Again // The Winter Soldier

eleven.

Carmen continued to look up as the quinjet disappeared. He was still in there. She could see it in his eyes. He just needed a little push. Maybe Steve could give him just that.

"Are you alright?" Steve asked and Carmen let out a sigh as she looked around.

"I think so" Carmen shook her head as she saw that her plan hadn't gone accordingly again. She had no way to get up to those helicarriers now. Finally she turned to Freddie. "You think you could get me up to Pierce's floor?"

Freddie stripped his helmet and motioned her to follow as he took off down the landing strip.  The two quickly making their way through.

"Charlie carrier is 45 degrees off the port bow" Hill informed the two boys. "Six minutes"

Steve ran from Hydra agents as he tried to make it to the third helicarrier. "Hey Sam, gonna need a ride"

"Roger, let me know when your ready" Steve avoided an explosion while jumping off the side. Carmen slowly listened in as her and Freddie made it to an elevator and she used an old director override.

"I just did" Sam swooped down and caught Steve's hand as he flailed through the air. He slowly let out a groan before flying him back up into the sky. Quickly he dropped them onto the third helicarrier and they both been walking.

"You know you're a lot heavier than you look" Steve chuckled before shrugging his shoulders.

"I had a big breakfast" suddenly the Winter Soldier jumped out and kicked Steve through the fence and over the edge.

"Steve!' Sam went to fly after him but the soldier grabbed his wing and pulled him back. Sam began shooting but he just avoided each bullet. Sam went to fly away but Bucky shot a grappling hook and cut his one wing. He quickly tugged him down and he slammed into the ground. Bucky took one last tug and took the wing off before running towards him. The second Sam stood, Bucky kicked him over the edge.

Just as the elevator doors opened for Carmen and Freddie she heard Sam over the com. "Cap! Cap, come in. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm here. I'm still on the helicarrier. Where are you?" Carmen put in arm in front of Freddie to stop his movement as she listened in.

"I'm grounded. The suits down. Sorry Cap" Carmen felt her stomach clench at the thought of Steve up there with no back up.

"Don't worry, I got it" suddenly the alarms went off and evacuation notices fled the speakers.

"Falcon? Director?" both yeah'd in response to Hill's call for them. "Rumlow's headed for the council"

"I'm on it" Sam responded before Carmen motioned Freddie to the council doors. "Sam you distract him while I get Nat and Fury out"

"Sounds good" Carmen peered through the windows just to watch council members fall to the ground in pain. Carmen quickly grabbed her gun and kicked the door open with it pointed to Pierce.

"Unless you want a two inch hole in your sternum, I'd put your guns down" Carmen and Natasha both looked at each other but didn't move. "That was armed the moment you pinned it on"

Fury looked to the two girls with a sad expression and they all slowly lowered their guns. Carmen slowly gazed behind her and that told Freddie to keep his location secret. She slowly let the door close as Pierce moved towards the computer. "Lieutenant, how much longer?"

"65 seconds to satellite link. Targeting grid engaged. Lowering weapons array now" Carmen swallowed as she listened. She knew fighting Buckly would be hard for Steve. "We've reached 3,000 feet. We are go to target". Firing in 3, 2, 1-"

"Charlie lock" Carmen couldn't help the smil that spread across her face as she heard Steve's voice.

"Okay Cap, get out of there" Hill told him as she switched the targets to shoot each of the helicarriers.

"Fire now" Carmen's stomach dropped. She wished she could speak back. Knock some sense into his apparently dumb ass.

"But Steve-"

"Do it!" Carmen felt a tear slip and she quickly wiped it away so Pierce wouldn't notice. "Do it now!"

Carmen heard the shots outside and she choked back a sob. Pierce looked out the window as Carmen turned her head to try and pretend it wasn't happening. "What a waste"

"So, you still on the fence about Rogers chances?" Pierce shot her a look and stepped towards her.

"Time to go councilwoman. This way. Come on. You're going to fly me out of here" Fury glanced at Carmen before speaking up.

"You know, there was a time I would've taken a bullet for you-"

"You already did. You will again, when it's useful" Carmen nodded her head towards the windows and Fury looked to see Freddie ready with a gun at hand. Natasha used one of her widow bites to burn out the thing Pierce put on her chest.

"Now Freddie" Fury picked up a spare gun as Carmen grabbed her's and Freddie pushed open the door and held his up to Pierce. Just as Pierce went to reboot Fury shot him. Carmen widened her eyes in surprise but nonetheless stepped forward with her gun still pointed as Fury shot him again. Pierce fell through the glass as Carmen ran to Natasha's side.

"Nat" she shook her slightly and Fury joined her side. They continued to shake her and Freddie put his gun in his holster to help the two. "Natasha! Come on!"

Slowly she opened her eyes as she came back to and Carmen lightly smiled. "Ow. Those really do sting"

"Come on, let's go" Fury and Carmen helped her up as they began to walk towards the chopper. Carmen turned when she noticed Freddie wasn't following. "Cmon Freddie, we got to get out of here"

"You guys go, I have my own stuff to finish" Carmen let go of Nat and ran to give him a hug.

"Be careful" she told him before running off and joining them in the helicopter. Just as Fury got it in the air Carmen watched as one of the helicarriers crashed into the side of the Triskelion.

"Please tell me you got that chopper in the air!" Sam yelled over the com's just as Natasha put headphones on.

"Sam where are you?" Natasha asked as Carmen looked around any of the falling helicarriers for red, white, and blue.

"41st floor! Northwest corner!" Nick swung the chopper around and towards his direction.

"We're on it! Stay where you are!" Natasha told him and Carmen turned in her seat.

"Not an option!" Fury watched as Sam fell through the air. He turned the helicopter on it side and Sam stumbled in. Carmen caught his arm as he knocked out the other door and Fury straightened them out. "41st floor! 41st!"

"It's not like they put the floor numbers on the outside of the building!" Fury yelled at him as he struggled to sit up. Fury flew them under the helicarrier as Sam finally managed to sit up beside her. She struggled to hide the worry on her face and Sam gave her a confused look.

"Hill! Where's Steve? You got a location on Rogers?" Carmen bit her lip. She knew where he was. She wished she didn't.

"He's still in the helicarrier" Nat turned to Carmen who practically whispered it. Sam immediately wrapped his arms around the girl and she quickly hugged back as she let the tears fall. All the helicarriers had been destroyed by now. Nick turned to look at Carmen before looking at Natasha who motioned her head towards the ground. Sam let the girl cry her worries into his chest as Fury landed the helicopter.

"Sam get Carmen home for me. Me and Natasha are gonna set up search and rescue crews. She should prepare for Julia's return" Sam nodded as he helped Carmen out of the helicopter. Nick looked at Natasha with an unsure smile as he watched his greatest companion break down. Everyone talked about how she lost him the first time but nobody talked about what would happen if it happened a second time.

"Yes sir"