Chapter 38: A different life

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Dream world, Washington DC

Morning

After going for his usual morning run, Steve returned back home to his apartment. Closing the door behind him, Steve put his keys on the rack as his girlfriend walked over to him.

"Did you enjoy your run?" She asked him.

"It was okay. Feel like I could use a shower," Steve mentioned and his girlfriend wrinkled her nose as she got a whiff of him.

"Yeah, you really do. Maybe I'll join you in the shower," she called after him, her voice half teasing half, seductive and Steve laughed.

"Peggy, you're going to be the death of me."

Star Labs

Night

"Where are we with finding our friends?" Barry asked as he walked up to Cisco and Caitlin at the computers.

"Nothing on the Star City satellite so far. Felicity has every traffic cam from here to Star City searching for them," Cisco explained and Barry nodded.

"Kara is searching the rest of the world but so far no luck," Barry said and Cisco nodded.

"Okay, I need to Vibe something," Cisco said as he got to his feet.

"Okay, what's a Vibe?" Ray inquired.

"I'm a Meta," Cisco revealed to Ray's shock. "When I touch something, not only can I see the past, I can see the future. But more importantly, I can see where people are."

"Would something personal help?" Laura inquired and Cisco nodded.

"The more personal, the better," Cisco said and Laura pulled something out of her pocket.

"This is Clint's wedding ring, he never takes it into battle," Laura said as she handed it to him.

As he took the ring, Cisco got a Vibe.

Cisco's vibe

Cisco found himself on the coolest/creepiest ship he had ever seen. In front of him were Steve, Natasha, Clint, and Sam, who were each in some kind of pod.

End Vibe

"Cisco, you okay?" Barry asked as Cisco came out of it.

"Yeah. I saw them, they're in some kind of stasis," Cisco said after a moment, handing the ring back to Laura. "They're on a ship. Little Alien, little Star Trek, J.J. Abrams style, and a whole lot of tech."

"Tech, like the same kind I pulled from the Dominator ship that crashed here last night?" Barry asked and Cisco nodded.

"What are you thinking Barry?" Oliver asked as Barry turned away, clearly deep in thought.

"Sara, do you think you have anything on the Waveridder that can read the information on The Dominator tech?" Barry asked as he turned to look at the blond.

"Gideon might be able to read it," Sara said after a moment and Barry nodded.

"I'll take Cisco up to the Waveridder and we'll give Gideon the tech," Ray volunteered and Cisco cheered as Barry nodded.

"Okay. While you're doing that, Cait, I need your help with something," Barry said as he turned to Caitlin.

Curious, Caitlin nodded as she stood up. Barry led her out of the cortex and into the med-bay, where Wanda was waiting.

"Could you check the baby, make sure everything's alright?" Barry said his fear clear in his eyes.

"Of course, you don't need to ask Barry," Caitlin said, her smile kind and understanding as she had Wanda lay back on the med table.

Dream world, Steve's apartment

Afternoon

"Okay, see you later Buck," Steve said as he hung up his cell phone as Peggy walked in.

"Heading out for a night on the town with Barnes?" Peggy raised an eyebrow.

"Just heading out for some drinks to celebrate Bucky's promotion," Steve told her and she raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"We both know nothing is ever simple with Barnes. Just don't let him get you into trouble," Peggy warned.

"No promises there," Steve joked and Peggy rolled her eyes but still pulled him in for a kiss.

Bucky's apartment, dream world

Same time

Bucky hung up his cell phone when he felt two arms wrap around him from behind.

"You know, you're going to have to introduce me to this friend of yours at some point," Natasha said and Bucky smirked.

"Maybe I just like having you all to myself," Bucky joked and Natasha raised an eyebrow.

"Ashamed of me, are we?" Natasha asked and Bucky's smirk faded as he looked at her seriously.

"Never," Bucky promised as he took her face in his hands. "It's just…I haven't even told Steve I'm seeing someone. Now I'm telling him I'm seeing someone and I'm having a kid with her? That's some big news Natasha. I'm gonna tell him tonight. I promise."

