The End
The soldier was in significant pain. But he did not stop or complain. The woman beside him was also bleeding and limping and he could tell by the tense muscles in her jaw and hands that she too suffered.
But she did not say anything. And the blonde man was turning more translucent by the minute.
So they kept walking.
————-
Peggy wondered if Steve could survive without any blood.
Sure he’d survived being shot. Because he had the serum in his blood. Now as she looked at him, blood dripping from practically every inch of him, if it was possible he wouldn’t have enough of his blood to revive him. Her fingers ghosted to the top of his ankle where she pressed her fingers against his skin yet again, searching for the weak pulse.
She sighed in relief as it pushed gently against her fingertips.
———-
Hours and Hours.
She can’t remember having ever walked this long. Except it’s not walking, it’s a bloody obstacle course. The physical distance wasn’t that much. But the bombing and destruction made the land uneven and hard to walk easily. So she and Barnes slid and stumbled and struggled to stay upright as they passed through the empty streets and towards where she was relatively sure the group was last.
As they approached the group who had taken over what looked like a small open air market as their base, she heard a, “who’s there!?”
A man, someone she doesn’t recognize, was there, holding a gun to them. He looked like a leader or a soldier from a different district by the insignia on his clothes.
She looked at Barnes whose eyes were twitching, and she tried to swallow to clear her throat. Except it’s so filled with dust and smoke that it’s barely more than a rasp as she speaks. “Carter and Barnes.”
“Speak up!”
She was about to pull the ‘don’t you recognize us’? card. When she looked at Barnes. No one really knew him, besides the capitol footage, which he looked nothing like right now. Steve’s uniform wasn’t his normal one and it was so covered in blood and grime it wouldn’t matter, and she was dressed as a capitol citizen. A wrecked and bleeding capitol citizen, but a citizen nonetheless.
“I’m Peggy Carter.” She rasped out, coughing and wincing at the way her throat stabbed at her. “This is Steve Rogers.” She pointed to the bleeding man, “please, help us, he needs medical attention.”
The man paused, and Peggy sighed, walking around to Steve’s head and turning it to face the man, wiping the blood away as best she could.
Recognition sprouted and the man ushered them in.
—————-
They were almost at the medical tent when she heard a “stop right there.”
She turned to see none other than Obadiah Stane, looking positively shocked and murderous. His eyes on Steve’s form in Barnes’ arms.
“It is.” Peggy answered, her voice a low hiss, “now move.”
He looked at her in vehemence and then up at Barnes. His eyes flickered in recognition as he put two and two together. “That’s the man who shot Rogers! He’s working for the capitol! This is a trap!” He cried in fake concern, “Shoot him!” She watched as a few soldiers, all from different districts and people who had no idea the inner workings of the politics or how much of a snake Stane really was, hesitantly started to raise their weapons.
Peggy reached towards Barnes and ripped one of the guns he had strapped across his back. Pointing it at Stane, “stand down!” She shouted, thankful her voice obeyed. “If you do not order them to lower their weapons I will put this bullet happily between your eyes.”
He scoffed, “she’s obviously part of the ruse!” He cried to the people around, “they’re going to—“
Peggy clicked safety off the gun and shot at Stane’s feet. He jumped, scrambling backwards and then glared at her.
“The capitol may have screwed with my brain but it didn’t change my aim.” She growled out, raising the gun towards Stane’s head. “Spew another lie and I will happily spend time in prison for your murder.” She looked at the crowd. “I am Peggy Carter, from District 6, and this is Steve Rogers. He needs immediate medical assistance now. I ask for you he—“
“Say please.” She whipped her head to the side where Dugan stood, a grin on his face, “holy hell, Carter, you look like a wreck.”
“Shove it, Dugan” She said, her throat closing off with emotion at the relief.
“Who is with you?” His question was light, but she remembered his distrust of her.
“You know damn well who this is. And he’s just carried Steve through a war zone for hours without complaint. So you can take your distrust and shove it, understood?”
