Brace yourselves.

***

Steve's PoV

All he could do was watch her go. Her last word were echoing around his mind as he stood there. She didn't look back and he didn't look away, not until she was out of sight. Her words felt like knives, stabbing his repeatedly as they went around his head. The super-soldier scratched the back of his neck as he walked back to Howard's office.

Howard was still sitting at his desk when Steve walked in for the third time in the last twenty four hours. He stood up and put his arm on Steve's shoulder smiling sympathetically. It didn't help though.

Steve's face was stone, completely clear of any emotion. He stared at the floor, unfazed by Howard's touch. His hands were in fists by his side, his jaw clenched, as he tried to calm himself down.

Steve cleared his throat and looked Howard in the eye.

"Mr. Stark, where's my uniform?" He asked.

Howard's face broke into a grin. "Come on, Cap. I'll show ya."

*

Steve climbed the steps to the plane that would take them to the USSR ten minutes early. As he reached the top, he saw that the plane was empty, all except for one person.

Steve took a deep breath, taking off his helmet as he walked further into the plane.

"Agent Carter," he said in greeting, as he hung his shield on the wall.

She looked up from the file she was reading. "Captain Rogers," she reciprocated. She was dressed completely in black, wearing a few layers for extra protection and warmth. They would need it. She looked him up and down, seeing his uniform.

"Still wearing the stars and the stripes?" She asked, smirking.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with a little old fashioned," he defended, motioning to his attire.

"I never said there was," she replied, meeting his gaze.

"Peggy," he started and saw she was about to protest, so he put his hands up, gesturing to hold on. "No, please. Just let me say this," he took a deep breath and sat down opposite her. "I'm sorry for the other night. I shouldn't have shown up like that. It was insensitive and rude. I never meant to hurt you." He looked down, fiddling with the helmet in his hands, before took back to her. "I want you to know that I'm happy for you. Honestly, I am. I just want you to be happy."

Peggy was silent for a moment. She messed with the zip on her jacket and looked at him. "Thank you, Steve. That is very kind of you to say. I accept your apology," she said with a small smile.

"Good," he said, grinning at her. "Friends?"

"We'll see," she said as she stood up, making him chuckle.

"Captain Rogers, Agent Carter," said a voice to Steve's right, whom he recognised at Agent McCabe. "The boys are ready if you are."

Steve looked at Peggy and she nodded.

"We're ready, Agent," he said standing up.

*

"Captain Rogers, we're just comin' into the drop zone."

Steve turned towards the twelve heavily armed S.H.I.E.L.D. all dressed in black.

"Everyone ready?" He asked.

"Yes, Sir," they replied in unison.

He looked at each of them in turn before smirking.

"Call me Cap," he said before he turned to face Peggy. "You ready?" He asked more quietly, checking her face for any doubt or hesitation.

"Always," she answered with a smile. "Are you?"

"I was born ready," he said, smiling goofily. He grabbed his helmet, pulling it on.

Steve pressed the button on the wall of the plane to open up the base door. He tugged on the straps of his parachute that Peggy insisted he wear. He moved back towards her, taking his shield off the wall and sliding it up his arm, before walking down the ramp to the door.

Whenever you're ready, Cap," he heard McCabe shout down to him.

"Follow my lead," he shouted against the freezing polar wind.

He turned back to the door and jumped.

*

It didn't take them long to infiltrate the HYDRA base. All it took was a few magazines of ammunition and a few dozen lashes of Cap's shield.

It was easy. Too easy. Something wasn't right.

Steve felt on edge as he and Peggy moved swiftly through the concrete corridor, alternating the lead as they went. They checked every room they came across, looking for any signs of Agent Reid. Most of the rooms were labs, others were prison cells. Steve had a feeling they were getting close when the number of labs dropped dramatically. They traveled quickly and almost silently from room to room.

It was arctic. Their breath was like fog in front of their cold, reddening faces. They managed to stay warm by moving as fast and as much as they could possibly do while staying silent. The adrenaline that pumped through their veins acted as an internal heater, stopping them from going completely numb.

