Zephyr
Sauron's power continues to grow within the universe, but was bent to conquer the entire Multiverse. Its only a matter of time before every hero would either unite or perish by the Dark Lord. Onboard a Quinjet, Samuel Wilson, Sharon Carter, Phil Coulson, Bucky Barnes, Dakota North, were driving towards the area of Brooklyn where Steve Rogers was staying at the Ateret Avot Senior Living. Thanks to Doctor Strange, who used his ability to track him, the team made their next step to visit him.
"Its kind of a shocker that Cap's still alive," Agent Coulson said, not looking too pleased since everything about Roger's death was a lie.
"So this is what you've been hiding all along?" Agent 13 scoffed. "Why didn't you or Barnes tell me?"
Sam Wilson had always felt deeply ashamed for having to keep this secret about his friend Rogers faking his death. He knew that one day, he would be ready to tell anyone, including Sharon, the truth. "Look I get your pissed in all, but this was not my idea to keep this secret quiet. He wanted to live the life he wanted after the war ended."
"Well, its ashame that the world will live without Captain America," Dakota expressed her feelings since she was a big fan of the hero with the shield.
"He's not the only one who kept this secret," Sergeant Barnes said, standing up with Wilson. "We both agreed to keep this quiet for only if each of us were ready to tell you."
"Talk about someone keeping a secret from people who were close to you guys," Dakoa scoffed.
"Yeah, tell me about it," Captain Falcon sighed. "Look all I know is that he convinced Buck and I to keep his fate quiet."
"And you tell us that he traveled to the past, marry his one and only damsel, and has a good life that he wanted?" Dakota asked, scoffed. "I think that was a mistake. I mean, going into the past is like creating something that never really happened."
"More likely an alternate timeline," Agent Coulson corrected and began to explain something. "But if Steve lived the rest of his life when he went back, then that means one thing. He didn't create an alternate reality, it was a time loop."
"Wait a minute, a time loop?" Dakota scoffed, thinking it was a joke.
"Yeah, a time loop," Agent Coulson said. "Or a temporal loop in fiction. Its some sort of plot device whereby people re-experience a span of time which is repeated, sometimes more than once."
"Okay, so your telling me that the Steve we know went in time and remained there for the last decades while the other was frozen, became an Avenger, then did the same thing?" Dakota asked that, thinking that was right.
"That's what a time loop is, like one stayed and the other left," Agent Coulson nodded in correction.
"You know Coulson, he's studied time travel," Agent 13 remarked, but began to feel something inside of her.
"So you know," Sergeant Barnes sighed and gave Sam a look. "I knew it was not such a good idea to let him go."
"Which is why we should've talked him out of this sh**!" Captain Falcon sounded so irritated, but then he chose to calm himself down due to everything that happened. He lets out a deep sigh and goes on. "But if he didn't, then the cycle would stop. He would never marry her or have his kids that he showed me before, even in our time or the other. Like Coulson says, it was a time loop, everything remained where it was, he didn't change the past, present, or future. He didn't mess with time. He never did. All he wanted was to be happy. Come home after the war and dance with the person he wanted to be with. That's all he ever wanted."
"So are you going to tell him?" Agent Coulson asked of what Sam will say when he tells Steve about the truth.
"I'm not sure at all," Captain Falcon said with a sigh. "I wonder what Cap would do."
"He would trust his heart," Agent Coulson assured him.
"This is just so difficult," Captain Falcon whispered in a sigh, sounding frustrated by all this.
"It's not," Agent 13 decided to speak since she was silent during the ride. "Some people believe that it's only a great power that can hold evil at bay. Its what my aunt Peggy said. We all have something that is different. A small act of kindness that can make the world a better place."
"Hmm, so your not pissed?" Captain Falcon asked with a tight smile.
"Kinda," Agent 13 scoffed with some laughter. "But, I just want to talk to him, one last time."
"And we will," Agent Coulson said and stand to move to the front of the plane. "Its time to get back to work, but before we kick some ass, we should take the moment to talk with Rogers."
