Chapter 45: Steve
AN: An extra one today. Enjoy the last chapter!
It was the newspapers that first told Steve something was off with the version of New York that he'd landed in.
"Captain America Remembered" one headline read. "Avengers Memorial Unveiled" proclaimed another.
Steve gripped Mjolnir's hilt a little tighter as he walked along Park Avenue towards Avengers Tower. Must have got the dates wrong or something, Rogers, he mused. This isn't 2012. Not that it really mattered. To the people waiting for him in 2023, this accidental excursion wouldn't even be noticed.
But it had piqued Steve's curiosity – hence going to the Tower.
He was still a couple of blocks away when the quiet tap of something hitting a window caused him to turn.
An elderly, white-haired man with glasses was sweeping the floor of a street-corner café. His broom handle was responsible for the noise.
Steve smiled, and was about to carry on when he caught sight of the other person in the coffee shop.
Bucky.
He was sitting at one of the corner tables, wearing civilian clothing and an expression as bleak as the sky before a storm. Several Styrofoam cups sat on the table in front of him.
Steve felt his heart sink at the sight. If the newspapers were telling the truth, then this reality's Bucky had gone through a lot. Too much.
Steve clenched his fist, trying to decide whether he should make himself known to Bucky or not. It probably wasn't a good idea, he reasoned. He had no idea how it would affect this timeline.
But on the other hand, he'd never been able to see a friend with a need and ignore it. Especially not where Bucky was involved.
A small bell chimed as Steve entered the café, but Bucky didn't look up. The cleaner nodded, smiling. No one else was in the shop, which made sense at this time of night.
Steve took a breath, then crossed the room and sat down in the chair across the table from Bucky's.
That drew his attention. Bucky looked up, and the expression of shock on his face would have made Steve laugh in any other circumstance. "Steve," he breathed disbelievingly. "But ...you're dead."
Steve nodded. "Your Steve is dead," he agreed. He didn't want to deceive Bucky on that point.
"What do you mean?" Bucky asked, his voice rough with emotion.
For a moment, Steve wondered if he might have acted too impulsively. But it was too late to back out now. So instead Steve smiled. "Ever heard of Earth 616?" he asked.
The End
AN: Once again, a big THANK YOU to the people who read and liked this story, and to my amazing co-author and beta readers (you guys know who you are XD).
Until next time!