Another Hetalia and Avengers crossover fanfic (they're getting popular now, I'm so happy to see that!).
First and foremost, in the Mr. Jones universe, Peggy is dead. This is to just clear up any ideas; she is dead. As are most of the Howling Commandos (I'm still debating if I'm going to say "forget you movie" and include Logan into the Commandos).
Please enjoy.
"Captain Rogers, sir, you have a visitor in the lobby," JARVIS announced overhead.
Steve, who was spending his day in the workout room, paused his attack on the punching bag to look up. JARVIS didn't have a body, so the action was pointless, but it was a routine that Steve had fallen into ever since "meeting" the A.I.. To say he was surprised that someone was there to visit him was quite surprising.
"Are you sure?" Steve asked.
"Yes. Quite sure," JARVIS said. "He asks that I do not reveal his identity."
Steve thought over what JARVIS provided him, and he nodded to himself.
"Tell him I'll be right down," Steve said as he wiped off his hands on a towel.
"Very well sir," JARVIS said.
Steve quickly washed his hands and face, ridding him of any sweat before heading down to the lobby. He was trying to think of who would be there for him (everyone he knew was pretty much dead). The only person he could think of would be Alfred, but the country would have just ran up to him; he wasn't one to wait.
So who'd be here? he thought to himself as he exited the elevator that led to the lobby.
When he reached the lobby, he was greatly surprised to see the representation of Great Britain and Northern Ireland standing by the front desk. The nation provided Steve a small smile.
"This is probably a surprise," England said.
"I hope you won't sound offended if I say it is," Steve responded.
"It's not," England reassured. "I'd be surprised as you if someone I hardly knew showed up in the lobby waiting for me."
"I hope this doesn't sound rude, but why did you come here?" Steve asked as kindly as possible.
"Ah yes. I was going through some of my old things in the attic when I found this, and I thought 'well, it's almost the holiday season, so why not give it to the captain as an early gift?'," England answered as he rummaged through his coat before finding the item in question. It was an envelope, and old looking one, but it was still in contact. England handed it to Steve. "Here, I think she'd want you to have it."
"She?" Steve asked as he took the envelope from England.
England gave a nod.
"Yes. I don't want to ruin the surprise, but you'll know exactly who I mean once you read the letter," the nation said with a smile.
Steve glanced at England uncertainly, but he pulled out the letter in the envelope. The paper felt old to his touch, but he didn't focus on that and instead unfolded the letter so that he could read it.
Dear Steve, the letter began in its cursive letters. This seems rather strange for me to be writing to you, especially since Howard has not been able to find your body. I thought you'd like to know that the war is over with Germany and Japan. Europe won almost as soon as... as soon as you sacrificed yourself. The war with Japan ended shortly after that.
Your Howling Commandos miss you. You'd be proud of them, you know. They organized a memorial for you. Everyone attended it, even Col. Phillips. America has begun to circulate what they call "comic books" about your heroics, though some of it is exaggerated. Steve paused a moment; was Alfred really behind it, or did this writer mean in a figurative sense? Probably the latter.
You would be proud, I think, of what your country has become. They're moving on, healing their wounds, and America has even become a super power. I wish... I wish you hadn't flown that ship. I know why you didn't it, but that doesn't mean I wish you'd crashed. Howard is still looking for you. I pray every day that he finds you. You didn't deserve this end Steve.
Don't forget, you still owe me that dance.
Love, Peggy
Steve's eyes widened with tears as he looked down at the letter from Peggy. Steve skimmed over the letter once more, and then looked up at England. His eyes were wide in questioning, and England must have seen this, because he smiled in understanding at him.
"I worked closely with the Strategic Scientific Reserve," England began. "Peggy Carter was a remarkable officer, and we worked together often. She didn't know I was a nation; we weren't supposed to tell anyone."
"Then why did you and Alfred tell me?" Steve asked in surprise.
"America can't keep his mouth shut to save his life," England huffed. "Besides, I couldn't dissuade him from telling his hero."
Steve nodded a little in understanding.
"Sometime after the war, she gave me this letter. She couldn't hold onto it anymore; she said it was too painful to see it," England continued. "I've been holding onto it for a long time. And then I met you, and went about looking for it to give to you. And now I have."
Steve looked at the nation and nodded.
"Thank you," Steve said.
"It was addressed to you," England said. "It was only right that it be returned to you. It's nice to have a memento... even if it brings about painful memories."
The look in England's eyes told Steve that the island nation knew more than he was letting on, but Steve didn't push it. What right did he have to pry into England's personal life? He already did a lot for giving him this letter. So Steve stayed silent, just thankful to have a tie back to his past, one that wasn't himself or his shield.
England brought him a great holiday gift; a treasured memento from the one he loved.
Sorry the ending was a little on the blah side. However, I hope it was heartfelt for all of you.
This is one of the last one-shots planned for this universe. The other is Natasha's Mother's Day, but I'm waiting for Mother's day to post it, so be on the look out. I'm going to try to work on Avengers, Meet the Nations, which I think will be pretty fun to write.
Until then, see ya everyone.
