Even at this point where everything is just dust and darkness, he knew he's gonna fight for it.Whatever it takes.
He can still remember the time when he and the other men training in the military base were thrown a fake grenade. He didn't think twice about laying on it, letting everyone run away, and he was still the helpless, skinny, miraculously-admitted-in-the-military Steve Rogers back then, without the super-soldier serum coursing through his veins.
Now, he's Captain America who saved his country by putting an end to HYDRA, survived in ice for seven decades, fought different villainous species through the course of years in the present, led the avengers and practically saved the world countless of times but he's still the same kind soul he always has been. Not even once did he think gigantic of himself to brag about the things he has done, because he didn't want to be remembered that way. He wanted to be remembered and taken inspiration from for being a kind person, to prove others that they don't need to have superpowers or an indestructible shield or specialized weapons to help. They just need a kind heart that will sign up for anything good.
And this... all of this (which is probably gonna put an end to him) is everything that fed the good in him to be better and better every day. This is family, and he will never think twice about it. Dying for them would just have to be the best way to lose his breath because at least that way, he will have one last common thing to share with the love of his life.
He vowed to be with her again, and he will definitely do it in every way possible. One of them being his most perceivable fate just about now—dying in this war.
He'd die fighting.
There was no one else he could see. Thor and Tony are both disarmed and tired. He's the only one standing and his shield has been cracked, but he just decided not to give up on this. So with his last hope, he uttered a silent prayer. And that is to take his soul wherever Natasha is if his destiny leads to death and to guide the rest of the team with their journey without him. Then he picked his shield up, planning to run and face the enemies alone, but the light shone through the darkness another time, and this time it gave him more hope than he had.
Portals from the past have opened in the field, every single person they lost all coming back at once, radiating every different power and rage that they have. T'Challa stepped in front of his men, and yelled the words of bravery and hope as everybody else came out from the portals. Steve felt like his battery was charged a hundred percent instantly, as he looked athis family.
And with one single nod for his fellowmen, he yelled out their spirit. It's the last time he will ever get to say the word, and now is the time when it felt incomplete, because a certain someone would always be beside him when he call on the team, but now she's nowhere near him.
"Avengers!" He yelled, imagining that Nat is just there, pretending that she'd fight with all she's got, too, and so he summoned the Mjolnir, gripping on it as he filled it with conviction.
Ride or die.
"Assemble."
Then it was a tangle of different voices, flying machines, a pegasus, orange and red reflections of glowing lights coming from the sorcerers and the Scarlet Witch. Up the sky glowed a blinding beam that came with Carol Danvers as she destroyed Thanos' ship. The war for sure mirrored a yearning tomorrow and it led to that. They won.
But they lost both Natasha and Tony in the process.
It's funny how in their first fight together as the six original avengers, Tony and Nat were the ones putting their lives on the line. Natasha held the scepter that could close the portal and Tony delivered the bomb that could destroy all of New York inside that same portal while the remaining four of them watched, battling which creatures there still remained to fight. Ever since day one, they already owe it to their heart - Tony, and their soul - Natasha.
If Stark still had the time and the strength in his last moments to tell them, he would've requested Natasha to be buried alongside him, to remember what they have done not just for the family but for the whole universe. But now, they stood aside as Pepper put theproof that Tony Stark has a hearton top of his coffin as they said their last goodbye, and there wasn't even a single piece of a sentimental object that they could bring for Nat's memorial. She didn't leave anything memorable to her other than than the fact that the family she tried to get back are now all safe and sound, and the only guy she ever loved is standing in front of all of them. Nothing tangible is really left for him to cry over, but that didn't mean that he's not mourning.
They've been through all of it already, and more than winning the war, getting their family back is the biggest victory. However, when he was able to absorb everything that happened, it struck him that they lost some important people, too, while fighting. Yes, those lives saved a billion others, but those lives also meant the world to him. Tony, being his best friend after his father, and Nat, his eternal love. It would have to take longer for him to glue himself together piece by piece but he's the only one now that they trust to fix everything—just like he always did.
If he doesn't return the stones to where they got them, then there'd be a mess of a million other timelines and they can't truly call themselves victorious if that transpires.
So with the same quantum suit he wore when they made a gamble with time, he once again stood above the time machine that Bruce took some time to set up after their facility got struck by a raging ball of fire that came from up the atmosphere. This is the last mission he will ever have: return the stones. And he can either get back after a few seconds being his same, young self, or he could live a lifetime back in the past just like Tony had advised him.
He spared one last glance to Bruce, Sam, and Bucky, who he all had said goodbye to before the helmet crept up to cover his whole head
And at the count of three, he wasn't there anymore.
"...And returning in five, four, three, two, one," said Banner as he pushed the button that should get Steve back, but to everyone's surprise, he didn't appear where he stood five seconds ago.
Sam immediately went aggressive. "Where is he?" He asked.
Bruce almost got a heart attack for a second there. "I don't know... he blew right by his time stamp. He should be here.'
"Well, get him back." Sam half-yelled.
"I'm trying!"
Unbeknownst to the two of them, Bucky already turned around after he noticed a familiar stance nearby. Grey head and a brown leather jacket, overseeing the lake.
"Sam..." he whispered, making Sam and Bruce stop the screaming match. Bucky slowly walked a few steps closer and when he was sure who it was, he let Sam have the way.
He got to the bench, surprised and amused of the unusual sight.
"Cap?"
The old man, now having more wrinkles and soggy skin, smiled at him. And he still looked ever so gorgeous.
"Hi, Sam."
"Did... something go wrong or did something go right?"
Steve had this genuine smile of his face. "Well, after I put the stones back, I thought, maybe I'll try some of that life Tony was telling me."
His now younger friend felt thankful with that. "How did that work out for you?"
And with lingering nostalgia in his eyes, he answered, "it was beautiful."
"I'm happy for you, truly." He replied, which Steve thanked. "Only thing bumming me out is the fact I have to live in a world without Captain America."
"Oh, that reminds me."
The age-old Captain America lifted his shield for one last time and handed it to Sam, with Bucky watching just right beside them. It did give The Falcon an overwhelming amount of honor that it even felt unrighteous for him to be the one holding the shield. Like it was not his to wield. But when he said he'd do his best, Steve affirmed that that was the reason why he chose him to have it.
That legacy was passed down with a handshake, and Sam got the opportunity to see the shining golden band around his best friend's ring finger. The trail of tears were almost impossible to hold back but thanks to that, his joy was added with a little bit of fluster and silliness.
"You wanna tell me about her?" He smiled, wanting to still tease the then virgin soldier who's now spent his lifetime with his most epic love.
"No..." he beamed, shaking his head. "No, I don't think I will."
A split second after the old captain said that, their ears were immediately bugged by a rash sound that ruined the peace of the place. It's the noise of a black race car that an approaching woman in an all-black attire was driving.
All of their eyes stuck on that person, as she went out from the vehicle. Red hair fixed in a single braid across her head with the ends falling perfectly on her left shoulder. Black skinny jeans and black leather jacket that highlighted her glowing green eyes even more, and when she faced Steve and the three other guys, she had thisvery familiargrin on her face.
A grin that was meant for the oldest guy in the group.
Then, she opened her perfect mouth, letting her gravelly voice be heard as she looked directly at Steve Rogers.
"I've been waiting for you."