I'm going to warn you guys now.. that everything's going to go downhill from this point. 

Btw, I'm really sorry for the slow updates! I'm really trying my best to update as doon as possible!

But please keep reading! I luv reading your comments! HIHI.

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( seven. olive branch )

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Steve felt the need to clear his mind for a while.

After having just another serious argument with Natasha, his best friend being strapped down inside a metal container, he and Sam being considered criminals, he figured being alone was the best option for now. Steve silently watched the footage of Bucky being contained in a secured room. Apparently, they were going to examine him— probably asked a few questions while the rest of them stick around for observation.

He waited for the questioning to start when a voice piped in— "Hey, you wanna see something cool?"

Steve craned his neck just in time to see Tony walk in, his coat draped over his arm. "I pulled something from dad's archives. Felt timely." He said.

Steve took a seat while Tony showed him a small black box, "FDR signed the Lend-Lease bill with these in 1941." He leaned against the table, "Provided support to the allies when they needed it most."

"Some would say it brought our country closer to war." Steve reckoned with a dry smile.

Tony gave him a look of disbelief. "See? If not for these, you wouldn't even be here." He sighed, taking a seat across from him. "I'm trying to—what do you call it? That's an olive branch. Is that what you call it?"

"Is Pepper here? I didn't see her." Steve suddenly asked out of the blue.

A flicker of hurt flashed across the billionaire's eyes yet he quickly tried to cover it up. "We're kinda..." he stammered, "Well not kinda—"

"Pregnant?" Steve interjected, surprise evident in his tone.

Tony let out a huff of air, thought that the idea was completely silly. "No, definitely not." he denied, "We're taking a break. It's nobody's fault."

In that second, the captain swore he saw the pain behind Tony's usual frisky facade. He sensed the seriousness in his tone and felt sympathy for him. Guilt consumed his face. "I'm so sorry Tony. I didn't know."

"A few years ago, I almost lost her so I trashed all my suits." Tony started, "Then, we had to mop up HYDRA... and then Ultron. My fault. And then, and then, and then, I never stopped. Because the truth is I don't wanna stop. I don't wanna lose her. I thought maybe the Accords could split the difference." he said in all honesty.

For a second, Steve's quickly thought of Natasha. It's almost as if Tony's reasons were similar to his own. And he suddenly worried that they're going to end up the same way. If their frequent fights continued like this, that's the direction they're heading.

Because Steve knew damn well to himself that he doesn't want to stop fighting. He doesn't want to stop being involved in a crisis when he knew he could do something about it.

Unlike Natasha—who he knew is trying her best to stay out of a problem whenever she could. She only fights when she knows it's necessary to fight.

"In her defense, I'm a handful." Tony's voice snapped him out of his reverie, standing up from his seat. He smirked at him. "Just like you're a pain in the ass for little red too, I suspect."

Steve raised his eyebrows in agreement. He forced a smile, trying to hide the fact that they got into a serious fight just moments ago.

It wasn't enough to fool Tony though. He sensed that the pair's relationship was pretty much hanging on the line now with the way things are happening. He furrowed his eyebrows, dropping the statement, "You guys are fighting again, aren't you?"

The fake smile from his face dropped instantly.

"That's twice in a row now. I've never seen you and Nat fight this often before." Tony remarked.

Steve hung his head lowly. "Thank you for pointing that out Tony."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Cap,"

Steve sighed, a crease appearing on his forehead. "Well, today's just not one of those good times, I guess."

"There's always a way to settle that. Hell, if my parents made it work, I'm sure you two could." Tony surmised.

It was true, though. He knew that the soldier and the spy had their ups and downs but in the end they would always know how to make ends meet.

Steve took the chance to change the subject, not wanting to talk about it anymore. "I'm glad Howard got married. I only knew him when he was young and single," He remarked, smiling faintly.

Tony's tone changed to a hint of bitterness. "Oh, really? You two knew each other? He never mentioned that. Maybe only about a thousand times."

And just like that, the tension between them was starting to thicken. Steve sensed that he made the wrong remark. He knew that Tony wasn't particularly fond of his father, he was wrong for thinking that the incident with the time machine changed that in some sorts.

