Author's note: This is a post Endgame Romanogers story. So HEAVY, HEAVY SPOILERS for Endgame. Seriously, if you haven't seen the movie, click back. Do not read. If you're like me and weren't quite satisfied with the endings for Natasha and Steve, then I hope you enjoy this fix. This is the first of what I think will be two parts; this part is heavy on the HOW Nat comes back. It's almost exclusively from Steve's POV, since his state of mind is crucial. There is a pretty significant Steggy scene; I just felt that it needed to be in there in order to get to where I wanted to go. I also may have played a bit fast and loose with the so called rules of time travel, but it's my story and I do what I want. LOL I'm hoping to get the second part out within a week or so; that one will be Romanogers heavy. I just needed get the plotty things out of the way. I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: Just funning with them, I promise!
Chapter 1
Steve stepped onto the platform, surveying the world one last time. Bruce wasn't even paying attention to him, focused instead on the instruments that would send Steve back into the past. Sam still looked a bit worried but hopeful, almost as if he knew what Steve was thinking. Steve was pretty sure Bucky knew exactly what was going on in his head, despite never saying a word. He ignored the twinge of guilt that twisted in his gut; these were his friends. His family, in so many ways.
Family.
Unbidden, an image of Natasha fluttered before his eyes. The wave of grief that flooded him nearly broke his resolve; he missed her so much. But Nat would want him to be happy. Wasn't she always telling him to get a life? You first.
Well, he was planning on doing just that.
The quantum suit wrapped around him; he hefted Mjolnir. The hammer felt featherlight; it was still slightly mindboggling that it responded to him. During the battle with Thanos, he hadn't thought much about it, but now…it was something. He nodded once to Sam, then suddenly he was gone, sucked into the quantum realm. He planned this trip carefully, knowing he needed to get each stone back to its proper place with as little traveling as possible. He had plenty of Pym particles, but he didn't want to waste them. What if something went wrong, like it had in New York? No, better to be safe than sorry.
Asgard 2013
He landed rather abruptly, his boots jolting on the ground. Steve quickly pressed the button that retracted the suit, revealing his Captain America outfit. After his previous trips, the disorientation was minimal, but he still looked around in wonder for a moment. He'd heard Thor speak about his home many times, but even that had not done Asgard justice. Everything glittered; it was light and airy and cavernous. He could see why his friend missed this place so much. It was a lovely home.
But Steve had a job to do. He crept through the halls, seeking Jane Foster. Rocket had given him the precise location; Steve took a right, then a left, then another left. The door to her room was ajar; he prayed she was still asleep. Steve reached into his pocket; it took him moment to find the right tool. He pressed one of the enlargement disks to it and it swelled to its full size. Only when that was finished did he extract the Infinity Stone from the specially made briefcase. As silently as he could, Steve crept into the room. A breeze made the curtains flutter and Jane Foster laid on the chaise, fast asleep. Thank God. Steve placed the Reality Stone into the extractor and pressed the button to reverse the flow. The stone seemed to melt into its natural state, a red angry liquid. It felt wrong to be cursing Jane with the Aether once again, but Thor had assured him that Jane would be safe. She could handle it.
It was done in a matter of seconds.
Task complete, Steve tip toed out of the room. He still had one more thing to do in this time.
"You're a friend of my son."
Steve froze. He didn't know the voice, but he knew who it belonged to. Frigga, Thor's mother. Rocket had confided what happened during the Time Heist; Steve knew how much it meant to Thor to have another moment with his mother. Steve himself had lost both his parents when he was young; he still missed them, all these years later. So much loss. Slowly, he turned. She was just as beautiful as her son described. "Your Majesty."
Frigga smiled. "You're not going to ask how I knew?"
Steve shook his head. "Thor always said you were the cleverest person in Asgard."
"How is he?"
"Good. I think he's going to be okay." He still felt guilty about not checking on his friend more over the last five years. Thor had been in so much pain; they just…left him to his own devices. He should have done more. Now, Thor had gone off with Rocket and Quill and the other Guardians. Steve hoped he found what he was looking for.
Frigga seemed to sense his inner turmoil. She stepped forward and placed her hand on Steve's arm. "You can not save everyone. No one can."
"Doesn't mean we shouldn't try."
Frigga glanced down at his hand, the one that still carried Mjolnir. "My son must trust you very much."
Steve actually found himself flushing a bit. "It's been an honor, one I didn't ask for."
Frigga tilted her head, her eyes gentle and motherly. "You never do. But it always seems to find you…"
"Steve, Steve Rogers."
"Steve." If she thought his name strange, she gave no sign. Steve liked her; he could see so much of her in Thor. "I wish you luck on your quest. There is so much more for you to do."
"Thank you, ma'am."
"A friend of my son may call me Frigga."
"Frigga." He was surprised when she hugged him; Steve blinked back tears as he hugged her back. A simple thing, but it meant so much. He'd been so lonely, for so long.
"Thor's rooms are that way," she whispered as she released him. Steve took the hint, slipping through the corridors. Best to get this done quickly, before the Thor of this time actually needed his beloved hammer.
"Thanks, buddy," Steve murmured, as he laid the weapon to rest. "I'll miss you." Before he could change his mind, he pressed the button to summon his quantum suit and took the next leap.
New York 2012
He returned the Mind Stone first. Since Steve was the one who stole it, he knew exactly where to return it. This time when he stopped the elevator, he slipped inside, fingers twitching behind his shield. The silence was eerie but no one spoke. As the elevator resumed its descent, Steve flicked a small electromagnetic pulse at the control box, bringing the elevator to a stop. Another one dropped to the floor shocked his Hydra companions into unconsciousness before they could react, giving him the time swap out the stone. One engorging disc later, the scepter was returned to its case and he was gone, slipping out of the emergency exit. Somewhere downstairs Loki was getting away with the Tesseract, but he didn't see how he could fix that. He had his own Tesseract to deal with.
Not yet.
First, he had to make a visit to Bleecker Street.
Steve found the entity Banner referred to as the Ancient One waiting patiently on the roof. "You're not Bruce Banner."
Steve stepped forward. "No, but I'm a friend. I've been tasked with keeping his promise."
"I know exactly who you are, Steve Rogers."
Steve blinked. Bruce hadn't mentioned how creepy the Ancient One could be. "Oh. Right."
"You have the Time Stone?"
Steve opened the briefcase, extracting the shiny green stone. "I have to admit, I thought this would be harder."
