PIERCE WAS HELD at gunpoint by Councilman Yen. Y/N had a close eye on the Secretary as Natasha did her magic on the computer nearby.

"What are you doing?" Councilman Singh asked her.

"She's disabling security protocols and dumping all the secrets onto the Internet." Pierce chose to answer.

"Including HYDRA'S." She added.

"And S.H.I.E.L.D's." Pierce cut in. "If you do this, none of your past is gonna remain hidden. Are you sure you're ready for the world to see you as you really are?"

Natasha looked directly at him. "Are you?"

Pierce chuckled, hands still up as he turned to Y/N standing nearby. "And you, L/N? The world will see who you were supposed to be. Who you are."

Y/N didn't want to respond, only staring right back at the Secretary. He walked closer to Y/N as Yen still had the gun aimed at his head.

"I'm sure you heard from Zola." He continued. "Now you know, Y/N. The potential you've always had."

"Let the world see." Y/N walked closer to Pierce, now face to face with him. "Let them see that between me and HYDRA, I prevailed. Let them see that your supposed weapon became an Avenger..."

Pierce glared at the young man as he continued.

"Let them see that the son of Margaret Carter and Steve Rogers, against all odds, still became a hero...just like them."

The HYDRA loyalist stayed quiet as he continued to glare. Natasha still typed, giving an impressed smile upon hearing the young man's speech.

"Now move the hell back, young man." Y/N scolded, referencing how he technically was older than Pierce. The Secretary gave a angry look as he stepped back with Yen still aiming at his head.

After some time, Natasha got through but reached a firewall. Pierce looked at the screen and took notice.

"Disabling the encryption is an executive order. It takes two Alpha Level members."

"Don't worry. Company's coming." Natasha said with a smirk.

They heard a helicopter approaching, and the aircraft landed on the pad outside. Moments later, Nick Fury walked through the door and stared directly at Pierce.

He put his hands on his waist. "Did you get my flowers? I'm glad you're here, Nick."

Fury scoffed as he walked towards him. "Really? Because I thought you had me killed."

"You know how the game works."

"So why make me head of S.H.I.E.L.D?"

"Because you were the best, and the most ruthless person I ever met."

"I did what I did to protect people."

"Our enemies are your enemies, Nick. Disorder. War. It's just a matter of time before a dirty bomb goes off in Moscow, or an EMP fries Chicago. Diplomacy? A holding action, Nick. A band-aid. And you know where I learned that. Bogota." Pierce continued to explain. "You didn't ask. You just did what had to be done. I can bring order to the lives of seven billion people by sacrificing 20 million. It's the next step, Nick. If you have the courage to take it."

Y/N rolled his eyes at the garbage he just heard.

"No. I have the courage not to." Nick also disagreed and pulled Pierce towards the screen to disable the encryption.

"Retinal scanner active."

Pierce chuckled, and Natasha went beside him and aimed her pistol at his head.

"You don't think we've wiped your clearance from the system?" He asked Fury.

"I know you erased my password. Probably deleted my retinal scan. But if you want to stay ahead of me, Mr. Secretary..." He removed his eyepatch and showed him his scarred yet still working eye. "...you need to keep both eyes open."

Fury had enough fooling around and motioned Pierce to commence with the retinal scan. He reluctantly did so.

"Alpha level confirmed."

"Encryption code accepted."

"Safeguards removed."

"Was that so hard?" Y/N asked Pierce, who didn't bother to turn around.

"L/N?" Maria spoke into the comms. "Rumlow's headed up where you are."

"I'm on it." Y/N reported back. He gave a nod to Natasha and Fury as he ran out of the room, taking off the suit he was wearing and now sporting his blue compression shirt from earlier.

Pierce stood idly by as the files were be transferred to the internet.

"Done." Natasha said as the download finished before checking her phone. "And it's trending."

The Secretary discreetly took out a device and tapped on the screen, the pin on Councilman Singh's suit to combust and burn a hole in his chest.

The same happened to Yen and the two dropped on the floor, groaning a bit before ultimately dying. Natasha and Fury raised their pistols at Pierce.

"Unless you want a two-inch hole in your sternum, I'd put that gun down." He threatened Natasha. "That was armed the moment you pinned it on."

Fury looked at the female agent, who in turn looked back. After a brief pause, they complied and put down their weapons.

"I'm on 41, headed toward the southwest stairwell." Rumlow reported as he entered a room with his gun up.

He was suddenly punched across the face, causing him to drop his weapon in the process. Y/N grabbed his head and hit him with his knee, and Rumlow tried to counter with a right hook but Y/N parried the attack and kicked him to the floor.