They moved to a corner, Steve rounding it first, to check if the coast was clear. It definitely wasn't. There was something about the man who stood 200 metres away made Steve stop in his tracks. He motioned for Peggy to stay in her position around the corner, as he took a step closer. The man in front of him was dressed in all black except for one silver sleeve. His back was to Steve so he couldn't see his face. The man stood completely still. Steve brought his shield back and then wiped his hand forward, letting the shield fly towards the man at an amazing speed. The man turned slightly looking towards Steve. His long dark hair cascaded around the black mask that covered his face. Just as the shield was about to hit him, he reacted. He raised his left arm, the one with the silver sleeve with almost superhuman speed and caught the shield. Steve took a step back in shock. No one had ever caught his shield, not when he through it like that. He quickly glanced at Peggy, who was looking at him with a worried expression. He looked back to the man in black who had turned to face him completely.

"Carter," he said loud, giving her an order. "Go and find him. I've got this." His tone was clear. He didn't want her involved in this, not when they had a mission to complete.

From the corner of his eye, he saw her hesitate and then move slowly backwards. The man continued to stare at him.

"Who are you?" Steve asked, his voice full of authority, as he took a step closer.

The man didn't reply. He stood there for a moment before sprinting towards him. He was fast. As fast as Steve in a full sprint. He covered the distance in a matter of seconds, before launching himself at the Captain. Steve, now shieldless, crouched low, bracing himself for the impact.

The man hit him hard, knocking them both to the ground. Steve stood up quickly, fists raised by his face in protection. The masked man moved suddenly, as if he was going to hit Steve with the shield, but he hesitated. Steve didn't wait to ask why. Instead, he took advantage of the moment of doubt and quickly punched him in the side and kicked at legs, trying to knock him to the ground. The man recovered and jumped, dodging Steve's attempts and getting in a hit of his own. He slammed his elbow into Steve's jaw, making him stumbled slightly. Light flashed against the man's arm, bringing Steve's attention to it. He realised that the man wasn't wearing a silver sleeve. In fact, he wasn't wearing a sleeve at all on that arm.

His arm was metal.

Steve was pulled back to reality by a punch to the side and a kick on his thigh, making his leg almost buckle underneath him. The Captain dodged a fist before grabbing his shield, twisting it on the man's arm and pulling down hard, flipping the masked man onto his back. Cap put the shield back in his arm as fast as he could. The man jumped up and came at him again. He pulled out a knife, and slashed towards him, hitting the shield. He ripped the shield off of Steve's arm, before forcing him against the wall. Steve blocked the first few swipes of the knife before it connected but his bicep, slicing deeply into his arm. He blocked another one before the man punched him in the stomach. The knife came down across his chest once and then twice. Steve tried his best to fight back, to get out of the tight spot, but the man wasn't having any of it. He hit the Captain in the cheek with the butt if the knife, causing him to whack his head against the concrete wall. The man shoved him to the ground before kicking his chest over and over again. Steve couldn't breath. Each kick forced the air out if his lungs before he had even taken a breath. Steve tried to curl up, to protect himself like he did before Project Rebirth. His helmet and shield lay across the room. Steve reached out and grabbed the man's metal hand, pulling down as hard as he could. The man crashed to the ground beside the Captain who quickly kneeled on his chest, raining down punches.

"Who are you?" Steve spat down at the man.

Black goggles just stared back at him. Steve ripped off the goggles angrily. His eyes met a pair of shocking blue one that looked so familiar. Stunned by the sense of familiarity, the man shoved Steve off him, rolling over so that he was the one hammering down the punches. Steve knew those eyes. He had known those eyes for as long he could remember. It wasn't possible.

The man above him hit him, over an over again, but Steve couldn't stop him. He was sitting on his arms, completely incapacitating him. Steve opened his mouth, wanting to call the name of the person he knew owned those eyes.

"Buc-" Steve stared, but was cut off by the sound of a gun firing. The masked man quickly moved off him, stumbling away as fast as he could as more shots were fired.

Steve lay there, completely shocked. He didn't even feel the pain of his physical injuries. He lay there paralysed by the pain of the memories those eyes had given him. The memories of his best friend. A single tear spilled out if his eye, traveling down towards his ear and mixing with the blood that now covered his face.

"Steve!" He heard someone shout as he continued to stare up at the ceiling. "Steve! Oh my god." Peggy's face came in to view, plastered with concern.

He struggled to sit up, but with her help he managed. She was checking all his wounds as he looked over at the blood smeared wall.

"I'm with you," he thought, as another tear fell. "'Til the end of the line."