Natasha was stealthy by custom but she was also slightly, just slightly, nosy. And when she saw Golden Boy clearly trying to read something in secret, the control was beyond her. Their day had come to an end at S.H.I.E.L.D. but instead of going home, Steve was still there.

Steve never felt her presence in the room, not until she spoke up behind him. "Who's that?"

The two worded question might as well have been screamed into his ear. Steve had jumped in his chair and frantically shut the file he was reading. "Romanoff! I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that!"

Natasha remained unfazed by the frantic movements. "What? Asking a question?"

Steve wouldn't bother with that. Natasha had selective hearing. "It's no one."

"Right, and I was born yesterday." Natasha smiled while Steve rolled his eyes at her. "C'mon, what is it? A secret file?"

"No, of course not."

"Then?"

Steve had gotten up from his chair and with the file in hand. He turned to Natasha who was waiting for him to answer her. Her lips quirked into a smile because she knew that he would eventually cave and tell her what she wanted to know. It was actually scary how she managed to do that. With a light sigh, he handed her the file. He told himself he'd rather talk with Natasha about this than...well...a certain other person.

Natasha was quick to take the file from him. Steve watched her eyes skim the lines on the papers, nearly getting dizzy from how quick she was doing it.

"She was one of the founders of this place," she eventually said. Her eyes raised from the file to meet Steve's. "Margaret Carter," she said with a wicked grin, like she knew everything. Steve had no doubt that she did.

"Her name was Peggy," he corrected and plucked the file from her hands.

"Right," Natasha nodded. "Why are you reading about her all of a sudden? Don't you, like, know her already?" She vaguely remembered Seren mentioning something about the woman.

"It's not 'all of a sudden'. I always read the file." He did so at least once a day. "I actually read all the files that S.H.I.E.L.D. gave me when I left for the cabin."

"So why do you look guilty with that one?" Natasha pointed at the file in his hand.

Steve held Natasha's look with a questioning one. Was she really asking to know or to make a point? Sometimes he couldn't tell. Her poker face was that talented. Eventually, Natasha helped him out.

"The founders of this place aren't really known that well anymore. I'm guilty of being one of them. What's so important about her, Steve?"

"Truthfully?"

"With you, there's never another option."

Steve smiled. That was right. "She was there when they turned me into this," he gestured to himself. "Before, and after."

Though he was being cryptic, Natasha read in-between the lines fast. "Oh." It was insane how fast the heat rushed to Steve's face. "Like that."

"It's obviously in the past," he said with full honesty. He was well aware that his thoughts and feelings for Peggy Carter had shifted a while ago.

"Clearly," Natasha folded her arms. "She's like 90 isn't she?"

"Very well alive." Steve focused on that more than anything. "She's the last person from my time and she's...she was someone special." And he wouldn't ever deny that to anyone.

Natasha lifted an eyebrow. "Was? Hmm, is it possible that our local golden boy has found a new special girl?"

Steve rolled his eyes at her. "You know what, Romanoff—"

Natasha laughed. "Okay, okay! Sorry! I had to...mostly because I called it a long time ago."

Steve started heading out of the room. "I am not interested in anything you have to say about that. I was just doing some reading—"

Natasha was quick to follow and catch up in no time. "Well yeah but obviously there's something bugging you about this Peggy girl now."

"Yeah, how do you know?"

"Cos you're kind of an easy book to read. One of your flaws," she patted his arm. "You won't ever be able to lie, so don't. What's bugging you?"

Steve reached the elevator first and pressed for the down button. "I just realize that I don't have anyone to talk to about my time anymore. Of course I realized it the first day I woke up but sometimes it just hits me all over again. Everyone else is dead."

"Except for Peggy."

"Yeah…"

"Who you haven't visited," Natasha realized all too soon. "Does she know that you're alive?"

The elevator dinged on its arrival and slid its doors open. The two walked in and pressed the first floor button.

"Yeah, she saw the whole thing the television. I...we had one of those...what do you call it? Video chats?"

Natasha chuckled. "Yeah. How was it?"

Steve exhaled deeply. "So weird. She's older and she had a life of her own. It was amazing being able to talk to her again."

"Have you spoken to her anymore?"

"No. I…" Steve felt like saying "it doesn't feel right' might be seen as something else and there wasn't anything else. There wasn't. No matter what crazy thoughts he had, they were just that: thoughts. But even so, it stopped him from reaching out to Peggy.

The elevator dinged again and allowed the pair out. Natasha stepped out first and studied Steve who walked out silently and pensively. Like she said before, he was an easy book to read. He was guilty about something and she would bet her life that it wasn't for not calling Peggy again.

