Twisted Ends

"This shit blows. Literally." Bucky griped, grunting as his bootlace became tangled on something beneath the murky water. He kicked out with an annoyed huff, yelping as he lost his delicate balance and almost tumbled into the sewage below. "Fuck!" He lashed out with his Vibranium arm, sparks flying as it scrapped against the brick wall.

"Careful, Buck. We don't know what else is in the water. Don't want to cause a fire." Sam cautioned; face pulled into a tight grimace as he gradually hiked through the chest deep muck.

Bucky snorted, instantly regretting the motion as his hyperactive senses kicked into overdrive, the rank smell of feces and rot slapping him in the face. "Wouldn't that be something." He grounded out behind clenched teeth, taking a moments respite to lean against the corridor. He could feel his veins pulsating as he worked his jaw, struggling to keep his gait steady.

Fuck, he was exhausted. A bone deep ache that was seeping into every nook and cranny of his haggard body. He could feel the serum at work, the last of his cuts and bruises stitching themselves together as he contemplated sinking into the dark depths beneath him. It always took everything out of him when healed. Always had. His bastardized version of the serum always came with its set of wonderful hindrances, this being the most compromising of them all.

He needed to rest before the serum FORCED him to. He could feel it zapping the strength from his muscles as it worked, each movement making his limbs heavier and more cumbersome.

Last time he'd been in a similar predicament, he'd passed out at a train station somewhere near Munich after an exciting tussle while he'd been marking names off his list. He'd been lucky then. No one had bothered him during his light 48-hour coma, his unruly appearance causing them to walk the other way. But he'd been left utterly defenseless, a state he wasn't fond of.

He snorted. What an understatement.

Fuck. What he wouldn't give for a solid piece of dry ground right about now. Given the opportunity, he'd curl up and take a year's rest on a bed of nails if he could. He closed his eyes as he took a steadying breath in, rounding his shoulders as he prepared to continue the trek towards their exfil site.

"You good, Barnes?" Rhodes appeared at his side; dark eyes narrowed as his hand hovered just a few inches from Bucky's shoulder. Bucky gave a tired nod, pushing himself off the wall with a grunt.

"Never better."

Rhodey let out a dark chuckle, a steadying hand flying out as Bucky felt his left knee threaten to collapse. "Yeah, sure. Never looked better."

"Feel like I could win a beauty pageant right now. No rehearsal or anything." Another stumble. "Fuck! How much further we got? Don't think I can handle Torres's chipper, can do attitude right now." Rhodes quirked a brow. Bucky frowned. "What?" He snapped. "I'm feeling grumpy and unkempt."

"You always look unkempt." Rhodey retorted. "Kind of your style."

Bucky scowled as the water continued to grow deeper, now barely underneath his chin. Fucking fuck. "Can one of you just answer the fucking question?"

"We got less than a quarter of a mile to go, Buck. Just hang tight." Sam jutted his chin as the water became more aggressive, white caps popping and busting as they splashed against them. "Though not gonna lie. Not liking how choppy this water is starting to get."

Bucky hummed in agreement, eyes latching onto small waves churning up the sewage around them. "Yeah," he replied cooly, turning to face Rhodes and Sam. "If I go under, just shoot me. Don't let my death be because I drowned in literal human shit."

Rhodey rolled his eyes while Sam looked at him with a solemn expression. "You're not going to go under, Buck." He said earnestly, moving to stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

Bucky sucked his teeth. "Sure."

"You're not. Stop being so dramatic."

"I prefer the term realistic, thanks." A wave knocked him clear in the chest, droplets of water slapping him directly in the face. He paused, taking a calming breath through his nose as he felt the water drip down his chin. "I'm going to hang Sharon by her toenails off the Avengers tower, I swear to God."

"World's deadliest assassin can't handle a bit of water?" Rhodey quipped, though his face was taut. Bucky felt his scowl only deepen, feeling like a drowned Meercat trapped in a flash flood.

"Bit unsanitary, don't you think? Probably brain eating amoebas in here."

"Then I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about, Buck." Sam joked, face falling flat as Bucky's lips pulled into a distained grimace, teeth barred.

