Chereads / Later Doll (a winter soldier fanfiction) / Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Bucky

Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Bucky

The wind blew cold against my face as I tightened the holster around my waist, I adjusted my dagger as Bucky placed a handgun onto my back, I smiled at him as he joined Steve on the ledge. I couldn't help but think back to the last few missions, destroy every Hydra base with Bucky and Steve at my side while fighting for justice, the cold was getting to me as I watch Morita crouches over the transceiver waiting for the signal for the train while Jones listens to the transmission.

I moved towards Falsworth who stood with binoculars "how do you see through this snow?" I asked, trying to make out the track below.

He smiled behind the binoculars "it's clearing up" he mentioned as Dugan and Dernier adjusted a winch at the cliff's edge.

I turned towards Steve and Bucky stand in conversation, I watch the two most important men in my life stand together as I thought back to our times together and I could just smile at the memories:

Jones spoke up "The engineer just radioed ahead. Hydra dispatch gave him permission to open the throttle" he slipped off headphones "Whatever's on this train, they must need it badly." I nodded moving towards the two men at the end of the cliff.

"Well, they're not going to get it," Morita said confidently as he hit my back.

Falsworth looked away from his binocular "I wouldn't be so sure…" in the distance I see the train speeding towards us as Falsworth continued " Because they're moving like the devil" 

I swiftly moved towards Bucky and Steve who was checking his rifle as Bucky looked over the edge of the cliff, I overheard the conversation they were having and I smiled at the memory: 

"Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?" Bucky mentioned his eyes still on the cliff's end.

"And I threw up?" He smiled as Bucky cringed at the end.

"This isn't payback, is it?" Bucky teased watching the super-soldier as Steve looked up with a grin.

"Now why would I do a thing like that?" Steve poked fun at the thought.   

"Jerk"

"Punk"

A train whistle shrieks through the wind "you ready?" I asked Steve and Bucky who nodded.

A futuristic hydra train could hardly be seen barreling on the trails, I pulled my straps tighter on my body as a nervous chill ran up my back, I felt Bucky place grab the holster that was strapped around my leg and pulled tighter then stood, I pull my hood over my braided hair and strap the mask across my face, I felt Bucky's eyes on me, he grabbed my hand and squeezed it which instantly calm me down 

"All aboard, gentlemen! Mind the gap!" Falshworth shouts as Steve attaches a T-bar on the cable as Bucky, Jones and I grab a few that were laying on the ground 

Steve turns to us "Okay, this is a very short, very fast train. We've got a ten-second window, tops. Mistime it and you're a bug on the windshield." He mentions as Dugan checks the speed of the train against his watch.

"Better move it, bugs," he says as we hook to the cable stretching across the pass, we wait for the Dernier signal, he raises his hand then drops it. 

Steve jumps, shooting away as I, Bucky and Jones follow, we slide through the harsh cold winds of Russia aiming for the train, everyone went so fast before we knew it, we drop hard onto the slick roof, crouching down so that the pressure of winds don't push us off, we slowly crawl to a ladder of the side, Steve climbs down and opens the door with Bucky hand on my lower back we rush in behind him weapons ready; only to nothing but a dark cart with a few cargoes, we hesitate and look at each other.

Steve signals for us to move forward to the next car, weapons still ready we crept into the next car to find it empty as well, suddenly a feeling of doubt formed in my stomach, I looked at Steve worried as he nodded to take note of my expression:

"I thought they were supposed to be hauling something," Bucky whispers as Steve unhooks his shield, wary.

"They were," Steve whispers as I shake my head.

"Something is not right" I whisper as Steve opens the next connecting door, stepping into another darkened car, we creep forward when a door shuts leaving Steve and Bucky separated with me between each door, I turn to place my hand against the door where Bucky was trapped but the lights brighten and I whip back to see a massive hydra trooper standing before Steve and another two soldier before Bucky.

I turned to Bucky ready to get through but he shouted "Steve, now!!!" I turned the door into rust before kicking it open.

