Returning the Stones with a Twist.
As Steve, Sam, and Bucky wait, Bruce makes last-minute adjustments to the new quantum realm tunnel. He finally opens a case that contains all six infinity stones.
“Remember, you have to return the stones to the exact moment you got ’em... or you’re gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternate realities,” said Bruce.
Steve responds, “Don’t worry, Bruce. Clip all the branches”. He closes and takes the case from Bruce.
“You’d better get going. We’re almost ready for you,” said Bruce as he made sure everything would go right for Steve when he was ready. Steve and Sam take a moment to say a few words before Steve leaves.
“You know, if you want, I can come with you,” said Sam with a cocky smirk. Steve puts his free hand on Sam’s shoulder.
“You’re a good man, Sam. This one is on me, though,” Steve answers. Bucky stands aside, and Steve walks over to him. He decides to make his long-time best friend smile one more time before leaving. “Don’t do anything stupid ’til I get back, okay?” Steve says with a boyish smirk. Bucky gives a small yet sad smile because he said it before becoming the Winter Soldier and being shipped off during World War II.
“How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you,” Bucky replies sadly. Bucky and Steve give each other one last long hug. “Gonna miss you, buddy,” Bucky whispers loud enough for Steve to hear.
“It’s gonna be okay, Buck,” said Steve. Then he climbs up the steps and steps on the platform. He taps the back of his hand to activate the time suit and picks up Mjolnir. Sam glances at Bruce.
Sam asks Bruce, “How long is this gonna take?”.
Bruce replies, “For him, as long as he needs. For us, five seconds.” Bruce, Bucky, and Sam all watch Steve on the platform. Then he calls out, “Ready, Cap? All right, we’ll meet you back here, okay?”.
As Steve answers Bruce, he looks at Bucky, and with a curt nod, he responds, “You bet.” The helmet from the suit starts to form, and finally, Steve is officially ready to return the stones. He is now just waiting on Bruce to give him the okay.
Bruce continues, “Going Quantum in three, two, one...” Steve disappears into time, All three men watching and waiting for their friend to return soon. He continues, “...aaand returning in five... four... three... two... one.” However, there is no Steve Rogers. Bruce checks his computer. Thinking he might have miscalculated something wrong. He starts figuring out what went wrong.
Sam asks, “Where is he?”
Bruce nervously responds, “I don’t know. He blew past our timestamp. He should be here.” He is still messing around with the control panel.
Now slightly more concerned than before and angry, Sam says, “Get him back!”
Bruce, frantically trying to see what when wrong, responds, “I’m trying.”
Sam, now furious, says, “Get him the hell back-.”
“I’M TRYING!” Bruce says, cutting Sam off. While Bruce and Sam are arguing, Bucky notices an older man sitting on a bench staring off into the Husdon.
Bucky says, breaking up Bruce and Sam. “Sam.” Sam turns and sees the same scene as Bucky. Bucky and Sam approach the older man.“Go ahead,” Bucky says to Sam. Sam comes to the older man. Sam says, “Cap?” Sam now sees that the older man is Steve at 112 years old.
As Sam walks away, a young woman dressed in a 1940s red dress approaches Bruce and says in a British accent, “Excuse me, sir, I’m looking for a Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. Do you know where I can find him?”
Bruce points her in Bucky’s direction and states, “That’s him, ma’am.” She gives him a curt nod as a thank you.
The young woman cleared her throat and asked, “Sergeant Barnes?” Bucky turned around to face the sound of that voice who asked for him. He sees a beautiful woman with brown hair and with few blonde streaks peaking through her curls that reach her shoulders; her eyes are a particular shade of blue that he has seen most of his life but can’t place it. She is built like her mother since she is almost a spitting image despite her eyes and smile.
Bucky blinks a few times to make sure this mind isn’t playing tricks on him. He questions, “Peg? I mean, Agent Carter?”
The young lady says, “Unfortunately, no—–I get that a lot….” She drops her British accent and replaces it with an American accent. “We haven’t been properly introduced; my name is Sarah,” She offers to her hand to shake his in return. Bucky was trying to figure out how the hell she knew his rank back in World War II? Why isn’t she running for the hills? Does she know him being the Winter Solider? Why is she dressed like Peggy from back in the pub when Steve rescued him and the rest of the Howling Commandos? As he was thinking all of those questions while shaking her hand. She tried to snap him back to reality by calling him. “James?...Sergeant Barnes?...” When he didn’t answer any of those names, she mustered up a poorly attempted impression of her father and stated, “Bucky?!” Hearing his nickname Steve calls, snapped him out of it.