"God, you're so grumpy."

"I'm always grumpy." Bucky felt a faint vibration underneath his feet, barely enough to cause him to pause. He stopped in place, head tilting as he focused on the sensation. Sam stopped beside him, face stern as he cautiously peered around them. "Buck, what is it?" He whispered.

Bucky slowly shook his head, unsure of the sensation he was feeling. The water seemed to be growing restless around them, slamming against the walls and spinning up foam as the vibrations grew stronger and more intense.

He could feel that primal instinct beginning to prickle to the surface, all his hairs beginning to stand on end. It always felt the same, no matter the situation. And it always ended the same, with him on the verge of death or a harrowing escape. He could feel his gut growing cool and his breath beginning to come in short, controlled bursts, all senses on high alert. He could hear and feel Rhodey and Sam's heartbeats through the current, as well as something else dwelling in the distant background. It was hard to decipher with all the continuous input, but it vaguely reminded him of the constant thunder of a moving train.

Fuck, if that wasn't ominous.

"I'm feeling a vibration underneath us." He looked to Sam and Rhodey, the two of them glancing at each other uncertainly. He could practically feel the doubt oozing from them, both of their eyes examining him like an ant under a microscope. A slightly drowned, very tired and increasingly pissy ant.

"We don't feel anything, Buck." Sam said, reaching up to his earpiece, giving it a few taps. Bucky could FEEL Sam's heartrate spike, its booming rhythm drilling down into his chest and making it increasingly more difficult to concentrate. Fuck, he hated when his senses where this dialed. He blinked at the sudden nausea that threatened to bring him to his knees, the barraging overstimulation making everything too bright and too loud.

"Fuck-" Bucky leaned his head against the cool cement, biting his lip as he fought back a groan. He could hear Sam tapping away at his earpiece, the reverberation almost too much. "Torres, are you picking up on anything on your end?"

Rhodey took a stand to Bucky's right, placing a hand gingerly on his shoulder. "Yeah, man. I'm not feeling anything either. You sure it's not just the exhaustion talking? You're not looking so hot."

Bucky quirked a brow, expression deadpanned as he swallowed down bile. "Are you really questioning the person with heightened senses here?"

Torres chirped on the comms. "Barnes is right." Bucky lifted a haughtily middle finger. Torres continued, anxiety lacing his tone. "I'm picking up some readings south of your position. Not exactly sure what I'm looking at. There are murmurs of quake activity."

Bucky frowned. "An earthquake in D.C?"

Torres sighed. "Stranger things have happened I guess, but I'm not so sure. There isn't any tectonic plate activity in the area, so I'm leaning towards it not being geological." Bucky could hear the flurry of Torres typing away. "But it's growing stronger. I think you guys might want to get a move on."

Bucky hummed, forcing his voice to be steady. "Quite the volcanologist there, Torres."

"Thanks, Sgt. Barnes!"

Sam squinted, face puzzled. "Isn't that like a Star Trek thing?"

Rhodey scoffed, glaring at Sam with an affronted look. "Are you being serious right now?" He whispered with admonishment.

"What?" Sam threw his hands up. "I'm Captain America, not a scientist!"

Rhodey gawked. "It's BASIC education, Wilson-"

A sudden wave slammed Bucky into the side of the wall, his head connecting with the stone with a solid crack. His vision blurred into a flurry of white static before he clawed himself upright, barely avoiding falling beneath the surface of water. "Fuck!" He sputtered, wincing as the tunnel around them began to shake, loose dust sprinkling them from above. "Uh-." A rock fell within inches to his right, more water spattering his face. He let out a string of curses, turning to Sam and Rhodey with an exasperated shout. "Did you fucking feel THAT?!"

"What's going on?" Torres's concerned voice flooded the comms. "Where are you guys?"

"Less than a quarter of a mile to the rendezvous position." Sam fought the waves, hand grasping firmly onto Bucky's waist. "Are you in position?"

"Affirmative."

"Good, because we are moving. Like now! Be ready, Lil Falcon." Sam surged forward, dragging Bucky behind him. "Time to get going, old man."

