The Final Hope

Chapter 16

"Hey, Pete, it's me. I just wanted to let you know that I'm alright, just don't worry about me okay" I had to leave a message for him.

Then I called Tony. "Tony, send me the shield, and I'll think about coming back. I'll text you the location" I said and hung up.

A day later. the shield arrived. I was practicing with it in the training room when Coulson came in.

"It really suits you" he stated.

"It's my dad's, and now he's gone. Tony wants me to take on the role of Captain America, but I don't think I can. I'm just a kid".

"I know you can, but if you don't want to be an Avenger anymore, then you can be Captain America here".

Simmons told me that I couldn't avoid my family forever. I knew that it was true, but I was going to avoid them for as long as possible. That might have been a difficult task, but I knew that it wasn't impossible.

"If I can make it to the age of twenty-one without seeing my family, then I'll be happy" I stayed.

"Why" Fitz asked.

"Because then I can be drunk around them, so it will hurt less to be in the same room as them" I answered.

"Sorry to spoil this for you, but you can't get drunk. Your metabolism is too high" Simmons burst my bubble.

"Well thanks for ruining that for me, Simmons, but I can get drunk if I ever manage to get some Asgardian mead. That stuff is powerful, but I don't think I'll be getting it any time soon" I sighed and rolled my eyes "I guess I'll just have to avoid my family until I die".

Five Years Later

I was eighteen, and I had just gotten out of the army. I was living in Denver, Colorado. SHIELD had found me a nice place to stay, and today, I would be moving in. It had been almost five years since I'd seen anyone from the Avengers. That would soon change.

"Hey, Will" someone said, coming up onto the porch.

I dropped my bag in the door way and turned around. My heart dropped.

"Bucky, what are you doing here" I demanded. He was probably going to go back to New York and tell the others where I was.

"I know that you've been working for SHIELD for the last five years, and I know that you're on your own now, so I'm back to my job of keeping an eye on you" he replied.

"You shouldn't be here" I hissed.

"Will, I've been looking after you for seventy-seven years, so I'm not about to quit now".

"Are you going back to tell Steve where I am" I asked quietly. I sounded like a kid again.

"When did you stop calling him dad".

"Six months after I left. Now answer my question".

"I won't tell him where you are. I know that it would hurt you both, and I don't want you to explode".

"Hey, when you go back to New York, could you let Peter know that I'm okay" I asked.

"Can't you tell him yourself" Bucky asked in reply.

"No, and he probably doesn't want to talk to me anyways" I started.

"He misses you" he stated "you could call once in a while, y'know".

"I can't".

"Why not".

"Because they hurt me too much. You're the only one that hasn't done anything that's hurt me, which is why I haven't punched you yet" I stated.

"They've all forgiven you. Can't you forgive them".

"I forgave you and James and Peter and even Tony, but when I needed my father the most, Steve wasn't there for me" I replied.

"How long can you hold a grudge".

"I've been holding a grudge for the last eighteen years" I said, intentionally being vague, but Bucky knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Against Hydra".

I nodded.

"I can't blame you for that, but can you try to forgive your dad" he asked "he's a mess right now".

"No" I headed inside and closed the door behind me, separating myself from the past yet again.