Evelyn Stanhope had always been pious. How could she not? Growing up amongst people like her aunt Alexandra shook her life. When she lived with her father, she did not go to church. Her father did not believe in such things. Though before, her grandmama had her daily mass with the rest of the Russian community around York. She was four but recalled the details of the wide icons of the Blessed Mother, the wide spaces of fresh smelling candles that lit by the side. The sweet smell of the essence in the air, only made sweeter by the soft gracious sounds of the choir singing ever so lively. Lively enough to be heard all over the wide gold domes.

Moving to St. Petersburg for Evelyn changed her outlook on faith. When it was shattered by the loss of her father and the arrival of the supernaturality of her person, religion gave her comfort. Evelyn remembered how long the masses were. That was the only thing that she could complain off about her religion. But everything about it made Evelyn feel so delighted inside, so protected and adored. Perhaps it was the way the holy priest spoke like a warm father who understood the trouble of his community. Or the beautiful words upon the holy prayer book, calling to her. But one thing was for sure, she was pious.

"God, be merciful to me, a sinner." She prayed for the fifth time, tasting the liquid red from her own lips.

It was an important prayer to Evelyn, always. She felt herself a sinner, unforgivable in body and soul. But everyday, after praying her morning prayers. She says the Prayer of the Publican. Begging to be forgiven for all the sins she may have committed. For all the wrong things she has done in the past and for the things she would commit in the coming day.

"Does she ever shut up?" She heard one of the new men say in Yakut. One of the languages of the here in this region.

"No." The other one glared at her, not stalling his eyes from Evelyn's rather horrendous look. "But she only annoys. No useful information."

"Is this why Potemkovna called for us?" The new man questioningly exclaimed, referring to Potemkov's only heir to the crumbling empire he built now that he was dead and his son incarcerated into prison. "For this woman?"

"I'm not just a woman." Evelyn exclaimed rather loudly despite the soreness of her body from the beatings she received from her captives. The two men looked at her. "I'm a special woman with great abilities, gentlemen."

It has been almost two months since Evelyn left Steve Rogers in the hands of their dog Buck and her partner Jaime. Evelyn had been briefed by Maria Hill on how many locations she had to dismantle from Potemkov's illegal syndicate. All of them were neighbouring countries which Evelyn was thankful for.

There were ten in Belarus, which she ended rather quickly after some of the people on the Potemkov list either surrendered or was imprisoned after a trial. Five in Ukraine, where she managed to almost be compromised after civilians were involved. Gladly for her, none were hurt but her.

She took a bullet in the knee which caused her pain for at least three to five days. Evelyn didn't go to a hospital but instead removed it on her own. It was part of the BIR training she got, which helped more often in missions of individuality due to the fact that no one was going to help her. Another thing was that hospitals took too long. It was policy that hospitals were the last choice in the mind.

But Siberia was the worst.

There were at least twenty-five syndicate rings here. While it took her a month to finish up in two countries, it took her two to bring down such a large network all on her own. Of course, Siberia was almost two times the size of the Belarus or Ukraine. And more isolated, colder and vast. Evelyn had decided to use public transport instead, rather than the quinjet, meaning she'd save fuel on the damn quinjet. She didn't want to leave a million dollar plane owned by an independent espionage agency without fuel...again.

"Why don't you just keep your pretty little face?" The new man told her, nudging a knife from his pocket and pointed it at her chained body, upside down as she was. "You wouldn't want another bruise on your face, no? Or a cut to line it ugly?"

"I'd still look beautiful with a bruise or a cut on my face, darling." She replies to his face and knife, a grin on her bruised numb lips. "Not so much once I'm done with you."

"Why you-"

The phone started to ring before he could finish the sentence. He looked to his fellow guard and nodded at him to answer the phone. Evelyn blew a kiss at him, still feeling the sharp metal near lips.

"Hello?" The man called to the caller on the other line.

"Put my niece on the phone or you'll regret the day you choose an abandoned factory in a city of five hundred inhabitants and bloody damn cold blowing up with you in it." The man who answered allowed his eyes to widen at the terribly fluent threat he had just heard. "You are surrounded fully, Mister Boris Vladidovsky."

"He knows who I am." He told the new guy, still in shock. "He-"

"You heard him, pretty boy." Evelyn hissed, eyeing the two men with bloodshot eyes. "Hand me the phone or we three die."

The man walked towards Evelyn quickly and held up the phone to her ear, to the best of his abilities as she was upside down.

"You called really late." Evelyn huffed to the caller, reverting back to English. "I'm cold and I'm half naked. Don't you realize Oymyakon is the coldest place on earth? It's minus fifteen here, uncle Misha!"

Mikhail Stanhope scoffed at the other line. "You are a BIR agent, are you not? You were trained for things and conditions like these."

"Don't scoff at my misery." She retorted back annoyed. "I'm stuck with these two idiots, one pointing his little bread knife over my face." The two men guarding her looked confused at what she was saying. They did not know English.

"I have the building surrounded, don't worry. It's the winter divisions. They won't freeze."

"I'm still upside down, you know. I'm worried my blood pressure isn't gonna be the same. Or my blood distribution balanced." Evelyn says to him. "Why did you call anyway? I could have handled this, I'm almost done with cupcake here."

There was a long pause, which Evelyn thought that maybe the line was cut but the BIR had the best communication lines because of the Stanhope Industries. There wouldn't be a problem...unless there was a blizzard.

"Something happened to grandmother." Was his reply, causing her brows to turn furrowed in confusion. The last time she spoke with grandmama, she was fine.

"Two days ago, she had a terrible stroke. The doctors did tests on her...she's not gonna survive the coming months, Evelina." The way he said her birth name made her see the vulnerability on him for a moment.

"Give me a moment." Evelyn says to her uncle over the phone. Switching back to Yakut, she looks the man holding the phone over her ear. "Phone call is done."

