Out of Time (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 9

Bucky and Steve have been off destroying Hydra and you have been keeping yourself busy with work.
When they have managed to return to base you spent time with Bucky.  However the nights have been spent alone with Steve between the sheets.
When you see the footage of them on missions you can't wait for this war to be over so you can live the life you've always wanted. You can finally tell Bucky about you and Steve so you don't have to sneak around like naughty teenagers anymore.

Steve and Bucky are stood on top of a mountain.
"Remember when I made you ride the cyclone on Coney Island?" Bucky asks
"Yeah and I threw up and Gracie laughed at me?"
"This isn't pay back is it?" Bucky laughs
"Now why would I do that?" Steve laughs

They make their way down to the moving train, landing on top and making their way inside. As they make their way through the train all of sudden they get separated as the door between carriage shuts. Agents start firing at Bucky and a agent with a big gun starts firing at Steve. He manages to knock him down and use the gun to blast the door making his way back to Bucky.
Steve sees Bucky crouched in a corner and out of ammo he pulls his gun out, opens the door and chucks it at Bucky before making a run to distract the guard so Bucky can get a shot.
"I had him on the ropes" Bucky says
"I know you did"
All of sudden the other agent back and fires at them. Steve jumps in front of Bucky and uses his shield to protect them but the shot sends them flying.
Bucky picks up the shield and starts firing back but get knocked off the train as the agent fires again.
Steve gets up and rushes to help him.
"Bucky" he shouts seeing him hanging from a metal rail. He tries to make his way to him.
"Hang on...grab my hand" as Bucky tires to move he feels the rail breaking.
"Steve tell Gracie...." Bucky shouts before the rail snaps and he falls leaving Steve staring in disbelief and heartbreak.

You heart breaks into a million pieces when Steve tells you the news about Bucky. You fall to the ground. Steve goes to comfort you but you push him away.
"Get out" you scream at him
"What?" He asks confused
"Get out" you scream
"Gracie please" he pleads with you
"I don't want you near me get out" you lash out at Steve.
Howard makes his way over to you and you grab onto him sobbing in his arms.
Howard looks at Steve apologetically.
Defeated Steve gets up and walks towards the exit.
"I'm sorry" he says taking one last look at you his heart breaking, before making his way out.

Steve's sat drinking alone in the blown up pub when Peggy enters. He hears her turns to face her before pouring another drink
"Dr Erskine said that the serum wouldn't just affect my muscles, it would effect my cells. Create a protective system of regeneration and healing. Which means I can't get drunk, did you know that?
"Your metabolism burns four times faster than the average person. He thought it could be one of the side-effects." she says grabbing a chair from the floor.
She sees Steve's been crying
"It wasn't your fault" she tries to comfort him
"Did you read the report?"
"Yes"
"Then you know that's not true" he sighs
"You did everything you could" she adds
"Yeah well Gracie doesn't see it that way, she now doesn't have her big brother because of me" he sniffs.
"Whatever she said I'm sure she didn't mean it she's just grieving, you need to stop blaming yourself allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He damn well must've thought you were worth it" she smiles at him.
"I'm going after Schmidt. I'm it gonna stop until all of Hydra is dead or captured. I owe it to Bucky"
"You won't be alone" she reassures.

Steve knocks on your door, Howard answers.
"She passed out from exhaustion about 5 minutes ago" he says offering Steve to come in.
"Thank you for looking after her, I'm going after Schmidt but I need to know she's going to be okay" he says looking at a photo of you, Bucky and him.
"You know I will always look after her but Steve you better come back I'm not sure she can go through this again" his eyes wondering in the direction of the bedroom your asleep in.
"I will do everything in my power to come back to her"
"You love her don't you" Howard notices a look in Steve's eye.
"Yeah I do. I planned to tell her before I went but she needs rest" he smiles to himself.
"Tell her when you are back" Howard pats him on the back "She doesn't blame you. You know that right, she's just hurting and needed someone to lash out at"
"She should blame me I asked Bucky to follow me" he sighs looking at the photo again.
"That was his decision and Grace supported you both. Don't blame yourself pal"
"Tell her I will see her soon" he looks towards the bedroom wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed with you and wrap you in his arms.

