The One He Loved the Most
Prompt: Death
Steve Rogers knew that one day, he would receive a telephone call telling him that Peggy Carter had died. She was in her mid-nineties and most of the people she had known in her life were either dead or were forgotten due to her condition. Half of the time when he visited her, she either didn't remember that he was alive, or was confused when he brought up an old war story. He hated seeing his best girl, the strongest woman he'd ever known, in such a state.
He knew that one day she would die, and there would be nothing he could do except for grieve the biggest loss of his life. Yet, thinking about her loss made him wonder how she had managed his apparent death for so long. He had let her down 70 years ago, and if he hadn't, maybe she would have had better. Maybe they could have made a life together. A home, a family; perhaps just a life together would have made them happy.
He decided to pay her a visit, hoping that maybe this time she would remember that he was alive. When he walked into the room, Peggy's face burst into a smile. "Steve. You are alive! It's been so long," she said.
"Yeah Peggs, it really has been. How have you been?" he asked, sitting down and her hand in his.
"I've been in here, not saving the world," she chuckled, "I remember that much."
"Don't worry, I think I'm doing a half-decent job at saving the world," he said smiling at her lightly.
"You always did Steve. I remember that too. Captain America, the greatest hope of the Allied forces," she half-wheezed, "oh, I am so tired, but I've missed you so much that I don't think I could ever bring myself to say goodbye to you."
"I'd be okay with that," he said, "Peggs, did I ever tell you that I'm in love with you. I've loved you since that first day at the training camp in New Jersey." He moved to press a gentle kiss to her cheek.
Smiling, Peggy took a breath. "And I've always loved you as well."
Steve smiled and continued talking with her for a little while before he had to leave.
"Goodnight Peggy. I'll come and visit you again soon. I love you," he said, pressing his lips to hers gently.
"Goodnight Steve. I love you too," she replied, falling asleep moments after Steve left the room.
At 2:45 the following morning, Steve's phone rang, pulling him from his bed to answer it.
"Hello?" he asked, sleepily.
"Hello, is this Mr Steve Rogers speaking?" the woman on the other end asked.
"This is he."
"Sir, I'm sorry to say that we are calling to inform you of Ms Carter's unfortunate passing."
Feeling all the air leave his lungs, Steve sat back down on the bed. The woman continued speaking, "it happened about five minutes ago. We apologize for your loss."
"Can I come by in the morning to begin making arrangements?" he asked, unsure of what else he could say.
"Of course you can SIr, and again, we're very sorry for your loss."
Steve hung up the phone and lay back down on his bed. He didn't get another wink of sleep that night.
Around 8:45, he left his apartment to head to the nursing home. Though the staff tried to console him, he did little more than nod.
The next few days, leading up to Peggy's funeral were a blur for Steve.
People offered their sympathies, he nodded. SHIELD told him to go home, he did. Tony called him to offer help for the funeral and other arrangements, Steve hung up the phone. Sharon came to the door, offering to help. He closed the door.
He simply refused to believe that she was truly gone. He knew that she was, and he knew that Tony and Sharon would be helpful; they had been very close to her too, technically had known her longer as well. Tony was her godson, and Sharon was her neice. Tony would be doing the speech at the funeral; the one Steve refused to refer to as a eulogy.
When the funeral came, Steve finally broke down and cried. When Natasha saw, she immediately went to his side, hoping that she couldhelp her friend until he pushed her away. Natasha understood and backed off. Now he had nobody left from his old war days, no one understood him anymore. Unless they could find Bucky and undo what had been done to him, Steve would feel alone, despite the friends that surrounded him.
Steve couldn't stop himself from crying. All the things he and Peggy had planned to do together after the war had never happened. They'd never had their dance, and now the woman he loved more than anything or anyone else, was gone. There was no miracle that could bring her back to him.
finis.