The Ancient One did some mystical magic stuff—Steve still wasn't sure how that worked—to open the Eye. The Time Stone left his grip, floating back into its original place. Once the Eye was closed again, the Ancient One smiled. "Thank you, Captain. You've saved many lives, and not just in your reality."
"Somehow, it doesn't feel like enough." There were still losses. Tony, Loki, Heimdall, Vision, Nat. See you in a minute, she'd said. He could still see her little smirk before they all zipped through time. His heart twisted; why did it have to be her? Why did it have to be anyone? Why was the price so damn high?
"I would think that you—more than most—would understand the value of sacrifice."
"Just because I understand it doesn't make it fair."
The Ancient One softened. "No, not much in life is fair. In five years, Stephen Strange will suffer a horrible loss. And yet, he comes out of it better than he was before. Perhaps not as he imagines, yet as he needs. So, it will be for you, Steve Rogers."
"How do you know what I need?"
"Not what. Who. You still have much to do, Captain."
Before he could reply, she turned and opened a portal, disappearing before his eyes. Okay, so that was weird. With his job in New York done, it was time to move on. Steve punched in his next set of coordinates and took a deep breath. He'd been dreading this jump since Bruce explained they needed to return all the stones. He wasn't ready. Then again, he wasn't sure he would ever be ready. Best just to get it over with then.
Camp Lehigh 1970
Tony located the Tesseract deep in the bowels of the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility; Peggy's office was on a completely different level. He just had to get in, get out, and move on. No wandering, no detours. This has been easier when he didn't know Peggy was on the premises. He just had to remember that this Peggy wasn't his Peggy. He'd been seeing Peggy—his Peggy—soon enough.
Steve took a bit more care with his disguise this time; if anyone recognized him, he didn't have Loki's scepter to make them forget. Rather than a some non-descript soldier, he wore the uniform of an MP. If his luck held, no one would look twice at him. He knew the layout of the base perfectly, not just because he trained here, but because he and Nat nearly died here. Steve clenched his jaw, frustrated. Why did he have to think of her now? This place carried enough ghosts; he didn't want Nat to be here too. She deserved better.
Steve managed to find the storage room easily enough. Recreating the Tesseract was harder; Bruce gave him a device that should do it. He extracted it from his belt—thank god for Scott and his Ant Man gear—and set to work.
For a man out of time, Steve was very adaptable. He took to modern technology fairly easily; if someone explained how something worked, he could figure it out. A consequence of the serum? Who knew. He'd never gotten the chance to ask Dr. Erskine. Another person lost. From the very beginning, he just seemed to lose. Perhaps not battles, but people. Would it ever end? Was this his destiny? Just once, could he get something back?
You got Bucky back, he scolded himself as the instrument did its work. Steve glanced around occasionally to make sure he was still alone. It was late in the afternoon; most people were heading home for the day. If he was lucky, he could get out before anyone noticed he was there. Yes, he'd gotten Bucky back, but at what cost? He'd hardly seen his friend since Steve discovered he was alive. Between the brainwashed Winter Soldier and recovering in Wakanda, Bucky had been through more than anyone should have to take. And now Steve was abandoning him, just when they could have truly reconnected. He was losing Bucky all over again.
Steve stood abruptly, clenching his fist. Why was this so difficult? Didn't he deserve to be happy? To have a life? Steve didn't want to admit it, but there was a part of him that was jealous of Tony. He got to marry the love of his life. He got to have a family. It was the life Steve always dreamed about, a life with Peggy. When he went into the ice, it was stolen from him. This was his chance to get it back.
Voices got his attention. Steve shrank back into the shadows, throwing a cloth over the now glowing Tesseract. His breaths were shallow, his heart racing. The voices grew closer; Steve retreated deeper into the darkness.
"Has anyone seen Howard? Honestly, why does he think his money can keep him on this project?"
Steve closed his eyes. Peggy. Of course, it was Peggy. The universe hated him that much. Still, if he stayed back, he needn't see her. He listened hard, waiting for the telltale clack of her heels to recede. Confident he was now alone, Steve yanked the Tesseract free of the device and hurried to shove it back into the case Tony had stolen it from. Unfortunately, he'd misjudged the weight of the case and it slammed shut. The sound echoed down the corridor and Steve winced.
"Damn it," he muttered. But his job was done. He could go.
"Howard? Is that you?"
Steve ducked back into his dark corner, but he tripped on a stool. He stopped himself from crying out, but just barely. All he had to do was punch in the coordinates, then he would be gone. Click, clack, click, clack. "Come on," he muttered, fumbling with his time travel GPS. "Come on." But his mind was blank. Being this close to Peggy again was messing with his head; he couldn't think. The stones, he thought frantically. You need to return the stones.
"I know you're out there," came Peggy's crisp English accent. God, he'd missed the sound of her voice. "Show yourself."
Steve remained motionless, knowing he had to go, but not able to. She was so close. She has a family, a husband here, he reminded himself. You don't belong. No, he may not belong here, but if he went back far enough…
Something metallic pressed into his back. "Hands. Slowly."
Steve closed his eyes and raised his hands. He swallowed, his brain frantically trying to find a way out.
"Turn around." He did as he was bid. Could he knock her out? He could, but Steve knew he wouldn't. He couldn't. It was Peggy. Steve tried to keep his face averted, but her surprised gasped broke his heart. "Steve?"
Reluctantly, he raised his eyes to hers. "Hey, Peggy."
Her eyes welled with tears; her chin wobbled. Slowly, her hand cupped his smooth cheek. He could feel her trembling. "How?"
"It's a long story."
She traced the line of his jaw; how many times had he dreamed about her touching him like this? The last woman to touch him was Nat, tending wounds sustained against an enemy he couldn't even remember. She looked after him, even when he didn't want her too. Peggy offered him a small smile. "I've got all the time in the world."
Steve sighed; she had no idea how loaded that phrase was for him. "I'm on a mission, Peg. I don't exactly have time to chat." Besides, if everything went to plan, he'd be seeing her soon enough. Not this Peggy, but his Peggy.
Peggy narrowed her eyes at him. She looked him up and down; he struggled not to fidget. She always had a way of seeing through him. "You're not my Steve, are you?"
Why did she have to be so smart? He should just punch in the coordinates for 2014 Morag and just go, but the weight of all he'd been through pressed on his chest. And here was Peggy, looking both relieved and incredulous to see him. "Not exactly." The hell with it. "I'm from the future."
Her brows knitted. "The future?"
"Like I said, it's a long story."
"One it looks like you need to tell."
"Peggy…" He thought about Sam and Bucky and Bruce, waiting for him back in 2023. How long will it take? As long as he needs. Granted, Steve wasn't going back to his friends, but it wasn't wise to linger. Was it?
