I Still Believe In Heroes

Chapter Seventeen

"Wait, let me get this straight." Steve sighs while rubbing his forehead. "Hydra's been taking over the world and whoever was in that city that you came from is what's left of the world?"

"No." Sam sighs while rolling her eyes. "It's what's left in this half of the country, there are two bases like that per country. No one's ever traveled to them without special permission or being kidnapped. So if a family was separated....they better forget about each other fast."

"You sound like you're speaking from experience." Tony comments.

"She is n-"

"That's because I am." Sam interrupts without looking at Dean. "Big time." 

"What do you mean you were separated? You've never talked about-"

"That's because I was going to cross the border myself and leave you." Sam interrupts again. "I had that plan all along before we really became 'best friends'."

"Are you seriously holding this against me still?" Dean groans, Sam nods. "God! A guy goes undercover once!"

"Sorry if it was my life that was shaped because of you." Sam scowls. 

"It's not that big of a deal!" Dean whines as Sam quickly stands from her chair. 

"You're a little shit." She seethes. "I'm going to kill you." 

"Okay okay!" Steve yells, breaking off the argument. "Let's not do that right now." 

"Fine, we'll deal with another issue that I have," Sam states while crossing her arms. "I saw weapons, suits, and a particular shield in the garbage. Specifically, on their way to be burned and destroyed, anyone care to tell me what the fuck that's about?"

"We don't need that stuff anymore." Clint shakes his head. "We aren't superheroes."

Sam sputters. "Excuse me? Did I just hear that come from your mouth? I know I did not just hear that!"

"Kid, it's true we can't do that anymore. We're too old." Tony shakes his head.

"Steve still saved people and he was like seventy-something! Jesus Christ, you're all like what? Fifty?!!" Sam yells while throwing her hands in the air.

"I'm forty-five." Tony deadpans.

"So that means the rest of us are like fifteen." Clint jokes as Tony shoots him a death glare.

"Stark, you're forty-eight. The rest of them are around forty-five or higher." Sam rolls her eyes.

"How...how did you know that?" Steve gulps.

"I'm smart. That's why." Sam scoffs.

"Look, Samantha is it?" Tony questions.

"It's Sam." She coldly replies.

"Samantha, we aren't cut out for the hero thing anymore and no one probably believes we exist anymore because of what Hydra has done." Tony shakes his head. "And most of us have wanted to live the quiet life anyway, this is a win-win situation."

"What about the hundreds of people who are stuck with Hydra ruling them poorly?" Sam questions while tapping her foot to try and keep her anger from exploding through the rooftops. "You, the X-Men, Dean, and I are the only ones who are left that even have a chance at taking Hydra out. Those people are all mostly innocent, they deserve a second chance at a life where they aren't afraid to walk out on the street every minute!"

"We're just too old." Clint sighs as they all stand from the table. "I'm pretty sure the X-Men can agree on this." 

"Where are you going?" Sam demands. 

"We're all packing up." Logan finally speaks up. "We just aren't meant to save the world anymore. So we're all going somewhere where we can live in peace." 

"Wait, dad. You can't be serious!" Dean yells as they all start to file out of the room. 

"I'm sorry." Steve sighs as he sets his hand on each of their shoulders. "We really are. Each of us would fight with you if we could." 

"Bullshit." Sam whispers as he walks from the room, she slams her hands on the table and hangs her head in defeat.

"I'll go talk to them." Dean sighs and runs a hand through his hair. 

"It's no use." Sam mumbles. "We lost." 

"No, don't give up yet okay? We can do this." Dean encourages. "We just...have to keep going. Like we always have."

"You know, I don't even know if that was real either." Sam announces while pushing away from the table. "So, yeah. I give up, Dean." 

"Wait, Sam!" Dean yells as she walks from the room and quickly goes into her own. Sam slams the door and locks it before sitting down on her bed in front of the 'animated window'.

"Friday." Sam whispers while looking up at the ceiling, waiting for the new AI that Tony had installed right away to reply. "Please turn the window scene into a beach, with the sound." 

"Of course ma'am." The voice replies before the window illuminates her bedroom and the sound of waves crashing against the shore bounces off the walls. Sam slowly falls off the bed and leans her back against the side of it while pulling her knees to her chest as her eyes just watch the waves lazily come to the shore and back. Over and over again, as if there weren't any problems in the world.

Later

Sam's head bobs as small snores leave her mouth, a crash from the hallway causes her to jolt up. "Friday, turn off the window." 

"Yes, ma'am." Friday answers before her whole room is met with darkness. A few seconds pass before a light knock is heard on Sam's door. Slowly, she stands and unlocks it, only opening it a few feet to look at whoever was outside. "James?"

"It's Bucky." The black haired soldier replies. "May I come in?"

"Um, I guess?" Sam awkwardly whispers before opening the door to allow him to come in. "Excuse the mess, it hasn't been easy around here." 

Bucky nods before stepping into the room, his eyes quickly scanning the surroundings before stopping on a picture on Sam's nightstand. She looks at it before looking away as the threat of tears grows bigger. Sam flicks on the lights and blinks a few times to adjust before looking over to the Winter Soldier.

"So uh...not to be rude or anything but uh, what are you doing here?" Sam demands.

"Don't stop." Bucky orders.

"Excuse me?" Sam raises her eyebrows.

"Don't stop fighting, you are stronger than you know and you have way more capabilities than you let on." Bucky sighs. 

"And how would you know this?" Sam questions.

"I knew-...I mean, Dean explained how you found out all this information. Going through the base and then you were able to get us almost by yourself." Bucky shrugs but Sam just narrows her eyes.

"What was that first part?" She questions. "And don't lie to me, I'll know." 

"Fine." Bucky sighs. "I wasn't supposed to tell you this...but I knew you when you were little because I'm your uncle." 

"Wait, what?" Sam's eyes widen.

"Yeah, your mom is my sister." Bucky mumbles. "Or was." 

"And my dad?" 

"Why don't you go ask him? He's a few doors down." 

=====

Sister = Made up, please don't comment that 'Bucky doesn't have a sister'

I know

I swear

-Author Out