Just FYI, this story has no canonical value. Basically, New York happened and that's about it.

This story is kind of a cross between Winter Soldier and Civil War. Except... You know what never mind.

Just read it. 

I can't explain it. 

~TH~

"You Either Die a Hero, or You Live Long Enough To See Yourself Become the Villain."

Captain America was dead.

It spread like wildfire.

Captain America died taking down the Winter Soldier.

The team had searched for hours trying to find some sign that he was alive. There was none.

All they had was a shield, a charred cowl, and a body burned beyond recognition. Captain America was dead.

He had succeeded though. The Winter Soldier's body was also recovered, metal arm and all.

But that was months ago.

The team was falling apart. They still went on missions, they still lived in the Tower. But nothing was the same.

It hit Tony the hardest. He had been the one who was supposed to take out the Energy Ray. And aside from that, Steve had become his best friend.

Thor went back to Asgard. Said it was the only place he could properly mourn. Clint and Natasha were on a mission for S.H.I.E.L.D. and Bruce had left orders to not be disturbed. Those were orders you didn't cross.

So Tony was practically alone in the Tower when he got the call from Fury.  "Stark, we have a situation."

"There always is," Tony rolled his eyes as he turned away from the projection.

"Its the Winter Soldier."

Tony spun around, eyes full of hatred. "The Winter Soldier is dead. His arm is hanging on my wall."

"Then explain this." The director was replaced by a poor recording of a man with the same build as the Soldier, but it was too grainy to really see much else.

"That could be anyone-"

"Watch." The man pulled two grenades from his belt and flung them into a building. It exploded with an earthshaking explosion. The man didn't even seem to notice.

People began to run out of buildings. The man (Soldier?) Leveled a rifle and began picking them off. He momentarily turned toward the camera, and Tony caught a glimpse of a muzzle like mask, the same one the Winter Soldier used to wear.

"Where?" Tony hissed.

Fury rattled of coordinates as the Iron Man armour assembled.

~A~

He was going to kill him. Tony was going to kill the Winter Soldier. He killed Steve. Cap never would have died if it wasn't for him. He survived and Cap didn't. He was going to pay.

Tony landed hard amongst the burning buildings. It was silent. Whether there were no survivors or if everyone had gotten away he couldn't tell.

He was distracted when something came flying towards his face. He dodged at the last second. Before him, stood the Winter Soldier. But no...

The Winter Soldier had dark hair and green eyes. The person standing before him had blond hair and blue eyes. And that suit... it was-

Before Tony had fully contemplated what this meant, the attacker was on him. Iron Man didn't have time to fire, opting for hand to hand. He pushed the attacker down, knocking off the mask in the process.

Then the identity of his attacker was clear.

"Steve?"

"Who?" the man growled back.

Tony ducked from another swing. "Cap, it's me." 

"I don't know who you are."

"It's me, Tony. Iron Man. Your Captain America!"

"Captain America is dead."

Then a metal disk was in Steve's (he was positive it was Steve's) hand. The metal thing he had seen on the camera. It wasn't an arm, it was a shield. A dark, black shield, nothing like the iconic patriotic one.  As he was processing this, the shield found its way into the air, hitting Iron Man with a thud. It sent him flying back, barely able to regain his footing. 

"Steve-" he was lunged at by the man he used to call his friend. 

The fight continued. Steve throwing hard punches and Tony deflecting best he could. 

He didn't want to hurt him. He really, really didn't want to hurt him. But, it was getting to a point where he didn't have a choice. The fight had already been going on for almost an hour and they were both tiring, but Tony more than Steve.

He had run out of options. He sent a small blast at Steve. Not expecting it, he raised his shield just in time to take the blast. The soldier lost his footing, falling backwards and dropping the shield.

"Cap, please don't stand up," Tony panted, half-heartedly raising his repulsor, "I don't wanna hit you again."

He watched helplessly as Steve rose to his feet, a determined grimace lacing his features, "I could do this all day."

Steve launched at Iron Man, picking up the dark shield. Tony had no choice but to send off a blast. The soldier was sent backwards and his grip on the shield loosened.

Another shot from Iron Man's repulsors sent the shield skidded across the smouldering asphalt.

"Please, Steve, stand down." Tony pleaded, "I don't want to hurt you."

The response was for Steve to lunge at him once again. Tony's instincts kicked in and he fired a blast directly into the soldier's stomach.

Steve flew backwards landing hard against what was left of a brick wall. The wall crumbled under the super soldier's weight.

He didn't get back up.

"No." Tony panicked, running to where Steve had fallen. "No, please, no." He whispered. He knew what his repulsers could do. He knew how much damage they could cause.

He knelt down by the unmoving soldier. The already destroyed red, white, and blue suit now had a large burn mark in the centre. Charred skin could be seen through what was left of the cloth. The back of Steve's head was bleeding and blood was dripping from the corner of his mouth. But that wasn't the worst of it. There was a metal pipe thrust through his back.

He must have landed on it when he fell.

"Steve, " Tony choked, feeling for a pulse. "Steve, please." He felt tears stinging his eyes.

The super soldier's eyes blinked open. "T'ny?"

"Yeah, Steve. It's me." The tears were flowing freely now. "Just hold on a minute, okay?"

Steve tried to move but stopped with a cry of pain. "Wh-what happen'?" He ground out.

"It's okay. Everythings okay." Tony said through his own tears.

Steve tried to rise again, "You' hu't."

"No, Steve, Steve. I'm fine, I'm fine." Tony said, pushing his friend back to the ground. "Everyone okay." There was too much blood. Blood everywhere. Jarvis was trying to asses all of Steve's wounds, but Tony had tuned him out. The prognosis was simple: He had killed his best friend.

"Tony, I-I do-don't r-re-remember-"

"Shh, Shh. It's okay. You don't need to remember. Just, just rest."

"But-"

"No Steve, rest." He said taking the large human hand in his even larger metal one.

They stayed like that, Tony crying silent tears and Steve fighting for each breath, until the ragged breathing ceased. Steve's eyes slipped closed.

Captain America, no, Steve Rogers, was dead.

~TH~
Well, I hate myself.
How about you guys?

Still, let me know what you think...

God bless,
Jamie