LATER THAT DAY WAS THE START OF THEIR PLAN. Steve mounted his motorcycle and put himself in a spot a little ways away from the HYDRA base. Raevanna hid in the forest nearby, waiting for her cue to aid in the fight, and the Howling Commandos were scaling the mountain to infiltrate from the side.

Steve revved up his bike and sped off down the road, and as he passed her Raevanna ran out of her hiding place and took to the air, flying low beside Steve. As they neared the base, HYDRA soldiers began to chase them, also riding motorcycles. However, Steve and Raevanna dodged and outwitted them all and made it past the entrance.

As soon as they reached the base, Steve jumped off his motorcycle, then grabbed his shield and launched the bike at the base. When it connected with the side, it exploded, and Steve immediately used the distraction to take out the soldiers around him, with Raevanna by his side.

However, soon after a HYDRA soldier with a flamethrower stepped up, shooting a stream of flames by their sides. Raevanna and Steve turned around, only to see another soldier with a flamethrower appear, also shooting flames in the opposite direction. The string of fire trapped Raevanna and Steve, and the two looked at each other before the remaining soldiers approached and detained them.

"And you're sure this is a good idea?" Raevanna whispered to Steve as they were marched into the base.

"Yes," Steve whispered back. "Trust me."

The couple eventually walked into a room that Raevanna assumed was the lab, where Johann Schmidt was waiting. The grotesquely skeletal man approached the two, his face expressionless.

"Arrogance may not be a uniquely American trait," Schmidt said to Steve, "but I must say you do it better than anyone. But there are limits to what even you can do, Captain. Or did Erskine tell you otherwise?"

"He told me you were insane," Steve replied.

Schmidt grinned. "He resented my genius and tried to deny me what was rightfully mine." Then, his grin faded as he leaned down to get a good look at Steve's face. "But he gave you everything. So, what made you so special?"

Steve looked at him with a small smirk. "Nothin'." Schmidt leaned back, shocked, and Steve went on, "I'm just a kid from Brooklyn."

Raevanna couldn't hide the small smile that crept across her face at Steve's reply. However, Schmidt didn't seem to feel the same way, for he suddenly punched Steve in the face and then struck him in the stomach, causing Steve to fall to his knees.

"Stop!" Raevanna shouted to Schmidt, her eyes blazing. "Leave him alone, you coward!"

Schmidt turned to Raevanna, glaring at her. "I am no coward."

"Then why are you hurting him when you know he can't fight back?" Raevanna asked, then smirked and added, "It's cause you know he'll win, isn't it? You know he'll wipe your face with the floor without even breaking a sweat."

Schmidt's eyes narrowed, and without warning he slapped her hard across the face, whipping her head to the side. Then, he grabbed her jaw and hissed, "Don't you dare mock me, faery."

With a huff, he shoved Raevanna backwards, then hit Steve in the face once more. However, Steve looked up at him and said breathlessly, "I can do this all day."

Schmidt rolled his eyes. "Oh, of course you can, of course." He then drew a pistol from his waistband and pointed it at Steve. "But unfortunately I am on a tight schedule."

Just as he began to pull the trigger, a noise sounded from the outside window, catching their attention. Raevanna smiled, knowing that the Howling Commandos had arrived.

"So are we," Steve said, and moments later the team crashed through the windows of the weapons lab and attacked. Raevanna elbowed one of the soldiers holding her in the stomach, then spun around and kneed him in the face as he bent over. Steve also jumped up and began to fight, taking out the other soldiers around them.

"Rogers!" James shouted over the sounds of gunfire. "You might need this!"

He threw Steve his shield, and Steve caught it before saying, "Thanks!" Then, he and Raevanna ran after Schmidt as the man tried to escape.

As the doors began to close behind Schmidt, Steve threw his shield, and it sped through the air before it lodged itself between the two doors, stopping them from closing. However, another HYDRA soldier stepped out from under cover and attacked, halting them from moving. Without hesitation Raevanna jumped forward, grabbing the soldier's weapon and snapping it in half before punching him in the face and tossing the pieces aside.

"Come on!" Raevanna said to Steve. "We can't let him get away this time!"

The two ran up to the door, and Steve pulled his shield from between them before they slipped through, and the doors closed behind them. They ran down the hangar, only to be stopped by another soldier with a flamethrower. Raevanna pulled Steve off to the side to avoid the flames, but before they could figure out what to do, a single shot rang out, followed by a small explosion before the flames stopped.

Raevanna and Steve stepped out from the hallway, the both of them smiling when they saw it was Peggy. The woman grinned at the couple as they ran up to her, and Raevanna gave her friend a quick hug.

"Thanks, Peggy," Raevanna said.

"Of course." Peggy shoved her shoulder a little. "Now go get him."

Raevanna and Steve quickly ran down the hall and out into the hangar, where Schmidt was starting up his plane to escape. Raevanna jumped into the air and took off after him with Steve right behind her, but then, out of nowhere, a powerful blast of energy slammed into her, knocking her to the ground.