"About all this..." Rumlow groaned as he got back up. "No hard feelings, kid. We're just taking back what's ours."

"I'm not your damn property, Brock."

"You're coming back one way or another." He said as he took off his vest, his gun straps forming an "X" on his chest. "If that means kicking the shit out of you beforehand, then so be it."

Y/N chuckled, already annoyed by Rumlow but the man still continued.

"There's only order in HYDRA. And with that comes pain. Are you ready to feel that pain?"

"Shut up and throw a punch already, you son of a bitch."

Rumlow bellowed as he ran at Y/N and swung, but the soldier dodged his attack and punched him in the stomach. Rumlow doubled over before Y/N drove a knee into his jaw and caused him to stumble back. Y/N landed a left hook before roundhouse kicking him across the face.

"Come on, Brock." Y/N stood over him. "You keep this up I won't even have to use my batons."

Rumlow caught him by surprise and swept Y/N's legs, but the soldier rolled away before Rumlow could punch down at his head. The two got back up and faced each other.

"You know how this is gonna go." He spoke to Rumlow. "I'm stronger...faster...oh, and I got that thing in my head that lets me read your moves. You can thank your employer for that."

Brock huffed, annoyed at the young man's chatter. "I've always hated your guts."

"You sure ain't showing it enough." He teased, angering Rumlow even more. The two then ran at each other and continued the fight.

"What a waste." Pierce said as he looked out the window.

Captain America and Falcon had done their jobs and replaced the carriers' targeting chips. Their own guns were now shooting at each other, officially putting an end to Project Insight.

"So, you still on the fence about Rogers' chances?" Natasha asked him.

"Time to go, Councilwoman." He ignored her statement and motioned her forward. "This way. Come on. You're going to fly me out of here."

"You know, there was a time I would've taken a bullet for you." Fury abruptly said.

"You already did. You will again, when it's useful."

Suddenly, Natasha shocked herself with her one of her taser discs and fell to the floor. In a panic, Pierce tried to detonate the pin on her suit, but it was in the process of rebooting.

Fury took the chance to pick up his gun and shoot the Secretary dead, his body crashing through the glass behind him.

Fury ran over to Natasha.

"Romanoff. Natasha." He attempted to wake her. "Natasha! Come on."

After a moment the agent opened her eyes, to Fury's relief.

"Ow. Those really do sting."

Y/N's landed a kick to Rumlow's abdomen, and he tried to counter with a punch but the soldier hit him twice before he could.

Y/N tried to land an uppercut as well but the HYDRA loyalist surprisingly predicted this and evaded the hit. He kicked Y/N in the side, but that was all he could do as the soldier parried his other kick. He grabbed the man's leg and threw him across the table.

Y/N took the time to catch his breath. Rumlow recovered and jumped on top of the table, now brandishing a familiar weapon.

Batons.

Y/N felt around his waistband and realized he had taken them during their fight.

"What?" Rumlow asked. "Kid miss his toys?"

Freedom Fighter was prepared to give a witty response, but quickly noticed something through the window behind Rumlow.

One of the downed hellicarriers were making their way towards the building, and Y/N knew it would be seconds before it crashed.

"Uh...you can keep them!" He exclaimed and sprinted the other way.

Rumlow looked back and noticed the incoming carrier. "Son of a bitch!" He tried to run away, but was ultimately buried in the debris.

"Guys?" Y/N shouted into the comms as he ran. "Everything done? Please tell me you got that chopper in the air!"

"Y/N, where are you?" Natasha reported back.

He leaped over a downed column. "41st floor! Northwest corner!"

"We're on it! Stay where you are!" Sam, who made it to the chopper earlier, replied.

The floor he was in continued to collapse onto itself. "Not possible!"

He made it to the other side of the floor and crashed though the window. He began his descent, and Fury noticed him falling above him. He tilted the aircraft enough so the man could enter the chopper and Sam quickly caught him before he can slide out the other side.

"I said 41st floor! 41st!" Y/N exclaimed as he caught his breath and sat down beside Sam.

Fury shouted back as he piloted the chopper. "It's not like they put the floor numbers on the outside of the building!"

Natasha spoke into her headset. "Hill! Where's Steve? You got a location on Rogers?"

Steve wasn't going to leave his friend behind. The Winter Soldier was pinned down by a large piece of metal and Rogers helped lift it off of him.

"You know me." Steve panted as he got back up. The hellicarrier they were in was in the process of crashing.

"No, I don't!" He yelled as he punched Steve.

"Bucky." Steve breathed out. "You've known me your whole life."

