𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗲 | TFATWS [discontinued]

𝟭.𝟴

Walker had run off after everything. The three had quickly followed him. Joey had a bad feeling about this, which was proven correct as they walked into the abandoned building the man had stopped at. Walker was mumbling to himself then shouting at seemingly nothing, the serum had changed him. 

They stood at the opposite end of the building from him, watching as the war hero crumbled in on himself. The man fell into a kneel, using the shield as a base, hiding behind it. Joey heard him mumble 'time to go to work' before proceeding to get up, whatever that phrase was it seemed to have emotional value. 

"Walker..." Sam started seeing the man in red, white and blue approach them. 

"You guys should see a medic," Walker didn't stop moving past them, his tone was deadpanned and bored, "you don't look so good."

"Stop, Walker."

He was already panting as he turned around, gripping the shield which had a side drenched in blood, "What? You saw what happened. You know what I had to do. I killed him because I had to!" His voice raised and Joey wondered whether he was trying to convince them or himself, "He killed Lemar!" Walker's voice shook with rage as he pointed at the wall. In fact his whole body vibrated with anger as he spoke. 

"He didn't kill Lemar, John." Bucky spoke from next to Joey shaking his head, Walker scoffed and turned away, "Don't go down that road. Believe me, it doesn't end well." Joey glanced at him sadly for a moment. Bucky felt her eyes on him but didn't mind since he knew she was there, her presence was enough to fight his demons and keep them at bay. 

"I'm not like you." John hissed and Bucky's eyes flickered down to the ground. 

Sam stepped over a small step, "Listen, it was the heat of the battle. Okay?" That veterans counselling is coming in handy now, "If you explain what happened, they may consider your record." Sam made a good plea but Walker squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. The idea of redemption for something he did not working for him since in his eyes, he didn't even do anything wrong. 

"We don't want anyone else to get hurt, John..." Joey's voice was much softer that Sam and Bucky's so she elected herself to try and calm the man, "so just hand over the shield and we can put this behind us," Joey spoke softly taking a step forward even if she felt terrified at that moment. But she remembered Natasha teaching her that fear isn't always bad, with the right motivation people will do anything. Bucky gripped her hand for the first time, making a move to pull her back so she was close to him instead of nearer the unstable super soldier. Well, more unstable than him. 

Walker slowly lifted his head to stare straight at Joey, "Oh, so that's what this is." The man let out a humourless chuckle still gripping the shield, "You almost got me." His voice was no more than a whisper, his eyes no longer focused on Joey but flickering between Bucky and Sam. 

"You made a mistake," Joey said praying that it wouldn't tick him off anymore, "and that's okay but now you need to learn from it, or you'll be no better than them."