Edge of Night

07

Captain America and his Howling Commandos fought HYDRA.

While watching a movie of Captain America and his Howling Commandos, Bucky and Irina appeared on screen next to Steve.

Peggy noticed a picture of herself in Steve's compass. Colonel Phillips glanced at her and she looked away.

---

Bucky, Irina and Steve were on a snow-covered mountain while the Howling Commandos prepared to zipline onto the train.

"Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah, and I threw up?" Steve replied.

"This is payback, isn't it?"

"Now why would I do that?"

Irina smiled teasingly, looking up at Steve. "You're an ass. You both are."

"Damn right he is," Bucky agreed with a light chuckle. "Me, no I'm not."

"You are kind of an ass. Steve?"

Steve nodded. "Sorry, Buck, she's right."

Bucky frowned. "I see how this is gonna go." He glanced at Irina. "I don't know how this is gonna play out, but I need to tell you something."

Irina frowned. "If this is some last night on earth speech, save it. Please."

"Rina, let me say it." She nodded for him to continue. "I love you, Rina and I think I have for a little while now."

Irina smiled tentatively. "I don't really know what love feels like. I spent years training in that room with no soft looks, no sweet nothings, none of the sort. But I get a strange fluttery feeling around you."

A light smile tugged at the corner of Bucky's lips. "Then I'll just have to show you. Whenever the war ends, we'll have coffee and try the whole courting thing. You'll be loved, Irina. You deserve it. That fluttery feeling, by the way, is often what people in love feel like."

Irina smiled. "I'd like that. Then Bucky Barnes, I think I might love you."

"It's a date. I love you, Irina Alexeyev."

"I'm looking forward to it, Mr. Barnes."

Bucky smiled. "As am I, doll."

"We were right," Gabe Jones said. "Dr. Zola's on the train. HYDRA dispatcher gave him permission to open up the throttle. Wherever he's going, they must need him bad."

"Let's get going, because they're moving like the devil," James Montgomery warned.

"We only got about a ten-second window," Steve informed. "You miss that window, we're bugs on a windshield."

"Mind the gap."

"Better get moving, bugs!" Dum Dum Dugan said.

"Maintenant!" Jaques Dernier yelled as Steve, Bucky and Gabe ziplined onto the train.

(Now!)

Dr. Arnim Zola, watching Steve on a monitor as he fought his way through the train, cried, "Stop him! Fire again!"

Steve noticed Bucky and Irina on the other side of the door. Bucky and Irina had run out of bullets. Steve opened the door, nodded to his friends, and tossed Bucky the gun. Bucky caught the gun and pushed Irina behind him.

Steve darted forward and pushed a crate, causing the HYDRA soldier to move to one side.

Bucky shot the HYDRA soldier and killed him before saying, "I had him on the ropes."

"I know you did," Steve replied as another trooper with a blaster appeared. "Get down!"

"Fire again!" Dr. Zola ordered. "Kill him! Now!"

Bucky picked up the shield and continued firing before he was blasted through a hole. He was hanging outside the train.

"Bucky!" Steve and Irina cried, moving to get their friend. "Hang on! Grab my hand!" Bucky tried to grab their hands, but couldn't and instead, fell. "NO!"

Irina began scaling her way down and Steve yelled, "Rina! NO!"

The brunette continued climbing down and lost her balance. She screamed as she began falling and curled into a ball to try to shield her fall.

Steve stared after where his friends had gone. He'd failed to save them, and now they were dead and gone forever.

---

In the snow, Irina, despite her pain, crawled up to Bucky who let out a quiet groan and rested her head on his chest. She wouldn't start sobbing. She refused to break down. She managed to wrap up what remained of Bucky's left arm with what she could before the frigid air numbed her senses and her eyes closed as she succumbed to the darkness.