Steve was restless as he sat up in bed, reading files that were strewn across his lap, and angrily typing information onto his computer. You had all but given up on sleep as you heard the occasional huff and murmured curse come from him, now becoming more frequent.

"Babe, what's wrong? You've been at this for hours."

"Have you read this?" He angrily threw one of the files onto your lap as you sat up, the papers nearly falling to the floor. "This can't happen. This is a violation of our civil rights, and Stark agrees with it! How the hell can he be okay with this?"

You had heard talk of the Superhuman Registration Act; the government wanted to require anyone with natural or acquired superhuman abilities, including non-super powered humans who used advanced tech, to register so that they could coordinate their use in enforcing the law. It could mean that anyone with advanced abilities would be trained and controlled by government rule. On the other hand, it also meant that better control could mean fewer civilian casualties. Teams could be trained to work together, and sent into situations only when needed and only those with the appropriate skills or powers. After recent events of civilian harm and destruction, maybe the public trust could be regained.

"Well, I can see both sides of this, Steve. There should be a way to find a middle ground here."

"You're just saying that because he's your brother." Steve stood, tossing the files carelessly onto the floor. "Of course you don't want to disagree with him."

You set down the file you had been reading and looked at your husband, confused. "Wait, what? I'm not disagreeing with him because he's my brother? What if I'm not disagreeing with him because I might actually agree? Am I not allowed to disagree with you?"

"You can't be serious, (Y/N). You really agree with being forced to identify yourself and your abilities to the government who, in turn, will use you however they see fit? What if you don't agree with how they want to use your power? You can't say no; they will own you. If you go against them, you could end up in prison, (Y/N)."

You stood now to face him directly, holding a firm posture that matched his. His body was tense and his arms were crossed over his chest; it was his classic authoritative pose, but it had no effect on you. "Steve, you know that's not what I want. But I also don't want any more innocent lives affected by our actions. I also don't want vigilantes running around, using their abilities to do whatever the hell they want."

"Well, (Y/N), you can't have it both ways. You're going to have to pick a side."

"You're joking."

Steve took a deep breath and let it out deliberately. You sensed his anger, but it was restrained, combined with a deep sadness. He knew what he was asking of you, and was afraid of the answer he would receive. As he looked at you, his voice became deeper and his eyes darkened, "do I look like I'm joking?"

Stepping to your bathroom, you grabbed your robe off the door and quickly draped it around your shoulders. "Steve, you're asking me to choose between my husband and my brother. How can you possibly expect me to do that?"

"I'm asking you to choose what's right."

You needed to clear your head, and you had to talk to Tony. "I can't tear my family apart over this, Steve."

"(Y/N), that's going to happen no matter what you decide."

~~~

You felt sick to your stomach as you entered the elevator, preparing yourself to talk to your brother. The doors closed swiftly behind you, but your hand hesitated over the button for the penthouse; the hand that bore your intricate and vintage wedding ring. Pulling back, your fingers traced over the stones and slowly spun the ring around your finger as your mind raced. What would you even say to him? Would he insist that you make the same choice that Steve had?

"Where can I take you, Miss?"

You jumped as FRIDAY's voice boomed thru the lift. You didn't realize that you had been standing there so long, not moving towards your destination. "Um, sorry, FRIDAY. I'm going to see Tony."

"Mr. Stark is in the gym."

At this time of night it could only mean that he was upset. If he couldn't sleep, he worked in the lab. If he was anxious, he worked on his suits. If he was angry, he beat the hell out of the bag. A small smile dared to cross your face as you recognized that Steve did the exact same.

As the doors opened you could see Tony thru the darkened gym windows. He wasn't working out; he was talking to someone that you couldn't see, standing behind one of the pillars. His hands were animated and his eyes wide as he spoke, clearly invested in whatever he was saying. You could feel his anxiety rising as you moved closer, but you could also feel...wait, was it...Steve.

Running now, you burst thru the doors as Steve's fist connected with Tony's face, knocking him across the room. Tony stood and rubbed his jaw, determined to retaliate. He raised his arm, ready for his suit to connect. Steve bolted forward, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back. Tony thrust his head backwards, snapping into Steve's face, the surprise forcing him to release his grip.

Tony backed away, but Steve was determined to get the upper hand. He wiped a small drop of blood from his nose and looked at Tony; the amount of rage he was feeling barraged your mind, and you gasped at the assault. You jumped between the two, grabbing Tony's arm as you tried to reach for your husband. You felt Tony calm immediately to your powers, but Steve saw what you were trying to do.

"No, (Y/N), don't touch me."

"Steve, you know I don't need to touch you to do this."

"Do you know what he said, (Y/N)? Do you want to know what your darling brother said just now?" He was moving closer, but you extended a hand in an attempt to keep the space between the two men.

"No, Steve, and I don't want to. I want you to calm down and walk away."

"This isn't that simple!" He was again moving closer, and you pushed back on Tony slightly to take a step away. You knew he would never hurt you, he would never consider laying a hand on you, but there were no guarantees on that with Tony. Tony was strong, but without his suit he could only hold the Captain at bay for so long.

"Rogers, you will stand down!" Rhodey's voice echoed thru the room, but the snap as he armed his gun was resounding. His arrival startled Steve, whose attention was momentarily turned towards the door.

You seized the moment and lunged forward, grabbing his arm. You didn't care anymore that he didn't want you to interfere. You didn't care that this would only make things worse between you. The situation needed to stop before someone did something that they would regret. As Steve's posture relaxed, you turned to Rhodey and gestured for him to leave.

"(Y/N), you sure?"

"Yeah, I've got this. Go."

Steve's breathing finally began to slow; his expression softened as he looked at you, his eyes becoming sadder the longer he held your gaze. After a few minutes, you finally felt able to release your grip on him.

"He said that people like us need to be controlled."

~~~

"Steve, I think you should give my brother and I a minute alone."

Thankfully still under your power to stay calm, he nodded silently and moved towards the door. Pausing before exiting he turned back to you; his mouth opened as if to say something, but closed again without a sound as he turned and walked away.

"That's not what I meant, (Y/N). It didn't come out right." Tony pulled away from you and began pacing across the floor. "You know I don't think that, right?" When you didn't respond, he stopped abruptly to look at you with wide eyes. "Right?"

"I thought I knew a lot of things, Tony. When I woke up this morning, I knew a hell of a lot more than I do right now. What I know now is that my husband could have murdered my brother and never had a second thought about it. I know that my husband is making me choose between him and you. I know..." you paused, feeling a shift in his emotions, "I know that you're about to ask the same of me, aren't you?"

"This is bigger than you and me, sweetheart. This is bigger than all of us. People with powers and abilities, yes, like yours, can't be expected to monitor and act on every situation without some regulation. That includes people like me, (Y/N)." He dropped his gaze to the floor, avoiding you. "I didn't mean for it to sound like I was excluded from this."

"And there's no middle ground here, Tony? No way that a compromise can be found in all of this?"

"If there is, I don't see it."

The thought of what this would do to your family, to your team, was almost too much. Tears built up in your eyes and threatened to spill over. The more you thought about it, the bigger the fallout became in your mind, and you knew that the future would be radically different from the life you knew now. You began to wring your hands together as your own anxiety began to build.

