Love Me (Steve Rogers Fanfiction)

Chapter 13

STEVE'S POV

"Cap! Are you there?" Clint practically yells into the comm. I continue directing Sokovians onto the Helicarrier as I respond. We're down to the last few minutes before Stark blows this rock to pieces, and we need to make them count. No time for distractions.

"Yeah. Where are you? We're going to take off soon."

"Cap, we've got a problem."

"What? More stragglers? America was supposed to handle them. She knows what she's doing. Get down here, as soon as she gets back, we're leaving."

"Cap, she's down. It's really bad. We're gonna need medics and-"

"What?" My spirits plummet and my eyes meet Natasha's over the crowd, knowing she's just heard the same news. She gives me the smallest shake of her head. "What happened? Where are you?"

"Get everyone on board. I have her. Pietro and I are coming to you."

I keep trying to help everyone onto the boats, but I can't focus. Finally, I spot Pietro weaving his way through the crowd holding a little boy, his head constantly whipping around to find us. I rush over to him. He's also been shot three times, but he's completely forgotten about himself. I have, too. He sets the boy down and approaches me.

"What happened?" I yell, completely losing any shred of self-control I have. "Where is she? I-"

"Cap!" Clint jogs towards us, cradling America in his arms. Please, no. Please, I silently beg as I run up to them. There's blood all over her suit. Clint transfers her to me, then leaves, probably to find a medic.

"Mer. Mer, listen." She opens her eyes a crack, and they light up slightly when she sees me. I slowly lower her to the ground and lay her head on my lap, checking her injuries as quickly as possible. "You need to stay with me. Talk to me. Say anything, just stay with me."

"We need to talk to Tony about a bulletproof suit," she mumbles. "Apparently I'm a magnet."

She almost gets me to smile. I'm too busy trying to figure out how many times she's been shot. Six. Six. Anger builds up inside, unlike any anger I've ever felt before. Her normally pale face is paperwhite, and twisted in the pain she's desperately trying to hide. "Yeah, you are."

"We might have to... rain check movie night."

"No, no we won't. You're gonna be there."

"Steve-"

"You will be there," I say firmly, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. She raises a shaky hand, eyes begging. I grip it tightly, ignoring the blood coating her engagement ring and how weak her hold is on me. Romanoff runs up to the two of us.

"Hey, Stark's gonna blow up Sokovia any second, so we need to move." I nod and lift her as carefully as I can, but her face contorts in agony with any movement. There's nothing I can do about it. Tears streak down her face, creating pathways through ash.

The minute we get on board, medics arrive and transfer her to a stretcher, insisting that Fury wants her to be taken care of as quickly as possible on the main Helicarrier. I'm grateful for that until they tell me no one is allowed to come, including me. Clint has to hold me back, but in some ways, I understand. I hate that I understand, but I do. Either way, they take her before I can say another word, and she's too weak to protest. I just find a spot to sit and put my head in my hands.

We almost lost so many people. I almost lost America. I still could.

No. She's tougher than she gives herself credit for. She'll make it through, just because she's stronger than anyone I've ever known. How does she keep moving? I think to myself. I think I know the answer. That's all she's ever known.

Someone sits next to me, and I glance up to see who it is. Pietro, who also seems just as distraught as me, despite having only rediscovering his sister days ago. But that's how I was with Buck. Years apart doesn't change a strong relationship. "You should get those looked at," I say, motioning to his bullet injuries. Two in his arm, one in his leg.

He only shakes his head. "Everyone else first. This was my fault, I can wait a little while."

"You okay?" I ask him.

He stares at the sky as the city explodes. "No," he finally says. He takes a deep breath. "Before we found you and Ultron on the train, there was something she said to us. She said, 'Between you and me, I get shot a lot because I tend to think everyone else deserves to live more than me.' And she did it." He shakes his head, his fluffy platinum hair getting in his eyes. America's resemblance really lies with her sister. "I can't figure out for the hell of me why."

"Mer, she's... complicated," I finally say, looking down at my hands. "She was used by Hydra for almost ten years. And then she escaped, joined the Avengers, and they still got her again. She's terrified that she's not worth it all."

"But to take those bullets..." He trails off. "She must have thought that I deserved it. To live."

I sigh. "To her, everyone deserves it more than she does. It's not the first time she's stepped in to save one of us. I don't know if she'll ever truly move past it."

"And what of the two of you? You are in love," he comments. For a minute, I think he's angry. Not that I couldn't take him in a fair fight, but I don't want to. He only exhales slowly. "I was not there for my sister for many years. She was alone. Thank you for being there in my place."

"You're welcome." I watch as we fly away from the remains of Sokovia. Where we're going, I don't know. But anything is better than the past. One thing I've learned is we need to keep moving forward. And there should be some pretty good things on the horizon. "I wasn't there for her always, though."

Pietro shrugs. "That makes no difference. What matters in the end is that you always come back and find her again."

New one! It's a bit depressing, sorry, but I love Pietro guys. I really do.

Announcements!!! You all should go check out moviehead_always4 's book "The Winter Warrior"! You might see a familiar character there ; )