Before the two men could possibly know what's going on, Evelyn's eyes turned into a different shade. Almost golden ringlets bright like the sunbeam and with her mind, she pushed them to the wall. She was annoyed of her chains, already and her brain felt like it was about to shut down evidently. She started to swing back and forth, seeing that it was connected to the large hook above her.

Finally succeeding to free herself a few moments later as the two men got up from the rubble, Evelyn pants heavily hitting the hard pavement ground. She has no time to lose. Evelyn stood up, despite how bruised and tired she was. When the two came standing in front of her, one of them pulled her chain as she groaned.

Evelyn kicked the one in the groin and pushed her chained wrists in front of the man, shoving the metal to his face and punched him hard using it allowing his blood to pour all over her hands and wrists.

The one she kicked in the groin stood up once more and punched her. Evelyn didn't bat an eyelash despite the hardness of his fist. Evelyn punched him back, going under him then as he tried to recover from her hit.

Standing over him, she opened her wrists around and using the chains wrapped it upon his neck tightly. She gazed at him mercilessly, watching the air escape him. Once he was dead, she allowed him to fall down into the pavement floor along with his bloody partner.

Evelyn yawned as she walked over to the phone that fell when she used her powers to push them away. The phone survived her powers, though. Evelyn took it up to her ear once more.

"I expect you've dealt with them." Mikhail asked his niece as she wiped the blood off into the corpse of the strangled man. "I shall alert the men-"

"British Intelligence Reserve, hands up!" Evelyn watched as the men dressed in assault uniforms with long automatic rifles allowed their flashlights to notice her.

"They're already here." Evelyn says to her uncle. She drops the phone for a moment. The soldiers looked at the conclusion Evelyn made, dead cold on the floor as corpses.

"Too late boys, I killed them. But I do need a doctor. Thank you." She smiled at them and turned back to the phone. "I will be in London in five days."

"Five? I expect you to be here in ten hours."

"I have to get back to New York."

"Why?"

"Because it would be wise to make old friends see each other." Evelyn told her uncle bluntly. "I'm going to New York then hurriedly back to London. That is final."

He sighed. "Well, it seemed you aren't going to change your mind."

"No." Evelyn confirmed to him. "I'll call you later when the doctor clears me. I've gotta sleep afterwards."

"I agree." He says in reply. "You did a good job, Evelina. Your mother would be very proud of the good you do for the world."

"Thank you, uncle." Evelyn felt her lips painfully tug into a smile. "I will see you soon."

"Likewise."

Then he hung up.

Evelyn yawned as she dropped the phone into the floor and collapsed beside the man she had strangled, staring at him.

"I told you I was going to mess you up." She says to him, staring at the marks the chains left on his neck "Too bad it wad too quick."

Then Evelyn fainted.


Steven Grant Rogers couldn't help but stare at the pile of postcards that he had received from Evelyn. It has been three months since he had last seen her face. Three months since he last spoke to her. Three months since he had gotten to enjoy her presence about it. Steve couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Something felt odd about him.

He couldn't understand what though. Was it the same thing Elizabeth had that drew him in to Evelyn? Was it her features that reminded him of what the past was like? Was it her personality? Her kindness, her intelligence, her thoughtfulness.

Was it because she reminded him of what it was like before he had been a soldier? A man who just wanted to be happy. Elizabeth had been that to him, happiness. He felt guilt fill him as he thought of how his feelings were becoming. He felt ashamed of how he was trying to compare the past to the present. He shouldn't be doing this.

He picked up the stacks of postcards he had received from her over the past few months. Minsk, Grodno, Gomel, Brest, Lida, Mazyr, Kiev, Sevastopol, Lviv, Odessa, Poltava, Yekaterinburg, Biysk, Sayekhard, Krasnoyarsk, Tyumen, Saratov and much more.

They were all written by Evelyn's hand and no return addresses were seen. Only her address was written down. All the postcards depicted places she had gone to, sometimes it was landscapes of forests and seas. Or animals too.

She wrote with great care, he saw with the way her cursive writing scrolled across the thick postcard. The recent one just arrived a few days before. It was from Oymyakon, far into Eastern Russia it was when he looked it up in Evelyn's geographical book. This is what she wrote:

Hello, Steve! I do hope your having a better day than I am. The weather here in Oymyakon is something to die for, actually I'm not kidding. It's really cold. Anyway, this is my last mission before I go home. I'll see you soon. Missing you, Jaime and Buck! x Evelyn Stanhope.

Steve smiled at her words. She was going home soon and they would be able to have those lessons again and most importantly they wouldn't be alone without the friendship of each other again.

Steve Rogers counted the days when Evelyn was not there in the home that filled with so much memories of her. That sounded very attached but that is what he was. He was attached to her friendship and comfort. There was so much he did not know in this home too much that was of her and nothing of him. It was painful not to think of her.

Save for the things she had given him. Steve spent his days the same way he had, with the help of Jaime Colt. Steve woke early in the mornings, though sometimes he does not sleep. He had spent years and years asleep and he thinks that there was no point in it at times. So he tries to entertain himself by reading.

Evelyn gave him free usage of all the books she owned. And all the books that Steve had read from her collection were not only new ones but old ones, even older than him. Steve saw the brilliantly printed philosophical books of French philosophers, with the ideas of the Enlightenment that swept France through the times of kings and queens.

They were somewhat the first editions, he saw. It wasn't easy to have them all in full collection and in the original prints.

He saw the other shelves filled with dozens of books that were written by various writers. Arthur Conan Doyle, William Shakespeare, Charlotte Bronte, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Margaret Atwood, Diana Gabaldon, George R. R Martin, John Green.

All of these books were literary works he's seen and not seen. And Steve read all of them while she was away. It wasn't all history and science for her, he knows that. And everything about her reflected her views on life and caused Steve to understand more about her.

But he didn't only read. Steve decided to heed Evelyn's advice and find friendship with Jaime Colt.

