April 27th, 2012
Steve's POV
I have been out of the ice for over a year now, and I feel as lonely as ever. Everything is so confusing, and I have to catch up on 65 years worth of things I missed. There is nothing I miss more than Bucky and Madison. Once a month, and on every holiday I visit their graves. It is strange seeing that at one point I had a stone there too which was removed. It is comforting knowing that Peggy kept her promise.
Today I was feeling especially lonely so I went down to the cemetery carrying two bouquets of flowers. The cemetery is only a short walk from my new apartment, one of the many reasons I chose the apartment was to feel close to them. I get to be with my family for a short while. Bucky, Madison, my parents, Bucky's parents, and Rebecca.
One of the first things I tried to find out when I came out of the ice was where Rebecca went. She ended up joining S.H.I.E.L.D. shortly after graduating but ended up dying on a mission five years later. She never married, never had kids meaning that my last hopeful link to the family I lost is gone.
I gently set down the bouquets and sat down in between them. "Hey guys, I missed you. Today was really hard for some reason. I visited the park where we had our first date and I came to the realization that you died 66 years ago and it feels like only a year ago. It's hard seeing the world move on when my world died in 1945. I promised I was going to see you again and here I am all alone again. I feel like I should have moved on already but I just can't knowing that my soulmates died and I am still here living. I keep holding on to all of your things, Howard and Peggy kept everything when I died or I guess not died and put it in storage. I have your flags and medals on my fireplace, next to my favorite pictures of the two of you. I should have died with you that day but I didn't and now that you are dead and gone six feet has never felt so far," I whispered. It's probably stupid to see a super soldier talking to his dead loved ones but I don't care. They were my world before I went into the ice and those feeling didn't stop when I came back.
I was so lost in my memories I didn't hear someone approach me and didn't even realize someone was behind me when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see a close friend of mine Sam Wilson standing next to me looking sympathetically. "Sorry to ruin the moment, but we got a lead on Hydra," Sam told me sadly.
"Alright, I'll be right there just let me say goodbye," I sighed standing up. I know how crazy I look, I've seen the weird looks from the other people who come to the cemetry but Sam doesn't judge, he never judges. Unlike the rest of the world I know I can always trust Sam.
"No problem, I'll be waiting in the car," Sam said walking away.
"Well duty calls my loves, I will be back soon. My birthday is next week so I figured we would celebrate together," I whispered kissing each hand and placing it on each headstone before walking away.
I hopped into the car that Sam was waiting in and we immediately took off towards Manhattan. "Hey, you alright man?" Sam asked once we were on the road.
" Yeah, I know it shouldn't but any little thing triggers me and it feels like they died yesterday. I was on a walk and passed by the park we had our first real date at."
"I'm sorry man, you never really did get the time to grieve properly," Sam sighed.
"Does it ever get easier?"
"I wish I could say yes. But truthfully no, there will always be a hole that they used to fill that nothing can come close to fixing. Over time it becomes easier to manage and you get used to it."
"I don't know if I will ever be able to get over them. They were there my whole life and just like that they were gone," I whispered. "I've tried the whole dating thing but no one compares."
"Well maybe we need to have Natasha stop setting you up on dates," Sam pointed out with a laugh. Natasha is notorious for setting up dates and while I was grateful for the effort none of the dates have worked out past one night.
The rest of the car ride was silent much to my appreciation before we arrived at the all too familiar Stark Tower. The Avengers were assembled a few months ago to try and take down Hydra, which I thought I got rid of. But now I have to throw my life back into taking down the organization that took everything from me.
The one good thing that has come out of this, is I have become good friends with all of the Avengers. We have become a close-knit family and they all know and understand my past relationship with Bucky and Madison. Then again so did the whole world, apparently shortly after I died a journal of Madison's was found exposing the three of us as a couple. I expected a lot of hate, but people nowadays are much more accepting than they were in the 40s.
"Alright, Tony what do you got?" I asked as I walked into the meeting room where the rest of the Avengers were.
"We have info that HYDRA is going to make an assassination attempt on a U.S. senator at his birthday party," Tony explained pulling up the Hydra plans.
"Alright, what does the government want us to do?" I asked overlooking the file on the tablet in front of me.
"We are going to use a life-like hologram so we aren't putting anyone at risk. And we will be attending the party as guests. Well, Natasha, Wanda, and Pietro will be party guests. Sam and I will be in the skies, Clint is on the perimeter, and Cap you will be on top of the building looking in through the skylight," Tony explained bringing up a 3D map of the building.