"Steve, talk to me. I think I deserve an explanation, especially since you're on my base."
That made the corner of his lips twitch. So fiery, his Peggy. "Alright, but I don't have a lot of time."
Peggy led them into an abandoned office nearby, shutting the door behind them. "Now, Captain, shall we?"
Despite the situation, Steve couldn't help but smile. He'd missed her so damn much. Her look was very much of the era, but he could still see the woman he knew behind her eyes. "Where do you want me to start?"
"How about at the beginning?"
"You know that part."
Peggy actually rolled her eyes at him. It reminded him forcefully of Natasha. She didn't think his form of humor very funny either. Still, he enjoyed needling her. Enjoyed, past tense. Thanks to Thanos, he would never needle Natasha Romanoff again.
"Steve? What's wrong?"
Steve tried to pull himself together. He didn't break down like this. "What's not wrong," he muttered, roughly running his fingers through his hair. He wasn't a complainer, but God, he was so tired. Tired and lonely. One of his best friends was dead. So was Nat. So much sacrifice. When did it end?
"Talk to me. Please."
He began, slowly, haltingly. He told her everything (well, almost, he wasn't that crazy), from going down in the ice, to waking up in another century, to fighting aliens. He spoke of his new friends, his new family, the Avengers. Peggy's eyes shined with tears as he spoke of Tony, their friend Howard's pride and joy. Thor, the god from another world. Bruce, the scientist and the monster. Clint, Rhodey, Sam, Wanda, T'Challa, the kid from Queens, Peter. When he got to Bucky, his throat closed up, the emotion of finding his greatest friend after all those years choking him. Peggy slipped her hand into his, silently offering him what comfort she could. Bucky inevitably led to Natasha; she'd been his rock through that particular hell. At the last moment, he bit back any mention of HYDRA; this Peggy couldn't know about that. Hell, there were probably HYDRA agents on this base, but he couldn't do anything about that.
"We were on the run for a while, me and Sam and Nat. Doing what we could."
"Yes, I'm sure you did. You wouldn't be the Steve Rogers I know if you didn't."
He squeezed her hand. "It was hard. I even grew a beard."
Peggy gave him a wry grin. "I would have loved to see that."
"Nat said it made me look like a nomad."
Peggy's eyes flickered over his face. "It sounds like you were very close."
Steve glanced away. Thinking about Natasha hurt somewhere deep inside; it was still so hard to believe she was gone. It would never forget the look on her face when she found he and Sam, after he broke everyone out of the Raft. How she'd found him, he never asked. He didn't need to. He'd gotten used to her doing the impossible. Natasha was always ready with a quip or a wry grin, cutting through the tension and boredom of their self-imposed exile from the world. He wasn't sure he would have made it without her. Sam was an amazing friend, but Nat was special. What had she said? Being an Avenger made her better. Being around her made life worth living; she was a beacon through the bad times, always by his side.
He missed her so much.
Unbidden, a tear slid down his cheek. "Yeah, Nat was…well, she was Nat. She was a spy, like you." He took a deep breath. "But she was more than that. She was loyal and kind, but funny, you know? And she never took anyone's shit." He could almost see her, eyebrow arched, hands on her hips, silently ready to take on whatever came their way.
"What happened to her?"
"She…she died. God, Peggy, she died. She gave her life for one of these damn stones," he gestured toward the briefcase, "all to bring her family back. We were her family and we just let her…" He couldn't even imagine what it had been like for Clint, watching Nat sacrifice herself. It was too horrible and so unfair…the dam of grief broke and Steve buried his face in his hands. Nat. Tony. Thor. Clint. Bruce. They'd all lost so much.
Peggy stood and wrapped her arms around Steve, holding him as let it out. She'd never seen him break down like this, not even when Bucky died. Wait, Bucky was still alive in his world, right? Much of the details were spinning in her head; it was a lot to take in. She could hardly believe that Steve was here at all; she was convinced she would wake up soon. This wasn't a Steve she knew; this one was perilously close to breaking. Steve Rogers was the strongest person she knew; it had nothing to do with the serum. Dr. Erskine had chosen Steve for a reason; his strength was one of the things she loved about him.
"I didn't know your Natasha, but I don't think she would say you let her do anything," Peggy murmured softly. "She did what she had to for the people she loved."
Steve sucked in a deep breath; his chest hurt. "She was supposed to have a life. We promised each other we'd get a life."
Peggy settled back on the stiff metal chair. Her eyes were filled with sympathy and sadness. "You cared for her very much."
Steve looked away, embarrassed by his outburst. He roughly scrubbed under his eyes with his sleeve. "Of course, I did. She was my friend."
Peggy smiled, but it was a sad and resigned sort of smile. "Steve, she was more than your friend. Or your teammate. I saw you lose your oldest and best friend in the world and this was not how you reacted."
"A lot has changed since then, Peggy."
"Yes, it has. I'm so happy for you, Steve."
His brow knitted in confusion. "How in the hell was any of that happy? I've done nothing but fight since I got out of the ice. It's exhausting. I'm so damn tired, Peg. All I've ever wanted was a family, someone to love, a home. I've never had that, not since…" The you went unsaid. All of that had ever been a dream with Peggy, their time cut cruelly short. But it didn't have to be a dream anymore. He could leave here, finish righting the timelines, then go to her. He could have the life he'd always wanted.
Then why the hell did he feel so guilty?
"You miss her. You wanted those things…with her. Natasha. Only—stubborn arse that you are—you wouldn't allow yourself to want it. It's written all over your face. You love her."
Love, present tense. "That's ridiculous. We were friends, Peggy. That's all." He stood, marching away from her.
"You're a terrible liar."
Steve growled under his breath; Nat used to say that to him too. She saw right through him, just like Peggy. Growing up, Steve had always been shy and awkward around girls, mostly out of self-defense. Like he'd told Peggy long ago, girls didn't want to dance with the guy they might step on. But he'd never been shy or awkward with Natasha. At first, it was because she was his teammate, his co-worker at S.H.I.E.L.D. Gradually, he got to know her, and he liked what he saw. He knew Nat had done some terrible things, but he didn't see any of that when he looked at her. All he saw was a woman doing her best, making the people around her better. A leader. A friend. The person he wanted at his side in a tough spot and the person he wanted to joke with about it after. And she was beautiful, inside and out.
