Bucky?

- - - - -

Sam and Steve sat in the front seats while Natasha and Ana were on either side of Jasper in the back of the car. Sam drove them on the freeway to the Triskelion, so they could deal with Pierce and stop the Helicarriers from killing innocent people.

"Hydra doesn't like leaks." Sitwell said, leaning forward in his seat.

Sam looked at him, "So why don't you try sticking a cork in it." He said.

"Insight's launching in sixteen hours, we're cutting it a little bit close here." Natasha said, leaning her head forward behind Steve.

"I know." Steve said. "We'll use him to bypass the DNA scans and access the Helicarriers directly."

Natasha leaned back in her seat and turned over to face Ana, who was looking out the window warily. Something about taking Jasper seemed a little too easy for her, she was just making sure.

"What?! Are you crazy? That is a terrible, terrible idea!" Sitwell yelled.

Suddenly, a hand shot through the glass window, breaking it. It went passed Ana and reached for Sitwell, pulling him out. Natasha pulled Ana to her as the man on top of the car attempted to break in from the roof. He started shooting and Nat moved to sit on Steve's lap.

Ana widened her eyes when the man grabbed her by her elbow and yanked her out of the car, she could hear her name being called as she looked at the Winter Soldier. She glared at him, "Not again."

He dropped her onto the road just before the car halted to a stop, making him fly forward. He landed on his knee, and held out his metal hand to stop himself from going any further. Ana got to her feet and opened the pouch filled with daggers she got the same time she stole the wings for Sam. She took out one and held it in her hand.

Ana went to attack him but heard the sounds of cars coming at her and she had to jumped away from them, just missing being run over.

A jeep had run into the back of their car, which allowed the Winter Soldier to jump up and onto the roof. He gripped onto the rooftop with his fingers to keep from sliding down as Sam tried to control the harshness of the car by pressing down hard on the breaks.

She stopped in the middle of the road and watched with wide eyes as the Winter Soldier ripped the wheel out of the car. The Winter Soldier ran from the car to the jeep, watching the car Ana's team was in struggle to drive.

Ana ran forward when they were getting away from her, she had to take care of the jeep. When she had a clear view of the jeep's tires, she aimed her dagger and threw it, watching as it popped.

Ana started to shoot at the Winter Soldier to get his attention. She knew he was smirking underneath his mask as he turned to her as her friends got out of the car before it turned over. She gave him a mocking wave, slightly amused when he waved back with his bigger gun, a grenade launcher.

"Eto ne khorosho, soldat!" (That's not nice, soldier!) Ana yelled in Russian, walking forward carefully.

"Kak naschet etogo?" (What about this?) He replied, turning around and shooting at Steve, the grenade bouncing off of Steve's shield and tossed him over the bridge.

The Winter Soldier and the goons he brought from the jeep continued to shoot the car they thought the group was still in, but Sam hid behind a car, while Natasha hid behind another. Ana dove on the other side of the freeway when they started to shoot at her too.

She saw Natasha jump off the bridge when an explosion almost got her. Ana grew worried and ran forward looking over the edge and sighing out when she didn't see Natasha. A bullet hit the cement wall next her her hand and she looked up, remembering they were under fire.

The Winter Solider was about to shoot her but stopped when his men yelled out that Natasha wasn't dead. She heard and gave him a wink before throwing one of her daggers into the side of one of his men, and the other and the other. After hitting half of his team, she activated her metal bands and jumped off the bridge, landing on a huge column and climbing down.

The Winter Soldier stepped forward briefly before shaking his head and ignoring the cries of his men, walking to the other side of the bridge to deal with Natasha. He knew his mission. It wasn't Ana. It was never her.

Ana ran to where she saw Steve and threw her daggers at a few men who had climbed down, standing on cars and shooting at the Captain. Steve edged forward with his shield as the man continued to fire the machine gun at him. Ana stabbed that one and Steve pulled him away from the machine gun and tossed him underneath the bridge, and knocked him out.

Steve and Ana shared a smile before taking off to look for the Winter Soldier. She could see him on top of a car, aiming his gun to who she assumed to be as Natasha and Steve went first, jumping up to him with his shield.

Steve used his shield to attack, but the Winter Soldier threw his fist into the shield, a loud sound emitting form the force. The Winter Soldier kicked Steve's shield out of the way, which caused both of them to fall on their backs, Steve on the ground with the Winter Soldier on the top of the car.

