CopyCat | Bucky Barnes

47

"But the blood on my hands, scares me to death, maybe I'm waking up today."

              - I'll be good, Jaymes Young

Peggy dying was sad, but it did fill in a gap in my vision. Steve was carrying her casket. There was still so much more to come.

Next was the explosion. I could try and stop it, but I haven't a clue where it's going to be. I just hope it's not here.

I sat quietly next to Sam while Steve slowly walked past us, holding up part of the coffin. I could tell he was in pain. There wasn't anything I could do to help him. I left him all alone for a year and only came back because I thought he could be in danger.

The service overall is nice, and the choir of children was giving me some temporary peace of mind. My greatest concern right now was trying to look sad instead of my normal resting glare.

I was definitely trying, mostly for Steve. Part of me wanted to be sad. Peggy was my supervising officer, and I did consider her a friend. I just wasn't sure how to be sad about it. I couldn't feel anything.

When Steve rejoined Sam and I, a blonde woman stepped forward to the churches podium. I remember her, she was a friend of Steve's before SHIELD fell.

She glanced at Steve but only for a moment. "Margaret Carter was known to most as one of the founders of SHIELD, but I just knew her as aunt Peggy."

Wait a minute. My brother spends nearly a century under the ice, and the only woman he has an eye for is the niece of his ex girlfriend? Nice, totally normal. But from the look on Steve's face, it seems he didn't know as well.

"She had a photograph in her office. Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK."

That name actually sounds kinda familiar.... Oh, yeah I killed him back in '63.

"As a kid, that was pretty cool. But it was a lot to live up to. Which is why I never told anyone we we're related. I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time where no one wanted to see a woman succeed in either. She said, compromise where you can. Where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move... It is your duty to plant yourself like a tree and say, no, you move."

+

When the service ended, everyone else had left the building except Steve.

I asked Sam to wait outside while I went back for him. But I stopped at the chapel doors when I heard voices.

"I can't sign the accords." She heard her brother.

"I know." That's Natasha's voice.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I didn't want you to be alone." She said compassionately.

I finally stalked inside right up to her, planting my feet between her and Steve. We were about the same height so I glared right into her eyes.

"He's not alone."

Nat looked uncertain, she could tell her being here had made me upset. It had. She sided with the government, she has no business being near Steve.

"I'm going to go." She said giving Steve a small smile over my shoulder.

I still didn't move and stared her down until she had left the building completely.

"What was that for?" Steve demanded.

I turned back around to him, "I'm protecting you. She doesn't care about you, she's a spy, Steve. A master manipulator. Her only goal is getting you to sign the accords."

"Really?" Steve said unconvinced. "Because she's been there for me when you weren't."

"Don't go there." I shook my head. "Hydra took me, I didn't have a choice."

"I'm not talking about Hydra, I'm talking about this past year! A whole year and not a peep from you! Do you have any idea how that felt?"

"I'm sorry." Was all I managed to choke out. "I didn't think you needed me."

"Yea well I did. I lost my best friend, and then I lost my sister."

I didn't know what more I could say. I already apologized. He should understand, I kept myself away for the good of both of us.

It became clear fast that neither of us had anything left to say, so without any warning Steve sighed before walking out of the chapel.

+

I went back outside only for Sam to tell me Steve left to walk Sharon back to her hotel room. I wasn't really sure what to do now.

With the accords in place, we are currently out of a job and I don't think it's gonna take long for Steve and the rest of us to be arrested. I'd run, but Steve wouldn't, and I couldn't run without him.

Sam and I decided to get coffee and wait for Steve to return.

"So where you been? How's metal muscle?" He asked jokingly.

"You're not funny." I sighed.

"Where is..."

"What? My baby? Technically babies, but they're safe. I got a nice babysitter."

"Damn. When are you gonna tell Steve?"

"I don't know," I sighed. "It might have to be sooner than I'd like."

"It's gonna have to be a lot sooner," He said suddenly. "Look"

He pointed over to the tv in the corner of the room. It said Breaking News of a bomb going off in Vienna. That's where the signing of the accords were being held. The bomb, the accords... This is my next vision.

The images that came up next on the screen, I was in no way prepared for. It was Bucky. No it couldn't be. He was in Romania, there's no way. He's better now.

We're both better now. Except no one knows that because of me.