[ 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]

The backdoor works, and he leads Hill and Sam to traffic control, grateful for the clarity that always comes once he's on the mission. So far, this coup of theirs is silent and bloodless. He has no illusions it'll stay either.

When they come to the locked door, he nods to his companions. Hill nods back, then activates the gadget she'd brought. From inside the room, they can hear the sharp yelp of pain from the techs as their earpieces short out.

A moment later, the door opens, and Steve nods to the tech who stands there, bemused, as Hill and Sam level their guns at him. "Excuse us."

Once the techs are out of the way, Hill takes a seat at the console. Her fingers fly over the keyboard, and she nods at Steve, who takes a breath. Thinks. Then leans down to the microphone. "Attention, all SHIELD agents," he says.

"This is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth. SHIELD is not what we thought it was, it's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there."

He pauses, then continues. "If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not."

The microphone clicks off, and he straightens, only belatedly realizing Sam's looking at him with bemusement. At his quizzical glance, Sam huffs a laugh. "Did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?"

[from_the_outside]

She looks around as Steve's voice comes through the comms, taking note of anyone who looks surprised, anyone who looks pissed off. There are more of the former than there are of the latter, and she allows herself a moment of small relief.

If she can control this room, if she can convince these colleagues, if they'll all stand for what SHIELD meant instead of what it became, they have a chance.

[nerves_of_ice]

The announcement pours out over every communications system. He recognizes the name of his target as the man identifies himself and goes on to exhort anyone listening to help him stop HYDRA. It's clear he's just as much of a threat as had been previously established, and the Winter Soldier's mission is clear.

He uncurls himself from his hidden alcove as below him technicians and pilots begin to run for their aircraft, and leaps from rafter to rafter, heading for the tarmac.

Not one of them will survive. So be it.

[marvel_npc]

Goddamn Rogers anyway. Rumlow can't wait to have that sanctimonious bastard in his own sights. He's always wondered if a supersoldier could survive a headshot, and promises himself that if there's a chance, he'll find out.

But first things first, and the order of the day is to see Insight launched by any means necessary. As branch teams make their way down to the helicarriers to prevent anyone on the hangar crews from acting on any stupid ideas, Rumlow leads the assault on the control room. They break in with ease, as it turns out no one's given any thought to controlling access within the building. That's their mistake.

Most of the analysts all look the same to him, hunched over their computer screens and terrified. He picks out one and stalks up to him as his team spreads out through the room. "Preempt the launch sequence," he orders. "Send those ships up now."

[from_the_outside]

Rumlow. Her fingers itch to reach for her sidearm, but she holds her position. The tech shrinks into himself, then glances carefully up. "Um. I'm..."

He trails off, and Rumlow lifts his eyebrows. "Is there a problem?"

SHIELD. SHIELD takes the best of the best. SHIELD is the best of the best. It's why her heart breaks at the same time as it swells with pride, as the tech swallows hard. His voice is quavery but clear. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm not gonna launch those ships."

He breathes hard, but stands his ground. "Captain's orders."

[marvel_npc]

It's not worth arguing with the little shit, and he can make his point and get the job done both. He thumbs back the hammer and aims his gun at the tech's head.

"Move away from your station." His tone promises death if the man doesn't obey.

[from_the_outside]

The tech flinches, but doesn't reach for his keyboard, and Sharon's had enough. Drawing her own sidearm, she stalks forward, her muzzle pointed directly at Rumlow's temple. There's a breath, and then a sudden flurry as every other sidearm in the room is released and pointed directly at Rumlow's treacherous heart.

"Like he said," she says, viciously quiet. "Captain's orders."

[marvel_npc]

His own team draws as well, turning the room into a deathtrap of crossfire angles, but they're a fraction of a second behind the ones who only found their balls when Agent Thirteen moved. Rumlow watches her out of the corner of his eye, but doesn't give ground.

"You picked the wrong side, agent."

[from_the_outside]

"That depends on where you're standing."

A little longer. If they can hold the helicarriers on the ground just a little longer, this will all go so much more smoothly.

[marvel_npc]

He presses the muzzle of his weapon hard into the tech's head as he considers, then relaxes it back again. He removes his finger from the trigger, deliberately enough that everyone can see it, and lowers the gun to his side.

That's not quite enough, given the way he's being watched, so he drops it to the floor, ignoring the way the terrified tech jumps at the loud clatter it makes. What's more important is that it puts his hand where it needs to be.

Rumlow snatches the knife from his thigh sheath and swipes it hard across Thirteen's forearm, cutting as deep as he can.