Meanwhile, back to Sam and Old Steve Rogers. “Hi, Sam,” says Steve. He turns to look at Sam and smiles.
Sam asks skeptically, “So, did something go wrong... or something go right?” Steve smiles.
Then Steve answers, “Well, after I put the stones back, I thought…maybe... I’ll try some of that life Tony always told me to get”. Both men chuckle.
Sam asks, “How did that work out for ya?” He puts his hands into his jacket pockets.
Steve responds, “It was beautiful.” he nods, reflecting on the life he made himself.
Sam responds, “Good. I’m happy for you. Truly.”.
“Thank you,” Steve whispers loud enough for Sam to hear.
“The only thing bumming me out is now I live in a world without Captain America,” said Sam.
Steve smiled and said, “Oh, that reminds me. Sarah, dear, come here for a minute. Can you please grab that thing I told you to bring?”
Sarah nodded and said to Bucky, “He has something for you too.” Then walks over behind the tree next to the bench and grabs a leather circular case. Steve turns to see Sarah with his best friend trailing behind her. His head is down, still trying to process what is going on, who Sarah is, and why she looks so familiar. “There you go,” Sarah said back in her British accent. She steps on Steve’s other side, away from Sam and Bucky. Sam is puzzled by the young woman, but he tries to shake it off as Steve unzips the case and reveals his old shield. Sam nods.
Steve reaches into his old leather jacket, retrieves a slightly discolored envelope, and hands it over to Bucky. He says, “Buck this for you.” Bucky is confused about why Steve is handing him a letter but takes the envelope and opens the envelope, and pulls out another discolored paper that turns out to be a letter.
Buck,
I know you and Sam will get along, at least for my sake. However, I know it can be lonely to find the right person. Also, I know you will be cautious about letting others in. As a favor, Sarah has trained to deal with the man you used to be if that ever happens. I believe my daughter is perfect for you, plus this is payback for all those double dates back when we were younger. I think she is the right partner for you. Plus, how can you deal without having a Rogers to be with you til the of your line.
Sincerely yours,
Steve.
Bucky chuckles and thinks to himself, ‘Only you, Punk.’
Steve returns his gaze to Sam, seeing the confusion and adjusting to what is happening. “Try it on.” Sam hesitates. He glances back at Bucky, who nods. Then back at the young lady named Sarah, who also nods. Finally, Sam picks up the shield and puts it on. Then he asks, “How does it feel?”
Sam says, “Like it’s someone else’s.”
Steve and Sarah both say, “It isn’t.” Sam sighs and tries to check his emotions.
Sam politely and great fully responds, “Thank you. I’ll try my best”. Both men shake hands, and Steve rests his other hand on Sam’s.
Steve pats Sam’s hand and responds, “That’s why it’s yours.” Sam smiles and notices a tarnished wedding ring on Steve’s hand.
Sam asks out of curiosity, “You gonna tell me about her?” They drop their hands from shaking. Steve turns and smiles as he reflects on the end of a long, long life.
Steve explains, “No. No, I don’t think I will. However, I will tell you about her”. He looks at Sarah. “Sam, this is my daughter Sarah Elizabeth Rogers. Sarah, this is Sam Wilson”. Sam and Bucky looked utterly shocked.
Sarah smiled and cleared her throat, “Hello, Mr. Wilson; it’s wonderful to meet you.” She spoke without an accent and went back to her normal American one. She offered her hand to shake. Sarah confuses poor Sam even more as he shakes her hand.
Sam whispers to Steve, “Are you sure she’s your daughter?”.
Sarah responds, “You know I can hear you..” Steve nods.
Steve says in a stern fatherly voice, “Sarah..”.
Sarah nods and says, “Sorry. Sorry, Mr. Wilson, the accent happens sometimes..”.
Sam questions, “Why doesn’t she take your shield to carry on your legacy?”.
Sarah answers, “We’ve discussed that; let’s say you are the right man for this kind of thing. Plus, I’ve already had it back in Vietnam.”
Bucky states, “How old are you really?”
Sarah calmly states, “I look 25 years old, but I’m actually 73 years old. The serum became part of my genetics. So… I’m a super soldier.”
Sam asks, “So S.H.I.E.L.D. knows about Sarah?”
Steve and Sarah look at each other for a moment, and then both reply, “To an extent.”