Jaime was very outgoing and light hearted but Steve knew that it was what Jaime was probably like when he was not on the field doing his job. There are two sides to everyone, Steve knew very well from his own experience. But Jaime was not evil or good. His was the man and the spy and he always chose which ones he showed to Steve.

Though he had to say, he enjoyed the Scotsman's company. He always was there when Steve had questions and even helped him about grocery shopping as he knew what Evelyn bought when it came to soap, shampoo and other things.

But more importantly, he was thankful to have someone other than Evelyn around because he understood. He understood what it was like to be a soldier and Steve saw it in his eyes, he was a soldier.

Steve took to the gym very well, though he didn't go there when there were people around, he just felt like when all the eyes stare at him...it was as if they knew who he was and he was not yet ready for it. So, Jaime decided they would go in the night. Every night after they had supper in the diner near the gym, they would go into the gym unnoticed by the empty dark streets of downtown New York.

Steve wondered what sort of agreement occurred between Jaime and the owner of the gym to allow him to use the gym at night. But he didn't ask. Steve often boxed with Jaime trying to coax him into hitting the thick gloves in his hands. Steve even hit so hard that Jaime had a bruised hand later on but he didn't mind it nor reacted to the pain.

Steve wondered why he didn't react to it. Is this how soldiers of today were trained? Is this what they had become? Machines, not reacting to pain at all? He also wanted to bring that up. But he didn't.

But when he was not around the gym with Jaime, he was around Buck. Buck was a great comfort to Steve in the loneliness he felt here in Evelyn's house. Buck was outgoing.

He liked to be given belly rubs when he felt like he needed attention, he always manages to get snacks whenever he manages to successfully give Steve's requests of sitting or rolling over or even catching the ball perfectly.

The mixed breed dog often took the chance to take the morning's sunlight with Steve whenever he would run and go to the park and kept him company when he watches the ducks float about the water.

Of course, Buck kept barking at the ducks but all together Buck was another companion he was glad to have.

Buck kept Steve feeling like he should laugh despite the things he feels. Steve remembered all the days he had with Elizabeth's Ragnar.

How he would always ask for him a ball to fetch, how he would comfort Steve when he needed it. Steve never thought he would miss the feeling of holding Ragnar but he did. Perhaps he thinks it was because he was from the past and that is something he could not take back. But he was glad though that Buck was there. He lessened the feeling of loss and pain.

On Sunday mornings, Steve went out to church. He didn't know the way there but when Jaime took him to it, he finally knew the way. Steve remembered the church he used to go to in Brooklyn when he was still a kid.

He remembered how he would go pray for his father's soul, his mother's comfort, his country's safety and...Elizabeth. He always prayed for her too, hoping she would always be well having those prayers. And he still does. For his parent's soul, for Bucky's soul, for his country, for Elizabeth and for Evelyn's safety.

"Steve!" He heard the front door shut loudly, turning to Buck who looked like he didn't like that sound. "Steve! Are you home?"

"Yes, I'm here." He answered to Jaime Colt who appeared to him, tired and restless as he wore the same clothes Steve saw him wear last night before he left him. "What's wrong?"

"I just got a call, from Mikhail Stanhope." The name Stanhope made Steve pay attention. "He's the grandson of Elizabeth Stanhope and the BIR director."

"What is this about?"

"They told me Evelyn's home in the States." Jaime breathed out breathlessly as Steve's brows pursed upwards. "But she's in Brooklyn, in a hospital."

"A hospital?" Steve felt like he was going to fall down for a moment there. "Why-"

"The last mission in Oymyakon was absolute torture for Ev." The guilt in Jaime's face made you sure that he believes it's his fault. "Car is outside, bring the dog leash and let's go!"

He didn't waste anytime to do so.


Steve saw the changes in Brooklyn as he held Buck in his arms. But the changes in the city did not shake him too much. He knew it was going to change evidently. That is what is permanent in the world and he may have no complete peace with that thought but he knew it. Change was all that there was.

The drive to the hospital caused him anxiety, constantly thinking of what was wrong with Evelyn at the very moment. Evelyn shouldn't have taken such a vast mission on her own until Jaime could have left from his break. The operation was a troublesome one, Steve knew but she had orders and she answered to them. Almost like a soldier.

When they did arrive, they parked the car on the driveway just beside the entrance. Jaime had to fight some nurse with keeping Buck with them as dogs were not allowed in the hospital. But when Jaime took his S.H.I.E.L.D badge from his jacket, the nurse knew it was business and allowed them through.

Jaime didn't bother to ask the number in the front desk, hurrying into the elevator, where Steve followed. Steve knew of elevators in his time but it seemed they've improved it, with music and better moving mechanism.

When they got to the level, Jaime led the way as Steve allowed Buck to move on his own in his leash. Arriving at room four hundred six, Jaime hurriedly opened it with impatience and there they saw Evelyn in the hospital bed with a womam dressed in a long black suit with a tight skirt with blonde hair that was curled in a halo.

Her eyes were blue, dark ringlets of silver in the sides of them. She looked older but Steve did not want to guess her age. There was familiarity in her though that he felt within Evelyn, though the familiarity was very...limited.

Everything became shattered when Buck managed to be set free when Steve eased his grip and immediately Evelyn smiled widely as Buck jumped on top of her bed. Evelyn cooed softly as she kissed Buck's head as his ears pulled upwards and tail shook in excitement. He licked her face, causing her to chuckle.

"Took you long enough." The older woman said as she turned her attention to Jaime. "Was it too hard to get here, agent?"

"I apologize, mam." Jaime bowed his head softly. Steve did not speak as he watched the exchange. "I was stuck in the middle of traffic."

"You are lucky you are in great favor within the organization, fourty-five. My great niece wouldn't have been able to survive."

"Yes...I'm sorry, lady Fowler."

"You may call me lady Stanhope." She told the blond agent. "Remember that my son's wife is lady Fowler now."

Steve's eyes suddenly realized in realization as those blue eyes of hers looked at him.