Bucky leaned heavily into Sam's side, allowing himself to be carried through the current as it churned and seethed, threatening to pull him under. "Who you callin old?" Another wave crashed into them, this one larger than the last, throwing them forward a few feet. Sam narrowly avoided slamming into a column. "Jesus."

Rhodey cursed from somewhere off to their right. "Guys...!" Bucky felt his stomach plummet at the Colonels frenzied tone, slowly turning his neck to peer behind them. Every sense in his body was SCREAMING to move, move, MOVE! He felt his eyes widen.

"Oh-FUCK."

The path behind them was pitch black, but Bucky's enhanced eyes could make out the faint outline of a large tidal wave taking up the entire corridor, ripping everything down in its path. There was a deafening roar, the water around them surging as the wave grew closer.

They needed to move, and they needed to move NOW. Bucky reached an arm out, grasping onto Rhodeys belt before giving it a violent tug. He then reached for Sam's backstrap, his vibranium fingers closing around it with unrelenting force. Sam yelled as he was brought forcefully to Bucky's side, the underbelly of his shirt ripping as vibranium fingertips grazed and tore through like a knife through butter.

"HANG ON!" Bucky felt the torrent outburst of adrenaline flood through his veins, his entire body buzzing with newfound energy as he fought against the swell of water. Guess he wasn't going to get that nap anytime soon, he thought with a weary shutter. When this was all said and done, he was going to force a few Carolina reapers down Sharons gullet, God be his fucking witness. And for good measure, throw her off the side of a rather hefty cliffside, where a canal below would engulf her body and puranas would feast on her flesh.

God as his witness.

Dirty water slapped him in the face with unrelenting force, the sting burning his eyes and filling his nostrils. He could hear Sam and Rhodey coughing as he drug them through the unabating onslaught at breakneck speed, the water growing deeper and deeper as he pushed forward. He could hear the roar of the wave behind them, loud and thunderous as it shook the earth. Rubble and stone were dropping around them like rain, the crashes sending shockwaves that ricochetted them like ping pong balls against the dampened walls.

Bucky felt the ground disappear abruptly from underneath them, their heads dipping beneath the surface as they sank. He quickly kicked off the ground, surging topside like a missile. He strained his arms upward, popping Rhodey and Sam for air first. He only had a moment reprieve before he was forced back under, the violent force of the waves crashing down on top of him.

"Fu-!" his voice was cut off as he disappeared back down into the murky depths, water filling his mouth and lungs.

"Buck!" He could barely make out the sound of Sam's voice, gurgled and far away. He flailed his legs as he broke the surface once more, chest heaving as he sucked greedily for air.

"Let go, Barnes! You can't hold us both up! You're going to drown yourself!" Rhodey screamed over the roar of the current, struggling to stay above the water. "We can both swim, dipshit!" Bucky shook his head vehemently, eyes wild as he looked back at the monsoon heading their way.

If he let go, there would be no way for Sam or Rhodey to survive the wave. It would force them beneath the surface, and they couldn't hold their breath for that long. Not like Bucky could. He could hold out the remainder of the way down the sewage system. They were almost to the falls, Torres and exfil just a few clicks further.

He could do it. They couldn't. One look at Sam and Rhodey proved his point, the both of them barely treading water as they tore down the passage at frightening speed, only his enhanced strength keeping them afloat.

"Can't do that, Rhodes. I let go, you both die-" A wave slammed into him with momentous force, catching him off guard as his head went back under. Water filled his lungs as he fought for air, instinctively gasping as he struggled to hold them upright. Another kick and he was back above water, wheezing as they surged down the tunnels, the roaring growing louder with every second.

Bucky panted as his lungs struggled to expand, kicking with all his strength as he propelled them faster, eyeing the wall of death as it nipped at their heels. The current kept up its continuous battle, tugging at his body and trying to suck him down below. He could feel his energy beginning to ebb, barely able to keep the weight of two grown men up, let alone himself. Squinting against the onslaught of debris and tidal waves, he could make out a faint glow in the distance.

