Chapter 16- The Smithsonian and The Nursing Home

Yelizaveta followed Steve into the Smithsonian Institution. Maria Hill had told Steve that the museum had opened a Captain America exhibit and Steve had wanted to see it. As a friend Yelizaveta had volunteered to go with him as she hadn't seen it yet either. Yelizaveta had gone to the Smithsonian years ago when she first arrived from Russia and "The Spirit of St. Louis" that Charles Lindbergh flew in always impressed her.

"You know, I listened on the radio with my friend Bucky and his family when he took off," Steve said in a side whisper as she looked up at the plane.

"Really? That's pretty cool. I've only seen the movie about it, starring Jimmy Stewart as Lindbergh," Yelizaveta said as they went to the escalators.

"Yeah. Buck and his sister Rebecca was fascinated that Lindbergh would go over the ocean and Mr. and Mrs. Barnes thought of the danger he was putting himself into," Steve said.

"Welcome to the Smithsonian. Visitor information booths are available on the second level," a woman's voice came over the intercom. Yelizaveta stopped at the pictures of Steve on both sides of the escalators and they both went up and to the sign of the president welcoming Captain America back and past a picture of Steve saluting.

"A symbol to the nation. A hero to the world. The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery, and sacrifice," a man's voice said as they stood in front of a picture of Steve before he took the serum. The man was scrawny as he was only 5'4 before the serum. "Denied enlistment due to poor health, Steven Rogers was chosen for a program unique in the annals of American warfare. One that would transform him into the world's first Super-Soldier," the man said as Steve and Yelizaveta looked over at a boy wearing a Captain America shirt. Steve smiled as the boy looked at him in awe and touched a finger to his lips for silence.

Yelizaveta looked at the picture of James Buchanan Barnes and smiled briefly. The man had dark hair that had been cropped military-fashion and a far-away look in his light eyes. Yelizaveta went to a motorcycle that was German in design in front of footage of Omaha Beach. "In this rare footage everyone's favorite war hero, Captain America-" the man on the reel said before being drowned out by the narrator.

"Battle-tested, Captain America and his Howling Commandoes quickly earned their stripes," the man said as Steve and Yelizaveta went to the statues wearing the uniforms Steve and his friends wore. ""Their mission: taking down HYDRA, the Nazi rogue science division," the man said as Steve and Yelizaveta turned to look at Bucky Barnes's picture again. Yelizaveta felt a pang in her chest as she looked straight at him. Something felt familiar; as if she had seen Sergeant Barnes before. "Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country," the narrator said as a film reel showed a battle planning session with Barnes looking at a map in concentration and Barnes and Steve laughing. Yelizaveta felt her heart quicken. She had seen that smile before in a hazy memory. Her mind's eye went back to a time and a man cradling her in his arms. Something was wrong with one of his arms as it felt cold and hard like metal, but the other arm was gentle and warm as he hugged her and pressed a warm kiss to her forehead as he sang some song in Russian.

"Zasnut. (sleep)" a rough voice, that warmed slightly, ordered in Russian as he ran his warm hand through her hair.

"Hey, you awake?" Steve asked, tapping her face slightly with his fingers.

"Yeah, I guess so. Your friend, Bucky, reminded me of someone I knew once, I think. I think it had to be my father. He used to sing to me in Russian while he held me," Yelizaveta said with a wan smile.

"My friend didn't know Russian, though. C'mon, my old girlfriend, Peggy Carter, did a newsreel," Steve said as he led her to a small theater with a group of kids on a field trip was already sitting.

A woman with dark hair came on the screen in an interview done in the early fifties. Yelizaveta recognized her from the pictures hanging on the wall at S.H.I.E.L.D. Peggy Carter was one of the founding members of S.H.I.E.L.D. along with Nick Fury and Howard Stark, Tony Stark's dad. "That was a difficult winter. A blizzard had trapped half our battalion behind the German line. Steve, Captain Rogers, he fought his way through a HYDRA blockade that had pinned our allies down for months. He saved over 1,000 men. Including the man who would...Who would become my husband, as it turned out. Even after he died, Steve was still changing my life," Peggy said with a smile.

Yelizaveta looked over at Steve who was opening the compass that had Peggy's picture in it. "Steve, do you want to go see her? I think she's in a nursing home not far from here," Yelizaveta said, touching his hand gently.

"You know where she is?" Steve asked.

"Yeah. Come with me," Yelizaveta said standing up and they left the building.

Yelizaveta sat next to Steve who was sitting at the bedside of the aged Peggy Carter. Even at the age she was the woman was still beautiful and Yelizaveta could see how she had stolen Steve's heart. "Peggy?" Steve asked, waking her up.

"Steve?" The woman asked in a slightly incredulous voice.

"Yeah, I'm here. My friend, Yelizaveta Markova, here said this was where you were," Steve said, indicating Yelizaveta.

"Agent Carter," Yelizaveta said by way of greeting.

"You are just a infant," Peggy said.

"Yes, Ma'am. I have heard that before," Yelizaveta said with a wan smile.

""You should be proud of yourself, Peggy," Steve said, looking at the pictures of Peggy's family on the night table beside her.

Peggy hummed as she looked at the pictures. "I have lived a life. My only regret is that you didn't get to live yours and this girl won't live hers either. What is it?" Peggy asked as Steve looked down at his hands folded across his knees.

"For as long as I can remember, I just wanted to do what was right. I guess I'm not quite sure what that is anymore. And I thought I could throw myself back in and follow orders. Serve. It's just not the same," Steve said with a bittersweet smile.

Peggy started to laugh. "You're always so dramatic. Look, you and Yelizaveta saved the world. We rather mucked it up," Peggy said.

"You didn't. Knowing that you helped found S.H.I.E.L.D. is half the reason I stay," Steve said as Peggy closed her eyes and gripped his hand in her wrinkled one.

"Hey. The world has changed and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best. And sometimes the best that we can do is to start over," Peggy said and she started to cough.

"Here, Steve. Give her this," Yelizaveta said as she held out a cupful of water. Steve held the cup to Peggy's mouth.

"Peggy," Steve said, barely audible. The cough subsided and Peggy opened her eyes. A shocked look entered as she looked right at him.

"Steve," Peggy said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Peggy gasped, her voice a strangled sob. "You're alive. You came back," Peggy said.

"Yeah, Peggy," Steve said with a smile. Yelizaveta felt tears come to her eyes and placed her hand on her mouth.

"It's been so long. So long," Peggy sobbed.

"Well, I couldn't leave my best girl. Not when she owes me a dance," Steve said warmly. Peggy cried for a few more minutes before she drifted off to sleep.

"Steve, I'm so sorry," Yelizaveta said, touching his shoulder.

"No. Thank you for bringing me here, Liz," Steve said.

"No, I don't regret bringing you. I'm just sorry that you and Peggy never had a life together," Yelizaveta said.

"It's okay. You meant well. C'mon. I need to go see Sam Wilson," Steve said as he stood.

"The guy we were running with?" Yelizaveta asked.

"Yeah, him and if you're hungry, would you like a pot of my chili? We can get the fixings and I can cook," Steve said.

"Sure. Sounds good," Yelizaveta said as the left the nursing home.