"Hey! Hey! Celestia! Open your eyes."
Celestia groaned quietly. She opened one eye to see Sam leaning over her. "What?" She mumbled.
He started pulling her up making her groan once more. "We gotta go, come on." She allowed herself to be pulled up, dragging her feet behind him as they walked.
After a couple minutes of walking, they entered a room. Sam helped Celestia down to the floor so he could fight Rumlow.
She leant her head against the wall, blocking out the world around her. 'Why had Bucky/Winter Soldier been in pain? Was it something to do with him being with HYDRA? And why did she feel the compelling need to help him when he had done nothing but hurt the people she loved?' She was so deep in her thoughts she paid no attention to the fight in front of her, but when multiple voices whispered in her ear 'open', she had no choice but to obey.
The sight of a helicarrier flying straight for the building made her jump up. "Sam." She said, panicked. He stood up, humming in acknowledgement, pulling Celestia along as they ran.
"Son of a bitch!" Rumlow said from behind them.
"Please tell me you got that chopper in the air!" Sam called out into his com as they were narrowly avoiding the helicarrier with every step. A column came crashing down, Sam sliding under it, Celestia jumping over it.
"41st floor! Northwest corner!" He called out once more.
"Not an option!" He yelled as they approached the windows. They glanced to each other quickly before they jumped out, grabbing the others hand. They saw a helicopter beneath them, leaning to the side for them to fall into.
They feel through the helicopter, Natasha grabbing Celestia's hand as the last second, while hers was still clasped onto Sam's. Nat pulled Celestia up, as she also pulled Sam up.
"He said the 41sf floor Nick! 41st!" Celestia complained as soon as they were inside of the helicopter safely.
"First of all, it's not like they put the floor numbers on the outside of the building." He responded. "Second, you're lucky I don't throw your ass outside of this helicopter for calling me 'Nick'!"
She rolled her eyes. "So Steve can, but I can-" she was cut off by Natasha. "Hill! Where's Steve? You got a location on Rogers?"
Celestia's eyes shot to Nat. "Does she?" She rushed out. Nat shook her head once. Celestia's mind travelled to the Winter Soldier/Bucky. "Shit." She whispered to herself.
From Celestia's left, Sam put a hand on her knee, comforting her. "It'll be okay. He's Captain America." He spoke. Celestia looked up to him, nodding her head, although not convinced. 'If something happened to him, it'll be my fault." She repeated in her head, until they landed.
**
"Marvin Gaye. Trouble Man." Sam said to Celestia who was picking the music for Steve's room. She looked to him, and nodded, grinning lightly. She moved the flowers around the vase that was next to his bed, before sitting down on it, grabbing his hand. She rubbed her throat, avoiding the bruise, before also rubbing her head where a butterfly bandage sat.
"How's your head?" Sam questioned her, looking up from his book. She looked to him. Nodding her head, silently saying, 'fine'. She was trying not to talk, since once the adrenaline ran out, it was extremely hard to talk. He smiled lightly, looking down to his book once more.
Celestia looked down to where her hand was grabbing Steve's. Tears welled in her eyes. She knew he was going to be okay, but she still knew him being hurt was her fault. If she had powered through and taken the pain from the Winter Soldier/Bucky, Steve would be fine. If she had killed the Winter Soldier/Bucky, Steve would be fine. If she had done anything other than what she did, Steve would be fine.
Her thoughts ended, at her hand being squeezed. Her eyes widened slightly, as she looked up to his eyes eyes open. He looked at her, before looking around the hospital room. His eyes settled on Sam, before he rested his head on his pillow and closed his eyes.
"On your left." Sam looked to Steve, smiling, before looking down to his book once more.
Steve squeezed Celestia's hand once more, before he drifted off to sleep.
**
The next day Celestia was once again sitting in Steve's hospital room, except this time he was awake. He, thankfully, was already half healed due to the serum.
"I hear Nat's gonna be on TV. You wanna see what shit the committee pull out of their asses?" Celestia asked Steve, already reaching for the remote.
The blond, half scoffed, half laughed, turning his head towards the TV in the corner of his room.
"Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" The woman asked.
"I do." Nat responded, sitting down.
"Why haven't we yet heard from either Captain Rogers or Ms Cabrera?" The committee general asked.
"I don't know what there is left for either of them to say. I think the wreck in the middle of the Potomac made our point very eloquently." Celestia grinned at the redhead's response.
"Well, they could maybe explain how this country's expected to maintain its National security now that they, and you, have laid waste to our intelligence apparatus."
"HYDRA was selling you lies, not intelligence."
"Many of which you seemed to have a personal hand in telling."
Another man cut in. "Agent, you should know that there are some on this committee, who feel, given your service record, both for this country and against it, that you belong in a penitentiary. Not mouthing off on Capitol Hill." Celestia squeezed Steve's hand in anger at the man's words. He ran his thumb over the top of her hand calming her down.
"You're not going to put me in a prison. You're not going to put any of this in a prison. You know why?"
"Do enlighten us." The man responded, sounding very unenthusiastic.
"Because you need us. Yes, the world is a vulnerable place, and yes, we helped make it that way. But we're also the ones best qualified to defend it. So if you want to arrest me, arrest me. You'll know where to find me." Nat responded standing up. Celestia grinned at the screen as it showed Natasha walking out.
**
Celestia stood, staring at the 'tombstone' for Fury.
"So, you've experienced this sort of thing before." Fury spoke, walking up behind Steve, Sam, and Celestia.
"You get used to it." Steve responded.
"We've been data mining HYDRA's files. Looks like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship. I'm headed to Europe tonight. Wanted to ask if you'd come."
"There's something I got to do first." Steve responded.
"Celestia?" She shrugged and shook her head in response. He sighed turning to Sam.
"How about you, Wilson? Could you use man with your abilities."
"I'm more of a soldier than a spy." Sam answered.
"All right, then." He shook Sam and Steve's hand. He turned to Celestia who pulled him into a side hug (which he did not reciprocate).
"Anybody asks for me, tell them they can find me, right here." He responded.
"Do me a favour Fury, don't die again." Celestia grinned up to Fury, who just nodded and walked away.
"You should be honoured. That's about as close as he gets to saying thank you." Nat said, walking to them. Steve and Celestia also started walking towards Nat, Sam trailing behind.
"Not going with him?" Steve asked.
"No."
"Not staying here?" Celestia asked.
"Nah, not for long. I blew all my covers. I got to go find a new one." She responded, looking at Celestia, grinning.
"That might take a while." Steve said.
"I'm counting on it. That thing you asked for, I called in a few favours from Kiev." He gave her a thankful look. She leant in, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. To Celestia, it looked like she whispered something, but it was to quiet for Celestia to hear. Steve nodded as she pulled away, making Nat grin.
Nat looked to Celestia, pulling her in for a hug. They stayed like that for a few seconds, before Nat pulled away. She smiled at Celestia, before turning and walking away.
"Be careful Steve. You might not want to pull on that thread." She spoke, turning around, and motioning to the file.
Celestia looked over the the file as Steve opened it. It showed a picture of the Winter Soldier in what looked like a freezer, and a smaller picture of Bucky from the 40s in the corner.
Sam came walking up behind both of them. "You're going after him."
"You don't have to come with us." Steve said.
"I know. When do we start?" Celestia looked back at Sam, smiling.
Technically finished Captain America: The Winter Solider! I have a couple filler chapters after this, before I'm finally into Age of Ultron.
Vote and comment if you want to!