Unsurprisingly, Steve made time for Kayla.

An hour later, Steve meandered down the stairs to rejoin the group, dressed in his uniform with his hair combed back by Kayla's fingers. He held his cowl in his right hand, and his wife's hand in his left. When he reached the bottom of the stairs though, he felt hesitation from the woman next to him.

Steve tilted his head to get a better look at Kayla. She looked down, "I don't want you to go."

"I don't want to go, but it has to be done." Steve replied, lifting Kayla's chin to kiss her lips softly. He lingered a moment too long, not pulling away until Tony coughed loudly behind them. Steve grunted when Kayla separated from him, rubbing his freshly shaved skin with her soft fingers. Steve looked around, noticing his right hand man was missing, "Where's Buck?"

"Being more subtle than you." Morgan growled under her breath as she shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. James laughed at her joke and slung his arm over her shoulder, then pretended not to be offended when Tony physically lifted it off his daughter and weaseled his way in between them.

Steve gave a firm nod, saying nothing more about the matter as Kayla pat his torso fondly. "Alright then. James," his son's head snapped up at his commanding tone, "- you have something of mine?"

Kayla grinned up at Steve as James stepped away from Tony and Morgan, bending down to grab the Captain America shield from where it laid beside the table. James ran his fingers across the smooth metal fondly before handing it over, "You're right. It is heavier than it looks. I'm sorry I never realized you were the one who had to carry it."

The corner of Steve's mouth twitched, wanting to smile but keeping his stoic demeanor in place. He knew if he broke, he wouldn't leave- his resolve to fight had worn away now that his son finally looked at him like he was proud. Steve cleared his throat and lifted his head, looking down his nose at James, "Let's go have a chat, shall we?"

James blanched a bit at his words, suddenly feeling like his dad was a stranger. A very important, very powerful stranger. James nodded and followed Steve out to the porch to talk alone.

Kayla wrapped her arms around her small daughter, resting her head on Sarah's shoulder lovingly as she watched her husband and son go. Sarah hummed, practically feeling the pride emanating from her mother's soul. She latched onto Kayla's hands that held her stomach, humming a bit as she stared through the large windows to where Steve and James had sat down, "Wonder what they want to talk about?"

Sarah felt her mother shrug, letting out a quiet sigh, "Your father is so dramatic." She paused, and Sarah could easily picture her mother's expression. She knew Kayla was grinning like a lovesick fool, "All the damn time."

Steve groaned a little as he leaned against the wooden back of his chair, crossing his ankle over his knee to relax. James, on the other hand, sat stiffly across from Steve as he waited to hear what his dad wanted to talk to him about. He swallowed, smiling weakly and causing Steve to laugh loudly, "Hi. I'm Steve Rogers. Your father. I changed your diapers."

James chuckled and lowered his head, letting his shaggy blonde hair fall over his face before his eyes lifted to meet Steve's, "You're like an action figure come to life. I wasn't even sure you were real, let alone my dad. And now my baby sister has super powers or something and- and I have a hundred year old serum running through my veins. It's just a lot."

"I know. We knew it would be, but aren't you glad we waited to tell you? Aren't you glad you got to live a real life all this time?" Steve pressed, uncrossing his leg to lean forward toward James. The younger Rogers smiled weakly, pushing back his hair to consider it.

"I guess," he said quietly, "but that doesn't make it any easier. Everything I've ever known was a lie. I feel like I can't get my old life back."

Steve matched his sad smile, placing his hand on his son's knee encouragingly. James ground his teeth back and forth, letting it sink in that he could never go back to who he was yesterday. There was no more yesterday, only today and tomorrow, and those days looked a lot more bleak. "James, I need you to do something for me. It's very important."

James brought his focus back to Steve, nodding slowly to let him know he could continue. Steve pulled his gloved hand away from James's knee, clamping his hands to his thighs to ground himself. Steve was nervous about breaching the subject, but he had to talk about it with somebody, and Kayla was out of the question. "James... I might not come back from this. You understand that, right?" James didn't move. He didn't nod or respond, but the vacant look in his eyes told Steve he had his boy's attention, so he continued, "Your mother won't hear it, but I need you to be prepared for the worst. And the worst is that Schmidt kills me, and then comes after you, your mother, and your sister. I can't let anything happen to you three."

