Earth-616

- - - - -

"Ana?"

Peter Parker saw the apartment. The second he stepped out of the elevator, the hairs on the back of his neck stood, forcing him to shiver. He ran, his backpack bouncing against his back, towards the door that was broken in two. His sneakers crunched the glass and splinters that were scattered throughout the entire home. He swallowed thickly when he spotted puddles and smears of blood inside. It was all over the walls and floor. It looked like a hurricane had torn through Ana's apartment.

Peter blinked back the water trying to leave his eyes and fumbled around for his phone. When she didn't come to his place, he knew something must have went wrong. He had to leave May frantically, promising they would talk when he'd get back.

He constantly whispered to himself, "She's fine. She's fine." He dialled her number and pressed the phone against his ear. He jumped then, when the ringing came from behind him. He held out his phone to try and locate her one. He found it under a poster of Captain America she took from Tony.

Peter held it in his hands, releasing a shaky breath. He stopped in the middle of her apartment, observing the mess around him. Only one question stood out from the mass of others that zipped through his mind.

"Where did you go?"

Times Square was bustling.

People were filing out of buildings, cars, and subways, crowding the area. They were going with their day to day activity. Everything was normal. Well, that was until the woman dropped out of the sky. It was sudden, and it caused a sense of panic to spread throughout the centre. Upon landing, the ground had crumbled around her limp form. Her hair was sprawled across her face, concealing her identity. No one wanted to get close enough to see who the mysterious person was. All they could see from their spots was that she was badly hurt. A gaping wound in the middle of her stomach and right shoulder. Clothes were damp with her blood and she had cuts all over her exposed arms and neck.

When she jolted, the crowd gasped. She was alive. But barely. She needed aid. And fast.

"Step aside people! Nothing to see here!"

Grabby hands pushed aside the people blocking his path. The police officer shouldered the civilians, trying to get to the root of the problem. The city had been on high alert ever since the tragedy at the steps of the New York County Courthouse. There was double the security. And SHIELD had their agents on the ground, in disguise, ready for anymore superhuman threats.

Ana opened her eyes, her blurry vision telling her she was facing the Times Squarefrom the various large screens and advertising billboards. She was surprised she landed somewhere familiar. Somewhere she could easily find help and get back on her feet.

When she moved, a wail left her lips, and she looked down at the bloodied clothing. She rolled onto her side and pushed herself up onto her knees, then stood tall. She ducked her head when she realised she was the centre of attention, ignoring the questions being thrown at her by the man in blue.

"Ma'am! Identify yourself." He demanded, hand flying to the handgun on his belt. He was about five meters away from her, a safe distance.

Ana took a step back, and the gun was drawn. She froze. He didn't look like he wanted to pull the trigger. Before she could say her peace, she was taken off the ground by a man in a winged suit. The people gasped and pointed at the white and red wearing hero.

Ana could hear them say, "Falcon!"

"Sam?" Ana whispered, tilting her head up. Her angle made it so she could see the underside of his head. It was him. And a huge smile spread across her face. "Hey!"

"Oh, so now you're talking to me." Sam mumbled, gliding towards a small building. "I thought you were cutting us all off. Y'know, for your super secret mission."

Ana scrunched her nose up in confusion. "What are you talking about? And when did you get a new suit?" She lifted her legs up because she could feel the cut in her abdomen stretch a little.

"I've always had this. You know that, Katiana."

"Why are you calling me that? Where are we going? Aren't you supposed to be hiding? Why aren't you answering?" Ana began to panic when a thought crept up into her mind. She was in the same spot on the globe, just in another version of it. It definitely explained Sam's suit and public appearance.

"You're in bad shape. I'm taking you to Sharon. She should be awake, even after what happened." Sam replied shortly.

