Disclaimer: I do not own Bioware or Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Stark Residence
"Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn't always roll that way. Maybe this time. I'm hoping if you play this back, it's in celebration. I hope families are reunited. I hope we get it back. And something like a normal version of the planet that has been restored. If there ever was such a thing. God, what a world. Universe, now. If you told me 10 years ago that we weren't alone, let alone to this extent, I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised but come one, who knew? The epic forces of darkness and light that have come to play.
And for better or worse, that's the reality Morgan's gonna have to find a way to grow up in. So, I thought I'd probably better record a little greeting in the case of an untimely death. On my part. Not that death at any time isn't untimely. This time travel thing that we're gonna try and pull off tomorrow, it's got me scratching my head about the survivability of it all. That's the thing. Then again, that's the hero gig, right? Part of the journey is the end. What am I even tripping for? Everything is gonna work out exactly the way it's supposed to." Tony got up and neared Morgan seemingly as she eyed her deceased father with uncertainty. "I love you 3000."
Tony's hologram turned off as Pepper sniffed softly.
The Avengers, Defenders, Elektra, Colleen and Davos, agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the X-Men, Xavier, Nick Fury, Maria Hill, the Guardians sans Gamora, Peter, Aunt May, Strange, Wong, Hank, Hope, Scott, Janet, Carol, the Bartons, T'Challa and his family, Bucky and even Secretary Thunderbolt Ross and Betty and the ones from Kirkwall were among the people attending the funeral for Tony.
"So, you're telling me that you spent the last five years in some land in Middle Ages?" Steve asked as Wanda summed up what had happened to her.
"Pretty much." Wanda said.
"So, you're the soldier out of time that Wanda told us about and the archer." Marian said as she neared him and Clint. "Marian Hawke."
"Steve Rogers."
"Clint Barton." They shook hands with her. "Wanda told us that you looked after her and took her in. Thank you."
"She seemed like a good but lost person." Marian said as Varric examined Clint's bow.
"That bow and the arrows are different… just like Bianca." Varric said.
"Who did you name the crossbow after?" Clint asked.
"Private stuff, Hawkman." Varric said. At first, he thought of giving Clint a nickname "Hawk", but that would feel strange, since that was Marian's, Carver's and Bethany's surname.
"So, you don't use lyrium, where you come from?" Anders asked as he and the other mages talked with Strange.
"We use no substance to fuel our powers." Strange explained before he created a Tao Mandala. "We simply harness dimensional energy from multiple realities and use it to use spells in various forms. Astral projection, teleportation, combat."
"Creators…" Merrill said, amazed.
"I've heard about this blood magic." Strange said, turning to Merrill in disapproval.
"I know its risks and I know what I'm doing." Merrill said.
Anders cringed, knowing that Merrill was getting herself in over her head. Strange and Wong looked like they were about to say something before Anders cut them off.
"I know what you're going to say. We'll keep an eye on Merrill." Anders assured as they nodded.
"Wanda told us about the other woman, who was with you and we've been told what she did for you." Aveline said. "I'm sorry your victory came at such cost."
Steve nodded before the Avengers later held a private memorial for Natasha as well.
"Don't blame yourself." Marian said, turning to Clint, who had tears in his eyes.
"It should've been me." Clint said.
"She sacrificed herself to save the many." Carver said. "And from what Wanda has told us, she loved you all, like if you were her family."
"How are we going to explain to everyone else where did we go?" Bethany asked.
"I'm sure Varric can come up with a good excuse." Marian chuckled as the ones from Kirkwall and Wanda laughed.
"Remember, you have to return the stones to the exact moment you got them or you're gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities." Bruce said, opening the case with the Infinity Stones.
"Don't worry, Bruce." Steve said, closing the case. "Clip all the branches."
"You know, I tried." Bruce said sadly. "When I had the Gauntlet, I really tried to ring her back." He and Steve looked solemn.
"You know, if you want, I could come with you." Sam offered as he and Bucky watched Steve enter the platform.
"You're a good man, Sam. This one's on me, though." Steve said before nearing Bucky. "Don't do anything stupid till I get back."
Bucky smiled, remembering the words he had told Steve, when he left with 107th before Steve became the Super Soldier, Captain America. "How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." Bucky said, repeating Steve's words as they hugged each other. "Gonna miss you, buddy."