"Tony, what does this mean for the Avengers?"

"It means...that we're gonna have to pick a side." Tony finally looked up at you again, but his expression was guarded. "All of us."

Part 2 (after the trailer)

"Captain, while a great many people see you as a hero, there are some who would prefer the word, 'vigilante'."

Sitting next to Steve at the conference table, you could feel how upset he was getting with each word uttered by General Ross, but you knew not to interfere. You could feel your own anxiety building and knots churning in your stomach as you listened, knowing that the world you lived in was about to change dramatically.

"You've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's something the world can no longer tolerate."

Your eyes shifted to Tony, sitting at the opposite end of the table from you and Steve, sensing his building anger as he looked back at you. You still hadn't formally taken a stand on the Accords, knowing some of the details from him before the meeting today. Some of it made sense, allowing for regulation of the Avengers and other enhanced or superpowered people, but you didn't agree that your ability to decide when or how to act would be taken from you, and you didn't agree that anyone having a secret identity should have it stripped away.

Steve was anything but a vigilante. He had saved the world countless times and was one of the most well-known symbols of the free world. It was ridiculous for him to be called that in any way other than merely the literal translation of the word; someone pursuing justice without a legal overseeing authority.

"General, you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," you argued, "to call Steve, or any of us for that matter, a vigilante is the most ignorant and uneducated thing I've ever heard. Your stance on enhanced and superpowered people is well known, and to reduce this discussion to your limited point of view is insulting to us."

"You don't have to be here, (Y/N)," he countered, moving to stand in front of you. "Please don't feel that because your brother and husband are here that you need to be too. I'm sure they can handle themselves."

"Oh, I know they can," you said as you grew more incensed and now stood to match his posture, "but they don't represent me. I can do that on my own."

Steve sat forward and put his hand over yours, gently squeezing it so that you would look at him. "It's okay, (Y/N), just sit down," he whispered.

"Yes, Captain, please take control of your-"

"Excuse me?" you spat, snapping your head back towards Ross, "what did you just say?"

Steve stood now and grabbed your arm, leading you away from the table and into the hall. Tony watched but didn't interfere as you had expected, only watching when you passed him. "(Y/N), please, you need to stay calm. Yes, the man doesn't know what he's talking about, but we need to play along until I can figure this out with Tony."

"Tony isn't on your side. He's not going to back down, and you know that." You took a deep breath and squeezed your eyes shut, leaning back against the wall to try to calm yourself, "this is only going to get worse."

"I know."

"I feel like I'm being ripped in half, Steve."

"I know that too."

~~~

A week later, the team gathered in the conference room at the tower, a copy of the Accords at the center of the table, and the signature page next to it with the deadline for accepting or denying it only an hour away. The team had been held up in the room the entire day and a clear division had formed amongst them with half following Tony's lead and the others siding with Steve. You alone were the only one yet to make a decision on your allegiance and it was destroying you.

"(Y/N), you need to make a choice, I'm sorry," Tony said, standing across from you with a pen in hand and held out for you to take, "we can't wait any longer." He pushed the paper in front of you and looked at you hopefully, wanting you to side with him as his teammate and as his sister.

You looked towards Steve, but his gaze was lowered to the ground, almost refusing to look at you until you chose your allegiance, as if he were scared that you wouldn't be with him. "Steve?"

"Decide, (Y/N)."

With a shudder that ran down your spine, you took the pen from Tony's hand and signed your name. You immediately felt Steve's rage, though from the outside he looked no less calm than a moment ago. Standing quickly enough to topple his chair, he stormed past you and out of the room without a word. You stood to follow, but Tony grabbed your arm to stop you.

"(Y/N)..."

"Let. Me. Go." Pulling your arm away angrily you followed Steve, running to catch up to him before he entered the elevator towards your shared room; the doors began to close but you shoved your way between them just in time. "Steve, where are you going?"

"I can't stay here anymore, (Y/N). I'm not an Avenger if I don't sign."

His voice was calm and matter-of-fact, but you still struggled to keep his rage from taking over your mind; it was almost too strong for you to push away. "You're leaving? You're really walking away from the team? From me?"

The doors began to open and he pushed himself through before they were done, seeming desperate to get distance between the two of you. "There's nothing for me here, (Y/N)." He didn't look back at you, pausing at the door to your room before entering, "I have no reason to stay."

~~~

"Suit up, (Y/N), time to go."

It had been two weeks since you had heard anything from Steve, and now Sam wasn't even answering his phone. You looked up at Tony wearily, a mission being the last thing you wanted to do right now.

"Do you really need me, or are you taking me because we're understaffed?" you asked sarcastically.

"We need you, I promise. This is big," he said, standing at a distance but with his gaze locked on you. "Still nothing?"

"He wants to call me. I can feel that. But he won't," you sighed, "because of you."

"Sweetheart, we've been over this a thousand times." He finally took a few steps towards you with a hint of apprehension, stopping abruptly when you stood and faced him with your arms crossed. "If we can't accept limitations, we're no better than the bad guys."

You opened your mouth to reply, but your phone began to ring. Pulling it from your pocket you turned it over and paused in shock, seeing Steve's name across the screen. "That's not the way I see it, Tony. Excuse me."

"Make it fast, we need to go now."

Glancing over your shoulder to make sure he didn't follow, you ducked around the corner into the hall and opened the line, despite the sick feeling in your stomach and sudden sense of dread.

"Steve?"

"Don't go on this mission. I know they're sending the team in, but it's too much and I can't fight you."

"How do you know?" You waited, but there was only the sound of his breathing from the other end of the line. "Steve, why would you be fighting me?"

"Because Sam and I are already here. I found him, (Y/N), but they're coming for him. I can't let that happen."

This was why you were filled with that feeling; you were being sent to fight your husband and Tony didn't tell you. You were being sent in to remove him as a threat, along with Sam and now Bucky; Steve knew that if Bucky was on his side, the team didn't stand a chance against them.

"Steve, we have a job to do. I agreed to that when I signed that damned piece of paper. If they know you have him..." You gently thumped your head on the wall, cursing that moment that ripped your family in half, struggling even more now with the decision you had made. "I know how much Bucky means to you, but stay out of this one, please. You'll only make this worse."

"Are you saying you'll arrest me?"

