A Soldier's Journey

Part 29: Breaking and Healing

It's been about a year since everything has happened with Ultron. The new team has been training constantly and Wanda and Sam have come a long way. We've also been following leads on Rumlow, which has been a challenge on its own. Steve and I are as strong as ever and incredibly happy.

We are awoken by a blaring alarm throughout the building. Steve shoots up to a sitting position and I pull the pillow over my head groaning. "Friday?" Steve asks. "We have a siting of Brock Rumlow." Friday answers. Steve seems to relax. "Tell the team to get ready. We leave in 10 minutes." Steve says. "Right away, sir." Friday answers.

Steve pulls the pillow off my face and kisses me, then gets ready. I soon get up and change into my suit, which Tony changed for my birthday last year. It's now a black catsuit with a dark purple fabric down both sides. Along with a dozen holsters for guns and knives.

After I change, I pack a bag for Steve and I and put my hair in a high ponytail to keep it out of my face. I then go downstairs with everyone else. The team go up to the jet and take our places. We all pretty much know the drill, so Steve doesn't have to say anything.

We soon land in Kosovo. The whole team seems to be still half asleep except Nat. I'm not even sure if she does sleep. We all shuffle out of the jet. The team separates, but Steve always likes for me to stay beside him, so I stay by his side. We sneak into the "hydra base" and follow the empty hall. Steve peaks around a corner, then turns to me. "Stay here." He says before disappearing around the corner. I hear him say "all clear" quietly, so I follow him again, keeping a distance between us just as he motioned. We both perk up as we hear a distant explosion. Something catches Steve's attention and he turns back to me. I can see a fear in his eyes that I've never seen and it sends a shiver down my spine. He throws his shield at me and I catch it. When I look back up to him, all I can see is the large explosion right in front of me. I hold up the shield as fast as I can and get blown back.

The whole world seems to go dark.

My eyes slowly flutter open and my ears ring, unable to grasp what just happened. I feel the familiar warm, thick blood drip down my head. My whole body feels numb, except for the cold metal of Steve's shield against my arm. Steve! I shoot up, despite my already pounding headache and cut legs.

The building still seems intact with the roof overhead, which means it was a simple bomb, maybe grenade instead of a missile.

I get to my feet and begin searching through the room, trying to find Steve. I call his name, not caring who else can hear. I think I've searched the whole room when I see his arm under a bunch of fallen rubble from the room. I run across the room. Throwing the rubble off of his body as I approach. I kneel down beside him, taking in his appearance. "Oh god." I mumble. His head has a huge gash across his temple, blood coursing down his neck. Cuts and bruises all over the visible part of his body. I check his pulse and slightly relax when I feel the beat.

I lift my hand up to my ear. "Hello. Anyone on comms?" I ask. The line turns to static for a few seconds, then I hear Nat's voice. "Lauren? Lauren where are you? Are you okay?" Nat asks. "Yeah, yeah. There was an explosion on the East side of the building. I'm okay, but Steve's still unconscious." I say, panic evident in my voice. "Can you get him to the jet?" Nat asks. "Yeah, we'll be there." I say. "Alright, we're all here and everyone else is okay." Nat says. I sigh in relief and lift Steve with my telekinesis, carrying him with me as I make my way through the rubble.

~~~

"Is he going to be okay? What's going on? Nobody will tell me anything." I say frantically as Tony walks out of Steve's hospital room. Tony grabs my arms and looks into my eyes. He seems calm, but there's something he doesn't want to tell me. "He'll be fine. He woke up about a half hour ago, but..." Tony says, stopping himself halfway. "But what?" I ask. "He doesn't remember anything from when he returned from the ice. The questions only confused him and made him freak out." Tony says. "He... he doesn't remember? Anything?" I ask. "No. And I think we should keep everything that we know to ourselves. He thinks that he just came out of the ice and is having a hard time." Tony says. "Can I see him?" I ask, remembering the first time we saw each other after he came out. Tony nods and I rush past him into Steve's room.