Lies and Empty Promises

okay

A/N: words: 1625. YAY NORMAL UPDATES (knock on wood) the next chapter is so gfvjhahhasgfhjas I'm so excited. anyway, enjoy! 

See the legacy of the shield, immortalized in Washington D.C

Bucky's jaw clenched. Sam really did it. He really went through with it. Of course he did. Bucky didn't doubt that he would. What he didn't think would happen is that they'd make a big thing about it all. It was a lot. Somewhere, he knew that the government wouldn't keep their word. He knew they'd send it off to the next guy they could find, with the average strength, maybe a few medals. And he would blame Sam. Because if he started thinking logically, it wouldn't end well for either of them.

He's going, for some ungodly reason, he's gonna go watch the symbol that he thought he'd watch Sam carry. And he'd be there. Now, now Sam was gone. And the shield was just gonna gather dust in a Smithsonian. Or be yelled by someone who doesn't deserve

Things could've been different. Things could've been so, so different.

~~~~~~~~~

"So, you're really going through with it." Sarah said as Sam bounded down the stairs, duffle bag in one hand, shield in the other. He took in a sharp breath. He was.

"Yeah, yeah I am." Sam replied, his tone confident and prepared. Didn't exactly match how he felt on the inside. He knew this is what he wanted to do. He knew it. This was Steve's legacy. He passed it down to Sam, but Sam can't take it.

Sarah smiled at him, shaking her head slightly. "What?" he asked, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Nothin'." She dismissed quickly, and Sam just rolled his eyes. With a wave and a 'be safe', Sam was out the door. It was about to be a long couple of days.

~2 days later ~

People started trickling into the building shortly after Sam got there, reporters and reporters and more reporters started showing up, but Sam was off to the side, the shield in his hand, and the worst headache he's had in a long time. It was a lot of stress, the blinding lights, the clicking of cameras. He noticed Rhodey walking over to him, and a small smile spread across his face.

"Hey man." Sam said, outstretching his hand. Rhodey smiled as well, shaking Sam's hand.

"It's good to see you, how you been?" Rhodey asked, making Sam sigh. What he supposed to say? Oh, you know, the person I thought I was going to marry is now ignoring my texts, I've missed my nephews entire lives, and my sister has had to fend for herself, and everyone who I cared for. Sam only smiled, nodding.

"Pretty good, same old, same old." Rhodey chuckled, nodding his head. A solemn look passed over Rhodey's face that Sam didn't expect, and he opened his mouth to say something, a reporter or someone came to drag Rhodey for some interview or some statement that Sam couldn't hear.

Sam stood on the stage alone, looking out into the sea of reporters. He took another deep breath. It was gonna be alright. All of it was gonna be alright.

If he was looking, he'd see the steel blue eyes glued onto him, shining in regret, in sorrow. If he was looking, he would know that Bucky, in that moment, was sorry. He didn't mean for Sam to be alone. He wanted nothing more than to tell Sam that he wasn't alone. But, he left Sam alone. He didn't come back. He didn't try to heal the wound he left on what they used to be. Maybe it'd be a bit easier. All of it.

~~~~~~~~

"Thank you, Captain America, but this belongs to you." Sam stared at the shield in his hands, the red, white and blue colours bright in his face, and he felt the burden leave lift from his shoulders as he handed the shield over. Thank god. Sam sighed, feeling all his anxieties, all his headaches, all his confusions leave his body. The shield was where it belonged. A piece of history.