Steve awoke to find Natasha drawing circles on his bare chest. His eyes were still adjusting to the orange haze, but she was beautiful under any hue. He reached down and grabbed her hand, pulling to to his lips. He kissed it tenderly before moving up her arm peppering kisses as he went.
She stopped him before he could kiss her lips. "I need to know what you've done. You said you have a plan. Do you really? Is it a solid one that isn't going to get you killed or," she paused, "are you dead already? Steve, tell me you didn't give up your life for this?"
"I'm still alive. My body is in the Ancient One's library for now. What happens next is entirely up to the stone, but I do have a plan and an invitation."
"Damn it, Steve. You can't leave yourself at the mercy of an infinity stone," she said, pulling away from him and putting her face in her hands. "What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking of you. You shouldn't be here. You belong with me. I'm here to fix things, and I did have kind of an engraved invitation."
"Explain."
Steve stood up and walked across the room to where his pants lay on the floor. He picked them up and reached inside his pocket. The ring was still there. He handed it to Natasha. "This is the Ring of Vitality. It's a magic relic, and, if we are right, the center stone is a sliver from the soul stone. The soul stone brought it to me. I think it might be a bargaining chip."
"You plan on trading the ring for my life. It wouldn't accept the stone. I heard Bruce say it was an irrevocable trade."
"I know what Bruce said, but the ring wasn't involved yet."
"Still not making much sense, soldier."
"I guess I don't understand well enough to explain, but having this ring means the stone wants to talk to me. I couldn't have the conversation without entering the stone."
"And, how did you do that?"
"Peggy. Peggy loved me and let me go. She had to agree never to be with me romantically and agree to lose me to the stone if the stone decides to keep me. If I can't return, she'll take the soul stone back to its place. She's the temporary guardian of the stone. Her oath allowed me to pass into this Realm. Now, it's up to us to make the deal."
"And, if the deal is a bad one?"
"We'll worry about that later. I've told you all I know."
"You said she loves you. You should have stayed and built a life with Peggy or gone back to the future. With the snap reversed, Sharon is alive. Maybe giving it a chance with her-"
"Nat, you're the one I want. There's something else, I should probably mention, but I'm not sure what it means. I didn't travel further in time than 1970, but Peggy said something that worries me. Her only brother, Sharon's grandfather, died in the war. He never had a son. Sharon shouldn't exist."
"You're sure? If we've somehow caused an alternate universe to appear-"
"I know, but we couldn't have done it, Nat. It makes no sense. I guess we should look into it once we're out of here."
"If we get out of here," she corrected.
"We will. I'm here to get you out. I took a leap of faith and did something for myself for a change. I chose you, and I don't care if it causes a hundred alternate universes to get you back."
Natasha grimaced. "You didn't exactly look before you leaped. You could have just doomed both of us or countess universes."
"I bet I took more time to think about the consequences than you did. Did it ever occur to you the price was too high? You said you'd see me in a minute. This was the longest minute of my life."
"I'm sorry, Steve. There wasn't another way," she whispered.
"What happened to we don't trade lives?" he asked, crawling back in bed beside her.
Natasha accepted his arms around her before replying. "Those were your lines, not mine. I just wanted my family safe, and now you're here-decidedly unsafe because of me."
"My choice," he whispered. "Stop fighting me on this. I'm here with you. Let's just see what happens." When she nodded slowly, Steve smiled and kissed her tenderly. They didn't talk for a long time. Instead, they lived in the moment and enjoyed the comfort of each other's presence.
Hours later, they sat at the table sharing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "So, we have unlimited peanut butter and no milk. This truly is purgatory," Steve grinned.
Natasha laughed. "We have everything the compound had when I left. Sorry, Bruce finished off the milk along with the last of the Lucky Charms. Don't bother looking in the back of the freezer for the rib eyes either. You can thank Thor for that one."
"Even though they aren't here, it's just like old times. They ate all the good stuff."
"Just be grateful I hid a few beers," Natasha said, raising one as she spoke.
Steve didn't have time to pick up his own before a loud noise rumbled through the compound, shaking everything around them. "That happen often?"
"Never," she said.
"Guess it's time to meet with the soul stone. Are you ready?"