"Alright sounds like a plan. When do we leave?" I asked.
"We leave in an hour, so everyone suit up," Tony ordered before abruptly walking out of the room.
I looked up confused, Tony seemed more flustered than usual. "Does he seem more agitated than normal?" I asked the room.
"Tony is always agigtated," Natasha shrugged unconcerned by Stark's behavior.
"Alright, you heard what he said, suit up," I ordered before I walked out and headed down to the lab where I know Tony will be.
Tony was pacing and seemed to be kind of angry I knew he was more agigtated than normal. "You all right, Tony?" I asked breaking him from his thoughts.
"Yeah, it's just this mission is kind of important to me," Tony told me and it was then that I noticed the man had tears in his eyes. I have never seen Tony cry unless you count the time that he was completely wasted and he asked his boyfriend Bruce if he was single and when he said no he started crying. But I have never seen a sober Tony cry, or really show any emotion other than annoyance and sarcasm.
"You want to share?" I asked calmly walking out of the doorway to sit down.
" Yeah Ummm, you remember when I was kidnapped in Afghanistan?"
"Yes of course."
"There was a girl that was a captive of Hydra and was sent there to help me. She ended up sacrificing herself so I could escape. I vowed to take down Hydra and I fully intend to keep my promise," Tony told me, and I realized whoever this girl it was enough to make the toughest man I know cry.
"I made a promise that I would take down Hydra just like you. I didn't really expect it to take 66 years, but we can do it. We can take them down together."
"Yeah, you're right. Now let's go get those sons of bitches," Tony announced and I decided to leave the lab.
Tony's confession got me thinking. How many people have fallen victim of Hydra? How many of their agents are people forced to do their dirty work? I quickly got changed into my new uniform. I wasn't too different from my old uniform it was just slightly darker and had stronger material. I quickly grabbed my shield, the shield that's a constant reminder of what I've lost, before heading down to the quinjet where most of the team was already waiting.
I sat down alone, thinking of what was to come and facing Hydra again for the first time in 67 years. "Hey Cap you alright?" I looked up to see Nat sit next to me.
"Yeah, I just... I thought I crashed that plane ending Hydra and now 66 years later here I am still fighting them," I sighed.
"Hey, Hydra has ruined all of our lives in different ways and now we will all get out revenge," Nat assured me patting me on the back before she stood up.
"You're probably right," I sighed.
"I know I am, now stop wallowing in self-pity and get ready to kick some Hydra ass," Nat laughed before walking away.
A moment later Tony walked in, in his Iron Man suit. "Alright Avengers, wheels up, time to work for a living," Tony announced. A second later we were headed to D.C. to go stop an assassination.
A few hours later
I sat crouched on the roof overlooking the party that was going on below. I am secretly grateful I am not on the dance floor, dancing hurts too much and I wouldn't have been able to focus on the mission.
"All clear," I whispered into my comm. I really don't want to be stuck on a rooftop, I would much rather be down there actually doing something but I am too recognisible in the U.S. to carry out undercover missions efficientally.
"All clear, on the dance floor," Natasha whispered back.
" Perimeters clear," Clint responded.
" Skies are clear," Tony answered.
"Are we sure they are going to show up?" I whispered. Just then a single gunshot could be heard and the senator's hologram disappeared. Immediately chaos erupted at the party as people began panicking and stampeding.
"Nevermind," I grunted jumping to my feet and immediately searching for the assassin.
I saw the culprit standing in the building opposite holding a sniper rifle in his hand which I could swear is metal. "I see the assassin, I am in pursuit," I yelled into the comms as I sprinted after the man. I began to gain on him and threw my shield, surprisingly the man caught it and threw it back. I caught it and immediately began to fight the man hand-to-hand.
After several minutes of fighting, I managed to flip the man and his mask fell off. As he turned to face me I watched my entire life come crashing down. "Bucky?" I whispered as I stared into the all too familiar eyes.
"Who the hell is Bucky?" I was still stunned and didn't have time to react when he pulled out a gun ready to shoot me. Luckily he didn't have time to shoot as Tony came became behind him and knocked him out with a tranquilizer.
I thought we were done, I heard Natasha yell through the comms. " The Senator is dead, there is another assaliant in the building. I am in pursuit!" she yelled and I turned to Tony.
"Take Bucky to the quinjet, make sure to cuff him before coming to find me," I ordered before I began to run in Natasha's direction.
