Our Finest Hour (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 14: Its the Thought That Counts

The following day was one of the worst days Cara had ever had, aside from losing Steve. As she relentlessly threw punch after punch and the occasional kick into the bag, her mind dwelled on the last 12 hours. Almost immediately after Steve, Bucky and Strange's arrival and the discovery that Jackson had been taken as well as Sam having been killed, clean up began. Fury, Hill and Coulson had arrived almost immediately after Steve's call to the director. Taking in the full scale of carnage, they immediately got to work removing all of the bodies from the tower. After what seemed like hundreds of photographs of everything, scrubbing and sanitizing began.

Cara had been almost inconsolable as Bucky tried to comfort her, emotional himself. She only was able to get her herself together enough when Steve had mentioned they needed to take Sam. Insisting she be one of the ones to carry him, she had numbly risen to her feet and walked over to him. When an agent pulled out a body bag to put him in, Cara had scared all of them when she pinned the agent against the wall by his throat. Steve pulled her off as she had shouted at him, refusing to let them put him in a bag. With a nod from Fury the agent backed off apologizing before leaving. From there, Steve, Bucky, Cara, and Coulson had carefully put him onto a backboard and carried him through the halls. The rest of the group was just getting back as they walked by with him.

The silence that followed was deafening. Every piece of her felt numb. She was heartbroken, scared, sad but most of all she was furious. A silent rage had consumed her with every step they took. Not one of them said a word as they walked, not even Coulson when he swiped a special key card to allow them access to the vaulted area beneath the tower. She had been here once before with what she though was Steve's body. This time though, there was no denying who they would be burying. As they moved him to a slab table, Cara caressed his cold still face one more time. They had closed his eyes and mouth and had it not been for the blood and knife, he would have looked like he was sleeping. As a few silent tears fell, she leaned down whispering to him that she wouldn't rest until the other Bucky was dead.

Though Steve had silent tears in his eyes, Bucky was ugly crying, both hearing her promise to him. They only went to leave when she did, Coulson staying behind to speak to the medical examiner. The elevator ride back up had felt like an eternity. There was a ringing in her ears as her thoughts raced and the only thing she was hearing where the events that had occurring not even an hour before. When they got back up to the main area of the tower Steve's voice had finally registered to her, something about going to Evan. She had simply responded with a nod as she exited the elevator to go to the security center.

Bucky had followed her but she hadn't acknowledged his presence. Neither of them spoke as they went over every second of security footage of the other Winter Soldier's arrival to the tower, Natasha and Clint joining them at some point. He had just walked right in and no one even batted an eye despite the clear differences between this Bucky and their Bucky. They had only noticed once he started killing everyone in his path. The ease and violence with which he slaughtered them all, made her anger grow into a hatred. Even after Clint and Natasha left, not able to snap her out of her state, Bucky stayed with her, watching her, making sure she was going to be okay.

When he had fallen asleep, that's when Cara had left. First she went on a 15 mile run, hoping to ease the rage she felt. When that hadn't worked, she hit one of the simulation rooms and ran combat drill after combat drill. The next stop had been the archery range. She had shot so many arrows into a single target the center was missing completely. Still burning with anger, the boxing gym was her last resort. With a few last hard rapid punches she sent the bag flying across the room, crying out in some sort of angry battle like cry. Inhaling deeply afterward to catch her breath she hadn't realized she was no longer alone.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" Bucky asked calmly, watching her from the doorway.

"No." She replied harshly.

"Cara, get some sleep, being tired isn't going to help us get him back." He added.

"You know that's not true. We were designed to be superior, to be stronger, faster, more durable, require less sleep- the perfect soldiers." She replied curtly, walking over and picking up the punching bag.

He watched silently as she tossed it into a pile of other bags. When he didn't say anything she eyed him questioningly. If he wasn't going to respond why was he still here?

"Any other useless advice you want to offer or can I get back to training?" She asked with an attitude.

"Come on doll, just go lay down for a bit. Get your head in a good place. I'm sure Steve will-"

"I don't want to go snuggle up with my husband and pretend that everything is going to be alright right now Buck! Fuck you for even thinking that by the way. You know better! You know what's going through my head right now!" Cara yelled throwing a weight across the room shattering a mirror.

Bucky calmly walked toward her as he spoke.

"Of course I know exactly how you're feeling right now. Every bit of rage pumping through you, is also pumping through my veins. We're going to make him pay for what he's done. For Sam, for the agents, for Jackson, for all of it. But we have to have our heads on straight to do that." He said blankly.

Cara didn't respond, even as he stood before her now reaching out and gently caressing her arm.

"We will get Jackson back and we will make him pay for taking him." Bucky continued, placing a hand under her chin, raising it slightly "I promise you."

His lips hit hers and she hesitated only a moment before leaning back into his kiss. He deepened it running his fingers up into her hair grabbing a fistful of it tightly. A fire lit in Cara's eyes that made Bucky only crave her more, knowing just what to say to push her over the edge.

"Why don't you unleash some of that rage you are feeling doll." He whispered mischievously.

Without another word she immediately began fighting with him. Each one of them landing punches as well as blocking others. When he pinned her to the ground he kissed her violently, only making her fire burn deeper. Kicking him off and jumping back to her feet they sparred a little more before Cara brought him down with a move similar to Nat's, pinning him down and kissing him this time. When he picked her up he sent her rapidly walking backward until they hit the wall hard, only causing her to let out a slight moan. It was working.

Moments later they were in the shower room screwing violently. One moment she was lifted up, legs wrapped around him being slammed into the wall so hard the tiles broke, Bucky slamming into her just as hard. The next moment she was throwing him against the opposite wall climbing on top of him after he had slid to the floor, riding him like a wild animal. It continued like this in several other positions and stances for over an hour. After each of them finishing several times one after the other, Cara finally felt calmer. Angry still, but at least focused. Each of them had scratches bruises and cuts all over them, including the bruise Bucky's metal arm had left around her neck from choking her. It would all fade and heal soon anyway.

"Thank you, by the way." She said as they left walking up the hall together.

"For what? Letting you beat the hell out of me? Anytime." Bucky joked.

"No. For knowing what I was feeling and not being afraid to let me let some rage loose." She said with a small smile.

"Well it's hard not to know. Ever since Shuri accidentally gave us whatever connection it is that we have, I can't just ignore when I know you need something. No matter what it is." He said.

"Well still, thanks Buck."

"Anytime doll. Now, let's get something to eat before you go to bed. You're going to need some sleep before this afternoon." Bucky said.

The funeral that would take place later that afternoon flashed through her mind, dreading every second of it. She wasn't ready to say goodbye yet, or to face his sister and her kids yet. But she had no choice.

"Fine." She said reluctantly making him smile.

"Come on, waffles are on me this time." He joked.

Rolling her eyes at him she hid the smile that was forming on her lips.

"Technically they're on SHIELD's dime but it's the thought right?" She said sarcastically.

"Yep, it's the thought that counts."