The clicking melody of black stilettos against the tile floor was drowned out by water sloshing as the woman moved through the golden-hued world. Long, royal blue fabric wafted behind the blonde as she moved through the ankle-deep water, her leg bursting out through the slit with every heavy step she took. She placed her hand against a chair at an empty table, leaning against it to balance herself as she pulled her hair over her shoulder with her free hand.

A phantom ache in her chest lessened with every step she took further into her old apartment at the Avengers Compound. She looked to her right, finding the bed unmade and the door ajar, a reminder of leaving this life behind in a hurry. Kayla wondered if she could change her clothes, or if she was destined to spend all of eternity in this backless blue dress. This seemed a fitting end for the President's daughter- all done up and trapped in purgatory alone.

Kayla wrapped her arms around herself, looking out the sliding door at the lake beyond. It was the moment Kayla squeezed her own slim arms that she realized she was lacking her super-soldier serum. She looked down, finding herself thin and young as the day she met Steve Rogers in this same dress over twenty years ago. Kayla began to cry softly, grabbing the back of the couch and leaning over it as her own tears mixed with the orange liquid pooling around her feet.

Everything she'd done in her life had led to this: recreating Erskine's super-soldier serum, running away to join the Avengers, becoming Captain America's wife, losing her son and almost killing her daughter, escaping execution and living a lie for seventeen years. She had been selfish and brash and had caused so, so much pain. But Kayla had to wonder- did she really deserve to spend eternity alone?

Kayla was so lost in her grief that she didn't hear the sound of soft footsteps wading through the water behind her.

"Hey, Kay."

Kayla looked up and turned to see Steve Rogers, skinny as the moment Erskine met him with his hands in the pockets of his brown pants. Kayla stared at him with her mouth ajar and her eyes narrowed, looking him up and down in disgust.

Steve blanched under her dissatisfied gaze, staring down and splashing water to the side with his foot, "You're disappointed."

"Are you dead?" Kayla spat, crossing her arms and leaning her backside against the couch as she stared down her husband.

Steve lowered his head, feeling even smaller in her cold gaze, "Yes."

"Then yes, I'm terribly disappointed." Kayla snapped, storming towards him easily as the water lapped at her long gown, "What happened? James had the serum, he was supposed to save you."

"That wasn't what I meant."

"Why are you here? I needed you to survive, what did you do?" Kayla pressed, ripping Steve's hands from his pockets to hold them in her own. Both looked down, realizing they'd never been without the serum at the same time. Steve swallowed and he turned his hands to rub his thumb along Kayla's knuckles. She leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his, "Steve, I don't understand."

"I gave it to Sarah."

Kayla felt the air pulled from her lungs at Steve's words, but pulled away slightly to find his blue eyes latched onto her. She inhaled slowly, "You gave her the serum?"

"Yes. It was her birthright. She should have had it all along. With you gone she'd never have the option, and it felt selfish to take away her only chance." Steve clenched her hands in his, "Or maybe I selfishly didn't want to live without you."

"That's terrible, Steve. You orphaned our children on purpose. I would have expected that from myself, but not from you." Kayla hissed, pulling away a little, but Steve kept his grip tight on her hands. She didn't have the heart to run away from him. She looked over her shoulder out the glass door to the outside, wishing she could pull open the door and smell the fresh air. She never would again.

"You would have done it." Steve argued and Kayla looked back at him bitterly, "Kayla, what's done is done, please... it's bad enough, I have to spend eternity like this." Steve gestured down at himself and Kayla's lip wobbled, "I'm sorry."

"How dare you?" Kayla hissed sadly, finally yanking her hands out of his, "After all these years... after all this time, you think I care? I love you."

Steve opened his mouth to protest as he tried to close the gap between them, but Kayla took a step back, holding up her finger to tell him to stay back. Steve glared back at his wife, clenching his fists as he took one small stride toward the woman who stood just taller than him, "I gave everything to be Captain America. I gave up the chance at having a normal life. I spent half my lifetime encased in ice because saving my country and the world was more important than my own happiness. And after everything, I end up right back where I started. A disappointment. My own wife of twenty-five years can't even look at me." Steve lowered his head, his shaggy blonde hair falling over his forehead as he sighed roughly.

Kayla curled her finger under his chin and lifted it to see his eyes, her smile growing as she studied his features fondly, "I chased you for the serum, Steve. But I married you for what's in here." She pointed to his chest and his hands immediately flew to her arms to hold her tight. "I never measured you by how tall you were or how strong you were. I've always loved you for your heart. I will love you like this for all eternity. Enough for both of us if I need to." Kayla brushed back his hair, wishing that Steve could comprehend how much she adored him like this, how much she adored him in every shape or form he could take. If she had to spend the rest of time proving to Steve Rogers that he was enough for her, it was a mission she'd accept happily.

Steve chuckled, the soft rumble echoing through the room, "I love you, Kay."

"I love you, too," Kayla grabbed his cheeks and kissed him passionately, eventually feeling him wrap his arms around her back. He deepened the kiss, and Kayla grinned into his lips as she suddenly felt him grow taller. Tugging on his hair to pull him closer, Steve realized it too.

He pulled away to look down, finding himself Captain America again, suit and all. He beamed at Kayla and she just shook her head at him and smiled, "I meant what I said. I don't need Captain America, I just need Steve Rogers."

"I know." Steve told her, reaching down to kiss her softly before scooping her up bridal style. She yelped before settling into his arms, water dripping from her dress as Steve held her close, rubbing his nose against hers, "But I like being your Avenger, and I like feeling like myself with you. It's like we're back where we started."

Kayla let out an airy laugh and leaned back, looking over her shoulder toward the bedroom with sparkling emerald eyes, "Do you think Sarah can see us here?"

Steve raised his eyebrow, following his wife's gaze and train of thought, "Probably." As Kayla's expression faltered, he shrugged and added coyly, "If she can, she'll learn not to."

Kayla grinned slyly, pulling Steve's face closer to hers as he carried her to their bedroom, "Have I mentioned how much I love you?" Kayla asked, unable to wipe the smile off of her face.

"You could tell me again. I wouldn't mind." Steve answered, matching her perfect smile with one of his own. "Want to help me with my suit?" Kayla ran her tongue along the bottom of her teeth, looking Steve up and down hungrily as he kicked the door closed behind them.

So much for eternity alone.