[ WWII AU ] a ghost story

[from_the_outside]

It's been almost two years since she's been home, and little by little, the grief has gotten easier to live with.

It hasn't gone away. But she's able to focus on her job, watch movies, chat with friends, sleep most nights. She still dreams about him, but the dreams are tinged with wistful longing and only sometimes does she wake up with tears on her cheeks. She can't have his picture out in this apartment, Kate's apartment, but it's safe in the mountain house, along with his last letter to her, and she has a scan on her phone to look at when the long day is over and she's in bed, the stars from the lamp he'd given her filling her dark room.

Steve has helped, more than she could ever explain, and she hopes she's helped him in return. Aside from a few deeply classified missions here and there, they haven't worked together all that much, but she still sees him almost every day. In the halls, she's undercover as his mild-mannered neighbor, Kate, but in her secure apartment they can talk over anything, everything.

And it works. Every day is a little easier. They lean on each other when they need to, and they spend hours remembering and reminiscing about Bucky, talking shop, chatting about how Steve's fitting into the future. It's nice. She still misses Bucky, an ache that never really goes away, but they can both breathe through it, work through it, live through it.

She's on her way up from the basement laundry machines when she hears a familiar step in the hall, and has to smile to herself – first her own, then Kate's sweeter, more open one. "Hey, neighbor."

Comments

[marvel_npc]

"I understand," he says, as gently as he can. He can't imagine letting anything keep him from getting to Bucky now, and he's sure she can't either. "And okay. Just ... lean on me if you need to."

[from_the_outside]

"Same," she murmurs. "I'm still here for you, Steve. No matter what."

[marvel_npc]

He puts an arm around her shoulders and gives her a light hug. "I know," he assures her. "I'm not going anywhere either."

A second passes, and a rueful expression crosses his face. "Well, except for the part where we're both going somewhere else now. And speaking of, we should get a move on."

[from_the_outside]

She huffs the smallest possible breath of a laugh, and nods, tucking her head briefly against his shoulder. "Okay," she agrees.

"I'll follow your lead, Cap. Let's get back down to the bike."

[nerves_of_ice]

* * * * * * *

The location in question turns out to be a boatyard. Not ideal; difficult to secure or to clear; but not impossible. Far from it.

The Winter Soldier studies it from afar, examining angles and possibilities, and decides the warehouse-like building at the far end, presumably for boat storage, presents a good opportunity. Cautiously, he begins to make his way along the shore, then the dock, flitting between structures and staying low.

[from_the_outside]

From her hiding place, she sees Nat nod, then motion forward. Sharon nods back, and slips around the corner of the boat she's under, then climbs aboard and pulls the engine cord.

It comes to life with a startling cough of noise, sending a cluster of disgruntled seagulls flapping up into the sky. As distractions go, it's an obvious one, but all they really need is for it to work just long enough that Steve can sling the shield and get Bucky moving in the direction they want.

[nerves_of_ice]

He has a bare instant to determine if it's designed to try to lure him or get him to burst from cover, but to remain still is to die if he's been spotted. He dives into cover in the shadow of the sailing vessel he's near and scanning the area around for any human movement.

[from_the_outside]

The boat where he's taken cover is good-sized; twenty-eight feet long, at a minimum, with an enormous lead keel that keeps it steady and stable even in ocean swells.

Steve Rogers hits it like a hurricane. His shield shears off two of the supports, and then he throws himself at the boat itself like a battering ram, sending it capsizing over, directly onto the spot where Bucky had gone to ground.

[nerves_of_ice]

He rolls into the middle of the boat, using its mast to keep from being crushed, and smashes his way up through the hull with his left arm to escape the trap they've sprung on him.

[from_the_outside]

His left arm punches up through the hull – they're going to owe some poor boat owner a lot of money – and Sam drops Nat onto the hull, where she takes aim and fires with her Widow Bites.

Simultaneously, Steve leaps for Bucky's arm, forcing it back, trying to make sure it locks up and twisted behind him when the Bites hit.

[nerves_of_ice]

Electricity sparks and crackles through his arm, disabling proper operation until he can do an inertial reset. He feels the target trying to wrench it back and twists violently at the waist, turning into the other man to prevent him from locking his arm.

As he does he pulls a pistol with his right hand and fires a four-shot burst beneath his own shoulder into the target, center mass.

