Fight For Them - AVENGERS POV

-23-

You sat on the floor and watched the countdown get lower and lower.

You pushed walls, hoping for a secret passage, kicked the door, punched the computer... nothing. You shouted at one point but no one seemed to hear you. Or if they did, they didn't care that you were trapped.

"Yup. I'm screwed." You sighed and hit your head on the wall behind you.

Meanwhile....

Steve and Bucky had made their way through the corridors and passed your room.

"Where did she go!?" Steve sighed, looking around the corridors as both men tried to find you, or someone. Anyone. Anything.

"Why does she keep running off!?" Bucky added, completely fed up with you disappearing.

Not to mention scared; this was too close to comfort for him. Last time this happened it ended with him stabbing you. He didn't want that to happen again, and he wasn't sure whether it could happen again.

The words didn't work anymore, but this was some HYDRA/Red Room/government hybrid thing that seemed to be able to make anything possible. Bucky was sure they would find a way to turn him back into the Winter Soldier.

They both walked down the corridor and rounded another corner, "She'll never listen to either of us." Steve sighed and leaned against a wall.

"She'll be the death of us." Bucky joined his friend.

They stood in silence for a few moments, catching their breath and clearing their heads.

"I'm sorry for what I said, Bucky." Steve finally broke the silence. "I shouldn't have said any of it. I didn't mean it. I was mad at myself, not you or Y/N."

Bucky laughed lightly and smirked, "Nearly 100 years of friendship isn't going to be broken because of one argument." Bucky looked to his best friend an smiled, "Over a girl no less."

Steve let out a small laugh along with Bucky. "Did you ever think we'd argue over a girl?"

"No. But I also didn't think we'd be super soldiers and live to over 100."

Finally, they were talking again. Just like they used to. Maybe things could go back to normal? If they could find you.

"I see how happy she makes you." Steve swallowed hard, admitting what hurt him the most.

Steve loved you, just not as much as Bucky did. He always saw it, even if the two of you didn't. He saw the looks, the closeness of the two of you, but ignored it when you kissed him. He knew he should have stopped it all before it got this far. But Steve was only thinking of himself.

He never got what he wanted before, and what he wanted was you. And you were in his grasp. He knew he had been a terrible friend to Bucky, but he hoped neither of you would realise how you felt.

But it's now bit Steve in the butt. And he acted out because of his stupidity. His vanity. His jealousy. His ego.

Steve motioned for Bucky to carry on walking. "I just got paranoid and jealous."

"Within reason." Bucky butted in as they continued down corridors that all looked the same; they didn't know if they were going anywhere, or in circles. But they carried on walking. Hoping for the best.

"I should have known the two of you wouldn't have done anything." Steve patted Bucky on the shoulder and took an extra step ahead as Bucky stopped behind him.

"Yeah, about that -"

Bucky caught up to Steve and they entered a room. Two screens sat opposite them; on one, a huge room crammed full of people. The other sat a lonely girl. You.

"Look. Countdowns." Steve pointed to the red flashing numbers in the corner of both screens. Both counting down at the same time. The same one that was on your screen in your room.

"I'm so glad it was you two." A Guard said from a door opposite them. "This will be fun."

"Where is she!?" Bucky shouted, taking a step forward, but Steve grabbed his arm to stop him going any further.

"You walked right passed her. And the rest of them." He laughed to himself, "to be so close..."

"What's this about?" Steve asked in his calm, cool voice.

"Either you save everyone, or you save her. You've only got time to find and save one. Time is ticking." The Guard laughed again, "make your choice."

"Or, we split up and save both?" Bucky shrugged.

"You do that, and I detonate the bombs before you even leave this room."

"You're bluffing." Steve said. But part of him believed him. The other part didn't want to risk it...

"Then go save both. And then you'll have no one."

Both soldiers sighed and looked at each other with the same knowing look; they knew who they had to save. There was no question about it. Unfortunately, they were thinking different things.

"We have to save her." Bucky said matter of factly.

"And kill all those innocent people!?" Steve argued, pointing to the screen with so many people inside one room.

Bucky lost count as he watched the faces pass the screen, moving around and looking scared. All those people, some teenagers, some older. He would risk them all just for you.

"Steve, no one remembers them. It's as if they don't exist. Is it worth loosing her for them!?" Bucky said, he hated saying it but it was true.

No one remembered them. Every person those people knew had their memories wiped, so what were they meant to do?

Y/N was lucky that the Avengers found her, she had someone. A new family. But they couldn't adopt all those people. And then what? These random people with no family just turn up? There would be no details of them on databases, nothing. Surely it was an easy choice?

"Buck, you're being biased-" Steve started but Bucky interrupted.

"Yeah, I probably am. Why aren't you!? Doesn't she mean anything to you!?" Bucky shouted at Steve, not believing the words coming from his mouth.

"Of course she does! But I can't let all those people die just because I once dated Y/N!"

Bucky scoffed and shook his head, "And I can't lose her again."

"Bucky, we could get all the memories back.... Somehow. We have to save them all." Steve looked at his friend, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We have to."

Bucky knew he was right. That was the right thing to do. It's what she would want.

But Bucky couldn't bring himself to do it. "I can't leave her. I need to save her."

"And I can't let them die."

A gun shot echoed around the room....

————

I've wrote the next part! But I need to catch up on TikTok so it may be a few more days until that part is up. :)

We are nearing the end....

But ...

Season 3? ...

maybe 😏