"It is nice to meet the soldier my mother had been talking off for a long time."

"Your.."

"Her daughter." She confirmed for him. "I am Elizabet Alexandrovna Francis Stanhope. And you, Steven Grant Rogers, are going with us."

"Go with you...where?"

For the first time in that room, Elizabet looked with a small smile on her lips.

"England, of course." She says to them. "Better pack, Captain Rogers. We leave in exactly four hours. The plane is waiting."

"Wait, wait." Jaime exclaimed aloud. "That means.."

Evelyn nodded. "I'm going too."

"Oh, Ev!" Jaime groaned loudly. "You're in the hospital recovering from whatever you're suffering-"

"Punctured kidney, collapsed lung, at least ten different bones broken." Elizabet muttered as Evelyn rolled her eyes.

"I agree." Steve says, pushing aside his thoughts about Elizabeth.

"Tomato, tomato." She waves their worries aside as she pets Buck. "I'm gonna be fine."

"Your uncle Mikhail may push you, Evelyn but I would not." Elizabet says to her great niece. "If my brother Konstantin was alive he would have smacked your uncle by his buttocks. Your great uncle wasn't such a man when he was alive."

"Uncle Mikhail is different." Evelyn points out. "You know why."

"I do know why." Elizabet sighed. "But still, I do not want you to undergo the flight. You must rest."

"I'm still going." Evelyn says again, stubbornly looking at her great aunt. "Grandmama will be looking for me. And I will go. I will not miss anymore time without her. If you stop me, I will be forced to do things that will make you suffer. And I promise you, I will make you suffer. And I wouldn't want to."

Steve looked at Elizabet's face. Stoic was all it held, frozen in time. Elizabeth did have that same look when she was thinking. But there was something that he had never known from his dearest friend. Her eyes were always pleasant, bright with excitement and joy.

But these eyes he saw, they were reserved. Withdrawn from the elements of humanity. Cold and calculated. Were those the eyes of the man Elizabeth fell in love with when he had gone?

"Alright." The older woman exclaimed softly. She turned to Jaime and said, "Get the doctor and the nurse. Ask for the discharge papers and morphine. It's going to be a long flight."

Jaime nodded at her and left. Steve sighed as he walked over near the bed and placed a hand over Buck's ears.

"You are stubborn, Evelyn." Steve softly retorts as she chuckles.

"Don't we know it, buddy."

He was very relieved to see her again.


Steve had not known what to expect as he got down the plane last. Staring at the red stone manor, he did not know what he should do. He was meeting her again. He was going to see Elizabeth again. Right through those doors, he knew she would be there. But he couldn't stop his heart from pounding. What will he find? Will he finally be content?

He has been wishing for this moment to come since he had returned to breathing. But now that the dream was within reach, he did not know how he will approach it.

He had almost an entire day to think about it as the plane flew across the seas to bring them here. Or for the months and weeks he had been awake in the present. But truly, the first super soldier in the world, the beacon of American liberty...had nothing prepared for today.

"Lady Elizabet, lady Evelina." There was an old looking man, dressed in a sharp looking suit. Dark navy blue with a tie, he looked very important around here, Steve noticed. He bowed to them as they faced him. "Welcome back to Solnishko. Lady Stanhope will be very delighted to see you again as I am."

"Thank you, Wilbert." Evelyn exclaimed warmly to the elder man. Wilbert, the head servant of the household, smiled and led the way to the manor itself and out of the large field. "How is she? Has she been comfortable?"

"She has been a little better." Wilbert sighed softly. Evelyn and Elizabet frowned. "The breathing is getting harder but the tubs are helping."

"Where is my mother now?" Elizabet asked him. "Is she asleep?"

"Awake." Wilbert exclaimed in confirmation. "She has been awake since dawn. In bed in the master bedroom, my lady."

"I see." Elizabet replied silently with a small nod.

The rest of the journey was in silence as the three of them followed Wilbert. As they got nearer, Steve got closer into the full sight of Solnishko manor. It was a large manor, piling four levels high in an enveloping figure. Made of beautiful red brick, it was possibly one of the most magnificent buildings Steve has ever seen. It had wide marble windows with two ravens massed on the top of it, balconies with bright white bars and wide areas filled with tables, chairs, flowers and plants.

There was a garden view he saw near the main entrance but it was too far. But knowing Elizabeth in their youth, she had loved gardens and no doubt she would have wanted her own massive one where she would grow her own vegetables and flowers. There was groves of trees surrounding the entire manor, shielding it from unwanted attention from other people.

Cars were parked there in the drive way, protective armoured cars that is. Steve had only remembered the army having such things. He wondered how many things the military has is now known to the public. Shaking his thoughts away, they were finally led inside.

Steve saw the extravagance that he only saw whenever he entered the Francis household when he was in his youth. But Solnishko was thrice the extravagance that the Francis household use to have.

Everything inside was marvellous. Ceilings filled with painting of the cosmos, the constellations in the manner of persons greeting each other in the dark blue skies. The foundations of the entire first floor completely plain white marble etched with silver and gold. Paintings hung in the walls with gold frames.

As they were led to the staircases, Steve could not help but observe the paintings himself. There was one with Elizabeth and her children, five of them wrapped about her arms with a large bubbly smile. Her dressed in her dress with the Order of the British Empire wrapped about her dress, her emotion simple and serious.

Then there was a man. He had plain dark hair, as dark as the thunderclouds during storms. He was dressed in a plain brown suit. The same cold blue eyes Elizabet had was painted across the prominent handsome features he had. This was him. This was Elizabeth's husband.

"Mother would probably want to see you first, Captain Rogers." Elizabet exclaimed.

"Why me?" Steve questioned softly.

"She has not seen you in seventy years." Elizabet softly said. "I think she would be delighted to see you."

"I'll take him." Evelyn volunteered to them. "I'll bring him to grandmama."

