Anna's heart races as she sits at the table between Steve and Bucky. She hasn't been this close to Steve since Bucky returned. He had been keeping his distance, understandably. Sitting here between them she couldn't help but feel the tension and a little conflicted. Luckily Natasha breaks her train of thought as everyone sits down.
"Okay, we think we have a lead on Rumlow and Sin. We are going to need all hands on deck for this one so that we can get to Red Skull."
Steve leans forward. "Okay, what about the teleporters they seem to have? And what about Red Skulls powers?"
Tony stands up next to Natasha with a grin. "I have developed a sort of EMP device that will render any teleportation machines they have useless. I also have this," he pulls something out of his pocket. "It's a neck cuff, if we can get it on Red Skull, he shouldn't be able to escape. And once it is on, I am the only one that can unlock it."
Steve senses Anna's nervousness and leans forward and starts to grab her hand below the table out of habit. Anna looks down and sees Steve's hand reaching for hers, she grabs it and looks up at him. They share a quick look as she squeezes his hand letting him know she is okay before releasing it.
As Anna comes out of the locker room from getting dressed, she sees Steve and Bucky quietly talking as she watches them for a moment. She never thought that she would redevelop feelings for Steve, but she did. They spent a lot of time together over the last few months while Bucky was gone. Steve looks up and makes eye contact with her and he gives her that sideways smile he always does as she smiled back.
Steve's heart ached for Anna as he stood there looking into her eyes. He was happy for the time he got to spend with her over the last few months, but he hoped that today would go well, and Bucky would make it back. He would make sure Bucky would make it back for her. No matter what.
Anna didn't need to read his mind to know what he was thinking, she just shook her head at him as she approached them.
Bucky turned around to find Anna approaching them as he smiled. "You ready, doll?"
She doesn't say anything as she nods and Bucky walks ahead leaving her with Steve for a moment. "I know that look, Steve, I need both of you back here. You hear me?" She grabs his hand as he nods back. "Please, Steve," she pleads softly, not needing to say anything more. He knew she was saying she reciprocated his love.
***
With the whole team and Ironman's EMP device, they are able to corner Sin and keep her from teleporting. Steve was off to Anna's left fighting Rumlow and Bucky never left her side. Sin tosses a bomb at Anna, but she reacts quickly and is able to kick it out of the way. It heads towards Steve, and he sees it and is able to shield himself as it goes off in Rumlow's face killing him instantly. Anna looks back at Sin as she lets out a cry. "You will pay for that!" She runs away towards a building and Bucky and Anna chase after her with Steve close behind.
Bucky is the first to enter the building behind Sin. As he enters, he sees the bombs wired around the room. He sees it before Anna or Steve. He turns around, locking eyes with Anna. "Go! Get her out of here!" He tries to follow them just as Sin ignites the room full of explosives.
"You took mine, I take yours," Sin yells just as Anna feels Steve grab her to shield them as there is an explosion and they are thrown backward from the building.
Anna loses consciousness for a few moments before she leaps to her feet, trying to run back to the building. Steve grabs her, wrapping his arms around her from behind as she looks up at him, seeing the terror in his eyes as the building collapses in front of them. She doesn't need to ask what she wants to ask as Steve releases her and she falls to her knees, a scream erupting from her chest. Steve collapses beside her, pulling her into his arms as she sobs loudly.
Ironman is able to find Red Skull with the help of Sam, Wanda, and Vision. Wanda was far more powerful than him, so it doesn't take much to outsmart him as Ironman places the collar on his neck. "You just won a one-way ticket to the Raft."
As they get Red Skull to the jet, they hear Anna's scream. Wanda flies up immediately and finds Anna on the ground and the building in front of them collapsed. Wanda flies down to them and looks at Steve. She doesn't need him to tell her what has happened, she already knows. "Oh no, Anna." She kneels down next to Anna and holds her as Steve gets up to help Ironman search for the Bucky.
Panic begins to set in as Steve searches the rubble, hoping that he can find his friend alive even though he knows the truth. "Please Buck, please be alive." He continues to shift the rubble when he spots Bucky's metal arm. "Tony! Over here!" Tony helps Steve remove the rubble and pull Bucky out. Steve tries and tries, but he doesn't hear a heartbeat as tears streak his cheeks, falling onto his friend.
He looks up at Tony pleadingly. "Friday do you have vital signs on Sergeant Barnes?"
Friday responds solemnly, "I'm sorry Mr. Stark. There are no signs of life."
Steve's heart sinks to his stomach, unsure how he was going to explain this to Anna.
Anna screams as she sees Steve carrying Bucky's lifeless body. Steve sets him gently on the floor of the jet and tries to comfort Anna, but she just shrugs him off. She throws her body onto Bucky's and doesn't move the entire flight home.
***
When they land, everyone leaves the jet except for Tony and Steve. Steve tries to reach for Anna to pull her up, but Tony stops him. "Let me. Go get cleaned up." He knew Steve had lost someone important to him too and didn't want to make him have to hide what he was feeling for Anna's sake. He leans down to Anna with his hand gently on her back. "Honey come on, you have to get up."
She looks up at him with big red swollen eyes. "I just got him back. I just got him back. I can't let go of him, dad!"
He grabs her firmly but gently and pulls her to her feet. "I know, honey. Come on. Let's get you cleaned up and him cleaned up so you can say a proper goodbye." She looks back at him, she knows he is right, but she doesn't want to say goodbye, but she eventually lets him walk her to her room.
***
After Anna showers and changes, she walks down to the lab where they had Bucky's body. Only Steve was in the room and he looked up at her with red swollen eyes as she approached them. She knew that he had just lost his friend, but she couldn't help but blame him a little. He had promised he would protect Bucky.
Steve stands up and makes his way to her. "I'm sorry, Anna." He reached for her hand, but she pulled away before he could.
"Can you just go, Steve? Please." She doesn't look at him, knowing it came out harsher than she intended as she sits on the chair beside Bucky's body. "Get out!" She glances up at Steve as he swallows hard, nodding as he turns to leave her alone with Bucky.
YOU ARE READING
The Newest Avenger ❤️
Fanfiction**Repost after edits** Tatianna was saved by Natasha when she and Steve Rogers took down the red room more than 10 years ago when she was 12. Nat left her with Tony, knowing she would be safe. She became Tony's daughter, and he even legally adopted...