Abruptly, Steve punched the nearest flat surface, leaving a deep dent in the wall. Suddenly, everything made sense. The grief, the confusion, the loneliness. For years, Nat had been there; she'd seen him at his best and his worst. God, he loved her. That's why it hurt so much. He didn't just lose a friend. He lost the woman he loved. Again.
"Steve, it's alright. You moved on. There's no shame in that."
"I love you, too, Peggy." If she was going to force him to see something he'd buried for so long, then he needed her to know that. No matter what, he'd never stopped loving the woman in front of him. His first love.
She stepped closer, gently curling her fingers around his, a tender smile on her lips. "I've waited a long time to hear you say that."
"Sorry, I took so long."
"Oh Steve." She squeezed his hand. "I will love you all my life, my dearest. But you're not mine any longer. You belong to someone else."
"She's gone, Peggy. Nothing can bring her back. But…"
Peggy's head tilted. "But what?"
He felt a little sick even saying it, but Nat would want him to be happy, right? "It might not be too late for us. This time travel thing…"
Peggy stepped back. "I have a husband, Steve. Children."
"I know. I would never ask that of you. I can't stay here anyway. It would create another branch reality, something I'm trying to fix." No, he needed to go even further back, before HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D., before all of it. Yes, it would create another reality, but one that would cause the least damage. Perhaps someday he'd even find his way back to his friends. For right now, he needed this. He'd never taken anything for himself; just this once, he wanted to be happy.
"What do you mean?"
As succinctly as he could, he described his mission with the Infinity Stones. "I have two left after this, Peg. The Power Stone and the Soul Stone. Once I return them, I can find you. Not this you, but…I could go back. To after the war, after I…disappeared. We could be happy."
Peggy looked skeptical. "But what would that do? Create one of these branch realities? Or ruin the future?"
"I'm not sure," Steve admitted. He thought he understood how this worked, but he wasn't Tony or Bruce. He didn't know for sure. "But isn't it worth it? Aren't we worth it?"
"And what about your friends? Bucky?"
"The Earth has plenty of defenders; they don't need me. As for Bucky, he would understand." Steve was sure Bucky would understand; they were both men out of time.
Peggy crossed her arms over her chest. "And what about Natasha?"
"What about her? She's dead, Peggy. I can't bring her back. Bruce tried, okay? He had the gauntlet, the most powerful weapon in the universe, and he couldn't bring her back! What the hell could I possibly do? I can't fix this! I can't tell her…she's gone, and it hurts."
"And you think running is the answer? You were right, before. You're not my Steve. My Steve would never give up on someone he loved. Not ever."
Steve ground his teeth; she just didn't understand. He reached for the briefcase and shook it. "It's in here. The Soul Stone. Nat gave her life so that we could save everyone. It's an exchange, Peg. You give up something you love. Thanos sacrificed his own daughter for it. Clint and Nat went to Vormir and only Clint came back. So, tell me, how would you suggest I fix that?" He was angry now, downright pissed. Everything he felt for Natasha Romanoff came bubbling up to the surface, feelings that laid buried for too long. He'd wasted so much time. It was the story of his life. First with Peggy, then Sharon, now Nat. Nat hurt so much more because she didn't know. She didn't know how Steve felt, because he hadn't recognized it himself. If he didn't allow himself to love someone, then he couldn't lose them.
Or so he'd deluded himself.
If only Tony could see him now.
Peggy lifted her chin, her hands on her hips. It hurt seeing Steve in so much pain; she had to do something. Part of her desperately wanted what he offered—she'd missed him so much—but that would be selfish. How could she take him from everyone he cared about? How could either of them live in a world where terrible things happened and not do something? It was why she'd volunteered during the war. Steve was the same. Neither one could look the other way, not if they could help. It was simply who they were. There was something about the future he was keeping from her and she was grateful. Just having this moment with him was a gift. She didn't need anything more.
"Eyes up, soldier."
Steve blinked; Peggy hadn't spoken to him like that in a long time. It was like no time had passed, Peggy in her SSR uniform, ordering men about with crisp efficiency. "Peggy…"
She wouldn't back down. "I said, eyes up." Once he obeyed her, she fixed him with a hard stare. "Now you listen to me. I don't pretend to understand everything you've told me about space and magic. But it seems logical to me that an exchange goes both ways. If you return the Stone, you should get something in return."
Steve shook his head. "I don't think it's that easy. Clint said it was everlasting."
"But you don't know. Steve, I think you should try. For Natasha. For your friends. And for yourself. You deserve to be happy."
A single tear slipped down his cheek. "I never told her, Peggy. We've always been friends. Ever since Thanos…it's been really hard. But I should have told her. Hell, I didn't even realize it, but I still should have told her." Even as a friend. He should have let her know every day, how much he cared. But he'd been lost too. He distinctly recalled the last private conversation they had together; he played her words over and over in his head. They could have had a life. Together. Why had he been so blind?
"It's not too late."
"How do you know?"
"Because I get to have this moment with you. Steve, I never thought I would see you again. It was so bloody hard at first." She took a deep breath, emotions she'd suppressed bubbling up to the surface. She loved her husband and her children; she loved her life. But part of her would always love Steve Rogers. "I didn't want to believe you were gone. Eventually, I had to let you go. It was the hardest thing I've ever done."
"I'm so sorry, Peggy."
"Don't you dare apologize!" she snapped. "Don't you dare!" Her life would have been so much worse without Steve in it. His belief in her helped her believe in herself. His memory got her through when nothing else could. When she faced a hard choice, she asked herself, "what would Steve do?" He would always do what was right, no matter the cost. She'd helped build S.H.I.E.L.D. in that image. This man helped her find her purpose; she loved him for it. Now, she had to help him find his again. "I don't regret a single minute; do you hear me? Not one! But we have to move on, Steve. Our time passed. I can't let you do this."
"Peggy, don't you understand? This is our second chance! We could have the life we always dreamed of!"
"But at what cost?" she countered hotly. "Tell me, would you be truly happy standing on the sidelines? Watching as bad things happened? Things you knew you could stop? You've been given an extraordinary gift, Steve. I won't have you waste it."
"It's not your choice!"
"Oh, but it is." Tears shined in her eyes, but she knew she was making the right choice. It felt like letting him go all over again, but there were others who needed him. And he needed his Natasha. She'd given him something, something to believe in. Peggy was so grateful to this woman, despite never meeting her. Steve deserved to be loved for everything that he was. "This is not who you are, Steve. The man I love would not turn his back. He would never give up. She needs you. Your world needs you. I would never forgive myself if I kept you from your family."
"Peggy, I…" He trailed off, because deep down, he knew she was right. Peggy was always right. She knew him better than he knew himself. "I'm sorry," he said, softly. "I shouldn't have burdened you with this."