"No, Steve," you paused, considering your words, "I'm saying...they've ordered us to take you out on sight if we see you interfering with us."

~~~

When the jet landed at the site the first thing you did was try to find Steve, trying to sense if he was there or not, but you didn't, and it gave you a very small sense of relief that maybe he had left as you had asked him to. Tony gave a nod and opened the door to a war scene; screams and yelling filling the area, with buildings toppled and destruction nearly everywhere you looked.

"Tony," you whispered, "what the hell are we getting into? And why didn't you tell me he was here?"

"How do you-" he gasped, looking at you in shock, "wait, he's the one who called you, isn't he? (Y/N), tell me right now. It was him, wasn't it? Is he still here? Do you know where he is?"

"Oh my god, I can't believe it," you mumbled to yourself, "Tony, you can't expect me to fight my own husband. You can't."

"You signed that agreement. If you don't follow it..." he said, his voice trailing off, "if you don't follow it, then you know there will be consequences."

With a glare at him you ran past out of the jet and into the action. He took flight immediately, flying out of your sight, allowing you to duck into a nearby building to pull out your phone and dial Steve's number frantically. When the line opened, the voice wasn't the one you were expecting, but a relief nonetheless.

"(Y/N)?"

"Sam, where are you?"

"I'd rather not say."

"Sam, please, tell me where you are. I'm here. I'm not going to fight you."

There was a long pause; you heard Sam's voice become distant, followed by Steve's, sounding urgent and hurried. "I can see you, just stay there."

A few minutes later he was at your side, standing over you with his arm on the wall over your head as if he was shielding you from something. "Sam, please, take me to him. I can help."

"(Y/N), you know how much I want to trust you," he whispered in a harsh tone, "you know that. But I need a good reason."

"Because I love him, Sam. How much more do you need?"

His lips slowly grew into a wide smile his arms suddenly wrapped around you, lifting you from the ground in a tight hug, pressed so firmly that you could feel his laughter building in his chest. "Good enough for me! Welcome to the dark side, sweetheart!" Sam took your hand and led you through the cold and dirty building, up several floors to an open room where Steve and Bucky were waiting.

You looked at your husband cautiously, raising your hands to show that you weren't there to threaten or fight him. Bucky was at his side, watching you nervously as you approached.

"Steve, do you want me to help him?"

He nodded at Bucky who signaled you to approach, allowing you to put your hand over his. A wave of strong emotions hit your mind, with anger, fear, confusion, and relief all assaulting you at the same time. His body visibly relaxed at your touch, willing him to calm down and focus so that he could make his escape. You released him and stood, backing away towards the door.

"Don't leave," Bucky said urgently, standing to come after you, but halted by Steve's hand across his chest.

"Steve, go. Please."

"No, not without you. You know he's wrong, don't you? You wouldn't be here if you didn't." He moved towards you but you stepped further away.

"You're both wrong. But he expects me to follow orders, and I can't do that to you." You rushed forward and took his face in your hands, pulling him down for a quick kiss before you turned again to leave. "I'll keep you one step ahead of him."

~~~

Almost a week had passed before you talked to Steve again when you called him with the news you had been dreading since the start of this whole mess. They were calling you in again, but this time, he refused to back down. They wanted to take Bucky and you knew he would die trying to save him rather than let that happen.

"Who's on your team?" he asked quietly. "Which of my friends am I fighting?"

"Steve..."

"Tell me, (Y/N). I need to know."

"You only need to worry about Tony. They've planned out their matchups on this end."

"So, who did you get on that draw?" he chuckled quietly, but it didn't sound or feel genuine.

"Scott. Can you believe that? At least give me a challenge."

"I like to hear your voice, (Y/N). It's the only thing that makes me smile anymore." His voice began to crack slightly as he spoke, and your heart began to ache. "I'm sorry about this. About all of it."

"I know," you whispered. "Nothing lasts forever."

You startled when Tony knocked on your door, calling to you from the other side, "we're up, (Y/N). Two minutes, get what you need."

"Steve, you know what's about to happen," you pleaded, giving it one last shot to stop the inevitable, "do you really want to punch your way out of this?"

"I love you, (Y/N). I'll be ready." With that, the line closed, and the next time you would see Steve would be from standing behind Tony, preparing to watch your only family try to destroy each other.

~~~

Sitting next to Natasha on the jet wasn't much of a comfort, since she normally kept to herself before a mission. Today she knew that her assignment was to take down her best friend, and you could feel how much it was hurting her the more she thought about it. She was trying to plan her attack and how to counter the moves she knew Clint would use, but she couldn't focus and her frustration was beginning to show.

"Calm down," you whispered, "you're flooding me and I can't concentrate."

"I'm about to lose him. I can't calm down." She turned in her chair and looked at you skeptically, studying your expression carefully, "wait, you seem awfully calm yourself for someone about to fight her own husband. What's going on?"

"Denial."

"No, it's more than that," she pushed, "what are you going to do, (Y/N)?"

"We're here," Tony announced, "remember the plan, remember why we're here. None of us want to do this," he said as he looked at you, "none of us. But we're left with no other choice."

The jet door opened with your brother exiting first, leading the group into the building where Steve was last sighted with his own team in tow. Your heart began to race with each step closer, and your breathing quickened and felt tight in your chest. Your mind went back to that night in the gym when you broke up the fight between Tony and Steve and you wished that you were back there; that was child's play compared to what was about to take place. That was nothing.

Tony stopped in front of a large steel door when it didn't open for him, reaching up to pull it open; he knew Steve was waiting on the other side. You put your hand up on the hands of his suit and he paused, looking at you with a confused expression. You pushed up on your toes and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek and took your place behind him, holding your breath as the doors resisted him and screeched open slowly.

You finally exhaled at the sight of Steve, with his team behind him, Bucky at his six with a gun poised to attack.

"Captain, you seem a little defensive."

"Well, it's been a long day."

They slowly stepped closer to each other, Steve with his shield raised and the sound of Tony's repulsors charging. Steve looked at you briefly with a small nod, signaling that the group at his back was ready for you to make your move, and that they had you covered.

Stepping out of his shadow, you passed Tony and took your place behind Steve, accepting a handgun from Clint and pointing it at the team you were just a part of. "You know I wouldn't do this if I had any other choice."

Steve positioned his shield to cover you, standing his ground when he saw Tony's eyes darken and his face fill with a red anger at the sight of you joining him, now standing next to the wanted assassin that he was supposed to finish.

"I'm sorry, Tony," Steve said, his tone remorseful, "but he's my friend."

The feeling of heartbreak from Tony almost took your breath away, and tears filled your eyes. This was it. The beginning of the end.

"So was I."

Part 3

"(Y/N)?" Tony whispered with an uncertain voice that cracked under the lump in his throat and the stabbing pain in his chest. The betrayal of you switching sides was worse than any pain he had ever felt before, even greater than the loss of his parents so many years ago.

Blocking him from your mind was difficult without a reprieve from the emotions pouring from him; they were too strong for you to push away long enough to block. Steve was also a problem; with you on his side you would think he would be relieved, but he was now only more frightened that you would be injured trying to fight for his own cause.

"Tony, please, stand down."

"I might say the same to you, (Y/N). What the hell do you think you're doing? You signed the Accords, you're legally bound to those rules," he took another small step forward, but now Bucky pushed to stand next to you with his gun held steady. "You're making me do something that I don't want to do."

"You mean like you were doing to her?" Steve snapped.

"Steve, stop," you hissed, still looking at your brother, "Then don't, Tony. Just take the team and leave."

"You know that's not going to happen. Even if I have to drag you out of here kicking and screaming, you're coming with me." Tony pushed forward again, only this time Bucky didn't react; you did, shooting his armor where it would be the least likely to injure him if it pierced through.

Both teams immediately jumped into action at the sound of your gun, Tony's helmet clamping down quickly over his face and lunging towards Steve, his shield raised and pushing back against him. An arrow flew over your head, connecting with Rhodey's suit and lodging in the joint between his leg and groin. Natasha was standing motionless and looking at you with a fire in her eyes, hopefully calculating how to take you to the ground with the least amount of injury.

"Come on, Nat," you coaxed, "you know how I fight. Just do it already."

A gunshot rang out next to you that startled you enough to look, even though you knew better. The trajectory of the bullet was aimed at the Panther, but he easily evaded it and charged into Bucky with a loud snarl. Bucky hit the ground just as you did next to him, glancing to each other as you fought your own opponents. Bucky had no connection to any of them other than Cap, so this fight was for himself, but also to protect Steve. He fought viciously.

Natasha wasn't holding back as you had hoped, and within minutes you were bleeding and grimacing from the pain in your broken wrist. "(Y/N), you made a bad decision," she grunted, struggling to maintain her upper hand. "This is so much bigger than Steve versus Tony."

"But that's all I care about, and I'm really sorry." You gripped her arm so tightly that your nails tore her uniform and broke through her skin until she couldn't break free, forcing calmness to wash over her; she was so completely relaxed and her heartbeat so slow that she dropped back into unconsciousness.

You quickly stood and looked around, most of the team having taken their fights outside, with Steve and Tony still next to you. With your weapon tossed away somewhere, it left nothing to try to break them up, and with Steve's shield and Tony's armor, you didn't stand a chance. Then you remembered that you still had the comm from your original team in your ear, and that you still had some authority with your brother's system.

"FRIDAY, power down Tony's suit, emergency override!"

As Tony's suit darkened and groaned to a halt, it gave you only a matter of seconds before he could reactivate it. "Steve, you know we have better tactical advantage if we get this outside, go!' You grabbed his arm and pushed him towards the door, but he fought against you.

"(Y/N), you're coming with me, right?"

"Steve, go! I'm right behind you. He won't fight me; I'm just giving you a head start."

The Captain finally agreed and ran towards the exit with Bucky in tow, pausing to look back at you before clearing the doorway. You straightened yourself as the suit began to power up, the sounds filling the small space around you. Turning towards him so that you had him in your field of vision, you began to back away as quickly as you could towards the door.

"(Y/N)," he growled, "you've made a very bad decision. And I'm sorry." His voice lowered so that you couldn't fully make out what he said next, but your body froze in place when his arm raised with his palm to you, the light growing within it.

"FRIDAY," he whispered, "be gentle."

