Sev after almost dying for the 10 millionth time: 😜

KARLI HAD THREATENED Sam's family and now Sev was facing the consequences. More like her dad making her sit outside some random street until he came back. How dumb was that???

Sev crossed her arms and huffed, glaring at Bucky. "I don't see why I have to stay here. I can help, you know."

Bucky knelt in front of her, his face stern but gentle. "Sev, you need to stay here. It's too dangerous. I'll be back soon."

"But, Dad, I can fight. I've trained with you, with Sam. I'm not a kid anymore!" Sev protested, her voice rising in frustration.

Bucky sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "You are still a kid, Sev. And this is different. Karli is unpredictable, and I can't risk you getting hurt."

Sev stomped her foot, feeling the unfairness of it all. "So what? I'm just supposed to sit here and wait? What if something happens to you?"

"Nothing's going to happen to me," Bucky said firmly. "And I need you to stay here to make sure of that. You being safe gives me one less thing to worry about."

She shook her head, tears of frustration welling in her eyes. "I hate this. I hate feeling useless."

Bucky reached out and grabbed her shoulders, his blue eyes piercing into hers. "You're not useless, Sev. You're one of the strongest people I know. But you need to trust me on this. Stay here, and I promise I'll come back."

Sev looked away, her jaw clenched. "What if I don't want to?"

"Then I'll have to tie you to this lamppost," Bucky said, trying to lighten the mood with a small smile.

Sev couldn't help but crack a smile at that, though it quickly faded. "Fine, I'll stay. But you better come back, okay?"

Bucky's expression softened, and he pulled her into a quick, tight hug. "I promise. I'll be back before you know it."

He kissed her on the forehead, then stood up, giving her one last look before turning to run off. Sev watched him go, her heart heavy with worry. She hated waiting, but she trusted her dad. She had to.

Minutes felt like hours as she sat there, the bustling street around her feeling strangely distant. Every sound made her jump, every shadow seemed like a potential threat. She fiddled with the straps on her boots, trying to distract herself from the gnawing anxiety in her stomach.

A couple of people walked by, glancing curiously at the girl sitting alone. Sev ignored them, focusing on the spot where Bucky had disappeared. She replayed their conversation in her mind, trying to cling to the reassurance in his voice.

Then she saw a guy running, and John Walker not far behind. Sev stood up abruptly. John didn't look too happy...

The guy was on the ground in an instant, and John seemed stronger, more unhinged. He started beating the man, demanding to know where Karli was.

"It wasn't me!" the guy yelled, now pinned underneath John's boot.

Sev's eyes widened. John had the eyes of a madman. "Walker!" she shouted.

John didn't even glance up.

He raised his shield. Sev had to close her eyes.

Then, over and over again, John smashed the man's chest with Steve's shield.

Sev felt a hand grip her arm. She gasped and flinched to see her dad standing beside her now. She looked at the scene before her.

John had killed that man brutally.

This was insane.

People were watching, some recording on their phones. Sev was in shock, her mind reeling. This wasn't what Captain America was supposed to be. This was wrong.

WHEN THEY FOUND JOHN, he looked like a man on the edge. Sev could see the wildness in his eyes, the desperation mingling with grief. She felt a pang of sympathy for him—he had just lost his best friend, after all.

"Walker..." Sam said as he approached cautiously, trying to keep the situation calm.

"You guys should see a medic, you don't look so good," John muttered, his voice strained and erratic.

"Stop, Walker," Sam said, his tone firm but gentle.

John Walker was pacing like a caged animal. "What? You saw what happened. You know what I had to do." His voice grew louder, more frantic. "I killed him because I had to! He killed Lemar!"

"He didn't kill Lemar, John," Bucky interjected, his voice steady and calm. John sighed, the sound heavy with denial. "Don't go down that road. Believe me, it doesn't end well."

"I'm not like you," John spat, his eyes blazing with anger. Sev saw the hurt flash across her dad's face, a familiar pain that made her heart ache. She slipped her hand into his, squeezing tightly. Bucky looked down at her and gave a slight, grateful squeeze back. It was a small comfort, but it helped.

"Listen, it was the heat of the battle, okay?" Sam tried to reason with John. "If you explain what happened, they might consider your record. We don't want anyone else to get hurt."

Sev's eyes were drawn to the blood dripping off Steve's shield. The sight made her stomach churn. That shield was supposed to represent hope, not this... not murder.

"John..." Sam said, stepping closer. "You gotta give me the shield, man."

John's face twisted with rage. "Oh, so that's what this is?" His voice was low and dangerous. "You almost got me."

