My Saving Grace
Part Five
Our mission had been simple enough. Agent Romanoff was able to drop us practically onto the doorstep of the warehouse complex we were invading somewhere deep in the mountains of the Middle East. Our orders were to get in, destroy the weapons housed there, and get out. But something had gone horribly wrong.
We had no idea that an army of drones would be waiting for us. Their capabilities were far beyond those that had terrorized the Stark Expo a few years previous and there had been hundreds of them.
Together, Steve, Tony and I had managed to destroy them all but we were all exhausted and now the warehouse was crumbling down around us.
“Amanda, move!”
There was an almighty groan and then a snap. Debris sprinkled my head but I kept running blindly behind Steve, Tony was somewhere behind me but I didn’t have time to look behind me and check on him.
“The ceiling’s gonna go!” Steve called over his shoulder as there was another rumble and I tripped over a large metal beam that was strung across the floor.
As I was pulling myself back to my feet, the structure groaned again and there was a yell from behind me. I was knocked out of the way just in time. There was a large crash and all was still as the dust settled around me.
I looked back to where I had been kneeling to see the metal rafters of the building pinning Tony to the ground.
“No!” I cried, scrambling back to him.
He had lost his mask some time ago and parts of his face were caked with blood. His suit had lost thruster power due to the extensive damage caused by the fight. The floor shook beneath me and I looked back over my shoulder. Steve had stopped when I fell and now he was frozen in place, a look of horror clouding his face.
“Do something!” I demanded.
“No, just go. The whole building’s gonna collapse. You have to go now.” Tony said quietly.
The beams were crushing him and he was having trouble breathing, much less talking.
“I’m not leaving you here.” I whimpered, brushing his blood matted hair back form his forehead.
I looked up when there was a rumble from further back in the building and I knew we didn’t have much time. I looked back to Tony’s face but he had lost consciousness.
“STEVE! Please, you have to do something!”
My pleas finally persuaded him to move and he rushed over, securing his shield to his back as he went.
“If you can just lift this bottom one, the other two will lift too and I can pull him out.”
Steve just nodded and squatted, grabbing the bottom most beam. He grunted and his face was strained from the huge amount of effort it took to lift the heavy metal. He finally lifted it a few inches, just far enough for me to grab Tony by the shoulders and drag him out from under the debris.
“Lets go. We have to hurry.” Steve ordered after slinging Tony’s limp form over one shoulder.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me along after him. I could see the door just a hundred feet ahead of us as the building gave a final creak.
----------
The beeping of the medical equipment was lulling my exhausted body to sleep when Steve knocked on the door. I jerked awake and motioned for him to come in, patting the space on the couch beside me.
We had returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in New York City as soon as Romanoff had picked us up from the destroyed warehouse. It had been nearly three hours and I had been trying to keep myself awake since our arrival.
“How is he?”
“They said he’ll be alright. Massive bruising, cracked ribs, minor internal damage and a possible concussion. He started to wake up earlier, but they drugged him for his own benefit.” I sighed, rubbing my eyes. “Tony’s a bit of a prima donna when it comes to pain.” I tried to smile but it was more of a grimace.
“I know what it’s like to lose a friend. It must be scary for you.” Steve said quietly, and I was surprised to feel the warmth of his hand covering mine.
“He’s my best friend.” I nodded, flashing him a watery smile. “I thought I lost him back there.” I admitted, taking in a shaky breath.
“So you and him. Do you… do you… uh…” Steve stammered over what he was trying to say before puffing up his cheeks in frustration.
Despite the solemn atmosphere, I couldn’t help but laugh. The thought was just too hysterical to even consider.
Steve raised his eyebrows at my behavior and I cleared my throat.
“Me and Tony? No way. Just friends, always. Pepper is like, made for him.” I chuckled, referring to the type A red head. “You know, he and I weren’t even friends at first. He actually hated me, I think. I was sent by S.H.I.E.L.D. after the whole incident with Obidia Stain a few years ago to act as a body guard. He told me he didn’t need a baby sitter.”
I smiled, reminiscing on the past few years. I had never allowed myself to become so close to anyone as I had Tony. In my line of work, it just wasn’t smart to have relations with anyone. People always ended up getting hurt. But Tony understood. He knew what it was like to be hated by most and loved by few. He new what it was to be a not so super hero. But anything other than friends would never work, we were too similar and we would end up at each other’s throats all of the time.
“Do you have a best friend?” I asked.
Steve pulled his hand away and I immediately regretted asking. There was no way this was going to be a happy story.
“I did.” He whispered, hanging his head. “Bucky was the best friend anyone could ask for. Even before the war. He was always there to protect me and I couldn’t protect him when it mattered the most. If it weren’t for me…” Steve’s voice cracked and I was quick to comfort him.
“Hey, I’m sure it wasn’t your fault.” I scolded, reaching up to rub a hand across his shoulder.