~~~

When you woke, you were alone. Your entire body hurt and your head was spinning. Standing slowly, you waited to regain your balance before trying to walk, wincing in pain at the burn in your chest from Tony's repulsor strike. You should've known that he would knock you out as soon as he had the chance; it kept you from fighting him, and it kept you safe. While your team battled outside, you were immobilized here.

"You son of a bitch," you mumbled to yourself, stretching your muscles and taking a deep breath, resolved to join your husband now more than ever. When you opened the door it felt like you had entered a war zone, and in reality, that was the best way to describe it. Trucks were ablaze, buildings were torn apart with rubble strewn across the ground, and the earth was torn from your friends dragging each other over it, but no matter where you looked, you didn't see them.

Steve and Tony weren't there.

Clint ran towards you and grabbed your arms, pulling you tightly to him. "Oh my god, I thought you were gone," he panted. "(Y/N), you have to stop them. They're actually going to kill each other. This has gone too far."

"Where?" you asked urgently, frantically looking around to try to find them.

"I don't know, or that's where I'd be. I thought maybe you could...you know...?" He tapped his head as he looked at you, his expression full of worry. "Can you feel them anywhere?"

You shook your head sorrowfully and your gaze dropped to the ground, "of course, it's all I can feel, Clint. But I can't pinpoint it. It's everywhere."

"Shit," he mumbled, "okay, I'm gonna keep looking." He released you and backed away into a jog, "stay safe!"

It was a long shot to think that he might answer, but you had to give it a try. "Tony?" you said into your comm, "Tony, where are you?"

The channel opened but you didn't hear his voice, other than grunting and loud bangs and thuds as he was struck by Steve, or so you assumed. The hits were so fast and frantic that you also assumed that Bucky was with him. It sounded like an uneven fight that he was sure to lose.

"FRIDAY, locate Tony!"

"Mr. Stark is in the structure 120 yards to your south, miss."

Even with no weapons and no plan of how to stop them, you broke into a sprint, hoping to get there before Clint could be proven correct; before one of them killed the other. No matter how mad they were at each other, that would be a trauma that neither would come out of easily. It filled you with rage that they couldn't see that, and that they didn't see what it would do to you.

When you found them, you stopped abruptly and gasped at the sight; Tony on the ground, struggling to shoot back, with Steve and Bucky sharing the shield to keep him down. Their movements were so coordinated, that it was like they were never apart. "Steve!" you yelled to him, "Steve, stop!"

He paused to look up at you, but he wasn't your Steve; his eyes were dark and angry. He was so committed to the fight, to the war, that he couldn't see beyond his mission and that he had to complete it. He stood straight and squared himself, raising his hand to toss the shield to you.

It easily flew into your hands, but all you could do was stare at Steve in shock as he waited for you to strike your brother down with it. Bucky watched and waited too, nodding towards you to finish the job. Tony was down on his hands and knees, his helmet now open so that he could see you, looking at you with a coldness and anger in his eyes that you had never seen from him before.

"Just do it, (Y/N)," he panted, "I told you that you had to choose a side, and if you aren't with me..." his voice trailed, closing his eyes to avoid the pain he was seeing in yours. You could see him square his shoulders with his resolve and his voice became deep and emotionless.

"Just finish it."

Part 4

"Tony...what are you doing? I can't...I won't."

"(Y/N), he'll never let this go. He wants to control you and everyone else like us. His way isn't freedom." Steve's eyes finally began to soften and return to the appearance that you knew and loved. "And you know that I can't let him take Buck. You know that."

"And you know that I can't do this! You're fighting a war that can't be won, Steve. You're going to lose everything. You both are." Your grip tightened on the shield until your fingers whitened, and you saw Steve's eyes shift to it momentarily. "And if you think that I'm giving this back to you, you're horribly mistaken."

Tony was silent and waiting; waiting for you to either finally strike him down or to take his side. To him it was black and white. You were either with him, or you were against him. It was a point of view that was untenable to you, as nothing in your life was so divisive.

Bucky had remained silent as well, not knowing you well enough to to read you, let alone to try to tell you what to do. You were Steve's wife, so he cared about your wellbeing, knowing that if his friend loved you, then he would too, and that he would protect you just as fiercely. But now, seeing you struggle and not immediately side with Steve, he wasn't so sure of your loyalties.

"(Y/N), what are you going to do?" Bucky asked cautiously in a low tone, looking between you and Steve. He took several steps towards you as his voice grew louder, "what are you going to do?"

At the new threat, Tony closed his helmet and stood, striking Bucky in the chest to push him further back and away from you. "I know what you're going to do. You're going to stay the hell away from her!" Tony continued to push forward into him, but without his shield, Steve was open to attack just as much as his friend. When he reached out to strike him, Tony blasted Steve into the far wall with a resounding crash.

