𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓷𝓲𝓪𝓬 ❖ 𝓫. 𝓫𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼

C H A P T E R (32) - S A C R I F I C E

"Remember the plan Cass?"

"How can I not? You've repeated it a hundred times."

Cassie didn't know what Steve's part of the plan was, she just knew she was to stay with Peggy and Colonel Phillips. When Steve sighed and gave her a death glare, she nodded quickly before turning to where Peggy stood at her side.

"You haven't talked about it, and now is your time to do so."

"Peggy, I know what you're taking about and trust me, I'm fine."

Although it was a lie, she didn't want to worry her any more than she already did. They were about to go and defeat HYDRA, who saw them as a threat and wanted to annihilate them.

Peggy had every right to worry, but she was focused on the wrong thing. But Cassie knew it would relax Peggy a little more if she told a little truth on her confused heart, so she pulled her away from the group and stopped when they were out of hearing distance.

"I miss him." She choked out, tears forming in her eyes, "Every hour of every day."

Peggy placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and soothed her with a tight hug, letting the broken girl cry into her neck. They were silent as Cassie finally pulled away, rubbing underneath her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt.

"I probably look stupid-"

"Hey," Peggy cut her off softly, "You aren't stupid for grieving over a loss. Especially a loss like his."

Cassie looked at the floor, her hands instinctively fiddling with the dog tag around her neck when Peggy wrapped her hand around hers, resting her fingers on her collarbone.

"The way he looked at you was like you were the only person in the room, because to him, you were. He loved you, Cass."

Cassie finally let a few more years drip down and tried to soothe her breathing after those words. They meant so much, but how much could they mean now that he was gone?

"Thank you Peggy. I don't know what I would do without you."

"You would probably be somewhere East of Russia without me."

Cassie let out a small, breathy laugh as Peggy led her back to the group, Steve shooting her a concerned look at her red eyes. She just nodded once in response, assuring that she was okay and ready to go ahead. And so they did.

**

"Cut off one head, two more shall-"

The HYDRA soldier was cut off when Colonel Phillips killed him, a smirk playing on his face.

"Let's go find two more, shall we?" He said with a nudge to Cassie's side.

Footsteps echoed through the hallway, and Cassie ran towards them before being confronted with Peggy who looked startled after almost bumping into each other.

"Steve needs our help." She said breathlessly.

"When doesn't he?"

**

"This is something I haven't done before."

Cassie's voice was barely heard over the loud sound of the wind as they drove as fast as they could, chasing Red Skull in a plane he had used as his escape plan. Cassie had only had Red Skull described to her to try and save the shock, but even just from the name, she wasn't too eager to meet him.

The car reached Steve who had been running in front of them and needed a lift, and he hopped in the back next to Peggy whereas Cassie was sat next to Phillips. The reached the tail end of the plan, and before Steve could exit, Peggy grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him into a kiss, and Cassie looked away but smiled softly. Steve couldn't prevent the surprised look that came upon his face, causing her to laugh a little.

"I'm not kissing either of you." Colonel Phillips shrugged from the drivers seat.

"That would be leaving her out." Peggy whined slightly as she leaned forward, planting a soft and friendly kiss on Cassie's cheek before nodding, "Good luck."

As Cassie looked up to the hand Steve held out for her, she glanced down at her friend.

"I think I'll need it."

**

Steve and Cassie roamed the empty hallways until they came across a large room, their eyes scanning over a few fighter planes, each with a certain place written on them; Boston, Chicago, New York.

"Disable them." Steve whispered, nodding at the planes as he took off in the direction of the cockpit.

As much as she wanted to help, fighting a guy with the name 'Red Skull' didn't sound too exciting, so she was content with following her brothers orders.

After she was done and a few loud bangs and confrontation words had sounded from the cockpit, she decided to find her brother and help out. She entered the room to find her brother, picking his shield back up from the floor that was by her feet. He shot her a look she couldn't decipher as she just shrugged before turning her head to their threat.

And there he stood, Red Skull in all his foul glory.

"Cassandra Rogers. I can give you the death you crave."

His voice, so husky and terrifying. A voice that would forever be imprinted in her mind. But it was saying exactly what she wanted to hear. She debated in her head everything she had gone through and everything she could do as Steve shot her a look of concern after she didn't answer straight away.

Cassie quickly moved her hand down her thigh and pulled out a blade, aiming it right at Red Skull's chest. She knew it wouldn't kill him, it was merely a distraction as Steve was doing the other part of the plan, but amusement spread on her face as the blade entered his body.

"Don't call me Cassandra."

Just after she had finished speaking, Steve came up behind him, throwing his shield as Cassie crouched down. The shield threw him into the cubic console as Steve ran over to retrieve his item.

Cassie watched as Red Skull picked up the cube and energy started to pour from it, but was covered by Steve's shield before she could see the rest. He had made his way back over to her and covered them both to protect them from whatever was happening, and after Red Skulls shouts ended, peered from above the metal.

"He's just...gone?" Cassie mumbled, following Steve to the planes controls.

Her eyes followed where Steve's seemed to be set on the monitor: Target, New York City.

"Does that mean...?"

Steve looked up at her with deep sympathy, nodding his head slowly. Cassie stepped away, biting the sleeve of her shirt as she processed the situation. Two lives for the sake of millions was a good enough cause, wasn't it?

As Cassie processed it all, Steve tried the radio which Peggy picked up and he explained the situation. She knew they hadn't of even admitted their hidden feelings for one another yet, a luxury she had gotten that they wouldn't.

Cassie listened in as he said his goodbyes, and for once, she was thankful that Bucky wasn't here. She was thankful that she didn't have to say goodbye to him, she knew she couldn't. For once in her life, she was thankful he was gone. However bad that sounded.

Steve sent her a nod and small smile as he tilted the nose of the plane downwards, facing the ice. They both watched in fear as the ground got closer and closer, until all they could see was white.