The Falcon, The Winter Soldier, and The American Dream

Chapter 1

A/N: Shannon Carter's face claim for this story is actress, Gracie Dzienny. 

Sam was talking to Torres about the Flag Smashers when his sister came in and told him to turn on the news.

"You need to see this." Sarah told him handing him the remote.

Sam turns on the TV and changes it to the live news station. On screen was a military general talking to the press.

"America is in dire need of a hero. A hero like Captain America! And so, I present to you, Lieutenant Shannon Carter....THE AMERICAN DREAM!" the military general said.

Then a blonde woman steps out in a red, white, and blue uniform carrying the shield...Steve's shield.

"Are...are you upset?" Sarah asked carefully.

"No...why would I be?" Sam replied confused.

"Because they gave the shield to somebody else, instead of you." Sarah said.

"Look, I'm just glad they didn't give it to some random white dude. I mean, this is Sharon's cousin. I know Sharon, I trust Sharon, so Shannon here is a great choice to be the next one to wield the shield. H*ll, I'm surprised they actually went with a woman...this is a huge step in the right direction." Sam said turning the TV off.

"I just hope they'll treat her like a hero instead of some pretty face on a poster. You know she'll have to work twice as hard to be considered as half as good as any man." Sarah replied folding her arms.

A week later Shannon sits in the JROTC locker room in her alma mater, working up the courage to go out into the football field for the Good Morning America interview. Shannon grew up idolizing Captain America, so this right here was a dream come true for her. She knew that she would face some strife from misogynistic jerks just for the sole fact that she's a woman, but that isn't going to stop her from working hard to be the best hero she can be.

"Miss Lieutenant Carter, we're about to go live." a set tech said.

"Okay, I'm ready." Shannon replied standing up and putting on her helmet.

In his small apartment, Bucky sits in the floor watching the Good Morning America interview about the new female Captain America known as the American Dream. He wasn't upset that Shannon was given the shield, in fact he had absolutely no problem whatsoever about there being a female cap. What he was upset about was that Sam just...gave up the shield like it was nothing...like it meant nothing that Steve trusted him with it.

"Why'd you give up the shield?" Bucky asked Sam in the hanger.

"It's nice to see you too, Bucky." Sam replied sarcastically.

"Answer me, why'd you give it up!?" Bucky snapped.

"Why do you care? What...do you have a problem with Shannon or something?" Sam asked.

"No, I don't. I don't at all. What I don't understand is that you just threw away the last thing Steve gave to you, the last thing he trusted you with." Bucky replied angrily.

"Look here, metal arm, you don't get to ignore my texts and calls for two months and then just show up and start yelling at me!" Sam shouted.

"Do you have any idea how worried I've been about you?" he asked, his tone softer.

"Oh, if you were "so worried" why didn't you come and see me in person, huh?" Bucky asked.

"I...I-I..." Sam stammered.

"See, just what I thought. You don't give a d*mn about me. You only ever tolerated me because of Steve. And now that he's gone...you don't have to deal with me anymore." Bucky said clenching his jaw.

"Bucky...th-that's not true." Sam argued.

"Just...don't....save whatever lame excuse you have. What's all this about? What are you up to?" Bucky said, changing the subject.

Sam tells Bucky about the Flag Smashers and Bucky insists that he come along, even though Sam told him not to. Now the two were sitting across from each other, having a staring contest of sorts.

"So, what's the plan?" Bucky asked, breaking the silence.

"We stop the bad guys." Sam answered.

"That's...that's not a plan." Bucky complained.

"Of course it is, Buck." Sam smirked.

"Don't call me that!" Bucky grumbled.

"Why not? Steve called you that." Sam asked walking over to the door of the plane.

"Steve knew me longer. And he had a plan." Bucky replied.

Opening the plane's door, Sam extends his wings and jumps out.

"Aren't ya coming, old man?" Sam asked with a chuckle.

Bucky rolls his eyes then stands up and walk over to the open door of the plane. He hesitates a little before jumping out without a parachute. Unlike Steve...Bucky's landing wasn't so graceful. He hits just about every single branch of a tree before going splat on the ground on his back, with his arms and legs sprawled out. RedWing, Sam's drone, hovers over him.

"Dude...I got the whole thing on camera." Sam's laughter came through the drone.

"Get that thing out of my face before I break it." Bucky grunted.

The two of them meet up and head towards a warehouse that the Flag Smashers were targeting. They were loading stuff onto trucks and Sam saw that one of the trucks had what looked to be a hostage in it. They chased after the trucks, Bucky jumping onto the back of the one with the supposed "hostage" in it. But that didn't work out that well...the "hostage" was actually one of the Flag Smashers, and she had super soldier strength and kicked Bucky onto the windshield of the truck behind him. A fight breaks out and Bucky ends up hanging on for dear life on the underside of a truck while Sam fought other super soldier powered Flag Smashers on the roof of the trucks. Suddenly, a shield comes flying in and hits one of the Flag Smashers. As it bounced back, a woman in american flag themed clothing catches the shield as she lands on the truck. That woman is...the American Dream.