Battlefield ★ Bucky Barnes

X. Destined For Fate

The Smithsonian was busy just as it normally was during the day. The visitors mostly consisted of Washington's tourists, as well as a few residents. On any normal day, Steve would've greeted them all with open arms, but at the moment he was trying to lay low for Connie's sake.

One thing Steve noticed that had changed about Connie over the years was the way she interacted with people. Back then, when it was just the three of them, Connie was one of the most outgoing people in the world. She loved people and she loved talking to people, but now it appeared to be quite the opposite. Connie loved helping people and she loved defending them, and she would never stop, but she didn't particularly enjoy engaging in a conversation with them. She only really willingly spoke to Natasha and Steve, as well as Nick and Agent Coulson—when he was alive—and a few of her other coworkers. Steve wasn't sure why that was, and truth be told, Connie wasn't sure of it either. She just knew that talking to people now provoked a peculiar anxiety inside her.

Steve and Connie continued walking through the corridors of the Smithsonian, their baseball caps low on their faces to prevent from being recognized. Connie never thought she would ever be as recognized as she had been, but apparently being one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents and of close relation to Steve Rogers reserved her a spot in the limelight; it was the same with Natasha, though Natasha didn't exactly mind it as much as Connie did.

Connie's breath caught in her throat as the two neared the exhibit entrance. Steve noticed her uneasiness and frowned before wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to him. He knew that the topic regarding their past was a touchy one for Connie, and he knew it was because of Bucky. He was definitely prepared for an emotional response from Connie, but regardless of the fact, it didn't make him feel better. Connie was the closest thing he had to a family—she was his family—and seeing her upset made him upset. The factor that made things worse was knowing there was nothing he could do take away the feelings he was sure would exist for the rest of her life. The only one capable of taking them away was gone.

"It's okay, Con," Steve assured her as he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Connie looked up at him with a gracious smile on her face, though it didn't quite reach her brown eyes.

The two continued walking, stopping every once and awhile to look at old pictures of Steve that hung on the walls of the exhibit. Connie got a really good kick out of it and that made Steve feel better about practically forcing her to come with him. She enjoyed making fun of him, though she didn't forget to tell him how proud she was of him. He had come so far in life, and while most people were thankful to know Captain America, Connie was thankful to know both him and Steve Rogers—the real Steve Rogers.

"Battle tested, Captain America and his Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes."

The voice overhead alerted Connie to the part of the exhibit they were entering, but rather than shying away from it, she indulged in it. She gazed up at the clothed mannequins on the stand in wonder and nostalgia. It was only now that she was beginning to realize just how difficult it was not to think about her past as she stood in the middle of the exhibit.

"Their mission: taking down Hydra, the Nazi rogue science division."

Connie trailed away from Steve as she took notice of a particular plaque in the middle of the room, though he was right behind her. She swallowed the growing lump in her throat as her brown eyes landed on the picture ingrained into the glass, the picture of the man she would spend the rest of her natural life loving.

"Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country," the voice overhead spoke.