I ran right for the massive hydra soldier who aimed for my head with his double cannons and missed as I jumped over them grabbing some racks before pushing myself forward and knocking him down as Steve knock him out and pulled up his cannons and blasted the door where Bucky was trapped open, we ran for it when we got the door Steve pushed me to the one side and he took the other; he looked at Bucky and throw him a gun as I pulled me from my side.

The Captain ran into the room, pushing some box of ammo as the hydra trooper dodged it but ended up getting shoot by Bucky, we exhale for a moment but I feel this presence behind us, I turn to see the massive hydra trooper, I push Steve out of the way as he pushes Bucky and the blue pulse blows into me and instead of my body destroy it, the deflects and rips a massive hole in the train; I fall to the side of the train as my body stings as if it was burning.

Before I knew what was happening Bucky grabs Steve's shield off the floor and leaps in front, I try to stand to stop him as Steve shouts:

"Bucky, no!" 

The cannon fires, hitting the shield in his hand, blowing him through the hole in the wall, Steve launches for the shield that laid on the ground and threw it towards the trooper stunning him for a moment as I rush towards the hole, Bucky looks up at me while I grab the rail to climb to get him but Steve pulls me back and goes for the rail himself.

"...Bucky…" I whisper as Steve reaches out for him but the rail he is hanging on begins to break, I grab my heart and fall to my knees as Steve moves closer but just as he is about to grab his hand, Bucky's rail gives way and he falls. 

Steve reaches out in anguish "BUCKY!" He screams as I run forward jumping but Steve grabs my belt and throws me back into the train.

I land on my back against the wall then sink to my knees as the trooper appears by the door again, he takes a step as I stand up, Steve grabs his shield tightly and turns towards the trooper, he fires but I grab the blast, falling back as Steve holds me up and I disintegrated, we push forward as the trooper fires again but I grab it once more making it disappear, the trooper aim again but this time Steve runs past me and throws the shield at the trooper as I fall to my knees and hands; a raw cry fills my lungs as I scream and everything came crashing down the memories, the love, the joy, the pain.

I felt like was being ripped into two and the other half of me dead, subconsciously building a barrier around myself of deep negative energy as my forehead leaned against the floor with my arms crossed over my chest 

"...Doll…" 

His voice was suddenly so clear, everything around me stopped, I sat up to look towards the hole and saw nothing but the cold snow-filled wind.

….

The street was quiet from the guest bedroom window, life moved on like nothing happened like there wasn't a war at play or like they didn't lose one of the best soldiers defending their sores, I took a deep breath in as I felt the ache of sleep, immobile muscles and grief settled in my lower back but I ignored it, along with the pain of empty in my stomach; I cuddle Bucky's shirt against my skin and his boxes coated my legs, I sniffed his scent and closed my eyes imagining his smirk and bright blue eyes.

"Tam" Steve's voice echoed around the room, I didn't turn to look at him "Tam" he acrimoniously approached me.

Tears rimmed my eyes "I could've saved him" I whispered with my fingers to my lips.

"Tam…" his voice softened.

I stood to my feet "I COULD'VE SAVED HIM!!" I shouted moving towards him, his shoulders hunched over which looked odd in his formal dress "It's all my fault" I expressed as Steve stepped forward but I raised my hands "what...I feel so lost" my body crumbled as I fell to the floor, Steve caught me and pulled me to my chest "how do I live without him, how do I breathe, it feels like a part of me has been ripped out" I shook in his arms while he placed my head into the crouch of his neck "I still hear his voice, ringing in my ears and those big unrealistic dreams of his, I feel his touch, his warmth but when I turn to face him, he is gone" I looked into Steve's eyes "what's next? How do I…" 

"He will always be here with us until the end" he whispered holding my face "we just have to move on and make the next best step" 

"Can't just leave him…" I shook in his arms as he pulled me close again.