Natasha smiled and Bucky leaned don and kissed her. As he did, Natasha's mind flashed somewhere else.

Meeting Bucky, then The Winter soldier, in The Red Room.

Bucky training her.

Stolen kisses.

Nights spent together in secret.

"You okay?" Bucky asked as he pulled back, noticing the look on her face.

"Fine," Natasha lied, wondering what that was.

Dream world, bar

Night

"To Master Sergeant Barnes," Steve toasted and Bucky chuckled but raised his class.

"To me," Bucky said and they each took a drink.

"How long has it been since we've done this?" Steve wondered as they lowered their glasses to the table.

"Too long. You ever think about getting back in?" Bucky inquired and Steve sighed.

"I was dishonorably discharged Buck," Steve reminded him.

"You disobeyed orders and saved our whole unit. With a good lawyer-"

"Buck, enough," Steve said firmly, cutting his best friend off. "My time in the army is done. And I'm happy here. Now, this night is supposed to be about you, not me."

"Okay," Bucky relented. "Well, if this night is about me, I have something I need to tell you."

Steve raised an eyebrow as he waited. Bucky opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, a loud bang echoed through the bar. Steve and Bucky whirled around in their seats to see what was going on.

A man in a ski mask had burst in, shot off a gun into the air. He held the gun to the shaking bartender's head.

"Nobody be a hero and everyone gets out alive!" The man shouted, handing the terrified bartender a bag, which promptly began to be filled with the cash from the register.

Steve looked over at Bucky, who nodded. Without words, they made their move. Bucky grabbed his butter knife and threw it across the room. It hit the man's gun and he promptly dropped it. Steve jumped out of his chair and quickly made his way over, tackling the man to the ground they rolled on the floor before the sound of several guns clicking was heard throughout the room. Steve looked up to see several of the 'patrons' had stood up and pulled out guns, all aimed at him.

"Did you really think I'd come in here without backup?" The man in the ski mask asked smugly.

Bucky made a motion to stand up but Steve shook his head discretely, telling him that was not the play. Steve slowly stood up, his hands in the air. Before any of the men with guns could fire, a black man around stood up and walked over to one of the men, who looked at him as though as he was insane. Steve thought the man might be.

"You're outnumbered," The man told Steve.

"Yeah. You should probably sit down," Steve warned the man, who nodded.

"Probably should. But army regulations: You never let a brother go into battle alone," The man reminded him.

The man suddenly whirled around, taking everyone by surprise when he slugged one of the men hard. As the gunman went down, Bucky picked up a chair and hit one of the men hard in the head with it, knocking him out. Steve made his move, grabbing two of the gunmen and pashing their heads together, knocking them out.

Soon, it became an all-out brawl. Steve, Bucky, and the black man fighting back to back against the would be robbers. Steve pushed back, landing a solid punch on one of them. As he went down, Steve looked up to see one of the gunmen aiming at the black man with a gun.

"Behind you, on your left!" Steve shouted in warning.

As the black man turned around and slugged the man, Steve was suddenly taken to another place in his mind.

"On your left," Steve told Sam as he passed him on their jog.

For his distraction, Steve got hit in the head by one of the men. Bucky tackled the man and slammed his head down on a table hard enough to knock him out. As he let the man go, the black man slugged the last one and they stood victorious as the stunned patrons watched.

"You alright?" the unknown man said as he offered a hand to Steve on the floor, who accepted it.

"Thanks," Steve said as the man helped him up.

"I'm Sam Wilson," Sam introduced himself as they dropped hands.

"Steve Rogers. This is my friend Bucky Barnes," Steve said, gesturing to Bucky before holding out his hand to Sam. "Thanks for your help."

"Glad I could help," Sam said as he took Steve's hand in a firm handshake.

"Steve, you okay? You took a hard hit to the head," Bucky asked in concern.

"Fine," Steve assured him.

"I saw what happened. You just stood there while he hit you. Why, what happened?" Sam asked and Steve was silent.

"I don't know," Steve finally said honestly.

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