Ateret Avot Senior Living
Inside the Ateret Avot Senior Living, Sam Wilson, Sharon Carter, Phil Coulson, Bucky Barnes, and Dakota North approached the front desk to meet a young white-haired girl, who seemed to be way to young to be working at a place that looks after the elderly.
Coulson was getting suspicious due to seeing the girl here. His time with S.H.I.E.L.D. had always taught him to never trust anyone at first glance and this white haired girl certainly wasn't making things easier.
"Sam we need to get out of here now!" Agent Coulson whispered with urgency.
"What are you talking about?" Falcon asked, sounding a bit confused of what he was saying. "This is the place."
"I know, but there's something wrong," Agent Coulson continued to whisper even more urgently than before. "If we don't get out of here now, I have a feeling in muy gut we might walk into a hornet's nest."
The white haired girl, who was sitting on the desk rolls her eyes directly towards the group, even seeing Coulson glaring at her for no reason.
"Can I help you?" The White-Haired Girl asked, looking a bit suspicious.
"Ah no thank you," Agent Coulson coldly replied.
The white-haired girl smiled thinly due to seeing him react like that. Not even responding back, she turns around and her eyes started to glow blue without anyone noticing.
"Is there something wrong?" The White-Haired Girl asked again.
"Ah no, there isn't," Dakota hastily replied, knowing how Coulson was reacting to this.
"We're hear to see a patient," Falcon chose to speak on the group's behalf. "Roscoe Frisbee."
"Level 2, Room 104," The White-Haired Girl answered and left the counter.
"Thanks," Sergeant Barnes said and gave Coulson a look. "The hell's your problem?"
"There was something off about that girl," Agent Coulson said. "Why would a girl that age, even with white hair, just come working at a desk."
"Maybe its her looks that get you," Falcon slightly scoffed.
"Or maybe some witch or something," Dakota chuckled.
"Very funny to make jokes, but she really looked familiar," Agent Coulson began to describe of what he recalled before.
"And what's that?" Dakota asked.
"Back when I was director of S.H.I.E.L.D., I was going over more than hundreds of classified files that Fury gave to look at for me and Daisy," Agent Coulson explained. "There was one file that Fury kept in the dark, fragments of Cosmic Cubes that he was using for a secret project called Kobik."
"Kobik, is that another thing you rather share with us?" Dakota asked, giving him a serious face.
"Cosmic Cubes can control matter and energy, answering to the will of the sentient beings that use them," Agent Coulson continued more. "They require practice to be used properly, but a skillful user can alter all reality to answer to its thoughts. Former Director Fury found a few fragments of these cubes, believing it to be something important to reshape reality as the agency would deem necessary. Something went wrong. The erratic behavior caused the pieces to violently merge together into a single being."
"What kind of being was it?" Sergeant Barnes asked, getting into it.
"It was a girl," Agent Coulson answered. "It looked as if it was pure human, but it wasn't."
"So if it went wrong, then what happened to the little girl?" Dakota asked, wanting to know more.
"I don't know," Agent Coulson shook his head as his direct answer to all that. "Fury never told me more about this secret project and how it went wrong."
Room 104
Reaching the second level, Sam Wilson, Sharon Carter, Phil Coulson, Bucky Barnes, and Dakota North walk towards Room 104. When they approach the door, four people come out of the door. Two men and two women. The group didn't have a chance to see their face as they left, but when the door was slowly closing, they could hear a song playing. It was called It's Been a Long, Long Time" performed by Harry James and His Orchestra, sung by Kitty Kallen, written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne. It's Been a Long, Long Time was one of Steve's favorite songs that he heard while growing up in Brooklyn. It was the only song he would use while imagining that if he reunites with Peggy, he would give her the dance she wanted, which is what he did when he went back to the past to be with the woman he truly loved.
As the song continues to play, Samuel Wilson, Sharon Carter, Phil Coulson, Bucky Barnes, and Dakota North approach an elderly man lying on a nice comfortable man. It was Steve. His eyes were shut tight and had a very warm smile while listening to the song. Sam was the first to approach.
"I know your in here," Steve Rogers responded while his eyes continue to remain shut and warmly smiles. "Its okay."