I saw Natasha running after a girl who was wearing a sparkling red dress and black mask. I quickly jumped down blocking the exit. The girl came out a moment later stopping abruptly when she saw me. "Move!" She ordered clearly angry.
"I can't," I responded getting ready to throw my shield. I didn't get a chance as she ran up to me with a knife and continued to try and stab me. At one point I managed to knock her down and her mask fell off and for the second time tonight, my world burned down.
"Madison?" I asked stunned. She didn't say anything, she just paused looking at me for a moment before she ran off, I should've run after her but I was in shock. They were alive and Hydra did something to them that somehow wiped their memories and controled them.
"The second asset got away," I sighed into my comms.
"Alright, Metal man has been secured coming your way to pick you up," Tony responded. I bent down and picked up the black masquerade mask that Madison had been wearing just moments before.
Back at the compound
Bucky had been put in a cell and Clint has been keeping guard, meanwhile the rest of the Avengers were in the meeting room. "Alright, Steve, who was the other girl?" Tony asked as I stood in front of the table where all the Avengers were sitting.
I quickly pulled up a file that appeared next to me on a giant screen. "Colonel Madison Hayes. Born November 30th, 1919. Died January 21st, 1945 after falling off a cliff in the Alps," I reported reading the file trying very hard to keep cool and calm while my boyfriend who has been brainwashed is unconcious in a cell in the Avengers's basement.
"Except obviously, neither of them are dead," Sam spoke up, giving me a sympathetic look.
"Correct," I confirmed, pushing another button and pulling up Madison and Bucky's Hydra files that Fury has somehow got for us. "They were experimented on before I rescued them in '43 which is how they survived the fall. After that their memories were wiped and they were brainwashed."
"I can't believe Madison is still alive," I heard Tony mumble. I don't think he thought anyone could hear him, but thanks to the serum I have enhanced hearing.
"Wait, how did you know Madison?" I asked.
"She saved me, she was there in Afghanistan. She is the only reason I escaped. I thought she died," Tony told me sadly. I didn't realize that earlier Tony was talking about one of the loves of my life, but now it made sense. Suddenly Clint came bursting in causing everyone to jump and look at him.
" Steve, Bucky is awake," Clint told me.
"Does he remember anything?" I asked hopefully but based on the look on his face that's to much to ask for.
"No. But he keeps trying to get out of his restraints and calling for a, Rea? I think." I was hoping for better news but nevertheless I ditched the meeting and followed Clint down to the basement where Bucky is being held.
Bucky was thrashing violently against his restraints. But the cuffs are made of vibranium and even if he did get out of his restraints the cell he's in was able to hold Loki and can hold the Hulk. The man before me is not my Bucky, this is The Winter Solider. The moment he saw me Bucky stopped what he was doing and stared at me emotionlessly.
"Where is she?" The Winter Soldier's voice is rougher, colder than the Bucky I've known, like he isn't used to talking.
"Where is who?" I inquired stepping closer to the glass.
"The Reaper. Where is she?" Bucky's voice changed ever so slightly, almost like he is desperate, worried.
"Do you mean Madison? Her real name is Madison. And she isn't here," I sighed.
"If she's not here, then where is she? I need to find her," Bucky looked panicked and I don't know what to do.
"She's gone, we assume back to Hydra. I couldn't save her."
"Then you must let me go so I can see her," Bucky insisted.
"I can't do that Bucky. You don't even know your own name."
"I am The Winter Soldier, I have no name. Hydra does not deem it's weapons as important enough to have names." Bucky's insistance that he is a weapon hurts me more than I let show.
"That is not true. Your name is James Buchanan Barnes but you go by Bucky. You were born on March 10th, 1917 to George and Winnifred Barnes. You have a sister named Rebecca." As I spoke Bucky seemed to be fighting himself, like my Bucky is trying to fight his way to the surface.
"How do you know this? I don't even know you," Bucky retorted. I know he doesn't remember me but hearing him say it outloud hurts more than it should.
"I would hope I would know those things. My name is Steven Grant Rogers, we have been best friends since 1930."
I saw Bucky mumble my name like he was trying to figure out if he really does know me. When Bucky looked up at me I knew I had gotten through just a little at the familiarity that shone in his eyes. "I need to get Rea back, I can't leave her with Hydra. They'll kill her."
"Don't worry. We won't," I swore. And for the first time ever, I can guarentee I won't break that promise.