Chapter 21: Defying The Stars (Part 2)
As the convoy began its trek from the hospital,
Bucky sank into the back seat. What had just happened? This Victoria woman
swooped in, grabbed the reins of their lives, and just… played God. What left
him even more puzzled was Steve’s uncharacteristic compliance. Something wasn’t
adding up. But until he could figure out what that was, he’d have to do as
told.
The convoy split in two—one half toward the Avengers
Compound, the other, Bucky guessed, toward Steve and Sharon’s new place.
The compound's heavy steel gates groaned shut behind
the SUV. Bucky adjusted the brim of his baseball cap and leaned over to open
the door with his right hand, ignoring the dull ache radiating up his shins as
he hopped out of the vehicle.
A familiar figure emerged around the corner ahead,
instantly putting him on guard. But as she drew closer, Bucky felt the knot of
tension in his shoulders loosen. It was only Sarah, looking equally haggard,
yet radiated relief at the sight of him.
Without a word, she closed the distance between them
and pulled him into a fierce embrace. Bucky stiffened momentarily before
melting into her arms, tucking his face into the familiar swell of her neck as
she clutched him tight. He breathed her in deeply, revelling in the soothing
scent of her shampoo.
"Goodness..." Sarah drew back just enough
to cradle his face between her palms, momentarily glancing back at the convoy.
"I'm so damn glad you're back."
Bucky opened his mouth to respond, but the words
shrivelled up in his raw throat. What could he possibly articulate after the
meeting with Steve and the PR beast?
Seeming to understand, Sarah simply nodded and
looped her arm through his, turning them both toward the residential wing.
"Come on, let me get you settled. You okay to share my suite, right?"
His mouth twitched faintly, the ghost of a smile
cracking through his impassive mask for the first time since the last time he’d
seen her.
As she guided him through the secluded quarters, she
glanced back for the umpteenth time.
“I, uh… I thought Steve was being discharged today
too… Did something happen? Are they holding him back for observation or
something?”
Bucky thought back to Victoria’s list of possible
explanations, waiting until they were seated in Sarah’s living area behind
closed doors before answering her question.
“Sarah, sweetheart, I hate to have to tell you this…
He and your sister felt it was time for them to get a place of their own. No
point in delaying the inevitable, you know?”
“He… No, but they’re…”
“You didn’t see him today, Sarah. Steve’s not in the
greatest shape. He’ll likely need around-the-clock care for at least another
week, and Sharon’s the only one he trusts for the job.”
Bucky was flailing, forming an explanation of his
own by using a combination of Victoria’s accepted scenarios.
“Right…” Sarah choked, forcing out the word. “Right,
yeah, of course. Of course, you’d want the one you love to take care of you…”
To see, firsthand, how the lives of others (read:
Steve and Bucky) were affected by her actions, Sarah had made yet another vow
to herself. One, keep the boys at a safe enough distance from the quicksand
that was her life, and two, avoid drama like the plague. Live a life so banal,
she never graced the cover of another tabloid. And if that meant accepting her
sister’s engagement and playing nice, so be it. She could be friends with
Steve. At the very least, she could try to be happy for him.
“…Speaking of, let me run you a bath before the
others drag you off to get your new arm fitted…”
Sarah bustled about the ensuite, her movements quick
and jerky as she adjusted the water temperature. "You're going to love
this tub. It's got jets that'll work wonders on those poor muscles of yours.
Oh, and I've got this fancy eucalyptus essential oil… supposed to be great for
healing wounds."
Her voice carried a forced brightness, words
tumbling out rapid-fire as she flitted from cabinet to drawer. Bucky leaned
against the doorframe, watching her with both amusement and concern. He
recognised this manic energy. It was classic Sarah, kicking into overdrive when
she needed to keep her mind occupied.
"And I have these little waterproof pillows for
your neck. Genius invention, really. I swear they've saved my sanity on more
than one occasion after a rough day on set."
Bucky’s jaw ticked ever so slightly. He knew what
she wasn't saying, what she was desperately trying to avoid
thinking about. Steve’s absence. The unspoken implications hung in the air,
despite Sarah’s valiant attempts to fill the silence with inane chatter.
But he wouldn't push. Not now, when the wounds were
still so raw. Instead, he simply nodded along, letting her release this nervous
energy.
As Sarah darted past him to grab fresh towels from
the linen closet, Bucky took in the little touches that made the lavish
bathroom uniquely Sarah’s. A collection of high-end moisturizers and serums
lined up with military precision on the vanity. The electric toothbrush in its
charger, its cheery pink hue in contrast to the sleek chrome surroundings.
And there, peeking out from behind the frosted
shower door, was Sarah’s signature peach shampoo.