Her face softened. "Knowing that you will have a life with people who love you as I do is more than enough."
He thought about Sam and Bucky, Wanda and T'Challa, Bruce and Clint. Little Morgan. God, how would that little girl know how amazing her father was? The loss of Tony still made his chest ache. It wasn't fair. What kind of friend would he be if he turned his back on people who needed him? "What if I can't get her back?"
"You will."
"Because I'm Captain America?"
"No. Because you are Steve Rogers, the best man I've ever known. If anyone can do it, you can."
Slowly, he nodded. He'd lingered long enough. It was time to get going. "Peggy, I…"
"I know." She stepped forward and gently lowered his head to kiss his brow. "Go get 'em."
Once again, his throat closed; how could he say goodbye to Peggy? Tears pricked his eyes, but he blinked them away. She was looking at him with such pride; he couldn't let her down. He couldn't let Nat down. Steve nodded once, then punched in the coordinates to 2014 Morag. The quantum suit came around him and then he was gone, sucked into the bright light of the quantum realm.
Morag 2014
Steve grunted a little as he landed hard. The ground under him was rockier than he expected. Nebula and Rhodey said they'd knocked Quill out before going to steal the Power Stone; if he was lucky Quill would still be unconscious. Then he could return the Stone before Quill even knew anything was amiss. Steve switched on his tracker, locating the temple easily enough. He had to keep moving; it was easier than thinking about what lay behind and ahead. Seeing Peggy again, talking to her, felt like a blessing and curse. It was all he'd wanted since he woke up in the twenty first century, all he'd allow himself to want. But she'd forced him to face the truth. He'd moved on, without meaning to. Steve had clung to Peggy's memory like a shield, using it to keep his heart safe. Or so he'd believed. In truth, he'd given it to another. He wanted so badly to believe he could bring Natasha back.
No, he would bring her back. Failure was not an option.
Returning the Power Stone to its rightful place was the easiest trip so far. Using some alien tech that Carol had given him, he placed the sphere back into the energy shield. Painfully simple for something so powerful. Job done, Steve reached for his GPS. And hesitated. She needs you. Could he bring Natasha back? He needed to believe it, or he wasn't sure what he would do. There was so much left unsaid between them; he needed another chance to make it right. He needed her to know how he felt. He couldn't lose the woman he loved. Not again.
"Get it together, Rogers," he muttered to himself. He could almost hear Nat scolding him for talking to himself like some old fart. Yes, he had no doubt she would be rather amused by all this.
It was time. Steve punched in the coordinates to Vormir, his other hand gripping the briefcase tightly as he was sucked once more into the quantum realm.
Vormir 2014
It was dark. Steve pressed the button on his suit, retracting the it to reveal his Captain America suit. He could see the mountain Clint spoke of in the distance; Rocket's ship wasn't far away. There were two set of tracks; Steve followed them up the mountain. It was steep, but he hardly felt it. Did either Clint or Nat know what awaited them on this mountain? When he reached the top, he heard voices, angry desperate voices.
Oh god.
The black clad sentinel stood at the edge of the cliff; Steve hung back. It took all his self-control to stay back. It was shredding his heart, but he couldn't stop what was about to happen. It should have been me. Clint and Nat fought over who would sacrifice themselves; Steve never expected this. He clenched his fist, the pain searing him as he listened to Nat's final moments.
"Damn you!"
"Let me go."
"No. Please don't."
"It's okay."
There was a scrabbling sound then Clint's anguished cry as Natasha fell. Steve closed his eyes; he couldn't see this. Clint sounded like a wounded animal, angry and shaken. A dull sob rent the air, then a bright light burned behind Steve's eyelids. He stumbled back from the rock, stunned.
"Steve, son of Sarah."
As if things couldn't get worse. Then Steve stopped. He knew that voice. Instantly, he was on his guard, kicking the briefcase behind him. "You."
The Red Skull floated nearby, looking much more incorporeal than he had the last time Steve saw him. Back in 1945, Schmidt had gotten sucked into a portal, out into space. How the hell had he wound up here?
"This is my punishment," Red Skull explained. "For seeking power."
"You let her die."
"I am a guide, nothing more. She made her choice."
Infuriated, Steve took a lunge at him, but there was nothing to lunge at. He landed on the ground with a painful thud, the breath momentarily knocked out of him. He scrambled up quickly, his grief and anger flooding him. He ran at Red Skull again, kicking and punching, but it was no use.
"You can not bring her back, Captain. No one can."
"Yes, I can!" He dived for the briefcase then ran headlong for the ledge. He skidded to a stop just in time and unsnapped the clasps on the case. He held the Soul Stone aloft, his gaze on Red Skull. "A soul for a soul. That's the deal. You're going to give her back to me."
"What is done can not be undone, Captain. You should know that better than anyone."
Don't look down. Would she still be down there? He couldn't look. He didn't want to know. "I got a second chance," he said. "And I'm going to make damn sure she gets one too. Now give her back."
The stone in his hand glowed, burning through his glove. Steve gasped, but he refused to let go. He wasn't giving the Stone back until he had Nat. "Uncomfortable, Captain?"
Steve grit his teeth; Red Skull's smirk was infuriating. "What is happening?"
"It's the Stone. As with everything, what you desire comes at a price."
"Does it want me instead?" A soul for a soul. If it would bring Natasha back, he would happily give his life. His only regret was that she would never know just how truly she was loved.
"No, I'm afraid the Stone has a much more difficult task for you, Steve, son of Sarah. If you truly wish to bring back the one you love, then you must prove yourself worthy. You must save a life."
Save a life. He did that all the time. He had a feeling this was a specific someone though. "Who?"
"Loki, son of Odin."
"Thor's brother?" How would saving Loki bring Nat back? Space magic. Thor had been so certain that Nat could be brought back; he'd been dealing with this kind of thing for centuries. Could it be done? According to Thor, Loki had been killed by Thanos when he decimated the Asgardian ship. He'd died a hero. How could he be saved?
Then it hit him. Loki was still out there.
When Loki disappeared with the Tesseract in New York, he'd created an alternate universe. Could Steve save Loki and clip that branch? Just thinking about it made his head hurt. Where was Bruce when Steve needed him? The Stone pulsed in his hand; Steve chose to see this as a good sign. Save Loki, save Nat. He had time travel on his side. Time travel and a whole lot of determination.
"Hang on, Nat," he whispered, pocketing the Soul Stone. He wasn't giving it back until he'd accomplished his mission. "I'll be back for you, I promise."
