Captain America: The Winter Soldier Fanfic | Alive but not Awake | Who was that?

Bucky and Steve rode side by side on their motorcycles back towards their shared two-bedroomed, two-bathed semi-modern apartment. They had met back up for a quick supper at the nearest diner as Steve left the old-age home where Peggy resided at. Peggy wasn't able to take care of herself anymore; thanks to the dementia she had been diagnosed with several years ago – shortly after her husband passed away in a peaceful sleep.

Bucky had stayed at the museum for hours after Steve left him, he read everything there was to do with his Ava; everything between pictures to the stuff people were able to acquire without his and Steve's personal help. He thoughts had kept drifting to the past as he had read on. The first thought that had come to his mind was when Steve and Bucky were about to meet their demise to save New York. It was 'I'll get to see my Ava again,' but when he opened his eyes – both him and Steve were in a completely different place and there was no Ava in sight. He hadn't been much of his lively self ever since Ava was gone, obviously Steve hadn't either but Peggy was helping him through it. Now, both super-soldiers were hiding their emotions for Ava - hidden deep-down in their hearts – and if they were to tap into them, it would probably crush them knowing that she was still gone. Bucky was sure that if Ava was able to come back to him, he would literally kiss the ground in front of all the public – even if it meant humiliating himself in front of millions of people. He would never get that chance though, Ava never got the same serum as he and Steve did – there was no way she was able to survive that fall.

Bucky and Steve parked outside their building and turned both of their engines off before getting of the moving machines. They trotted together as they went up the inner stairway of their apartment building, it was dark but it was cozy for them. It gave them a lot less chance of being noticed as well as they weren't in the expensive part of town – neither of them enjoyed much of the attention, they merely put up with it to make people happy and safe.

The two friends started to slow down in their pace as they came upon one of their neighbours – she was a pretty, short blonde; someone Bucky had noticed Steve had spent an adequate time talking too. The blonde, Kate – she was wearing nurse type of clothing as she held the phone in one hand up to her ear – there was a fully-loaded washing basket under her other arm which made her body bend slightly to avoid it slipping away. "I gotta go-" Kate said into the speaker phone, noticing the two boys walking past her to get to their apartment door. She smiled slightly as she looked up, looking a little flushed with embarrassment as they had to hear her in a conversation over the phone, "My aunt," She bluntly told the boys, like it was explaining everything. "She's kind of an insomniac."

Bucky grinned before nudging Steve when Kate looked down at her bucket of laundry to put the phone it there, Steve looked up at him in question. Bucky rolled his eyes, gesturing silently to the bucket of laundry.

Steve looked a little hesitant for a moment before looking back at Kate, "You know, umm-" He began as he tried to gain some confidence, "You could always use our machine, if you wanted to of course." Bucky smirked at his best friend's terrible flirting, it hadn't change a bit. "It might even be cheaper than the one in the basement."

"Oh, yeah?" Kate raised an eyebrow, she seemed very flattered at his offer. "How much does it cost?" She put a little teasing note in her words. Steve looked blank, no ideas came to mind– he never was good with girls, unless you count Peggy of course but even then he was terrible at dazzling her to begin with.

Bucky looked between the both of them, rolling his eyes internally knowing Steve had no idea what to say next so he turned to Kate himself, "How about a coffee between the two of you." He shrugged, "Or let Stevie take you on a date." He ignored the small glare Steve threw his way, Bucky was laughing on the inside with amusement.

A small blush rose on Kate's cheek before she cleared her throat, "Thank you, but-" She said sincerely, glancing at her laundry before shaking her head with a small smile, "I already have a load in downstairs and I really don't want my scrubs in your machine –" She cringed, "I just finished a rotation in the infectious disease ward."

"Ahhh-" Steve drawled, not knowing what to say and he looked around now feeling slightly uncomfortable standing next to Bucky and Kate. "I guess I'll have to keep my distance."

Kate smiled, as her body turned slightly, ready to go back down to the basement, "I hope it's not too far." She told him, before turning around.

Steve let a small smile leap onto his smile when Bucky patted him on the back with accomplishment, he just turned to get the apartment keys out of his pocket when Kate's voice called back to them, "Oh, and I think you left your stereo on."

"Thank you." Bucky told the blonde as she turned again and walked down the stairs. He frowned turning to Steve both looking confused and cautious, neither of them have even used that stereo yet – so how could it be on unless someone had either been in their apartment while they were out or they were still in there - waiting for them.

