I'm so so so sorry for taking so long! This year has been much busier than I had anticipated so I haven't gotten a lot of time to write! I hope you guys like this chapter, it came out sadder than I intended. The next chapter will be happier, I think lol Either that or I'm going to get into the Winter Soldier. The Winter Soldier should be coming up in the next two chapter and I've decided to do snippets and not the entire movie. Thank you for all your input and encouragement! It means so much to me! Let me know what you think of the chapter! :D

Steve raced down the highway, his thoughts were racing with him going in several different directions. What does Fury need me back for? Why is it so urgent? Why am I so sad to leave? Will Charlie really keep in contact? Who will the mission be with? Will I have to work with Stark? Should I find Peggy? What food did they give me? Would Peggy want me to see her after I already said goodbye? Thoughts, racing and racing. Steve looked at his speedometer and he slowed down considerably. His rapid firing thoughts had unconsciously made him press the accelerator harder and he'd reached the hundreds. Steve now took the curves gently and as his speed went down, his thoughts slowed down. He tried to focus on the mission to prepare himself but his thoughts kept wandering back to the family he'd just left and Peggy. Peggy Carter. The girl he'd taken a rain check with. The girl he'd actually wanted to dance with. It hurt Steve to know that he'd hurt her. He had heard her voice choke before he crashed the plane. That killed him. The first girl that Steve had liked and she had reciprocated his feelings and he has to go and freeze for seventy years. Yep, sounded like him.

The drive was long but thought provoking. Steve came to conclusions on some questions but mostly more questions arose. He did figure out what they'd packed him, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with an apple and a thermos of lemonade. Steve felt a pang of sadness and joy when he saw the meal. The two emotions didn't seem to go together but that's what he felt. I feel homesick, Steve thought. He'd stayed with Betty, Nathan, and Charlie only for a week but they had felt more like home than anything else since he'd woken up. He'd also come to the other conclusion that he would see Peggy. He knew she was alive and it was time he visited. She'd probably be mad at him for not visiting sooner but Steve didn't know what to do. He'd heard about how she had moved on and he was glad. He just didn't know how he fit into her life anymore. He was her past and she was his but Steve's past and future intertwined too much for him to understand.

Steve arrived in Washington D.C. in the early morning. He reported to duty, knowing that Fury would be awake. Fury gave him his mission and he was on a plane in under an hour. Natasha Romanoff met him on the plane and he wasn't sure if that comforted him or bothered him. Steve didn't know how he felt about the Black Widow. She had the ability to be too many people and Steve could never tell who she really was. He liked to know whom he was working with and he valued integrity. Natasha didn't have either of those aspects so Steve was always on edge. The mission went off without a hitch and Steve liked being active again. However, there were looks and glances from his team members that he didn't like. It seemed they were hiding something but their records were flawless. Steve blamed it on his paranoia. After he'd gotten back from the mission and completed all the paper work, he had an afternoon free. Go now, his mind urged. Now was the time to see Peggy.

So Steve had finally looked up Margret Carter and found her address. He wrote it down and drove to the street on his motorcycle. He had walked up the stairs to her apartment and hesitated. Could he do this? Should he do this? Would it hurt Peggy more by seeing him now? Should he just walk away and deal with his hurt by himself? Stop it, his mind reprimanded. You're already here so go up and knock on the door. Your Captain America for Pete's sake. Steve took a deep breath and strode forward. He forced his hand to knock before he lost his nerve. There were several beats of silence and then the door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman with short brown hair.

"Hello, can I help you?" the woman asked with a smile. Steve had trouble finding his words. He didn't expect to meet someone other than Peggy. Do I reveal myself or try to act like a friend? A twenty-year-old friend? Steve thought. He took a deep breath and decided to go with the truth.

"Hello ma'am. My name is Steve Rogers and I was a friend of Peggy Carter. Could I speak with her?" Steve asked. The woman's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open slightly.

"Steve Rogers? As in-"

"Captain America, yes ma'am." The woman's eyes look Steve up and down and she shakes her head.

"She always talked about you. I'm not sure if I ever truly believed her," the woman whispered to herself. She shook her head and smiled.