[from_the_outside]

"Steve!"

Steve twists, but he's too close to escape all the shots. As he crunches over in pain, a shadow swoops over the fight – Sam, holding the hook from a large crane nearby. As Nat tosses a fishing net around the Soldier's legs, Sam wrestles with the disabled arm, winding the chain around it and hooking it around his wrist.

[nerves_of_ice]

He can't pull his arm free while it's disabled, but he can move his body. The Winter Soldier lets his weight hang from the chain and swings his legs up, kicking the redheaded woman in the gut with all his strength, net and all, then attempts to do a reverse somersault to pivot his body around instead of swinging his arm around. If he can, if he can gain the reset, he can tear free and finish the mission.

[from_the_outside]

She's running, feet thudding over the ground to get her to the crane, and out of the corner of her eye she sees Steve, Nat, and Sam all swarming the Winter Soldier. Nat stumbles back from the kick, then wraps a nylon line around his ankles with a quick fling as Sam smashes into him from the sky.

Sharon scrambles up into the crane seat and slams the controls into motion. The crane, slow but powerful, begins to crank the line up, while Nat does her best to keep the Soldier's ankles and feet down.

[nerves_of_ice]

The movement of the crane pulls him off balance before he can complete the reset twist, stretching him upward, partially immobilized. His face twists in a silent, agonized snarl, and he reaches behind his back with his right hand and grabs a silver ball grenade from his belt. He flicks his thumb to set it and throws it hard at the dock between the two targets.

He'll take damage from it, he knows, but the mission will be complete, and he'll heal. He should remain operational.

[from_the_outside]

Sam swoops to cover Nat, while Steve leaps forward, shield at the ready. He slams the shield over the grenade and covers it with his body, but even so, Sharon can see how the blast rocks him.

Nat darts out from behind Sam's wings and points an arm; a thin grappling line shoots from her wrist and encircles the Soldier's right wrist before she hauls back, trying to keep him from reaching for any other toys.

[nerves_of_ice]

He pulls with his right arm, trying to free himself, but can't do so... or not immediately. He makes the decision to hold off trying further at the moment, as they don't appear to want him dead, and he might be able to use his strength to advantage when they least expect it.

He dangles from the chain, entangled by net and line, and watches them in wary silence.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon brings the crane to a halt and hops out, then runs to Steve. "Steve," she gasps, horrified, and tries to get him to turn so she can look at his torso. "How badly did he get you?"

He puts an arm around her, cradling the other in front of his stomach, and shakes his head at her. "Later," he says, and holds her gaze until she nods.

Still, she keeps her arm around him as they both turn to look at the Soldier – at Bucky. Sam and Nat stand, wary and watching, on the other side; Nat's expression might have been carved from marble.

Steve addresses the Soldier. Bucky. "Do you know who I am?"

[nerves_of_ice]

His glance flicks down to where the man's clutching his middle, then to the blonde woman who's clinging to him, worried, and back to his face, assessing the situation.

He's told him this before, but it's worth repeating. "You're my mission," he says, flat and empty.

[from_the_outside]

"My name," Steve says, stubborn. "Do you know my name?"

He waits a beat, then tips his head toward Sharon. "Or hers?"

Another, and he glances at Nat. "Or hers?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He has no intention of revealing the details of the briefing he'd been given. He considers him in silence for a few seconds, then tips his head toward the woman at his side.

"She calls you Steve."

[from_the_outside]

"Yes," Steve says. "I'm Steve Rogers. This is Sharon Carter."

He's looking at Bucky hard, and she knows he's hoping to see any glint of recognition. "You know us, Bucky. You know us both. All three of us," he amends, with a glance at Nat.

[nerves_of_ice]

Why do they keep calling him that?

(I can do this all day)

Frustration rises, threatening to choke him. "No, I don't," he grits through clenched teeth.

[from_the_outside]

"Yes, you do."

It's Sharon who says it this time, tense by Steve's side. She's quiet for a moment, then hums, low and pleasant and as clear as she can make them, the tune to 'Moonlight Serenade.'

[nerves_of_ice]

He stares at her. Uncertainty flickers in his eyes.

(dance with me)

Abruptly-- "Is that why the lamp?"

Moonlight. Is that the connection? But why?