Five Years Later – Brooklyn Community Centre
"So, I went on a date the other day." One of the men sat in the circle told the others.
"Good job, Bobby. Back in the game," one of them told him encouragingly.
"Thank you, Jimmy. First in five years, I sat there at dinner thinking, what are we even supposed to talk about?" Steve sat and listened intently.
"What did you talk about?" he asked.
"Same old crap. How much things have changed. How much we miss the Mets. My job, his job. Then it got kind of quiet. He cried during the salads." Steve pressed his lips together solemnly.
"What about you?" another man asked him.
"I cried just before dessert but I'm seeing him again tomorrow. So..."
"That's great, you've already done the hardest part. You took a jump, didn't know where you'd come down. And that's it, those little brave baby steps we've gotta take. To try to make us feel whole again, to find a purpose..." Steve looked up at the group and took a deep breath. "I went into the ice right after I met the love of my life. Woke up seventy years later and...had to keep going." He told them quietly, smiling he shrugged his shoulders. "I met someone new, someone who mattered and then I lost her too." Steve laughed sadly but stretching out his shoulders, raised his chin and looked to the group confidently. "The world's been left in our hands, if we don't do something with it...then Thanos might as well have killed all of us." Seeing the men around him nod Steve couldn't bring himself to go on, unconvinced by his own words.
Avengers Headquarters
"I'd offer to cook you dinner but you seem sad enough already." Steve said as he leant against the doorframe, his heart breaking to see his close friend struggling.
"Come by to do your laundry?" she asked glibly.
"And see a friend," he told her seriously.
"Your friend's fine," she answered quickly but Steve didn't let her push him away. He knew her too well at this point and it was more important to him now than ever to keep a close eye on the ones he loved.
"She leave the house today?" he asked as he moved into the room.
"Nothing out there I particularly want to see," he could tell he still wasn't getting through to her.
"I spotted a pod of whales coming over the bridge," he said lightly.
"In the Hudson?"
"Fewer ships, cleaner water. Just saying, there's still a world out there." He watched as she gave him that look that told him she knew what he was up and it wasn't going to work.
"If you're about to tell me to look on the bright side, I'm about to hit you with a peanut butter sandwich." She answered seriously, Steve shrugged his shoulders at his own mock positivity.
"Sorry, force of habit." He apologised.
"I don't know how you do it," she said whilst shaking her head. Steve picked up the remaining sandwich that sat in front of her and took a bite.
"I guess I don't know how not to," he answered honestly.
"Me, neither." After a long moment, Steve looked up at her.
"I keep telling them, move on. Grow past it and some of them actually do. But not us," he told her honestly.
"If I move on, who does this?" she asked him.
"Maybe it doesn't need to be done?" he watched as Natasha took in his words. As he looked around the Avengers Compound he could see the threat of tears in her eyes.
"I used to have nothing. Then I got this, this job, this family. And I was better because of it." Her voice cracked and he watched as she tried to collect herself once more, for the millionth time. "And even though they're gone, I'm still trying to be...better." Steve smiled at her.
"I think we both need to get a life," he said flippantly but in his heart he knew it to be true.
"You first," she told him. They stared at each other a long, melancholic moment before Steve heard a ping. Watching Natasha swipe to a CCTV display he all but let his jaw drop open when he saw Scott Lang's face fill the screen.
"Hello? Is anyone home? This is, uh, Scott Lang? We met a few years ago. At the airport?" he heard him say, looking at Nat confused Steve couldn't wrap his head around what he was seeing.
"This an old message?" he asked slowly and when Nat slowly shook her head and looked up to him he didn't know what to think.
"It's the front gate."
After his meeting with Tony at his home not going anywhere like he hoped Steve found himself in a strange situation where he was thinking back to his time when he first became Captain America. There had been moments of doubt, of who he truly was and what he stood for but along the way people and events had led him back to one thought. Do the right thing, and this was the right thing. He couldn't give up now, not after everything. For the first time in years he felt a sense of purpose again, real purpose.