Dugan chuckled, “yes, ma’am.”
Stane stood there, his mouth gaped and face furiously red as they walked past him towards the tent.
———————
The soldier went still at the confrontation. He had no orders on who was to be protected or killed.
Except the man in his arms. He must be protected. So when the lady in pink stood up for the soldier, and helped bring the blonde man to safety, his brain clicked into place that she was to be protected too. So once they rushed the blonde man off on a rolling bed with people shouting orders and ensuring his survival, he made a motion to follow her when she began to walk somewhere.
“Barnes?” He did respond to that name. Whether he remembers that name having any significance to him or not, they refused to call him something else. So he looked at her and waited for her to continue. “Do you…” she looked worried, “I’m going to go get cleaned up and seen by a doctor myself. I’d like you to do the same, but with Howard. Is that alright?”
He nodded and she smiled, “this way.”
——————
Peggy took in Howard’s stricken face at the appearance of them in his lab. “Holy—“ he started, taking a step back. His eyes landed on Barnes and his face fell, “geez, pal, what did they do to you?”
Barnes didn’t answer, and Howard sighed, stepping forward, “you got any idea?”
Peggy sighed, “if it was like mine, then lots of physical torture and then brainwashing while they were healing us for another round. That way we associated the feeling of becoming whole with whatever propaganda nonsense they fed us, such as ‘Steve’s a traitor’.” Her fingers ghosted over the blood stains on her stomach, “but Barnes has already made a breakthrough with that. And I told him you could help. Can you?”
Howard smiled, “I think I figured out a way.”
——————-
Steve didn’t remember ever feeling so cold before. Or at least, not before the change. He shivered and ached from how much he shivered.
He could feel warm blankets being placed on him, but he couldn’t move his own muscles yet. Except to shiver.
—————-
“He should wake up soon.” Howard affirmed, setting a medical chart on the table, and when he does, we can talk about the election.”
Stane fumed, “I don’t understand why that child has to be involved in the political election.”
“Because we want him there.” Okoye stated firmly, “I have seen his fight. Watched from the beginning when he first entered that arena almost three years ago. He is no child. He has seen and done what others could not. If we are to pick a new leader…” she looked around the room at the 16 people seated in a circle. A leader from each district, one from the capitol (who had been a spy for the districts), Howard, and Peggy. Phillips, the chosen leader representing 12, nodded along with her speech. “If it is not to be him, then I would like his opinion.”
Stane, the leader representing 13, sat angrily and stared as the rest of the group agreed.
—————
“Pal…. Hey, pal… Can you hear me?”
He groaned and shifted, “Howard?”
“He lives!” A happy sound followed by a laugh echoed in his skull, making him wince. “Oh, whoops, shhh, I’m sorry I’ll quiet down.”
Steve was finally able to drag his eyelids open. A white steril room greeted him, along with Howard beside him and Jones standing at the door.
“What happened?”
“Well, according to sources, you got yourself crushed by the presidential estate. Poetic irony, am I right?”
Even in his memory the feeling of the ground giving way was a sharp feeling. Dread and despair, disbelief he’d gotten so close, only to lose Buc—“ he sat up, his chest heaving, the monitor going wild, “Bucky!”
Hands pushed against him, trying to get him to lay back down, but he couldn’t. He had to go find Bucky. “Steve, STEVE!” Someone was shouting, “steve— Steve would you stop for one damn second— OW!”
He froze, looking over to see Howard holding his face, blood dripping between his fingers. Fear and guilt rose, “I—“ he choked out, “I’m sorry—“
Howard wiped under his nose and grabbed a towel, stuffing it against it. “If you’d calm down for one second, I could tell you that Barnes is here and he’s safe , and Carter is helping him. Alright? Geez.”
“He’s here?” He asked, “he’s okay?”
“Our definitions of ‘okay’ don’t really cover him at the moment. But he is physically fine and we’re working on the other part.”