[from_the_outside]

His blade hits her like a hammer, cutting across already sore muscles and sending both Sharon and her sidearm to the ground as gunfire opens up around her. Rumlow grabs his secondary sidearm and aims once more at the tech; she pushes herself up on her hands and kicks out as hard as she can, sending the terrified man skidding across the floor in his rolling chair even as Rumlow's sidearm barks, destroying the keyboard and screen.

[marvel_npc]

Looks like the rebellious tech gets to live for another few minutes. Rumlow jerks to the side, ducking low to avoid gunfire, and works the keyboard at the next terminal as rapidly as he can.

The countdown flashes, the clock resetting itself from two hours to zero, as a giant red OVERRIDE warning blinks on the screen.

Good enough. He turns to fire at the nearest agent and starts backing toward the exit.

[from_the_outside]

Her sidearm had gone skidding beneath the desks. She rolls, keeping her head down, and reaches for it, then lifts to her knee as she tracks Rumlow with the muzzle. Her finger squeezes. The Kahr barks: once, twice, three times.

But Rumlow's still moving, so she gets to her feet, keeping low to stay out of the line of fire, and follows him, squeezing off shots as she moves. They spatter against the bulletproof glass of the fishbowl they're in. She can't even tell if she's grazed him.

To her side, a screen flashes, one word in glowing orange text blinking into life: OVERRIDE.

"Crap." She smacks her earpiece into life, hoping Hill's listening. "Hill! Rumlow overrode the launch sequence. Those carriers are going up now!"

[marvel_npc]

He can hear the distant sound of klaxons blaring as the Insight bay doors open, confirming launch success. Rumlow grins, fierce and triumphant, and ducks out of the control room into the hall.

[nerves_of_ice]

He watches as the first helicarrier starts its ascent, followed by the second, only for his gaze to narrow sharply as distant figures streak by and leap from the nearby building - one with a shield, who lands on the flight deck below, and the second into the open air, where he unfurls metal wings and streaks toward the helicarrier's control sphere.

Whatever they're attempting, he has to stop it, but first things first.

A swarm of pilots bursts onto the tarmac, racing for their aircraft. "All SHIELD pilots, scramble!" their leader yells into his handset. "We're the only air support Captain Rogers has got!"

The Winter Soldier launches a grenade at the first plane before it's barely launched, bringing it down in a smashed heap of metal and flame. Pilots scatter, trying to find shelter, but there's none to be found as he fires the next grenade, and the next, bringing down plane after plane with ruthless efficiency and leaving the dead where they fall.

[marvel_npc]

He hits the flightdeck of Helicarrier Alpha and launches into a sprint, shield up to deflect a barrage of bullets. One luckless HYDRA goon happens to be in his way once Steve rolls over a storage crate; he smashes the man up against another and grabs a grenade off his belt, then flings it around the corner to clear his way.

Over the earpiece, he can hear Sam engaging Bravo, the spattering report of gunfire following him.

There's nothing he can do about it now, even as anti-aircraft guns point their muzzles up into the sky, following Sam with an avalanche of shells. "Found those bad guys you were talking about!" Sam calls.

Pressed behind cover, Steve glances up. "You okay?"

"I'm not dead yet!" Sam yells back. Which maybe isn't as reassuring as he wants it to be.

[nerves_of_ice]

He tosses a member of the flight crew into an engine turbine and watches as the aircraft spins, crashes, and explodes. Only one plane remains operational, and its pilot is revving the engine.

The Winter Soldier leaps to the roof of the plane and fires two shots through the canopy, killing the hapless pilot. He wrenches the door off and flings the corpse to the tarmac, then slides into the seat and scans the sky above.

One of the helicarriers shows evidence of shattered glass and damage to its targeting system command sphere. That must be where the enemies are attacking, which gives him his objective. He spins up the engine to full power and takes off at full speed.

[marvel_npc]

"Falcon." Maria Hill would probably sound calm and controlled even while being sucked into a whirlpool. "Status?"

"Engaging!" Sam yells back. Steve allows a little of his focus to follow the sounds of Sam's fight, even as he himself barrels forward over the deck of Alpha. It's disturbingly familiar to be slamming the shield, his boot, himself into HYDRA goons while wearing this particular uniform.

But maybe Bucky will recognize it. Maybe it'll be just one more thing he can't quite explain.

Not that Steve has time to think about that just now. He bodyslams an armor-wearing HYDRA enforcer as Sam reports in. "Alright, Cap, I'm in – oh, shi – "

Whatever's happening, Steve doesn't split his focus by asking him to explain. Steve flings himself into the air, slamming two HYDRA soldiers to the ground with a stretch of his body and a strike of his shield, then lands lightly. "Eight minutes, Cap," Maria Hill tells him, and he lifts his wrist to reply. "Workin' on it."

