The Winter Warrior // Captain America

«Chapter 50»

T H I R D   P E R S O N   P O V

"Steve," Bucky called, jogging up to his best friend. 

Steve looked up from the tablet in his hands. His eyes burned from staring at the screen for the past two hours.

"I need to talk to you," Bucky said. 

"What's going on?" Steve asked, sitting down at the table. Bucky sat next to him, fumbling with his hands, a nervous tick Anna had once pointed out to him, but he couldn't help doing it.

"I want you to know that I'm really sorry about America, we both are," he said and Steve lowered his gaze, nodding softly. "But we can't stay here." 

Steve shot up. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Bucky released a breath. "I'm taking Anna and we're going to get out of here. I'm sorry but this whole place is wearing her down. She won't admit it to me but I can see it," he explained. "I found this place for us in Princeton, New Jersey." 

Steve's mouth opened and closed a few times before he could speak again. "You're leaving?" 

Bucky nodded. 

Steve lowered his head. "I understand," he whispered almost inaudibly. 

"Y-You do?" Bucky muttered, momentarily thrown off by his friend's response.

"Yeah, I see it too. Anna looks miserable. This place is bringing back everything," he said. 

"You can come with us, Steve. We could start over, leave all of this behind," Bucky said, trying to catch his friend's gaze. 

Steve shook his head. "I can't just turn my back on them. I need to find a solution," he said. 

"You don't have to fix everything on your own, Steve." 

Steve chuckled darkly. "I have to try. I owe that to her." 

***

"Stay in touch, okay? Call when you get there," Steve said, hugging his sister tightly. The two held on for longer than probably necessary, but neither of them really wanted to let go.

Anna pulled back first, her eyes filled with tears. "We will," she told him. "If you ever change your mind, you'll always have a place with us." 

He nodded. "I'll keep it in mind," he said. "Anna, can you promise me something?" 

She looked up at him. "Of course." 

"Be happy. You deserve some peace and quiet," he said. 

A faint smile lingered on Anna's lips. "You do too, Steve. Just come with us, please." 

He shook his head. "You know I can't." 

She closed her eyes, a tear escaping. Steve wrapped her in another hug. "You're gonna be okay, Anna," he whispered. 

She nodded once, pulling back and wrapping an arm around Bucky. He and Steve had said their goodbyes earlier. "We'll see you soon, Steve," Bucky said. 

The three said their final goodbyes before Anna and Bucky travelled outside where a car was waiting for them with what little belongings they had left. Ilanga sat in the backseat, lying on a blanket. She had been the only goat that had survived the Snap. Even though Anna was heartbroken the other goats were no longer around, she was happy Ilanga was still with her.

Anna sat in the passenger's seat while Bucky took the wheel. The engine roared to life and Bucky smoothly steered it off of the Avengers' property and onto the highway, which was scarily empty. Anna looked out the window, the sky as dark as ever. 

"He'll be okay, right?" she asked her husband. 

Bucky released a breath. "I think so. He's stronger than you think." 

Anna couldn't help but smile, taking Bucky's hand in hers and placing them on her thigh. 

After an hour of driving over deserted highways and country roads, the two arrived at their new home. It was a corner house that was attached to three more houses. Upon entering, Anna found it was completely furnished already. She ran her fingers over the back of the maroon couch and smiled as she saw a copy of 'The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter' lying on the coffee table. It had been one of her favourite books in the 40s. 

Bucky placed his hands on his wife's shoulders and she leaned into his chest, wrapping her arms around herself. "What do you think?" he asked in a soft voice, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck. 

Anna swallowed thickly, taking one of Bucky's hands in her own. "I love the house, I do," she started.

"But...?" Bucky asked when she didn't continue. 

"Steve should've been here," she said quietly, not taking her eyes off the book. Back in the day, she and Steve used to take turns reading it to the other on rainy nights, especially after their mother died. It was a way for them to spend time together. Bucky had joined them a couple of times, but he wasn't that interested in literature. 

"I know, doll," Bucky said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. She turned around in his embrace, resting her head on his chest. 

"I can't believe half of the universe is just gone," Anna muttered. 

Bucky didn't reply to that. Instead, he just pressed a kiss to her hair, hugging her even tighter.

***

The rain ticking against the window was the only sound Steve could hear as his pencil scratched against the paper of his sketchpad. He didn't really pay attention to what he was drawing, his mind was too captured by his thoughts. He had lost count of how many times he had gone over the list of people that were no longer around. 

America.

Sam.

T'Challa.

Wanda.

Vision.

Tony. 

And now Anna and Bucky had left too. They were only an hour away and Steve could visit them whenever he wanted, it still hurt that they just up and left. He knew Bucky was thinking of his wife's mental health, but to leave Steve behind in this time of crisis, he couldn't understand. 

Steve let out a sigh before closing his notebook and getting up. He exited his room for the first time in hours and travelled to the kitchen where he found Natasha sitting at the counter, a cup of cold coffee between her hands. 

"Hey, Nat," Steve muttered, pouring himself a cup.

She barely moved as she answered, "Hey." 

He sat next to her. 

"How long has it been?" she asked.

After a second of thought, Steve said, "22 days, I think. I don't really know." 

Natasha looked up, running the back of her fingers over his bearded cheek. "You should shave it off. It's getting too long." 

He nodded slowly. "Yeah, you're probably right." He downed the last of his coffee and stood up. "You should get some sleep, Nat, you look exhausted." 

She shook her head. "I've tried. Once I fall asleep, I get nightmares and can't sleep anymore. Thanks, though," she answered, attempting to smile at him.

He smiled solemnly before departing from the kitchen. He dragged himself to the bathroom where he opened his drawer and took out his shaving tools. 

With slow movements, he shaved off every bit of his beard until all of it was flushed down the drain. As he rinsed the razor, he glanced at himself in the mirror. Dark circles were evident under his tired eyes. He had gotten paler too, he noticed. 

Letting out a breath, he placed the razor on the counter. Under his feet, the ground began to tremble.