"Is that our extraction site!?" He screamed. Sam struggled to reach a hand up to his earpiece, yelling against the crashing waves.

"Torres!!" Sam's head bobbed under, Bucky screaming as he struggled to lift him back above the surface. Sam came up sputtering and cursing. "Fuck!!" A cough. "Torres! That better be our exit, or I swear-!"

"You guys need to SLOW-DOWN!" Torres called back. "It's a forty-foot drop. You need to slow your decent!"

"Not fucking happening, Lieutenant!" Bucky shouted, cursing as he almost swallowed another mouthful of water. "We've got a colossal wave on our fucking ass that's going to drown us unless we keep this speed up. Be ready for extraction!"'

"Sergeant Barnes, I'm not going to be able to get in a position to get all of you once you drop-"

"Stand by, Lieutenant!" Bucky roared, turning to face Sam. "Sam! Grab onto Rhodes!"

Sam's arms flailed as he struggled against the current, eyes flashing. "What?!"

Bucky let out a pained cry as he brought his arms forward, slamming Rhodey and Sam together like they were nothing but dolls. "Fucking GRAB EACH OTHER! NOW." Sam latched onto Rhodes with a desperate curse, Rhodey turning to yell over his shoulder, face smeared with mud and sweat.

"Are you about to do something stupid?!" he shouted, barely audible over the chaos. Bucky spat out water, coughing as he grappled to stay afloat. He gave a venomous glare, narrowly dodging a piece of brick that almost clocked him in the head. "Just listen to me for once, Christ sakes! Whatever you do, DON'T let go!" He warned.

"What?!"

Bucky took in a deep breath, his head submerging as he dived down beneath the waves. Vibranium hand clamped firmly onto Rhodes, he released his grip on Sam, moving to find his grappling hook that was attached somewhere at his hip. The water pummeled him at the lower depths, debris kicking up from the ground and peppering him with fresh cuts and bruises. He was surrounded by the icy cold embrace, his body slowly going numb as he fought against the current. His fingers finally wrapped around his grappling hook, and with one quick yank he ripped it free from his utility belt. He frantically looked around them, eyes barely able to make out his own two feet as they were dragged towards the drop.

'Cutting it close, Barnes.' He gritted his teeth, ignoring how his lungs burned with lack of oxygen and how his stomach was beginning to contract.

He looked for anything that he could use as an anchor, eyes spying a large grate to his left.

'Oh, thank fuck.' With a quick twist of his waist, he spun them around so that his right arm could make the desperate reach, the hook connecting with the metal with a reverberating clink. He barely turned forward in time to see the large rock just a foot from his face. With another desperate twist, he moved Sam and Rhodey out of harm's way, his right shoulder taking the brunt of the force.

He could feel the rock tear through his skin as if it were paper, the pain biting as he felt his blood warm the water around him. His shoulder screamed in protest, hand going numb as he struggled to clamp the grappling hook back to his waist. With a final tug to insure everything was secure, he propelled himself to the surface, lips pursed as he fought the instinct to BREATH. He broke topside with a violent cough, hacking as he strained to keep his head above the icy depths.

"Buck!" Sam yelped, hand reaching out to clasp at his cheek. He pulled Bucky close, eyes scouring over his features in a terrified frenzy. "Are you okay?!"

Bucky moaned, eyes closing against the agony tearing at his right shoulder. He peered through heavy lashes, sighing at the sight of sunlight at the end of the tunnel. "Yeah," He hacked, water sputtering out of his nose. "Had to make sure we didn't miss our ride."

"Did it really have to involve you drowning yourself?" Rhodey yelled, hand reaching forward and giving his shoulder a solid pat. Bucky winced as the motion jarred his maimed triceps, Rhodey's eyes narrowing. "The fuck did you do?"

"Buck, are you alright?" Sam asked again, eyes trying to peer below the water's surface, his voice raising an octave as he caught sight of the crimson pool slowly leaking from the wound. "Bucky!"

Bucky gritted his teeth against the pain, turning so that he could get a solid hold on his utility belt. He gave it a quick tug, breathing in deeply as he prepared for the drop ahead. He shook his head vehemently, pointing towards the bright light only meters ahead. "We can worry about this later, Sam!"