Now finding himself sitting in a diner booth with Scott, Nat and Bruce he found his posture had changed, he was ready for battle once more.
"Mr. Hulk? Can we get a picture?" a kid asked as the four of them sat in the booth.
"100%, little lady." As the kid handed their phone to Steve Bruce made a duck face as Steve sheepishly snapped the picture, handing the phone back he watched as Bruce interacted with the children. "Thanks, pal. Hulk out!" trying to get Bruce's attention Steve cleared his throat.
"So, Bruce, about what we said…"
"The time travel do-over? I don't know, that's kind of outside my field of expertise..." Natasha nodded knowingly at Bruce.
"You pulled this off. I remember a time that was impossible, too." She told him as he considered what they had been talking about. Finally he pulled out his phone.
"I'm supposed to be on Oprah next week, but I guess I could move things around." Steve couldn't help but grin.
Avengers Compound
Steve leant on the wall outside the Avengers Compound, saying it hadn't gone to plan was an understatement and his previous optimism was rapidly dwindling. Feeling discouraged his attention was drawn to an engine roar and a car racing up the drive. As it stopped just in front of him Steve watched as the window rolled down revealing Tony Stark.
"Why the long face? Wild guess, he turned into a baby?" Tony said in his usual 'I'm way smarter than all of you' way. Steve took a deep breath, silently thankful that the man was there.
"Among other things…" As Tony got out of the car Steve crossed his arms.
"EPR Paradox, instead of pushing Lang through time, you were pushing time through Lang. It's dangerous, I probably should've cautioned you against it."
"You did," Steve answered.
"Thank god, I'm here. Regardless, I fixed it." Steve watched as Tony held up a star shaped device. "That is a fully-functioning, time space GPS. I just want peace, resentment is corrosive. I hate it." Steve couldn't help but smile.
"Me too." Steve felt all the past resentment and anguish between them melt away, for the first time in years.
"We've got a shot at the Stones, I just need you to know my priorities. Bring back everyone we lost, hopefully. Keep what I found, definitely. And, let's not die trying." Steve held out his hand.
"Sounds like a deal," he said as the two men silently committed to what they were about to do.
"But wait, there's more. Act now, and it comes with a bonus offer." Going to the boot of his car Tony pressed the button, slowly Steve watched as he pulled the shield out.
"Tony, I don't know…" he hesitated, it had been so long.
"What's to know? He made it for you. Plus, I gotta get it out of the garage before Morgan takes it sledding." He knew that wasn't the real reason but Steve finally took it from him and slid it onto his arm.
"Thank you, Tony." He said sincerely.
"Just don't flaunt it, I didn't bring enough for the whole team." Tony joked but Steve knew what it meant to him giving the shield back. "We are getting the whole team, right?" Tony asked seriously.
"We're trying."
Avengers Compound, Hangar
It was dawn as they made their way to the quantum platform that had been constructed in the massive hanger. As they all stood in their places, each one of them knowing their mission from the many days of planning Steve looked around solemnly.
"We lost friends, we lost family. We lost a part of ourselves…" Steve paused for a second. "The ones we love… but today we have a chance to take it all back." He said as he took in the sight before him. Rhodey and Nebula, Nat and Clint, Thor and Rocket and Tony and Scott. "You have your teams and you have your assignments. Get your stone, and get back here. One round trip each. No mistakes, no do-overs." Gripping his shield tighter he narrowed his eyes. "Most of us are going back to places we know, that doesn't mean we know what to expect. Be careful, look out for each other. Improvise, if you have to." Looking around he saw the determination on everyone's faces, he had never felt more proud. "This is the fight of our lives and we're going to win. Whatever it takes."
"All right, you heard the man. Stroke those keys, Jolly Green." Tony said to Hulk who started to tap in commands, light illuminated each pad and suddenly Steve was nervous.
"Tracking beacons engaged," he told them as he continued to tap away. Suddenly each one of them stretched and vanished, shrinking away and leaving the quantum console vibrating.