Ana's feet touched the window sill of an apartment, Sharon's, and Sam nudged her inside the open glass panels. She glanced back at him, pressing a hand over her stomach, before letting her eyes trail around the homey place. It was dark inside because of the drawn curtains, and deep coloured furniture styled the whole floor. Ana felt sceptical. Mostly because she was in alternate reality which could mean her best friends could be her enemies and vice versa. Lucky for her though, two of them stayed the same. But it seemed as if their version of herself wasn't so friendly.

The door to what Ana realised was the bathroom opened and a tired, red eyed Sharon walked out. Ana's eyebrows furrowed with worry. She stepped forward, going to ask what the matter was, but the hesitant look in Sharon's eyes stopped her.

Sharon looked to Sam. "What is she doing her? She's supposed to be working."

Ana let Sam speak for her while she tried to make sense of her surroundings.

"Found her in Times Square. Looks like her shoulder is busted as well as the wound on her abdomen. Not sure why she was there in the first place." Sam turned to her and Ana sat down on the coffee table while Sharon popped back into the bathroom and joined her with a first aid kit.

"I'm not from around here. I was attacked and I fled. Crash landed here, literally." Ana summarised for them. She wasn't sure if she should tell them exactly where she was from.

Sharon pressed a fresh gauze on Ana's stomach, an area that was covered in dry blood. The blonde shut her eyes for a simple second, releasing a breath, and wrapped a bandage around the shoulder. Ana frowned, peering down at Sharon. "You were crying." She noted, spotting the damp skin under her eyes.

"Of course I was. Steve's gone." Sharon replied sharply. The mere mention of him brought another wave of tears back and she dropped her head, pushing them away.

Ana was taken aback. "I didn't realise you cared so much about him."

"I loved him. I watched him die at the courthouse steps. I was there! And now everyone expects me to be at his wake, but I feel like my whole world just collapsed." Sharon hiccuped with a sob and her hand covered her mouth. She wrenched her teary eyes shut and stood abruptly, "Excuse me..."

Ana watched her leave, right back into the bathroom, and licked her lips when her eyes formed a layer of water around them. Sam was quiet, hand on his chin as he stared at the ground.

Ana let her hair fall over her face as she looked down at her folded hands. "This isn't real." She mumbled.

"It is." Sam countered. "And I know it's sounds harsh, but you have to get your head in the game. Before he died, Steve was the only one who knew what you were up to. You let him in on it. And I know it's been years since you've seen everyone... but for now at least, I need you to be there. At the wake. Steve would want you to. And I know a few folks who'd love to see you after all this time. Whatever you've been up to, it can wait."

Ana was stuck. She wanted to go home, to her real world, but if she did with knowing fully well what she left behind, it wouldn't leave her head. Sharon and Sam were in a vulnerable position, and never mind if they're not her version, she still wanted to be there for them. It looked like their Ana had been giving them the cold shoulder for years, and she didn't like that one bit. Ana prided herself on bringing people together and always having their backs. She enjoyed being surrounded by others, and staying a little while longer in a place so foreign to her might do her some good, especially if it meant seeing a few old friends.

"When it is?"

"Tomorrow night." He answered.

Ana yawned, smothering it behind her palm. The massive wave of tiredness hit her and she coyly glanced at Sam. She must have had a place to stay. "Can you take me... home?"

"Sure. You need the rest."

- - -

Ana frowned upon the sight in front of her. She raised a hand in thanks as Sam flew into the night sky, before facing the double storey house. White wooden exterior, flowery shrubs outlining the outside of the patio. It was the same one she grew up in on her world, the one she sold after not wanting to sleep in a place Hydra had been in. It made her wonder even more about this version of herself, if she even had that life in this reality.

She entered through the front door, finding a spare key hidden under the pot plant by the welcome mat. She chuckled to herself, before strolling inside. She didn't want to stay in this world much longer, but she was afraid of going back home too. The bounty that was placed on her guaranteed the finality of her freedom. Species from around the universe who were looking forward to exacting their revenge on her father would find their way to her home. The Skrull was the first of many, that much she knew.

