Steve was asleep, his arms clutched tightly around her, his face calm, smiling. She watched his chest rise and fall, tracing the pattern of his ribs. He was so unbelievably vulnerable. She could feel the flutter of his pulse underneath her fingertips; see some of his veins through his skin, his heart beat against hers.

She loved him, there was no denying that. Perhaps she'd been going about this all wrong. Perhaps the way to ensure the future was to take an active part in it. She felt a flutter of hope; there could be a way to stay. To follow him to battle when he became Captain America; prevent him from dying and save James as well. She could ensure the future all the while staying with Steve. Steve stirred slightly, rubbing his face against her, snoring softly. She let out a small humming sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. It had been a nice thought whie it lasted, but the time for dreaming was over. Whatever she and Steve had, beautiful and wonderful as it was, couldn't last.

A small noise in the corner of the room broke her out of these thoughts. She looked up. Poking her head through the wall was none other than Kitty Pryde.

"Hey Ro!" She said, waving and stepping the rest of the way through. Ororo detangled herself gently from Steve's arms and rushed across the room to envelope her friend in a hug.

"Kitty." She said, squeezing her friend, not believing she was real.

"Um…" Kitty awkwardly patted her back. "I know I missed you, but I didn't miss you enough for a naked cuddle." She rolled her eyes. "Really regretting not letting Logan do the whole time jump thing."

Ororo pulled back and grabbed some of her discarded clothes from the floor. "How did you find me?" She whispered, pulling on her blouse.

"I'll explain later, right now we need to get you home." Kitty said. Ororo looked back at the bed. Steve had inched closer to the warm spot she'd abandoned.

"Home?" she asked , not sure she still knew the meaning of the word. Could the X-mansion give her the same peace she felt next to the man on the bed?

"The X mansion…" Kitty looked at the bed. "Is that really Steve Rogers? God he's so small….um" She trailed off as Ororo glared at her. "Right, the mission." Kitty gave her a sad look, and put her hand on her shoulder before her expression grew serious. "The professor talked to Doctor Strange."

Ororo flinched at the sound of the magician's name. She closed her eyes, afraid of what Kitty would say next.

"Apparently this moment in time is a fork." The younger X-man continued. "You can leave and time will right itself with some minor changes or you can stay…and the timeline will suffer unforeseen consequences." Kitty paused. "Which means there's a real possibility none of us will exist."

Ororo looked back at Steve's sleeping form. "So no pressure." She said, bitterly. "Either stay and endanger the entire world. Or leave, abandoning the man I love."

"It's your choice, Ro." Kitty said.

"No." Ororo murmured. "It really isn't."

Kitty looked slightly pained as she nodded. Her next words were hushed. "We won't judge you if you want to stay." She paused. "Mostly because none of us will exist. Except Logan; he always seems to survive everything."

Ororo closed her eyes. "Can I have a moment alone, please?" she whispered.

Kitty nodded. "The portal opens again in 5 minutes." She said, phasing through the wall. Ororo walked cautiously over to the bed. Steve was shivering, beginning to subconsciously notice that she wasn't there. She felt her heart tearing itself apart as she pulled the blanket over him and pressed her lips to his forehead. She had no choice, she had to leave.

"Perhaps one day you will understand." She whispered. "And you will forgive me, my love."

He stirred slightly. Perhaps he would wake. A deep, selfish part of her hoped he would. That he would see her dressed and beg her to stay. That he would ask her back to bed. She bit back a sob and pulled away. She walked to the door, taking one last look at Steve. He'd pressed his face into the pillow where her head had been and his hands were reaching for her in his sleep. Leaving, she walked out of the apartment.

Kitty was waiting for her outside. They walked silently towards the alley where Ororo had first fallen into the year 1939. As they approached a light began glowing. Turning into the alley, Ororo watched as the portal opened, numbness spreading through her limbs. She felt Kitty take her hand and she walked through with her. Glancing behind her she caught one last glimpse of the Brooklyn street before the portal closed and the blackness swallowed her up.

Captain Steve Rogers was piloting a plane full of dangerous Hydra weapons above the arctic. The controls were jammed and he was going to have to bring it down manually. Steve heard Peggy telling him that there was still time, but he knew she was wrong. His sacrifice would keep the weapons from Axis hands. It was the only way. A voice, one that he only heard in his dreams, came to him.

"Perhaps one day you will understand and you will forgive me, my love."

Ororo. Had she known? There were so many things about her that were strange and mysterious. Sometimes he wasn't completely sure that she wasn't a dream. But Buck had remembered her and so had Gabe. Did she know who he'd become and the choice he was going to make?

"I'm sorry." He said. Forcing the plane down he watched as the icy cold approached him, somehow unafraid and at peace. The plane hit the water, plunging into the black. Water rushed in, enveloping him. He closed his eyes, visualizing silver hair, blue eyes and brown skin. If this was the end, he wanted his last thoughts to be about her. She was in front of him, her hair in a loose braid, her eyes as clear and blue as a summer's day. Her smile kind and warm.

It's cold, Ororo, he thought, Help me not be cold.

"I love you." She said, "Whatever happens next, remember that."

"I love you too." He whispered as the cold made him lose consciousness "And I forgive you."