7/1/23

Steve and Bucky were at Steve's apartment and Bucky stood there in shock.

"What?" Bucky asked.

"I'm going to be with Peggy." Steve said.

"Are you nuts?! I knew you were a punk but this?!"

"Come on Buck! I have the chance of getting what I've wanted since '45!" Steve said and Bucky looked at him and bit his lip.

"I've been hiding something from you since I was 18. I love you." Bucky said shocking Steve. "I couldn't do it back then but now I can. We have the chance of fixing this friendship! Now that I remember everything we can fix it!"

"You'll have Sam."

"WE HATE EACH OTHER!" Bucky yelled. "And if you leave who's gonna be the next Captain America?"

"I was gonna leave it to Sam. He's what I was back in the war but also has experience from being Falcon." Steve said and Bucky looked at him for a minute then shook his head.

"He's not gonna do it."

"Bucky-"

"No Steve. He's not gonna do it because unlike our time, black people aren't treated like they used to. After all my years of being the Winter Soldier I noticed that some people treat them like shit when they're the same thing as us but with color. I owe Shuri and Ayo for all the help they gave me. So I don't want to risk something happening to Wilson." Bucky said shaking his head while Steve thought about what he said.

"You're right." Steve said and looked at him?and Bucky knew what he was thinking.

"Oh hell no! I'm not doing it! I've been a soldier for 80 years Steve! I'm getting a trial thanks to king T'Challa and Shuri but after that I'm not doing anything. I'm not an Avenger, hero or anything! I've been through absolute hell!" Bucky said and Steve nodded knowing he was right. "And also, you kissed Sharon right before the little Civil War you had with Stark. If you go back and marry Peggy then that means you kissed your own niece."

Steve looked at him and remembering that.

"I know. But I still love Peggy."

"Fine. Go ahead and get what you want. Leave me after all those years of looking after you. Since the day we met to the day I fell off that train I looked after you. To the end of the line! That's what I said to you at your ma's funeral. Then during the Helicarrier you said the same to me and started remembering things. That's why I saved you after you fell."

Then they stood there in silence looking at each other.

Bucky took a deep breath to try and calm down.

"I want to come with you but in order to do that we'd have to go back to before the fall. But obviously you can't do that. So go ahead and leave me with no one." Bucky said and went to his room.

Steve stood there thinking about what he heard.

The next day Bruce, Steve, Sam and Bucky were at Tony's funeral.

"Now, remember– You have to return the stones to the exact moment you got them. Or you're gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities." Bruce said.

"Don't worry, Bruce. Clip all the branches." Steve said.

"You know, I tried. When I had the gauntlet, the stones, I really tried to bring her back." Bruce said and ooked at Steve. "I miss her, man."

"Me, too."

"You know, if you want, I can come with you." Sam said.

"You're a good man, Sam. This one's on me, though." Steve said and went over to Bucky. "Don't do anything stupid 'till I get back."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."Bucky said and they hugged each other while Bucky fought tears. "Gonna miss you, Buddy."

'I'm the Winter Soldier, I'm the Winter Soldier.' he kept thinking trying to fight the tears.

"It's gonna be okay, Buck." Steve said, went over to the Quantum portal and donned the Quantum suit.

"How long is this gonna take?" Sam asked.

"For him? As long as he needs. For us? Five seconds." Bruce said.

'No it's not.' Bucky thought while Steve picked up 2013 Mjolnir.

"Ready, Cap? Alright. We'll meet you back here, okay?"

"You bet." Steve said.

"Going quantum. Three, two, one–" Bruce said and Steve disappeared into the Quantum portal. "And returning in, five, four, three, two, one–" he said but Steve didn't appear on the pa so he looked around the equipment.

"Where is he?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. He blew right by his time stamp. He should be here." Bruce said and Bucky turned around from the pad.

"Well, get him back."

"I'm trying.

"Get him the hell back!"

"Hey, I said, I'm trying!"

"Sam..." Bucky said and Sam walked toward him.

They saw old looking Steve sitting on a log and Sam and Bucky went near him.

"Go ahead." Bucky said with a smile forming and looked over to Sam.

So Sam walked towards the old man and instantly recognized the now-elderly Steve.

"Cap?" Sam said.

"Hi, Sam." Old Steve said and looked over to him.

"So did something go wrong, or did something go right?"

"Well, after I put the stones back, I thought, maybe I'll try some of that life Tony was telling me to get."

"How'd that work out for you?"

"It was beautiful."

"I'm happy for you. Truly."

"Thank you."

"Only thing bumming me out is the fact I have to live in a world without Captain America."

"Oh, That reminds me." Steve said and looked at Bucky. "Buck, come here." he said and Bucky came over and Steve brought out his shield. "Try it on." he said and Bucky held it while the others looked in shock. "How does it feel?"

"Like I'm back in the 40's." Bucky said and Steve chuckled. "And besides, I told you I was a soldier so I can't."

"Yes you can." Steve said and Bucky looked at him fighting tears and Sam noticed and fought the therapist in him. "It'd be safer with you being a Super Soldier yourself." he said and Bucky nodded knowing he was right and understood what he was really saying.

"Fine."

"You'll be fine." Steve said and they hugged.

Then Bucky and Sam noticed the ring.

"You got here didn't you?" Bucky said and Steve smiled and nodded.

"You wanna tell me about her?" Sam asked.

"No. No, I don't think I will." Steve said still smiling.