national anthem → s . rogers ( 2 )

[7]

"Get up. You're lucky I'm bringing you back to the others instead of killing you, like I wanted," James growled, gripping Blossom around her wound, making her wince. He tightened his grip and dragged her along with him, finding the others.

"On the ground, or I'll put a bullet through your brain, like I wanted," he spat, and she got onto her knees, beside Steve. Steve looked to her, and he noticed the blood dripping down her arm.

"He cut you?" he asked her softly, and she shook her head.

"Shot me," she mumbled, and they were hauled into the back of a van. Blossom saw how Natasha had been shot, and she grit her teeth. Anger replaced jealousy, and it took all that she had, not to lash out at anyone. She sat beside Steve, and he set his hand on her knee. She kept her hand over her wound, trying to keep the blood from spilling everywhere. Cuffs were snapped onto their hands, and Steve looked down.

"He looked right at me like he didn't even know me," Steve mumbled, and Sam looked to them.

"How is that even possible? It was, like, 70 years ago," he said, and Steve kept his gaze down. Blossom wanted to rub his back, cup his face, touch him in any comforting way, but couldn't. All the while, he wound was bleeding, her blood dripping onto the floor of the van.

"Zola. Bucky's whole unit was captured in '43. Zola experimented on him. Whatever he did helped Bucky survive the fall. They must have found him and..."

"None of that's your fault, Steve," Natasha said, her voice soft and raspy. Blossom looked down, her voice catching in her throat. He husband was in despair, and she didn't give him the comforting words he needed.

"Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky," Steve mumbled, and Sam looked to Natasha. He bullet wound was dripping blood onto her jacket, and he looked to the guard in the van with them.

"We need to get a doctor here. We don't put pressure on that wound, she's gonna bleed out here in the truck. Same for her," Sam motioned to Blossom, and she winced slightly. In response, the guard whipped out a taser stick and thrust it into the guard on the other side. The first guard's boot collided with the man's helmet, and he feel unconscious. The guard removed the helmet, and underneath was Maria Hill.

"Ahh, that thing was squeezing my brain," she groaned.

"That explains why they act the way they do," Blossom softly cracked a joke, and Maria allowed herself a small smile.

"Who is this guy?" Maria asked, and they all shared a look.

***

Steve jumped out of the van and helped Natasha off, while Sam helped Blossom down. Maria took her sister carefully and walked her inside, with Sam close behind.

"GSW, she's lost about a pint!" Maria called, talking about Natasha. She then looked to her sister, who's face was growing paler.

"Maybe two," Sam added, and then he looked at Blossom, too. He wound had been gushing for just as long as Natasha's but she didn't care. She felt two hands wrap around her healthy arm, and she looked to see Felicia and Edna, standing by her.