Everyone is gathered in the task room. They are discussing ways to go after Schmidt. Steve's trying to focus but all he can think about is you.
"It's not like we can knock on the front door" he catches the last part
"Why not?" He asks and everyone turns to face him shocked.
"That's exactly what we're going to do"

As everyone starts to disperse to put the plan in action you walk over to Steve.
"Gracie?" He asks shocked.
"Come back to me, you hear me. Come back to me"
"Always" he whispers back.
You reach up to kiss him giving him an incentive to come home. Your tongues both fighting for dominance.
Not wanting this moment to end you break the kiss and whisper "when you're back I'll do that thing you like" you give him a smirk seeing him blush before making your way to Howard.

After following his plan and getting captured his team and the army breach the base. As he's chasing after Red Skull an agent appears and uses a flame thrower stopping Steve. Next minute he's shot and collapses to the ground and Steve turns to see Peggy and her team.
"You're late" he says while looking at Peggy.
After a few minutes of staring at each other
"Weren't you about to.." she says
"Right" Steve realises and takes off after Schmidt.

Steve makes his way through agents and is running after the plane when Phillips and Carter pull up in Schmidt's car.
"Get in" Phillips shouts as they drive off after the plane.
As they begin to catch up Steve readies himself to jump.
"Keep it Steady"
"Wait" Peggy shouts causing Steve to turn around that's when she grabs him and kisses him.
Breaking the kiss he looks at Phillips confused.
"I'm not kissing you" he jokes and Steve jumps onto the plane.

After defeating Schmidt, Steve makes his way to the control panel
"Come in this is Captain Rogers, do you read me?" He's speaks into the radio
"Captain Rogers what is your..."
"Steve is that you? are you alright?" Peggy rushes to the radio.
"Peggy Schmidt's dead!" Steve shouts
"What about the plane?" She asks
"That's a little bit tougher to explain"
"Give me your coordinates. I'll find you a safe landing site"
"There's not gonna be a safe landing, but I can try and force it down" he counters
"I'll get Howard on the line. He'll know what to do" she pleads
"There's not enough time. This things moving too fast and it's heading for New York" he pauses
"I gotta put her in the water"

"Please don't this. We have time. We can work it out"
"Right now I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer a lot of people are gonna die"
"Peggy, tell Gracie I'm sorry, this is my choice. I couldn't let innocent people die. Tell her to live her life and to find happiness again." Steve tries not to cry thinking he's never going to get the life he wanted with you, knowing he's broken your heart again.
"Steve" a single tear falling down Peggy's cheek.
"Tell her I'm sorry I didn't come back to her, tell her I ..." the plane crashes.

Peggy enters your apartment and you can just tell from the look on her face.
You stand there frozen feeling numb. You don't cry you don't move you just stand there completely frozen.
"Gracie I'm sorry" Peggy says coming up to you.
"No this is a dream. This isn't happening. He's coming home. He said he would always come home to me" you stare at her blankly in the eyes.
You can tell she's been crying.
"Gracie he's not coming back. I'm S.."
"No it's not real, excuse me" you make off to your bedroom.
This can't be real this can't be happening you can't have lost the two most important people in your life. You get into bed and close your eyes wanting to wake up from this nightmare and have Steve be there when you wake.

A few days later you hear Peggy and Howard arguing in the hallway.
"You kissed him!" You hear Howard whisper shout to Peggy.
"Yes I just needed to know if he felt the same" she states.
"Peggy you know he..." he couldn't finish his sentence as you appeared in the hallway, you walk up to Peggy and slap her across the before walking to the front door, slamming it shut as you walk out and begin walking down the street breaking into tears your head breaking knowing you weren't Steve's last kiss.

"You deserved that" Howard says to a stunned Peggy.