"How you doing?" Falcon smiled, trying to keep tears from coming down.
Steve Rogers didn't bother to open his eyes as he continues to speak. "After my children came to pay their respects and carry on what I left for them, I thought to myself, hoping that I would have one last chance to speak to my friends... one last time."
"What do you mean?" Falcon asked, confused.
"During the late 1960s, I traveled with my wife to China, god it so was lovely, I still remember what it was like during the war," Steve Rogers weakly chuckled. Do you still remember going with me on that one mission to China, Sam?"
Sam Wilson began to recall something that he did with Captain America in the past. Before the Sokovia Accord, he went with Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Vision, and Wanda Maximoff on a mission to China.
"Yeah, I do," Falcon nodded in remembrance.
"We were looking for a mysterious warlord, going by the name Iron Nail," Steve Rogers continued to explain what he remembered. "His minions kept his fortress very tight and it was difficult to penetrate, but we really did manage to take the best of him and his friends."
"Steve, um, I don't mean to say this, but why are you telling me this?" Falcon asked, confused of why he would tell him this.
"When I was the only one of the team to reach the very top of the fortress, I saw him," Steve Rogers continued to bring more to what Sam would know. "Just before we fought, he said, 'So we meet again? It seems you are as strong than before.' I didn't know him. We never met before, but I knew for one thought that we did meet before. Years after I went back in time to return the stones to their own proper timelines, I saw him again... Ran Shen. Ooh, what a fiesty one he was. People always say that the Super-Soldier Serum can halt anyone's age due to the perfection of the cells. That is true, but there was something that it didn't understand. I did not understand Shen's power. I was too late to stop him when he fired those darts at me. They neutralized my serum, causing me to age at a normal rate like everyone else. Still, I had a small part of it left, its what kept me standing, but now... the time has come."
"So this is what happened?" Falcon sounded quite beat of what he heard.
"Hmm," Steve nodded with his eyes shut. "I would've stopped him, but I knew that doing that would just alter reality. I couldn't do it Sam. Things would've been different, even before Thanos could find the stones. No matter how the future stands, it could be different, not unless if we fight our way to save our own."
"You know we're going to miss you," Falco said, starting to feel a bit upset.
"Don't cry Sam," Steve Rogers pleaded, holding his friend and former teammate's hand as comfort. "Its going to be okay."
Bucky remembered those words before his friend left to return the Infinity Stones back to their separate, but alternate timelines in the aftermath of Thanos' defeat. Still, he started to feel very sad that his only childhood friend, whom he known for years, was going to pass very soon. Deciding to spend his last time with Steve, he quietly walks over to the other side of the bed and sits down while Phil Coulson, Dakota North, and Sharon Carter stay and watch. Sharon, for example, was starting to feel very sad since she feels that this would be it. Her chance to say goodbye to her Uncle Steve before he passes on to reunite with Peggy.
Finally, after a while, Steve opened his eyes when he turns to see his best friend sitting beside him and smiles. "You know, sitting beside me just brings back great memories, Buck. The day you stand by me, no matter how long it would be."
"I know," Sergeant Barnes nods his head and sniffed. "Those were the best times we had."
"Hmm, they were," Steve Rogers nodded back with a smile and a takes a long sigh. "While I'm gone, people will never forget about me."
Bucky started to chuckle with a bit of tears in his eyes. "Well, I hate to tell you this, but people are still pi***** that they now live in a world without you."
"Yes they are," Steve responded softly. "But that doesn't mean Captain America is." He slowly turns his head a bit to set his gaze over his friend. "Its a title. If one is worthy to carry a shield, wear a costume, or even lift a hammer if they got the balls for it, then that means... people don't have to feel broken over the lost of a hero. We all have to pass it down from the next and then the next as long as it is. Tell me Buck, do you still serve your country?"
"I'll always serve my country, but I will never forget my best friend... cause I'm with you to the end of the line, pal," Sergeant Barnes smiled.
"Mine too," Steve Rogers smiled back and began to see Sharon Carter, Phil Coulson, and DakotaNorth. He could see how Sharon was smiling with tears. "Sharon." He gasped for a bit and holds his hand out. "Come over here, please."