None voiced disapproval. Evelyn brought Steve up to the third floor. They didn't speak. Evelyn couldn't bring herself to do so. He needed to collect himself, she knew. No matter how her brain hurt, she could still hear it. He was nervous, he did not know what he was getting himself into but she knew there was one thing he wanted. That was to see her grandmama again. To see dear Elizabeth.

Evelyn halted by a door when they reached the third floor. It was plain dark oak, large and double door knobs. Steve looked at her and gulped.

"This is it." Evelyn says to him. "You will see her again."

"I know."

"What will you say to her?" Evelyn wondered. "Your first words to her in seventy years."

"I'll ask her about that date." Steve smiled sadly as Evelyn pursed her lips sadly for him and hugged him. Steve once more froze in time and let her do it. When they broke apart, they became slightly awkward. They forced to make a smile upon their lips.

Evelyn nodded at him. "Good luck."

"Thank you." He says softly.

Steve allowed himself to remember the first time he and Elizabeth met as he entered the room. He was about six years old. The block where he lived in was lined with people, too many people that were unsure what was even going on and he and his mother had just come home from church.

Then there he and his mother saw the expensive looking car, crowded by policemen trying to protect them from the sight of other people. It was nineteen twenty-four, the death anniversary of his own father.

'I was just looking for this woman-' He heard the man with blond hair, thickly brushed back as he turned away from the policeman as he looked down to his young girl with the same hair only longer and curly. Eyes of green and looked to the direction she pointed to. 'By the grace of the Queen, there they are!'

He turned to the policeman and asked to keep everyone away as he took his daughter by the hand and led her to where Sarah Rogers and her young son stood. People whispered and muttered, eyes all on the Rogers family and the two green eyed people in expensive clothing. The blond man bowed his head to Steve and his mother.

"Good morning to you." He had a husky yet gentle voice, thick with kindness. Steve remembered the sincerity on his face, the plainness of his actions despite his elaborate clothing. "I had been looking for both of you, for years now."

"I-I'm sorry, mister." The way his mother's voice wavered coated with the nervousness she felt as this tall six footed man stood in front of her and him, a little girl in hand.

It was not what Sarah was expecting. There was much commotion when today was about sobriety from any such things. Today was the day Steve's father had died. All she wanted today was for her and her son to be alone today, to celebrate the great life Joseph Rogers lived, despite the shortness of it.

"But I think you're looking for the wrong-"

"I'm not wrong, I saw your wedding picture from Joseph himself.' The man replied softly, a frown on his lips as Sarah's eyes widened. "You are Sarah Grant Rogers, just as Joseph said to me."

"You knew Joseph." It was not a question. Steve could see it in his mother's face as she looked at the man the moment he said Joseph's name. He was pained, as if in his own little way he too was grieving. The man nodded at his mother. "You know my name too.."

"In the trenches." He confirmed to her as he took to his suit's pockets with one hand and took out a photo and handed it to Sarah, who took it with care. "He spoke of you all the time, you and your baby.."

Her eyes saw the truth that he was trying to say. There was the man who was in front of her now, a little bit younger than the one before but undoubtedly aged, holding his rifle in hand with a grin on his lips and her heart broke at the sight of him, Joseph Rogers grinning as wide as the man beside him, holding his helmet over his head. He looked like Steve, the same look of joy that her son always had. His eyes too…

Tears welled up his mother's eyes and for the first time in a long time, Steve saw his mother cry. The tall man took to his pockets once more and handed her a handkerchief. His mother looked at it for a moment but then took it.

"Your husband was my friend, Sarah." He spoke fondly as he watched Sarah wipe her eyes. "And he was such good man. He brought spirit to men who needed it, I among them. He was….He was a hero."

"My father was a hero?" Steve remembered asking the man in front of him aloud, his attention turning away from his mother and to him. The man with green eyes smiled widely at the boy he was and nodded.

"Indeed." Said he to the boy. "And if it was not for your father, I..I wouldn't be able to go home and see my twins." He looked to the girl beside him, who played with her dress. The blond man nudged his little girl softly, causing her to look at him. "Elizabeth, why don't you say hello to Steven here?"

The little girl with green eyes looked at Steve, her orbs shining like the gems of old that Steve saw by the jewelry store. Those eyes were rare, he knew. He never saw them as often as brown eyes or blue or even grey. But those green eyes, they were beautifully rare and she suited them. She smiled at him dearly, so sweetly too if he recalled, as if she was a flower without any thorns.

"Hello Stewve!" She greeted him, that youthful squeak in her voice was present. The innocence in it despite mispronouncing his name. Steve still held on to the memories of that day dearly. "My name is Ewizabeth! Just like the Pwincess!"

"I.." Steve was uncertain of what to say, he was both shy and afraid he would humiliate himself in front of this beautiful blonde girl. But she eagerly waited for him to speak, still smiling at him so widely that it made his little heart melt inside. "My name is..Steve."

"Steve is going to be a big part of our lives, darling." The man exclaimed to his daughter, a smile on his aristocratic lips. "You want that, don't you?"

"Yes, pwease!" The girl nodded vigorously as the tall man nodded and chuckled.

"Then it is settled." The man exclaimed as Elizabeth cheered with delight. The green eyed man turned to Steve's mother and said, "You will not have to worry about anything more, Sarah. I will make sure you and Steve here are comfortable and happy for the rest of your lives, just as I promised to Joseph."

Steve shook back to reality and gazed through the inside of the room. It was just as spectacular as the beautiful home this place was. It screamed the likes of Elizabeth herself. The wallpaper was simple, bluish grey with decorative amounts of dozens of fleur de lis in the same beaming color. The ceiling had a wide spectacular round chandelier, bright with diamonds and gold. The floor reflected his image, though it was plain silver floors that met his gaze.

There were three large bookshelves beside one another by a table made from mahogany with two large brown chairs dawning upon each other from each ends of the table. Piles of books were resting on the desk, pens, papers. It was as if it had not been touched in a while. There were plain simple shelves near the bookshelves where what seemed to look like trophies rested.

