Ana let Steve walk Sharon back to her hotel and stayed back with Sam. They sat in the lobby together and were waiting for him, "So you didn't sign?"
Sam leaned back in his seat and looked to the roof, "No. I know what it's like to have my rights taken, those Accords would've just made it worse."
"It's just... I get why Natasha would want to sign." Ana threaded her fingers through her hair, "She wants us to all stay together. I mean, we feel like a family especially to those of us who don't have one. She's afraid of losing it."
"I just think we'd lose it the second we sign."
"I agree." Ana kept looking down at her shoes, the fancy heels for the funeral being new and unused until today, "Everyone has their reasons for signing and not signing. I just don't agree with Tony's point of view."
"What you said to him-" Sam started and locked eyes with her, "-that was brave. I know your families were close so it must have been hard but-"
"None of us are out of the woods with what I said though. We've all made mistakes and decided to avoid looking at the damage. I just don't appreciate how it felt like Tony was using Sokovia as a manipulation tactic to win an argument. This whole Accords situation shouldn't have been an argument, it should have been a discussion but no one can ever just talk things out. It always turns into, I'm right you're wrong I win. Both sides made excellent points, but Tony turned it into a fight."
Sam blew air from his mouth, "This is why I don't underestimate you."
"I knew I shocked everyone. I want to remain happy and optimistic but this isn't something I could be neutral on."
"I know. Trust me, this is already hard as it is."
"I mean... Look how they're already treating Wanda... like she's some war criminal."
Sam shook his head, "Wanda is a good person, that has to mean something."
"People fear what they don't understand." Ana tells him, "And look at her... Look at me. I mean, the only reason why people aren't as afraid of me as they are her is because I've been in this spotlight without powers."
Sam was about to say something when the TV in the lobby started to play the conference. On screen was King T'Chaka, "When stolen Wakandan vibranium was used to make a terrible weapon, we in Wakanda were forced to question our legacy. Those men and women killed in Nigeria, were part of a goodwill mission from a country too long in the shadows. We will not, however, let misfortune drive us back. We will fight to improve the world we wish to join. I am grateful to the Avengers for supporting this initiative. Wakanda is proud to extend its hand in peace."
"Everybody get down!"
And suddenly the screen stopped displaying the conference. Ana quickly stood up in horror, "Wh-We need to watch the news."
"Shit. Let's get Steve."
Ana quickly ran over to the elevator, "Steve-" She stopped once she got their attention, "There's something you gotta see. Sharon, you mind sharing your room with us for a bit."
"What's going on?"
"Something happened at the conference. We need to get the news up."
Once inside Sharon's room, they all gathered behind the TV as the news played back the events of the Conference. "A bomb hidden in a news van ripped through the UN building in Vienna. More than 70 people have been injured. At least 12 are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier." On screen, a security image of Bucky came up, "The infamous Hydra agent, linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations."
Ana shut her eyes before glancing at Steve, she saw the pain on his face and it affected her too. She hoped that Bucky getting away from Hydra would be enough for him to get better but obviously she was wrong.
Sharon shut her phone off and looked at them, "I have to go to work."
"What's going on on your end?"
Sharon sighs, "They're sending a team to find Sergeant Barnes. There isn't much I know just yet."
"We need to find him."
"I know. I'll give you what I can when I get it. You guys need a ride?"
Steve gave her a grateful look, "That would be really helpful, thank you."
***
Ana and Sam sit at a counter of a coffee shop while Steve called Natasha. She rubbed her head with her beanie on again, she was dressed as a civilian with Sam.
"You good?"
"Remember when I said that I went to my apartment after Washington?"
"You mean after you checked yourself out of the hospital?" Sam eyed her, that entire situation bugged him a lot because she had to have been hurt. But apparently she was more durable due to the Mind Stone, "I remember."
"I didn't." Ana tells him the truth, "I wasn't passed out like Steve when we fell out of the helicarrier-"
"But you said-"
"I know what I said. I didn't fall out like Steve did, Bucky he... he uh, helped me by catching me before I did. And then he dropped me in the water when it was a safer distance."
"So you... let him go."
"I couldn't take him on my own. I know I couldn't. I mean, I tried to talk to him but he was just confused. He thought I was my grandmother and I was worried about Steve."
"That's understandable, he was pretty beaten up."
Ana smiled after a coffee was handed to her before continuing, "That's not it."
"Ana..."
"I had a guess about where he would go. He kept saying my grandmother's name, so I went to her grave and he was there."
"So you had a couple of opportunities to stop him from leaving. You can't feel bad about that." Sam took her coffee from her to drink, "He's dangerous and could have killed you."
"He mistook me for my grandmother again." Ana rubbed her arm uncomfortably, "I haven't stopped thinking about him since then."