Barnes hit him again and sent him to the floor. Steve wasn't going to stop until his friend remembered him.

He got back up. "Your name is James Buchanan Barnes."

"Shut up!"

This time Steve blocked the hit with his shield, but Barnes's punch was strong enough to heave him back. Rogers got up again and removed his headpiece.

"I'm not gonna fight you." He dropped his shield through the hole near him, letting it fall into the river. "You're my friend."

Bucky roared as he tackled Steve and pinned him down.

"You're my mission." He spoke, punching him several times. "You're my mission!"

Steve was bruised and bloodied. "Then finish it."

Bucky raised his arm to hit him again, but stopped.

"Because I'm with you to the end of the line."

Bucky looked at Steve, not knowing what to do. It was as if the line he said triggered something in him, something HYDRA and his handlers tried to remove.

Suddenly, a piece of debris crashed down near them and caused the floor to collapse. Bucky held on to the ledge as he witnessed Steve fall into the Potomac.

The chopper flew over the river, not filled with chunks of debris and metal from the destroyed carriers. Y/N, Natasha, Sam, and Fury looked around the area for Steve, which took a while until the Captain's son spotted him.

"There!"

Fury began the helicopter's decent near the shore, but Y/N's impatience caused him to dive out of the chopper and into the river.

He got out of the water and went over to Steve's body, immediately trying to shake him awake.

"Rogers! Come on." He checked his pulse, and fortunately found a heartbeat. "Oh, thank God."

The chopper lowered enough so that Y/N was able to carry Steve into the cabin.

"We need to get to a hospital. Now." Y/N said as Natasha helped in inside as well.

Fury nodded and started flying away from the river. Y/N sat back, panting and now drenched from his plunge into the river. He just looked at his father's unconscious body, worry starting to build up within him.

Natasha noticed and held his hand. He looked at her, his troubled expression now replaced with a smile as he gripped tighter.

She was also worried about Rogers, and any form of solace she could give Y/N was comfort for herself also.

• • •

IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 24 hours since Steve Rogers was admitted into intensive care. It was a long wait for Y/N, who was afraid that Rogers wouldn't wake up.

He had to. He had his healing factor. Right? He's Captain America. He always survives.

Thankfully, he got a call from Sam that he did wake up. Y/N rushed back to the hospital after leaving Natasha a message, who currently was at a government hearing about the downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Entering the room, he saw Steve on the bed, his cuts and bruises now seemingly fading. A speaker beside him was playing Marvin Gaye, but Sam turned it down upon his arrival.

"Hey." Steve simply greeted.

The young man smiled. "Steve."

Sam looked at his friends and got up from his seat, deciding to give them time by themselves. "I'm going to get a sandwich from the cafeteria."

He left the room and Y/N sat on the other seat beside the bed.

"Everything all right?" Steve asked him.

"I should be asking you that."

"I'm fine. Thankfully Erskine made it so I can heal quicker. You should know that."

"I do. I have your blood after all."

The two chuckled, and after a momentary pause Steve spoke again.

"I got him to remember, I think." He said. "Bucky. He pulled me out of the water."

Y/N looked at Steve and listened as he continued.

"He didn't have to. But he did. Because of that I know a part of him is still in there somewhere."

"I said before that it might not be easy. But you did it. You got through to him. So, yeah, I believe so too."

Steve stayed quiet for a moment, thinking of his best friend. Y/N took notice and reached over, offering a hand. The older man looked over and ultimately clasped it.

"We did it. HYDRA's down for the count and we all made it out." He told him.

"Like you said." Steve replied.

"I always have faith. Like you, dad."

That was something Peggy always had...faith. Steve smiled, gripping his hand tighter as his son grinned as well. It was also the first time Steve's heard Y/N call him dad, and he was grateful to be alive in this time period. Because in any other century, he wouldn't be with Y/N to hear it.

• • •

IN THE CEMETERY stood the tombstone of Nick Fury. Steve and Sam looked at it, but the seemingly dead Director walked up to them.

"So, you've experienced this sort of thing before." He said.

"You get used to it." Steve replied.

"We've been data mining HYDRA'S files. Looks like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship."

Steve nodded, understanding that there were still scattered cells of HYDRA loyalists around the world.

Fury continued. "I'm headed to Europe tonight. Wanted to ask if you'd come."

"There's something I got to do first." Steve said.

Fury turned to Sam. "How about you, Wilson? Could use a man with your abilities."

"I'm more of a soldier than a spy."

"So was Y/N. But all right, then. I respect it." Fury replied shaking both of their hands. "Anybody asks for me, tell them they can find me, right here."