After leaving the others in the alleyway Steve and Tony had made their way to Stark tower; watching their former selves was surreal to say the least.
"Cap, I've got to say that outfit does nothing for your ass." Tony quipped over the comms.
"No one asked you to look, Tony," Steve answered seriously.
"I think you look great, Cap. As far as I'm concerned, that's America's ass." Scott said from Tony's shoulder. As Tony listened to the conversation being had in front of them he readied himself as he watched Nat with the sceptre.
"Mind Stone's on the move," he told them.
"I'm in position," Steve replied as Scott and Tony watched Brock Rumlow take the sceptre.
"Who are these guys?" Scott asked.
"SHIELD. Actually, Hydra. But we didn't know that yet." Tony answered.
"Seriously? 'Cause it's kind of obvious they're bad guys." Scott laughed.
"You're small but you're talking loud." Tony had had enough. Flicking Scott away he made his way round the building seeing the service elevator crowded with Rumlow's strike team.
"Okay, Cap, I make ten of them, just passing the 80th floor."
"Got it, head to the lobby." Steve replied quickly.
"Already on my way," Steve watched as the elevator came to a stop and the doors open. Stepping inside he tried to keep his cool, remembering what had happened last time.
"Captain, I thought you were co-ordinating search and rescue?"
"Change of plans," he answered calmly as he glanced at Rumlow who was holding the Sceptre.
"Cap," Rumlow greeted him.
"Rumlow," he answered smoothly as the doors closed. They rode in silence, much as they did last time and Steve could feel the tension mounting once more. "I got a call from the Secretary's office, I'm going to be running point on the sceptre." He said confidently.
"Sir? I don't understand…"
"We've had word there might be an attempt to steal it," he said cutting the other man off. Reaching for the sceptre he felt Rumlow tighten his grip.
"Afraid we can't allow that, Cap." Rumlow told him.
"No, trust me. It's okay..." Steve said as he leant in towards Rumlow, drawing them all close. And then in Rumlow's ear Steve whispered. "Hail Hydra," seeing their eyes go wide Steve went for the sceptre one more time, this time relieved that Rumlow simply let go and gave it to him. As the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened Steve couldn't help but smile to himself whilst no one was looking. As he headed down the hall he heard Security over the loud speakers announce a building wide alert.
"Tony? What's going on? Tell me you got that cube…" he said as he heard a voice in front of him from just round the corner.
"Strike Teams, clear Forty, then work down." Before Steve could hide he saw himself round the corner and stop dead in his tracks.
"Oh, great." He muttered as he watched his old self speak into his comm.
"Disregard, I have eyes on Loki, fourteenth floor." Steve gently lay the sceptre down and pulled off his shield.
"I'm not Loki and I don't want to hurt you," he said slowly as he watch his old self pull his shield from his back.
"You're not going to get the chance…" before he knew it Steve found himself on the floor. Grappling both their shields fell to the ground and as they both stamped on them and they simultaneously flipped the shields back to their arms. Old Steve almost looked impressed, squaring off against one another Steve had never been more confused and bemused in his life.
"I can do this all day…" old Steve told him and he couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"Yeah, I know..." he answered as they battled on. As one tackled the other old Steve got a particularly good shot in and knocking his shield aside inadvertently ripped open one of Steve's belt compartments, his compass falling out and revealing Peggy's picture. Steve watched as his old self went cold, picking up the compass he stared and looked up.
"Where'd you get this?" he asked.
"Camp Lehigh 1943." He answered as the old Steve stared at him and narrowed his eyes.
"You've got a lot of nerve," he said as hammered Steve across the hall. Groaning and looking around himself he noticed he was inches from the sceptre. As old Steve raced towards him he grabbed the sceptre and touched it to his chest. Watching as his eyes blackened and his body froze Steve panted heavily. Finally picking up the compass from the floor Steve looked down at his old self now passed out face down.
"That is America's ass."
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