The Winter Soldier got up and fired at him, while Steve hid behind his shield. The Winter Soldier got off of the car and Steve rolled up onto his feet flipped over to kick the Winter Soldier in the face. While they were fighting, Ana went to Natasha. She kneeled next to her and looked at the bullet wound, "You're going to be fine, it went right through. Okay, just put pressure-"

Natasha shook her head at her, "Go and help Steve, he needs all the help he can get to take the Winter Soldier down." She rushed out.

Ana went to protest but she sighed at Nat's hard look. She could never get past that. "Okay, just stay here. Don't move a muscle." She ordered before standing back up and going to aid Steve.

Ana saw that Steve could do with his shield that was stuck in the side of a van. She pulled it out and ran forward, the shield in front of her as she used it to push the Winter Soldier away from Steve. He landed a few feet in front of them and she handed Steve his shield, taking her daggers out.

The Winter Soldier jumped up and ran at Ana, going to slash at her with his identical dagger. She dodged him and they engaged in a fight. She used her strength to push his metal arm away when it tried to punch her in the stomach. She could feel her stitches open and he caught that time of falter and dropped his dagger, pushing her to the side instead.

Steve attack him with his shield and the Winter Soldier tried to punch him back. Steve finally flipped him over hard enough for the Winter Soldier to roll back, his mask coming off.

Steve stood there out of breath as the Winter Soldier stood back up with his back towards Steve. The Winter Soldier turned around and glared at Steve. Ana looked up, her eyes widening.

Steve saw him too.

"Bucky?"

The Winter Soldier was about to make a move until he frowned at the name. "Who the hell is Bucky?" He asked. The Winter Soldier was about to shoot Steve, until the Falcon kicked him out of the way.

The Winter Soldier got up from his spot, and was about to attack Steve again until he was suddenly shot at by Natasha. Ana turned to face her as she lowered her weapon. Then she quickly ran the opposite way, to 'Bucky', knowing they can't afford to loose him again. She chased him, catching the black of his uniform dash into an alleyway.

"Soldat!" She called, making him stop in his tracks.

He turned to face her and she couldn't help but frown when he fidgeted nervously. The look on his face was that of confusion and frustration, and fear.

She walked forward, holding her hands low in front of her, "Look, I know you're confused and angry, we can help yo-"

"This wasn't how the mission should have ended. They will be angry with me!" He yelled, lashing out and punching the brick wall next to him.

Ana heard a rumour once, that the Winter Soldier has his memory erased when he starts to question his orders. That's how they keep him under their control, to do their own biddings. She recognised him, finally seeing his face up close. This was James Buchanan Barnes, Captain America's best friend. He was supposed to be dead, but Hydra took him and turned him into their very own weapon.

But she also recognised him from a few of her missions, the ones where the Winter Soldier affiliates and ruins them in the end. This was Steve's friend and she owed him to make sure he was safe. He's had every chance to kill her, but he chose differently.

"If they erase you, you'll have no idea who I am when we meet again. We can't help you then." She told him hurriedly, hearing the shouts of the Hydra men.

"Then remind me, Ana." He spoke up, walking toward her. She stayed where she was as he stood a few inches in front of her. Ana saw him take out one of his daggers and handed it to her. She took it and looked up at him.

"I'll remind you, soldat." She said before nodding at him once. He nodded back, pursing his lips before his blue eyes darted behind her.

Ana turned around when the men came at her and she slipped the dagger in her boot, kneeling down with her hands up in surrender. She couldn't hear the Winter Soldier anymore, knowing he had disappeared again.

"Get down on your knees! Get down!" They shouted.

One Hydra agent grabbed her hands harshly, jerking her forward and she winced when her shoulder throbbed. They put heavy metal cuffs on her hands before standing her up and pushing her toward the others. When Natasha saw her, she breathed out a sigh in relief and gave her a nod.

"Don't try anything or we'll shoot him." The man warned pointing his gun at Sam who was being cuffed.

Ana nodded quickly, feeling the handle of the dagger dig into her foot. She could see Steve just stare off into the distance and impassive look on his face as she imagined him thinking about Bucky. They were all soon pushed into the back of a van with two Hydra agents in with them.

- - -

Ana leaned her head to the side as she sat next to Steve. She was thankful the Hydra agents only confiscated her pouch of daggers, ignoring the one in the boot. Steve was quiet the whole ride as Nat and Sam sat in from of them.

"It was him. He looked right at me and he didn't even know me." Steve said.

"How's that even possible?" Sam asked. "That was like seventy years ago."

"Zola. Bucky's whole unit was captured in '43, Zola experimented on 'em. Whatever he did, it helped Bucky survive the fall. They must have found him." Steve replied.

"None of that's your fault, Steve," Natasha said, saying what every one of them were thinking.

"Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky." Steve whispered.