"That's enough!" you yelled, throwing the shield across the room and into Tony's back, knocking him forward onto his knees. "I am not going to watch you kill each other!" When he quickly recovered and stood, you put your hand up to stop him from advancing. "Tony," you paused, pointing to him, "I'm your sister. I'm the only family you have left. But why would you ever think that I would take your side in taking down my husband? And Steve," you turned to face him, "I'm your wife. You are the last person who should ever hurt me like this. What you wanted me to do...to my brother? That's inexcusable."

You stood in the silence of the moment, assessing if they would respond, and when they didn't, you spun on your heel and turned to leave them to do whatever they would to each other. As you got closer to the door, your pulse began to race and you had to consciously fight the urge to turn back, even as both Steve and Tony called your name. Even though you knew that it could be the last time you would hear either of their voices.

~~~

"You're really leaving? (Y/N), you can't leave! They're still fighting!" Clint yelled as he followed you to the jet. "You have to stop them!"

"Why? Why do I have to stop them, Clint?" you yelled back, "they're grown men. If they want to rip each others' heads off, then they can do just that! I've done everything I can, and obviously, I'm not enough. So yes, I'm leaving." You stopped just short of the door and turned back towards him, pulling him in close for one final hug from your friend. "I'm sorry, honey, I just can't do this. I'm so sorry."

~~~

"Miss?"

"FRIDAY, I just want to pack and get out of here, okay? You didn't see me."

"Miss," the A.I. persisted, "I think you should give attention to the screen to your left."

With a huff you turned to look at the monitor, bright enough to fill your room to look like daylight despite the dark sky out of your window. The images began to flash before you, with a scroll of words along the bottom of the screen that dropped you to your knees.

Steve Rogers confirmed dead. Tony Stark, brother-in-law and fellow Avenger refusing to comment.

"FRIDAY..." you gasped, immediately sobbing and unable to catch your breath. A sharp pain ripped through your chest and the world around you began to darken. "FRIDAY...I need...I need..." Your breaths became more uneven and faster until you couldn't feel your own body as it crumpled to the floor. Just as you began to slip into unconsciousness from hyperventilating, the door swung open and you barely felt the cold sting of a metal arm slip beneath you to lift you from the ground.

~~~

"(Y/N). (Y/N), I need you to wake up," Bucky coaxed, holding a cool cloth to your forehead. "Come on, honey, wake up."

"Steve?" you moaned, still not fully awake with your eyes still tightly closed.

Bucky shook his head and lowered his gaze, angry that he was the one to have to do this; angry that Steve wasn't here to comfort you, but instead it was a man that you barely knew. "No, (Y/N). It's not Steve. It's Buck."

As your mind came back to you, the memories of those last moments before unconsciousness started to return, and the pain began to grow again. A part of you was glad that you had closed your mind to Steve and Tony when you left them, but a larger part regretted it, not being connected to him at that moment when he was lost. You weren't there with him.

"Bucky? What are you doing here?" you asked quietly, avoiding his eyes. "It's not safe for you. You should leave."

"I promised Steve that I would take care of you."

Your mind began to race with what that conversation must have been, Steve using his final moments to be sure you were cared for by his best friend, even though you hadn't come to know each other yet. He trusted Bucky with your care over your own brother, and that spoke volumes to you about the character of the man next to you now.

"What happened?" you whispered, your voice uncertain, not knowing if you really wanted to hear the answer. "Tell me, was it Tony?"

"No, it wasn't Tony," he paused, "it's...it's complicated, (Y/N). Right now I just need to make sure that you're safe."

"Well you've done your job, Bucky, thank you." With your tears beginning again, you sat yourself up and tried to catch your breath, this time focusing on its rhythm and blocking the thoughts of Steve from your mind. "Where's Tony now?"

"We don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Your crying became a little less with the shock of his words, now finding yourself becoming quite angry. Your emotions were completely unstable and definitely unpredictable. "He should be here telling me this, not you." You stopped and sighed, softening your attitude when you saw the look of disappointment cross his face. "Buck, that's not what I meant. I only meant that he's my brother, and he has a responsibility. I'm thankful that you are here with me, honestly. Steve would be very grateful."

"I'm sorry," he said so quietly that you weren't even sure that he had spoken aloud. "I'm sorry that I didn't save him."

"I know," you replied shakily with a gasp of breath between sniffles and a chill that coursed through your veins, "I am too."

—

"Nat, could you hand me my shoes, please?" You heard your voice ask the question, but it didn't sound like it was your own. It was hollow now, devoid of anything that sounded like the you that lived before this; before you lost Steve, and before you were preparing to say goodbye for the last time.

"Are you going to make it through this?" she asked as she knelt down in front of you, lifting your foot into the first shoe and gently sliding it on. "You haven't eaten or slept in days, (Y/N). Think of how pissed Steve would be if he saw you right now."

"I don't care."

"Yes you do-"

"No, Nat, I don't. I don't care if I make it to the next minute or not, do you not get that? I have nothing left. Steve is gone, no one has seen Tony. It's just me, left alone to watch my entire world be lowered into the ground and covered in dirt. I might as well just jump in there with him."

Your friend sighed and looked up at you with a glistening of tears in her eyes, threatening the perfect lines of her freshly applied makeup. "I love you, (Y/N). I just want you to know that, okay?"

You didn't reply; you loved her too, but your heart wouldn't let the words reach your lips.

Natasha took your hand and led you to the waiting car outside, taking her seat next to you so you could rest your head on her shoulder, not caring that your tears were staining her dress.

"Stay with me," you whispered with a small sniffle.

"I'm right here, honey," she replied softly, with a light kiss to your hair, "forever."

—

The service was well planned and lovely, even though you were inattentive for the most of it, lost in your own head as you stared at the dark wood coffin, trying to will him alive again. There were no emotions to sense from him anymore, only a cold void that now matched your heart.

When they handed the precisely folded flag to you, it felt like the weight of the world on your lap as you held it. Of all of the times to feel something again, it filled you with rage; rage at the kind of life that Steve was given, a life of service that wasn't appreciated, the life he lost because of what he believed.

And Tony wasn't here; that angered you the most. He wasn't here to support you, or to say goodbye to his friend, his family. The man that you knew he looked up to in so many ways, though he would never openly admit it.

"Please rise," the announcement came, jolting you from your thoughts. The music began and Nat squeezed your hand tighter, knowing that Steve would soon be out of your sight forever. You sucked in a harsh breath at the sensation of Thor's arms wrapping around you from behind, his chin resting on your shoulder as he watched them begin to lower his friend into the earth.

"He was the bravest and most noble man that I have had the honor to know," he whispered, "I shall miss him every day."

All you could do was nod and continue to watch, knowing that your voice would certainly fail you. When they were finally done and the workers began to cover him, the crowd dissipated until you were alone, at your own insistence. You wanted to stay by Steve's side until the very last moment, as you promised each other that you would so many times before.

"(Y/N)?"

The voice was like a lightening bolt running up your spine, startling your body to attention. Your heart began to race so fast that it felt as if it would burst through your chest; an animalistic rage was growing inside of you, and you had no interest in stopping it.

"(Y/N), I'm so sorry. I swear, it wasn't me, I could never do that to him."

You stood slowly, wiping the freshly overturned soil from your dress and calmly smoothing out the creases. As your anger grew, you felt a growl building in your chest, working its way into your throat, and when you turned to face Tony, it was a full yell that took him aback a step just before you pushed him forcefully to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing, Stark?" you yelled, now standing over him, "you have no business here! I don't ever want to see you again!"

"I would take his place if I could."

"I can arrange that," you hissed. "Now tell me what you're doing here."

"I...I came to pay my respects," he admitted sheepishly, unsure of what you were going to do. "I thought you would be gone."

You scoffed, laughing quietly to yourself as you turned away to watch the men continue to cover Steve. "Wow, you had me, then you lost me. I'm sorry that I was here to inconvenience your attempt at absolution. But let me give you a hint, it will never come."

"I know that."

The two workers took their shovels and gave the ground over your husband a few firm taps, making sure that it was packed in securely. The sound echoed in your head, louder than anything you had ever heard. Covering your ears with your hands, you sunk to the ground, finally allowing the emotions that you had held back to flow freely from you.

"Hey...hey, (Y/N), come on, I've got you," Tony tried to reassure you quietly, rushing behind you to pull you into his arms, stroking your hair slowly to try to calm you. You were too far gone to try to push him away, and he took advantage of the ability to finally hold you. "I've got you, sweetheart."

"He's really gone, isn't he?" you panted, still overcome and clutching the front of his shirt in your hands, "why did this have to happen?"

"Because we were idiots, honey," he sighed, "and it didn't have to happen. You were right all along."

