He didn't hear the screaming. He didn't feel Natasha dragging him out of the building. He didn't even hear the building exploding. All he could see was Bucky dying. All he could hear were his strangled breaths. All he could see was the blood. So much blood. It covered his hands and stuck under his fingernails. His sleeves were soaked in it. 

"You have to take care of her... tell her I love her... I love you..." more blood and some words he couldn't decipher, "not your fault..."

It was shock. It had to be. He couldn't feel anything. He couldn't hear Natasha's pleads for him to listen to her. To answer her. To say anything at all. He opened his mouth, but only a sob came out. 

Natasha crouched in front of him and placed her hands on his cheeks, "Steve, you have to tell her... You have to be the one to tell her..."

Tell who? Who was he supposed to tell? What was he supposed to tell them? Oh yeah. His daughter. THEIR daughter. He had to tell her that her father was dead and it was her other dad's fault. 

"Nat..."

"Steve! Oh, thank god. I was afraid I lost you there."

"B-Bucky..."

"Steve, Bucky's gone... you know that..."

Did he though? He felt so lost. So far away. There was a sharp pain on his cheek and he could only assume that Natasha had slapped him. 

"Snap out of it! We landed forty minutes ago and Bruce can only distract your daughter for so long... you have to go out there and tell her..."

"Oh my god... Nat... h-he's gone..."

Her eyes were filled with tears, "I know..."

"She's going to hate me..."

"Don't think like that. You need each other. Especially now. Go tell her before it's too late."

He stood up on his numb legs and walked off of the jet.

Natalie looked up when she heard the clunk of his boots, "dad..." it was obvious that she could tell something was wrong. Afterall, he was covered in blood.

"Hey, baby..." he said softly, forcing a fake smile. 

She didn't buy it, lip quivering as she asked, "where's dad...?"

His own lip quivered as he walked closer to her and got on his knees, hugging her. 

She had never seen either of her father's cry, so seeing Steve cry was the only answer she needed. she knew exactly what happened and she wrapped her arms around his neck as she started to cry. "You promised you'd bring him back!"

"I know... I'm sorry..." he clung to her and looked at the ceiling as he cried, "I'm so sorry, baby..."

"Why didn't you bring him back?!" she sobbed.

"I-I tried..." he didn't even have a body to burry. It had gotten blown to bits with the rest of the building. 

"This is your fault!"

"Natalie..."

"You promised!" She squirmed out of his arms, face red from crying, "you broke your promise! You always break your promises!"

"Sweetie..." he placed a hand on her shoulder, but she stepped away.

"I hate you..." she said before she ran off.

Steve stood there in shock. He was expecting her to be upset, but it still stung. He deserved every word she said to him. All of it was true. He had let both of them down. 

He wasn't even going to have a body for the funeral.

He didn't want to wash the blood from his hands. How could he? It would always be there. Now it would serve as a reminder of the day he had let everyone down. 

It was all his fault...