"What do you want me to do?" James croaked, feeling the weight of his father's request building on his shoulders.

"Whatever it takes. If I don't come back, you look after your mom and sister. It's a lot to ask of you, but I'm not worried. You're gonna be just fine." Steve leaned forward and ruffled James's hair, causing the boy to snort and pull it back down. "I love you so much. You know that, right?"

"Yeah. I do." James answered easily, but didn't return the sentiment, "I promise I'll take care of Mom and Sarah, if anything happens to you. Which it won't. Because you're Captain America. You've made it this far." James laughed, showing off his brilliant smile, "You're what? Eighty years old?"

"One-hundred and twenty three, but thank you, I appreciate that." Steve teased, pushing himself to his feet with a weary grunt. "And I feel it too. But your mom keeps me young."

"Yeah, we know." James moaned as he rolled his eyes and stood, earning a pointed glance from his dad. "Is that your secret to eternal youth? Ba-"

"Please don't finish that sentence, I'm not having this conversation with you. Have it with your mother." Steve moved past his son to head back into the cabin, "You keep her safe. No matter what happens. She's not gonna like it, but I'm counting on you. You and your sister have to take care of my best girl."

"I swear on my life nothing will happen to Mom." James promised, following his father to the door. He looked down at his feet, shuffling them against the wooden boards. "I have something dumb to ask."

"Yeah? Anything." Steve answered, dropping his hand from the door to face his son fully. James snorted when the smile he received was more diplomatic, more rehearsed than anything he'd ever seen on his father's face, and he wondered for a moment if Captain America was a fully different personality to the man who raised him.

"Before you go, can I get a picture?" James chuckled, trying hard not to laugh, but the request seemed nonsensical after such a dire conversation. Steve's facade cracked, and he looked almost honored at the request, which made James squirm even more, "Please don't be weird about it."

"Oh, I'm gonna be weird about it. Gonna pose and everything."

"Please don't, I regret it. I don't want it anymore. Go, get out of here, Captain America." James teased as Steve swung open the door and gestured for his son to enter first. It took approximately twenty seconds for Kayla to detach herself from Sarah and latch onto Steve Rogers like a needy leech, pressing her lips to his jaw fondly as he grinned like an idiot. James found his spot next to Morgan and snaked his arm around her waist, but Tony appeared behind him and zapped him in the spine. "Ouch!" James yelped as he pulled away, pretending not to notice the way Morgan smirked at him coyly.

"You touch my daughter again, I'll paralyze you. Do I make myself clear?" Tony practically yelled at James, but he just grimaced and backed away slowly.

"Crystal." James slunk away to stand next to his sister, who giggled quietly when he knocked into her. "Dad's taking photos, you want in?"

"Oh my gosh, yes! Are you kidding me?" Sarah laughed and practically floated to Steve, so light on her feet she didn't make a sound. She wedged herself between his right arm and his side, looking up at him with all the adoration in the world. He rubbed her arm fondly as she wrapped her arms against his middle, so small against his large frame and heavy clothing.

James rolled his eyes to show his annoyance, then sidled up to his father's left. "Oh," Steve added, reaching his left arm behind his back and detaching his shield to hand it to James, "Makes for better photo ops."

"I hate you so much right now." James teased as he held the shield, looking at Morgan as she stood in front of Kayla to take the picture. The three beamed as she snapped several photos, then she turned to Kayla to see if the woman wanted to get in.

"No." Kayla answered quietly, "I'm okay. This is his moment. He's waited a long time for this." Kayla turned to Tessa and Bucky, who had recently appeared on the steps behind her, "He's ready to go. Bring him back to me."

Bucky groaned loudly and turned to Kayla, lowering his voice, but not losing its intensity, "He'll bring himself home. I'm done trying to save his reckless ass. I have my own wife to come home to."

Kayla shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as Bucky walked away to talk to Steve now that the kids had fallen away to look at Morgan's photos. Tessa lingered next to Kayla, wanting to defend her husband, "He's scared, Kay. Don't take it personally."

"He's the levelheaded one of the two. Steve's reckless, and he feels the weight of every mistake he's ever made in the past hundred years, so he's not planning on coming back." Kayla pushed her hair behind her ear, stiffening her jaw as she added through clenched teeth and fake smile, "I married a martyr."