The sight of it hit Bucky with an unexpected wave of
emotion. How many times had he caught a whiff of that scent on her hair after
returning from a long, gruelling mission? It had become inextricably linked
with comfort in his mind.
"Alright, your aquatic paradise awaits,"
Sarah announced, breaking into his reverie.
With a playful shove, she ushered him fully into the
bathroom, pulling the door closed behind her. As he caught one last glimpse of
her strained smile, his heart ached, knowing the turmoil she was hiding behind
that brave façade.
Bucky sank into the steaming water with a barely
suppressed groan of relief. As the heat began to work its magic on his aching
muscles, he reached for the glossy magazine he'd surreptitiously slipped from
Sarah’s dresser. The garish cover practically screamed at him, a blurry
paparazzi shot of Sarah’s face emblazoned across it.
His jaw clenched as he flipped to the feature
article, bracing himself for what he was about to read. The words seemed to
leap off the page, each sentence more sensationalised than the last:
"Rising Star's Fall from Grace: Sarah Carter’s Shocking Sex Scandal Leads To Arrest!"
Bucky’s grip on the magazine tightened as he delved
deeper into the explicit details. The article painted a vivid picture of
Sarah’s arrest, describing how she'd been led away in handcuffs in Buffalo, New
York. It speculated wildly about her involvement with a Canadian drug ring,
citing anonymous sources who claimed she'd been at it for years.
His stomach churned as he read the detailed account
of an alleged sex tape that had been subsequently taken down from its original
platform, complete with a description of her dishevelled appearance and
distinctive features—features Bucky knew intimately. The little tattoo just
below her hip bone, the scar on her inner thigh… The writer seemed to take
perverse pleasure in emphasising how far America’s sweetheart had fallen.
But it was the section on Sarah’s relationship with
Steve that truly made Bucky’s blood boil. The article delved into their
long-standing friendship, twisting innocent interactions into something far
more scandalous. It implied the all-American girl-next-door unashamedly
throwing herself at America’s well-loved hero, Captain Rogers.
"Sources close to the pair claim their bond
goes far deeper than mere friendship," the article proclaimed. "One
has to wonder what secrets they’re hiding."
Bucky tossed the magazine across the tiled floor with a huff. While he didn’t know the whole truth of their
complicated history, he knew it didn’t deserve to be reduced to tawdry gossip
and baseless accusations.
The elevator doors slid open with a soft ping,
expelling yet another wave of dark-suited figures into the bustling lobby.
Their polished shoes clacked against the marble floors in perfect unison.
Agent Koenig glanced up from his desk, his eyebrows
furrowed. This was the third such group in as many minutes. He'd been with the
organisation since its early days, but he'd never seen anything quite like
this.
"Geez Louise," he muttered to Agent May,
dialling Agent Coulson’s extension. "You ever see so many lawyers in one
place?"
May could only shake her head, watching as the
latest group marched purposefully toward the Situation Room. Their faces were
set in grim masks of determination, glares sharp enough to make you
involuntarily piss yourself. These weren't your run-of-the-mill legal advisors…
Oh, no, these guys were fit for war.
Throughout the building, a ripple of unease spread
as word of the lawyers' arrival filtered through the ranks. Conversations
hushed, replaced by worried whispers. Whatever was happening, it couldn't be
good news.
In Communications, Sitwell peered out of his office,
watching another group of suits file past. "Holy shit," he breathed.
"I haven't seen this many lawyers since the Mjolnir fiasco back in
'11."
Agent Blake shook his head. "Nah, this is
different. Look at 'em… they're like freaking stormtroopers or something.
Whatever's going down… it's big."
Coulson wasn’t picking up, driving Koenig to pop
another blood pressure pill. He speedwalked down to a restricted area, his
fingers flying across his phone’s keyboard as he fired off several text
messages.
"Code Blue."“The lawyers are here, Coulson!”“Where the hell are you?”
"Come on, come on," he muttered under his
breath, eyes darting between the screen and his surroundings. The usual bustle
of the office had faded away, replaced by eerie stillness as he neared the back
hallways of the Situation Room.
As Koenig rounded the corner, his gaze still fixed
on his phone screen, he collided with something solid. The impact sent him
stumbling backward, his device clattering to the floor.
“Watch it!"
The familiar voice cut through his disorientation,
his head snapping up as he found himself face-to-face with Assistant Director
Coulson.
"I've been trying to reach you–"
"I gathered as much from the dozen messages
blowing up my phone." Coulson cut him off, taking in their exposed
position. “How many lawyers are we talking? The whole team?”
“I don’t know, but there sure are a lot of them.”
The colour drained from Coulson’s face. For a
moment, he seemed to age a decade before Koenig’s eyes.
“And where’s Fury? Does he know?”