"Raevanna!" Steve cried, rushing over to her.

Raevanna rolled over and pushed herself to her hands and knees, looking up and seeing the massive, hunched-over figure of Gurak materializing several hundred feet away.

"Come here, little faery," Gurak sneered. "So I can pinch your worthless head off."

Steve looked at Gurak before he glanced at Raevanna, then at Schmidt's plane, the Valkyrie. Then he looked back at Raevanna. "I have to go."

"No," Raevanna said, shaking her head. "You're not doing this alone."

"Raevanna, listen," Steve said, also shaking his head. "You have to stop Gurak, and I have to stop Schmidt."

Raevanna shook her head again. "No, I won't let you."

"Raevanna, you and I both know that I stand no chance against an Orc, even with you helping me," Steve said. "And if you were to help me stop Schmidt instead of take care of Gurak, that monster could wipe out this entire base in minutes." He shook his head. "It has to be you, Raevanna. You have to stop Gurak. You have to finish this."

"Steve, I have to go with you," Raevanna insisted, trying to stand. "I can't just-"

Steve stopped her, taking her face in his hands and looking straight into her eyes. "You trust me, don't you?"

Raevanna nodded. "With my life."

"Then you have to let me go," Steve told her. "Everything's gonna be okay, I promise."

Raevanna began to tear up, and she swiftly pressed her lips against Steve's before resting her forehead on his, her eyes closing.

"I love you," Steve said softly.

Raevanna's heart skipped a beat at his words. It was the first time either of them had used the "L" word to each other, and Raevanna hadn't expected him to use it now. But it made her heart both swell and break when she heard it, for she knew she felt the same way about him. So she smiled, nodding at him before saying, "I love you too."

At those words, Steve got up and ran off, chasing after Schmidt. Raevanna watched as a car pulled up beside him, driven by Colonel Phillips and Peggy, and Steve gave his girlfriend one last glance before hopping into the vehicle, and it drove off.

Raevanna looked up, glaring at Gurak as he continued to approach her. Then, she got to her feet and flicked her wrist, a sword materializing into her hand.

"Let's finish what you started, shall we?" Gurak snarled, raising his scepter.

"No," Raevanna said. "Let's finish what you started."

Gurak let out a roar and charged at her, his scepter in his hand. Raevanna charged at him as well, raising her sword. Then, they both collided. Gurak brought down his weapon, and Raevanna quickly blocked it with her own weapon before striking him hard in the ribs. He went flying backwards before landing hard on his back, but he quickly jumped to his feet, then summoned his scepter to his hand and used it to blast Raevanna away. Raevanna went flying, but used her wings to halt herself in midair, then sped towards Gurak with her sword pointed at him. However, when she reached him, he sidestepped away from her, then grabbed her wing and spun her in a circle before hurling her through the air.

A gasp left Raevanna's lips as her back slammed into the ground, cracking the stone underneath her. Looking to the side, she saw Steve jump onto the Valkyrie and enter the plane, and she inwardly sighed in relief. But then, when she turned back to Gurak, she quickly rolled to the side to avoid his massive fist as it slammed into the ground, making a crater where she had been only seconds before.

Raevanna jumped to her feet, charging at Gurak. But he retaliated with a wicked punch that sent her hurtling through the air before landing on the ground several hundred feet away. Raevanna tried to get up, but then Gurak lunged, grabbing her by the neck and bashing her face with his scepter. Then, he threw her to the ground once more.

"You're weak, faery," Gurak hissed, stomping towards Raevanna.

Raevanna lashed out with her foot, trying to kick him, but he grabbed her foot in his hand and pushed her down. Raevanna rolled onto her stomach to avoid breaking her leg, then began to crawl away from him, her limbs heavy and the taste of blood in her mouth.

"You are not worthy enough to be here," Gurak went on, following her as she tried to get away.

Raevanna stopped when she reached the cliff that served as the opening of the hangar, unable to go any further. Then, rolling onto her side, she looked up at Gurak with heavy eyelids and raised her hand, firing a weak ball of magic at him. But he simply caught it in one hand just before it hit his face, then threw it back at her. The magic slammed into her, throwing her to the ground once again.

Gurak raised his fist, preparing for the final blow. "You are not worthy enough to be champion!"

Then, he brought his fist down, bashing it into Raevanna's back and forcing her into the floor. The force of the blow cracked the stone, and her body immediately went limp as she blacked out.

She could sense Gurak standing over her, but her eyes were closed, and she couldn't bring herself to move. Then, a single memory replayed in her head - one of the last ones she had of her parents.

"Look at the stars," her mother said to her as they lay on the grass, staring up at the glittering expanse of sky. "You see them?"

Eight-year-old Raevanna nodded. "There are so many."

"Yes, there are," her mother replied. "Each one of those stars is the soul of the past Champions of Elyon, as well as those who the gods deem worthy of being there. They look down on us, watching over us and guiding us when we need them most."

