The Other Rogers

Chapter 20

Bucky sat back; his hand numb from the pain Anya had suffered the past few hours. It was going well from the numbers Shuri was seeing, the process that she and Wanda were doing was working. Anya was remembering. But suddenly out of nowhere Wanda stopped abruptly, her face pale. Shuri barely had enough time to grab the Sokovian and radioed for help. The twin of Wanda raced in and brought Wanda to him. Turning to leave with his sister in his arms, his eyes landed on Anya with a sad expression, he felt the same as everyone else, he prayed that no more pain would be forced upon the recovering woman.

Bucky laid back head thrown backwards as he stopped to think. Thoughts that he had dreamt about their lives becoming floated to the surface he had dreamt that he returned home after the war with both Steve and Anya waiting.

That dream lasted until they attack. After a few weeks working for the Germans, a cult-like group called Hydra those dreams stopped. They became nightmares of watching their reactions to the news of his death. They became dark and rained with acid, that always turned his stomach shocking him awake.

A sudden hand on his shoulder had him launching forward. Panting he smiled as he peered into the anxious face of Steve.

“How is everything? I saw Pietro carrying Wanda out. What happened?”

Bucky smirked and shook his head. “There are over seventy years of memories to unlock. Some would be your worst nightmare; it will take a lot to go through, I just hope Wanda can handle it.”

Both soldiers forgot about Shuri and her presence. So, when she decided to speak up, she spooked both men.

“From what the machine has read and what Wanda did say before she passed out, Anya’s memories show to be the end of the war. She was thinking about the ambush on the camp.” The sharp intake that came from Bucky showed how much he agonised over the past.

They hadn’t been given enough time to mourn. They weren’t given much time for anything; while they were being seen over by nurses, in walked a woman who he didn’t recognise. She had brown hair that cupped her chin and her brown eyes had Steve ensnared. What was more astonishing to Bucky was that she appeared as affected by his friend as he was.

The woman had tears in her eyes as she stood in front of Steve. The men surrounding watched in curiosity and horror as Steve collapsed to his knees.

Bucky landed on his knees joining his friend in the dirt as he glared at the woman.

He recognised her now. It was the woman he had watched Anya greet, the day he followed her, along with the man Steve described to be Doctor Erskine. Holding his best friend by the lapels of his outfit, the woman knelt on the other side of Steve, her hands caressing his face.

“I am sorry, I just found out myself.”

Looking at Steve, he looked like someone who had lost his other half. Bucky knew there was no-one for Steve unless this woman and he were a couple, so that only left... Anya!

He pulled Steve to look at him, his eyes pleading for Steve to correct his fears. But the tears escaping from the dull and lifeless eyes proved Bucky’s suspicions. Tears of his own blinded him as he curled into his best friend’s shoulder. The person who Steve lost was the love of his life. They had lost Anya.

Shuri watched the two soldiers as their eyes clouded over, remembering things from the past. A loud beep blared through the silence, the sound registering deep in their minds. Racing forward, Shuri went pale and screamed into her radio.

“Get me Wanda!”

Bucky and Steve stood close to the bed, as they watched Anya’s body convulse, taking both to hold her down, as she flipped around erratically.