It was the first day he had finally been freed from under the ice and the first day of the end of his life. When he first woke up he had written a list of all the people who he knew and who would want to know he was alright, now after finding out the truth he sits with it on his lap as he reaches for the phone the super solder serum was unable to stop the tremor that shuddered through the outstretched limb as he turns to the page containing the first name on his list. He looks at Peggy's name and number before turning away not even dialling afraid of what he might find out.
The next name was that of a nurse, she had been helping him before the serum was used, she might not have been one of his best friends but she had always been nice to him when he was in the hospital because of some illness or another. He dials the number the book indicates, fumbling slightly with the unfamiliar technology. "Hello is Madeleine there?"
"No I'm sorry, she passed away, almost five years since that happened."
"Thank you ma'am, goodbye." The solder hangs up the phone before trying to find the next name on his list. It is a painstakingly slow process but finally he gets an answer that makes him smile a little.
"Adam is fine sir, he no longer lives here but if you want to go see him he is in the retirement home. Visiting hours are now if you want to go see him."
"Thank you sir, I will go see him then." Steve heads to the retirement home and is soon standing at Adam's bedside.
The old man in the bed looks up his face lined with wrinkles. His eyes lacked even a spark of recognition. "Daniel, you came." He asks his voice weak and his words halting as he tries to make himself understood, he hadn't been able to speak clearly since his stroke.
The captain looks at his old friend. "Adam, it's me Steve. Steve Rogers, we fought in the war together."
Adam looks up at him still confused as he tries to gather his thoughts, his muttered words almost inaudible. "How are the kids?"
"Adam I don't have any kids."
The nurse pokes her head into the room. "Mr Rogers can I see you for a second." When Steve steps out she closes the door behind them and speaks softly so as not to disturb Adam. "Sir he can't remember much, can't even recognize his own daughter. It's sad really, but it's happened to so many in my time here. You can try telling him things, but he won't remember it tomorrow, if he's here tomorrow. I'm sorry, but I don't know how much longer he has left. If you want to stay past visiting hours its alright, he's so lonely now that his daughter had to go back to her job in Texas."
"Thank you for telling me ma'am, I'll stay a while. If he doesn't have any family I guess I will have to do."
"Might I ask who you are? I wasn't here when you signed in." The nurse looks at him curiously.
"Steve Rogers ma'am."
"Well then Mr Rogers, just buzz if he needs anything, the button is next to his bed."
"Thank you ma'am." He goes back to his friends bedside and sits down,
A wrinkled hand reaches out to him and grabs his hand, the outstretched limb is just skin and bones and the grip is weak as the last of its owner's strength fades. "Daniel, be a good boy and listen to your mom."
As the grip weakens Steve finds the hand slipping from his grasp and he puts his other hand over it. He keeps the hand in his long after the strength of his friend slips away and the pulse and breathing stops. The nurse finds him an hour later still sitting in the chair with the cold hand of his friend still clutched between his palms as if the warmth could bring him back.
The machine keeping track of his pulse had stopped long ago The nurse looks at the screens when she next checks in on the room and upon seeing the readout steps over and puts a hand on the Captain's shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
As she stood there she could have sworn that she saw a tear drip down the solder's face as he recognizes another part of his past that he can't get back.