The Soldier and His Girl. (Steve Rogers Love Story)

Chapter Twenty-Five: '27 Yankees

I pressed my hand gently into the back of a single mother, guiding her through the chaos on the streets of Sokovia. Her eyes were vacant, lost behind the haze of Wanda's manipulation, and her three children clung to her, their faces reflecting the same fogged confusion. My heart ached as I watched them, trying to be a beacon of calm amid the pandemonium. I glanced sideways at Wanda, who stood a few feet away, her arms outstretched, weaving lines of red through the tumultuous cityscape. She met my gaze with a shy, almost apologetic smile, and I nodded in reassurance before making my way to her, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Since the fight on the train, Wanda had become a constant presence by my side. She had felt the resonance of my powers and, in turn, sought solace in my strength. The thought of her finding comfort in me warmed my chest with a flicker of pride. I glanced towards the bridge where people were evacuating, catching Steve's eyes. I offered him a brief, determined smile, which he returned before my attention snapped upwards at the approaching machinery.

I hissed in irritation, forming two ice swords from thin air. The clank of robots descending upon the city was jarring, and my heart raced as I sprinted towards the mother I had just guided to safety. A robot landed menacingly behind her. With a fierce grunt, I dove in front of her, deflecting a blast with a swift swing of my sword, severing the robot's arm. The family's screams pierced the air as I drove my sword into the robot's head, wrenching it free and shouting back at them.

"Get off the bridge!"

The mother and her children fled as Wanda, her face set with grim determination, directed them towards the exit amidst the chaos. I winced as a beam of energy from the robot's palm struck my shoulder, sending me sprawling backward. Pain flared, and I collided with Steve, who grunted as he steadied himself against the impact, his strong arms holding me firmly beneath the armpits. I looked up at him, forcing a smile through the pain.

"Hey, handsome."

Steve chuckled, the sound of Tony's voice crackling through the comms. "Cap, you got incoming."

I scoffed, meeting Steve's eyes with a mix of pain and resolve. "Incoming already came in."

Steve pushed me upright, his brow arching in determination. I dropped to the ground, and Steve tossed his shield, sending it crashing into the skull of an approaching robot. "Stark, you worry about bringing the city back down safely."

I sprang up, unleashing an ice beam at the robot over Steve's shoulder. With a nod from Steve, I sprinted toward him. He grabbed me around the waist, lifting and throwing me at the robot I had targeted. My feet collided with its metal chest, sending both of us tumbling to the ground. I summoned an icicle, slamming it down onto the robot's head. Steve's voice echoed through the chaos.

"The rest of us have one job: tear these things apart." He glanced back at me, watching as I kicked the robot away with a smirk. "You get hurt, hurt 'em back. You get killed, walk it off."

I laughed softly, adrenaline coursing through me, and charged towards the robots, Clint and Wanda joining the fray. We fought side by side, beams of energy smashing into me, which I deflected with swift movements of my ice swords. The relentless onslaught pushed me back, and a powerful beam struck my head, sending me crashing into a building. The earth shook beneath me as Sokovia was lifted into the sky, my scream of pain mingling with the sound of crumbling stone.

Clint's strong hands pulled me from the debris, his concern evident as he helped me to sit against the wall of an abandoned building. He checked the cuts on my forehead while Wanda's ragged breaths filled the space. Her face was pale, her hands trembling as she stared down at them.

"How could I let this happen?" she whispered, her voice breaking with anguish as she fidgeted with her hands. Clint and I exchanged a worried glance. Clint handed me a handkerchief, which I pressed to my forehead before turning my attention back to Wanda.