"Do you think you will be up there one day?" Raevanna asked. "You and Dad do so much for everybody anyway, so the gods have to think you are worthy."

Her mother chuckled. "Worthiness is not about what you have done, Raevanna. It is about the impact you left on the land and its people, and the purity of your heart. That is why the title of Champion is so revered. You have to be worthy enough to deserve it."

Raevanna nodded, looking up at the sky. "Do you think I am worthy enough to be Champion, Mama?"

Her mother smiled, taking her daughter's hand. "The decision is not up to me, you know. But as long as you stay true to yourself and what you believe, then you shall always be worthy."

The memory faded, and Raevanna opened her eyes. Then, she slowly brought her hands to her sides, attempting to push herself up. A wave of pain flooded through her, and she winced, laying back down again, but then she gathered her strength and pushed herself to her hands and knees. Once more, pain shot through her chest, but she put one hand on her side and slowly got up to one knee, keeping her other hand on the ground. Now out of breath and getting dizzy, she then pushed herself up to her feet, then turned around and looked up at Gurak, raising her chin defiantly.

"I am worthy," Raevanna told him.

Gurak roared, bringing his fist down once more. But this time, Raevanna caught it, blocking his attack with her forearm. Then, she drew back her fist, and her whole body began to glow with golden light. Her eyes began to glow as well, and she raised them to meet Gurak's.

"And as long as I'm alive, I always will be," she told him.

Then, she created a sword and stabbed him right through the side, then punched him hard in the face, sending him flying across the hangar. He crashed into the wall so hard that rocks began to fall, striking him repeatedly and breaking his scepter in half. Wheezing in pain, Gurak clutched his ribs, looking up at Raevanna as she approached him.

"This..." he panted, "is not over." Then he vanished in a swirl of green mist.

Raevanna stared at the spot where he had once been, her shoulders sagging slightly. She hadn't mortally wounded him, that much was certain, but she had done enough damage to know that he wouldn't be back for a long time. Orcs were incredibly slow healers, and a wound like that could take at least eight months to heal.

Realizing that it was over, Raevanna turned around and saw that the Valkyrie was nowhere in sight. Realizing that it must have taken off (but too tired to fly after it herself), she returned to the inside of the base and made her way to the control tower, where Peggy, Colonel Phillips, and the Howling Commandos were waiting.

"Raven!" Peggy cried when she saw Raevanna, rushing over and hugging her. "Oh my god, are you alright?"

Raevanna nodded, holding her side. "Yeah, I will be." Looking around, she added, "Where's Steve?"

No sooner had she said this was when she heard Steve's voice over the radio.

"Come in," he said. "This is Captain Rogers. Do you read me?"

Jim immediately scrambled to reply as he said, "Captain Rogers, what is your-" Then, he stopped when he saw Raevanna, and without a word he got up and let her take his place.

"Steve, is that you?" Raevanna asked. "Are you alright?"

"Raevanna!" Steve said with a sigh of relief. "Schmidt's dead. What about yours?"

"Gone," Raevanna replied. "But he won't be coming back anytime soon. What about the plane?"

There was a heartbeat of silence before Steve spoke. "That's a little bit tougher to explain."

"Give me your coordinates, I'll find you a safe landing site," Raevanna told him.

"There's not going to be a safe landing." Steve paused. "But I can try and force it down."

Raevanna began to panic, tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't lose him, too. "No, please, just wait. I'll get Howard on the line, he'll know what to do."

"There's not enough time," Steve told her. "This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York." He was silent for another agonizing moment. "I gotta put her in the water."

Raevanna's heart dropped right to her feet. "Steve, please don't do this. We have time. We can work it out."

"Right now I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer a lot of people are gonna die." Raevanna could hear the sadness in his voice as he said, "Raevanna, this is my choice."

Raevanna struggled to hold back tears. Even though she hated admitting it, there was nothing she could do. This was his choice.

"Raevanna?" Steve asked after a moment.

Raevanna nodded. "I'm here."

"You know, I promised you we'd go on a date after all this," Steve said. "But... I'm gonna need a rain check on that."

"Alright," Raevanna said with tears in her eyes. "How about next week, on Saturday at the Stork Club."

"You got it," Steve said.

Raevanna smiled through her tears. "Eight o'clock on the dot. Don't you dare be late. Understood?"

"Of course," Steve replied. "Do you like flowers or chocolate?"

"I like both, honestly." Raevanna inhaled deeply. "Go ahead and surprise me. But just be there." Holding the microphone in a death grip, she said softly, "I love you."

"I love you too," Steve said. "And you deserve the w-"

Suddenly the line went static as the radio cut off. Raevanna's heart shattered into a million pieces, and she asked in a quiet voice, "Steve?"

Silence.

"Steve?" Raevanna asked, her voice cracking as tears began to fall. "Steve?"

There was no reply. Raevanna began to sob, her head lowered and her body shaking. Steve was gone. The love of her life, Steven Grant Rogers, was gone.

Forever.

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A/N:

mood. that's all i have to say.

i am in tears.

again.