"Well, you knew how important he was to your grandmother and Steve."
"And he kissed me thinking I was my grandma."
Sam knew he wasn't supposed to face her to make it seem like they weren't together but he did when he heard that, "What? Ana-"
"I know. It's weird and I tried to just ignore it. I don't know him at all, plus he's dangerous. I just... I don't know."
Sam turned to the door and noticed Steve coming, "He's here. I won't say anything." He didn't say anything else until Steve sat down next to Ana at the counter, "She tell you to stay out of it? Might have a point."
"He'd do it for me."
"1945, maybe." Sam brings the cup of coffee up to his lips, "I just want to make sure we considered all our options. The people that shoot at you usually wind up shooting at me."
Sharon shows up next and sits down, "Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public. Everybody thinks the Winter Soldier goes to their gym. Most of it's noise. Except this." She slides a file to Steve, "My boss expects a briefing, pretty much now... so that's all the head start you're gonna get."
"Thank you."
"And you're gonna have to hurry." Sharon got off of her seat, "We have orders to shoot on sight."
***
Ana was on the roof with Sam in her suit, the bright white and yellow glowed from the arc reactor in the star emblem on her chest. It was Tony's way of giving her permanent energy for her to absorb during a mission.
"Heads up, Cap. German Special Forces, approaching from the south."
"Understood."
Ana walked over to where Sam was and scowled, "They really want him dead."
"I mean, if he were anyone else, wouldn't you?"
"No." Ana tapped her fingers on the edge of the building, "We do our best to bring people in alive so they face justice. I know the system is messed up and sometimes it'll be easier to just kill them, but... it doesn't feel right."
"Is that... you talking as an Avenger or..."
"I don't love Bucky, Sam." Ana rolled her eyes before pushing her comms, "They've set up the perimeter, Steve."
"I didn't say you did love him, but... maybe you're not thinking straight."
"Then what does that mean for Steve?" Ana glanced at him, "I know my feelings for Bucky are confusing, but Steve's aren't."
Sam sighed and nodded before talking into comms, "They're entering the building."
"Sam-" Ana turned when German soldiers got on the roof, "Shit."
Sam spread his wings out and picked Ana up as he informed Steve, "They're on the roof. We're compromised."
"Sam, they're prepping a grenade." Ana points out before counting down for Steve, "5 seconds... Three seconds... Breach! Steve! A grenade! Breach!"
There was a long time before Steve tells them a location, "Southwest rooftop."
"Is that a man in a cat suit?"
"What?" Sam furrowed his brows, "Who the hell's the other guy?"
"About to find out."
Ana notices a chopper coming in with a machine gun pointed out. They were already firing at Steve, she groans, "Sam!"
"Get ready to be thrown!"
Ana felt him lift her up and then throw her towards the chopper. She kicked the end of it so it goes off course. She starts to fall before Sam catches her again and flies after Steve as he chases Bucky.
Ana's eyes glowed as she tried to figure out what was powering that man's suit but she couldn't get any energy off of it. But... she could tell that there was something metallic about it.
"Sam, Ana, I can't shake this guy."
"We're right behind you."
Sam flies into the underpass with Ana, worried he would drop her so he changes the way he was holdin her.
"Drop me on the car."
"Ana-"
"It'll be easier for you to maneuver without having to handle me. Drop me off with Steve."
"Okay."
Ana landed with a grunt on the vehicle which allowed her to blast the cat man off the back of it. He went shooting back and Ana leaned down the side and put her foot in the window, "Steve, do not swerve with me on."
"That might be difficult-" Steve starts as rubble starts coming down, "Ana, I need to to jump off as soon as we start getting under the rubble."
Ana scrunched her nose up but squatted while holding the car. "Tell me when-"
"What?"
"Just trust me!"
Steve then swerved the vehicle, "Now!"
Ana took all of the energy from within the engine, causing all the lights of the car to spark up and she shot a blast at the falling rubble to allow more room for them to get through. She went tumbling down and rolled on the pavement. She pulled herself up with a groan and glared as the man in the cat suit got up as well. Police surrounded them and soon Rhodes flew down as War Machine with both hands raised with weapons at the ready."
"Stand down now." Ana's eyes glowed for a moment but they went back to normal, "Congratulations. You've become criminals."
"Wie lautet der Befehl?"
Rhodes looked at the man as he pulled off his mask to reveal T'Challa, "Your highness."
Something about Ana and Sam's friendship is really refreshing. Ana has so many close friendships with the other Avengers, but she chose to open up to Sam about Bucky. He's not close to Bucky like Steve is but he knows of the situation. This chapter was also a little hard for me because I knew I didn't want Bucky to see Ana just yet. So a lot of it was me kind of filling in more of her with Sam. Also... sorry about this chapter feeling a little short.