"Ok, so the suit thing is the easy part," Scott said.

Bucky, Steve and Scott were gathered in Scott's room at the resort. "But?" Bucky asked, "Feels like you're going to add a 'but'."

Scott pursed his lips. "Ok, let me get this straight. You think that there may be a way of doing some trade with the Soul Stone to get Natasha back. But you'd be stuck on an alien planet a few years in the past. But, if an extra suit is taken, which I can make, and can make very small and easy to re-enlarge, then that suit can be programmed to jump forwards to umm, now, or our soon-is future, but then fifteen minutes after the initial jump."

"Sounds right," Steve said.

"But why the fifteen minutes? Why not just bring her back at the same time?"

Steve glanced at Bucky. "To be certain everything lines up," Steve said.

"But it wouldn't. It would - " Scott said, not entirely sure what he was asking.

"Scott, can you do it?" Bucky asked.

"Yes," said Scott. "Yeah, ok. I'll do it. Weird programming including. Weird because I know you're not telling me something."

"We don't want to get people's hopes up," Bucky said. "Incase it doesn't work. So please don't tell anyone what you're doing."

"We'll call you as soon as we know, either way," Steve promised.

"You do know I get it, right?" Scott said. "I mean, I helped invent an actual time machine on the slither of a chance I might somehow get my girlfriend back. And it worked. Of course, Hope will be wondering what I'm up to. My girlfriend, I mean, not the concept."

"Scott, please..."

"I won't tell her. It's not like she knew Natasha anyway."

"Thank-you, Scott," Steve said, "Really. None of this would have been possible without you."

"Yeah, well, it's gunna take me a few days. Plus there's the funeral and..."

"We've got time," Steve said.

"Not forever," Bucky said, "But we don't need it tonight."

"You guys go off on these crazy capers for all your friends? Or just the real special ones?" Scott asked.

Steve and Bucky caught one-another's eye. "Oh," Steve smiled, "It's fairly par for the course at this stage."

"Ok, good," Scott said, "Good to know that if shit one-day hits the fan, someone's gunna come look for me. Unless I disappear at the same time as half the universe, but hopefully that won't be happening again."

"So, about this trip," Bucky said.

A week had passed, and Steve was getting changed into his suit. "I'm gunna try to get her back, Buck. Worst case, we get a body to bury."

"I know," Bucky said, "I know you'll try everything. I'm - don't mean about Natasha. Not right now."

"I've spoken to everyone about where they got their stones. It's fine."

"Steve."

"I'll start in New York with the Time and Memory Stones. Get rid of the easiest ones first."

"Steve."

"Then back to the 70's I think. That'll be four down. Easiest to start on Earth."

"We've already been over those plans," Bucky said. "We've been over all the 'what if's'. But once it's all done - please tell me honestly - are you coming back here?"

Steve looked out the window. "I will. Eventually."

Bucky sighed. "Eventually means...?"

"I'm sorry, Buck..."

"Don't apologise. Not to me," Bucky said, trying not to let Steve See his shoulders drop. "I didn't spend all those years trying to keep you alive just for you to be miserable, especially not if there's some chance of happiness somewhere else. Sometimes you've got to do that with those you love. You gotta love them enough to let them go."

Steve turned back to Bucky. "Look at you, getting all soppy on me."

"Just telling it like it is," Bucky smiled. "I do wish we'd had more time. Here, in this future. Or present or whatever."

"I - Buck, I - "

"Yeah, yeah, Steve Rogers is very good at the big team-building morale speech, but can't properly say goodbye. I'm almost envious, Rogers. You're gunna get the life we should have had all along. Make sure you tell Peggy I say hi. Give her my love. And the others. There's bound to be some of the Howling Commandos still around. Tell them - tell them it's ok. In the end, I'm ok."

"Buck..."

"You can't go after the Winter Soldier. He'll kill you, and that's not fair on either of us. Just - forget that name. You know how that story ends. I'm here, and I'm ok."

"You're more than ok," Steve said, "You're the man with the plan. You're the one keeping the team together, building their morale, winning their trust. I - I'll be seeing you again."

"I know," Bucky said. "Then we can go fishing. Hey, Pops? Fishing out on that lake?"

"Don't call me Pops," Steve said.

Bucky laughed. "You'll be looking like one next time I see you. Gramps them?"

Steve smiled and shook his head. "I will throw you in the lake."

"Careful you don't put your shoulder out putting your cardigan on, Gramps."

"Bucky, I swear..." Steve laughed.

Bucky smiled and took a deep breath. "Bruce and Sam will be waiting."

"I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you, Buck."

"I know that," Bucky said, "But the same goes for me. I'm actually really excited for you."

"Come on," Steve said, leading the way out of his room, "Time to go save some worlds."

Steve couldn't quiet his mind as he climbed the mountain. If it didn't work, they technically weren't any worse off than they were now. And if he succeeded, if Bucky's theory was right, then they would be infinitely better off.

"One more miracle," Steve muttered to himself as he scrambled up the rocks. Returning the other five stones ranged from easy to slight challenge. But the Soul Stone was by far the hardest, both mentally and physically. After this, he'd be done. He could go get a life. He hated the way Tony's words had stuck in his mind. Steve's whole life had just been about staying alive, or trying to keep those around him alive, and he'd never had much time to enjoy the life he did have.

Bucky, Sam, Wanda, Natasha. They deserved more. He deserved more. Steve looked up and saw a cloaked figured standing a little further up. He finished his ascent before the figure spoke.

"You come alone."

"Yeah," Steve panted, brushing his hands on his pants. "That an issue?"

"You're too late, Steven, son of Sarah."

"Nah, don't think so," Steve said, vaguely recognising the voice.

"The stone is gone."

"Nope," Steve said, reaching into his pocket. "It's right here."

He held out the stone. The cloaked figure took a step back. "How...?"

"Long story. Here's what I want to know. A soul for a soul? That's the deal, right? But it's usually the other way around to what I want. The soul of a person,costing them heir life, in exchange for the stone. What if I give back the stone? Do I get a person returned?"

The cloaked figure gave an unsettling laugh.

"Does it?" Steve demanded. "A soul for a soul. The stone for Natasha."

"Natasha, daughter of Ivan," the figure said, leading Steve onto the rocky platform. "And Clint, son of Edith. No one visits for an eternity, then three guests in one day."

Steve looked around in a panic, afraid he'd see Natasha's body lying broken and still on the ground.

"She's not up here," the figure said. "They fought over who'd taken the fall, and who'd take the stone. Willing to injure the other to sacrifice themselves. I didn't interfere. The outcome meant nothing to me. Whoever fell, the other got the stone. A soul for a soul." The figure pointed off the end of the platform.

Steve walked carefully to the edge, his heart pounding. There was nothing below but black, jagged rocks. Steve squeezed his eyes shut as the image of Bucky falling off the train filled his mind. He wished he could turn his imagination off. He didn't want to see that. He didn't want to see the sick trick his mind was playing, replacing Bucky's body for Natasha's.

"For what it's worth," the cloaked figure said, "She didn't scream or cry out as she fell. She'd made her peace."

"No."

"She never felt a thing when she landed."

"Where is she now?" Steve asked.

"Gone."

"Where's her body?" Steve yelled. "Where is she?"

"A soul for a soul," the figure repeated. The wind blew the hood aside, and Steve saw the face of the one underneath it.

"No..."

"A soul for a soul, Captain Rogers," The Red Skull said.

Steve hurled the stone out off the end of the platform and screamed out in anger.