"Then take him with you" Steve whispered into my hair until he push away from me, he searched his pocket for something "here" he hands a ring, it was silver bend like vines holding a greenish orange gew in the middle of it "he wanted to give you this, saved up three years to make it for you, now you can take him with you anywhere"

I stared at the ring, letting my finger caress the silver metal and softly move off the stone, suddenly this urge of dry raw emotions welled up in my eyes causing pain to dwell behind them and my throat filled up with water, I let my head fall and dry heaving pull through my throat as Steve held to his chest again; I shook in pain, grief and ache at what might have been if wasn't so stubborn.

….

I stood against the elevator wall waiting as it dropped deeper into the ground, with a ring between my fingers, it hung on a chain around my neck when the door dinged, I moved down the stairs as the group came into view, Steve, Peggy, Howard and the invaders stood around the table in the briefing as Colonel Phillip with a frown on his face; Peggy gave me a pity smile as Steve eyed me down as I joined Colonel Philip:

"Good" he whispered "you are here" he grimed "Johann Schmidt belongs in the bughouse. He thinks he's a god and he's going to blow up half the world to prove it." He stabbed his finger on the map "Starting with the U.S.A." 

"That's insane." Dugan gasped soundly.

"So's Hitler, but he's gotten pretty far with less than Schmidt has," Peggy says looking at the Colonel as the intensity grew.

"But Hydra would need millions of men, fleets of transport. They'd have to be fed, fueled-" Falsworth mentioned but Howard shook his head.

"Schmidt's working with powers beyond our capabilities. He gets across the Atlantic, he'll wipe out the entire eastern seaboard in an hour." Howard said as I watched him closely.

Colonel stares at me "we have powers" I looked down at the map again

"Powers we have no control over" I whispered as Steve looked between the Colonel and me.

"Every able-bodied man we have is either here or in the Pacific. Our borders are wide open." Steve moved the conversation along.

"How much time have we got?" Jones asked, watching the Colonel.

"According to my new best friend, under twenty-four hours." Colonel's words brought a pit to my stomach as dread filled the silence.

"Where is he now?" Steve asked as I pointed to a spy photo of a mountain.

"Hydra's last base is here, in the 

The Alps…" I said as everyone looked at me "Five hundred feet below the surface" Morita got a closer look at the map

"What are we supposed to do? It's not like we can just knock on the front door." Morita says as the room goes silent, we all turn to look at Steve.

After the briefing Steve grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the group, he stared at me intensely as I looked at the Colonel and I knew what he was expected from me but Steve pulled my arm to get my attention again:

"Are you sure about this?" Steve implored as I looked down at my fingers "it's too soon" he watched my powers shiver through my veins.

"I need to" I grabbed his hand "for him" Steve smiled down at me "but I need to show you something" I pulled his arm as we left the base walking into the laboratory area.

….

The forest clouded our vision as I strapped on my necessary weapons, the uniform I wore was a prototype Mr Stark and I were working on, it suppose to mimic the person wearing it, it also had an open back but for Steve sake, places to put attachments onto it even though I could use my power to take down the whole place; I was about to kneel to tighten the strap on my leg but I paused, a quick flash of Bucky face went through my mind, I stepped back as if the memory frightened me but Steve kneel to tighten my straps which brought me back into reality.

I smiled at him "for Bucky" he whispered, holding up his hand.

I grabbed his hand, making a fist for Bucky "For him" I whispered as I gave a sad smile before hurrying off to my spot.

Wind flee through me as I ran through the woods towards the base gates, once it was in my vision and I lifted the communication device to my mouth "target in view" I heard the sound of engines as I leapt over the wall and broke into the fort, rusting the metal doors before kicking them down; I happened once two surprised toppers who turned towards me with a hydra weapon.

One-shot hit my chest but I just smirked as the blue glow evaporated. "Gute Nacht," I said as I punched the one into dust and kicked the other into liquid, I grabbed the hydra weapon and turned it into liquid "right side, clear" I walked out into the base to find a few troopers aiming their weapons "buy me some time" 

"How much?" Steve's stressed voice sounded through the device.