Fury walked away right when Natasha and Y/N arrived.

"You should be honored. That's about as close as he gets to saying thank you." She remarked.

"I actually got a hug once." Y/N added before lowering his voice. "Don't tell him I told you."

"Not going with him?" Steve asked them.

"No." She answered.

"Not staying here."

"Nah. I blew all my covers. I got to go figure out a new one."

Y/N chimed in. "That might take a while, but knowing her she has twenty more in her back pocket."

"Wouldn't surprise me neither." Steve replied.

Natasha chuckled as she motioned Y/N to take something out of his bag. He obliged and handed Steve a folder.

"That thing you asked for, I called in a few favors from Kiev." She said. "Will you do me a favor? Go out and mingle. Talk to that nurse."

"She's not a nurse."

"And you're not a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."

"What was her name again?" Y/N asked. "It wasn't actually Kate."

"Sharon." She answered. "She's nice."

Y/N agreed. "You deserve to be happy, Rogers."

He looked at the two of them. "What if I already am?"

The three smiled and Natasha gave a peck on Rogers's cheek before the two started walking away.

"Be careful, Steve." She turned back around for a moment and pointed at the files. "You might not want to pull on that thread."

He gave a nod and the two continued walking back to the car.

Y/N chuckled. "Did you really just kiss my dad?"

"A girl can't give a friendly peck on the cheek?"

"Sure. It's just...weird now. Since he's my dad."

"You know what was weird? Me making out with a 70 year old."

"This 70 year old still got the moves, though. Remember the club in Moscow?"

The two laughed before Y/N changed the subject.

"We successfully played matchmaker with Cap. How about we do me next?" The young man jested.

"I know somebody you'd like." She began. "She was born in Stalingrad. Had some hiccups growing up but turned out pretty good once she moved to the States."

"Russian, huh? Sounds like a feisty one." He replied. "She a red-head?"

"Maybe."

"Now that's hot. Let me know when she's available."

Y/N went to the passenger's side and Natasha opened the door on her side.

She smirked. "She has some things to take care of first. I'll let you know when she's free."

"Sounds great." Y/N said with a smile as they entered the car, soon driving down the road out of the cemetery.

• • •

A FEW WEEKS after S.H.I.E.L.D's collapse, Steve called Y/N so they can socialize. It came a surprise to the young man, as Rogers wasn't known to fraternize much. For what he expected to be a day out at the bar for drinks or food, he stopped at a retirement facility within Washington D.C.

"What is this?" Y/N asked as he walked inside with him. "You look a little young to be checking yourself in now, Steve."

"Hilarious." He replied as he went up to the front desk. Immediately the clerk recognized him.

"Captain Rogers. Here to visit—"

"Yes, and I brought a guest."

Y/N raised a brow as an attendant started leading the two down a hallway. They made another turn before reaching the room they were looking for.

"All right. Who are we visiting? An old friend of yours?" Y/N asked.

Steve smiled as he turned the door knob. "You can say that."

He opened the door and let Y/N inside first before following and shutting it. The young man looked at the elderly lady on the bed, who was looking through the photo album she'd often bury herself in. She looked up and noticed the two men.

"Steve." She said, surprisingly remembering him from his recent visits. "I didn't expect you today."

"Hey, Peggy." Steve greeted, which garnered a surprise look from Y/N. "I have someone I would like you to meet."

He pat his son's shoulder, and Y/N had barely realized who the lady was. He went beside her bed and leaned over.

"Uh...I...Uh..." Y/N couldn't form any words. He didn't know whether to call her by her real name, or by mom, or just flat out say he was her son. His mind was going for a loop.

Unbeknownst to him, Peggy was focusing in on his features. His face, his lips, his nose...then finally his eyes.

His eyes were just like Steve's, and it was the thing that immediately told Peggy what she needed to know.

He was alive. Her son was alive and well.

"Y/N...?" Peggy slowly reached over and placed a hand on his cheek, her voice now quivering. "You're alive...my little angel."

"I'm here, mom." Y/N said with a smile, a tear now running down his cheek. "And I'm never leaving you again."

The elderly lady began to cry as well. Y/N carefully leaned further and hugged her, now sobbing himself.

Steve smiled as he looked at the two embracing, holding back tears of his own.

When he seemingly lost his life on the Valkyrie he unknowingly left behind a pregnant Peggy, and if he could, he'd go back and live a life with her and their son. He thought he lost his chance to do so.

But now he was experiencing something he never thought was possible. He reunited with his son, and then his long lost love months after.

Now the three were together again, as a family.

END OF: THE WINTER SOLDIER