Steve never saw it coming. The gun went off and a split-second later the bullet pierced his stomach, and another split-second later just below his left shoulder. He stared at the sniper across from him, his eyes wide, before he fell to the ground.

The Winter Soldier stared. He watched the Captain collapse to the ground, watched the blood start to pool around his trembling body before he stepped over.

He kneeled beside the blonde. Steve, gasping and shaking, reached a hand towards him. "B-Buck," he stuttered through grit teeth, forcing his eyes to focus on him, focus on the man who had died for him before. Now, Steve was about to return the favour. "It wasn't you. Remember that, okay?"

The Soldier frowned at him and dropped the gun. Wasn't him? What was he talking about? There was only one of him. The Winter Soldier.

"This is me," he said hollowly, his voice rough, out of use. Steve shut his eyes tightly, taking a shaky breath.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't do more, Bucky. You deserved so much more," he muttered, cringing in pain, clutching his stomach. The blood continued to pool around him, The Winter Soldier's knees were soaked in blood. He stared blankly at his mission.

"It's the end of the line, pal," Steve breathed before he stilled.

The Winter Soldier sat there for a moment, thoroughly confused. After a second he stood up and turned, began to walk away. And then, something happened. For the first time after completing a mission, Bucky looked back on his target, before returning home.

////

Bucky sits in bed with his laptop in his lap, taking a trembling breath. His face was streaked with tearstains. His shoulders shook, his breathing uneven. He'd found a new story to read and it started out lovely - that is, until the Bucky in the story had a massive relapse and killed his boyfriend. He had killed Steve, and the reason it got to him so badly was because he was afraid. He was so afraid that that might still become a terrible reality for them. It already almost had; who knew what their future could hold?

He wipes at his eyes with a shaking hand and looks up with a start as the door creaks open. He looks at Steve and bites his lip.

"Hey. I thought I heard you crying," Steve says softly as he steps through the door. He sits across from Bucky and the brunette breaks down again. Steve scooches a little closer and Bucky rests his head on his lap while he cries. Steve combs through his hair with his fingers gently.

"Wanna tell me what's wrong?" Steve prompts when Bucky manages to quiet down a little. The brunette sits up and hands him the laptop wordlessly, scrubbing his face, trying to clean himself up. Meanwhile, Steve reads through the chapter quietly, a sad look on his face.

"I-I just don't want that to happen," Bucky mutters, resting his head in his hands. "What if - what if one day I..." He swallows thickly and doesn't finish his sentence.

Steve places the laptop on the bedside table and looks at the brunette. "Hey," he says and Bucky looks up at him. "You're in control, okay? You're okay." Bucky takes a deep breath and nods a little.

"Okay," he sighs. Steve smiles softly at him and Bucky sits on his lap. The blonde wraps his arms around him and kisses his cheek. "I love you," Bucky says, because he felt he didn't say it often enough.

Steve smiles softly. "I love you too," he responds. Bucky sighs and relaxes against him. They would be fine. Bucky would stay in control. He could do it. He owed it to himself. He owed it to Steve.

"I was gonna start a Disney-a-thon. You in?" Steve asks the brunette, who gives him a look. Steve's smile grows; that was the Bucky he'd missed.

"Of course." Bucky smiles at him and closes his laptop then slides out of bed. "I get first dibs on the movie!" He chimes and Steve rolls his eyes but smiles and gets up as well.

Together they go down and start a movie. Bucky hugs Steve a little tighter, but the blonde doesn't mention this. Either way, Bucky felt at peace, and Steve was glad.