As Steve moved closer to the trophies, he saw Elizabeth's name wonderfully carved in steel and gold. Moving from them some had the name Alexander Stanhope and sometimes it was Elizabeth and Alexander Stanhope. He couldn't help but smile at her achievements, even those that were shared with the man she married.

She had always been very gifted, smart and intelligent. Before the war started, she was studying in the University of New York where she and her twin brother Louis shared a course in physics and chemistry. Then the war came and she never got to finish her course due to volunteering as a nurse in the front and at the same time a spy for the government to gain intelligence from soldiers and officers she treated.

No doubt she went back to finish her education though. Education mattered to Elizabeth as much as it had to him. But he knew it meant more to her than it was to him because she had always dreamt to help others with her work in science. To improve other people's lives and to prove to others that she wasn't just a pretty face but a smart mind as well. She would have time to after all she spent seventy years of her life without him.

As Steve walked towards the next extension of the room, he saw pots of flowers and plants resting by the edge of a large window being basked in sunlight. It walking towards it, he saw the entire landscape of the large estate come into his view. It was beautiful, he remarked in his thoughts. It was vast and free. So much space where Elizabeth can frolic into the warmth of the sun and feel the essence of sweet country air. He had no doubt that she had been very happy here and is still very happy here

"Solnishko." Was the first thing heard as he froze near the basking sunlight. The voice had a sense of kindness and sorrow as the word was said, wavering as if it was a tired tone. Steve noticed the accent; the only one who he knew had that manner of speaking was the woman who had lived in his past.

He tried to calm himself, this was it. This was the moment of truth, the moment where his longing will be satisfied. Turning around he saw her and his eyes softened at the sight of her. The smile she had before was still the same as it was now.

"That is what we decided to call it."

"What does it mean?" He asked her as he remained where he was, only looking at her. Taking in the sight of her, the one who was seventy years older than what he had remembered. "What does Solnishko mean, Lizzy?"

"The sun." She breathed out, her hand feeling the light pass through the bedsheets. "The beautiful bright sun, Steven."

Tears welled up in Steve's eyes as he walked over to her side and sat beside the chair that had been left there by a previous visitor before. Her eyes watched him as he sat down, sniffing away the feeling of the joyous tears that burned with the sorrow along with him.

He had waited so long to see her again, his last thoughts as that plane crashed into the cold freezing snow was her. It had always been her and he knew it would never be anymore. Too much time had passed. He was too late. He had been seventy years too late.

He couldn't imagine it for Elizabeth though. How did she feel right now? After all this time, he returned. How long she mourned his loss, he did not know. But as the tears passed through her eyes, he knew that those were tears that had been shed before. Because he had left her, after he had promised her that he would always return to her.

"You haven't changed." She says, softly as she raised her hand to touch his face. Steve took her hand into his and gently as he breathed heavily allowed it to touch his wet face, filled with tears of relief. "Oh, you still look the way you did when you left.."

"I've come back, Elizabeth." He declares to her as he felt the slow caress upon his jaw. "I've returned to you."

Steve could not believe at the sight of Elizabeth. How long had passed her and yet she still looked like the woman he had come to love with all his heart. Her blonde hair had become all but the golden curls they were but beautiful silver, as the light of the moon at night brightening up the darkness. Her face filled with the years that had passed her by. Her hands slower than they had been and her eyes weary more than youthful. Her manner of speaking evidently out of the pace he remembered but she was the same Elizabeth he had always known. Her green eyes were still there, her smile. Her kindness, her soul and her beautiful being. This was still Elizabeth Francis to him.

"I am glad." She mumbles to him as her hands parted from his face and held by his hands. "I never thought I would…"

"You think I would forget about you, Elizabeth?" He asked her softly, a sad smile on his lips. "Forget my best girl? I don't think I could even if I tried, Lizzie. I could never forget."

The smile on her lips was filled with all amounts of sorrow, reminiscence of all the moments they had and never had. Elizabeth had never had the chance to tell Steve in person, she never could. Not until that last conversation they had that played through her head for the rest of her life.

Elizabeth never forgot about Steve either. They had been friends almost all their lives, grew up together. How could she? She had loved him despite all that had become in her life, despite loving another man after him. She loved him. Steve and Elizabeth were star-crossed, cursed to love but never to be.

"I have prayed for your return." Elizabeth told him. "Every single day, I did. I mourned you deeply…you, Bucky, Ernest…I mourned for you, for years.."

"I know." He replies to her, "And I'm sorry…for putting you through all of the pain…"

She shook her head against her large pillow. "No, you should not apologize. Steven, you were forced to do what you had to. I vowed to never put that against you, doing the right things. Even when you had been with me in all those years. You did what you had to."

He frowned. "And in the end, I left you. I let you be hurt, suffer…I don't…"

"Oh, Steve." She muttered to the man she had come to love in her youth. It had been him in her youth. Always had been him.

"All of that has been left and done. There was nothing you could have done, Steven and I forgive you, I have already forgiven you long ago…you don't have to apologize for anything.."

"Elizabeth…"

"Steven, do not let me waste my remaining breath in what is already done." She huffed to him, her lungs feeling as though she could not breathe again. "Please…don't."

Steve saw that look in her eyes, the same look he saw in his own mother's eyes as she held his hand saying farewell, the eyes of Ernest Francis as he lay dying on his death bed and even after him, there were more men and women he had seen die. She felt it, coming perhaps soon that she too will just be a memory to him.

He couldn't help but feel his heart break. She looked at him with pain, as if wishing that he didn't have to know it. Did not have to know that she was going to go away too, leaving him into the world without the things he had known before.

"You said yes then." Steve exclaimed to her as she allowed herself to be drawn in into his question. "To go on a dance with me."

"I remember." She whispers back in reply to him in the stillness of the quiet. "I have always imagined it, sometimes dreamt of it even."