He couldn't just go charging into time; he had to think. What would be the best way to save Loki without damaging the timeline too much? Just going back and preventing Loki from stealing the Tesseract wasn't going to be enough. Steve definitely had the impression he was supposed to save Loki from Thanos. But how? Clearly, charging at the Mad Titan as he's attacking the Asgardians was suicide. Steve barely survived the first two times he'd faced Thanos. He wouldn't do Natasha any good if he got himself killed. He would have to be smart about it.
What other point in time would Loki and the Tesseract have been in the same place? He wracked his brain the whole way down the mountain. He really needed Thor; he would know. Didn't Thor mention something about Thanos getting the Tesseract from Loki? That was right after Asgard was destroyed. Of course.
All he had to go was going back to 2018 Asgard, find Loki with the cube and convince the God of Mischief to help. How hard could it be?
There was only one way to find out.
Asgard 2018
Steve had traveled through the quantum realm enough that nothing phased him. He landed in Odin's Treasure Room; at least, he hoped that'd where he was. He'd once listened to Thor describe it; it looked like what he'd been told. Cavernous, white stone, torches. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a flash; Steve hurried ducked behind a pillar.
Loki marched determinedly down the corridor; he was clearly seeking something. He looked different from when Steve had last seen him; the god carried himself differently. Thor had said that Loki had been finding his way just before his death. It made his sacrifice much more tragic. Steve could only pray this kinder, gentler Loki would hear him out.
Abruptly, Loki stopped. "Who's there?"
Steve stepped out of the shadows. "Hey Loki."
Loki arched an incredulous brow at him. "Captain?"
"You remember."
"Yes, well, my brother can be quite obnoxious about his friends."
The corner of his lips quirked up. "Thor's a good man. He deserves a better brother."
Loki glanced away. "What do you know of brothers, Captain?"
"More than you think." Bucky was his brother; so was Sam. They were closer than any bond of blood. Loki and Thor grew up together; they might not be blood, but they would always be brothers. "Now are you gonna attack me or can we talk?"
The room around them trembled and shook. "I don't know if you noticed, Captain, but I am a bit busy. Mad sister and all that."
"This should only take a minute. What I'm about to say might sound crazy, but I really need you to hear me out. I'm from the future." He approached slowly, describing the situation as succinctly as he could. Loki seemed skeptical at first, but when Steve told him about Thanos almost killing Thor, his face fell.
"Always so stubborn," Loki muttered.
"But you save him," Steve said softly. "He's your brother."
"Of course, he's my brother!" Loki cried, the anguish written all over his face. Then he looked intently at Steve. "There's something you're not telling me, mortal."
"Thanos gets the stone, the Tesseract. He becomes too strong to defeat. Thor said…you die a hero, Loki."
Loki shook his head. "That's impossible."
"Is it?" Steve got in the god's face. "Why is it so hard to believe that you could do something noble? Thor believed in you."
"Thor doesn't trust me."
"Then why did he send you down here?" Steve fixed Loki with a stare until the older god raised his eyes once more. "You can help me save someone I care about. Someone Thor cares about. And if we do it right, we can save you too. You can see your brother again. He misses you, Loki. More than he will admit. It's been…hard for him. I should have been there for him, but I messed up too. Together, we can make this right. But only if we trust each other."
The silence hung heavy in the room. Loki took several deep breaths; Steve could see the wheels turning in his head. Finally, the God of Mischief nodded. "What do we have to do?"
"How do you feel about time travel?"
Steve didn't know what he expected, but it wasn't this. He was hiding in the bowels of the Asgardian ship, trusting Loki of all people. Loki said he had a plan; Steve had to trust that the God of Mischief didn't just leave him there to die with the rest of the Asgardians. It went against his nature, but Steve was willing to take that leap. Thor had.
He heard soft footsteps; if it weren't for his enhanced hearing he would have missed it. Steve braced himself for battle, just in case. The door to the compartment creaked open and Loki stepped through it. "Expecting someone else, Captain?"
Steve relaxed. "Can you blame me for being a little on edge?"
Loki sobered. "No, I suppose not. I have to admit this is strange for me as well."
"Yeah, can we get on with it?"
"My double is in place. If your memory is accurate, the sooner we leave the better."
"Magic?"
Loki grinned; a quick flash turned Loki into an exact replica of Steve. It was a bit disconcerting. "My mother taught me well, mortal."
"She was a good person. I liked her."
Loki looked a bit pained as he turned back into himself. "You met Frigga?"
"Yeah, doing this. I think she would have been proud of her sons."
"I hope so." Loki straightened. "Shall we?"
Steve nodded, extracting his spare quantum suit. He never expected to need it; he was thankful Bruce had insisted. Steve handed it to Loki, who seemed wary as he placed it on the back of his hand. The white and red suit covered him, just as it did Steve. Steve showed him how to work the controls, setting the coordinates for New York 2012. All they had to do was stop that Loki from stealing the Tesseract and avoid bumping into anyone they knew.
Not as easy as it sounded.
Steve and Loki appeared just outside of Stark tower; the 2012 version of the Avengers were not yet in the lobby. "Explain to me again what happened," Loki order softly.
Steve did. The plan was for Scott to get the case holding the Tesseract from 2012 Tony by giving him a mild heart attack. 2023 Tony would then take the case and get out of Dodge. It worked flawlessly until the Hulk burst out of the staircase and dislodged the Tesseract from its case.
"So how do we fix it?"
Loki grinned. "Leave it to me, Captain." Before his eyes Loki once again glamored himself, turning into one of the nearby cops. "Back in a tic."
Steve ducked out of sight, finding an alcove to hide in that still gave him a view of the lobby. He could see Tony—also dressed as cop—waiting for the others to come down the elevator. Steve's chest tightened; God, he was right there. A part of him wanted to run up to his friend and hug him. That would blow the entire operation! He had to stay focused. Tony had given his life for everyone, including Steve. The best way to honor his friend's memory was to get Natasha back and actually live.
For the first time, he tried to imagine what that could look like. There was a chance that Nat didn't share his feelings. He hoped he was wrong. They were close, had been for years. They often shared these looks when no one was watching, looks he'd dismissed at first. Now it was all he could think about. During their time on the run, he and Nat had posed at a married couple more than once; it wasn't as difficult as he expected. They just fit together, understanding each other without words. He missed that. He loved Sam like a brother, but Steve always gravitated toward Nat. He was so stupid not to have seen it!
If he actually managed to bring her back, he would do things right. He would court her and romance her, even (when) she teased him about it. He wanted all of it and he wanted it with her.
