Time dragged on as Diana trudged up the steeping hill. There were times when her feet stilled and her fists clenched as she fought the urge to glance over her shoulder to make sure her shadows were still following her, but she kept her gaze steadfast on the light in the distance. In the moments when the impulse was the strongest, she remembered what Steve had looked like as he ran towards the plane on that tarmac in Germany. He had slowed at the sound of her calling his name, but he hadn't looked back, either.
Over a century later, she finally knew why.
If he had, he would have stopped, and then he might never have started again.
Still, she was acutely aware of how long the journey was taking. She had the energy to continue forever if need be, and so did one of her shadows, but did the other? They were faster than he was. What if he had fallen behind?
No. She couldn't think like that; she was doing her part, and she had to trust that he would do his as well. He had never given her a reason not to.
Pushing her fears out of her mind, she instead focused on the memory of the day she had walked in on him in the baths at Themyscira. He had told her about his watch and how it kept track of when he had to do things. Back then, the idea of giving control of one's day to an object that was nothing more than leather and metal had seemed so ludicrous to her. Years of living in the world of men had showed her that the practice had its uses, but, ultimately, if something was worth doing, it didn't matter how hard it was or how long it took.
And this was worth it.
It hurt to walk out of there while so many others remained behind. One day soon, she knew, she would have to reckon with the guilt of her decision. But that day was not today; nor would it be tomorrow. She had made a deal, and a deal was a promise, and that promise was to only take the two.
So Diana walked out of the underworld with nothing but faith that she was not making the trek alone. Even when she was once again in the world of the living, she did not look back, for she knew from the story of Eurydice and Orpheus that their downfall could be a matter of mere seconds. Instead, she stood stock-still, waiting for a sign that she had succeeded in her mission.
Only when they stepped past her to take in the golden sunlight did Diana, princess of Themyscira in one world and Wonder Woman in another, once again gaze on the faces of her aunt and the man she loved.
"Antiope," she breathed out, her voice hoarse from lack of use. "Steve."
A/N: Because I'm torn between thinking that bringing Steve back would be a mistake and wishing they had the chance to experience peacetime together.