"It's gonna be okay, Buck." Steve promised as he went onto the platform with the Stones and Mjolnir.
"How long is this gonna take?" Sam asked.
"For him, as long as he needs. For us, five seconds." Bruce explained. Steve picked Mjolnir as Bruce set the coordinates. "You ready, Cap?" Steve nodded. "All right, we'll meet you back here, OK?"
"You bet." Steve said.
"Going quantum. 3… 2… 1…"
Steve shrunk, diving through the quantum realm.
Steve travelled through time, returning each Infinity Stone and Mjolnir back to their respective places as he saved the Tesseract as the last.
1970, Camp Lehigh, New Jersey
Steve had returned all the Stones, save for the Tesseract, which he had saved as the last before returning to his "birthplace". Steve put the Tesseract back into the safe and stared at it, remembering how much pain it had brought him, grieving for Hunter, Vision and Tony as he put the cube in the safe before Steve heard 'click'.
"Drop the Tesseract and turn around. Now." A female voice with a British accent said, very familiar to Steve as he cursed himself for being careless. Steve slowly put the cube down and carefully turned around to face his old flame Peggy Carter with his hands behind his head as Peggy gasped in shock, dropping her gun, wondering if she had seen a ghost.
"Steve? But you're… how… what…" Peggy was unable to form words as she breathed out.
"I don't have much time to explain. I'm on a mission." Steve explained.
"Agent Carter. Is everything alright?" One of the agents peeked around the corner as Steve used his cap to cover his face, not wanting to be recognized.
"Fine. Everything's fine. Carry on." Peggy said after a moment, while not taking her eyes off Steve as the agent left.
"Thank you." Steve nodded gratefully.
"We should talk in private. Let's go to my office, we won't be disturbed there." Peggy said, well, more like ordered as Steve chuckled. Same old Peggy.
Steve followed her, knowing he owed her an explanation. He closed the safe as they stealthily snuck through the base, with Steve lowering his cap to hide his face and avoiding being recognized as they passed by Hank's office before they entered Peggy's office.
"How is this possible?" Peggy demanded, eyes filled with pain returning to surface that she had buried long ago, old wounds reopening.
"Peggy… it's complicated. I didn't die. I just went into ice and one day, in 2012, S.H.I.E.L.D. will find me and dig me out." Steve explained as Peggy looked completely baffled.
"Wait, you're saying that…" Peggy trailed off.
"I'm from the future. Around 50 years from today, to be precise." Steve nodded as Peggy took a moment to process the news.
"Then… how are you here? Now? In front of me?" Peggy asked as Steve shifted.
"Peggy, that's…" Steve took a breath. "That's a very long and complicated story."
"Well, I have no pressing matters to attend to for the next hour. Uncomplicate it." Peggy said as Steve chuckled again, missing her need for being authoritative as she crossed her arms.
Steve took a breath, telling her everything about how he had been found, S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury, the Avengers and Hydra, although he left out the part that they had infiltrated Hydra and multiple levels of government, the Sokovian Accords, the Avengers divided, Thanos, the Infinity Stones and how they had failed to stop the Decimation until they reversed it and defeated Thanos, at a high cost though before ending up to explaining why he had come here.
"You've… lived quite a life, Steve." Peggy said, once he was done and she took a few minutes to absorb what she had heard.
"For as long as I can remember, I've been trying to do the right thing. But honestly, lately I've been asking myself a lot what the right thing is. I'm not sure anymore. Good people, good friends gave up their lives. Tony, Nat… they made a huge sacrifice and Clint's retired, Thor may have left Earth for good… I just don't know what to do anymore. For the first time in years, I feel completely lost, just like when I woke up to find out that I was seventy years in the future." Steve said. "I mean… there's nothing… I have no duty… no mission… no purpose…"
"I think you need to get a life." Peggy pointed out as Steve smiled, remembering what Tony and Natasha often told him. "Look, Captain America was one of the greatest heroes that has ever lived. He defeated the Red Skull, won us the war but it was not Captain America I fell in love with but Steve Rogers. All those stories you've told me were about Captain America but what about Steve Rogers? Who is he? What does he want?"
Steve considered for a moment as he took a breath. "Honestly, I don't know what I want anymore."
Peggy held his chest. "Perhaps, instead of looking for the next mission, you should try to figure out, who you are outside of Captain America. Maybe it's time you stopped living as Captain America and lived as Steve Rogers again."