Exhaustion rolled over him and he turned to see the nurse administering something to one of his hanging bags. “You just rest now.” She said calmly, “rest.”
——————-
Peggy looked at Barnes and smiled, “he’ll want to see you.”
“You think I’m ready?”
She laughed, “you’ve made much faster progress than I have. Howard’s little brain program is a wonder.”
“I feel so much lighter.”
“Technically Carter,” a voice interrupted, “It was you who made this all possible.” She turned to see Howard walking in the door, “He’s awake again if you want. He’s practically tearing the room apart trying to get out of that bed but his legs aren’t done healing yet.”
Her expression is stunned, “what do you mean, I made it possible?”
He leaned towards the machine that Barnes was strapped to, “you said that the fake stuff they shoved in there was shiny. Once I knew that, I could figure out how to map them and send signals to Barnes’ brain that those were fabricated. Having him coherent and a willing person helped too.”
Barnes ducked his head, the wires trailing from his temples, “it’s like my brain knew what was wrong, but didn't have a say.”
Howard nodded, “exactly. The capitol cut off the receptors to your past memories. We just needed to make some reconnections. And thankfully we are in the place to have access to that type of equipment.”
Peggy nodded, the capitol had a never ending supply of insane technology. Howard had been running rampant. She glanced over at Barnes, who looked tired but alright. He’d had his hair cut and shaved as well. Making him look almost back to normal. Besides the false arm and the sometimes haunted look in his eyes.
“I can’t believe this worked so fast.” She said again. “I was in a mental fight for months and you’ve been healed in just a week!”
He winced, “I don’t think waking up screaming from the nightmares is healed.”
Howard grimaced, “yeah, that’s not something this machine can heal. That’s your brain’s way of processing. But hopefully over time—“
“It will fade.” Barnes finished with an eye-roll, “I know.”
A small chuckle escaped Peggy’s lips. The more that Barnes was reappearing the more his humor was as well. She found herself holding back laughter more and more.
“So,” She said, “you said he’s awake?”
Howard smirked at her, “awake and missing you both.”
A happy sigh escaped her lips and she smiled, “then let's go see him.”
——-
Steve watched as Peggy and— his breath caught in disbelief as Bucky walked in the door. Not the broken person tha capitol hurt, not the solider, Bucky.”
“Buck.” He said, eyes wide, “you’re here.”
“Yeah, Steve.” Bucky answered. “I am, thanks to you.”
“Huh?”
“You don’t remember screaming my name throughout the presidential estate?”
Steve winced, “oh, yeah.”
Bucky rolled his eyes and stepped forward, “thanks for not leaving me.”
Steve smiled, “thanks for not leaving me .”
“Well,” Peggy cut in, “thank you both for taking several years off my life.”
Bucky laughed, and Steve felt relief well up in his chest at the sound. “Have you…” Steve started, feeling suddenly worried, “do your parents…”
“I called them.” Bucky said, leaning against his bed, “told them I’d come to them soon. They’re still in 13– or—“ he paused, “I think they’re calling it a state now?”
Steve was surprised, “what is a state?”
“Beats me.” Bucky said.
“Were they okay?”
Peggy smiled at both of them as Bucky nodded, “yeah, the fighting never really got to 13, thankfully, so they’re fine. And they’re excited for the new hope of rebuilding 12. Rebecca told me to tell you that Olive is fine and she says hello and that she misses you.”
“They’re going to rebuild 12?”
“Everyone does actually need coal.” Peggy said softly with amusement in her eyes, “just now hopefully the resource distribution will be done fairly.”
“So…” Steve felt a sense of something in his chest “we get to go home?”
“Yeah, Steve.” Bucky smiled at him, “we get to go home.”
——————-
Not, however, before the council met.
Besides the 14 leaders (13 districts and the capitol) Steve was voted to be the 15th member. To ensure there wouldn’t be a tie.
