Rescue
He hears the shot, and braces for an impact that will never come. Instead there is a metallic noise and the bullet falls harmlessly to the ground. Steve’s first thought is of the Iron Man suit Tony had told him about. He opens his eyes fully prepared to see the futuristic suit of red and gold.
Instead he sees a man dressed in blue holding a shield. Steve frowns. The man is unfamiliar, but clearly on his side. Did Tony send him, and if so why has Steve not met him before?
Steve doesn’t have long to contemplate these questions as the stranger makes short work of Steve’s captors. Clearly the man is highly trained, he easily blocks all bullets with his shied and knocks out one of the men in one punch. He throws his shield at another, knocking him to the ground as well. The third man is clearly the smartest, as he doesn’t even try to fight, he just runs.
He doesn’t make it far. The shield hits him squarely in the back of the head before bouncing back it its owner. The man goes down, and doesn’t get back up.
And just like that Steve finds himself alone with the blonde stranger. The man turns and for the first time Steve gets a good look his face. He has a strong jaw, clear blue eyes and a body like an athlete. He looks like he could be Steve’s older brother, except Steve knows he doesn’t have one of those. But he might have something else.
“Are you my son?” He blurts out.
The man gives Steve a sheepish, almost guilty smile, his cheeks tinged pinks. It’s strange how someone so tall and confident can look so small and young, but suddenly he does.
“Not exactly.”
Steve’s mouth drops open, but no sound comes out, because he knows that voice. It’s his voice. As Steve continues to stare, dumbstruck, Cap slowly puts down his shield and approaches him with the same caution one usually reserves for rabid dogs. The ropes fall away and Steve finds his voice.
“How?”
A mischievous smile finds its way onto Caps face, and it’s so familiar to the one Steve sees in the mirror, only his has never looked so bright. In fact everything about Cap is bright. He glows with a type of health Steve has never known.
“I joined the army.”
Steve wants to ask more. He’s practically bursting with questions, but then Cap is tilting his head, listening.
“The others are coming. They can take it from here.” Cap says, then his mouth twists into an ironic grin, “do yourself a favor and don’t mention I was here.”
“What am I supposed to tell them?” Steve asks looking around at the unconscious bodies.
“I don’t know. Tell them you did it.” Cap says distractedly. Before Steve can argue, Cap takes out a small device. Cleary a piece of future technology. Steve looks on eagerly as Cap taps the screen with a confidence that Steve isn’t sure he will ever be able to achieve. A few beeps and then a strangers voice comes out of the…thing.
“Hello. Cap?”
“Hey Bruce, mission accomplished.” Cap says.
Steve has seen telephones before, he knows what they look like and roughly how they work, though he’s never actually used one before. Although the thing Cap is using seems to work on the same general principle, it looks nothing like the telephones Steve is used to. There are no visible wires, no rotary dial, Steve can’t even tell up from down on it. He is fascinated by it though. Despite the stories of the future Tony had told, nothing compares to seeing a small piece of the future first hand.
“Good, I’ll have Thor power up the machine and bring you back.”
“Thanks.”
Cap pushes a button- Steve assumes that is the future equivalent to hanging up- and slips the thing back into his pocket.
He gives Steve a sloppy salute.
“Good luck kid,” Cap says. Then he there’s a buzzing in the air, and the sharp smell of electricity. A flash of light and Cap is gone. Save for the still unconscious bodies, Steve is alone. He awkwardly swings his arms, then crosses them, before uncrossing them. He’s trying to find the easy confidence that Cap had. He’s trying to look like he belongs here, in an old bank surrounded by the bodies of his enemies. He’s not sure he quite pulls off the look.
Then a bit of red catches his eye. It’s not blood. Thank God, it’s not blood. It’s the shield. In his rush to leave, Cap never picked it back up. Steve gently runs his fingers along the edge. Then with a guilty glance around, as if not sure if he should be even touching it, Steve picks it up. The straps are well worn leather that fit around his arm and wrist loosely, clearly mean for a much larger arm. The actual shield however, is surprisingly light. Sure, Steve doubts he could throw it with the power Cap had, but he has not problems lifting it, even with his skinny arms.
Steve wonders if the army issued the shield, although he can’t imagine why the army would issue a shield in the future where weapons like the Iron Man suit exist. It seems like it wouldn’t be enough. Then again…Steve looks at the unconscious bodies.
As he stands there with the shield, the questions that he failed to ask Cap burn in his mind. He doesn’t wonder if that was really him, he knows that it is, but how? How did he get so strong, so healthy? Because there was clearly more to the story than just joining the army. And how did he look so young, when the others claimed they were from so far into the future?