"And I married an assassin, but we both knew that when we got into this mess. This isn't Bucky's problem, it's Steve's, and there's nothing we can do to help them except pray for the best." Tessa told her taller best friend, but Kayla's eyes were trained on the soldiers in front of her, "Kay?"

"I heard you. I know." Kayla mumbled, crossing her arms as Steve and Bucky said their goodbyes. Kayla turned to Wanda, who had stayed silent throughout the discussions, "You going with?"

"Bucky asked me to stay behind with you. He doesn't think Tessa can keep you from doing something stupid."

"I resent that." Tessa barked up at the Scarlet Witch, then mouthed, 'Nobody can' to Wanda when Kayla's head was turned.

Kayla nodded, taking in a deep breath, "Alright then."

Tessa left Kayla's side, running and jumping into Bucky's arms as he hoisted her off the ground, burying his face into her neck as she clung to him. Kayla watched them sadly, knowing that Bucky needed to come back for Tessa. He was all she had. Sarah and James waited patiently to say goodbye to their father, but Kayla hung back, trying to borrow as much time as she could. She memorized the scene, saving it away for a rainy day. The sight of her children gawking up at Steve Rogers, her Captain America, like he was everything Kayla always saw. The part of it all that destroyed Kayla was knowing that she'd never see that regular man again, the one who doodled and cuddled up to her when she got cold. The man who taught their daughter how to walk with more patience than Kayla could ever muster, and who never, ever missed his son's games, despite preferring baseball to anything he allowed his son to play. Kayla had missed Steve Rogers, but she knew Steve Carter was dead. The life they'd created was dead, and when Steve came back they'd have to run and hide again.

She was sad to see it all go.

"Kay?"

Kayla's head snapped up at her name, realizing everyone was looking at her. She didn't know how long she'd been zoned out, but clearly they were waiting for her to do something-

Oh. It's time.

Kayla swept out of the cabin between Steve and Bucky, trotting down the steps loudly to stand at the bottom with her arms crossed. Tessa looked up to Bucky, going up on her tiptoes to press one last kiss to his jaw. "Be safe. I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Doll. I'll be back soon. Be safe." Bucky answered, leaning over to press a proper kiss to his wife's lips, then looked over his shoulder at Steve, "You gonna go deal with that?" Bucky motioned toward Kayla and Steve groaned, nodding his head as he stared at Kayla's back.

"Yeah. I'll talk to her."

As Steve and Bucky left, James, Sarah, and Tessa leaned against the window, watching as Steve approached Kayla to say goodbye. "This is going to be a disaster." Sarah grumbled as Steve wrapped his arm around Kayla's waist, pulling her to his chest. Sarah's eyes glowed gold for a moment, then settled to their natural blue, "She's going to lose it."

Steve tightened his grip on Kayla as she pressed her forehead to his chest. He stroked the back of her head, thankful his gloves were fingerless, so he could tangle his hands in her hair. So he could feel Kayla beneath his fingertips. He pressed a firm kiss to the crown of her head, but Kayla felt him quiver. She sighed heavily and pulled away to look up at Steve, "I know."

"I love you." Steve argued, knowing his wife was resigned to his self-sacrificing tendencies. "I'll be back soon, Kay. You know I will."

"It doesn't make it any easier. Schmidt won't be an easy target, especially if he still has powers from the stone... like your daughter." Kayla reminded and Steve lowered his hands to Kayla's hips, squeezing them to pacify her as she stroked his cheeks, "I made this mess-"

"You set him free from Vormir. I set him free from the compound. We're even. Buck will put a bullet in his brain and I won't lift a finger."

"You know it won't be that easy, but we can dream." Kayla chuckled, her mouth twisting into a soft smile, "I love you, Steve."

"And I love you. I always have, and I always will." Steve ducked down and pressed his lips to Kayla's, humming as she grabbed the back of his hair and pulled him down to her. He pulled away and winked, "I'll see you tomorrow night."

"It's a date." Kayla called, backing away as Steve took off jogging after Bucky, who'd gotten quite a lead on him back to the quinjet. Kayla turned back to the cabin, seeing everyone scuttle away from the windows, pretending not to have been snooping. She smirked, looking down as her hair fell around her face. Steve always made it back. This time wouldn't be any different.