"Listen, whatever you think you have to be sorry about, you don't. She'll tell you the same thing."

Steve thanked her quietly. "I have to work up the nerve to call her again."

"Well, you're always brave. But hey, if you think you need a little push...some wine always does the trick, even though it won't really do anything for you," Natasha playfully nudged him on the side. "Maybe talk to Seren about it. We're still meeting tonight at her place, right?"

Steve nodded before he could even think about it. Often times things came automatically to him when it regarded Seren. He tended not to think about it and when he was aware that he was trying 'not to think about it', he tried harder.

~0~

Seren scrolled through the tabs of the recent postings concerning her alter ego. She was trying her best to listen to Natasha's advice about not caring what the public had to say about the Avengers and Stardust...but it was easier said than done. It sickened her to see that so many people were threatening to make it known where they stood in regards to her, and the Avengers. They saw them as threats. How? They literally helped save the world!

A knock on the door interrupted her. She was just coming across an adorable picture that a child made of 'Stardust'. It did raise her spirits a bit. She left the tablet on the coffee table and went to answer the door.

"Hey!" she greeted Steve like she hadn't been in a near self-loathing moment seconds before. "Natasha called, she'll be here soon! You ready?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah, how long are these movies exactly?" He walked in behind her and closed the door.

"Not so long! But you better pay attention! Here we take our Harry Potter very seriously!" Seren laughed with a wagging finger pointed at Steve. "We'll get you to take your House quiz before the movies so there's no biases!"

Steve smiled after her while she rambled on about those houses. She and Natasha - and Chloe for that matter - long ago decided to show him the popular movies and series and whatnot. One of them was something called Harry Potter. It was a whole franchise apparently and according to Natasha, he couldn't keep living in the modern world without watching it.

"How many of those 'Houses' are there?" He called to Seren in the kitchen.

"Four!" She was quick to answer. It was easy to tell she was just as excited as Natasha was about the whole thing. Seren emerged from the kitchen a few seconds later with a wine bottle. The glasses had already been set on the coffee table earlier. "There's Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin!" She plopped down on the couch beside him and grabbed a bright yellow scarf on the top of the couch. "And yours truly is a proud Hufflepuff!"

Steve eyed the canary-yellow scarf with a degree of amusement. Seren proudly wrapped it around her neck and showed it off. "And what's the meaning behind it?" He asked, knowing by now that each of the houses held significant meanings for each of the students.

Seren beamed with the question. "Hufflepuffs value hard work and dedication. Um, we have strong moral codes and, above all, we're loyal."

"It sounds very you," Steve said with absolutely no doubt in his mind. "What do you think I'd be?" Seren toyed with the tips of her scarf with a smile indicating she had the answer but was purposely delaying. "Seren? C'mon, don't tell me there's a bad one."

"No!" Seren suddenly pointed at him, her green eyes widening. "And don't you say that in front of Natasha! She's a Slytherin and that House is always seen as the bad one. It's really not. I don't think you'd be part of that House but I won't say anything until you get the results."

"I didn't know this was so serious…"

Seren grinned and let herself fall against the couch. "It is. You'll find out soon."

Steve hummed and happened to notice the tablet on the table. Its screen was bright which gave him the perfect view of the childlike picture. With a laugh, he reached for the tablet. "What is that?"

Seren was embarrassed when she remembered it. "Oh God, give me that!" It was futile to try and snatch the tablet from him. "Some of the kids are taking to drawing us. And that child chose me!"

"It's very nice," Steve admired the twinkling gray stars the child drew around Seren. "How did you come across this?"

The question forced Seren to freeze. It took a lot not to try and lie her way out of the answer but being Steve the one asking, she lost the battle really quickly. "I've been sort of going through the comments from the public to see what they think about us — the Avengers?"

"Seren, why?" Steve sighed. "I don't — I don't want to see you getting upset again. I told you. I told you that these people—"

"I know!" Seren exclaimed. "I know, I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't want to tell you—"

"No, you don't have to hide anything from me." Steve winced at his words. He was surely one to talk.

Seren wouldn't notice a thing. She took his words to heart and promised him that she wouldn't keep that away. It actually made him very guilty in that moment.

"Seren, there's something...um...it's sort of been...in my head lately…" He had no idea how to word it the right way but lucky for him, Seren was a very patient woman. She had no idea what he wanted to say to her but she encouraged him to say it, no matter what.

