Winter's Daughter

Chapter 24

"Fire!" Steve shouted as every agent apart of S.H.I.E.L.D. fought against the enemy's forces that were closing in on them quickly. James made sure to keep Vic near him at all times. He refused to let anything get to close to her.

"Steve, look out!" James shouted to his friend as he noticed attacks starting to come from above.

Vic stopped fighting for only a moment. It seemed to stretch forever as she watched the bloodshed and hatred. She was pulled back to reality as James pulled her down and away from the air strikes.

"Are you alright?" James asked over a loud explosion that hit a few miles away.

"There's no hope of winning this. We'll all die." Vic told him, she looked to the skies that had become black. She'd never experienced this. To her, this was the end of the world.

"There's always hope. As long as you keep believing." He told her. He knew she was afraid. He could see it in her eyes.

"Buck, we don't have enough replacements for our wounded. You've got to come out and help me." Steve told him.

James nodded and started to walk with him when Vic grabbed his arm tightly. He knew what she was thinking. She was on the brink of tears.

"Stay low."

He ran off with Steve to fight off the never ending stream of soldiers coming their way. Vic fought against the soldiers that came near her. Her fear bringing out the power she possessed. The men that were starting to surround her collapsed as she let out a burst of raw energy. James had seen what happened and knew he should start heading back toward her.

"Steve, if this keeps up nobody will be left."

"I know, but we have to keep going. If we want to survive, we can't stop now."

James knew Steve was right, yet he still had to make sure Vic would be safe. He knew the time was now. Quickly, he made his way over to his daughter and took her inside of the building.

"What are we doing in here? We have to fight while we still can!" Vic asked her father as he brought her into a secluded lab.

"This is our fight. Not yours. You promised me that you'd everything I say. I've spent weeks building a way to keep you out of all of this. A way to keep you safe."

Vic knew what he was doing, and refused to accept it.

"No. No you can't expect me to stop fighting and leave you alone out there. They'll kill you. Dad, I can't let that happen!" Tears welled in the girls eyes as he walked her over to a pod that was exactly her size.

"Listen to me. They can't hurt me. You don't need to be there for me. You don't need that burden on your shoulders." He opened the pod and held her shoulders tightly.

"Dad please," She felt tears slip down her cheeks as she hugged him tightly. "Please don't do this."

He hugged her back and helped her into the pod. She tried to stop crying as he kissed her forehead and closed the pod's door. Vic understood that he thought this was best. Being placed back into cryogenic hibernation until things were better. She wished that it wasn't happening this way. She didn't want to watch him leave to fight.

"Bucky, you've gotta get out of there! They've dropped a detonator! I don't know how long you've got!" Steve screamed to his friend from his com.

"Dad, promise me that you'll stay safe. Promise me that you'll be alright." She said to him through the panel separating them.

He gave her a smile and only half noticed the tear that had escaped and was sliding down to his chin. "I love you."

The pod grew cold and frost formed onto the small glass window. Through the frost, Vic saw the bright yellow and orange flash of an explosion. She drew her last breath as the sound tumbled through the air.

She was frozen. Though she was unconscious, the image of her father's death was clear in her mind. He died trying to protect her, which was all he wanted to do.

James Buchanan Barnes had died a hero.