Sam's eyes flashed as he yelled back, face contorting as he jabbed at the bloody shirt. "It's always later with you! You're hurt, AGAIN! We need to fix this now, Buck! You can't take anymore beatings!"

Bucky ignored the sting of Sam's biting tone, sarcastically shooting his own jab. "Oh, treat it now? Fucking WHERE, Samuel?" Bucky took his face gingerly into the palm of his hands, ignoring the heat that pooled into the pit of his stomach at the way Sam's eyes softened, flickering like ambers in the faint sunlight. "You gonna treat me as we fall over a waterfall? Don't think that's the best medical advice, Wilson."

He allowed his thumb to trace the ridges of Sam's cheekbones, biting his lip as he fought the urge to reach forward and engulf them into a desperate kiss. Fuck, he just wanted a few moments alone with him. Was that too much to ask?

Sam's head cocked to the side as Bucky lowered his hands away from his face, turning to gripping onto Sam and Rhodey with enough force that caused Rhodey to curse.

"Woah now, Barnes! I don't know what you think you're playing at or if you're delirious, but I am NOT Wilson so hands off brother-"

"Bucky..." Sam's voice wavered, eyes wide saucers as he gaped up at him with a fraught expression. "Did you say falling over a WATERFALL-"

Bucky looked at Sam with a mixture of disbelief and agitation. "Did you NOT hear Torres-"

"He didn't say SHIT about a waterfall-!"

"Are you joking right now? He said a forty-foot drop, Wilson! Why do you think he wanted us to slow down? For his health? Because we are about to eat shit. Where do you think all of this water is going?"

"The Potomac, you sarcastic asshat-!"

"And where the fuck do you think that waterfall drops off into, dipshit?"

Sam sputtered at his words, pinning him with an affronted look. "Don't call me a dipshit, dipshit!"

Rhodeys cry sliced through their bickering, his voice shrill as he screamed, "Guys! I think we're about to drop-!"

Bucky cursed, tightening his grip as the mouth of the Potomac opened up before them, the raging roar of the water crashing violently against the rocks below. His eyes shot up as their ride drifted swiftly into view, sliding to a stop at the crest of the drop. He clenched his jaw, breath coming in quick bursts as he prepared for the prompt decent. He gave Rhodey and Sam a gentle jerk, forcing their eyes to his.

"Whatever you do, don't-let-go!" He yelled, stomach flipping into twists as the water gave way beneath them. They were suddenly weightless, plummeting over the falls at breakneck speed. Water thundered around them as they fell, Bucky's gut in his throat as he let out a muffled yell. White caps flashed in his vision as the water continued its relentless abuse, blurring between current time and distant memories as the sound of a train whistle rocked his skull. He screwed his eyes shut against the onslaught of unwanted Deja-vu, hands gripped tightly as they tumbled down towards the jagged rocks below.

'Three, two, one...'

The grappling hook suddenly went taut, snapping them to an abrupt halt. Bucky bellowed in agony as his shoulder was forced to bear the sudden weight of a full-grown man, tears filling his eyes as he clung on. He fought against the icy numbness slowly encroaching into his fingertips, screaming desperately through clenched teeth. "Torres! NOW!"

The jet flew into view with Torres standing at the ready, kitted and ready to make the jump. Sam waved haphazardly, yelping as the grappling hook lost a few inches.

Bucky's eyes flew up at the drop, senses screaming as he could feel the vibration of the grate above giving way under the intense weight. "Oh, fuck." He watched as Torres took to the sky, pulling up just a few inches from their faces.

"One at a time!" He yelled over the crashing waves, hand gripping tightly onto Rhodey before quickly turning back to the jet. Bucky let out a gasp of relief at the release of pressure on his torn shoulder, eyes meeting Sam's as they dropped another inch.

"Bucky..." Sam gripped onto him with two solid hands. "Are we about to fall?"