"Oh? And what did you imagine? Or dream about?"

"I dreamt that Vera Lynn was singing." Elizabeth says to him as he listened carefully to her words. "One of her songs, the ones we would hear when we were in England…"

"Auf Wiederhesen Sweetheart?" Steve wondered to her. "We'll Meet Again, which one? She had many songs you loved."

"Her version of You'll Never Know." She chuckles at that, but coughs slightly. Steve stood up and rubbed her back. She thanked him softly.

"And we danced?"

"Yes," She answered him with a happy satisfied smile on her lips. "All night, till the dawn. Chuckling and talking to each other all night. It was the happiest night of my life…until.."

"Until?"

"Until I would wake." She said to him as she sighed. "It was a few years until I stopped having those dreams..especially when I met-"

"Your husband?" He raised a brow at her. She pursed her lips at him. "He treated you right, didn't he? That is would be all that meant to me, that you were happy."

"Yes." Elizabeth admitted to him. "Sasha…Alexander, he made me very happy and treated me more than I could have ever imagine…he made me happy."

"I'm proud of all you've managed to achieve, Lizzie." He says to her, looking at all the pictures he had seen of her. Her smiling widely beside her husband, arm to arm in the photograph. Her children around her and her husband in the bright sun, sitting near the lake. Then there were some of her and her husband separately, in the various years. Same thing with their children, growing up into brilliant people it would seem to Steve.

"All the things you've done, Lizzie. I'm so proud of you."

She smiled, looking at the pictures with Steve. "I've lived my life, very well just as you would have wanted."

She frowned slightly when she looked to Steve. "But the only thing I am not happy with is that you lost your chance to do so, Steven."

He didn't respond. He didn't know how to. How could know how to respond to something like that. She regrets something he did, something he had decided to do. To sacrifice himself for the sake of the world, in turn missing out on all the things that could have been.

"But now….. You've been given a second chance to live again." Elizabeth tells him as she smiles at him, taking his hand once more and placing a kiss onto it as Steve closed his eyes feeling his heart feel her touch. One that he will probably never feel again.

"Don't waste it, Steven. You deserve so much more than what you've had. What you've achieved. You don't have to be a soldier anymore, Steven. You can be happy in this time. So, please. Be happy, for me. For yourself."

"I can only try." Steve says to her gently. "But.."

"But?"

"The world might need me again." Steve exclaimed to her, her lips pursed in doubt at the thought. "I..what if they do need me again, Lizzie? I can't walk away from that, from duty."

"You will have to." Elizabeth tells him. "To walk away from duty, Steve. That is what you must do to be happy. Otherwise…you will never be happy. You will have the world on your shoulders. You are still young…you should be, you should be living your life."

He sighed and nodded at her. She gave a sad grin to him.

"I know you would never walk away from duty, though."
Elizabeth says knowingly. "You would still serve because you think it would be the right thing to do."

His smile mirrored her sad one. "How do you know me so well after all these years?"

"I could never forget what you are, even for one day." She tells him, causing him to laugh. "Now, let's talk more about everything you've missed."

Elizabeth told him about everything indeed. About her time as a spy in Russia two years after he went missing by the SSR to get intelligence for the United States during the Cold War. How she ended up marrying Alexander to try and continue spying. How she and Alexander left Russia to go to America and settled in New York and had their children. How they all returned to England to start their work and later the Stanhope Industries. She told him everything, not a single detail was left behind.

Steve was very happy to be able to talk to her again, despite everything that has come to be. Steve had decided that he was one step into his understanding, his closure of his past. Steve felt sorrowful at the thought that he was too late. That there would be no chance to go back. But he decided that he had to accept it, no matter how it hurts that this was now his time. This is where he must be now and there was no going back.

"I suppose my great-granddaughter is helping you adjust well into her time?" Elizabeth wonders as Steve nods.

"She's wonderful, Lizzie." Steve says in reply. "You've done your best by her."

"Evelina never met her mother, Steve." Elizabeth starts telling him, softly with pained eyes. "Her mother died so young, never having the chance to see what a fine woman her daughter has become."

"You want me to promise something." He breathes out to her as she smiles at his words.

"You know me so well too." Elizabeth exclaimed, shaking her head against her pillow softly. "But yes, you are correct."

"What is it you need me to do?"

"I need you to care for her, Steve." Elizabeth tells him, eyes of green piercing that of ocean blue. Steve could see the guilt in her eyes.

"My time is coming, Steven. I am dying…fading and I..I worry for her. She cares for others too much, Steve. She's..she has never allowed others to take care of her. How she suffered so much already and she's still trying to be strong. Steve, I need you to help her. Like you've helped me. I need you to be there for her when she needs you to be."

Steve blinked for a moment at Elizabeth's request. He was trying to mask his sorrow over her acceptance of death so easily. But her request, it made him wonder how deep her love for her great granddaughter lay. But Steve knew Evelyn was now his friend, someone who has done nothing but help him in all that he had struggled with in this time.

He knew that all he could do for her since she refused all other material thanks was his friendship. Steve knew that he didn't have to promise Elizabeth that because he was going to do it anyway. But he nodded at her, causing her to release a joyous pant.

"She needs you, Steve." Elizabeth whispers to him. "To be her friend, her ally. All that you were for me. Promise me."

He could never refuse Elizabeth. "I promise."

Her satisfaction was surreal and joyous as she squeezed Steve's hand. "She will help you too you know, more than what she can give."

"I already know that now." Steve nodded his head at her in agreement.

"You guys are plotting against me." Evelyn mockingly frowned as she wrapped her arms about her chest. "Grandmama, I am astounded you would put the kind and amiable Steve Rogers into your plots. That is going to outrage America when they find out!"

Elizabeth laughed at her great granddaughter's behaviour. "Oh, Evelina. You are so dramatic!"

Evelyn faked hurt. "Grandmama, that was such a terrible thing to say to me, your beloved great granddaughter!"

