ＩＭＰＥＲＩＡＬ ◼TONY STARK◼

ｓｉｘｔｙ－ｔｈｒｅｅ

Deli let out a laugh, bumping shoulders with Natasha who let a small smile slip through.

"We can get to all that later," she shot back at her best friend, her smile slipping as they walked. "Look, I almost didn't come in. Maria called, said it was deep shadow conditions. Told her Tony and I were retired, but then she sent the files over."

"They've been growing like a parasite inside of SHIELD since Operation Paperclip," Natasha explained to her as they turned a corner. "Sitwell, Pierce, everyone you never would've thought of is HYDRA. They've had Steve and I on the run, labeling us as criminals to the public. We've got to get in there and dump the files, take them down before they use those helicarriers to take out half the population-"

"Natasha, I didn't come here to save SHIELD,"

Natasha stopped in her tracks, gazing at Audelia in confusion. The brunette had walked up to the archway that led to the bridge over the water just outside of the underground base. She leaned against the wall beside her as Natasha walked up, taking a spot on her other side and following her line of sight to the super soldier sulking over the side of the bridge.

"You came for Steve,"

"I didn't think my dad's old war buddy would become such a dear friend, but I guess a lot can happen in two years," Audelia muttered, her eyes never leaving Steve's form. "Before he came to Washington to lead the STRIKE team, he spent a month or so in the tower with Tony, Aurora and I, did he tell you that?"

"Not at all,"

"It was in that month I saw a side of Steve Rogers that I don't think he's even shown my father," Deli's gaze moved over to Natasha. "The constant nightmares plaguing his mind. Every single night I'd wake up to the sound of him screaming. He'd mutter over and over again about the plane, about the cold. Steve woke up and he had no one. There was no one from his past life to be there for him, no one to lean on. Everyone he knew was gone, there was no one to support him and love him. If he had that, then maybe it wouldn't have been as bad."

"So you became that,"

Audelia gave the slightest nod of her head, her eyes trailing back over to Steve on the bridge just outside the base.

"He needed help, so I helped him. I saw those files, and I saw Bucky's name. I called my dad, and he started raving about Bucky and how big of a loss he was, how much he meant to Steve," Audelia looked back at Natasha. "I didn't come here to save SHIELD. I came to save Steve, to save Bucky before he loses someone else."

"I can't promise the old Bucky is in there," Natasha warned her friend. "Look, I just don't want you to get his hopes up if we can't save Bucky. I don't think he can handle false hope right now."

"Awe, does little Natasha have a crush on the Captain," Nat rolled her eyes, looking away which was something Audelia came to know as a telltale sign that she was right. "Don't worry, I won't tell. Not that I blame you, he looks good for a hundred year old man. But if you'll excuse me, I think I need to talk to him."

Steve Rogers head hung over the side of the bridge, looking down into the water below as flashbacks ran through his head, and they were all of Bucky. He had helped him through so much and it was his turn to return the favor.

The blonde's head only popped up when he felt a presence beside him, his eyebrow raising as he realized that it was Audelia leaning on the railing at his side.

"Don't just stare at me, now," she told him, kicking a rock at her feet. "I'm supposed to be in Lake Bled with my boyfriend and my daughter."

"I'm guessing Hill called you in?"

"They needed my help, but that's not why I came," Audelia turned to lean on her side, staring into Steve's blue eyes. "I came here for you, Steve. I wasn't going to leave you alone in this."

Steve let a small smile cross his lips as he looked back down into the water below him.

"He's in there, Deli. Bucky is in there, and I'm going to bring him back,"

"You might not be able to, Steve. You might have to fight him,"

"I don't think I can do that,"

"Well he might not give you a choice," Audelia watched Steve shake his head as she stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Look, whatever he's done all these years, I know it wasn't him Steve. The Winter Soldier has done all this stuff, not Bucky Barnes. I know what he means to you, to my dad...I'm here to have your back. We need to take down SHIELD, expose HYDRA and get it all out there. Whether you decide to take him down or try and bring him back, I'll follow your lead. It's your choice, Steve."

He looked up at Audelia, a small smile crossing his lips as he placed his hand on top of her's.

"Thank you, Deli,"

"You know, Tony and I have this thing. We always tell one another that we've got each other's back," Deli took her hand off of his shoulder, holding out her pinky to him with a playful smile. "I've got your's, do you have mine?"

Steve let out a small laugh, wrapping his pinky around her's.

"I've got your back, too," Steve pulled back, looking at his friend with a smile. "You know, we're going to have to talk about this whole you and Tony thing. Natasha and I had a bet on how long it would take you two."

"Coming from the world's leading authority on waiting too long, I don't think you have any room to talk,"

The playful banter was cut off by the clearing of a voice from behind them. Audelia and Steve turned to see Sam standing off to the side with a small smile on his face.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but I've been informed we're on the clock," Sam looked over to Steve as his smile dropped. "I wanted to make sure you're ready, because there's no promising that he's going to remember you."

"He will," Steve told him, standing tall as he nodded to Deli, before turning and walking down the bridge in the opposite direction of the pair. "Suit up and be ready."

Sam raised an eyebrow, watching as Steve walked down the bridge away from the underground base. He turned to Audelia, pointing after Steve.

"Any idea where's he's going?"

"If he's gonna fight a war, he's going to need a uniform,"

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Deli and Steve are gonna have such a cute friendship UGH.

Also, if no one caught it, I will explain. Audelia makes the comment that because Steve didn't have someone he loved, someone who knew him and cared for him looking after him, he was going insane and basically had PTSD. So, in short, she's indirectly making a reference to Lottie and her comment means that Lottie is ho kept Steve grounded and kept him sane, helped him over his grief and PTSD. But Audelia doesn't know she's referencing her because she has no idea who Lottie is because she doesn't exist in this universe...