Ana softly bumped shoulders with him, "We will help him, I promise you."

Natasha winced as she moved slightly in her seat, leaning her head back against the wall. Ana and Sam looked frantically over at her as blood continued to drip out of her wound.

Sam turned angrily at the Hydra agents, "We need to get a doctor here. We don't put pressure on that wound she's gonna bleed out here in the truck."

Ana went to attack the agent that pulled out a electric rod, thinking he would hurt Sam but was surprised when the agent electrified the one next to him in the black suit. The four watched as the electrified agent passed out.

The agent pulled her helmet off of her head, revealing herself as Maria Hill. They widened their eyes in shock. Ana let out a relieved laugh.

"That thing was squeezing my brain." Maria said, "Who's this guy?" She asked, motioning to Sam. Ana shoved her shackled hands in front of her face,

"Introductions can wait until we're free."

- - -

Ana helped Natasha step out of the back of the stolen vehicle and guided her to Steve, him letting her lean on him. Sam and Ana followed Maria Hill across the secret area that was surrounded by a forest, leading to a facility.

"GSW! She's lost at least a pint." Maria Hill said to the doctor as he ran towards them down the hallway.

The doctor took a hold of Natasha. "Maybe two." Sam said.

"Let me take her." The doctor said.

"She'll want to see him first." Hill said.

Natasha looked at Hill with confusion as she and Steve walked down the hallway and made their way to a closed off space in the bunker. Hill pulled the plastic curtain away revealing none other than Director Nick Fury, alive. Ana widened her eyes in shock.

"About damn time." Fury said, stretching his neck to see his agents.

Ana put a hand to her head and sat down on the chair next to his bed. He gave her a small smirk, "How's it going?" He asked.

Ana chuckled and patted his hand, "You have no idea how relieved I am. You're alive." She then frowned, looking down, "I should've saved you, pulled you from the car. It would of-"

"You followed an order, Michaels. I told you to leave me. And if you didn't, we both could've died. So, suck it up, soldier." He said, looking at her sternly. He gave her a fist bump, making her smile.

Ana nodded her head, "Yes, sir." She said softly.

Steve looked at Fury, "You look like hell." He commented.

Fury then started to list his damages, "Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, one hell of a headache."

The doctor who was aiding Natasha spoke up, "Don't forget your collapsed lung." He said.

Fury scoffed a laugh, "Oh, let's not forget that. Otherwise, I'm good." He said.

"They cut you open, your heart stopped," Natasha said in disbelief.

"Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work so great for him, but we found a use for it." Fury said.

"Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?" Steve questioned.

"Any attempt on the director's life had to look successful." Hill replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Can't kill you if you're already dead. Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust." He glanced over at Natasha.

Natasha looked away from her director and looked at the floor.

- - -

"This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said, 'Peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility.' See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues." Fury said, placing the photo of Pierce on the table for the group to see. Natasha looked down at it, seated diagonally across from Fury, and Hill.

Ana laughed at Fury last statement, "True." She agreed.

"We have to stop the launch." Natasha said, sharing a look with Steve and Ana.

"I don't think the Council's accepting my calls anymore." Fury opened up the case that had three chips inside.

"What's that?" Sam asked, looking at Maria's computer that was in front of her.

Maria looked up at Sam, and turned it around to share. "Once the Helicarriers reach three thousand feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites becoming fully weaponised."

"We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own." Fury said.

"One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work, because if even one of those ships remains operational a whole lot of people are gonna die." Maria said.

"We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA." Fury continued. "We need to get pass them, insert the server blades, and maybe, just maybe, we can salvage what's left..."

"We're not salvaging anything. We're not just taking down the carriers, Nick, we're taking down SHIELD." Steve said strongly.

"SHIELD had nothing to do with it." Fury said, his voice raising. Ana rubbed her shoulder the doctor had fixed up earlier.

"You gave me this mission, this is how it ends." Steve said. "SHIELD's been compromised, you've said so yourself. HYDRA was right under your nose and nobody noticed."

Fury looked at him. "Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed." He said, pointing at the table.

"And how many paid the price before you did?" Steve asked.

"Look, I didn't know about Barnes." Fury said.

"Even if you have, would you have told me? Or would you have compartmentalized that too? SHIELD, HYDRA, it all goes." Steve said, glaring at him.

Fury let out a small sigh and looked at Maria. She nodded. "He's right." She said.

"I with Cap. SHIELD goes, and so does Hydra, once and for all." Ana said, looking at Steve when Fury gave her a questioning look. Steve looked at her with a smile, thankful for her input. She nodded at him, giving him a soft smile.