Once inside, it's far easier to make his way to the control center, the large, open space that hosts the brain of the helicarrier. Steve types in the command that Hill had drummed into them, then switches out the target chip with the one in his belt before sending the whole thing home once more. "Alpha locked."

[nerves_of_ice]

Insight's weapons are powerful, but slow. Too slow to wipe the winged man from the air, as agile as he is. The Winter Soldier watches as explosions paint the sky and realizes that the automatic tracking will not succeed.

Their approach requires something to be done to all three helicarriers; it must, given the way they are dividing their attack. That means they will come for the third. They will have to.

He will be ready.

He lands the jet on the upper flight deck and takes cover, waiting for the right moment.

[marvel_npc]

"Charlie carrier's forty-five degrees off the port bow," Hill tells them. There's a pause, then two gunshots before her calm voice returns. "Six minutes."

"Hey, Sam?" Steve's sprinting, but even his top speed can't outrun a rocket. Like the one HYDRA is about to shoot at him. "I'm gonna need a ride."

"Let me know when you're ready," is the response, even as Steve leaps into the air and off the carrier's deck, an explosion going up behind him. "I just did!"

As he falls, Steve tries to spread his body, to increase the wind resistance against him, against the shield, and does his best not to feel the knifeblade of a frigid alpine wind, or to hear Bucky's scream echoing off the valley walls. A shadow falls over him, and then his arm is nearly yanked from its socket as Sam grabs his wrist, yelling as he pulls them both upward and onto the relative safety of Charlie. "You know, you a lot heavier than you look," Sam tells him, as they head toward the control center.

Steve shrugs. "I had a big breakfast."

[nerves_of_ice]

Their casual joking conversation gives their position away. Do they think they are safe, with the rest of HYDRA's agents having deployed to the first aircraft? They will soon learn otherwise, and his mission will be complete.

He charges from ambush and hits Rogers like a freight train, smashing into him with enough force to send him through the railing to the side and off the edge of the helicarrier.

"Steve!" The winged man races for the edge to rescue his comrade, as expected. As he snaps the metal wings open, the Winter Soldier grabs the nearest one and wrenches it hard, dragging the flyer back over the middle of the flight deck before he himself is forced to take cover against the hail of gunfire the man rains down on him.

The man arrows back toward the edge, clearly meaning to try to rescue Rogers before he hits the ground far below, but the Winter Soldier had prepared for just exactly this after their first encounter. He fires a grappling line, not at the man's body, but at one wing, and uses the resulting grip to yank him back and down onto the asphalt with stunning force. He jerks the line a second time with all his strength, and metal screams as the wing tears free of its harness and goes skittering over the deck.

The Winter Soldier doesn't give him time to recover. He charges forward and delivers a solid kick to his gut, sending the man over the edge and into freefall, his yells fading with distance.

[marvel_npc]

This time, he doesn't freefall. Instead, Steve finds himself rolling along the hull of the helicarrier, unable to catch himself until he slams into a curving metal barrier. His earpiece crackles with Sam's voice. "Cap? Cap, come in. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm here. " He grips hard and hauls himself to his feet, then takes stock of his location. Not ideal, but he can make it work. "I'm still on the helicarrier. Where are you?"

"I'm grounded." Sam sounds exasperated, and more than a little guilty. "Suit's down. Sorry, Cap."

"Don't worry, I got it." He edges along the hull, then pries open an emergency hatch and lets himself in. Two down, one to go.

[nerves_of_ice]

He watches from the edge of the flight deck as the Black man lands hard on the building below, from where he will not be able to interfere further with the Insight helicarriers. But Rogers might, he sees, as the man clambers up the side of the aircraft and reaches the dubious safety of a hatch.

His duty is clear. The Winter Soldier turns away from his vantage point and races for the interior. He has to beat Rogers to the control tower.

[marvel_npc]

He jogs along the wire catwalk that leads to the control center, then slowly slows to a halt.

Because he's there. Bucky. The Winter Soldier.

He's planted himself like a tree between Steve and the controls he so desperately needs to get to. His expression is totally blank. Cold. Empty of anything other than flat focus. Steve struggles to find some evidence that his best friend is still there, but nothing of Bucky's cheerful color and liveliness is visible.

But he still has to try. "People are gonna die, Bucky." His voice echoes around them. "I can't let that happen."

Bucky does nothing, only watches him with that same cold, blank stare, and Steve feels something crumple in his chest. "Please," he whispers. "Don't make me do this."

[nerves_of_ice]

Rogers pleads with him, calling him by a name that's not his, trying to elicit some reaction. He ignores it, all of it, and holds his position, protecting the control array.

All that matters is the mission. Nothing else.