The fall of Moscow and the KGB is on the horizon. The USA - with Captain America as their noble leader - steps in to aid Russia in halting the uprising. However, Steve Rogers realizes that not everything is as it seems, and the red-headed and red-bl...
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'What a way to go,' Steve thought to himself.
He could feel the life seeping out from his body, blood pooling underneath him as he bled out from a puncture wound in his chest. His entire body was shaking, and his ears were ringing. He couldn't hear a damn thing, and he couldn't feel anything either. Everything was on fire around him, debris and ash falling around him as he lay on his back, unable to turn over and shield himself from the burning debris. He'd never felt so helpless in his life, his vision darkening around the edges as fire licked at his feet and legs.
At least he wouldn't feel himself being burned alive, he thought to himself bitterly.
As if she was an angel that heaven had sent him, Natasha was suddenly by his side. With strength he didn't know she had, she dragged him away from the fire and used his shield to protect them. He didn't know how she had found him or gotten through the burning debris, and he couldn't hear anything she was saying to him, but it didn't matter because she was there. If her face was the last thing he saw before he died, he could go peacefully. As another bomb was launched towards them, she threw his shield, keeping the device from exploding near them. She caught the shield easily as it ricocheted back to her and positioned herself over Steve protectively.
"Na-" He groaned, his chest heaving as he tried to breathe through the blood in his lungs.
She hushed him soothingly, cradling his head in her lap as she pushed his sweaty hair out of his face. "Stay with me, okay? Keep your eyes open, милая." [Sweetheart.]
He blinked up at her blearily. He could see her lips moving, but he couldn't hear what she was saying. He flexed his fingers, his hand trembling as he reached for hers. She took it quickly as she gazed down at him, her eyes wide with fear and adrenaline. He squeezed her hand with the strength he had left and mustered the vigor to speak. "Get out of here. You're going to get hu-hurt." He gasped, his eyes fluttering and his lips trembling as he could feel the darkness slowly engulfing him. The fire was growing bigger and roaring louder; her chance to escape the flames narrowing with every passing second.
"I won't leave you." She shook her head, adjusting his shield over him and shifting his head in her lap.
He wanted to tell her to go before she got hurt, even if it meant leaving him behind. However, he couldn't speak through his gasps, and he squeezed her hand again, hoping she'd understand what he was trying to say.
It seemed she did, but she merely shook her head and leaned down to kiss his forehead.
He couldn't stop his eyes from fluttering closed, the darkness consuming him entirely.
• • •
When Steve awoke, it was under decidedly better circumstances.
The pain in his chest was still staggering, but fire wasn't licking at his legs, and he wasn'tparalyzed. Before he even opened his eyes, he knew he was in a hospital from the smell of aseptic and the steady beeping of a heart monitor. He was wrapped in bandages and warm blankets, soft music playing from somewhere in the room. It took a few moments for his mind to catch up with everything and for him to remember what had happened but when he finally did, his eyes snapped open and he tried to sit up.
