Before We Rise

Chapter 21

Sam stood behind me, rubbing my arms to try and comfort me. Tears fell down my face as Steve walked by helping carrying the casket. He glanced over at me as a small tear ran down his face. Once the casket was placed down, he sat down next to me and grabbed ahold of my hand.

"And now I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up to say a few words." The priest said. Sharon got up from her seat and walked to the mic.

"Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of S.H.I.E.L.D. but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy. She had a photograph in her office, Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK. As a kid, that was pretty cool but it was a lot of live up to which is why I never told anyone we were related. I asked her once how she managed to master diaplomany and espenoge in a time when no on wanted to see a woman exceed at either. But she said 'compromise where you can but where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that there's something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in eye and say no, you move'. Thank you."

Sharon stepped down and the priest finished the service. The casket was taken out and everyone followed it but Steve and I. We stood at the front of the church, not talking, not even looking at each other. I looked up when I heard the doors open and saw Nat walking towards us. Steve glanced over at her but kept staring at the ground.

"When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I had known was gone." Steve said, glancing over at me. "But when I found out she was alive, we were just lucky to have her."

"She had both of you back too." Nat reminded us.

"Who all signed?" Steve asked, moving away from Peggy.

"Tony, Rhodey, Vision." Nat told him.

"Clint?" I asked about him. I haven't seen him since the ending of the battle in Sokovia. She turned to me, smiling.

"Says he's retired." I smiled, nodding.

"Wanda?" Steve asked.

"TBD. I'm off to Vienna to the signing of the Accords. There's plenty of room on the jet." She paused. "Just because it's the path that leaads to reisitance doesn't mean it's the wrong path. Staying together is more important than how we stay together."

"What are we givin up to do it? I'm sorry Nat, I can't sign it." Steve told her.

"I know." She stated.

"Then what are you doin here?" He finally asked her.

"I didn't want you two to be alone. Even if you have each other. Come here." She pulled Steve into a hug then me. She leaned down to my ear. "I'm here if you need me. You know that, right?" I nodded and she pulled back, walking out.

"Why don't you go back with Sam to the hotel while I finish up here?" Steve asked. I nodded before leaving with Sam.

I sat on the bed at the hotel Steve got, listening to the news. I looked up when Sam, Sharon and Steve ran through the door, Sam turning up the t.v.

"A bomb hidin in a new van hit the UN building in Vienna. Over 70 people have been injured, at least 12 are dead including Wakanda King T'Chaka. Officials have released a photo of a suspect that has been identified as James Buchanan Barnes, The Winter Soldier. The infamous Hydra agent link to numerous attacks of terrorism including assassinations." The reporter said, showing a photo of Bucky.

"I have to go to work." Sharon said.

I stood against a wall, playing with the bracelet on my wrist. Steve came walking over to me, tapping on his phone. We were laying low but his laying low is sunglasses and a hat. I went with the causal look of sunglasses with my hair pulled back.

"Yeah?" I heard Nat's voice come from the phone.

"Are you alright?" Steve asked her.

"Uh yeah. Thanks uh I-I got lucky. I know how much Barnes means to you and to Riley, I really do. Stay home, you two will only make this worse. For all of us. Please." Nat pleaded.

"You saying you'll arrest us?" Steve asked her.

"No, someone will. If you interfere, let's hope it works out." Nat said.

"If he's this far gone Nat, I should be the one to bring him in." Steve said to her.

"Why?" She questioned.

"Because I'm the only one least likely to die trying." He hung up on her and grabbed my hand. He lead me into the café, over to where Sam was eating.

"She tell you to stay out of it? Might have a point." Sam told us.

"She said a whole lot less than I thought she would." I told him. I reached over and took his glass of water, taking a sip. He gave me a look when I placed it back down.

"You'd do it if you were me." Steve told him.

"1945 maybe. I just wanted to make sure we considered all our options. The people that shoot at you and miss thang over here usually wind up shooting at me too." Sam said.

"And you say that's our fault?" I mocked him. He gave me another look and I smiled.

"Tips have been pouring in since the image when public. Everybody thinks the Winter Soldier is in their gym. Most of it's noise except for this." Sharon said as she slid a file over to Steve. She didn't look at it as she slid it across but Steve instantly looked down at it. "My boss expecting a briefing any minute now so that's all you're going to get."

"Thank you." Steve said.

"You're gonna have to hurry. We have orders to shoot on sight." Sharon said before walking away. I reached over Sam, grabbing the file and reading through it.

"That slick son of a bitch." I said to myself.

"What?" Sam and Steve asked.

"I know exactly where he is. Gear up."