Steve narrowed his eyes as her words were echoing in his mind.
2023, Stark Residence
Steve had returned to the present as Bruce, Sam and Bucky wondered what happened to him as they saw the look in Steve's eyes like if he aged years before he told them that he planned to retire.
"Are you sure about this?" Bucky asked.
"For the past eleven years, I've lived as Captain America and not Steve Rogers. I need to figure out who that man is. And I can't do that, if I have this." Steve explained. "I hope…"
"I get it." Bucky nodded. "For years I was the Winter Soldier and I've been trying to figure out who Bucky Barnes was. If anyone understands, I do of all people. And yeah… for seventy years, I fought for Hydra's cause against my own will. And I'm tired of fighting."
"Thanks." Steve nodded, shaking his hand with Bucky.
"Same here." Bucky nodded. "Jerk."
"Punk." Steve quipped.
"Try it on." Steve offered, handing it to Sam, who considered as Bucky nodded.
Sam warily picked it up, not sure if he deserved it.
"How does it feel?" Steve asked.
"Like it's someone else's." Sam admitted.
"It isn't." Steve said as Sam took a breath and exhaled.
"Thank you. I'll do my best." Sam said, wanting to honor Captain America's legacy.
"That's why it's yours." Steve shook his hand with Sam.
"Take care." Bucky smiled as they hugged Steve.
"If you need me, call me." Steve offered.
"Goodbye." Sam said before Steve walked away, intending to leave his life as Captain America behind and discover who Steve Rogers is.
"I think it's time for you and your friends to return home, Marian Hawke." Strange said as he neared them.
"How do you know who we are?" Marian asked.
"I've seen the future." Strange said as he took a breath, ominous look in his eyes. "And let's just say that this is not the last time our paths are going to cross. But really, you can't stay here."
"What?" Isabela seemed taken aback. "But… what about those… cars or…"
"You heard the wizard, Rivaini. It's time to go." Varric said.
They turned to Wanda, looking sad as Wanda shared the same look. "I wish I could come but… this is my home."
Marian, Bethany and Carver nodded, smiling.
"We know." Marian nodded as they hugged Wanda tightly.
"For what it's worth, you'll always be our sister." Bethany said.
"Take care, Wanda." Carver said.
"Stay safe. All of you." Wanda said.
Strange created a portal as he accompanied them into Thedas.
"Wanda, do you plan on telling us what happened to you?" Sam asked.
"I will." Wanda promised.
Sometime later, Wanda sat down in her room and picked a pen before she started writing a book about "The Champion of Kirkwall" but she let herself out of the story, knowing that would be unbelievable.
Present
"So, one of the greatest heroes of the Scarlet Witch's world died in order to kill a being from beyond the skies by using magical stones that could destroy all life." Cassandra summed up. "Is that correct?"
"Indeed, Seeker." Varric said.
"Excuse me, if I am skeptical." Cassandra narrowed her eyes. "Although… I'll admit, some things… do add up with your story." Varric chuckled. "But that wasn't the last time you have met, was it?" Cassandra asked.
"She did visit us occasionally. Mostly out of friendship. But it wasn't until later, when the Avengers got involved." Varric said. "And as for the rest…"
As I have mentioned in my story "All for one", Steve's ending was rather disappointing and anticlimatic and it ruined his character development.
Steve had let go of Peggy long ago and made peace with the fact that he was a man out of time, as shown in Age of Ultron and he had formed a family with the Avengers and got Bucky back and he still had his friends in the present, despite that he had lost Tony and Nat, well, here just Tony. And he leaves them all behind for Peggy, creating an alternate timeline and risking erasing her children and grandchildren from existence and potentially dooming the timeline he has created when Thanos shows up and Captain America is not there to protect them?
While it would have made sense that he would want some closure, like how Thor did it with his mother Frigga and Tony with his father Howard, retiring in the past and dooming the future is not something Steve would do. It would've made more sense to have some closure and return to the present, retire and go on a journey of soul searching and self-discovery.
Didn't add Thor here, since only thing I can see is DA characters mocking Bro Thor and don't get me started on what a butt joke Bro Thor was. So, in this, Bro Thor did not join the Guardians but left to retrain himself and regain his muscles.
Now we're getting to Act 3, which is going to be the final one of the story.
So, what do you guys think about it?
Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far and want for me to continue.