next to him placing my hand close to his hand that is resting on the table. He feels my presence and looks over at me. I give him a small smile before he starts his speech.
"Attention, all SHIELD agents. This is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth. SHIELD is not what we thought it was, it's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there. If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not."
"Did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?" I softly said to Steve as I placed my left hand on top of his right hand on the desk. He smiled at me back and placed his other hand, left hand, on top of mine, squeezing it.
"They're initiating launch." Maria Hill says to us.
"Ok, we got the Helicarriers. Hopefully, Natasha and Fury aren't having any problems with Pierce." Sam said to Hill as we left the room.
Steve, Sam, and I make our way to the Helicarriers.
"Hey, Cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?" Sam called out.
"If they're shooting at you, they're bad," Steve said back.
Sam then, in his Falcon suit, flies off while Steve and I head down to the Helicarriers we have to take down. HYDRA agents started shooting at us and Sam flies around avoiding getting shot as I run behind Steve as he holds up his shield. Over the communication devices we have in our ears, Sam says,
"Hey, Cap, I found those bad guys you were talking about."
"You okay?" I say back into the device.
"I'm not dead yet," Sam says back. I look at Steve with a worried look on my face. He tries and gives me a small smile to let me know that Sam will be ok. I take out my two guns from my waistband and start shooting. After a couple of minutes of that, Agent Hill speaks over our communication devices,
"Falcon, status?"
"Engaging," Sam says back as I watch Sam fly down to the Hellicarrier bay taking down the HYDRA jets chasing him.
"Alright, Cap, I'm in."
Just then another HYDRA jet heads his way and starts shooting at him.
"Shit!" Sam yells. He manages to fly off and avoid getting hit. I shoot from the deck Steve and I stand on to damage the Helicarrier following Sam. He looks at me and gives me a salute as I go back to helping Steve with the Hydra agents as we try to get inside the Helicarrier.
"Eight minutes, Cap." Agent Hill says.
"Working on it," Steve yells back as he punches a guy and I shoot down two other men.