You know I read a book once that said "I fell in love the way one falls asleep, slowly and then all at once". I don't know what else it said because I didn't pay attention to the rest. In another book it speaks about nothing being permanent. I know because as soon as I read it I never forgot it. Everything we want to last always passes, we get so caught up in the moment we forget to look at the big picture. Both books are true, but both also lie. I speak from experience.
I believe I always loved him in a way. It may not be the type of love The Fault In Our Stars talks about but it was there. My love for him gradually built to the stage where his pain was my pain. And his smile was my world. There's that one moment...whether it's when he's with you, holding you close. Or when your sitting in bed unable to sleep, where all you can think about is him. There's that one second where everything clicks, where you whisper 'I love you'.
"This man once declined the Nobel Peace prize. Said that 'peace wasn't an achievement. It was a responsibility'. And I believed him" Nick said staring at a picture of Alexander Pierce.
"What a load of Bullshit" I mutter.
"It's not garbage. It should have been the truth. It sounds noble enough" Steve said, his arms folded firmly across his chest.
"Coming from Americas number one mascot that doesn't count as much" I snapped back. Steve fell silent.
"You see, this is why I have trust issues" Nick said, throwing the image down on the table in frustration and disappointment.
"We have to stop the launch" Nat said, looking up at Steve as if asking for permission. In reply he nodded once.
"We could call in Banner...maybe Thor could--" I was cut off by Steve's sympathetic face.
"There's no time. Em, I appreciate the thought but it's just us" Steve says.
"I hope you're including me, I'm coming too" I said firmly. Steve shook his head and opened his mouth to argue but Nat cut him off.
"We need all the help we can get" Nat said, giving me a small nod. Instead of furthering the argument, Steve just looked back at Fury.
"What's the plan now...what can the four of us possibly accomplish without the team?" He asked. In return, Hill pushed a case foreword and opened it. Laying inside were three small chips. I carefully picked one up and examined it.
"How were you able to get your hands on this tech Director?" I asked. In all my life I had never seen such a beautifully developed piece of technology. The materials alone would have cost millions for just half of a chip, let alone three whole ones.
"What can I say? I have connections in all the right places" Fury said, leaning Back in his chair and crossing his arms. I carefully put the chip back in it's place in the case.
"So the plan is to insert each of these chips in the main control slot. The chip will overwrite the jets" Hill explained. I looked over at Nat, who was hooked on everything Hill and Fury were briefing. I looked up behind me and saw Sam's upside down face. He looked down at me and hinted a small smile before looking back up again. I followed his gaze to see Fury.
"Perhaps we can even restore the crafts...reopen Project Insight away from HYDRA. Continue to--" Fury's plans were cut off by Steve's stern voice.
"No. With all due respect Director Fury, there's no chance I'm letting you restart project insight. I'm I'm sure if you ask the other three around the table they agree. Sir, insight was a horrible idea. No, we shut it down for good. No second chances" Steve said, his little rant bringing him to his feet in frustration.
"Captain, you have to see the big picture here" Fury said sternly. I rose too.
"He sees the picture clear as day. It's you who don't see that the world has functioned for thousands of years without Insight. Sure at times it was a sick and cruel world but that's just life" I snapped.
"Miss Stark!" Fury said in disbelief. Normally I was his little puppy that does everything he wants, takes his side but not this time. This time I was taking my own stand.
"Fury, just shut up. We're not reopening that project and that's final" Natasha snapped furiously, unable to stand without risk of reopening her wound (that was stitched up the best they could).
"If this is about the winter sold--I mean Barnes. I had nothing to do with it. I didn't even know he--" fury was cut off yet again.
"Would you have told me even if you knew? HYDRA....S.H.I.E.L.D, there's no saving any of it. It all goes. I'll make sure of that. S.H.I.E.L.D has been compromised" Steve sternly pointed out.
"Why do you think we're all here? I noticed" Fury snapped.
"So did I. But how many people payed the prince before we did" Steve asked. To this, Fury had no answer.
"So it's three against--" Fury started before he was cut off by a man clearing his throat. We all turned our heads.
"Four actually" said Sam stepping foreword, "I might not be an avenger...or have an avenger for a sibling but that doesn't mean that I don't know what's right. This project is bad for the world. It's best we shut it down for good".
"Look at us" Steve says, the four of us standing in sort of a circle around Fury and Hill.
"A bunch of idiots standing in a messed up circle?" I ask.
"No. I see a team. The new Avengers" Steve says, flashing a smoulder.
"That has a lousy ring to it" I mutter.
"We'll come up with a better name when we save the world" Sam promises. I nod once and turn my head to Fury.
"Looks like you're giving the orders now Captain" he says. Steve nodded once and walked out of the compound. I waited a whole second before following him. When he finally stopped we were outside on the bridge. I knew there was no going back. This was it.
"He stared at me like he didn't even know me. Like we were never...brothers" Steve muttered the last word. I reached out my hand and touched his shoulder.
"What are you remembering?" I asked softly. Steve didn't stop staring from over the bridge.
"Buck...he walked me home after moms funeral, stayed with me after dad...died...we used to camp out in his living room as kids...we used to go trick or treating. We used to be...be friends. More than friends" Steve said.
"That man on the bridge...the one who tried to kill me...you were friends?" I asked as nicely as I could. Steve closed his eyes and let a tear fall in response.
"What if you have to...fight him?" I asked softly.
"There's no 'if', I will fight him Emily. And he will remember me" he said so confidently. I hated myself for opening my mouth.
"But..what if he doesn't. What if You have to kill him?" I ask. Steve shook his head firmly.
"He will. I can't fight him...I won't fight him" Steve said.
"He might not give you a choice" I muttered. Even though he pretended he didn't, I know he heard me. He pulled his shoulder out of my grasp and walked in the opposite direction, to the other side of the bridge. "Don't go...I'm sorry...wait, where are you going?" I shouted after him.
When Steve turned back his usual smoulder was back. "If you fight a war, you have to wear a uniform" he said.
"But you already...oh shit" I said, because I knew where he was going and what he was going to do.
"Language Emily"