As Time Goes By

1: 08

Captain America and his Howling Commandos fought HYDRA. Katherine had opted to join the Howling Commandos as she wanted to fight with Steve and Bucky, along with the others, by her side.

While watching a movie of Captain America and his Howling Commandos, Bucky and Katherine 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, Katherine 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?"

Katherine laughed softly and glanced up at Steve. "Did he really do that?"

Steve nodded. "Yes he did."

Bucky chuckled softly and turned to Katherine. "Katie, I need to tell you something. But I don't want you to say it back if you're not ready."

Katherine's brow furrowed as she met his eyes. "What is it, Bucky?"

"I think I'm in love with you, Katherine."

Katherine blinked several times. "I can't say it back."

"Then don't." Bucky's fallen smile went unnoticed. He knew it was probably in vain to think she'd say it back, but that didn't mean he couldn't hope she would.

Katherine stepped closer to him. "I do like you, James. Rest in that fact, all right?"

Bucky kissed her softly. "I like you too, Katherine. Would you like to go for a drink some time?"

Katherine nodded. "I'd be delighted. As soon as this war ends."

"It's a date, Miss Nelson."

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

"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, Katherine and Gabe ziplined onto the train.

(Now!)

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

Steve noticed Bucky and Katherine on the other side of the door.

Bucky shot the man coming for them while pushing Katherine back. Better he get hurt than the woman he loved.

Katherine checked to make sure her gun was fully loaded and began shooting the men in black coming for them.

Bucky and Katherine had run out of bullets. He ducked behind a pile of crates, pulling Katherine with him, shielding her as much as he could.

Steve opened the door, nodded to his friends, and tossed Bucky the gun. Bucky caught the gun and pushed Katherine behind him once again.

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

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

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

Katherine darted behind a crate as she began loading her gun again. Thankfully, she'd thought to bring extra bullets and she finally had a chance to reload.

"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.

Instantly, Katherine's stomach dropped. She couldn't lose the man who'd come to mean so much to her. She had told him she liked him, but she hadn't told him how she truly felt. The fear of such an admission terrified her. She could only pray that she would have a chance to tell him her true feelings. They just had to rescue him from the side of the train first.

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

Katherine began scaling her way down and Steve yelled, "Katie! NO!" He grabbed her before she could get any further.

"Let me go!" Katherine screamed. "I have to save him!"

"It's too late," Steve said sadly, staring after where his friend had gone. He'd failed to save him, and now he was dead and gone forever.

Katherine stared blankly at where Bucky had fallen. She closed her eyes tightly as she sniffled and whispered, "I think I might love you Buck, and now it's too late to tell you so."

---

The Howling Commandos gathered together and Dugan asked, "Where's Barnes?"

Steve glanced at Katherine before saying, "He- I couldn't save him."

Katherine shoved Steve as she yelled, "You could have! Steve, you could have saved him!"

"No, Katie, I couldn't. I wish I could have. I really do." He sniffled, glancing away.

"Then you should've let me try to save him!"

"You would've died right along with him, and you know as well as I do that Bucky wouldn't want that."

"So what if I died with him? It would be better than this stabbing pain I feel."

She began hitting him again and collapsed to the floor as she sobbed. Steve knelt next to her, pulling her into his arms as wracking sobs choked her small frame. He ran a hand up and down her back, letting her get her grief out.

Katherine jolted away from him and screamed, "Don't touch me! Don't touch me!"

She slowly began calming down and wiped away her tears before saying, "We'll never have that date, Steve. I'll never have that drink with him."

Steve offered her a small smile and said, "Then we'll have to share a drink in his memory."

"A drink for Bucky." She let out a mocking laugh. "He'd like that."

"I think he would."

Katherine stood. "I need some time alone."

She walked away and slowly made her way out to the snowy landscape, pulling her jacket closer to her as she took in the scent. It smelled of Bucky, bringing a light smile. Even after he was gone he was still, in a way, caring for her. Bucky's single word that he'd always care for her reverberated in her head and her tears resumed. Hadn't she already cried enough? How many more tears did she have?

She sat in the snow and whispered, "Why'd you have to fall?" Her voice slowly crescendoed. "Why'd you have to leave me and Steve? I- Buck, I needed you. I still need you. You're the only one who understood what happened with Dr. Zola." She stood and kicked the snow angrily as she yelled, "Why did you have to leave me?! I love you, Bucky! I love you and I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner!"

After a moment, and another kick in the snow, she made her way back to the plane and Steve glanced at her. "Are you okay?"

Katherine didn't answer, but simply stared at her friend with as blank an expression as she could muster. She refused to break down in tears again because if she let the tears fall, she was afraid they would never stop.