"You know," Tony started, "When I came back to '45 to get Nat and saw you, and saw him I—I didn't know what to think or what to say." He tried to shrug it off. "Maybe I tweaked a few things back in the past but, obviously, his desperation to find you are still up here." He gestured at his head, "So my presence back in '45 didn't affect it much."

Steve didn't know what to say.

Tony swallowed the lump in his throat, tried to keep his voice straight. "God, I hated you."

Guilt consumed the captain's face. "I didn't mean to make things difficult."

Of course, you don't. Because you're Steve Rogers. And that's just how you are. "I know because you're a very polite person." Tony pointed out.

"If I see a situation pointed south, I can't ignore it. Sometimes I wish I could." Steve said, turning his chair around.

"No, you don't." Tony shot back.

A lopsided smile made its way to the blonde's lips, shaking his head, "No, I don't." he agreed, "Sometimes—"

"Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth." the billionaire cut him off, shoving his hands in his pockets, "But I don't want to see you gone."

Steve felt his shoulders slumped at the difficulty of the situation they're all in. Seeing that his decision is as important as anything is here, he hesitated whether to listen to his own voice or to his friend instead.

"We need you, Cap. Natasha needs you. If you can't do this for us, then at least do it for her." Tony emphasized the latter.

That's what sounded off to him. Again. "I'm not dragging my relationship with Nat to make my decision," Steve disapproved. "And I'm sure she didn't too."

"That's not my point." Tony said, shaking his head, "I'm just asking you to reconsider. She's only doing what she thinks is right. So far, nothing's happened that can't be undone if you just sign. We can make the last twenty-four hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psyche-center instead of a Wakandan prison."

Steve slowly took one of the pens, staring at it for a few moments. He really needed to think this through.

Tony crossed his arms, waiting patiently for the captain's answer.

The captain looked at him, nodding as if he was considering the idea, "I'm not saying it's impossible but there would have to be safeguards."

Tony could feel the slight relief rising in his chest, "Sure," he agreed just as quickly, "Once we put out the PR fire, these documents can be amended. I'd file a motion to have you and Wanda reinstated—"

And that's what got the captain on fire again.

"Wanda? What about Wanda?" Steve asked, abruptly.

"She's fine. She's confined to the compound, currently. Vision's keeping her company." Tony attempted to brush it off.

Steve's face turned into a mix of disapproval and disbelief, "Oh, God, Tony. Every time, every time I think you see things the right way—"

"It's 100 acres, with a lap pool. It's got a screening room. There're worse ways to protect people." Tony reasoned.

"Protection?" The captain argued, "Is that how you see this? This is protection? It's internment, Tony!"

"She's not a US citizen—"

"Oh, come on, Tony."

"And they don't grant visas to weapons of mass destruction—"

"She's a kid!" Steve snapped.

"Give me a break!" Tony belted out in anger, he sunk back deeper in his seat, "I'm doing what needs to be done. To stave off something worse."

Steve looked at him, disappointment written over his face, "You keep telling yourself that." He went to return the pen back, sighed, "I hate to break up the set."

With that, he walked out of the room, leaving the billionaire alone.

Tony let out a deep breath, put on his shades to hide his frustration. His dislike for Steve seemed to come back. Maybe it was really meant for them not to get along after all.

Because this was the last straw. Rogers could go to hell for all he cared.

He was done trying to make amends.

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Natasha felt like shit when Steve did, in fact, leave her there after their serious fight.

She fought back the tears that were welling up in her eyes out of anger and hurt and—argh. Every time the thought came to her mind, she wanted to kick something. These past days were difficult on both her and Steve that she felt on the verge of breaking down.

But she wasn't going to, of course.

She knows she's stronger than this. Hell, she's Black Widow for God's sake. Not even Captain America could take that away from her.

She took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. There were other matters that she needed to deal with first. She proceeded to the room where all SHIELD personnel were.

When someone caught up to her. "Agent Romanoff." The voice called out.

The voice she knew all too well belonged to none other than Sharon Carter.

She turned around, "Yes?"

"Do you know where Wilson and Captain Rogers are?" Sharon asked.