At the very moment, Sharon Carter turned to look at Agent Coulson, who gives her a nod as a sign that its time for her to say her own final words to him, but despite the crimes she committed, she didn't know what to say right now. The only thing is right now, is that Sharon would spend her moment with him before he goes. She then she turns back to face him and walks over to him. "Hey." She gently responded as she held Steve's hand softly and starting to feel a sign of pure sadness just as a tear fell down her left eye.
"You know, I can tell that you are upset," Steve Rogers said, nodding in understandment. "Please don't be mad at Sam and Buck for keeping the truth. Everything I did was all me."
"Don't worry, I won't," Agent 13 promised, trying so hard to keep herself from crying. "Its just... I don't know how to explain, but I... I did things that I never wanted to do. I just don't want to make this a habit for breaking your heart."
"Hmm, I understand," Steve Rogers nodded his head, understanding how much pain she was right now. "If someone makes a mistake or even falling down a dark path, doesn't mean that either he or she can fix it. But you want to know something, I was the one who convinced my wife to explain the stories about me. She always told her to keep my existence quiet until I was ready to tell you the truth of what I did."
Sharon couldn't believe that the man she use to fell in love with was really her grand uncle all along. She didn't want to believe it, but she had to. It was a big surprise to her now.
"Well I can see that you really enjoyed your early retirement," Agent 13 began to smile sympathetically. "I understand, but... I just..." She gasped, feeling a couple of tears streaming down her eyes. "...I just never had a chance to say goodbye."
"Well, you can now," Steve Rogers smiled fondly as he holds her hand gently. "Thanks for understanding Sharon."
"You're welcome," Agent 13 gasped again, holding his hand, not wanting to let go.
"I'll still never forget that kiss you gave her," Sergeant Barnes smiled, recalling of when he and Sharon kissed back in Germany during the Avengers Civil War between the Mighty and Secret Avengers.
"Hmm, it was... beautiful," Steve Rogers smiled.
"I'm still going to miss you, buddy," Sergeant Barnes sniffed with a tear sliding down the left side of his cheek.
"So will I," Steve Rogers gasped. "But I'm happy here."
Samuel Wilson couldn't take more of this. He was feeling even more upset than before since Steve was about to pass. As he was about to turn away and leave by brushing the tears off his eyes, Steve focused his eyes to him.
"Sam... how does it feel?" Steve Rogers asked, getting his attention.
Sam Wilson made a sudden halt, but didn't turn around when he answered honestly to his friend's question. "If your gonna ask why I gave up the shield in the first place, I'm gonna admit that I didn't feel like I was a Super-Soldier..." he turns around to face his friend. "... or even Captain America."
"Hmm, that too," Steve Rogers responded by nodding his head in agreement.
"Before I chose to become something that I never thought it would work out, a good man once told me that things were different," Captain Falcon began to explain his story about Isaiah Bradley. "He always thought that jail was his fault because you go a shield. He even told me that no black man would ever hold that mantle and felt convinced of that sentiment due to his past experiences."
"I've met a lot of people that suffered through past experiences," Steve Rogers recalled. "Its really difficult to let go. But I will tell you this, the shield doesn't deem anyone worthy. It will always be part of the very person who proves that either he or she understands what it means to be a true hero."
"You are still good at giving motivational speeches Cap," Captain Falcon chuckled with a pure, but sad smile.
"Thanks for everything Sam," Steve Rogers smiled back and extends his hand. "I truly mean it. Now go out there and make me proud."
Sam extended his hand, and Steve shook it. With there mutual respect returning for each other, they both continue to smile as they shake hands.
"So Cap, looks like old age finally caught up with you," Agent 13 noted upon his age.
Steve just chuckled and began to apologise with a smile. "Hmm yes, age has caught up with me, Sharon, but I have never been as sorry for dragging you into our own civil war. It would've been different."
"No problem, and I would have done it no matter what," Agent 13 smiled back with a couple of tears, regretting for her past actions. "I'm just glad to see you're finally happy."