Ana went to the bathroom and took a nice, long shower, rubbing the dirt and blood off her skin. She found a pair of black lightweight chinos and a white t-shirt, putting them on. She was drying her hair when she noticed there were no photos on the walls. Anywhere. The whole house was memory free. She didn't want to think too much on it and settled on the living room couch. She curled up on it, looking around at the quiet, dark and most of all, lonely, place. She sighed,

"Home sweet home."

The second she entered the Irish bar, it was like everyone's eyes were on her and the talking stopped. Ana wore a knee length black dress with sleeves that reached her elbows, a garment that she took from the house. She couldn't even remember the last time she wore a dress, let alone heels. The scratches on her exposed skin were healing slowly, but they were a sore sight, and she did her best by covering them with her black cardigan. She could see a few familiar faces, and the nerves she possessed grew in size. It was a funny feeling, seeing people she knew personally in a different world. Sam stepped beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder, and that seemed to put everything back. The people who stopped by for Steve's wake had returned to their conversations.

"Come on, first stop is over there." Sam spoke lowly, leading her through the crowd. Ana followed behind closely, smiling slightly at the thought of half of New York showing up to remember their fallen hero. Despite hearing a few toasts to Steve's name, Ana kept on telling herself that the Steve she knew was alive and kicking, and so far it seemed to help a lot. A few faces showed their surprise at the sight of her, and she didn't recognise any of them. Her eyes had a specific target in mind, the one man with a metal arm she hoped to see in the sea of people.

No such luck.

Sam stood by a man with brown hair and blue eyes, shaking his hand. "Rick, I've got someone here."

Ana watched as Rick turned around and immediately her cheeks flared pink. High school crush, she thought, dammit. Rick flushed under her gaze as well, fumbling for the right words to say. He couldn't remember the last time they saw each other, but he could remember all the amazing times they had.

"Tia... aw hell." He brushed a hand through his hair and put down his drink on the nearest table, stepping forward for an embrace. "I missed you, a lot." Ana didn't know how to respond when his arms wrapped themselves around her torso so quickly. She glanced at Sam who squinted at her lack of movement. To make things less awkward, she returned the hug, having to go on her tiptoes to slide her hands around his neck.

"Rick... nice to see you." Ana cleared her throat, locking a hand around her opposite elbow when they pulled away.

"You look... good?" Rick shrugged, analysing the red streaks on her face. "Yeah, no, you look like hell."

"Been through it." Ana replied, "Came out somewhere new."

"At least you made it. It's hard to digest, huh? The big man really gone. It's like a bad dream." Rick spoke gently, and his proximity told Ana they had been more than friends in this world. And that she had something to do with it ending, judging by the look in his eyes.

Ana reached up to rub her eyes, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I know. I hate to ask... but how?"

"Oh, right. You've been underground for two years... uh, it's public news that the Registration Act practically divided us all. The people and the heroes. Tony and Steve didn't see eye to eye, and there was a lot of fighting. Cap stood down and on his way to court, he was assassinated. Shooter hasn't been caught since." Rick explained. Sam was clenching his jaw throughout the talk and his face screamed wanting to be anywhere else but in the bar, surrounded by the people who were against his fallen friend in regards to the Registration Act.

"That's horrible." Ana murmured.

"He was buried in Arlington a few days ago. Sam's speech, hey man, it was great. I liked it." Rick extended his hand once more to shake Sam's, nodding gratefully.

"Thanks." Sam managed a small smile.

A rocky man by the name of Ben Grimm past their group by, raising his large metal cup at the sight of a friend. "If it isn't little She-Herc. Welcome back, darling."

Ana watched him walk by with wide eyes, never seeing anything like him before in her life. She remembered she had to reply and quickly said, "Hey, man." She let her eyes take in the others and still she couldn't spot him. She wondered if Sam or Rick knew anything about Bucky, and turned to them.

Ana went out on a limb and asked, "Where's Bucky?"

That caused them both to go silent.