"Why don't you come in and we can talk," the woman stepped aside and opened the door wider.

"Thank you ma'am," Steve said, walking into the little apartment. There was an old faded couch in the living room with an even older TV in the corner. A new, flat screen TV stood in front of the couch that two children occupied. A cartoon blared from the TV and the children didn't even look up when Steve walked in. Steve followed the woman into the kitchen and sat down when she motioned to the kitchen table. The woman brought two glasses of water and sat down across from him.

"She always told us stories of you," the woman said, "the experiment, your rescue of a thousand men. You were our bedtime story." Steve smiled and took a sip from his glass. He assumed this woman was one of Peggy's children. She had Peggy's eyes and hairs but the nose and mouth must have belonged to her father. Steve felt a sad kind of happy. He was happy that Peggy had made a family but sad that he hadn't been there. Peggy wasn't just a love interest for him; she had been a friend as well.

"My name is Margret Carter and I'm the youngest of three children. My mother, Peggy, doesn't live here anymore." Steve's eyebrows furrowed and Nancy looked sad.

"She became sick about five years ago. She can only remember so much at one time and then it's like her memory rewinds. The doctors think it's something related to dementia or Alzheimer's but they're not sure. She lived with me for two years but I couldn't be here all the time. I'm a single mother and it just wasn't possible for me to be everywhere at the same time. My other siblings live in different states and they couldn't take care of her either. We placed her in a retirement home and she's been there for three years. We visit her on the weekends," Margret explained. She looked down at her cup, letting the information sink in. Peggy was sick. I was too late. Even if you had come sooner, she still would've been sick, my mind reminded me. I had only been awake for two years and Peggy had been sick for five. I took a deep breath and rolled the glass in my hands. I hadn't expected this and everything I'd prepared just went out the window.

"I'm sorry," Margret apologized. She looked sincere so I just nodded.

"Don't be. I should have come sooner," I replied. "Would…would it be okay if I went to see her? Or do you think that wouldn't be good for her?"

"I think she'd love to see you it's just…" Margret looked at her glass, "It's just hard to see her in the state she's in. Sometimes you'll be talking to her and you turn away and she'll forget your entire conversation. It's more painful for her family and friends than it is for her." Steve nodded. He felt lost and heavy. One of the few people from his past that was still alive and she was sick. She was the only person who might be able to relate to him and he'd lost her. I need to see her, even if it's painful, Steve thought.

"Where does she live?" Steve asked. Margret smiled at him sadly and got up from the table.

"I'll take you to her," Margret smiled.

"Thank you," Steve breathed. Margret nodded and put her glass in the sink. She called to her kids and went into the living room to speak to them. Steve ran his hands through his hair and sighed. What did he expect? Not this, Steve thought. He had wrapped his mind about her being old but he hadn't thought about her being sick. Being frozen for seventy years was probably more painful than living seventy years without aging. He still saw all of his friends as he left them, young and alive, not old or dead. To him, it was as if all of his friends and people he knew were suddenly ripped away. It was his worst nightmare come true. Everyone he knew and loved had left. Steve took a deep breath and stood up from the table. He placed his glass in the sink and followed the sound of Margret's voice.

"I'll only be gone for an hour so don't think about doing anything funny, you hear?" Margret demanded. The children grumbled and sighed. As Steve walked into the room their eyes widened.

"Kids, this is Captain Rogers. Captain Rogers these are my children and Peggy's grandchildren, Robert and Samantha," Margret introduced. Robert was the boy, he looked older, and Samantha was the girl. Both of their mouths were open and their eyes were wide. Steve dipped his head and their was a beat of silence.

"Captain America!?"

"That's Captain America!?"

"Why is Captain America in our house?"

"Ohmygosh Captain America is in our house!" The two kids jumped off the couch, their voices loud and excited. Steve didn't quite know what to do. The children were too excited to really hear his answers so he just stood there looking between Margret and the children.

"Enough!" Margret shouted over her children's excited cries. They quieted but were still bouncing around.

"Yes this is Captain America. He was a friend of grandma's, do you remember her stories? I'm taking him to see grandma for a visit."

"Can he come back and visit us?"