Bucky shook his head, ignoring the sting as he reached down and pulled Sam upwards, tucking him safely underneath his chin. He held onto him tightly, head buzzing as he fought back another wave of nausea. "No, Wilson. I'll never let you fall." Another inch, their feet dangling over the stones below. Sam took in a steadying breath, chuckling darkly as they swung precariously from side to side over the chasm.

"Funny, I'm the one who's supposed to tell you that." He joked lightly; shoulders tense as they continued to sway in the breeze.

Bucky quirked a brow. "Joking at a time like this?"

Sam shrugged, peering down at the endless tumble beneath them. "What would you rather I do? Scream like a chicken?"

Bucky sucked his teeth, grimacing as they dropped a few more inches, the threads of the hook beginning to fray. "No," He ground out, taking in a deep inhale through his nostrils. "That definitely wouldn't make this better." The propulsion of jets rattled his teeth as Torres appeared on his left, hands outreached and ready for his next handoff.

"Take both of us, Torres!" Sam yelled, hands clamped onto Bucky for dear life. "This rope isn't going to hold much longer!"

Torres shook his head, his eyes wide beneath his crimson visor. "No can do, Cap. There's no way the wings can handle that weight, or myself for that matter. I'll barely be able to handle Barnes by myself." He took a haunted look towards Bucky, mouth gaping like a fish out of water. "No offense, Sergeant-" a pause. "You're just like, really heavy. From muscle! Not fat! You're definitely not fat! You're just insanely ripped, which is a great thing! Not that I've been looking! Well, I mean it's hard NOT to look. Oh god-"

Bucky cut off Torres's panicked rambling, giving Sam's hands a gentle pat. "Kid, get Sam out of here! Then come back for me, preferabbly without dropping me." Sam turned to face him sharply, shaking his head. "No, Buck."

"Sam, we don't have time for this."

"I'm not just leaving you here."

Bucky bit his tongue. "You're not abandoning me here, Sam! He's coming back! The longer we debate this issue, the longer it is until I'm not hovering over this drop like a-" The rope gave way beneath them, plummeting a few feet and groaning as it came to another stop. Bucky's heartbeat was in his throat, hands prying Sam's from his jacket and forcing him towards Torres.

"Get him, NOW!" Torres nodded, quickly jutting forward and wrapping his arms around Sam's waist. Sam cursed, reaching his arms outwards as he was flown towards the jet.

"Buck!"

Bucky's heart was beating rapidly in his chest, fighting the urge to glance down at the vast emptiness beneath his boots. All he could hear was the roar of his own heart thumping away, in sync with the thundering of water as it cascading down his hair and to the rocks below. The wind began to pick up, tossing and throwing him against the rocky walls.

Because why not?

'Deep breath in, deep breath out. Deep breath in, deep breath out.' Bucky closed his eyes, focusing on regaining control over his spiraling emotions. He could feel panic bubbling to the surface, his fear of heights screeching at him as he felt the slow grind of the rope giving way. He could feel it slowly grating down, the slips of threads ripping underneath him.

He risked a glance down with instant regret, watching bricks and rubble smash against the rocks. He'd live. Probably. He'd fallen from further heights and survived, though last time he'd lost an arm. He grimaced at the thought, eyes turning to the sound of jets blaring towards him.

'Thank fuck.'

Torres nearly plowed into him, face flush and sweating with exertion as he laced a hand through Bucky's beltloop. Bucky watched with a scrutinizing gaze as Torres grunted with effort, struggling to unclip the rope. Torres glanced upwards, wincing as Bucky continued to glare.

"Any day, Torres."

"I'm TRYING, Sergeant. It's stuck."

"Is it stuck, or am I too FAT for you?" Bucky quipped, Vibranium arm reaching out and hovering over the grappling hook. "Torres, let me unhook it."

Torres shook his head, muscles vibrating as he tried to force the latch open. "No, I've got it Sergeant. Besides, with the sudden drop of weight, I'm not sure I could keep ahold of you-"

Something metallic pinged off the rock ledge to their left, Torres flinching as it sparked against his visor. "Fuck!" Bucky cursed, eyes focusing on small silhouettes against the hillside. Eyes narrowing, he could make out the small outline of guns, more bullets beginning to rain down around them. Another pierced through Torres's shoulder pad, his hands refusing to release their hold on Bucky.