Natasha stiffened at the mention of Steve's name but tried not to let it show by answering smoothly, "Oh, I uh...uhmm... I think they've been sent to wait in the meeting room for a briefing about Barnes."

"Oh, alright, thank you," she said, briskly walking past her to round a corner.

Natasha didn't want to admit it but there was something about that girl that made her uneasy.

Oh, just admit that you're uneasy because you know she's also attracted to your boyfriend. Her mind convinced her.

Well, Sharon really didn't need to tell her for her to know. It was every bit obvious. From the way she acts around whenever Steve's in the same room with them, she already knew something was up. Yet she never said anything. Because it would be way too silly to get possessive right now, wouldn't it?

Once she came across the room of SHIELD personnel, the interrogation had just begun to start.

She carefully watched the footage of Bucky being questioned.

She felt her heart clenched at the sight of him being strapped down against his own will. She didn't want Bucky to be seen as a monster because he wasn't a monster.

Besides, it wasn't his fault to be responsible for the thousands of deaths of people. But, of course, in the end, it's the cruelty of life after all.

In this world, what only truly mattered was either what you did or what you didn't do.

Natasha pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to think of a way to solve this. She was torn between the decision of choosing to seek justice for the people by siding with Tony or choosing to seek justice for his friend by siding with Steve.

She knew she already made a decision but she wondered if she made the right one.

After all, it's not just Bucky on the line... but her relationship with Steve too. It was as if she can't help but notice they're slowly falling apart.

"Hello, Mr. Barnes." The man said, "I've been sent by the United Nations to evaluate you. Do you mind if I sit?"

She saw Bucky swallowed nervously.

"Your first name is James?"

Steve was, unfortunately, on the other side of the room. The glass walls were what separated him from the rest of the people. Yet he had not been given the privilege to hear what was happening inside. He could only see Bucky but he couldn't hear what he was actually saying.

His eyes then landed on the person standing on the other room. Her red curls cascaded down her back. She probably didn't notice his presence at all. At the sight of her though, Steve felt a lump formed in his throat. Their recent fight caused an uneasy feeling within him.

"Here's the receipt for your gear." A voice sounded.

"Bird costume? Come on." Sam complained behind him.

Steve heard Sharon, not noticing her come in earlier, "I didn't write it." she defended.

Sharon noticed the captain simply watching the footage from afar and wanted to help him. She looked around the room to find if anyone's eyes were on them, when not, she pressed a button. The footage of Bucky popped up on the screen inside the room.

Steve's head lifted up in surprise. He turned around and saw Sharon standing beside a control panel. He sent a thankful look in her way before turning back to the TV.

"I'm not here to judge you. I'm just going to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are, James?" The sound from the screen resonated across the room.

On the other side of the room, what Steve didn't know, was that Natasha finally saw his presence the second he turned around and smiled at Sharon.

And she felt something tug in her stomach the second she saw what happened.

She tried to ignore the feeling and simply turned her attention back upfront. She didn't know what to think. Was she jealous of Sharon? That thought alone made her feel like a little girl. This wasn't the appropriate time to have these feelings of jealousy.

So she pretended to act as if nothing happened.

"My name is Bucky," Bucky finally spoke up, snapping out of her thoughts.

Natasha felt a little tinge of hope bubbled inside her. Could it be possible? Could they still retrieve the old Bucky back?

Steve felt the same feeling too, it prompted him to take a look at the stolen photos of Bucky just after the bombing in Vienna. His eyebrows knitted, a perplexed expression settled on his face.

"Why would the Task Force release this photo to begin with?" He tossed the photo to the table, glanced at Sharon.

She sighed, answered, "Get the word out. Involve as many eyes as we can?" she sounded unsure.

"Right," Steve nodded, "It's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding. Set off a bomb, get your picture taken, got seven billion people looking for the Winter Soldier."

"You're saying someone framed him to find him." Sharon concluded.

Sam spoke up, "Steve, we searched for the guy for two years and found nothing."

"We didn't bomb the UN. That turns a lot of heads." Steve reasoned.

"Yeah, but that doesn't guarantee that whoever framed him would get him. It guarantees that we would." Sharon pointed out, then stopped short after she realized something.