“Oh, yeah. He’s with Cap as we speak.”
The heavy security door to the Situation Room loomed
ahead, its biometric scanner glowing a soft blue.
“I’ll go in, in the meantime. Try and defuse the
situation,” Coulson nodded, holding his breath as he pressed his palm against
the cool surface.
The device took a second to read his prints and,
with a soft beep, the lock disengaged. Coulson pushed the door open, his
stomach twisting as he stepped directly into the heart of the Situation Room.
“Well, here goes nothing…”
The sudden silence was deafening. A sea of faces
turned toward him, their expressions a unified mask of grim displeasure. The
room was packed to capacity, a veritable who's who of S.H.I.E.L.D. brass and
legal minds crowded around the central table.
“What kind of ship are you running down here,
Coulson? It’s one shitstorm after the other. I thought this was a law
enforcement and counter-terrorism government agency… not the headquarters for
Entertainment Tonight.”
Coulson squared his shoulders, keenly aware that his
next words could make or break not just his own career, but the fate of the
Avengers as well.
“It looks bad, I know. But Everhart is nothing but
an insignificant local journalist. She doesn’t carry much clout.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You think Everhart’s the
one we’re concerned about? We’re up against influential publications here…
Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Screen International… If this leads to rioting
on Capitol Hill again–”
“It won’t! Captain Rogers returned today and we plan
to reiterate some rules. In fact, Fury’s with him right now. If push comes to
shove, we’ll sit Barnes down and–“
“You’d better see to it that push doesn’t come to
shove!”
Agent Coulson felt the heavy weight of accusatory
stares boring into him. While a highly decorated agent and Fury's right-hand
man, he was not accountable for this PR nightmare. But because
of how highly he regarded Captain America, he wasn’t about to stand by and
watch the US government tear down the Avengers.
Down in the bullpen, Sarah settled into her cubicle,
the familiar buzz of office activity surrounding her. She flexed her fingers,
poised over the keyboard, trying to ignore the curious glances from passing
colleagues.
"Hey, stranger," a cheery voice cut
through Sarah’s concentration. She looked up to find Nat leaning against her
cubicle wall, a steaming mug of coffee clutched in her hands.
"Nat," Sarah greeted, forcing a smile.
"How's it going?"
Natasha’s eyes darted around before she leaned in
conspiratorially. "It's like walking on eggshells around here. You
can feel the tension." She took a sip of her coffee,
grimacing slightly. "Even the break room java tastes more bitter than
usual."
Sarah chuckled softly. "And here I thought it
was just me and my insecurities."
"Oh, honey, you're not imagining things,” Nat
snorted. “The higher-ups have been in and out of closed-door meetings all week.
And don't even get me started on the army of lawyers that’s just
descended."
A chill ran down Sarah’s spine. She'd been
deliberately avoiding the news, trying to keep her head down and nose clean. But Nat’s words confirmed her worst fears. The fallout from her
media scandal was far from over.
“Steve chose the wrong day to come in…” Nat
continued, oblivious to Sarah’s inner turmoil
The world seemed to tilt on its axis. Sarah’s
fingers froze over the keyboard, her breath catching in her throat. "Wait,
Steve’s... here? He’s back? Why didn’t anyone tell me?"
Her mind raced, memories of the night in the
hospital flooding back. Steve’s battered body, the machines beeping ominously,
the crushing weight of guilt and fear...
She hadn't seen him since that first, terrible
visit. Hadn't spoken to him, hadn't known if he was even cleared to return to
work. And now he was here, in the same building, probably feeling just as lost
and exposed as she was.
Sarah pushed back from her desk on unsteady legs.
"I, uh... I need to find him… to see him… to, to talk
about–"
“I can’t let you do that.”
Nat’s fingers wrapped around Sarah’s wrist, halting
her mid-step. The sudden tug sent a jolt through Sarah’s already unsteady
frame, causing her to stumble back against the cubicle wall. Her eyes, wide and
unfocused, darted between Nat’s face and the grip on her arm.
Nat’s gaze softened, but her grip remained firm. She
couldn't risk Sarah bolting, not when the situation was already balanced on a
knife's edge. "Listen to me," she said, leaning in close. "You
and Steve… You guys were good together. Were being the
operative word.”
A flicker of defiance sparked in Sarah’s eyes, but
it was quickly extinguished by the reality of their predicament. Her shoulders
sagged, and she slumped back into her chair, the fight draining out of her.
“He wanted you, you wanted Hollywood…
And now you’re pining for him when he’s engaged to your sister…?
Honey, you’re victims of unsynchronised passion.”
“You’re telling me I can’t even be friends with him?
What the hell? Why is everyone so hell bent on keeping me away from Steve?”
