Frostbite |The Alternate Timeline

Captain America

My breaths became ragged as I struggled to stay conscious. This day had utterly turned to shit. I couldn't even call out for Bucky in the distance due to the placement of the hands around my neck as my head had been bashed on the concrete multiple times.

A new voice shouted, strangely familiar. The pressure was suddenly alleviated, and I rolled to my side, coughing and letting my vision come back into focus. My head was pounding, and I knew I'd be feeling it for a while. I blinked a few times, lifting my head up to take in the madness that ensued.

Kneeling in front of me was Walker. I could have rolled my eyes, but I refrained, grateful for his intervention regardless of how little I liked him. I mumbled a thank you, taking his outstretched hand with my uninjured one and slowly climbed to my feet. He nodded, tensing as someone approached.

He quickly darted forward, going after Karli and the others without another word. A hand gently rested against my cheek before tilting my chin up. Relief coursed through me as I gazed up into Bucky's eyes. Peering around his body, I could see the trapped members scrambling to get the hell out of there. He had freed them.

"Hey, you alright?" he inquired, inspecting every inch of my body, his jaw ticking, "You called and then..." He trailed off, grimacing as he realized why the call had been interrupted.

I took a deep breath before answering, my voice slightly strained, "For the most part. I'm sure I have a concussion and that my wrist is definitely broken." I shrugged, not wanting to worry him. Though, there was no doubt I looked like hell.

He frowned, not thrilled about that at all. We exchanged another glance, and the sounds of fighting became more intense. Walker would need help.

"Is it too much to ask for you to leave?" he wondered doubtfully, the corner of his mouth slightly curving.

"I'm not one to back down from a fight."

"Yeah, that's half the problem," he muttered with a sigh, "Let's get this over with."

He turned as one of the soldiers was about to smash a meter pole into Walker. Bucky ran between them, grabbing onto the makeshift weapon and tossing the guy aside. They battered against each other, neither getting the upper hand.

I sent a wave of shards towards the ones still hovering over Walker, yelling for him to stay down. They all scrambled out of the way, but from my peripheral, I noticed Karli picking up the abandoned meter and charging up behind Bucky.

"Bucky-" I called out in warning, dashing towards them. He ducked blindly, kicking the man out of his path.

Flinging myself forward, I snatched ahold of Karli and dragged her down. The weapon in her hands went flying and I took the opportunity send a punch to her lower jaw. Her head knocked back and I hit her again, both of us still twisting across the ground.

She absorbed the hit better than the first and managed to kick me off of her. I shoved myself upright as she turned on Bucky again. He swung at her, but she dodged it, lodging her foot into his chest. He flew back, towards the edge of the scaffolding and toppling over the side with a yell, despite his best efforts to grab ahold of anything.

"No!" I screamed, fear wrestling a hold onto my throat. The guy followed him down to finish the job and I turned back to Karli.

She turned her smirk to me, to which I only offered a sneer in return. Karli charged me and I didn't let her get close, a beam of energy smacking into her. She flipped over herself, and I hit her again and again. As I was about to land what would likely be the final blow, a body slammed into my back.

We tumbled and my shot went wide. Karli disappeared from my line of sight and I rolled over, kicking the new guy in the jaw. There was an audible crunching and he wailed in agony, his eyes glinting with anger and anguish. My magic knocked him away and I glanced over in time to see the other truck speeding toward the edge of the construction.