till the end of the line

15 It Was Him

Putting pressure on Natasha's wound, I looked up to see the soldier on the roof of a car, holding the grenade launcher.

He looked at me but turned before he looked back seeing, Natasha. Aiming, he prepped the weapon as I created a barrier over Natasha and myself, bracing for impact.

Only it never came.

Keeping the barrier around Natasha, I stood up to see what had happened. Steve was busy fighting the soldier and soon I joined in, covering Steve as he did me.

Taking the shield from Steve, I turned to the soldier as I sent energy blasts against the man before he threw the shield back our way. I ducked and slid as I fell in between his legs.

He grabbed a knife from his pocket and started fighting Steve. Before I could do anything, Steve was getting choked and hit over and over again.

Getting annoyed, I sent a blast at the two before thinking, "STEVE! MOVE!"

Moving, the soldier was the only one in the blast before he flew back.

Hearing something drop, I looked up to see the mask of the man. I walked forwards and picked up the mask before my eyes fell onto the man. He stood up and turned to face us, and when he did, I dropped the mask in shock.

I looked at Steve as he dropped his shield. Turning back to the man, I sighed and my voice fell to one of a whisper, "Bucky?'

He met my eye and glanced between the two of us before walking back over, "Who the hell is Bucky?"

Lifting his arm, he went to shoot but dodged when Sam flew down towards him. Prepping to shoot again, he was too late.

I looked back to see Natasha standing with the same grenade launcher as before. I picked up the mask and ran forwards into the smoke and fire only to find nothing.

Holding the mask close to my chest, I fell to my knees as tears became to flow down my face, "No... No, no, no. Not again. Not again!"

I cried and yelled before I was in the warm embrace of Steve. He knelt down beside me and pulled me into his chest as I turned around and cried onto his shoulder.

"Kat, Kat. I know, I know."

I bit my lip before shaking my head as he rubbed my back, "It's like losing him all over again. Steve, I- I can't."

He held me tight as he brought his voice to a whisper, "I know, I know."

Before we knew it we were surrounded by agents but I didn't care. They ripped Steve from my grasp as they went to grab the mask, only I made it disappear in time.

Grabbing my arms, tears only spilled down my cheeks as they took us all captive. Knelt down in front of Steve, he met my eyes as he himself was still in shock.

Once loaded up, we were all sitting in the vans as they took us away.

I sat back against the metal wall of the van as I stared up at the ceiling.

Steve to my right, but all I could think about was that moment.

"It was him."

I nodded, "I should've known. I could feel when he was close, and it was a familiar feeling. Only I didn't know. I should've known!"

I slammed my foot against the ground as Steve looked over at me, "He looked right at us like he didn't even know us."

Sam shook his head as I lifted my eyes, "How is that even possible? It was, like, seventy years ago."

"Zola. Bucky's whole unit was captured in '43. Zola experimented on him. Whatever he did helped Bucky survive the fall. They must have found him and..."

"None of that's your fault, Steve. The same goes for you Kat."

I shook my head and leaned onto Steve as I sighed, "Even when we had nothing, we had each other. But he's all alone now."

Steve nodded as he leaned his head over mine. I closed my eyes, tuning everything else out.

Feeling empty.

~

Opening my eyes again, Agent Hill was now standing before me and soon we were welding a hole into the ground.

Getting to a safe place, we found ourselves, standing before a very alive Nick Fury while Natasha got her wounds fixed up.

I sat against the wall and thought for a moment. I closed my eyes and I could sense fear only I knew it wasn't myself who was scared.

Then I felt a pain surging through my head. My hands flew up as I screamed in pain. Steve rushed to my side as I then grabbed onto his arm.

"NO! NO! STOP!"

I saw agents and Pierce as I opened my eyes before I saw nothing. Opening my eyes again, I was held in Steve's arms as we sat on the floor.

I shook my head as tears began to fall once more, "They're hurting him, Steve. They're changing him and hurting him. H- he doesn't deserve this."

"Hey, hey, shh... Who are they hurting? Who's they?"

I grabbed onto his arm as I let the tears fall before I looked up at him, "Pierce. He's hurting Buck. Steve, he doesn't deserve this."

"I know, I know." He met my eyes and stood us up before he pulled me into another embrace, "I promise you, Katerina. I will fight to bring him back. No matter how long it takes."

I cried into his shoulder while he only held me tighter.

"I promise."