"You made a mistake," Sam said softly.

There was a tense pause, and then John spoke again, his voice a hoarse whisper. "You don't wanna do this."

"Yeah. We do," Bucky replied, his voice filled with determination.

Bucky pushed Sev back, ensuring she was out of harm's way.

Then he charged at John.

The fight erupted with brutal intensity. Sev watched, her heart pounding in her chest, as the three men clashed violently. Sam and Bucky fought with a coordinated grace, trying to disarm John and retrieve the shield, but John fought back with a ferocity that bordered on madness.

The fight was relentless, the sound of fists hitting flesh and the clang of metal echoing in the air. John Walker was formidable, using the shield with deadly precision. He threw it at Bucky, the impact sending him crashing into a wall. Bucky slumped to the ground, dazed.

"Dad!" Sev screamed, starting to run toward him. She couldn't just stand there and do nothing.

But John saw her coming. With a swift, brutal movement, he turned and struck her hard in the head. Sev felt a sharp pain explode in her skull, her vision blurring.

"Oh..." She stumbled, trying to stay on her feet, but the world tilted and she fell, slipping into unconsciousness.

Sev looked around, feeling a strange sense of calm wash over her. Suddenly, she heard the sound of laughter. Turning towards it, she saw a little girl running through the meadow. Sev's heart skipped a beat as she recognized her sister, Six. She was just as Sev remembered her, a small child with bright eyes and an infectious smile.

"Six?" Sev called out, her voice trembling.

The little girl stopped running and turned towards her, her face lighting up with joy. "Sev!" she cried, running towards her now older sister.

Sev dropped to her knees, opening her arms wide. Six barreled into her, wrapping her tiny arms around Sev's neck. Sev hugged her tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Oh, Six," she whispered. "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too," Six replied, her voice muffled against Sev's shoulder. "You're big now! You are like Zero!"

As they held each other, Sev noticed another figure approaching. It was her sister, Zero, looking just as Sev remembered her, though now Sev was only two years younger than her. Zero smiled warmly, her eyes filled with love and sadness.

"Zero," Sev said, reaching out to her.

Zero knelt beside them, wrapping her arms around both Sev and Six. "Hey, Sev," she said softly. "It's so good to see you."

Sev held onto her sisters, the weight of her grief and longing pressing down on her. "I've missed you both so much," she said, her voice breaking. "Every day, I think about you."

"We know," Zero replied, her voice gentle. "We miss you too."

Suddenly, another figure appeared in the meadow. It was One, their older brother, looking just as he did before he died, still in his twenties. He approached them, his expression a mix of sadness and pride.

"Sev," he said, his voice deep and comforting. "Look at you. You've grown so much."

Sev released her sisters and stood up, running to her brother. She threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. "One," she sobbed. "I've missed you so much. I miss all of you."

One hugged her tightly, his hand gently stroking her hair. "We miss you too, Sev. But you need to wake up."

Sev pulled back slightly, looking up at him with confusion. "Wake up?" she repeated. "I don't want to wake up. I want to stay here with you."

Zero stepped forward, placing a hand on Sev's shoulder. "You can't stay here, Sev. You have to go back. Your papa needs you."

"But I need you," Sev said, her voice cracking.

Six reached up and took Sev's hand. "We're always with you, Sev. In your heart. But you have to wake up now."

Sev looked around at her siblings, her heart aching. "I don't want to leave you," she whispered.

One cupped her face in his hands, his eyes filled with tears. "We'll always be with you, Sev. But you have to wake up. You have to keep fighting."

Sev nodded slowly, understanding but not wanting to accept it. "Okay," she said, her voice barely audible. "I'll wake up. But promise me you'll always be with me."

"We promise," Zero said, her voice firm. "Now go. Wake up and be strong."

Sev closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She felt the warmth of her siblings' love surrounding her, giving her the strength she needed. When she opened her eyes again, the meadow was fading away, replaced by the harsh reality of the world she had left behind.

When she woke up, her vision was still hazy. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog from her mind. The first thing she saw was her dad's face hovering over her, a look of sheer panic etched into his features. He was calling her name over and over, his voice filled with desperation.

"Sev? Sev, wake up! Come on, baby, wake up!" He was lightly smacking her face.

She blinked again, her vision slowly coming into focus. "Dad?" she murmured weakly.

Bucky let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, relief flooding his expression. "Thank God," he muttered, his voice choked. "You're okay. You're gonna be okay."

