The Winter Warrior // Captain America

«Chapter 5»

He examined it for a moment before turning to Howard. "You sure this thing works?" he asked. 

"It's tested more than you, pal!" Howard joked. 

Suddenly, bullets hit the plane from the outside. Steve jumped to his feet and raced to the side of the plane where he opened the door. 

"Come back here. We're taking you all the way in," Peggy yelled over the howling of the wind. 

"As soon as I land, you turn this thing around and get the hell out of here!" Steve shouted in response. 

"You can't give me orders," she retorted. 

Steve chuckled. "The Hell I can, I'm a Captain!" He grinned and jumped out of the plane. 

***

Steve turned around the corner inside HYDRA's facility and stood eye to eye with Arnim Zola. They stared at each other for a moment before the small scientist scurried away, a flimsy briefcase filled with paperwork clutched under his arm. 

Steve chased after him but stopped at the door Zola had come out of. He heard groans and mutters coming from within. With his shield raised, he carefully stepped inside, only to have his eyes widen when he realized who was held inside the room. 

It was Bucky Barnes. 

He was lying on his back on a metal table, staring at the ceiling and muttering words Steve couldn't understand. "Bucky!" he called and hurried over to him. His body was strapped to the table with leather straps. "Oh, my God," Steve whispered before releasing his friend from the table. Bucky seemed to wake up from his trance when his best friend shook his arm. The blue in his eyes returned and his pupils focused on the super-soldier standing over him. "It's me, Buck. I'm gonna get you out of here," Steve spoke. 

A smile made its way onto his face. "Steve!" 

Steve grinned back. "Yeah, C'mon." He pulled Bucky to his feet. He stood unsteadily for a second and in that moment, Steve scanned his body quickly for any major injuries, there seemed to be none. "I thought you were dead," he said softly. 

Bucky looked up. "I thought you were smaller," he muttered. 

Their reunion was cut short by gunshots from outside the room. "We need to go," Steve said and pulled his friend with him. 

"Wait, we have to get Anna first," Bucky muttered, his words slightly slurred. 

"She's here?" Steve stopped dead in his tracks. 

"Yeah, we shared a cell for a while," Bucky said rather casually.

"Where is she?" 

"Probably next door." 

Before he could say another word, Steve pulled him to the next door. He slammed the door open and found his little sister slouched in a medical chair. Dark bruises framed her right eye. "Anna!" Steve shook her arm. Her eyes slowly fluttered open. 

"Buck, is that you?" she whispered. 

"No, it's Steve. We need to go. I'm getting you out of here," Steve said while unstrapping her. She carefully stood up and used her brother's arm as support. In order to help Anna, Steve had let go of Bucky, but as he stood on his own, still waking up, he swayed on his feet. "Okay, let's go." He dragged both of them out of the room. 

"What happened to you?" Bucky asked Steve.

"I joined the army." 

***

On their journey to the exit, their way was blocked by the large flames that the exploding bombs had ignited. "Careful, one at a time," Steve muttered to his friend. Bucky climbed over the railing and stepped onto the metal beam that was their only path to freedom. He took careful steps and reached the other side with no interruptions. 

Anna was next. Steve helped her over the railing and she placed one foot before the other to reach the other side. 

When she was halfway, the beam dropped a few inches. "Anna!" Both Steve and Bucky yelled. 

"I'm fine!" the girl shouted back. She took a few more steps before the beam began failing again. 

"Anna, you have to jump!" Steve yelled. She took a deep breath and jumped towards Bucky. He grabbed her arm pulled her over the railing, keeping her close to his side. The beam was now gone, vanished in the flames that were burning beneath their feet. 

"There's gotta be a rope or something!" Anna yelled at her brother. 

"No, just go! There's probably a way around!" he shouted as a response. 

"No, not without you!" Bucky yelled back. 

And without a second thought, Steve jumped.