It’s been a long day and there are just too many questions and worries for one mind to process. The door being kicked in is a good distraction though. Steve means to raise the shield, in case his kidnappers have back up coming. Instead he jumps backwards, nearly tripping over the chair in the process. He just barely gets the shield up at all. Although he needn’t have worried. He peeks over the top of the shield to see Natasha lowering her gun as she surveys the situation.
She looks at Steve. No, she looks at the shield. Then with a quirk of her lips she pockets the gun. Clint comes in next, with a high tech bow. It is a little confusing for Steve to think that anybody bothered to upgrade a bow, but then again they apparently used shields in the future as well. Maybe the future was a bit more medieval than he had been imaging.
Tony comes in last, his shirt is still bloody, but Steve can see white bandages poking out beneath it. He’s pale and looks like a strong wind could knock him over and Steve feels a rush of relief that there is nobody left for him to fight, because right now Steve is pretty sure he could take Tony down. He has a feeling that the only reason he’s here is because Natasha and Clint didn’t want to waste time arguing with him about staying behind.
“That little sneak,” Tony says, glaring at the shield as if personally offended him, “he dares yells at us for being unsubtle and then pulls a stunt like this?”
“He wouldn’t have had to do that if we hadn’t let Steve get kidnapped,” Natasha reminds him.
“I’m with Tony on this one. We are giving Cap so much crap when we get back,” Clint says grinning.
“Umm,” Steve feels like he should at least put up a token argument for the sake of his future self, but he’s coming up pretty blank, and judging by the grins on their faces anything he says would probably make things worse. Despite what Bucky says, Steve can recognize a losing fight when he sees one.
“He’ll…I’ll probably want this back,” Steve says instead. He holds the shield out to Natasha. As she takes it he feels the irrational urge to snatch it back. It feels like his, and in a way he supposes it is, and he feels its loss immediately. Natasha looks thoughtful as she slides the shield onto her arm.
“Come on, let’s get you home. Nat can clean up here,” Clint says.
Steve follows him, casting only a brief mournful look at his shield.
“Don’t worry, you’ll get it back soon enough,” Tony says, falling into step next to him. Steve gives him a once over, all thoughts of his shield forgotten as he remembers Tony’s state the last time he saw him.
“Should you be up walking around?” he asks.
“Nope, and I’m sure I’ll get a lecture from you later, so save it.” Tony says.
“How about an apology then. I’m sorry you got shot on my account.”
“That I am going to lord over your head forever,” Tony says with a laugh. He stops when Steve doesn’t laugh along. In fact he looks somehow guiltier.
“Come on,” Tony says nudging his shoulder, “It’s not your fault, and it’s not like it’s my first time being shot. It’s just part of the job. Nat and Clint patched me up fine, so turn off the kicked dog expression.”
Suddenly, Bucky comes stumbling through the doors.
“Steve? What the hell are you doing here?”
Steve looks horrified, “Bucky?”
“How did you get caught up in this mess?” Bucky asks accusingly.
“I could ask you the same question.”
“I just followed the FBI,” Bucky says nodding at Clint and Natasha. Then he takes a moment to actually look around at the unconscious bodies on the floor. He pales, “…Jesus, Steve.”
“It’s not that bad,” Steve says weakly, looking at Clint and Natasha desperately. Clint steps in.
“Mr. Rogers became the target of a Nazi organized assassination attempt. Our mission was to shut down the ring,” Clint says. Judging by the ever whiter pallor of Bucky’s cheeks, Steve wasn’t sure if informing him of Steve’s almost death was the most helpful thing Clint could have said.
“Why?” Bucky manages to ask. He’s looking at Steve like he’s not sure if he wants to hug him or wallop him.
“I picked a fight with the wrong fellow. I’m sorry Buck. I didn’t know he was anything more than the average bully at the time,” Steve says. It’s a believable lie; when was Steve not picking a fight with the wrong sort?
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Bucky asks.
“Because the feds were handling it, and there was nothing you could do to help. I didn’t want you to worry,” Steve says sincerely. That at least was the truth.
“I can’t believe you,” Bucky grumbles, but relief at Steve being safe seems to winning over his anger and he crosses the room, pulling Steve into a brief one armed hug, “maybe this will teach you to stop picking fights.”
“I doubt it.” Steve says honestly.
“Punk,” Bucky says affectionately.
