𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍━︎━︎P. Carter ✓︎

𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

CHAPTER NINETEEN:
COULD HAVE SAVED HIM

ONE BY ONE, THE HYDRA bases were going down. Steve, Celeste, Bucky, and the rest of the Howling Commandoes weren't kidding when they said they were going to kick ass. They killed anyone that tried to stop them, they destroyed the buildings, before reporting back to base and letting them know which one to take off the map. A film of their time had already started bouncing around the United States, and Evelyn found a small smile creep up on her lips when she saw the camera zoom in on a compass Steve held that had a picture of her in it. She knew that Steve missed her, just like she missed him, but they both agreed it had to be done.

The Nazi flags seemed to disappear faster and faster, having taken another from the board and handed it to Peggy who placed it in the box with all of the others. So many emotions were running through her. She was excited that they were doing something, that they were winning. But she was terrified because her entire family was out there fighting those assholes. Steve, her brother. Bucky, who was basically her second brother. And Celeste, her best friend.

She was anxious. They were supposed to be hitting a train soon, with Celeste, Bucky, and Steve being the ones to actually go inside of it and fight of these people and grab the weapons that they had stored. She sat there, her knee bouncing up and down as she waited to hear anything. Peggy watched the woman with a small frown before walking over to her and handing her a cup of coffee.

     "Thank you." Evelyn replied, grabbing the drink and taking big gulps.

     "Whoa, slow down there." Peggy chuckled, taking a seat beside of the woman. "This is your third one in the past hour. I'm going to have to cut you off before you have some kind of coffee addiction."

     "Oh we can't have that." Evelyn joked and Peggy smiled, glad to know that even in a stressful time such as this, she still had the ability to crack a joke, even if it was small. She found herself staring at Evelyn for a reason she didn't know or quite understand. All she knew was that she hated seeing Evelyn like this and she wanted so desperately to fix it. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to stare?"

     Peggy blinked, quickly turning her head away as she felt her cheeks grow hot. Why was she suddenly feeling so giddy and embarrassed? Evelyn only rose an eyebrow as she looked at the agent, ignoring the butterflies that seemed to erupt in her stomach and Peggy's clear embarrassment. "Sorry."

     "Don't apologize." Evelyn shrugged, causing Peggy to glance at her, watching as Evelyn shot her a small smile. "I don't mind."

     "Evelyn." The sound of Celeste's voice made her smile, before it fell upon noticing the tears that were falling down that angels cheeks. Evelyn slowly stood up, placing the cup down on the table. Had something happened to her brother?

     "Celeste, hey. What's wrong? Is Steve alright?" Evelyn immediately became panicked but stopped when Celeste nodded her head. A fresh wave of tears seemed to fall over the blonde as she shook her head, trying her hardest to hold back her sobs.

     "It's not Steve. It's Bucky." Her heart stopped. "Evelyn. . . Bucky's dead." She froze. Shock seemed to overtake her body at Celeste's words, echoing in her head over and over. She didn't even realized when she had asked how it happened. Celeste wiped her tears. "We were on the train, fighting. Steve, Bucky, and I got knocked down by this robot thing. Bucky wanted to be the hero, picked up Steve's shield, robot blasted him right out of the train. He held on. . . I was so close to reaching him. My fingers were touching his, but the railing he was holding broke and he. . . and he fell. Evelyn, I'm so sorry."

Celeste couldn't help herself as she broke into sobs, and Evelyn felt herself standing there, frozen. Her mind was blank, she didn't know what to do. Her arms automatically reached out, pulling Celeste to her chest and hugging the angel and she sobbed. It wasn't until then that it registered that Celeste had watched the love of her life die. Reality slammed into Evelyn at full force. She let the tears take over her body as she sobbed, holding tightly onto Celeste as the two comforted one another.

     "It's not your fault." Evelyn managed to say after catching her breath. "You hear me?" She pulled away, forcing Celeste to look at her. Celeste shook her head in denial whilst Evelyn wiped away the tears from the angels cheeks. "It is not your fault that he's dead."

     "He was so close. I was so close." Celeste whimpered. "Why aren't you yelling at me? Hitting me? Blaming me? I could have saved him."

     "There was nothing that you could have done, Celeste." Evelyn swallowed thickly, shaking her head.

     "Evelyn's right." Peggy softly spoke. "His death isn't your fault."

     "I gotta. . ." Evelyn took a step back, jutting her thumb towards the opening of the tent. "Steve. I gotta go find my brother." She clenched her jaw for a moment before turning on her heel and walking out of the tent. Eventually, she found him in an old bar, sitting by himself with a drink in hand. Evelyn stood there, tears in her eyes.

     "Mind if I join you?" She whispered, but it seemed like she had screamed it. Steve looked at her before standing up. Evelyn immediately walked over to him and he pulled her into his embrace, the two hugging one another tightly with Evelyn sobbing and Steve letting silent tears fall. When they pulled away, Evelyn sat down and poured herself a glass of alcohol.

     "Dr. Erskine said that the serum wouldn't just affect my muscles, it would affect my cells. Create a protective system of regeneration and healing." Steve told her, pouring himself another glass. "Which means I can't get drunk."

     "He thought that could be a possible side effect." Evelyn nodded. "Something about your metabolism burns four times as fast than others. Sucks to be you. I can actually drown in my sorrows with the use of this poisonous beverage, so once you're done let me know and I'll take the bottle." Steve only glanced at her before pushing the bottle towards her. She gladly took it before pressing it to her lips and allowing herself to consume the alcohol.

     "I know that look." She spoke, placing the bottle on the table. "Celeste had the same one. So, I'm gonna tell you the same thing I said to her. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't either of your faults, alright? Bucky wouldn't want this. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself."

     "Just like he wouldn't want you drinking?" Steve challenged.

     She pursed her lips for a moment before shrugging. "When did I ever listen to a word that came from his mouth."

     Steve managed a small smile before it turned serious again. "I'm going after Schmidt. I'm not gonna stop until all of HYDRA is dead or captured."

     Evelyn sat up, before reaching over and grabbing her brother's hand. "You won't be alone. I'll be right beside you, kicking ass and taking names." She offered him another small smile before pouring them both another glass and then holding it up. "To Bucky. The kindest man and the one who was like family to us. We won't let those bastards get away with this."

     Steve picked up his glass and clinked their drinks. "To Bucky." Steve nodded before they both downed the alcohol in two sips.