Nat’s expression softened further. She reached out,
hesitating for a moment before placing her hand over Sarah’s fidgeting ones.
“Stay out of it. Trust me on this.”
“Natasha! How can you–“
“Let him go, Sarah,” Nat cut her off, gazing down at
her with an intensity she’d never seen from her before.
Meanwhile, several floors up, Steve strode down the
corridor in his brand new uniform. His jaw was set, eyes forward as he
navigated the crowded hallway. He'd barely taken three steps when a firm hand
clasped his shoulder.
Steve turned to find himself face-to-face with Fury,
his expression grave. Without another word, Fury steered Steve toward a private
elevator, overriding the system with a simple voice command. As the doors slid
shut behind them, sealing them off from the chaos erupting throughout the
building, Steve felt a weight settle in his stomach.
Fury cleared his throat, his eyes fixed on the
descending floor numbers. “I ever tell you the story of how I came to be
Sarah’s godfather?” he asked, leaning against the steel railing.
“Sarah told me you used to work with their father…?”
Fury nodded, smiling wistfully. “I delivered her
myself. Right here in this building, believe it or not… Damn kid couldn’t wait
any longer; two months premature.”
Steve’s lips quipped up into a small smile. It
wasn’t hard to picture baby Sarah, eager to get on with life. Envisioning Fury
with a fragile preemie baby in his arms, however…
“I made sure to always be there for her. Every
birthday, every dance recital, every Christmas… That wasn’t the hard part. The
hard part was protecting her.”
Fury swallowed thickly, turning his back on Steve as
he gazed out the window.
“Protecting her wasn’t always easy because it often
came across as punishment and injustice. In her teens, she never understood
that what I did was for her own good… Sometimes, we have to do unpleasant
things to protect those we love.”
Steve’s jaw clenched as he stared straight ahead,
his reflection in the polished metal doors a mask of barely contained
frustration. He'd known this conversation was coming, but that didn't make it
any easier to bear.
The elevator continued its descent, each floor
bringing them closer to the reality they both had to face. Fury turned
slightly, studying Steve’s profile.
“Your interaction with Sarah from here on out is to
be limited. That was made clear, right? Steele explain everything to you?”
Steve’s eyes flashed, a storm of emotions brewing
behind them, but he nodded all the same.
“I know what you mean to her, so believe me when I
say this hurts me too,” Fury continued, a hint of sympathy creeping into his
tone. “But for the sake of the team, your team, Cap’n… don’t
just play the role, live the role. Especially in front of the
lawyers and media. Be the doting, protective fiancé they expect you to be. You
need them to believe that is who you are. The public image we've crafted for
you is your shield, Rogers. Don't forget that.”
The elevator dinged, announcing their arrival. As
the doors began to open, Steve finally turned to face Fury. His expression a
mixture of pain and resignation.
“Okay… But what if I’ve changed my mind?” he asked,
his voice barely above a whisper.
Fury met his gaze, unflinching.
“Nick, I accepted those terms long before Sarah came
back. I never thought I’d ever see her again, you know that. Everyone knows
that. You saw what I monumental wreck I was when she–”
“Do the words ‘breach of contract’ mean anything to
you, Cap’n?” Fury cut him off, taking a menacing step closer. Super soldier or
not, Fury feared no man. His eyes, normally calm and calculated, now burned
with an intensity that made Steve’s words die in his throat.
“Stark, Romanoff, Barton, Banner… How do you think
they’d feel about the Avengers’ disbandment? What about Barnes? After
everything he’s been through, being part of this team finally gives him
purpose. You wanna take that away from him?”
Steve’s breath caught in his chest. He knew Fury was
manipulating him, dangling the fate of everyone he cared about in front of him
like bait. His loyalty to the team, to S.H.I.E.L.D., was deeply ingrained in
every fibre of his being.
“This is bigger than you and Sarah… It always has
been. You have your teammates and the reputation of an entire organisation
depending on you. In every sense of the word, this is what you
signed up for.”
With that, Fury stepped back, allowing Steve to move
past him into the hallway. As Steve walked away, he felt torn in two. On one
side was Sarah, the pull of his heart, the promise of a future he'd long
dreamed of. On the other was his duty, his loyalty to the Avengers and the
mission that had defined his life as Captain America for so long.
Steve paused at the end of the hallway, his palm
raised to the biometric scanner. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When
he opened them again, his expression was one of determination, but his eyes
betrayed the conflict raging within. He had made his choice… for now, at least.
Knowing that someday, somehow, he would have to reconcile his heart with his
duty.
Thank you so much for reading! 🙏 Your support means the world to me, so if you enjoyed this chapter, please show some love by liking the video and leaving a comment with your thoughts… It really helps the story reach more people! 🎥💖
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