He helped her sit up, his movements gentle but hurried. Sev winced, feeling a sharp pain in her head. Bucky's eyes were filled with worry as he touched a huge gash on her head, assessing the damage. When he pulled his fingers away, they were coated in blood.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, trying to stay calm. "There's a lot of blood, Sev. We need to get you out of here."

He helped her to her feet, supporting her weight as she swayed unsteadily. Sev leaned heavily against him, her legs feeling like jelly. The world still spun around her, but she trusted her dad to keep her safe.

"Let's go," Bucky said firmly, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her steady. "We need to get you some help."

They moved as quickly as they could, Bucky's eyes constantly scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger. His heart pounded in his chest, fear and anger mixing in a volatile cocktail. John Walker had gone too far. He had hurt Sev, and that was something Bucky could never forgive.

As they made their way out of the building, Sev's consciousness started to fade in and out. She clung to her dad, focusing on his presence to keep herself grounded. Every step was a struggle, but she knew she had to keep moving. She couldn't give up now, not when her dad needed her to be strong.

Finally, they reached the outside, the cool
air hitting them like a wave. Bucky looked around frantically, trying to figure out their next move. They needed to find somewhere safe, somewhere they could get help for Sev.

"Just hang in there, Sev," Bucky said, his voice trembling with emotion. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise."

Sev nodded weakly, her vision beginning to blur again. She trusted her dad with her life, and she knew he would do everything in his power to protect her. But as the darkness started to creep back in, she couldn't help but feel a sense of fear. She didn't want to leave him. She didn't want to let go.

"Dad," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Don't let go."

"I won't, baby," Bucky replied, holding her even tighter. "I won't ever let go."

SEV WAS OKAY, just a couple of stitches and a concussion. She had been through worse, but it was still a relief to be on her feet again. Now, she and Bucky were at the ruins of what once was Sokovia, confronting Zemo.

"Thought you'd be here sooner," Zemo remarked without turning to acknowledge their presence. "Don't worry. I've decided I'm not going to kill you."

Bucky's eyes were cold as he watched Zemo. "Imagine my relief," he replied, his hands twitching slightly, causing the gun in his hand to shift.

Zemo finally faced them, his gaze moving from Bucky to Sev. "The girl has been radicalized beyond salvation. I warned Sam, but he didn't listen to me. He's as stubborn as Steve Rogers before him." He looked pointedly at Bucky. "But you...they literally programmed you to kill and used her to make you do whatever they wanted."

Zemo gestured toward Sev. "James. Do what needs to be done. Karli has people everywhere, and there is only one way to make sure she cannot continue her mission."

Bucky's voice was flat and resolute. "I appreciate the advice, but we're gonna do it our own way."

Zemo chuckled dryly. "Yeah. I was afraid you would say that."

Bucky clicked his gun, his face hardening as he raised it at Zemo. He pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. With a quick, satisfied smile that faded almost immediately, he pulled out his hand and dropped the bullets onto the ground.

The Dora Milaje arrived behind Zemo. "Ladies," Bucky greeted them.

Zemo looked Bucky dead in the eyes. "I took the liberty of crossing my name off in your book. I hold no grudges for what you thought you had to do."

He then turned his attention to Sev. "And you, young one, you've been through much. Keep him in line, will you?" Zemo's tone was almost fatherly, but there was a sharp edge to his words.

Sev met his gaze but didn't say anything. Her silence spoke volumes.

"Goodbye, James. Sev," Zemo said, a finality in his tone.

As the Dora Milaje escorted Zemo away, Ayo addressed Bucky. "We will take him to the Raft, where he will live out his days. It would be prudent to make yourself scarce in Wakanda for the time being, White Wolf."

"Fair enough," Bucky responded, his tone respectful.

Ayo walked away, leaving Bucky and Sev standing in the ruins. The wind whipped around them, carrying the ghosts of Sokovia's past.

Sev shivered slightly as the breeze picked up. Bucky noticed immediately, his protective instincts kicking in. He shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, a familiar gesture that brought her comfort.

"You're always giving me your jacket," Sev said, a small smile playing on her lips as she pulled it tighter around herself.

Bucky returned her smile, though his eyes were still shadowed with worry. "That's because you never dress warm enough," he teased gently.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thanks, Dad."

Bucky wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, lingering for a moment as he drew strength from their connection. "You okay?" he asked softly, his voice filled with concern.

Sev nodded, resting her head against his chest. "Yeah, I am now."

They stood there in silence, taking in the desolate landscape of Sokovia. The memories of the past weighed heavily on both of them, but being together made it a little easier to bear.