"Torres! Let go! Get out of here!" Bucky yelled, wincing as bullets hailed the rock around them. The rope dropped another few feet, Torres crying out as he struggled to maintain his hold. Bucky looked on as blood began to dripple out from underneath his armor, his face slick with sweat as he continued to fight the weight.

"Torres! Let GO!"

"NO! I've got you, Sergeant! I'm not letting you fall! No way!" Torres yelled back through gritted teeth, yelping as another bullet narrowly missed his head. "Christ!"

Then there was something else, a faint buzzing sound that was steadily growing louder, a high pitch whine that pierced through the air. Bucky could feel the Winter Soldiers sharpened instincts taking hold, screaming to MOVE. He looked upwards, blood draining from his face as his eyes latched onto a rocket heading straight towards them. Bucky lashed out, gripping onto Torres's collar, both of them spiraling as the rope spun. He forced the young man close, looking into his eyes as his hands moved towards his utility belt. He gave Torres a small smile. "This isn't your fault, kid."

Torres shook his head in confusion, hands still trying to find purchase. "What are you talking about? I'm not leaving you!"

Bucky nodded, one hand on his belt and the other on Torres's collarbone. "I know. I'm really sorry about this, but MOVE!" He bellowed, punching Torres square in the chest backwards while simultaneously ripping the belt from his waist. The force of his punch blew Torres out of harms reach, the rocket smashing into the side of the rock where they'd just been.

Bucky plummeted down towards the rocks below, yelling in terror as he reached out for anything to break his fall. Didn't matter if he fell or not. As long as Torres was out of harm's way, he'd be okay.

If he didn't get skewered by the rocks below that is.

With a scream, he smashed his Vibranium fingers into the rock side, cursing as he struggled to find a firm hold. Sparks flew as he yelled, digging his nails deep into the ledge. The rock bed below was quickly rushing up to greet him, jagged and sharp as it lurched and churned beneath him.

He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for impact as he tumbled downward.

Something firm and solid suddenly slammed him from the side, a vicelike grip wrapped around his stomach and twisting him upward. His shoulder screamed in protest at the sudden movement, his neck whipping backwards at the force. A hand came up to cradle the back of his neck while another gripped tightly at the small of his back.

He slowly opened his eyes, letting out a breath of relief at the familiar face above him.

Sam glanced down as he spun them through the air, twisting and turning like a vengeful angel as he avoided the storm of bullets hailing around them. He tightened his grip as he accelerated speed, thumb rubbing the base of Bucky's neck in reassuring strokes.

An explosion to their right lit up the side of Sam's face, carving his handsome features in an angelic hue. Or maybe that was the blood loss and shock talking. It could be so hard to tell sometimes.

Sam quickly pushed them upright, kicking his feet in front of them as he dropped in through the jet's hanger door, another boom ricochetting behind them. The repercussion slammed them forward and onto the ground of the jet, the bay door snapping shut behind them.

"Go, Rhodey! Get us out of here!" Sam yelled from somewhere up above him, the jet blasting forward with enough force that they rolled backwards towards the end of the ship. Sam rolled with him, ending back on top as they found solid ground.

Bucky blinked hazily upwards, a slow smile spreading across his face. Sam looked so beautiful like this, framed by the overhead lights in a vibrant white, his suit and skin practically glowing. Sam peered down at him with his hazel eyes, yanking off his visor with vigor. He was breathing heavily, sweat pooling at the base of his cowl and collar. A warm hand found its way to Bucky's cheek, fingertips hugging gently at the nape of his neck.

Bucky let out a long whine, his entire body aching from the fray. He quirked a brow, peering up at Sam with an innocent gaze. "Nice change of pace, huh? You on top this time." His voice quivered though, his body trembling at the thought of what could have been.

Sam leaned forward slightly; lips parted as he smiled back. "Told you I wouldn't let you fall, Barnes." He murmured, the warmth of his breath whispering against Bucky's lips. Bucky swallowed as Sam moved in closer, his eyes tracing down from his lips to the movement of his throat.