"Twelve minutes," I said before the troopers began to explode before me, while tanks moved towards me and I ran for the left side, one shot and I was knocked off my feet.

I jumped up and ran for the tanks, leaping onto the glacis plate, hopping over the main gun and smashing the commander's MG pulling the man out, destroying the tanks to rust before running back to the left side, I exposed the door open knocking out the men in it before destroying the weapon "clear!" I shouted into my communication device. 

I walked out of the fort to greet Steve but all o got was a tank going for the entrance, I ran after as I saw Steve coming towards us, I aimed for the tanks and the whole thing exposed just as Steve rode through it, in that short moment I jumped onto Steve's bike and as we rode deeper into the base; he jumped off as I rode between troopers, tanks and anyone who might get in the way; I aimed for the massive doors before exploding them and jumping off the bike when it crashed into the building.

I transformed into my true form, the ribbons of red-coated my body as I exhaled while my body sensed differently, my sight was better, my sense of smell and my swiftness energized my body, I took a step back before sprinting down the hallways, grabbed troopers as I went turning them into dust or ash or just melting them while I conjured creature to follow close behind; I finally stood before Schmidt's lab/office, I teleported to the where the cube had been but found it empty.

"It's not here?" I said into the device, suddenly feeling a presence behind me.

"Magnificent" his voice cut through my body bringing a chill to my skin "the power you hold, truly magnificent" he gasped "turn!!!" He shouted which made me jump.

I lifted my hands "I don't fear you" I whispered as I moved towards him "one movement and you are done" I moved my fingers conjuring up in his mind but he raised his hand.

Suddenly the door opens and Steve comes in dragged in by guards, instantly my powers wither away and replaced with normal skin, our eyes meet as Schmidt takes this opportunity to grab my waist and place the weapon against my neck, Steve struggles but the guards hold him tight, Schmidt shoots the gun then holds the nose, burning skin as I let out a yell:

"Arrogance may not be a uniquely American trait...but I will say you do it better than anyone else." He pushes us towards Steve, he leans in his space, teeth gleaming "There are limits to what even you can do, Captain. Or did Erskine tell you otherwise?" He said in a condescending tone.

"He told me you were insane. That seemed like enough." Steve sneered while keeping eye contact with me. 

"He resented my genius and tried to deny me what was rightfully mine." He shouted, I felt the rage filling his soul, the jealousy "Yet he gave you everything." I could feel how wounded he was. "What made you so special?" He hissed.

"Nothing…" Steve stared into Red Skull's sunken eyes.  "I'm just a kid from Brooklyn." 

I felt the fury pull from Skull's body, in a huff of wind I threw across the office, I hit the wall hard as my breath was lost before I could stand to my feet, I was shot in my stomach, the burned, disintegrating my insides as I yelled, moving into to lay against the wall as my body began to reconstruct.

Steve tries to break free but Red Skull turned to him and punches him in the face, the guards grip Steve's arms, holding him up as the Skull batters the poor soldiers, again and again, which I closed my eyes as I heard each sickening sound, after what seems like forever the Skull stepped back. Steve pants after being beaten and exhausted but he looked into the Red Skull's eyes and smirks, his famous smirk and whispers:

"I can do this all day." He said in a bit of a whimper.

"I believe you can. But I am on a schedule." He steps away from Steve and pulls out his Luger. 

"So am I." He smiled at the sound of the T-bar moving down the wire. 

We all turn towards the big glass window to see three specks in the distance flying straight towards the glass, I ran towards the glass as Skull turned towards Steve to shoot him but he swings a guard around to block the blast, I broke the glass as Dugan, Falsworth and Jones through the window on the zipline, Jones lands on Skull's desk away; zipline extends from a powerful grappling gun as Morita barks in radio

"We're in! Go! Go! Go!" He shouts " Assault team! Go!" Morita turns to me "Go! Meet up with them" I nodded 

I turn to Steve see Falsworth cut off a guard as Steve runs after the Red Skull, once he was down the hall I transform once more as the invaders stare at me before I swiftly disappear down the hallway, moving through trooper, Exploding each door I come across, Hydra Trooper run towards the entrance but I teleport onto their back, just destroying them.