He got so lost in his thoughts he nearly forgot about the mission. Loki strode past Tony, who noticed nothing amiss. If they'd timed this correctly the past Avengers should be exiting the elevator. Steve clenched his jaw he saw Loki start to subtly stalk the group. This was the moment of truth; could he trust this Loki? Steve wanted to believe he could. For Nat's sake. Hell, for Thor's sake.
2012 Tony and Thor were brought up short by Director Pierce; Christ, Steve had forgotten about him! He clenched his fist, bracing himself to spring in, just in case. It all went down as Tony had described, a verbal tussle with Pierce, Tony collapsing, the case skittering across the floor. 2023 Tony picked it up, hurrying toward the exit.
It was hard to watch. They had to allow Hulk to burst through the door; Tony needed to lose the case. It burst open, the Tesseract gliding over the floor, right toward an imprisoned Loki. Steve was moving before he could think, intent on reaching it first. But even his enhanced speed wasn't going to be enough. Time seemed to slow down the glowing cube inching toward Loki.
And then it wasn't.
It disappeared.
Steve came up short; no one noticed him in the chaos. He spotted someone out of the corner of his eye; Steve hurried in the direction. Once he was clear of the building he dove for the figure, tackling him to the ground. "Not so fast, buddy."
There was a dry laugh under him. "One would think you didn't trust me, Captain."
"Loki?"
Another flash revealed the God of Mischief, a smirk on his face. "I had the situation perfectly under control."
"Can you blame me for being overly cautious?"
Loki sobered a bit. "True. Are you going to let me up?"
"Oh, right." Steve pushed himself up, dusting off his uniform. "You got it?"
Loki held out his hand, the Tesseract appeared. "I am a man of my word." Steve arched a brow incredulously. "Alright fine, only recently. It's new for me too."
Steve took the cube from him. "We need to get this back to the Avengers."
"Do you really call yourselves that? I thought Stark was making that up."
"Blame Fury." Steve thought it was a bit hokey at first too, but it had grown on him. Seeing all their friends go up against Thanos…the Avengers were so much more than the six original members. It really was an extended family. What did that mean for him? Did he still have a place? Did they even need him? Could he finally get a life? Bring back Nat first, Rogers, he scolded himself. He'd deal with the rest later.
"How do you propose we get this back to the No Fun League?"
"Leave that to me." Being back in this time, Steve was back in his original Avengers uniform. He should be able to walk up and place the Tesseract back in the case with no one the wiser. "Stay here." He doubled back the way he'd come, scanning for the Tony and Scott from his time. They appeared long gone, thankfully. Paramedics were around 2012 Tony, checking that he was okay. He was ranting about them disturbing his shawarma time; Steve had to suppress a grin. As much as Tony drove him crazy, he deeply missed his friend. Always would. What did a world without Tony Stark look like?
"There you are, Rogers."
He froze. Christ, it was Nat. He'd completely forgotten. She was striding toward him, her short red hair bouncing as she walked. He'd always preferred her as a redhead. It just suited her. He had to get it together. "Romanoff."
She tilted her head. "You alright?"
"Yeah, fine. I found this," he produced the Tesseract, offering it to her. "No harm done."
"I'm not sure Tony would agree with you."
"He'll be fine."
She smirked at him. "If I didn't know better, I'd almost think you liked him."
"I was wrong about him. He's not just a…" He blanked for a moment; that conversation had been so long ago. He'd underestimated Tony. Regret filled him; he wished they could have reconciled sooner.
"A billionaire playboy philanthropist?"
"Yeah, that."
"Be careful, Cap. People will start doubting that Boy Scout thing."
"You think I'm a Boy Scout?"
"Aren't you?"
"I think you'd be surprised." Seeing her now, flushed with victory, exhaustion tugging at the edges of her eyes, he wondered how he could have ignored her for so long. Natasha hid behind a mask of snark and indifference, but he knew she was so much more than that. She truly deserved to be happy.
She gave him an odd look, but let it go. "Come on, before Tony eats all the shawarma."
"I'll be there in a sec."
She gave him another weird look, but she shrugged. Steve raced in the opposite direction, knowing his double would be appearing any moment. Fortunately, with no memory of having fought him. That had been a strange enough experience the first time around. He managed to exit without anyone else noticing; he was mildly surprised to find Loki exactly where he'd left him. "It's done."
"You look like you've seen a ghost."
"A couple, actually." He tapped the pouch that contained the Soul Stone. "We need to get out of here."
"And go where exactly?"
"I haven't quite figured that out yet."
He started to reach for his quantum GPS, but Loki stopped him with a hand. Not threatening but determined. "I think it's time you tell me exactly what happened, Captain."
"We don't have time." He didn't think he could recount it again. They'd fixed it. They'd brought everyone back. And lost Tony and Nat. The Loki he'd known remained dead.
"We have time travel at our disposal," Loki pointed out. "I think you owe me the truth. The whole truth. What happened to Thor? After?"
Steve's temper flared. "So, you can gloat?" he snapped. "You always wanted the throne for yourself."
"I did once," he admitted. "Right now, all I want is my brother."
Could Loki have really changed? He prayed for Thor's sake it was true. "He tried to kill Thanos. To avenge you. To avenge your people. But he failed. Thanos used the glove to wipe out half of life in the whole universe. We tried to fix it, but it was too late. We set what remained of the Asgardians up in Norway, but Thor…he changed. He withdrew from all of us, from his duties. Like I said, it was hard."
Loki looked stricken. "Oh Thor. You were always too hard on yourself, brother."
"We need to make a choice. I can bring you back with me. Thor left with the Guardians, but…"
"You'd bring me back to Earth?" Loki asked, surprised.
"Are you gonna behave?"
Loki chuckled. "There's a first time for everything, I suppose." Then his brow crinkled in thought. "You should leave me where I was taken out of the timeline, in 2018. Right before Thanos."
"But why? The point is to save your life, Loki. Thanos could snap you."
"Not if he believes me already dead. Think of it as my penance."
"And what about Thor? You'd have to avoid him for five years. That won't be easy."
"Oh, I won't be far." Loki snapped his fingers—not funny under the circumstances—and transformed himself into a simple farmer or fisherman. It didn't suit him at all. Taking in Steve's face, Loki transformed back into himself. "Trust me. I'll keep my distance."
"The fate of the universe depends on that, Loki."
Loki's dark eyes were deadly serious. "It won't be the first time I've sacrificed myself for my brother. Please let me do this, Captain. I won't let you down."