He felt trepidation as he walked into the large room. People eyed him with wonder or with smiles and he felt inadequate, but they had insisted. So here he was. Wearing a plain jumpsuit that said S. Rogers over the chest.
Phillips nodded at him as he sat down next to the old man.
“Predictions?”
Phillips looked at him and a wry expression crossed his face. “You know Stane, Rogers. Nothing will be simple with him.”
Steve grimaced, “that’s true.”
———————
The arguing had been constant for almost 20 minutes when Phillips looked over and gestured with his hand as if to say, see?
He frowned. This was not going well. Stane was less than subtle about claiming the right to be the new leader, while the leaders from 1 and the capitol had the same ambition. Steve didn’t like any of them as a choice. Each one manipulative in their words, and he could read the power-hunger on their faces.
So he took a chance.
He stood up and cleared his throat. Thankful for his new height and presence that now commanded the room. “I’m not sure how this is helping us.” He said calmly, “Maybe instead, we should go around the circle and everyone can say who they would like to vote for. First and foremost I would like to take my name out of the running. Maybe I’m being presumptuous, but I have been told it had been a possible consideration. I do not want that job. So please save your vote for someone who will actually accept.” He watched the glee in Stane’s eyes, believing himself to be the next vote people would cast without Steve. But Steve was not finished. “My vote for the new leader is Okoye.”
The woman, who had stayed mostly quiet during the argument, now looks at him with calmness and raised eyebrows. “Me?”
“Yes.” He ignored the way Stane’s eyes were bulging out of his skull. “I have seen with my own eyes your leadership. Your depth of concern for your people. Your ability to make the hard decisions when necessary and your undying sense of what is right and wrong.” He looked at each face around the table and imbibed his words with every sense of earnestness and truth he could, “I worked alongside you and saw you lead. I have no question in my mind that you will do what you can and must to unite the districts for a healthy and happy future. Do you want every citizen, whether they are district, or capitol, to lead a full, healthy, happy, and fulfilled life to the best of your abilities?”
She looked at him seriously but her eyes were earnest like his, “I do.”
“I believe you. I have no fear about your dedication and your willingness to do the hard work. So my vote is Okoye.”
“Now—“ Stane spluttered, sensing the shift in the room, “wait just a minute—“
“I second Captain Rogers’ vote.” Phillips said, cutting Stane off. “If he won’t lead us, then I am happy to take who he would recommend. Okoye is my vote.”
Stane was throwing his hands up in a scoff, and looked ready to start arguing, but Monty, the leader from District 6, stood. “I also vote Okoye. As a previous victor and someone who fought in all aspects of the rebellion, I can say with certainty she would be an excellent leader.”
Soon the leader from District 11 is standing and voting for Okoye, and then 9, and then 7, and then 10. Steve feels the shift happen as they cross the halfway point.
And then it’s only District 1 and 13 who remained. Even the capitol leader had bowed out and voted for Okoye.
Stane stood and his eyes were visciuously pointed at Steve. “What do you know about leadership?” He snarled, “you’re barely more than a child—“ Stane’s eyes were going red and Steve just shook his head.
But Phillips stood and silenced him with a glare.
“The votes are cast. Okoye is the leader.”
The group started clapping and cheering and Okoye looked pleased and surprised. Steve turned to Stane who was glaring at him murderously.
And Steve smiled.
—————-
That night he woke. Feeling a sense of dread. Without knowing why, he threw off the light covers and slipped out of bed. Listening for what could have possibly made him wake up.
Except there was no sound. Just dread.
He looked over to see Bucky sleeping in the bed on the opposite side of the room. His breathing and heartbeat normal.
He used his sharp eyes to scan the dim room and found nothing.
Then he heard the click.
As if someone had entered or exited a door.
His adrenaline spiked and he raced out his door and into the hallway. A figure at the end startled and took off. Steve wanted to chase but there were only two other rooms on this hallway.
Peggy’s and Phillips. And he needed to check on them. Phillips sat up as he slammed into his room since it was closed.
