Steve found me 30 minutes later huddled in a corner, remnants of tears tracks still on my face. I didn't know why I was crying all I know was that I had been, my hands still burned and as I looked up at Steve his shirt was still singed and I almost burst out crying again until he sat down beside me wrapping his arms around my shoulders and pulling me into his chest. Something about this felt familiar to me and I snuggled into his chest breathing in his scent. Suddenly pictures started floating into my mind, pictures of me in an army uniform strolling around a camp ground, guys falling at my feet wherever I stood, all but one, a skinny Steve Rogers, I pulled away from him and hid my face in my folded arms. Everything was feeling all too real for me to handle, Steve rubbed my back as I sobbed into my arms, everything was coming flooding back into my mind of a previous life I had lived, I had once loved Steve, scrawny Steve before the serum, but I had loved him and he me. I could remember Bucky, I could remember Peggy, even Dr. Erskine, but how could all of this be possible. I was nowhere near my 90's and I don't remember being alive in that time.
"Why can I remember you before the serum, Steve?" I asked him finally looking up from my arms.
"Tony has a theory but I'm not holding my breath," he told me taking my hand in his. It felt right but at the same time really wrong.
"And what's your theory Brooklyn?" using a nickname that just flowed freely off my tongue.
"That you are a reincarnate of my past love, Addyson, but I don't know how that could be possible, but then again this whole tower isn't possible." He scratched his chin deep in thought, I also let my mind wander, as crazy as it sounds I think Steve might be right, it would explain why I can remember the old Steve from Brooklyn, but how did I not know about this. Couldn't the person remember being a reincarnate. I would have to speak to Tony about this.
"What if that's exactly who I am?" I asked Steve turning my whole body to face him.
"Then will you allow me to try something?" he asked me looking down at his hands, in that moment he was just Steve Rogers the little guy from Brooklyn, I nodded and looked deep into his eyes. He gently cupped my face with his large calloused hands and let his eyes flutter closed, I followed suit and leaned in closer, our lips connected and I felt fireworks. Every kiss we had shared in my past life was nothing compared to this one right here. Steve had told me the story of when he flew the plane into the ice, the reason behind doing it wasn't just because there was nowhere else. Addyson, or rather I, had died in combat on one of his last missions and he had been distraught, which led him to taking the plane down into the ice. I pulled away from Steve and held both of his hands as his eyes opened as well.
"Please tell me you felt that too." He said when his eyes finally opened all the way. I nodded licking my lips kind of wanting to do that again but also knowing that it would be a really bad idea, I'm not the same person that Steve fell in love with back in Brooklyn 70 years ago. I'm literally a completely different person, I have a different name and different personality and no matter how much I enjoyed kissing him we both knew that we couldn't continue to do this.
"Steve," I started placing a small hand on his cheek, I could feel his 5 o'clock shadow underneath my fingertips, I felt as he nuzzled my hand gently. "You know that we can't do this right? I'm not Addyson, I'm Analia, I'm not the same person who knew how to fight, I'm not the same person that every guy fell for in the 107th, I'm not the same girl who shot down Bucky, although I probably still would, you and I both know that this wouldn't work and it's just better if we stop this now before one of us gets hurt again." He sighed and reached up to grab hold of my hand that still rested on his face.
"I know but can't I just relish in the feeling of your skin on mine once again. I've missed it." I nodded and let myself really feel his skin beneath my fingertips. It was just like in the memories, only something felt off, I knew Steve could feel it too. I wasn't Addyson and that's what felt so off about all of this. I pressed my lips once more to Steve's and I felt a tear slide down his cheek. I brushed it away with my thumb and pulled away for the last time.
"I'm sorry Steve." I got up from where I had been sitting in front of him and made my way back inside to give Laura a hand and get my mind off hurting Steve.
Later that day Steve was outside chopping wood, I couldn't help but admit that he does look good as a lumberjack. Tony joined him soon after. It had looked like they were in a heated discussion when Steve looked like he had had enough, he grabbed a decent sized log and with his bare hands ripped it apart making Tony jump slightly. Laura and I had cleaned the house top to bottom sparkling and she then went outside to ask Tony if he could fix the tractor. I watched Steve from the living room as Cooper and Lila were running around and making a mess in the nice clean house.
With Fury giving everyone a run down on Ultron and what he wants I sat in the living room with the kids, Lila and Cooper were drawing pictures for Aunty Nat and Bruce. Lila ran from the living room to the dining room to show aunty Nat what she had drawn. Steve stood in the archway between the living and dining room with his arms crossed and a scowl etched into his fine features. I stayed away from the conversation hoping to stay out of the mission that they were talking about. Steve turned to look at me as they were talking about NEXUS and I felt my face flush and used my hair to hide my face.
"I want you to stay behind, I don't want you getting hurt. I can't lose you again," Steve told me resting his large hand on my cheek. I celebrated silently but gave Steve a sad face.