Steve turned to the front door and unlocked it, both him and Bucky keeping their defensive positions ready in case. Both of them could hear the small sound of music playing from their apartment, a piece of Jazz music Director Fury had given them for a house warming present last year when they moved in.

Bucky and Steve glanced at each other before slowly moving into the empty room, there were no lights on, only the instrumental recording. Steve quietly went into the cupboard by the front door as he closed it soundlessly, inside he grabbed his shield and Bucky's. Just before the Avenger's initiative had begun, Shield had created Bucky's very own shield to semi-match Steve's. Instead of the red and blue star that Steve has; Bucky had a blue and red shield, but it still had the typical American star on it which was the same with both designs.

As they turned the corner into the small living room; Bucky let out a small groan of annoyance as he lowered his shield slightly with Steve. Steve looked equally irritated as well when he did the same. Laying on one of their sofa chair's was none other than Director Fury, the very man who held so many secrets hidden within himself – he could probably write a whole book about how many he's actually stored in his secretive life. The two super-soldiers were more than pissed at him right now considering it was his fault that their latest mission was almost tanked. They weren't given the information that Natasha had another mission which could have caused a major disaster. It almost jeopardized the entire thing. The part that really got to them though was the fact that Shield were building big aircrafts that held a lot of dangerous guns – Shield were essential thwarting Steve and Bucky's – even Ava's personal missions. To give freedom to the people; what Shield were doing was essentially having the public being held down by a barrel. "I don't remember me or Bucky ever giving you a key." Steve commented, sensing no immediate threat right now.

Fury sat up from his laying position, wincing and making a small squeaky sound from his throat as he did. "You really think I'd need one?" He countered, sarcastically as he tried to ignore the pain that woman had caused him in the car crash only hours ago. He sighed, beginning to lie as he didn't know who could be listening, "My wife," He started, leaning on his knees with his elbows for a moment, "She kicked me out."

Bucky raised a disbelieving eyebrow in the Directors direction, "Your wife?" He questioned, drawling out the statement as he tried to determine whether it was true or not, "One, you never said anything about having one in the first place and besides who would want to marry someone like you?" He knew it was a bit harsh, but come on. The man deserved it slightly after the crap he's put him and Steve through the last couple of days. Bucky grunted slightly when he felt Steve knock his elbow into his gut, Bucky just rolled his eyes came further round the corner so he could see the man in black better.

Fury snorted, that was a fair statement he had to admit, "There are a lot of things you don't know about me." He told the pair cryptically.

"We know, Nick." Steve spoke up, still looking frustrated at the fact that they barely even knew the guy they had been taking orders from since they woke up from the ice-burg a couple of years ago. "That's the problem." He stated, moving over to the lamp shade and flicked on the switch. Bringing in some light to the room.

Bucky and Steve's eyes widen when they caught sight of all the bruises and cuts that were on the Directors face, when they came into the room earlier they had only seen and recognised his figure. Fury put up his finger, telling them to be quiet as they were about to speak up. Fury quickly flicked off the switch to the lamp, making the room completely dark again unless you count the small rays of light coming from the outside lanterns.

Fury looked down at his touch-screen phone and typed in a small message before holding it up for Bucky and Steve to read, 'Ear's everywhere'. Bucky and Steve read it before narrowing their eyes around the room as if they were trying to find peepers anywhere, "I sorry to have to do this," Fury continued, "I had no place else to crash." He typed something else into his phone before showing it up like last time; it read, 'Shield compromised'.

Both soldiers gave an internal snort, knowing it would happen sooner or later but right now that wasn't the issue. The issue right now was; that they might be spied on, even right this moment while they were talking.

"Who else knows about your – wife?" Steve questioned, carrying on with the story Fury had made up – unless it was true and he really did have a wife, which would shock them even more if it were true. But right now they were leaning towards the fact that it was a lie.

Fury stood up with a painful grunt, he held his side slightly as he once again showed them his phone, "Just – my friends." The phone message was 'Just me and the two of you'.

Bucky smirked, knowing he could use this as a little payback if needed, "We're your friends?" It was slightly amusing if this guy even had a friend, especially by the way he acts all the time. "Is that what we are?"

Fury rolled his eyes, he's always known that Bucky was more childlike than Steve was. "That's up to you." He told them as he stood up straighter.

Steve was about to say something until Fury's cry of agony sounded and 3 fast bullets lodged itself into him. Fury fell to the ground, his breathing becoming harder to take in as he tried to beat the pain. Bucky and Steve rushed to his side and they both glanced at their open living room window. Bucky grabbed Fury's collar and dragged him over to the hallway along with Steve, they needed to get out of the shooters aim – in case whoever it was wanted to take another shot.