“What the hell, Rogers!”
Are you okay?” He asked in a panic. And he must have looked something terrible because instead of continuing to chew him out, Phillips looked at him seriously and nodded, “yes, Im fine.”
With that Steve bolted and ran the 10 ft down to Peggy’s room. Throwing it open and seeing her standing in the corner of the room. Looking frightened and scared.
“Peggy?”
She shied away from the sound of him and he paused. Her heartbeat was wildly erratic and way too fast. “Peggy, can you hear me?”
“Please—“ she whimpered, “please leave us alone.” She covered her face with her hands and cried, “no, please, no!” She shouted, “don’t take him! Please!”
Fear rolled through him at the hysteria in her voice. He stepped forward, grabbing at her shoulders but she shrieked and tried to sink further into the corner, “don’t—“ she gasped, “you can’t— please!”
Her pulse skyrocketed and he watched as her eyes rolled back into her head and she started to collapse.
“Peggy!” He cried out, catching her and scooping her up into his arms. “Bucky!” He shouted, as he raced out of the room, “Bucky!”
The man appeared in the hallway no more than a few seconds later, “Steve?”
“Call Howard!” Steve ordered, “someone poisoned her I think! Or—“ he looked down at her pale face, “I don’t know, just call him and tell him I’m coming!”
Bucky nodded and Steve ran.
—————
It took him three minutes to get to Howard’s floor and door. The man looked like someone had dumped him out of bed, but he was awake and ready when Steve got there.
He laid her gently on his bed and paced as Howard started mumbling and checking things.
Finally he ran out of the room and was gone for a few minutes before he came back and punched Peggy’s nose, forcing her to swallow something.
“What’s that?”
“Something I learned after my last mistake.” Howard replied grimly.
“What?”
“An antidote.” Howard responded flatly. “One that would have saved Senator Brandt.”
The implication hung heavily and Steve felt fury rise. “Stane.”
“I assume so. Or someone working for him. I made this in case he tried to do it to you. But I guess he learned how invulnerable you were after the shot. So go after your heart instead, Hmm?” It’s said with a humorless chuckle. “Idiot is repeating himself. That’s sloppy.”
“Can you prove it?”
Howard’s tired eyes reach him. “I don’t think so. It’s a toxin that dissolves in the blood pretty quickly. Hell the only reason she’s alive is because you reacted so quickly. Another 10-15 minutes in her room alone and she’d have been a goner.”
Fear and realization struck Steve. “I need your phone, where’s your phone?”
Howard pointed and he hurried, dialing a number and praying that she picked up.
“Hello?”
Strange sounds could be heard on her end of the line. “Okoye? Are you okay?”
A laugh, “I see the snake has tried to bite twice this night.” Steve get relief at the sound of her voice. “I am well. Although the man who tried to poison me is not.”
“ Let me go!” Steve heard a cry.
“You just tried to poison me and you expect me to let you go?” She laughed over the phone again. “These foolish men who underestimate me.”
Steve laughed and nodded, “they’ll learn quick.”
“Let us hope so. Thank you for checking on me. Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. It’s Peggy.”
A short silence and then a grunt from the man on the other end. “I will keep this one tied up and take him to the detention center where they will interrogate him thoroughly until he reveals his employer.”
“I know his employer.” Steve gritted out, “Stane. He killed Brandt this way too. But we didn’t have proof. Now we have your man. Can you get him to speak?”
“Oh, Captain.” Okoye replied. “I will get him to sing.”
——————-
“I hearby order you to—“
Stane spat on the ground, “I won’t take orders from you!”
“Then you’ll be banished.” She replied. If you don’t plan to live in this country as a citizen who must follow the rules, then you must leave.”
“Leave and go where!” He shouted.
“I do not care.”
Steve looked around. It was early in the morning and he, Okoye, Howard, and two guards were in Stane’s room. Having trapped him and then proven that they knew it was him.
He’d obviously reacted like they expected. Denying it until he couldn’t anymore.