The comforting smell of coco butter and the heady smell of Sam filled Bucky's nostrils, his mouth opening as he took in a gasping breath.

He didn't fucking die. He didn't fall into the rocks, and he didn't drown. He could feel the giddy fear bubbling back up, tears prickling his eyes as he let out a wet, hysteric laugh. Sam took his face into both hands, eyes drinking him in as he continued to laugh.

"No, you didn't." Bucky finally pushed out, tears streaming down the sides of his cheeks. "You caught me." He sniffed, chest heaving for breath.

"I'll always catch you, Buck. Always." Sam lurched forward, slamming his lips onto Bucky's with vigor. His lips were salty with sweat, the warmth of his body heavy on top of Bucky's lap. Bucky moaned as Sam ravished his lips, biting down and parting his lips with an aggressive flick of the tongue.

'Fuck.' Bucky sighed into the kiss, only parting to catch his breath. His head dropped back down against the floor, eyes closing as he memorized the taste of Sam's tongue, how his lips felt against his, the intoxicating smell of him.

"Bucky?" Bucky opened his weary eyes, wincing at the blare of florescent lighting ahead. He could feel other eyes upon him, turning his head to catch sight of Rhodey and Torres observing from the cockpit. He let out a weak wave. "Hey guys." He gave them a thumbs up, ignoring the way Sam rolled his eyes. "I'm not dead."

"No, you're not. Lucky bastard." Rhodey turned the cockpit over to Torres, sitting down on the floor beside them. He looked between the two of them, a smile slowly breaking across his face. "We barely made it out of there." He said, eyes bright as he looked between them.

Bucky huffed, struggling to sit up. "Yep" He bit his lip as Sam moved to kneel beside him, hand hovering over his wounded shoulder. "Almost didn't get out of that one."

Sam jumped in. "Yep"

Rhodey grunted as he stretched out his legs, pulling a wet wipe out of the packaging and cleaning his face. "You know what this means, guys?"

Bucky groaned as Sam's deft fingers made quick work of the injury, already picking out debris and sanitizing it with Bacitracine. "What, Rhodes?"

"Means Sharons not gonna stop until she gets what she wants. And what she wants, is Barnes." Rhodey leaned forward, catching Bucky and Sam's eyes. "We need to take her down. Like, down down."

Bucky glanced to Sam, who paused his meddling, a heavy sigh escaping his kiss swollen lips. He gave a hesitant nod, lips pulled tight in exhaustion. "I know, Rhodes. I know." He looked to Bucky, taking in his disheveled appearance. Bucky didn't have a mirror, but he was pretty sure he'd looked better. He'd definitely felt better.

"She has to be stopped." Sam agreed while canting forward into Bucky's space, his thumb brushing gingerly across his lower lip. "I know she won't stop until she gets what she wants, but I won't let her take you, Buck. I promise. I'm going to stop this." His gaze intensified. "I'm going to fix this. You've had nothing but pain for the last eighty years. Let me bring you some peace."

Bucky lifted his flesh hand to meet Sam's, his fingers delicately wrapping around his wrist. He felt himself becoming lost in Sam's gaze, pulling him closer into his orbit. He needed him closer. After everything, and what was to come, he wanted to enjoy this. He wanted to drink in every moment, every touch with Sam. Because he didn't know how this was going to play out. If he'd be here at the end.

Because he wanted, more than anything, was to have peace. He wanted peace with Sam. To be able to finally relax and stop the constant looking over his shoulder. To stop flinching at nonexistent shadows in the corners. To live a life worth living. To be with Sam.

God, he just WANTED.

"I know," Bucky breathed, fighting back a soft smile at how Sam leaned towards his touch. "And I'll be at your side." He said softly, ignoring that Rhodey was just a foot away. He brought his forehead to Sam's, eyes closing as he relished the contact. "We'll finish this, together." He peered up to Sam through heavy lashes. "And we'll take that long vacation we always talked about."

Sam let out a quiet laugh, leaning forward until their lips were barely a breath apart. "Together, right?" Bucky nodded, lashes fluttering shut as he moved in for another kiss.

"Of course. Together."