The Beginning (Steve x Reader x Bucky)

(21) Serious Talks

In the interrogation cell Dr. Zola is seated at a table. He turns to see a plate with steak, potato and broccoli coming through the door.

Colonel Phillips brings the plate over to the table. "What is this?" the doctor asks. He looks suspicious.

The Colonel slides him some silverware. "It's a steak." he tells the doctor. Zola asks another question, "What's in it?"

"Cow? Doctor, do you have any idea how hard it is to get hold of a prime cut like this out here?" Phillips asks, annoyed.

"I don't eat meat." the doctor states. "Ever?" the Colonel asks shocked. 

"It disagrees with me." Zola warns.

"How about cyandie? Does that give you rumbly tummy too?" Phillips mocks. The Colonel slides the food over to himself and cuts the steak, eating contentedly.

The Colonel speaks again after swallowing his food. "Every Hydra agent we've tried to take alive has cracked a little tablet before we could stop them. But not you. So here's my brilliant theory: you want to live."

"Are you trying to intimidate me, Colonel?" Zola asks, unamused. "I bought you dinner!" Phillips counters. He then slides the doctor a piece of paper.

Zola reads aloud, "Given the valuable information he has provided, and in exchange for his full cooperation, Doctor Zola is being remanded to Switzerland-"

"Sent that to DC this morning. Of course, it was encoded- say, you haven't broken those codes, have you? That'd be awkward..." the Colonel cuts Zola off.

The doctor begins to talk, not so confident anymore. "Schmidt will know this is a lie."

"He's still gonna kill you. You're a liability, Doc. You know more about Schmidt than anyone. Oh, and the last man you cost us was Captain Rogers and YN's closet friend, so I wouldn't count on the very best in protection." The Colonel puts the utensils down, "It's you or him. That's just what she dealt."

Zola knows he's right, terror evident on his face. "By the time you act, it will be too late. Schmidt believes he walks in the footsteps of gods. Only the world itself will satisfy him."

"Huh." the Colonel pauses. "You do realize that's nuts, don't you?"

"The sanity of the plan is of little consequence." the doctor states. 

"And why's that?" Phillips questions. "Because he can do it." Zola says. 

"What's his target?" the Colonel questions.

Arnim Zola stares at the Colonel, incredulous. "Everywhere."

Meanwhile, at The Whip & Fiddle Pub, Peggy walks in the make- shift doors. Steve and YN drink their beers.

"Doctor Erskine told me the serum, wouldn't just work on my muscles and my reflexes- he said it would work in my cells, create a protective system of healing, of regenerating. Which means..." Steve trails off.

"He can't get drunk. But I can, not as easily as normal people, though." YN finishes for him.

"Steve, your metabolism burns three times faster than average. He thought it could be one of the side effects. YN, I'm not sure about you." Peggy states.

"Probably didn't want anybody stealing his schnapps." Steve jokes. "It wasn't your guys fault." Peggy says, sad to see her friends like this.

"Listen, Peggy. I know you just want to lighten the mood and thanks for that, but I can't deal with anyone else telling me it wasn't my fault. I got distracted and got hit, Steve tried helping me and boom Bucky's gone. It's our fault, I don't care what you say." YN silently cries, drinking her beer.

"You read the report?" Steve asks the red head. "Yes." she tells him. 

"Then you know what YN said is true. It's our fault." the blonde states, wanting the conversation to be over.

"You guys did everything you could-" Peggy's cut off by YN getting up and throwing her glass on the floor. She walks away with fire being left behind with every step.

"We got in over our head. Bucky waded in and pulled us out, just like he always did. And the one time he needed us to return the favor, we couldn't." Steve raises his voice.

"I doubt it's that simple." Carter adds. "All we had to do was hold him." Steve counters.

"Did you believe in your friend? Respect him?" the red head asks. Steve looks to her, his expression saying 'Of course'. "Then stop blaming yourselves. Allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He damn well must have thought you guys were worth it." she concludes.

Steve looks at his beer, while YN walks back after calming down. "I'm sorry." she tells them. Peggy nods and gives her a soft smile.

"As soon as I finish this, I'm going after Johann Schmidt. I'm going to burn out every hole there is for him to hide in. And I'm not going to stop until he and all of Hydra are captured or dead." Steve states. YN nods in agreement.

"Let's go then." Peggy says after drinking the rest of Steve's beer.