(Hours Later: Manhattan, New York City)
The dark starry skies had greeted the people on the ground. Steve headed to a nearby jazz bar where he could spend the evening and celebrate after the success of the project Super Soldier serum. He entered to the place, took a seat, and ordered some wine and meal which he could have his dinner.
While eating, he was listening and watching at the band. A dark haired woman caught his attention, as she was playing the piano. Steve found her very familiar and recalled of the same girl which he had befriended during his school days. The way how she strikes the piano and following the tempo from her other bandmates was improving. Steve was smiling at her when he felt amazed at her. He couldn't believe how she had changed and grown throughout the years. The only he could remember of her when they were younger.
Applauding their performance, Steve was very amazed as the band's music had ended. Nancy Johnson and her band bowed at the audience and left the stage. The tall blonde man stood up from his seat when he was about to approach the woman in a black dress. Just beside the lady, a handsome dark haired man with a set of blue eyes kissed her cheeks. Steve felt dismayed to see her with another man and thought of leaving her. The woman turned to him and recognized him as she got surprised.
She turned to her loved one and asked him to stay for a while. Steve sadly left the establishment and paid his dinner to the waiter. Feeling discouraged to see her, he stepped into the sidewalk and never realized she was following at him.
" STEVE!! WAIT UP! " her voice echoed and rang into his ears.
Steve paused and slowly turned to her when he sadly sighed. Nancy Johnson panted and stood still when she looked at him with a concern.
" Nancy? " he called her name and slightly smiled, approaching to her and hiding his disappointment to her. " It's great to see you again. You look even more beautiful and became more talented than ever. "
" I kept your words before. Thank you so much, " she chuckled. " Look at you, You're so tall and grown strong. What happened to your crutches? "
" Oh, that! " he scratched his head and nervously laughed. " I guess this is a long story. "
" Yeah, " Nancy nodded and turned back to the establishment. " I guess you and I have a talk. Let's go back to the backstage. Did you have dinner? "
" Oh, I ate and drank while you and your band were playing. So, tell me who's the guy with you? "
" That's my fiancé, Auguste Beaufort. He's a French classical musician and playing the violin and cello, " she said while walking with him to the alley into the backstage's door. " I met him in Paris when I was studying music four years ago. "
Steve became more uncomfortable than ever when he heard of the other guys which Nancy had mentioned. Somehow, she was his first puppy love since he was a younger. His smile suddenly turned into a frown. Nancy looked at him with a concern and curiously raised her eyebrows when she opened the door to her room.
" Steve, is there something wrong? " she asked.
" No, no! " he wryly chuckled, showing his false demeanor. " It's nothing , Doll! I'm glad to meet and reunite with you after high school. "
" Same here, I didn't expect to see you here. "
" Please take a seat. "
Steve noticed another wooden chair near the powdering table and mirror. He sat down and watched Nancy taking two glasses at the cupboard and a clear bottle of water. Looking at her, he admired her dark medium length curly locks touching her smooth pinkish shoulders. He had remembered her as a shy bespectacled schoolgirl whom she had met. This time, he was seeing a very confident and attractive woman in front of him, far different from the young Nancy Johnson.
" Here, you might be thirsty, " she offered him a glass of water when he received it and drank.
" Thanks, " he smiled and finished drinking. " Tell me, how long have you been in Paris? What brought you there? "
" Scholarship, " Nancy instantly answered. " I worked hard to earn it. Then, my uncle had supported me all through the way. I struggled to learn French and the culture, but I got the hang of it. "
" I'm glad your family helps you to achieve your dreams. Then, you started playing at the orchestra and now a jazz band! "
" Well, dreams do come true, Steve. It was all thanks to you. "
" You're welcome, " he smiled and blushed harder. " I remembered that time I watched your first piano recital in school when Mom and I watched you. She said to me, " Steve, your friend will take places. She's a very fine and beautiful musician. "
" I'm glad Mrs. Rogers appreciated my music aside from my parents, " Nancy smiled and wondered. " Is she still with you? "
Steve sadly sighed and bowed his head. He remembered how she had passed on in the hospital. This time, he thought of not answering that question, but he had to answered.
