CHAPTER ELEVEN: 'you're an idiot'

︵✰꧁༺ 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝙴𝙰𝚄𝚃𝙸𝙵𝚄𝙻 𝚃𝚁𝙰𝙶𝙴𝙳𝚈༻꧂︵✰

"NO, I DON'T!" The winter solider yelled, punched Steve, and hit the shield but managed to force Steve back a few steps.

"James!" Malcolm yelled, he didn't know the other. But, he did know of him. Aside from the Winter Solider.  He had always been a bit of a history buff. 

The Winter Solider turned to Malcolm, looking confused. But, Malcolm could only see the pain behind his eyes. "I know what it's like to have this uncontrollable feeling over yourself."

Still the other man looked confused, but he grabbed Malcolm's throat with his titanium arm. He gripped his throat, lifting up him off the ground. "Who are you?"

Steve had gotten up from the ground, freezing at the sight he saw. His best friend held up his new friend as though he was about to snap or suffocate him.  "Bucky." He spoke, he didn't want to throw the shield in case Bucky turned. "You've known me your whole life."

Bucky threw Malcolm, his colliding with Captain America as both hit the glass windows. "Cap, what was the plan again?" Malcolm sarcastically asked.

Another part of the ship exploded.

Steve got up, still talking. "Your name is James Bunchanan Barnes."

"Shut up!" Bucky punched the shield again, forcing Steve back. Steve stayed on the ground for a moment, then getting up as he removed his mask.

"I'm not gonna fight you."

Malcolm wasn't sure what to do. If Steve wasn't gonna fight the Winter Solider, Malcolm wouldn't win this fight. Definitely not all alone.  But, Steve didn't want to fight the Winter Solider. Because the Winter Solider was James 'Bucky' Barnes. Steve's best friend.
Steve had dropped his shield through one of the completely broken windows. "You're my friend."

Bucky stared at Steve, anger on his face as he met out a yell before tackling Steve. Steve pushed Malcolm out of the way, as Bucky tackled him to the floor, pressing him to one of the glass windows. "You're my mission."

Malcolm quickly got up. Bucky punched Steve in the face, multiple times as Steve laid there, not fighting back. "You're my mission!"

Malcolm grabbed Bucky's arm as he lifted it up, but he didn't bring it down to collide with Steve's face. "Then finish it." Steve whispered. "Because, I'm with you to the end of the line."

Malcolm was confused, as Bucky slowly brought his arm down. But, not to punch Steve. A part of the ship broke off, taking down the part the three men stood. And where as Steve fell into the water below, Bucky held onto the ship, his arm reaching out and having grabbed Malcolm's arm. "Oh, fuck!" Malcolm yelled in surprise.

He watched as Steve fell off, him having tried to grab his arm but couldn't. Steve hit the water just as Bucky let go of where he held, twisting.

Sam's gonna be pissed if this is how I die.

Oddly enough, he was twisted, Bucky falling back first to the water before he instantly let Malcolm go. "Steve!" Malcolm yelled, and without thinking. "James!"

Bucky came out from the water, dragging a soaked Steve Rogers behind him. For a moment, Malcom feared the worst. He had killed Steve, and now, Malcolm was gonna die.
Sam was definitely gonna be pissed.

But, Bucky had dragged Steve to the dirt, dropping him on the ground. Malcolm immediately was next to him, not caring that the Winter Solider stood next to him and could easily kill him.
He felt the eyes on him as he rushed to grab a hold of Steve, who's only reachable skin contact was his neck and- now- helmet less head.

Malcolm checked his pulse, feeling both pain and relief as he had started to take away Steve's pain.
Steve coughed up some water.

Malcolm turned to look at Captain America's best friend, only to find he was walked off.

︵✰꧁༺ 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝙴𝙰𝚄𝚃𝙸𝙵𝚄𝙻 𝚃𝚁𝙰𝙶𝙴𝙳𝚈༻꧂︵✰

Malcolm sat on the left side of Steve, who laid in a hospital gurney, and Sam sat on the right side. Guards were posted outside the door.
Trouble man was playing.

He hated the song. And knew Sam only played and suggested it because he had told Steve to listen to it.

"On your left." Steve's voice rang, making both best friends look up.

Malcolm didn't know what reply without a sarcastic comment. "You know, for being Captain America, your a damned idiot."

Steve and Sam laughed.
Malcolm didn't say that he wasn't joking.

︵✰꧁༺ 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝙴𝙰𝚄𝚃𝙸𝙵𝚄𝙻 𝚃𝚁𝙰𝙶𝙴𝙳𝚈༻꧂︵✰

Natasha is the one to one be sworn in at a committee hearing.
"Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" The Bailiff asked

"I do." Natasha answered.

"Why haven't we yet heard from Captain Rogers?" The general asked.

"I don't know what there is left left for him to say. I think the wreck in the middle of the Potomac made his point fairly eloquently."

Malcolm laughed lightly at his friend's words, he wasn't inside the building were the trail was currently taking place.

"Well, he could explain how this country's expected to maintain its national security now that he and you have laid waste to our intelligence apparatus."

"HYDRA was selling you lies, not intelligence." Natasha responded.

"Many of which you seem to have had a personal hand in telling." Those words had angered Malcolm.

"Agent, you should know that there are some on this committee who feel, given your service record, both for this country and against it, that you belong in a penitentiary, not mouthing off on Capitol Hill."

"You're not gonna put me in a prison. You're not gonna put any of us in a prison. You know why?"

"Do enlighten us." Schudder asked, annoyed with how Natasha had sounded.

"Because you need us. Yes, the world is a vulnerable place, and yes, we helped make it that way. But we're also the ones best qualified to defend it. So if you want to arrest me, arrest me. You'll know where to find me." Malcom could hear her footsteps walking off.
︵✰꧁༺ 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝙴𝙰𝚄𝚃𝙸𝙵𝚄𝙻 𝚃𝚁𝙰𝙶𝙴𝙳𝚈༻꧂︵✰

{1024}
Yeah no, I couldn't leave it on an uneven number of chapters.