So he did, in one go. He was sure that he spoke so fast that she wouldn't be able to understand him but Seren always surprised him.

"You found her," she smiled at him. " I actually wondered in the beginning if they offered you the location of where she resides. I-I would have said something but it wasn't my place."

"It's okay. I've talked to her but it's been a long time now."

"Why?" Seren tilted her head at him.

Steve met her gaze and let the silence fall between them. He was staring at her, really studying her for a reason he didn't like to think about. But it seemed like no matter how hard he tried not to, the thoughts always snuck back. "I don't know," he said with the most honesty he could muster. He really didn't understand what was going on with him.

Seren reached for one of his hands. "Why don't you visit her?" she suggested. "I get the feeling that whatever you have going on won't really be solved through a video chat. You can visit her, spend some time with her, and get whatever you need to get off your chest there."

"I don't know…" Steve couldn't picture how that visit would go but at the same time he knew that whatever he wanted to say couldn't be done over a video chat. That much he knew Seren was right about.

"Think about it," Seren took her hand off of his.

The fact Steve felt the immediate cold on the spot her hand had been at was more than alarming for him. Moments like these are where he felt more alone than ever. The thoughts that ran through his head were thoughts he would've shared with Bucky. It's what happened when Peggy was around, but now everything was different. He was in the future but he was stuck in the past as well.

"Steve?" Seren's light call yanked him out of his grim thoughts. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right? I-I hope I haven't created an environment where you feel like you have to hide something…"

"Of course not," he smiled at her. "But I think you may be right about visiting Peggy. I haven't done it because I was scared but with everything in my head...she might be the only one who can help me right now."

"I'm glad," Seren nodded. A moment later Natasha walked into the apartment like nothing, announcing that they could start the movies. Seren lifted an eyebrow at the redhead who so easily came over and grabbed the wine bottle to open. "You know, when I gave you a key to this place...I expect you to knock if you know that I'm in here!"

Natasha poured herself a glass, seemingly unperturbed. "Why? Were you doing something I shouldn't know about?" It was fairly comical the way both Seren and Steve glared at her in the same exact manner. "No? Well then…" Natasha grinned and made herself comfortable on the couch, right in the middle of the other two. She flipped her head in Seren's direction and eyed the yellow scarf around her neck. "Absolute disgrace!"

Seren rolled her eyes. "I swear to God—"

Natasha reached for the control, barely hiding her laugh. "Let's start the movie!"

~ 0 ~

It was one week later but Steve finally gathered the courage to visit Peggy in person. His nerves skyrocketed the moment he saw her in person. It was one thing to speak to her over those chats and another completely different thing to see her. But even then, even as different as they both were now, it still felt like he wasn't that far from home anymore.

"It's like time truly never passed for you," Peggy chuckled lightly. While it was hard for her to move around, she made it to the only couch in her room. She didn't like being in bed all day, not even then. "I'm glad you finally came."

"Me too," Steve said, warmly smiling at her. "I'm sorry it took me so long—"

Peggy motioned him to stop. "I knew you'd need time. Who wouldn't? But you know I'm going to be here for a bit more, so whenever you'd like…"

Ah, a stinging reminder that Time had passed. Peggy's life was nearing the end, even if her health was relatively fine, she was decently older.

"Are you alright?" Peggy knew it was a futile question to ask but she also knew that it was the only way to make Steve open up about whatever was troubling. She suspected it was the reason for this surprise visit.

"No, not really Peggy." To his surprise, Steve had no trouble admitting that. With Natasha it was a pain and with Seren it was downright hard. "I thought I was adjusting but I realize that there's still things that I'm not doing well in."

"Is it S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Steve bobbed his head. "Yes, but no. It's a lot of stuff. It makes me feel like maybe I should've just stayed in the ice, you know?"

"Shush right now," Peggy pointed a wrinkly finger at him, her expression stern and almost commanding. "You will not sit here and tell me that the world is not better because of you." She'd seen the battle of New York just like anyone else, only she was the only one in her center who understood exactly what happened.

"Oh, c'mon Peggy. You of all people know that S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't need me, and I'm okay with that. I know that there's people there who'd give their lives for their cause."

"Would you like to leave it then?"

"No, not really...I'm not sure," he shrugged. "I've met some good people there. People who are trying to be good. And, being honest, being a soldier is all I know now because everything else…" He made a weak gesture to the room as an example, "I'm completely clueless in."

"I thought you had teachers, friends," Peggy said.

"It'll never be the same," Steve sighed. "It's not home," he swallowed hard. "I'm not home."