"Yeah, will you come back?" Steve blinked.

"I'll come back if it's alright with you mother," Steve said. The big eyes of the children warmed Steve's heart and made him feel happy. It also made him feel slightly uncomfortable to have so much attention. Margret looked at him with a grateful smile.

"It's fine with me," Margret smiled. The children cheered.

"Alright alright," Margtret said, quieting the children again, "Lock the doors, don't answer the door, and don't answer the phone. What number do you call if someone doesn't leave you alone?"

"9-1-1," the children droned. Margret smiled, kissed her children, and grabbed her keys. Steve waved to them and followed Margret out the door. He climbed into the passenger side door and they were off.

Steve asked about Margret and her siblings, wanting to distract himself. Margret was happy to oblige and talked the entire ride about her life. She had an older sister and brother who lived in different states. They visited every year for Christmas and for their mother's birthday. Peggy's husband had died about ten years ago of a stroke and she had lived by herself until she got sick. Margret's husband had left her and her children after the birth of Samantha. Steve listened but only half-heartedly. The knowledge that Peggy was sick was hard to bear. He felt guilty even though he knew he couldn't have done anything different. Why did everything have to be so different? Steve didn't mind change but this, this was almost unbearable.

They pulled up to a two-story building that had a colorful garden in the front. Steve followed Margret inside with his hands in his pockets. Margret talked to the nurse at the front desk about visiting her mother. Steve looked around the reception area. There were several elderly sitting by the window reading or watching TV. There was a chess game going on in the corner too. I should be here, Steve thought sadly. I shouldn't be alive or this young. I wish I hadn't taken that serum. No, I don't regret it, Steve thought. The serum had led him to meet Peggy, to fight for what he believed in, to protect those he loved. He just didn't know it would be so painful.

"Captain Rogers?" Margret asked. Steve turned, shaking off his sad thoughts. It was time to meet Peggy.

"I arranged it so that you can visit her whenever you want and you don't need my permission," Margret said, leading Steve upstairs.

"Thank you ma'am," Steve replied. Margret stopped in front of a door and turned to him.

"I know this may be hard for you but it's going to be alright. Just remember that she's not in pain. That's what helps me," Margret said. Steve nodded and Margret opened the door.

"Mom? You have a visitor," Margret announced. Steve stepped into the room and smiled. Peggy lay in the bed in front of him, her face surrounded by her grey hair. Her face was lined with wrinkles and she wore a lace nightgown. Steve schooled his face so Peggy could only see his smile. On the inside, he wanted to cry. Seeing Peggy made him realize that he was alone and young and he would never grow old.

"Steve?" Peggy breathed.

"Hi Peggy," Steve smiled. Peggy's face lit up and tears fell from her eyes. Steve walked over and sat down in the chair next to the bed. Peggy reached for his hand and Steve grasped hers lightly.

"You-you came back."

"I came back."

"It-it's been s-so l-long, so long" Peggy cried. Steve smiled sadly. He heard Margret leave and close the door.

"Well, I couldn't leave my best girl," Steve said leaning closer, "Not when she owes me a dance." Peggy laughed and cried. Steve wiped away some of her tears and brushed her hair out of her face.

"Steve-how? How are you here? I-we thought you were dead," Peggy asked.

"They found me in the ice, frozen. The serum kept me alive and kept me young. I woke up only recently and thought I'd visit you," Steve explained.

"Visit this old bag of bones? Steve," Peggy laughed. Steve smiled.

"It's good to see you Peggy."

"It's good to see you too Steve." Steve smiled and looked at Peggy. She may have gotten old but she was still the same Peggy. Her eyes were bright and full of life, her hands soft.

"So, what did I miss?" Steve asked. Peggy smiled and sighed. She then began to tell him about her life. How she was devastated when his plane crashed, how they won the war, her marriage, the birth of her kids. She talked about founding S.H.I.E.L.D. and how it's grown. She began talking about what it was like to grow old when she asked for a glass of water. Steve turned and grabbed the glass of water by her desk. He turned back and handed her the glass. Her eyes met his and they widened. Steve frowned and asked, "Peggy?"