"Thank you Sharon," Steve Rogers began to sniff just as tears threatened to fall down his face. "I already know about it. Nat and Tony's deaths broke me. What was I living for, if not for them?"
"You can't keep blaming yourself for that Cap," Sharon Carter softly said. "They made there choices. Blaming yourself will only bring you suffering."
"You always did have a way with words," Steve said, trying to ease the tension.
"Yeah," Agent 13 whispered with a sigh. "Thanks Cap. I better get going. It was great seeing you." She wrapped Steve in a huge hug and then whispered in his ear.
May your dreams bring you peace in the darkness
May you always rise over the rain
May the light from above, always lead you to love
May you stay in the arms of the angels
May you always be brave in the shadows
Till the sun shines upon you again
At last, Sharon departed and gave Steve a kiss on the cheek. Dakota North and Phil Coulson were still where they were and smiled in amusement. That's when Steve managed to turn his eyes towards Coulson with a smile.
"I always knew you weren't dead," Steve Rogers smiled towards him.
"Takes a lot to get use to," Agent Coulson smiled back at his friend.
"Well, at least its good to see a good friend," Steve Rogers chuckled at him. "You were the one and only person that helped us become the Avengers."
After Sharon Carter, Samuel Wilson, Bucky Barnes, Phil Coulson, and Dakota North left Steve's room, Kobik noticed them leave and kept herself from not knowing that they saw her while holding papers up in her face. While Carter, Wilson, Barnes, and North didn't notice, the only person who began to suspect her presence was Coulson. Coulson turns around as Kobik continued to hold her papers while three nurses were walking by, pretending she was busy working with them. Coulson continued to feel a sign of suspicion over her as if he was willing to find out the truth if she was one of Fury's lost projects. He turns away and leaves.
Watching Coulson leave, Kobik checked if the coast was clear and saw that no one was near where Roger's room was. She slowly looks both ways and enters Steve's room where It's Been a Long, Long Time continued to play. Once she slowly enters Steve's room, she was very careful not to disturb him just as she approaches the soundbox and turns it off. Thinking that Rogers was still asleep, Kobik grins and walks closer to him and leans her head forward, wanting to get a closer look at him.
"Well, hello there, captain," Kobik greeted him with a smirk on her face and moves her head back.
Steve opens his eyes and responds weakly. "I knew you were here."
"So this is how you say goodbye to your friends, your family, and all those who fought to protect," Kobik asked while chuckling. "Shame on you."
"Who are you?" Steve Rogers demanded.
Kobik didn't answer his question, for she then places her hand on Steve's chest. Steve Rogers couldn't wonder she was doing that to him, but began to suspect something was up.
"You still possess a small amount of the Super-Soldier Serum," Kobik sniffed, closing her eyes. "No wonder why its still keeping you alive a bit. Much of it was neutralized." She continued to keep her eyes shut, but smiled with an intrigued look. "Very interesting."
"Are you going to kill me?" Steve Rogers asked.
"Kill you?" Kobik scoffed and chuckled. "Why would I? Your the one keeping the secret. Oh, I love secrets, but yours is so quiet."
"And I think you need to leave," Steve Rogers responded with a warning.
"Oh," Kobik sighed and clicked her tongue. "You would've lived much longer than this. Going in time to return the stones to their rightful time realities." She chuckles in delight. "But then... you choose to make a bargain."
"Get out, please," Steve Rogers warned her again to leave.
Kobik ignored his threats and continued to tell more of his secret. "So you can live with the very woman you love. Dance with her, talk to her of what the future was like, have four beautiful children, and make a deal with one of your old foes... past and future."
Steve Rogers was shocked that Kobik knew his secret. "How do you know all this?"
"Don't you see Captain?" Kobik answered. "Your dying and yet, I feel evil continues to strike across the faces of those who protected all life. Darkness will hover over the sky. Wrath, Fire, Murder will spread across the universe after another."
"You cannot do this," Steve Rogers responded by grabbing her neck, but was to weak to hold her.
"Its not your time yet," Kobik said with a grin.
"What are you?" Steve Rogers asked.
"Sssh," Kobik shushed him. "I'm your savior."