Peggy touched one of his hands. "Have you mourned for that home?" her question came as a complete surprise for Steve.

"Mourned?"

"Well, we thought you died — everyone thought you were gone and we mourned you. I mourned you, and with time I moved on," she said, lowering her head at those moments that came to mind. "I said goodbye to you a long time ago. I got the chance to move on but I suspect that you haven't. You just jumped right back in."

"It's not like anyone forced me," Steve said, bringing a hand to rub the back of his neck. "Because despite everything, I do like what I do. I like knowing that I'm fighting for a cause."

"And that's fine, but take my advice and find a way to move on. What you've lost, try to find something new to gain. Whether it's friends or places — build something, Steve. Build a new life with new people in it."

At those words, Steve pulled his hand out from under Peggy's. Whether or not he meant to be that obvious, neither was sure. The more Peggy watched him, the easier it was to see the same guilt others had already noticed. Unlike the others, Steve wouldn't meet her gaze.

"You came for something else," she concluded.

"I don't know," he said quietly, almost in a whisper. "Lately, I don't know much."

Peggy chuckled. "I can imagine. Would you like to tell me about it?"

No, no he wouldn't but he had to if he ever wanted to be clear in the head again. He swallowed hard and hoped to start his explanation without looking at her. His face was much too warm for that. "You know that you are someone very important to me. You were with me when things got dark, you were...the last person I spoke to before...I went under."

"Yes, of course. You're important to me as well," Peggy nodded, so far following along.

"But it's like you said: you moved on. You had to and don't get me wrong, I'm glad you did. I'm happy that you made your life the best it could be. I don't...I don't want to make you feel…"

Peggy blinked at him several times before it hit her. "Steve Rogers, are you trying to tell me someone has caught your eye?" She feigned a gasp, even going as far as covering her mouth with one hand. "And it isn't me anymore?"

That certainly broke the ice.

Steve laughed, albeit lightly but a laugh nonetheless. He finally met her gaze and when he did he was so utterly relieved to see the same kindness in her eyes, nothing akin to anger.

"Is that what this whole thing is about?" Peggy sighed as she already presumed the answer. "You felt so terrible about yourself, so guilty, that you felt like you had to come see me in person?"

"I've been gathering the courage to come see you in person anyways," Steve clarified. "But…" he sighed, "To be honest Peg...I have no idea what's happening."

"Ah, so like the first time," Peggy smirked then laughed shortly. "I'm happy, Steve, why wouldn't I be?"

"It's nothing big — I really don't know what it is — but I never wanted you to feel like you meant nothing. It's been—"

"Steve, I don't need explanations," Peggy stopped him before he went into a full ramble. With a finger under his chin, she gently turned his head back at her. "The only thing I need is to know that you're not going to keep feeling like you're stuck. You're not home anymore but it doesn't mean that you can't make a new one."

Steve nodded. "Yeah." He felt like it would be easier said than done.

Peggy dropped her hand to her lap and smiled at him. "So, who is it?"

"Peg...I don't…there's nothing…" It was a weak attempt and he knew it but he couldn't stop himself from making them up.

"Oh please, I'm in here all day—" Peggy nodded to the room, "—with very few visitors. If I can help you right now, please let me. Even if it's just a pair of ears." She tapped both of her ears.

"I just don't know," Steve felt like a broken record saying the same thing over like that. "It doesn't feel right. She's been a friend this whole time — she helped me in the beginning with everything and I mean everything. I wouldn't have been able to survive, if it wasn't for her. It doesn't feel right that I should have any thoughts about her like this. It feels like I'm taking—"

"You're not taking advantage," Peggy said immediately, knowing he was going to say that. "You like her because she's kind. Anyone who helped you would be kind."

"Except Seren has always said we're friends. That's the way she sees us and it's the way I should see her, but then…" Steve leaned against the couch and brought his hands to his face. As much as he tried to ignore things, as much as he tried not to have those thoughts, he knew it wasn't true. Seren made him feel something. It was something that he didn't feel with anyone else.

She was kind, so kind. And she was perfect in a way that wasn't perfect. It made sense to him and he supposed that was what mattered. Seren was the perfect agent but with a challenging civilian life. She always had her worries about not being human enough and that's ironically what made her more human to him. The reason people (stupid people, anyways) saw her as a threat or something scary is because the word "alien" always brought the image of someone being put on a pedestal. One could even say Thor was under that image, but with Seren...it was so different.