Before Sam could respond, Sharon joined them. Ana immediately dove into an apology. "Sharon, I'm so sorry about last night. I was rude and I never meant to cause any more troubl-"

"It's fine. I should be saying sorry for being so... difficult." She exhaled heavily, before offering Ana a simple smile.

"I understand. Hard times."Ana pursed her lips. "I hate to do this, but I have to go."

Rick frowned deeply. "What? But... you just arrived. And you haven't said hello to everyone yet."

"I'm sorry, I just... I need to leave."

"Wait, can we talk for a second? Outside." Sam's tone of voice was stern and it made Ana raise her brows in response. She agreed, mumbling a farewell to Rick and Sharon, before stepping out through the back door right after Sam. It was a lot more quieter outside than in, and Ana felt less suffocated, breathing in deeply to calm her mind.

Sam looked down at the ground, his back to her, as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Two years." He voiced, and faced Ana. "That's how long you've pushed us all away from the crazy assignment you have. Two years. Now I don't know about you, but that's caused a lot of relationships to crumble. Ever since the Act began, we were all hoping you'd turn up. And that'll you'd be ready to ease some of the tension between us all. Because that's what you do. You're the voice of reason in all of us. You've had our backs since the beginning, never asking for anything in return. Cap always said you'd show yourself when you were ready. And we all believed him. Since I found you, I've been thinking to myself, 'Why now?' It didn't look like you were undercover. Instead, it was like you just turned up out of nowhere and it wasn't even planned. And I don't know what it means, but I'm pretty sure you do and you won't tell us because... well you don't trust us. Two years is a long time, and all I'm saying is that I'm worried all that time changed you somehow." He finished, placing his hands on his hips and waited for her reply.

This is what Ana wanted to say: "I didn't say something because whatever I do say won't mean anything. To any of you. This might cause a lot of ripples or problems or whatever, but I'm not your Ana. I am not from this world. I only crashed here because of what happened in my real home. I entered through a goddamn portal into a place where one of my best friends is dead and for some reason I've ignored everyone that I care about because of a stupid assignment I don't even know about! I would never do that. No matter the gravity of the situation. I would never push people away because I know how it feels when the ones you want, need, closest to you are the farthest away. And it feels like absolute crap. So, Sam, I am sorry your version of me is a cold hearted bitch, and I'm sorry I can't do anything about it."

This is what she did say: "I'm sorry this assignment has kept me away from all of you. I wish it didn't take this long." Ana told him, trying her best to stay in character. "But it's important, otherwise I would have been here when everyone needed me. I'm sure you know how it is, too. Secret work needs to be kept secret until it shouldn't be anymore. And when it's time, I'll let you in on it. But for now... I gotta get back to work."

When Sam didn't counter her statement, she guessed he was done talking to her. She pulled the flaps of her cardigan closer and hunched her shoulders when the wind picked up, chilling her to the core. As she turned on her hells, Sam spoke up at the last minute.

"Hold on... Wait." Ana glanced at him, and he stepped closer. "You asked about Barnes before, and usually I wouldn't say anything because I'm not supposed to, but since you're leaving again, I guess it wouldn't hurt to let you in on it. The Winter Soldier is working with Fury, same tango as you. A secret assignment. He's at a bar across from town, and if you hurry, you might catch him." He pulled out a tiny piece of paper with an address scribbled on it. She memorised it and pushed his hand back so he kept it with him. A soft smile adorned her face as she looked up at him,

"Thank you, Sam."

- - -

"Alright, just go inside."

Ana stepped closer to the entrance of the bar, before humming nervously and backing away. She felt like a little girl who was going to ask her crush out on a date. And usually she would never be like this, but this was Bucky. And she wasn't sure how their relationship was in this world, but he was walking around and out of cryo, and the opportunity to see him was way too good to pass up and leave altogether.

After another five minutes, she stormed through the door, holding her breath. And the second she entered, a bar fight went into motion. The first one who raised their hand in the air was the man with the metal arm.