“I think it’s time for you to head on home. Mr. Rogers will need to be debriefed before we allow him to leave.” Clint says. Bucky looks reluctant to leave Steve’s side. Steve nudges him in the shoulder and gives him a grin.
“Go home. They probably have bunches of paperwork for me to sign or something. You can start making dinner.”
“You hate my cooking,” Bucky says, still obviously unhappy at the idea of him being sent away.
“Yes, and I still promise to eat all of it, if you just go before you get yourself arrested by the FBI for being uncooperative.” Steve says, and that elicits a small smile.
“Fine, don’t get assassinated on the way home,” Bucky says, and although he’s joking, his voice wavers slightly at the end.
“We’ll take good care of him,” Tony promises. Bucky scans him, taking in the blood stains, and the way Tony is practically clinging to the wall to remain upright. It doesn’t reassure him. He looks at Natasha and Clint for better confirmation. At their nod, he finally looks willing to let Steve out of his sight.
They wait until Bucky is out of sight before taking Steve for a short “debriefing” back at the apartment base. Tony practically collapses into a chair. He waves away Clint and Steve’s concern.
“I’m good. As soon as Natasha gets back, we’ll go home and I’ll have Bruce take a look at it.” Tony promises.
“Thank you both, for everything.” Steve says sincerely. Clint and Tony both give him fond smiles. Steve wonders if it’s him they’re really seeing or Cap. Speaking of Cap…
“How am I still so young so far into the future? And so healthy? And don’t just say that it’s because I joined the army.” Steve asks. He fixes them with his sternest look and both the smiles slip off their face as they exchange awkward looks.
“That’s…classified.” Tony says. Steve gives him an unimpressed stare. A small smile tugs at Tony’s lips at the familiar expression on such a thin face, “sorry kid, don’t want to ruin any surprises. We already ruined the best surprise for you.”
“What? That I actually get to join the army?”
“No, that someday in the future you get the honor of knowing, and being on a first name basis, with me.” Tony says. Steve rolls his eyes.
“A dubious honor at best,” Natasha says from the doorway.
“Dubious?” Tony sputters indignantly.
She ignores him. “Hostiles are taken care of,” she informs Clint.
He nods, “Then I guess that’s mission complete. I hope we didn’t screw up your life too bad while we were here.”
“You didn’t. Bucky will have questions and will probably never let me out of his sight again, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.” Steve says.
“Good, someone has to keep you alive when we aren’t around,” Clint says.
“I suppose this is goodbye then,” Steve says, “It’s been a pleasure working with you.” He holds out his hand formally for Tony to shake. Tony ignores it in favor of a playful shove. He ruffles Steve’s hair, just for the sake of knowing he can do it and get away with it. Making Captain America’s hair stick out at odd angles is hilarious.
“You’ll see us again,” Clint promises, giving Steve’s arms a squeeze.
Natasha fixes Steve’s hair, “until then, try to stay out of trouble.”
“You know my future, how does that work out for me?”
“Not very well,” She admits, with a sigh that sounds slightly more amused than exasperated.
“Go on, shoo. Go back to your normal Brooklyn life,” Tony says, physically shooing Steve out the door, “and do us a favor and never mention us to anyone. Don’t want to accidentally change history or anything.”
They watch out the window as Steve walks across the street to his apartment. He’s not in any danger, but some habits die hard. Minutes later the see him in the window of his apartment. He’s talking to Bucky, probably trying to fill in all the holes in their hastily constructed lie.
“He asked us about the future,” Clint says.
“What did you tell him?” Natasha asks. None of them stop watching the scene play out from Steve’s apartment. Even from here they can see pink in Steve’s face as he tries to bluster his way out of trouble.
“Nothing. Told him we didn’t want to ruin the surprise.”
It now seems to be Bucky’s turn to speak. They watch Steve shake his head many times before Bucky finally seems to accept whatever additions to the story Steve came up with. He pulls him into a hug before sending him away to eat dinner.
“Do you think we should have warned him?” Tony asks.
Natasha’s face is unreadable as she watches Steve melt back into his life as if they had never been there at all.
“No. He’s got enough grief in our time. Let him have whatever peace he has for now,” She says.
“If we told him maybe he could change things. Save Bucky, avoid the ice,” Tony presses.
“He couldn’t. We needed him during the Chituri invasion, and we still need him. We couldn’t just change history like that,” Clint says.
“Besides, even if he knew he’d still go into the ice if it meant he would save people,” Natasha says, “we just saved him a few years of having to worry about it.”
“Come on, let’s go home. I’m sick of this century and Tony probably should see a real doctor.” Clint says turning away from the window.