Winter's Weakness

I Have A Family

I knew I was in the right place as I looked through the stacks of wooden crates. Stolen SHIELD weapons lined each one. Whatever sympathy I had for Karli became non existent. She'd gone too far off the rails for me to even consider letting her go this time.

I hopped up onto one of the crates knowing she'd be here soon. I flicked the safety on and off my gun out of boredom. The soft sound of footsteps in the distance told me she was close. She was good, any normal person wouldn't of heard her. Unfortunately for her, I wasn't normal.

"Oh sweetie, skulking in the shadows won't help you now." I sang out sweetly.

Karli came down the metal stairs, her gun trained on me. I could hear the pounding of her heart as she took in my attire. I'd gone full winter soldier for this and it had the exact effect I knew it would. It scared her.

"Not so mouthy now are we." I smiled beneath my mask as I swung my legs, landing on my feet as I climbed down from my perch.

"How did you find me?"

I scoffed. "I think that's the least of your worries right now." I gestured to the crates of weapons behind me.

"There was a time I respected you. Now your just like them." Her voice was dripping with venom.

"Once upon a time I would've been insulted by that." I shrugged.

The sound of footsteps caught her attention, pulling a smile across my face.

Right on time.

"See now the thing is I have a family."

Bucky came into view his gun pointed straight at Karli as he edged to my side. "Put the gun down Karli." He warned her.

Her hands shook slightly as she gripped the gun tighter.
"You've been stalling." She finally put the pieces together.

"He's like a dog with a bone. I knew he'd find me eventually."

Bucky rolled his eyes but kept his attention on her.

"You think your precious boyfriend will stop me?" Her arrogance shone through. Something I'd told her more than once was going to get her killed.

"You think he's here to stop you?" I laughed. "Oh sweetheart. He's here to stop me."

I had no doubt that's why he'd followed me, he knew I could take Karli out without breaking a sweat. He just didn't want me to sink too far into the darkness I'd worked so hard to fight my way out of.

Karli raised the gun, ready to pull the trigger. "Don't be stupid Karli," I warned her as I readied my own weapon. Unlike her I didn't have to aim it at her to make my point. My shot would hit its target either way.

As her finger pulled the trigger, Bucky jumped in front of me. The bullet hitting him in the chest before he fell to the floor. Never before had I felt anger surge through me like I did in that moment.

No one gets to shoot Bucky but me.

I raised my gun, one well placed shot and she was on the floor. It wouldn't kill her, it would do worse than that. It remind her for the rest of her life what she had done. How she had lost.

I rushed to Bucky, ripping my top as I did what I could to slow the bleeding. I couldn't lose him, I wouldn't survive it. What seemed like hours was likely only minutes. Sirens wailed around us as a strong pair of arms wrapped themselves around me.

I looked up to find Steve complete in full Captain America suit behind me.
"You need to let the paramedics take him."

I let Steve pull me away for a moment before I pushed away from him. I was still mad at him. Even seeing Bucky laying on the ground couldn't stop the hurt Steve's words had brought me.