A look of horror waved past Steve's face. He turned back to the screen, his eyes trained on the man currently interrogating his friend. "Yeah," he added.

"Tell me, Bucky." The man said, "You've seen a great deal haven't you?"

Bucky kept his eyes narrowed. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You fear that if you open your mouth, the horrors might never stop. Don't worry. We only have to talk about one."

Then what happened next completely shocked everyone.

The power went out.

Natasha was startled. She looked around the room to find that everything went dark. He heard someone ordered, "Come on guys, get me eyes on Barnes."

She shared a look with Tony, who knew exactly what he needed to do. "FRIDAY, get me a source on that outage." He ordered.

Steve glanced at Sharon. She quickly caught onto his meaning and said immediately, "Sub-level five, East wing."

From the corner of her eye, Natasha could see Steve and Sam ran out of the room. She tugged at Tony's sleeve. "Tony,"

He quickly gave her his attention, "What?"

"We have to go." she ordered.

"Where?" he asked, confused.

Natasha looked at him, worried, "The Winter Soldier's on the go."

Tony's eyes widened. He scanned the room as fast as he could. Once he noticed that everyone was presumably busy, he figured no one would notice them slip out. He hurried towards the exit while Natasha followed closely behind him.

"Please tell me you brought a suit," she muttered.

"Sure did. It's a lovely Tom Ford, three-piece, two-button. I'm an active-duty non-combatant." he remarked.

Natasha rolled her eyes at his answer, sped up her pace. She felt someone brush past her again and saw a mass of blonde hair in front of them. It was Sharon.

She looked at both of them, all the while still running, "Follow me." Sharon ordered.

Despite filled with confusion, they did as what they were told and followed her towards the emergency exits. They came across a flight of stairs and flew past down. Natasha and Sharon headed towards the left side while Tony took the right, splitting from the two ladies.

Natasha glanced at Sharon, "Have you got insight on Barnes?"

"No," she denied, trying to catch her breath, "But I think I might know where he's heading."

"Then lead the way, agent."

After a couple of turns and a long time of running, they finally reached the outside field of the building. From a distance, Natasha spotted out Bucky. Bingo. He was effortlessly beating the crap out of the guards and soldiers who blocked his way. It was as if they were nothing but the dummies she used for training.

Both agents hid behind a wall and took cover. "We're in position," Natasha informed Tony through her earpiece.

Moments later, a figure suddenly emerged. It was Tony, now wearing his hand reactor. He shot a beam straight at Bucky, who was incapacitated for a short while but quickly regained his strength and threw a solid punch at him in return. Tony managed to block it and attempted to steal the gun in Bucky's hands.

Bucky swiftly took the gun back and aimed it at Tony's face. He pulled the trigger. Fortunately, Tony's glasses served as a form of shield. If it weren't for it, his pretty face would succumb to nothing now.

Tony retrieved his hand reactor and accidentally took the bullets from the pistol. He wondered what to do to it for a moment when his hand spoke for himself—he slugged Bucky in the face using the bullets.

Bucky elbowed Tony in the face and slammed his knuckles straight to his core, sending him a few feet away. Tony crashed on the tables with a groan. Natasha didn't have enough time to react when Sharon immediately came out from their position and lunged at Bucky.

She tried to kick him but he easily blocked it with his arm. And another. And another. And another. But Bucky kept blocking it every goddamn time. When it was Bucky's turn to charge, Sharon dodged it by bending down, the same time Natasha came out running and—with all the strength that she has—slammed her fists against Bucky's chest.

He stumbled a bit and she took this as her chance to punch him in the gut. Sharon stood back up and landed a kick at Bucky this time. Yet he must've thought her next move because he caught her foot and threw her backwards. She landed on the chairs with a searing pain in her back.

Alright, it was time to do something.

Natasha caught him off guard when she hoisted herself up to wrap his thighs around his neck. While sitting on his shoulders, she used all her strength to jam her fists over and over again to his head— hoping to render him unconscious.

However, Bucky got to throw her off him and pin her down by the neck. Natasha gasped as he tightened his grip until she felt air seeping out of her lungs. Literally. She couldn't fucking breathe.