~~~

In the next few months following your reunion, Tony had convinced you to stay in the tower, but you had yet to return to the team. They were conducting missions, most of them led by either Clint or Tony in Steve's absence; they were mostly quiet and uneventful, leading you to believe that Maria was controlling the pace until the team was ready.

Today was the day you had decided to pack your husband's belongings away, committing yourself to a date so that you wouldn't back out. You were waiting for Bucky to join you, knowing that he would likely want Steve's WW2 memorabilia and some of his team gear. He seemed to be running awfully late for a man who wanted to be sure that you didn't start without him, however.

Unexpectedly, your phone began to ring in your pocket as you sat quietly and waited for him. Taking it out and flipping it over in your hand, you saw an unidentified number that wasn't familiar to you in any way. Suddenly thinking that maybe you had Steve's old phone rather than your own, you inspected it quickly as it continued to chime. Finally relenting, you opened the line with a quiet sigh and raised it to your ear.

"Hello?"

"(Y/N), I'm so sorry. Please, please forgive me, but any attempt had to look successful. I couldn't contact you until it was safe."

Your breath caught in your chest and your brain went blank at the words, and at the sound. Something in your body was shifting and changing, and if you hadn't have sat down right then, you would have collapsed to the ground within moments. This felt wrong, but it felt like the only sense that the world had made in forever.

You felt him.

"Steve?"

Part 5

Movie? What movie? I do what I want.

"I'm so sorry to put you through that, (Y/N), and that I couldn't tell you. I honestly didn't see any other way."

When you didn't reply, the silence became uncomfortable. In the years that you had known him, never once had it been difficult to talk to Steve; it was easy and natural even from the first day when Tony had introduced you. But now, you were at a complete loss for words, stuck somewhere between relief and rage.

"Honey, please say something," he pleaded.

Your eyes roamed over the piles of his belongings that you were preparing to give away and remove from your life once and for all so that they would stop haunting you. The emotions that you had endured over the past months almost destroyed you, and only now were you beginning to feel like you might actually survive. Having Steve call now, after the pain and crushing agony that you had endured, was nothing more than just one more thing to test a heart that had no more to give.