She had the strength to match him and even more. She had magnificent powers that could make her seem like a Goddess of some kind. But people didn't know how sweet she actually was. She enjoyed the simple things in life...like watching seven movies in a row with her friends. It was a shame people didn't give themselves the chance to know that side of her. All of that wrapped into one person made her perfect in his eyes, but still real. Nobody was perfect, Steve knew that. Seren wasn't perfect but she tried every day to be better and that made her perfect in Steve's eyes.

"Seren..." Peggy repeated the name, scrunching her face for a moment. Steve flushed realizing he'd gotten lost in thoughts. "That name sounds familiar…"

Steve dropped his hands to his lap and glanced at Peggy, deciding to fill her in now that it was all out. "Seren Soul. She's an Agent at S.H.I.E.L.D. and she's Stardust."

"Oh!" Peggy brought her hand to her mouth. "Her grandmother was an alien."

"Is is an alien," Steve reminded. "Atria Dade. Seren's her granddaughter."

Peggy blinked as the full memories of the family came back to her mind. "I haven't known about them in a long time. Seren was a little girl when I last saw her. She had the cutest little pig-tails. The 90s. She must be all grown up now." She had to be if Steve was interested in her. "Wow," Peggy breathed out, "How time passes indeed."

"Peggy?" Steve said her name cautiously.

"Don't worry," she flashed him a warm smile. "I'm happy. I'm surprised but happy. How is Seren now?"

An immediate smile crossed Steve's lips. "She's amazing. She's one of the top Agents that S.H.I.E.L.D. has. She was that colorful ball of light in the air that some people took video of, not to mention the same person who helped Tony Stark bring a missile into space."

"Really," Peggy said. "I...I never imagined it. She was a sweet child. Had the prettiest eyes too. Unnaturally strong."

Steve curiously looked at Peggy for a moment. "Did you know about the Initiative back then?" The question left his lips as soon as it had formed in his head.

Peggy gave a solemn nod. "Yes. By the 80s, I was probably more retired than anything. I remember S.H.I.E.L.D. was losing its mind because of a woman who fell from the sky. She had these immense powers and brought along a whole new type of war: an alien war. After she was gone, Fury came up with the idea that Earth needed to be protected from external threats. I agreed with the stance...I just didn't exactly like the way it was carried out."

"Atria volunteered her granddaughter — a child," Steve muttered. "Seren was a child."

"I know," Peggy lowered her head, feeling the guilt that other people should've felt.

"You know that I'm at S.H.I.E.L.D. because you created it, Peggy, but I just hate what it did to Seren. A child had no business training to be a soldier. An adult can choose their own path but the path was already chosen for Seren."

"Does she resent it? The institution? Her family?"

"Sometimes, maybe that's just her being too kind. She's had a troubled life because of her origins and becoming Stardust didn't exactly help. She likes what she does now but...it doesn't change what happened. She's troubled sometimes."

Peggy took it all with a thoughtful nod. She studied Steve's expressions and came to a conclusion. "And you want to do what's best for her. You're just not sure that you are it."

Steve once again averted her eyes. "I didn't exactly lead the best life either. I'm a soldier."

"That building a new home thing I talked about? It doesn't happen in a day. It takes time."

"I'm not sure it's what's best, though," Steve said. He was full of doubts, and fears. Seren was devoted to SHIELD and the top of the chain, basically. He didn't know if he could fit in that picture with her. "Like I said, if anything, Seren doesn't see us as anything but friends."

"Have you asked her?"

"...no, but—"

Peggy hummed. "Just like the first time. There are some things that don't change. You came all the way here to talk to me and make sure that I was okay. Well Steve, I am okay but you aren't. I want you to go home and call Seren. You don't have to say anything to her about this visit, about your confused thoughts, but from now on I want you to have the courage to push a little. Push the boundaries of that friendship, push yourself to do new things. See where you can take this relationship, see if you can take it anywhere. I wouldn't want you to waste your time."

Steve listened to every word that Peggy had to say. It all sounded good, it was just the carrying it out part that he wasn't sure about. Seren was blissfully unaware of what he thought, what he felt, and he was afraid that one push might cost him their entire friendship. Seren was one of the first things he gained in this new world and he honestly had no idea what he would do if she never wanted to see him again.

A/N:

Oh, oh, I know what's coming and :) :( :)

I forgot to mention, I also have a wattpad account under the same username "noblecrescent". I'm trying to keep all my accounts on the same schedule! :)

P.S. As always, I have a tumblr account dedicated to my fanfic works! It's a place where anyone can comment about a story or even just talk to me! I often drop aesthetic work belonging to my stories too! Feel free to check it out, my URL is "saiilorstars"