She tried to pry his hands off her, "James..." Her face turned red, "Stop."

For a split second, Bucky froze.

James.

Stop.

"It's him..."

"Is he the Winter Soldier?"

A wide and distant room filled his mind. It was filled with nothing but tall mirrors planted on each side of the wall. It was dark and cold—one that could send shivers up your spine. There was no one there but him.

And a little redheaded girl. "Hello." She said.

He stumbled backward, knocked a chair over. By the time he turned around, someone attacked him. But as if his body had a mind of their own, he quickly gained the upper hand and threw the person down. It was the same girl. He held her down by the neck, cutting off her air supply.

"James, stop." she gasped, tried to pry his hands off her.

Her bright emerald green eyes begged him so.

"Please."

He let her go.

Natasha was instantly relieved when Bucky's grip loosened. She coughed furiously, trying to put her guard up again. Though what she didn't expect was for him to look at her like that.

Like he was lost in something.

Her brows knitted in confusion too.

Before either of them could do anything about it, T'Challa suddenly came into the picture and shoved Bucky aside. That brought Bucky back to his senses.

What the hell just happened? She thought.

As soon as her normal breathing started to return, she got up from the table. When she looked to her right, Bucky and T'Challa were no longer there. She turned to her left and saw Sharon starting to get up too.

Natasha helped her up, "Well, he escaped."

Sharon looked around, catching her breath, "Where's Mr. Stark?"

"I don't know," she answered, before hearing someone speak in her earpiece.

"Nat," the voice belonged to Tony.

She pressed a finger to her earpiece, "Tony, where are you?"

"It's Steve. You've got to catch him. He's heading up the rooftop with Barnes."

When Sharon noticed the look on her face, she quickly asked, "Is that Mr. Stark? What did he say?"

"Sorry, I gotta go." She replied instead.

Natasha hurried out of the room, ignored Sharon's calls out to her. She ran as fast as her legs could do for her. She was practically leaping at the stairs to catch up to them.

Finally, she reached the last level and pushed the doors open that led outside. Her eyes widened in horror as soon as she saw Steve on the edge with a helicopter.

Is he being serious?

Steve was holding onto the helicopter as if he was trying to drag it back down. Jesus, he's really gone insane.

Natasha quickly ran, "Steve!" She called. The helicopter was flying further away from the edge. She reached out for him, held onto his waist.

"Wha—Natasha?" He yelled over the noise. "Get out of here!"

"Let go!" She demanded, grabbing onto the railing for support. She thought her arm was going to be ripped out of its socket. Her other hand now holding Steve's.

Steve gritted his teeth. Natasha didn't have the upper strength to hold all of them down. He could just jump on the helicopter instead. He didn't want her to be involved in this. Again. "Nat, let go!"

"You let go!"

Of course, she would be stubborn. "Nat!" He yelled more firmly, anger compassed his voice.

Then all of a sudden, Bucky steered the helicopter in their direction. Oh, shit.

Steve, without even thinking, jumped over the railing, took Natasha with him and stumbled across the ground. He hugged her body so she wouldn't get hurt. He veered the both of them to the right just in time a blade went their way.

That was a close one.

Natasha coughed from the dust, checking if he was alright whilst Steve did the same.

"Are you okay?"

"Are you okay?"

There was an awkward pause.

Natasha was the first to break eye contact, muttered, "I'm fine. You?"

Before Steve could answer, something creaked behind them. Steve turned his head around just in time a metal hand broke out and grabbed his neck.

"Steve!" Natasha quickly stood up and tried to pry Bucky's hand off his neck. God, what is with him and his neck-grabbing?

She placed her foot on top for better leverage and mustered up all her strength to stop a fucking metal hand from suffocating her boyfriend.

However, the more she pulled, the more she felt the helicopter move.

Uh oh.

It was too late, though. In a split-second, she lost her balance when the helicopter started falling over the edge, taking her and Steve along.

She screamed, heard Steve called out to her before she hit the waters below.

Then everything went black.

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Again, I'm sorry it took so long for me to update huhu. I'm been so busy with school. I hope you can forgive me!

And forgive me for writing cliffhangers hehe. Luv u guys. Pls don't kill me.

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