This was a completely different man than the one in custody a few blocks away. Loki could still be mischievous and snarky when he wanted to be, but Steve could see how much Thor meant to him. It was heartwarming to see. Not breaking Loki's gaze, Steve held out his hand. "Alright."
Loki shook his hand firmly. "Now let's get me there so you can save your spy."
Steve snatched his hand back. "How did you know?"
"Subtle you are not."
Steve growled under his breath. It didn't matter. Soon Loki would be the least of his worries. He nodded at his traveling companion, summoning his quantum suit with a touch. The suits wrapped around them; Steve gave the coordinates to 2018. In a blink, they were sucked into the quantum realm. When they landed, Steve blinked, disoriented. "Where are we?"
"Norway, I'd think that was obvious."
"It's a cliff."
"This is the place where my father died."
Steve wasn't sure what to say. From what Thor had said, Loki never really had a good relationship with Odin. Finally, he settled on, "I'm sorry."
"This is where Thor will build New Asgard."
Now that Steve looked around, he realized Loki was right. "How did you know?"
"Because I know my brother. Leave me, Steve Rogers. I won't cause any trouble. Not much, anyway." Loki couldn't resist that little tease. He was still the God of Mischief after all.
There really wasn't anything else to say. Steve still had a mission. I'm coming, Nat. I'm bringing you back. No matter what happened after that, just having her back would be worth all this. She didn't deserve to die that way. Nodding once more at Loki, Steve pressed the button for his quantum suit. This time he made the jump without hesitation.
Red Skull was exactly where Steve had left him. "I did it. Loki is alive and well. Now keep your end of the deal, Skull. Give Natasha back to me."
"You have the Stone?"
"Right here." Steve fished it out of the pouch, the orange stone shining through his clenched fingers. It was warm, almost too warm to touch. The hole remained in the glove of his suit, but Steve didn't care.
"First the stone, then the girl."
"You better not be lying about this." Steve wrenched his arm back and threw it as far as he could. He lost sight of it quickly as it fell into the abyss. There was a blinding flash; Steve stumbled back. He tripped on something—he realized too late it was Clint's discarded bow. His breath left him in a rush; he struggled to get up. "Nat!" he half shouted, half wheezed. "Nat!"
Silence reigned for long seconds. For an agonizing moment, Steve thought it didn't work. Then, "Steve?"
Nat stood nearby, looking utterly confused, glancing from him to her body. "What happened?"
Steve pushed himself up and closed the distance between them in three long strides. He couldn't speak; tears stung his eyes. Rather than answer her, he crushed her to his chest, still not sure if she was real. She certainly felt real enough, warm and soft and alive. Natasha hugged him back, still confused. Far too soon, she snapped back to reality. "Clint! Where's Clint? We were fighting, stubborn ass wouldn't let me go…"
"Shhh. Clint's fine. Everyone's fine." Well, almost.
"We did it?" Her green eyes shined with happy tears; her chin wobbled. Steve couldn't remember the last time he saw her this emotional. "We won?"
Part of him wanted to kiss her, pour all his grief into her, but he restrained himself. "We won. Nat, we won."
Natasha couldn't speak. She was so confused, but she had to admit that she was happy to see Steve. When she'd been arguing with Clint about who would jump, she'd forced herself to push Steve from her thoughts. She couldn't dwell on what ifs or regrets, not in that moment. She and Steve had been close for what felt like forever; he would understand why she had to do what she did. And yet…he was here. What had he done to bring her back? More importantly, why? The emotion in his blue eyes both shook her and stunned her. He was looking at her in ways she'd only dreamed of before.
Not that she would admit that out loud.
Steve Rogers was her friend. After Clint, her best friend. She would be lying if she didn't admit that she wondered what things would be like if they were more than just friends. But she believed his heart belonged to another, someone he could never get back. What hope did she stand against a memory? Rather than dwell on what might have been, she focused on being his friend. It was easier that way.
Unable to think of anything to say, she buried her head in his broad chest. She soaked in his comforting presence, sighing a little as he cradled the back of her head.
As much as Steve didn't want to let her go, he didn't want to stay in this Godforsaken place either. He did allow himself one indulgence though. Ever so gently, he kissed the crown of her head. She didn't even notice, for which he was glad. There was so much he wanted to say, but now was not the time to say it.
"Ready for the trip home?"
"You're not gonna tell me how you managed this, are you, Rogers?"
His lips slid into that teasing half grin she loved so much. Steve so rarely just enjoyed the moment, especially since the Snap. She liked having her Steve back. "Another time, Romanoff. I promise."
"I'm gonna hold you to that, soldier." She'd been curious before, but now she was really intrigued. Steve did something…monumental, she was certain of it. All for her. Why? "Everyone back at the ranch?"
Steve sobered. He should tell her before they went back. "About that…Nat, some things will be different when we get back to the present, our present."
"Different how? You said we won."
"We did. But there was a cost."
"There always is." It came with the job. She knew that. Once, she'd tried to reach for more and it blew up in her face. Bruce was gone for two years, then came the Snap, but even then, she never had any desire to rekindle their sort of romance. She'd simply come to believe none of that was in the cards for her. As long as she had the job, she was good.
"This time it was high." There was no other way to say it. "Tony's dead."
Natasha frowned. That didn't make sense. "Dead? How? When?"
"Bruce, he used the glove we made, brought everyone back. He almost didn't survive it. But the Thanos from this time followed us. He blasted the compound and tried to get the stones. Nearly did. But Tony…" Steve took a deep breath; Tony's sacrifice still choked him up. "He got the stones away from Thanos, then he used them to end it."
Nat covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh god." If Bruce as the Hulk barely made it out…Tony was very human and very mortal, despite an ego the size of Jupiter. She was surprised at the tears that splashed down her cheeks. Tony could drive her nuts sometimes, but he was just as much family as Clint or Steve or Thor. And Pepper and that little girl of his…they must be devastated. "Pepper?"
"Doing the best she can. She was there too, at the battle."
"She was?"
"You'd have been proud, Nat. Carol, Pepper, Valkyrie, Okoye. Wanda almost took out Thanos by herself."
Nat did smile. "I'll bet she did."
"I certainly wouldn't want to mess with her."
"Afraid, Captain?"
"Not a chance, Agent Romanoff." He laid a hand on her shoulder. "We really missed you, Natasha."
Something about the way he said it gave her pause. "They don't know you did this, do they?"
Steve shook his head. "No one thought it could be done. But I, uh, found a loophole, I guess."
She covered his hand with hers. "I'm glad you did. Now, let's go home."
