Helena Stark: A WWII Widow

chapter twelve: Rollercoaster

"Exactly why are you here?" Bucky asked me as started giving the men their new weapons for the next mission.

I glared at him, "I'm going with you idiots."

"What?" Steve asked alarmed.

"They want me on board to stop the train," I replied unhappily. "Besides, after your last mission, they want me to make sure you don't break the equipment before you even use it."

"We didn't..." Bucky said, but he stopped halfway through. "Never mind."

"So, long story short, I am going with you," I said unhappily as I put on my coat.

"You are not coming," Steve said angrily.

I glared at him, "not my choice. Someone higher up that Phillips ordered that I go with you, so we both have to deal with it."

Steve looked at me worriedly, "I don't like it."

"Well, that makes two of us Captain," I replied.

"Well, let's get this show on the road," Bucky announced as he pushed us out of the door and into the trucks. "Do you at least have a gun?"

"What do you take me for?" I demanded as I pulled out my knives and gun. "I made them myself, so if it brakes... Actually, it won't break."

"You have that much confidence in your work?" Steve asked.

I shook my head, "I have confidence in my brother checking my work."

"I always forget that you're related to Stark," Gabe said.

"Why?" I asked confused, we look a lot alike.

"You are actually nice and have morals." He replied.

I laughed, "I wasn't always like that."

"I highly doubt that," Steve said smiling, finally, that is. He still isn't happy about me coming with.

"Well, before I got married I was very spoiled in the way that I didn't know what it was like to live a hard life. However, when I met the guy he treated me with such respect because of how I acted, not because of the money I had. It changed me." I said softly.

"I didn't know you were married," Bucky said as he looked at Steve.

"I'm not anymore, he died at the beginning of the war," I said.

"Well, I'm sure he would be proud of what you put your life on the line for," Bucky replied.

"I hope so," I whispered as we continued on our way. The rest of the trip was filled with silence, but then we got off and hiked up a mountain to board the train we would be zip-lining to. "This seems like a horrible idea..."

"I second that," Bucky muttered as he looked at Steve. "Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone on Coney Island?"

"Yeah, and I threw up," Steve said uncertainly.

"This isn't paid back, is it?" Bucky joked.

"Now why would I do that?" Steve asked.

I knelt next to Gabe as I got the equipment to start working. "You were right, Doctor Zola is on the train. Hydra dispatcher gave him permission to open up the throttle."

"Wherever he's going, they must need him bad."

"Let's get going because they're moving like the devil," Steve said, then he turned to me. "Helena, you're staying with me. Got it? Stay right behind me with Bucky behind you, we need to get you to the front of that train."

I nodded as I looked at the approaching train, and the long line that was over a cliff. "Got it."

"Hey, you'll be fine." Bucky encouraged me.

"We only got about a ten-second window. You miss that, window. We're bugs on a windshield." Steve reminded the others.

"Mind the gap." Bucky reminded as Steve held out his arm for me.

I took a deep breath as I grabbed onto him and then we were off. I don't think I screamed, but I had my eyes wide open and a death grip on Steve. When we got there we just dropped off and I was still holding onto him when the others got there. "You okay?" Steve asked gently.

I nodded nervously, "let's just get this over with."

"Gotta get moving," Bucky called out.

"Let's get you to the front," Steve said, I didn't say anything as we carefully made our way across the top of the train, but we couldn't get that far forward. "Be careful," Steve told me as he went down a curved ladder. I followed Steve slowly as I prayed.

I silently cursed the general who decided I should be on this mission. I'm a woman for crying out loud! It would be something if I knew how to really fight, or had been in combat situations on a regular basis, but I haven't. I'm just trained, but never been in a fight on a moving train that is covered in ice. I gasped as my foot slipped and I lost my footing.

My feet dangled in the wind as I tried to get my footing back, but the rung was too slippery. "Steve! Grab her!" Bucky shouted as he came down to my side and grabbed my arms. "We got you, Helen." He said calmly as he took my hands and made me let go. The next thing I knew, Steve's hands were around my waist and then I was on the ground next to him.

"Remind me to kill the general who made you come when we get back," Steve said as I shook a little bit. I nodded, but didn't say anything since I was freaked out. I've been fired at, but I've never had to battle the elements like that. It was terrifying. "We should keep moving, stay close."

We started walked slowly through the car, "you okay?" Bucky asked as we crossed over one into another. I turned around to answer when the doors shut in front of me and behind me, trapping me in the middle with a guy on either side.

"Idioto!" I said angrily as I tried to bang on the door, but the button wasn't working. "You evil little contraption!" I shouted as I pulled a small tool kit out of my pocket, "why couldn't they make Howard come instead of a single mother?! Is that too much to ask?"

"Don't touch my train!" A voice shouted at me.

"Try to stop me four eyes!" I shouted back as I took the mechanism apart, this isn't that much more advanced than what Howard and I are working on now. I don't know why he was complaining. I had just finished when the door was blown off and Steve ran in.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he looked me over.

"Other than nearly getting blasted by a door, I'm just peachy," I replied as I finished what I was doing, and then opened the door. "Now go help your best friend."

"Thanks," Steve said as he tossed Bucky a gun and rolled in. I hid behind the door as they took care of the other guy.

"I had him on the ropes," Bucky said when it was over and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"I know you did," Steve said, but then he pointed his gun at me. "Helena! Duck!" I went to duck, but I was backhanded out and into Bucky. "Get down!" Bucky shielded me with his body as Steve was fired at.

The shield was lying harmlessly on the ground as I jumped up and grabbed it, "Helena!" Bucky shouted alarmed as he struggled up. The guy aimed the gun at Bucky and I threw the shield to him. Bucky caught it and started to fire at the man. I edged away from them towards the wall. They fired at each other and Bucky was thrown into me.

I screamed as the side of the train ripped open and I was thrown out with Bucky. He grabbed onto a piece of metal that almost acted like a railing. I, on the other hand, managed to get thrown further back on the train and ended up on one of the ladders, just like earlier. I couldn't hear anything other than the roaring of the wind, and I don't think Steve knows that I didn't fall to my death.

I guess I am on my own.