"Steve," she breathed, tears coming to her eyes. Oh, Steve thought. She doesn't remember. Pain lanced through his heart but he smiled.

"You're alive. Y-you came b-back."

"Yeah I'm here."

"It's been s-so long, so long."

"Well I couldn't leave my best girl, not when she owes me a dance," Steve repeated. He grasped her hand and she held him tightly. Steve pushed away the pain and asked Peggy about her life again. She only got to the part about her kids when she forgot again. Steve repeated his lines and continued to smile. Margret poked her head in about fifteen minutes later.

"Mom?" she asked.

"Oh sweetheart, look who's here! This is Steve, Captain America. Remember I told you about him," Peggy said. Margret smiled and nodded.

"I met him before he came in. I'm sorry mom, but we have to go."

"Oh can't you stay?"

"No, Robby and Sam are waiting for me at home. We'll come visit this weekend," Margret explained. Peggy nodded and turned to Steve.

"Will you come back?" she asked.

"As much as I can," Steve replied. He kissed her hand and stood up.

"Goodbye Peggy," Steve waved. Peggy waved and smiled. Steve followed Margret out of the home quietly, climbing into the car. Margret started the car and started driving.

"How many times did she forget?" Margret asked.

"Twice," Steve sighed. Margret flinched and frowned sadly.

"I'm sorry. She doesn't usually forget that much, maybe it's because your something new in her life." Steve looked at his hands, the pain in his heart heavy.

"Yeah, maybe," was all he said. The drive back to Margret's apartment was silent. Margret seemed to understand that Steve was hurt and didn't press or try to console him. Steve thanked Margret and told her he'd call when he was going to visit next. She gave him her phone number and invited him to eat dinner with them whenever he had a free night. Steve nodded and started up his motorcycle. He drove away, feeling numb and sorrowful. Steve got to his apartment quickly and changed into some work out clothes. He jogged to the gym across the street and went to his room that he'd paid for. He chained a sand bag up and took a deep breath.

With every punch and kick he landed, he expressed his pain. Pain that he was young and Peggy was old. Pain that he had missed her life. Pain that she forgot him. Pain that he'd never see his friends. Pain that he was alone.

Steve stood back, panting. He'd thrown three sand bags off the hook and they were strewn about the floor. He sighed and picked them up, placing them where they used to be. He grabbed his key and headed back to his apartment. Steve took a quick shower and let the warm water loosen his muscles. After his shower, Steve stepped out into his apartment and looked around. What now? he thought. He didn't have a mission, his feelings were there but he didn't know what to do with them. He had no idea what to do. I should probably look at my phone, Steve thought. He grabbed his phone and pressed the button to make the screen light up. He had two messages; one from Fury and one from Charlie. Charlie. Steve's heart pounded but he opened Fury's first. He had a mission tomorrow morning at six in the morning. He opened Charlie's next, feeling excited for the first time that day.

Hey Steve! Hope you got back safe, I assume you did or I would have heard it on the news. Anyways, I heard this song on the radio and wondered if you heard it. You probably have but I'm sending you a link anyways. Text me back or call me! I'll be up in the morning baking so you can call me then. Well that's all for now! Talk to you later!

Steve smiled and pressed on the link. The page changed to a picture of Kitty Kallen and Harry James. Music started coming from his phone and his eyes widened. A trumpet sang and an orchestra played. I know this song, Steve thought his eyes misting.

Never thought that you would be

Standing here so close to me

There's so much I feel that I should say

But words can wait until some other day

Kiss me once, then kiss me twice

It's been a long, long time

Haven't felt like this, my dear

Since I can't remember when

It's been a long, long time

You'll never know how many dreams

I've dreamed about you

Or just how empty they all seemed without you

So kiss me once, then kiss me twice

Then kiss me once again

It's been a long, long time

Steve walked to the kitchen and set his phone on the counter. It continued to play as Steve took a pan, eggs, milk, and cheese out of his kitchen. He began to make eggs and when the song ended, he replied to Charlie:

Thank you for the song. I will call you in the morning. –Steve

:) BTW the song that is playing is "It's been a long, long time" by Harry James and Kitty Kallen. Here's a link (hope it works) watch?v=vJFf29jUnrs