I came around the entrance as I took down the other Trooper as I landed in a crouch as four Hydra Troopers back up firing, I turned the one into spores while the second one tried to hurl a grenade but I slam my foot off the ground as it opens up and the man falls in and grounds closes, I throw the grenade at the third, he explodes; I turn to the fourth, he begins to panic but I lift my hands and cause a cut motion and his head falls to the ground.

I stare at the head as it rolls to my feet, not realising the two more came up behind me, a gunshot rings and I turn to Colonel Phillips holding a smoking gun:

He moves towards me and pats my back, I transform back into my human state  "Let's go find two more." As a dozen marines follow up behind him. 

Peggy appears and grabs my arm "where is Steve?" She asked as I turned towards the hallway I came from.

"This way" we run down the hallway side by side.

We were run side by side, I destroy anything in our way, any labs, any office, I destroyed the reminisce of Hydra so that they may not raise again, I was so caught up in what I was doing that Peggy had to pull me back before entered a two way crossing down the corridors, she pushed me against the wall and she fired her rifle at one of the flamethrower troopers:

"You're late," Steve walks up to her as she stares into his face, I watch her eyes caress each feature and a sting of jealousy settles in my chest. 

"Tell me you're not complaining" she teased as Steve got distracted by her eyes but she got him on track again "Weren't you about to...?" She nodded to the door.

Steve shook awake "Right." He turns towards me and gives me a nod "see you on the other side" He sprints for the door, sliding below the shield, grabbing it as he goes. 

We watched the doors slam behind him, Peggy shook off her distraction then turned to give me a smile before waving the squad of SSR Troops to follow her, I turned to stare at the doors once more before running after them.

….

We make our way around the base, watching the Hydra Troopers retreat, I look towards the runway to see Steve running towards a jet, I grab the Colonel's arm:

"He is not gonna make it," I say, he grabs my hand and we run for the platform.

We find dozens of vehicles lined up, ready to go, we jumped into the most accessible one, a black coupe and drive off towards the runway, catching up to Steve long strand, finally catching up we pull up next to him, still going: 

"Get in." The Colonel says as Steve jumps in without the car ever slowing down, wind hitting us in the face as  Peggy chambers a round into the Colonel's shotgun "can you catch up?" He turns to me.

"He has a head start with Caps weight, I wouldn't be able to" I whispered as we kept our eyes on the jet.

We gain on the plane but do not catch up but the bomber rear propellers pick up rapidly, causing a massive gap between but in a quick click, the Colonel switches on the toggle and the car leaps forward, throwing us back, I grab Peggy's waist as Steve careful climbs over the windshield and steadied himself:

"Closer!" He shouts as the Colonel floor it, to the massive propeller, Steve drops just as the propellers cuts unto the door ornament, I look at Peggy as she sends me a worried look, the Colonels moves the car next to the jet massive tire "how it steady this time" Steve comments ready to jump 

But Peggy screams "wait!" She grabs Steve by the neck and kisses him deeply yet rushed, they break away and Steve is wide-eyed "Go get him." Steve just nods stunned at what just happened, he looks to the Colonel, who is just as uncomfortable as me.

"I'm not kissing you!" The Colonel shouts as Steve looks at me.

"See on the other side" I shouted as he nodded.

Suddenly the bombers boost forward as Steve braces himself on the hood, the Colonel pulls to within inches of the spinning wheel but the jet bursts off of the tunnel and I spot the gorge ahead, I grab the Colonel's arm as he slams on the brakes at the last moment and Steve leaps, just making the landing and the jet shoots over the edge, flying into the sky; the Colonel skits forward and I jump out of the car, running for the edge to see him safely hanging on.

….