"But what if you guys get hurt? What am I supposed to do? Sit back here and play housewife?" I all but screamed at him. Suddenly I felt like I actually wanted to go on the mission.
"We all think it's for the best, not just Cap." Tony told me coming up behind Steve and placing his hand on Steve's shoulder. Tony looked at me sympathetically, I think Steve may have filled him in on what was going on with us. "You will be back at Stark Tower, we will drop you off on our way to the mission." I frowned but nodded anyway, there was no arguing when it came to Steve and Tony.
I paced around Stark Tower a few hours later, I hadn't heard from anyone and I was starting to really worry. Suddenly everyone burst through the door, yelling about finding Natasha. Steve walked in with two extra people tagging along behind him. I let them sort out how to find Nat and watched the twins wearily. Don't get me wrong I was worried for Nat but I also knew that everyone knew what they were doing, Clint and Bruce wouldn't let Nat be gone for too long.
I sat in the living room with the tv on quietly, I had nothing better to do as everyone was worrying about the stupid cradle that Ultron had tried to make a body for himself with. I rested my head on the arm of the couch and flung my legs to rest beside me, thinking I'd take a nap, I was sadly mistaken when there was a large clap of thunder and lightning and then I heard glass breaking and everyone ran into the dining room/ events room. I bolted there myself to see what was going on, standing there floating slightly off the ground was a large maroon coloured man, that looked like a robot, he had a cape hanging off his shoulders, I didn't know how to take him but then he spoke, he sounded like JARVIS and it put me slightly at ease.
"Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the Mind Stone, and they're nothing compared to what it can unleash. But with it on our side..." Thor spoke with much conviction pacing slightly while looking everyone directly in the eye willing anyone to challenge what he was saying. I instinctively moved closer to Steve, but still far enough away that it didn't look out of character for either of us.
"Is it?" Steve asked Thor, then faced the robot man, "Are you? On our side?" he raised his eyebrows looking around at everyone. I stood off to the side near Steve, somehow his presence just calmed me down. I couldn't keep my eyes off the Maximoff boy though, there was just something about him that intrigued me.
"I don't think it's that simple." The man stared down at the ground, his eyes not really focusing on anything in particular.
"Well it better get real simple real soon." Clint stated making the man look up at him as he walked closer.
"I am on the side of life. Ultron isn't, he will end it all." He started looking at each one of us individually.
"What's he waiting for?" Tony asked folding his arms in front of his body.
"You." The android stated again looking at all of us.
"Where?" Bruce questioned, thinking this metal man had all of the answers, has he not learned from working with Iron Man, never trust a metal man.
"Sokovia. He's got Nat there too." Clint walked over to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder pulling me in close and rubbing my shoulder in comfort.
"If we're wrong about you, if you're the monster that Ultron made you to be..." Bruce stepped forward closer to the man, unfolding his arms.
"What will you do?" he asked, a look of realisation imminent on his face. We all looked at Bruce, hoping that he stays a nice pink colour rather than losing his cool, we didn't need the hulk in this situation, even I know that. "I don't want to kill Ultron. He's unique, and he's in pain." He walks past Bruce and goes to stand in front of everyone as opposed to in the middle of everyone, "But that pain will roll over the earth, so he must be destroyed. Every form he's built, every trace of his presence on the net, we have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the others." We all looked sceptically at one another before he finally turned around to look at everyone seeming to break up his monologue slightly. "Maybe I am a monster. I don't think I'd know if I were one. I'm not what you are, and not what you intended. So there may be no way to make you trust me. But we need to go." He picks up Thor's hammer as everyone stares in shock, maybe this guy wasn't all that bad, if the hammer thought he was worthy maybe we should trust him. I wasn't the only one to have this thought process as Thor reached out and grabbed is hammer from his hands.
"Right." Thor starts walking off but stops to pat Tony on the shoulder. "Well done."
"Three minutes. Get what you need." Steve said starting to walk away before he sees me and motions for me to follow him. I shrugged off Clint's arm and followed behind Steve, but not before taking one last look at the silver haired Maximoff twin.
"Please tell me I can actually come on this one?" I questioned Steve even before he had turned to look at me. He sighed before answering me.
"Vision said we can't do it without you so I guess against my better judgement yes you can come." He ran a hand over his face then stepped closer to me once again. I squealed in delight before flinging my arms around Steve strong shoulders and jumping up slightly to where he had to catch me or we would both end up falling onto the floor. He had one arm securely wrapped around my waist keeping me up and the other was gently caressing my face, suddenly I felt his lips on mine again, I let him kiss me as I kissed him back.
I heard the door open and close before I felt a rush of air causing Steve and I to break apart, I blushed and lowered myself down off Steve and stood in front of him awkwardly.
"Just be careful out there please," Steve pleaded with me, I nodded at him as he pulled me in for a hug.