Natasha shook her head. "As I'll ever be."
When Steve opened the door to the compound, a familiar face greeted him in the nothingness. "It's been awhile."
He was looking directly at the Red Skull, or at least it looked like the Red Skull. Steve wasn't sure what to think.
"He's the keeper. He's the one Clint and I saw on Vormir," Natasha said.
"He's the Red Skull. I fought him in World War 2."
"You are correct and incorrect," the floating figure said. "I have taken this form to speak with you, Steven, son of Joseph. You wished a meeting, and I have granted it. I know what you seek and am prepared to offer a deal, but understand, you are at my mercy. I am not at yours."
"If that were completely true, I have a feeling we would not be having this conversation," Steve replied.
"You are a worthy man, Steve Rogers, and tactician, yet you willingly entered my domain with your only bargaining chip. I could simply take what is mine."
"But, you won't. If it were that simple, I wouldn't be here, would I? You want the ring? You can have it. All I want is Natasha," Steve said.
"All your cards on the table, I respect your honesty. I am willing to grant the daughter of Ivan an exit."
Steve gave Natasha a puzzled look. "He means me. I didn't know my father's name until Vormir." She turned to face the sentient being. "I won't go without Steve."
"You should not be permitted to leave at all. The price must be met. I will grant you safe passage, but you will live out your days in the past. You will not travel back to the future, and you may never see Clint Barton again. He must lose one he loves. This is your lot."
Natasha sucked in a deep breath. "And, I have to lose him?"
"It is an everlasting covenant."
"What about Steve?" Natasha asked.
"Nat, all that matters right now is you," Steve said, pulling her close.
"Not to me."
"The son of Joseph, the mighty Captain America, wielder of Mjolnir, will no longer defend the people of Earth. His fate is as yours. He will stay in the past. You may not right the wrongs of your world. Your knowledge of the future is the burden you must carry."
"Why do I get the feeling there's another catch?" Steve asked. "What's in it for you?"
"My future is certain if I stay in the soul stone. I will die with my brothers at the titan's hands. The ring holds a piece of me. I will reside in the stone, and the stone will reside on the daughter of Ivan's hand. For all generations to come, it shall be my resting place, and your descendants my guardians."
"What about the stone on Vormir, it has to be used by Thanos," Steve said. "Otherwise, we've created a new reality."
"Do not fear. The stone is powerful enough without my presence. As for the changes to your timeline, this meeting has happened before between us. You have accepted my deal and done this service for me. This was written before time. You are my champion, son of Joseph. Certain universal rules are bent at the will of the infinity stones."
"Steve, it makes sense. Peggy's brother's dead, but we still meet Sharon in the future. This is where things change."
"What does this have to do with Sharon?" Steve asked.
"I'm not sure, but it's a change we didn't make," she said. "Maybe it's something that happens as a result of our bargain."
"I don't like where you're going with this, Nat. He wants you to wear him on your finger. It can't be safe. You'd still be his prisoner. One wrong move and you're back in the stone. I don't like it."
"But, I'd have a much bigger cage. The real question is can you leave Bucky in Hydra's hands? Can you let Shield stay compromised? 911? The Chitari? We wouldn't be able to stop any of it."
"She speaks the truth, as do you. If you break your oath and meddle with your teammates' destinies, I will reclaim her soul, and you will lose her forever."
"I can keep out of things if it means keeping Natasha safe. I just don't understand so many things. What about the mind stone? There are pieces of it in the ring."
"My brother will live on. He is not like me. Any part of the mind stone contains enough of his essence for him to be reborn. You will know what to do with the stones when the time comes. Do we have a bargain, son of Joseph?"
Steve looked at Natasha. She nodded. "If you can live with not changing the past, I can live without Clint." Her voice wavered as she spoke her best friend's name. "But, if you can't, I understand. I know what Bucky means to you."
"I love him. He's family, but you're the love of my life. He gets where he should be in the end. I choose you, Nat. I accept the bargain."
I was so tempted to split this into 2 chapters, but it seemed cruel. Besides, there's still more story to tell. Steve was awfully old when he gave Sam his shield, and we do have a few more mysteries to unravel.