" No, she's gone a year ago, " he replied. " If she's still living, she would be happy to join me and see your performance. "
" I am so sorry to hear that, " she gently held her friend's left hand. " I just didn't know. "
" Thanks, Nancy for remembering her. "
" Anyways, what happened to you afterwards? "
" I just graduated from college and spent looking for jobs as a comic book artist and an illustrator, but I ended up rejected. I got attacked by some thugs on the streets, until Bucky found and defended me from them. "
" You mean, Bucky, your best friend? "
" Yeah, then he brought me at the diner and convinced me to join the Army for an office desk job. "
Nancy curiously raised her eyebrows and got even concerned at her old friend's appearance. She knew him as a lanky boy with wooden crutches. This time, she was seeing a tall and well built man in an army uniform suit. From his new appearance, she was astonished and couldn't believe. The pianist's mind had accumulated a lot of questions to raise for him.
" Joining the Army is very impossible for you in that condition before, " she said.
" Yeah, I had thought of quitting, " Steve seriously replied. " Everyone laughed at me when I got my training and exercises at the boot camp. "
" But how come you ended up like that? "
" A guy named, Erskine had put me into a secret lab project to become a super soldier, " he explained. " They placed me into that chamber earlier when my body had grown ridiculously. Nancy, I almost died, but I made it back. "
" Steve, I just don't know what to say..." Nancy paused and heard of her friend's extremely peculiar statement.
" Nancy, it's a miracle! I know you can't believe in me or you're just scared at me. It's just I'm ready for war. "
" Steve. Honestly, I'm so proud of you what have become, but things have changed now. We're still friends, but we have different lives now, " she said.
Steve sadly sighed and felt more disheartened than ever when he heard her. He was supposed to tell his hidden true feelings for her, but he became compelled to admit. The tall blonde soldier composed his thoughts and sincerely looked at his childhood friend. Nancy felt sorry for him when she was waiting for him to speak up.
" Nancy, I love you from the first time I met you in school, " he blurted. " I couldn't take my eyes on you back then. I am so glad we became friends, but I was so ashamed and too young to tell you. We have been always together in good and bad times. Now, I want to know that I still have feelings for you, but I am hurt to see you and Auguste. I am so sorry for venting out. "
The lady pianist wept and hugged him when she heard her friend. At this moment, there was sadness, regret, and silence. Steve gently hugged her back and felt sorry for her. It took a long time to calm her down. Nancy and Steve parted each other when she took a tissue and carefully rubbed her eyes. Her tears removed her makeup.
" I love you, Steve as my best friend. I am sorry too, " she sincerely spoke. " I guess it's time for us to let go of the past and focus on our future. That's the only thing we can work in our lives. I am happy to be a musician. Very soon, I'm going to get married to Auguste. Then, we will move to France after the war. As for you, you're gonna fight in the war. Eventually, you will have a new life too. We cherished our memories together, but we have to move forward. "
" I understood, then. "
" The only permanent thing in the world is change. Remember that. "
" I will, " he slightly smiled and said. " Thank you for being a friend, Nancy. "
" You're welcome, " she kissed his cheeks and answered. " Thanks for being a friend too and my childhood inspiration. Goodluck to your heroic exploits. "
" I will. Goodluck to you, too. "
Steve left Nancy's room and saw the same dark-haired man named Auguste. The Frenchman was walking towards him into the hallway when the soldier approached him.
" You must be Auguste, right? " Steve politely called and offered him a handshake. " I'm Steve Rogers from the US Army, Nancy's childhood bestfriend.
" Oui, monsieur, " Auguste smiled and responded with the same gesture. " She mentioned you to me and asked me to give her some more time to talk to you. "
" Yeah, we had a chat and wished her goodluck to her gigs. "
" I know. "
" Anyways, I wish you both a happy and loving marriage. I bet you're the best man for her. "
" Well, it is true. Thank you, monsieur Rogers! "
" You're welcome! " he cheerfully greeted and waved at him when Auguste waved him back.
Finally, Steve left the establishment and headed himself into the streets of Manhattan. Looking at the crescent moon and stars above the clouds and skyscrapers, he sadly sighed and realized that he had to let go of Nancy to her new man. Trying to be civilized, he was disheartened deep inside, even he admitted his true feelings for her.