"Steve," you replied flatly, "don't call me again."

~~~

The next morning at breakfast you were a complete mess. You had barely slept more than an hour, tossing and turning, your mind racing with how you had left things with Steve and wondering if hanging up on him was too harsh. You hadn't been so acutely aware of how cold his side of the bed was in weeks, once you had moved into acceptance of him not being there, but last night it was all you could feel as you moved around listlessly in your once-shared bed.

"Good morning, (Y/N)..." Tony paused, turning to look at you with his still empty coffee cup in hand, quickly forgetting about getting more. "You look like hell, sweetheart. What's going on?" He reached over and placed the back of his hand gently against your forehead, "are you sick?"

"I'm not sick," you groaned, pushing his hand away. "I didn't sleep."

"What's the date?" he asked suddenly, dropping his cup quickly on the table.

"What?"

"The date, (Y/N). What's today's date?" he asked more urgently, frantically pulling out his phone. Once he realized what day it was, and what he knew what was supposed to have happened, his face paled as he averted his eyes from yours and a tremble built in his quiet voice. "He called you last night, didn't he?"

Your eyes widened at his revelation; he knew that Steve was alive this whole time. The deception from the two most important men in your life was complete and you had never felt so betrayed. Tony had watched you suffer for months; he saw you become a shadow of your former self right before his eyes. He was there in the middle of the night to hold you while you cried, and was there on the days when you didn't see your own purpose. He had been the one to save you from yourself, but now all you could see in him was a liar.

You stood quickly and raised your hands to stop him when approached, his expression now full of fear of how you were going to respond. Any chance that you would forgive Steve was gone from your mind, replaced with a white-hot anger at your brother.

"You bastard."

"(Y/N), please listen..."

"Go to hell, Tony," you snapped, leaving the room without another word. If you weren't so tired and your body so unwilling to expend any more energy than needed, you would have sprinted from him as fast as you could. Instead, you made your way to your room as quickly as possible, not stopping to talk to Clint or Thor as you passed them in the hall, despite their words of concern. Your teammates could only shake their heads in confusion as you stormed away and they entered the kitchen to see Tony frozen in place with a sad look on his face.

"So what did you do this time, Stark?"

Tony shook his head without uttering a single word, pushing them out of the way to hurry to get to you; he knew that this would drive you away for good if he couldn't convince you that what they did was right.

"(Y/N), let me in," he asked as he knocked on your door. "Please just let me explain." When no answer came, he tried again, but to no avail. "FRIDAY, just tell me if she's in there," he said with a sad tone.

"Yes, boss. Miss (Y/N) is here."

Tony dialed frantically, pacing back and forth with the phone to his ear as he waited for the other end of the line to be answered. When it finally was, he stopped in his tracks and stood motionless, staring at your door and thinking of what must be going through your head right now.

"What did you say to her?"

"I didn't get a chance to say anything," Steve replied, "She hung up on me before I could. She told me not to call her again."

"What am I supposed to say, Rogers? That we couldn't tell her what we were doing, but now that we did we need her help? Sounds a little presumptuous if you ask me. She has absolutely no reason to trust either one of us right now."

"Whatever you do, Stark, do not let her leave," Steve warned, "once this surfaces that I'm alive, all hell is gonna break loose. Again."

"I'll do my best, but you know how she gets."

"Do not let her leave, Tony. I'm not against the use of restraints."

With a slight grimace and look of disgust, Tony replied, "Cap, what you two do on your own time is none of my business." He closed the line and rested his hand on your door, about to break both a promise to you and a standing rule of the tower. "FRIDAY, open it."

He wasn't sure what he expected to see on the other side, but he had assumed that you would be packing to leave the tower permanently after what he and Steve had put you through. Instead, he found you sitting on your windowsill, staring out over the busy city and down to the sidewalks below, crying, but composed.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. We didn't see any other way, and we didn't want to put you in any more danger than we already had." He kept his voice low, slowly walking across your room towards you, as if you would jump and run away if he made any sudden movements. "Things have come to light that need to be acted on, and we need you with us. Steve is only doing this because I asked him to."

"It doesn't matter why, Tony," you said quietly, "it only matters that it happened. If you two couldn't think that you could trust me with this, then what's left?"

"It wasn't about trust, (Y/N)," he pressed on, reaching your side and taking a seat on the windowsill with you, "it was about keeping you safe. The team is fractured, and yes, Steve and I are at fault for pretty much all of that. But when you walked away from us, and when we realized what it had come to...we...we compromised."

"It took asking me to kill you to realize that?"

"No one said we were smart, (Y/N)."

"Can you say that a little louder? I don't think the people on the street heard you," you scoffed. "I think they deserve to know how stupid their heroes really are." Several minutes passed by again without words from either of you, you still looking out the window and Tony watching you. You could feel his gaze but you didn't look back, not wanting to let him see how much pain you were really in because of him. Even after what he had done, it was instinctive to protect him.

"So...the compromise. Tell me."

"We think that General Ross is undermining us...splitting us up so that we're easier to take out of the game. Steve wasn't willing to go along with the Accords because of his experience with SHIELD and HYDRA, and I get that, I really do. Even more so now." His phone began to ring, but he silenced it quickly and returned it to his pocket. "I need to get us out of this, (Y/N), and I needed Steve's help."

You couldn't believe the full circle that they had come in such a short time, from trying to kill each other to needing the other's help. This was an emotional rollercoaster that you never wanted to ride. "And?"

"He's going to help me stop Ross from whatever plan he's in on, and I'm going to help Bucky get exonerated. I have the best lawyers on the planet, right? What good are they if they just sit around and collect a paycheck?" His phone rang again, and this time he decided to take the call. "Pepper is already setting up meetings for him. Excuse me." He stepped to the other side of your room and turned away from you, holding his hand over the end so he could lower his voice.

"Yes, I'm talking to her now."

"Will she talk to me?"

"Maybe," he glanced back at you, "I don't know, Cap, I've never seen her like this. I don't know if she's with us anymore."

"Give me the phone, Tony," you interjected, still looking out the window, but knowing who was on the other end of the line. "I know it's him. I felt your mood change. At least now I know you really do feel bad."

Tony paused and lowered his gaze, unsure if he should do as you asked. "You sure?"

Without another word, you held out your hand; when the phone slid into it, you felt your body begin to shake with the sudden anxiety of not knowing what to say. You wanted so much to be mad at him for what he had done and the pain he caused you, but it was Steve, and you missed him so terribly that it ached throughout your exhausted body.

"Steve."

"(Y/N)...are you okay?"

"No." You heard a deep sigh from him, knowing that he was likely frustrated with your detached and brief answers. "I'm...I will be. What about you? Where are you?"

"I'll be okay once I see you."

"Steve..."

"Please don't say that I can't see you," he said, his voice pleading, "I need to. I need to make this right, if I can. If you'll even let me try."

You leaned forward to rest your head in your free hand, trying to rub the fatigue from your eyes, but it was so much a part of you now that you didn't know if the feeling would ever go away. Tony's footsteps towards you were soft and shuffled, but you still heard him approach and didn't pull away from his hand on your shoulder. In less than twelve hours your resolve had been completely broken, and all you wanted was the two men that you could barely live without during that short time.

"You've got one shot at this, Steve. Don't screw it up."

~~~

You had forgotten what Steve's apartment looked like, having been living in the tower for several years together. It was neatly organized and sparse in decoration, with only a few belongings remaining after he made the move. As you waited for him to arrive, you opened a few drawers in the kitchen to see their contents, ran your fingers over the worn spines of the books that lined his shelves, alphabetized his vinyl collection, and dusted a few of the frames that held pictures both old and new. You paused at a picture of his Commandos, with the group looking happy despite the war around them. Bucky was to Steve's left, looking proud to be at his friends' side; you felt an immediate connection to Bucky when you met, and now you knew it was because they were so very much alike.

"(Y/N), are you here?"

Steve's quiet and uncertain voice gave you comfort, but it was marred by your anger; you hadn't forgiven him yet, but you were at least considering that you might be able to soon. "Yeah, I'm in the living room," you replied quietly. Hearing him in person felt like a stake through your heart, and you were suddenly afraid to lay eyes on him. Seeing him would completely break your strength.

"Can I join you?"

"It's your apartment, Steve. You can go wherever you want."

"Sure, I can," he sighed, still out of your range of sight, "but I won't unless you say it's okay." You could hear him standing just on the other side of the wall from you, and you could feel how nervous he was just being there with you so close to him.

He was dead. Steve was dead and you had mourned him. You had wanted nothing more than for him to be alive, and now here he was, only a few feet away and full of life. You closed your eyes and took yourself to the day of his funeral, seeing the scene in your mind, trying to bring that day to life again so that you would forget the anger. You touched on the emptiness that you had felt, and the familiar pain in your chest began to build. Steve was dead and you were destroyed. As your tears began to flow again and your breaths caught in your chest, you had to hold the wall to keep yourself upright. The anger you had felt was gone, replaced by desperation to see him again.

"Steve..." you gasped, trying to catch your breath. He rushed around the wall to see you, tears streaming down your face as your mind trapped itself in the past and wouldn't release you until it got what it wanted.

"(Y/N), I'm so sorry, honey. Please forgive me," he begged, pulling you into his arms to hold you against him, allowing your legs to give way without falling. He brought you both to the floor, cradling you as he waited for your tears to quiet. "I know there's nothing that I can say. But I'll do anything,"

"Don't die again," you whispered. "Not without taking me with you."

Steve opened his mouth to reply, but quickly shut it again, knowing that there was nothing he could say to that, because he understood. He had felt the same thing himself, the first time being when he lost Bucky from that damn train. He knew what it was to have half of yourself torn away, seemingly gone forever, leaving a void in your heart that you didn't think could ever be filled. He understood how dark it had become for you, and he didn't argue. He understood that you knew that he would never let you die on his watch, so ultimately he had to keep himself alive or break his promise to you.

