When We Were Young

Shocking News

Despite the fact that the world believed that Nick Fury had died, you were still given your vacation time. Though it wasn't spent the way you hoped, you were still glad that Thor was there to support you.

"I'm sorry I'm working so much," you sighed.

Thor understood but truth be told, he had almost seemed annoyed that vacation wasn't as planned. He didn't blame you, he even felt sorry for what happened with Nick, but he felt helpless, which he didn't like.

After hours of investigating files within S.H.I.E.L.D., your phone rang from an unknown number.

"This is Barnes."

"What the hell is going on? Pierce just put out a man hunt for Rogers," the voice muttered.

"Sharon? Where is he, do you know?!"

"I have no idea but you'd better find him before anyone else does," Sharon replied before hanging up.

"What are you doing, Steve?" You sighed as you tossed your phone in front of you.

You ran your fingers through your hair before grabbing your phone and trying to call Steve, only for him not to answer. You dialed Natasha's number in hopes that she had an idea where he was but she didn't answer either. You were scared that they had been targets and that something had happened to them.

"Thor?"

"What is it?"

"I need to know where Steve and Natasha are," you replied.

"You need Heimdall," Thor replied. "I can go but I cannot tell you if I would have a quick return."

You swallowed hard.

On one hand, having Thor with you was therapeutic and you didn't want him to leave. On the other, you needed to make sure that Natasha and Steve were okay. The only sure fire way to find out was if Heimdall could tell Thor about them.

"As much as I can't stand Rogers, they're our family," you said softly to Thor. "If the roles were reversed, I would hope they would look for me."

"I will go if it is important to you."

Thor looked at you with a sad smile. You wished he didn't have to go. You wished you and him could spend time in your own bubble with no interruptions but life never seemed to work the way you wanted it to.

Thor walked towards the balcony, picking mjolnir up on the way.

"I'm sorry," you whispered as you followed him. "I promise that one day it'll be you and me and nothing else."

"I'll hold you to that promise," he replied.

With his free hand, Thor pulled you to him before leaning down to press his lips against yours. Knowing he had work to do in order to help you, he raised his hammer and was gone with the bifrost.

You spent the majority of the day trying to track Natasha and Steve down and were operating under the assumption that they were together and safe. Unfortunately, exhaustion caught up with you and you ended up falling asleep on the living room floor.

After the worst night of sleep you had in quite some time, you got showered before packing your suit into a backpack. Once you were absolutely sure that you were safe to leave your apartment, you went to the safe house to meet with Nick and Maria. Upon your arrival, you were introduced to Doctor Fine before being shown to where Nick had been.

"I didn't think you were ever going to show up," Nick scowled.

"Well, I had to send Thor away before I could come here," you muttered. "Thanks a lot, by the way."

You used your sarcasm to bring a small smile to Nick's face before you moved to sit at his side.

"Holding up okay?" You looked around and noticed that Maria was nowhere to be found. "Where's Hill?"

"Bringing company."

You nodded, not knowing who Nick could be talking about.

"Can I get you anything?"

"A new lung," Nick replied, causing you to smile.

"I'd give you mine if I could."

You and Nick talked for a bit before you heard Doctor Fine yelling to someone. A woman.

"Maria?" You questioned as you stood up and walked towards the hallway to see Steve, an injured Natasha, and somebody you didn't recognize. "Natasha?!"

You sprinted down the hallway and saw that she was injured.

"What the hell happened to you?" You questioned as you helped apply pressure to her gunshot wound.

Natasha looked to Steve, not knowing what to say.

"Y/N, I need to talk to you," Steve interrupted.

"Wait," Maria called to you.

You nodded and gestured them to the room behind you where Nick was. As he spoke to Natasha, Steve, and a man that was named Sam, you watched Nat and Steve.

"Can I talk to you now?" Steve questioned.

"Yeah," you replied before following him outside.

Before Steve could say anything, you spoke up.

"Are you okay? You look like you were hit by a bus."

"The bus was actually hit by me," he sighed.

As you watched Steve, you could tell that he was having problems with what he wanted to say.

"What's wrong?"

"I have something to tell you and I don't know how," he admitted. "It's going to sound crazy."

"Steve, after the last few years, I don't think there's much that will surprise me."

"Bucky's alive," he blurted out.

Your eyebrows pulled together as you watched Steve.

"I know you're mad that you didn't know about Fury but lying to me about my brother is the most deranged thing you could tell me."

"I'm not lying, Y/N."

"You told me that you watched him die almost seventy years ago, Steve," you replied as you began to step away.

"He must have survived the fall," Steve replied, causing you to turn to face him. "All I know is that he's alive and he's the one who shot Fury."

You swallowed hard and felt like the world was swaying under your feet. In an effort to catch yourself, you stumbled back against the railing.

"You're telling me that my brother is the Winter Soldier?"

You crouched down and put your head in your hands as Sam came outside and started talking to Steve.

"He isn't the kind you save, he's the kind you stop," you overheard Sam said to Steve, earning a glare from you.

"What the hell did you say?" You questioned as you stood up and walked over to the pair.

"He's dangerous," Sam replied.

"So am I," you said with your eyes narrowed at Sam before you started to walk away.

"Where are you going, Y/N?" Steve questioned.

"If you're right, Steve, then that means they turned my brother into a nightmare and now I'm going to be theirs," you said as you walked away, back to where the others were, so you could suit up.