Phantom ▷ b. barnes [1] ✔️

xv. the return

"You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be." Goo Goo Dolls, Iris

~ ~ ~

Steve helped her and Bucky up and she leaned against Bucky's shoulder, still laughing. He leaned right back, chuckling softly. Brushing a hand through her short, tangled hair, Sam gazed beyond the burning Hydra facility.

Toward the sound of faint shouts. The gunshots had faded, but she could still hear men's voices. Her laughter fading, she glanced at Steve.

He tugged at his helmet. "I guess we should get moving."

"I still want to hear how all of this happened," she gestured to him and his eyes crinkled. "Last I remember, Peggy claimed it was going to be a harmless experiment."

Steve's eyes glowed a little brighter. Catching the look, Sam's eyes widened and she arched a brow. 

"Steve! Is something you want to tell us?"

Bucky turned, an accusatory smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Steve's face turned a dark scarlet and he ducked his head, tugging at his helmet again. "We should go."

"Of course we should," Sam crackled. "Whatever you say, Captain America."

He shot her a look, face still flushed. She winked.

Steve led the way and they started toward the sound of voices. The flames of the Hydra facility turned the nighttime a glowing orange and she could make out figures racing back and forth.

Bodies littered the ground.

Her breath catching, Sam picked up her pace, brushing past Steve. He shouted something but she ignored it, racing down the hillside and toward the now-still battlefield. She gazed around, meeting the stares of bloodied and exhausted prisoners.

"Dugan?" She raised her voice louder. "Falsworth?"

"Freshie!"

She whirled around. Dum Dum's face popped out one of the tanks, turning toward her shout. His hat was on sideways, uniform rumpled, but the grin that split across his face was wide.

He glanced beyond her, spotting Steve and Bucky approaching. If possible, his grin widened. "And Barnes!"

"Hey, Dugan," Bucky looked amused.

Both Falsworth and Gabe lifted their heads out of the hatch as Dugan jumped down, moving over and engulfing Sam in a one-arm embrace. She blinked in surprise, but accepted the crushing hug. She didn't think she could wiggle out of it even if she tried. 

"Nice to see you too, Dum Dum," she snorted into his shoulder.

"I can't help it, freshie," he stepped back, blushing furiously. "I feel like I gotta keep an eye on ya, now. Even more so that your secret's out."

"I feel like that's... uh..." She shook her head and smiled. "Never mind. Thank you."

Looking around, she realized the prisoners that had formed a small circle around them. There weren't as many that had been in the cells; some hadn't even made it out. But there were still a ton of mud-stained faces, all eyeing her, Bucky, and Steve.

Bucky moved beside her, following her gaze. He bit his lip and glanced sideways at her. "So, about that milkshake?"

"Oh, shut up," she punched his arm. But the mixture of relief and pure exhilaration washing over made it impossible not smile widely. They'd escaped, despite it all. 

Despite it all...

She glanced down at her hands, chewing on her lower lip. With everything that had happened, she didn't know what to think. What had happened--