"Not without you," he whispered into your hair, "clever girl."

~~~

Not even one week later, that promise would be tested.

General Ross had made an error in his plan to destroy the Avengers, leaving him open to be overthrown from his tyranny with the Accords. Your team was together in the fight, but still clearly, painfully dysfunctional after the internal battle that had torn them apart.

"Tony, that's not what we planned!" Steve yelled across the battle zone, struggling to maintain a hold of his shield as it was showered with bullets. Tony flew overhead, completely disregarding the Captain's strategy have him attack from the opposite side and leave this area to the two of you. "You're leaving the team vulnerable, Stark!"

"Well the plan is shit, Rogers! We need to improvise!"

"Tony, we're just barely holding our own here," you added, "we have to stick to what we planned!" He knew you were right; you could sense it from him. Even with a gun in each hand, you were struggling to maintain your position, with each charge forward making the distance between you and Steve larger. When a moment came to allow you to reload your weapon, you sat on the ground next to one of the fallen soldiers, reaching down to take his communicator so that you could maybe hear their plans before they enacted them.

"Stark has split from the group. Team A, follow him. Team B, focus on the Captain and Barnes."

"Tony, you need to get back here," you called out to him, "they're shifting to focus on Steve and Bucky. You have to draw them away." You looked to the sky to try to find him in time to see a jet pass overhead and fire a strafing run over the field, bullets chewing up the ground in front of you and right towards the two men.

Bucky was struck in his leg and dropped quickly to the ground, followed by Steve, taking a hit to his abdomen. Bucky rolled and pulled the bullet from his wound, running to the team jet to give chase. "(Y/N), get to Steve!" he yelled through the comm in your ear, "get him out of here!"

"I'm fine," the Captain groaned, holding his wound and wincing with each movement when you helped him stand. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, you look great," you joked, ducking your head under his arm so that he could rest on you to hurry to cover. "That red panel on your suit really hides the blood. Was that a design plan?" Your feet slipped when he began to waver and tip, beginning to get lightheaded from blood loss. "Steve, you know that I can't carry you," you warned, your voice becoming serious. "We're almost there."

"I'll...make it..." he trailed off, finally dropping to the ground. "...or...not..."

"Don't you dare die, Rogers. We had a deal."

He coughed slightly, a hint of red on the corner of his mouth, "I don't...plan...on it, doll."

"Buck, we could really use a ride!" Pressing your hands firmly into his belly, you fought the urge to pull away with each loud groan that escaped your husband's lips. It seemed to be slowing, but the wound was too deep to safely remove the slug on your own.

"After this we should take a vacation, what do you think?" you asked lightly, trying to keep him awake. "It's been a really tough year."

"I think we...should stop."

You blinked at him in surprise, not expecting to hear that from him now, if ever. It was absurd to think that Captain America would stop fighting for his cause and fighting to protect the people around him. "Are you serious? Hey, Rogers, open your eyes! Are you serious? Talk to me, Steve."

"I don't...want to anymore. I'm tired."

With a small nod and tears beginning to form in your eyes, you leaned down and gave him a small kiss, smiling at him and for the sound of the jet landing behind you, with Bucky's heavy footsteps finally getting closer. "We can stop, babe. We can stop right now. But you have to keep your end of the deal."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Buck, grab his arm, I can lift him from-" your words were broken when you fell forward, landing across Steve after taking a shot from behind. You heard Bucky yell something, followed by Steve's voice and then Tony's right before it all went black.

~~~

"I didn't die, so you can't either, (Y/N). We promised."

You heard Steve's voice, but you couldn't wake yourself to answer him. It sounded distant, but he was there; you could feel that he was close to you, filled with anger and fear. His emotions were almost too strong, ravaging your mind, but you couldn't move to help him relax.

"This was your fault, Stark. You didn't follow the plan and look what happened."

"I know. You don't have to keep telling me."

"Well obviously, I do. You don't stop to think about what your actions do to everyone else, do you?"

They were fighting again, even though they knew what it would do to you if you heard them. And you were hearing every word.

"We're done, Tony. When she wakes up and is cleared to move, we're done."

Tony's voice completely changed from remorse to anxiety, and you felt the shift so acutely that your body was shaking. "Where are you going to go? Steve, please don't take her away from me."

"We don't know yet. I just know that it won't be here; now or anytime in the future. We want out."

~~~

Bucky's fingers ran gently over the smooth metal of the shield, allowing the cool sensation to sink into his skin. Steve had polished it and adjusted the magnets to fit perfectly with the contours of his metal arm. On the wall next to him hung the uniform, newly made with his measurements with a few changes to make it his own; to make him a new version of the classic icon.

Bucky Barnes was now the new Captain America.

"Steve, are you sure? You still have time to change your mind."

"No, Buck. It's your turn," he said with a small grin, "it's time for me to tap out. I think I've earned the simple life for a while." He put his arm around you and pulled you to his chest as you wrapped your arms around his waist. "You're gonna be great, stop worrying."

"I'm gonna make this look so good," he smirked, setting the shield next to the uniform, carefully tipping it so that it wouldn't fall. "So, when can we expect to see you guys again? Tony looked pretty upset when you were packing the truck."

"He's fine," you sighed, "he's just being moody. We're just over in Brooklyn, not the other side of the country. I already told him that we would be here for dinner next week."

Bucky smiled and pulled you away from Steve to give you your fifth goodbye hug from him alone. "Well then, my dear, I will see you next week." He leaned down to give you a quick kiss on the cheek before reaching to Steve for one last handshake. "Don't do anything stupid."

"How can I? You've got all the stupid with you."

~~~

Nearly two years had passed without any incident, and you and Steve had lived a normal life considering who you were. Your days were uneventful for the most part, other than the occasional broken appliance that Steve's repairs only made worse, requiring Tony to stop by, though he never minded the trip so that he could see you.

You both followed the Avengers in the news and from what the team would tell you, but neither of you had once felt the urge to offer advice or assistance. Steve was right; you had earned this life and you had never thought that domestic life could be so fulfilling.

You also knew that the inevitable conversation was about to happen; Steve was anxious to finally start a family now that neither of you would be in danger at any given moment, and now that you could both provide a life with some normalcy despite having superheroes at every turn in the family. You had agreed that tonight at dinner would be the time to decide.

"Okay," Steve sighed, having yet to touch his food despite having sat down in front of it nearly an hour before, "how many do you want?"

"Two."

"Boy and a girl?" he smirked.

"Two of whatever happens, but that would be nice wouldn't it?"

He nodded silently, taking his fork in hand and pushing the untouched food around on his plate. You didn't have to sense his anxiety to know it was there; he was wearing it pretty clearly. "So, when do we start?"

Before you could respond, a frantic knock echoed through your door, not relenting until you arrived to answer it. "Oh, come on, I'm on the way already," you mumbled, pausing to swing the door open quickly and startling at the sight of your former director. "No. Fury, no. We want nothing to do with whatever you have going on."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but this is a matter of global proportions. No, no that's too small," he said quietly, taking your arms in his hands, "(Y/N), this is bigger than anything we've ever imagined before. We need you both. We need everyone."

"What's going on?" Steve finally asked, joining you at the door. "It's going to take a hell of a lot to get us back in the game."

"Okay," Nick agreed, pushing his way past you and towards your dining room. He opened a file and laid multiple pictures across your table, gently placing them around the dinner that you had yet to touch. "Have you two ever heard of a guy named Thanos?"

THE END!