"I see it now." Steve says to Elizabeth. "I see Howard in her."

Elizabeth nodded and smiled playfully. "She got the Francis practicality and generosity, the Stanhope psychotelekinesis powers but all the sarcasm and love for the dramatics are from Howard."

Steve laughed. "I can imagine Howard complaining right now if he was here."

"Grandpa gave me his smarts and good looks too, you know." Elizabeth scoffed at her.

"All the good looks came from all sides of the family. But less came from the Starks, darling."

"Bruising my father's ego, what a way to end the night." Evelyn joked bitterly.

"You know you should start returning your father's calls." Elizabeth exclaims aloud as Evelyn's mouth went wide.

"How did you-"

"The phone was in voice mail." Steve says aloud. "Did I say that right?"

"Steve, you ratted me out? To my own great grandmother?" Evelyn huffed. "I think I misjudged our whole friendship, Steve."

"Steve!" They heard the voice of Elizabet Fowler echo through the outer chamber and smiled at her mother. "Mama, Evelina. May I borrow Steve? I wanna see if he would like to know what I was cooking for dinner."

"Of course." Elizabeth nodded at her daughter and looked at Steve. Steve, understanding the situation got up and placed a kiss on the top of Elizabeth's head before leaving with Elizabet.

"You know he calls everyone in the family just to know about you." Elizabeth says to her Evelina softly now that they were alone.

"He is trying now. I think maybe…maybe it is time to forgive him, while you can and still have a chance. Many things can happen, Evelina. You both being in danger all the time, you should not allow yourself to remain into despair anymore over the past."

"Don't despair-" Evelyn laughed humorlessly. "Grandmama, that man left me! Abandoned me when I needed him."

"And now he returned." Elizabeth says to her, taking her hand and placing a chaste motherly kiss upon it.

"Your father has changed, Evelina. Because of things. He was young and foolish and wanted different things. But now, he wants to be your father. He wants to be able to correct all his wrongs. And isn't that what Christ did when he was hurt by others? You must let go, Evelina. It is the past and you cannot change the past. But the future, it is yet to be dried ink. You still haven't written it, my dear Evelina."

"Why are you so good at this, grandmama?" Evelyn groaned. "Why are you so good at saying such things?"

"I will not be around forever, Evelina." Elizabeth says as Evelyn frowned. "I want you to let go of the past to be happy. To finally open a new chapter in your life. Do that and you might find that your heart will feel lighter. Alright, my dear Evelina?"

She sighed at her grandmama and rested her head towards her. "I can't promise anything solid but I'll promise I will try to do something about it."

"That is what I like to hear." Elizabeth hummed happily. "Now my dear girl, can you sing for me? Kakushka or perhaps anything French?"

"I'll always sing for you, grandmama." Evelyn smiled widely at her grandmama. "Always."


Steve Rogers watched as Elizabet led him to the kitchens. There were servants all around, men and women bustling about dinner and such as they went around and quietly did their work. Elizabet checked all the pans and pots where the dishes are. Giving critiques to all of the staff as they gave her spoons to taste the food. Sometimes she spoke harshly, sometimes she spoke with delight. She is a daughter of Elizabeth indeed.

"You didn't bring me here to look at the food, didn't you?" Steve asked Elizabet as she smiled at him.

"That obvious?" She says to him. He nodded at her. "Well, you caught me."

"You saved me back there, actually. From an argument and I didn't want that to happen today." Steve admitted to her as she cleaned her hands in the sink. "Thank you."

"Evelyn's always been hot-headed." Elizabet reminiscences with a chuckle. "I think she got that from Tony."

"Her father seems to care very much for her." Steve pointed out as Elizabet sighed.

"He does love her, you know but..well, Evelyn isn't someone to forgive easily." She tells him. "Tony was scared, very scared. He didn't mean to leave her..but, he was scared of what was happening to her. He tried to do what he could but the voices inside her head are just too powerful and he had enough."

"Still, she was his daughter." Steve pointed out. "If he loved her, then he wouldn't leave her just like that. She was just a girl who couldn't handle what she had been given. What sin did she commit to be left like that?"

"Tony's always been complicated." Was all Elizabet could say. "But my niece loved her. Evangeline loved hin dearly."

Elizabet took the clean towel from the metal table near the oven and wiped her hands clean and dry. She turns to Steve afterwards.

"Thank you, by the way."

"For what?" Steve raises a brow at her.

"For giving my mother comfort." Elizabet softly exclaimed. "She hasn't been very well since my father died many years ago and seeing such a face like yours, it helped very much. It brought her some joy at the very least."

"I'd do anything for Elizabeth." Steve declares to his friend's daughter. "She and her family did so much for me. So I would do anything for her."

"You loved her more than that." Elizabet says suddenly. "More than as a friend."

"It's over now, though." He whispers lowly, though enough for her to hear.

She sighed heavily. "Yeah. I suppose it is."

"Lady Fowler!" Wilbert Pierce came running in, panicked eyes were clear from the spectacles he wore. Steve's posture straightened when he arrived. "Mr. Rogers, forgive me for intruding-"

"Wilbert!" Elizabet exclaimed aloud as she held him down to calm himself. "Wilbert, what happened?"

"My lady...mistress Stanhope, she's-"

Steve realized it much sooner than he would have hoped. He ran through all the flights of stairs until he got there, in the middle of the third floor where there was no more sunlight. But rather darkness in the middle of the night, only the electricity bringing clarity.

Evelyn was sobbing loudly at the sight of Elizabeth's smiling dead corpse, hands on her stomach as if she was sleeping.

Steve felt his feet carry him as she neared to Evelyn's side.

No, his brain was telling him. This can't be real. His heart was weeping and his soul was shattered.

Steven Rogers felt once more the tears to his eyes, sorrow rather than joy. Pain rather than happiness. Mourning rather than relief.

Sinking beside Evelyn's side, Steve wept for the woman who had meant so much to him.

He was right.

It was all over now.