He was shaking beneath my hand and I suddenly realized how much this brave man had been through. And even after all his country had taken from him, he was still willing to fight for her.
“We were obliterating all of Red Skull’s hideouts, one by one. We had received intelligence that his leading scientist was going to be on a train we were to cross paths with. Me, Bucky, and one other guy zipped down to the train. He was knocked out of the train and I wasn’t able to reach him in time.” Steve recounted softly, twirling his thumbs around each other. “I can still remember the look on his face as he fell.”
“Steve-“
“I have to go.” He said suddenly, brushing my hand off of his shoulder and standing up to go.
“I’m sorry.” I called before he could make it out the door.
He turned to look me in the eye and a small, sad smile was shaping his lips.
“Yeah, me too.” He muttered before turning and sliding his massive frame out the door.
--Steve’s POV-
I leaned over the rail of the topmost balcony of the headquarters building. I couldn’t leave until Tony woke up and we had all been debriefed, but right now I’d like nothing more than to just get on my bike and go. I knew there was no use in trying to run from my past, but the wind seemed to wipe all of the painful memories right from my head. Even if only for a while. Sometimes it was worth it. Sometimes I wished that those seventy years of perpetual sleep had taken my memories with it.
I pulled out the pocket watch I always carried with me and flipped it open. I leaned on the rail, holding it out in front of me. I stared down at the black and white picture. Despite the grayscale of the photograph, I could still recall the exact color of her brunette hair, and the shade of lipstick she always applied perfectly.
As different as Peggy was from Amanda, I still couldn’t help but compare the two. Even though I knew that wasn’t fair to Amanda.
I sighed and looked at the picture one last time before pulling it out of the slot. It was time to let go of my past, I was never going to get it back. I let the picture flutter in the breeze for a moment before allowing it to slip through my fingers. I closed the pocket watch with a snap, slipped it into my pocket, and turned away from the rail, turning to go inside.
I stopped when I saw Amanda standing, watching me. She walked towards me and simply peered up at me when she reached me. I was suddenly aware of how blue her eyes were, of how perfectly her strawberry blonde pixie cut complemented her facial structure. I wondered just how many freckles sprinkled her slim nose and her rosy cheeks.
“Did you love her?” She asked quietly.
“I don’t know. I think so.” I shrugged. “I never really got the chance to find out.”
She slid her arms around me and rested her cheek against my chest. She was warm, and her hair smelled like the ocean, I wondered briefly what kind of shampoo she used before wrapping my arms around her shoulders and resting my cheek on the top of her head.
We had no idea that an army of drones would be waiting for us. Their capabilities were far beyond those that had terrorized the Stark Expo a few years previous and there had been hundreds of them.
Together, Steve, Tony and I had managed to destroy them all but we were all exhausted and now the warehouse was crumbling down around us.
“Amanda, move!”
There was an almighty groan and then a snap. Debris sprinkled my head but I kept running blindly behind Steve, Tony was somewhere behind me but I didn’t have time to look behind me and check on him.
“The ceiling’s gonna go!” Steve called over his shoulder as there was another rumble and I tripped over a large metal beam that was strung across the floor.
As I was pulling myself back to my feet, the structure groaned again and there was a yell from behind me. I was knocked out of the way just in time. There was a large crash and all was still as the dust settled around me.
I looked back to where I had been kneeling to see the metal rafters of the building pinning Tony to the ground.
“No!” I cried, scrambling back to him.
He had lost his mask some time ago and parts of his face were caked with blood. His suit had lost thruster power due to the extensive damage caused by the fight. The floor shook beneath me and I looked back over my shoulder. Steve had stopped when I fell and now he was frozen in place, a look of horror clouding his face.
“Do something!” I demanded.
“No, just go. The whole building’s gonna collapse. You have to go now.” Tony said quietly.
The beams were crushing him and he was having trouble breathing, much less talking.
“I’m not leaving you here.” I whimpered, brushing his blood matted hair back form his forehead.
I looked up when there was a rumble from further back in the building and I knew we didn’t have much time. I looked back to Tony’s face but he had lost consciousness.
“STEVE! Please, you have to do something!”
My pleas finally persuaded him to move and he rushed over, securing his shield to his back as he went.
“If you can just lift this bottom one, the other two will lift too and I can pull him out.”
Steve just nodded and squatted, grabbing the bottom most beam. He grunted and his face was strained from the huge amount of effort it took to lift the heavy metal. He finally lifted it a few inches, just far enough for me to grab Tony by the shoulders and drag him out from under the debris.
“Lets go. We have to hurry.” Steve ordered after slinging Tony’s limp form over one shoulder.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me along after him. I could see the door just a hundred feet ahead of us as the building gave a final creak.
----------
The beeping of the medical equipment was lulling my exhausted body to sleep when Steve knocked on the door. I jerked awake and motioned for him to come in, patting the space on the couch beside me.