Bucky grabbed Fury's arm, noticing how much he seemed to be panting for air. He felt something inside Fury's hand as he retracted from it slightly; there was a small black device in the palm of his hand, a memory stick – Steve was looking round the corner to try and see the shooter. Bucky's eyes connected with the dying Director, "Don't," He breathed, it was becoming a lot harder to stay conscious and talk at the same time, "Trust anyone." Fury's had flopped onto the floor as he handed over the device, losing all the energy he had left.
Suddenly bangs were heard from their front door, both Steve and Bucky's head shot up in caution. Both of them grabbed their individual shields and they peered around the corner like Steve was doing earlier. Both still held their precautions as they saw Kate in a defensive stance – holding a handgun at the ready. Both super soldiers could defiantly say, they were more than shocked.

"Captain Rogers," Kate spoke nodding towards the shocked boys, as her gun stayed up as if she was waiting for an incoming threat, "Lieutenant Barnes." She walked closer to them but noticed they were a bit hesitant to know what to do with her when she said the next part, "I'm from Shield special service."

"Kate?" Steve muttered, still not believing that someone he could have potentially liked had lied to his face about everything. He should have known she was too good to be true, especially when Fury wanted to add cameras around the apartment but he and Bucky wouldn't allow it.

"I was assigned to protect you." Kate told them, finally putting the gun down slightly and going over to bend down to Fury.

"On whose order!" Bucky demanded, getting pissed that Fury had put a detail on them; even after everything they had done – achievement wise. Besides, they could take anyone so there really was no danger.

Kate nodded towards the bleeding Director, "His." She put her hands to his neck and began to check for a pulse. There was a weak one so she got out her walkie talkie that was connected to her team, "Fox Trot is down, he's unresponsive," She spoke into the small microphone, "I need EMT's" She ordered.

"Do we have a 20 on the shooter?" The male voice from the other side responded. Kate looked over her shoulder to see Bucky and Steve having a small conversation.

Bucky turned to Steve, "You stay here with your girlfriend, and I'll go after the shooter." Steve nodded quickly, knowing that they won't have enough time to argue about it anyway. Kate seemed to be on their side, they wouldn't tell her anything the Director had told them though.

Bucky turned to Kate, "Tell them I'm in pursuit." He told her before making a sprint for the window the bullet shot through. He went full speed through the glass panel and crashed into a window on the other building across the street, he made sure to hold his shield close to him as he ran through the building. Above him he noticed a figure running at a slightly similar pace than him, the person was wearing all black as far as he could see and he knew instantly that the person was heading for the roof so he needed to get there first if he were to stop him/her.

Bucky ran through various walls to get through to the roof as fast as he could, he came upon the window to the roof just as he saw the black figure jump of the ledge above the floor. He ran through the large window that connected the floor to the roof and glass smashed everywhere like when he flew from his and Steve's apartment. Without a moment's hesitation Bucky drew back his shield and propelled it so it would hit the assailant's head - which was meant to knock him/her out.

Bucky was shocked still when the figure, a woman – turned around sharply and caught the shield like it was nothing in a silver encased arm. Her arm was covered in metal and he noticed a large red star painted on it. Her figure was about the regular size of a fully grown female, her hair was so long that it went down to her elbows and had a dark and dirty tint to it but he couldn't help but think it was a great colour on her. Her eyes were steeled, dark and vicious – it was like there was an underline of long-time hatred built into them. Her whole body was covered in black clothing, even around her mouth and nose leaving behind her dark hazel eyes – those eyes, they reminded him so much of someone. Ava, but it couldn't be – she's dead and those eyes were too dark to be her anyway and there would be and no way would she consent to what this figure was doing right now. This woman's hair was also a lot darker than Ava's hair anyway, Ava loved her natural hair colour – she always said it made her personality shine brighter.

The woman's eyes narrowed at him before her metal arm drew back and threw it with so much force that when Bucky grabbed it as it landed against his stomach – he skidded backwards maybe 2-3 meters even when he tried to resist the force of the blow.

The woman turned around and jumped from the roof, successfully getting away – knowing that once that man had died from those bullets – she was able to take out her biggest targets. The American heroes.

Bucky noticed her missing from her original spot and quickly went over to the side of the building - when he looked down, he couldn't see her at all. She had gotten away with what she had done.

All he could think was though – who was that?

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