We had returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in New York City as soon as Romanoff had picked us up from the destroyed warehouse. It had been nearly three hours and I had been trying to keep myself awake since our arrival.
“How is he?”
“They said he’ll be alright. Massive bruising, cracked ribs, minor internal damage and a possible concussion. He started to wake up earlier, but they drugged him for his own benefit.” I sighed, rubbing my eyes. “Tony’s a bit of a prima donna when it comes to pain.” I tried to smile but it was more of a grimace.
“I know what it’s like to lose a friend. It must be scary for you.” Steve said quietly, and I was surprised to feel the warmth of his hand covering mine.
“He’s my best friend.” I nodded, flashing him a watery smile. “I thought I lost him back there.” I admitted, taking in a shaky breath.
“So you and him. Do you… do you… uh…” Steve stammered over what he was trying to say before puffing up his cheeks in frustration.
Despite the solemn atmosphere, I couldn’t help but laugh. The thought was just too hysterical to even consider.
Steve raised his eyebrows at my behavior and I cleared my throat.
“Me and Tony? No way. Just friends, always. Pepper is like, made for him.” I chuckled, referring to the type A red head. “You know, he and I weren’t even friends at first. He actually hated me, I think. I was sent by S.H.I.E.L.D. after the whole incident with Obidia Stain a few years ago to act as a body guard. He told me he didn’t need a baby sitter.”
I smiled, reminiscing on the past few years. I had never allowed myself to become so close to anyone as I had Tony. In my line of work, it just wasn’t smart to have relations with anyone. People always ended up getting hurt. But Tony understood. He knew what it was like to be hated by most and loved by few. He new what it was to be a not so super hero. But anything other than friends would never work, we were too similar and we would end up at each other’s throats all of the time.
“Do you have a best friend?” I asked.
Steve pulled his hand away and I immediately regretted asking. There was no way this was going to be a happy story.
“I did.” He whispered, hanging his head. “Bucky was the best friend anyone could ask for. Even before the war. He was always there to protect me and I couldn’t protect him when it mattered the most. If it weren’t for me…” Steve’s voice cracked and I was quick to comfort him.
“Hey, I’m sure it wasn’t your fault.” I scolded, reaching up to rub a hand across his shoulder.
He was shaking beneath my hand and I suddenly realized how much this brave man had been through. And even after all his country had taken from him, he was still willing to fight for her.
“We were obliterating all of Red Skull’s hideouts, one by one. We had received intelligence that his leading scientist was going to be on a train we were to cross paths with. Me, Bucky, and one other guy zipped down to the train. He was knocked out of the train and I wasn’t able to reach him in time.” Steve recounted softly, twirling his thumbs around each other. “I can still remember the look on his face as he fell.”
“Steve-“
“I have to go.” He said suddenly, brushing my hand off of his shoulder and standing up to go.
“I’m sorry.” I called before he could make it out the door.
He turned to look me in the eye and a small, sad smile was shaping his lips.
“Yeah, me too.” He muttered before turning and sliding his massive frame out the door.
--Steve’s POV-
I leaned over the rail of the topmost balcony of the headquarters building. I couldn’t leave until Tony woke up and we had all been debriefed, but right now I’d like nothing more than to just get on my bike and go. I knew there was no use in trying to run from my past, but the wind seemed to wipe all of the painful memories right from my head. Even if only for a while. Sometimes it was worth it. Sometimes I wished that those seventy years of perpetual sleep had taken my memories with it.
I pulled out the pocket watch I always carried with me and flipped it open. I leaned on the rail, holding it out in front of me. I stared down at the black and white picture. Despite the grayscale of the photograph, I could still recall the exact color of her brunette hair, and the shade of lipstick she always applied perfectly.
As different as Peggy was from Amanda, I still couldn’t help but compare the two. Even though I knew that wasn’t fair to Amanda.
I sighed and looked at the picture one last time before pulling it out of the slot. It was time to let go of my past, I was never going to get it back. I let the picture flutter in the breeze for a moment before allowing it to slip through my fingers. I closed the pocket watch with a snap, slipped it into my pocket, and turned away from the rail, turning to go inside.
I stopped when I saw Amanda standing, watching me. She walked towards me and simply peered up at me when she reached me. I was suddenly aware of how blue her eyes were, of how perfectly her strawberry blonde pixie cut complemented her facial structure. I wondered just how many freckles sprinkled her slim nose and her rosy cheeks.
“Did you love her?” She asked quietly.
“I don’t know. I think so.” I shrugged. “I never really got the chance to find out.”
She slid her arms around me and rested her cheek against my chest. She was warm, and her hair smelled like the ocean, I wondered briefly what kind of shampoo she used before wrapping my arms around her shoulders and resting my cheek on the top of her head.
I Absolutly loved the whole story!!
7/28/15