The man who had attempted to kill Okoye had squealed relatively quickly once she’d started to press. Stane had hired him and another to poison the two and then place evidence that would have shown that it was Bucky who poisoned them.
Which had made Steve want to rip him to shreds.
But he’d gone and gotten Howard and some guards to do his due diligence.
“What will it be, Obadiah Stane? Imprisonment or banishment?”
And quicker than Steve would have thought possible of the older man, Stane shoved one guard right into Steve, and then yanked a weapon free from the other one. Shooting him dead before turning to face Okoye.
Steve reacted more than thought. He reached into the holster of the guard who had been shoved into him and pulled his gun. Raising it and firing twice.
Stane went still. Looking down at the two bullet holes. One in his heart and the other directly in his neck.
Blood began to pour from both and Steve glared at him, “that’s for Brandt, and Peggy, and for Bucky.” Then his voice got cold and flat, “and that’s for me.”
Stane’s arms dropped to his sides, the gun clattering to the ground as he tumbled forward.
He glanced up. Okoye stared at him with pride and Howard stared at him in shock.
And he felt shocked at himself. He hadn’t even hesitated. And he didn’t feel any regret.
He had killed in the rebellion, but that was in battle. This felt more real, more visceral.
Steve handed the gun back to the guard and sighed. “Sorry.” He said quietly, clearing his throat.
“Do not apologize to me, Captain.” Okoye said calmly, “you have rid the world of another evil.”
Howard was nodding, but he stayed quiet.
Steve knelt beside the downed guard and lifted him, “we should let everyone know. Immediately. Show them the proof and everything so there’s no kickback on this.”
Howard nodded again and waved him out the door. “Let’s go.”
——————
It took well over a month for things to get settled after the news that Stane was dead. They submitted Okoye’s name to the country and she was accepted as the new leader to replace Schmidt.
Then she began the discourse on how to move forward. How the districts would once again meld into a single united country and work for the benefit at all.
Steve wanted to go home. He desperately wanted to see the new construction that was happening in 12 and see how the other districts were coming along.
But Okoye had asked him to stay for now. When he’s asked why, she’d look at him with a raised eyebrow and smiled, “because I trust you Captain. There’s no one I trust more to have the country's best interests at heart. So if you and I work together, then we can ensure the best future possible.”
So he’d stayed.
And when he told Bucky and Peggy that they should go home, they had stared at him and refused.
“Bucky,” Steve had tried, “you haven’t seen them in so long, “they miss you.”
“And I miss them as well, but I’m not leaving you here alone. And…” he grimaced, “I’m not ready to have them see me yet.”
At that, Steve had conceded. And a pointed glare from Peggy told him not even to try to argue with her.
—————-
11 months later, he shook Okoye’s hand at the train station.
“I’ll be in touch.”
She smiled, “I will try to not bother you too much at home, but it is important to me that you know how vital you have been this last year.”
“Thank you.” He responds, shaking her hand firmly and then stepping back. He can sense Peggy’s and Bucky’s heartbeats already aboard the train. Phillips had left three months ago to help start running the area formally known at District 12. With much grumbling and eye rolling Steve presumed.
“See you soon, Captain.” Okoye called as he stepped on the train. And then she did something that surprised him.
She saluted him.
And he felt his mind flash to his ma, and the people in the districts and anyone else who had ever used that towards him as a gesture of respect and affection.
He saluted right back.
—————
“You ready?” Peggy asked softly as he sat next to him on the train.
“Ready for what?”
“To go home?”
He smiled and nodded, an ache in his chest about everything and everyone who wouldn’t be there when he got there.
But there was hope. A new start and the possibility to rebuild.
“Yeah.” He said finally. The sun catching through the tinted windows. “I’m ready.”
——————
Epilogue - 15 years later
“Abraham!” Steve called, “Abe, where are you!”
“I’m over here!” His son cried from around the corner of the house.
He walked, the gravel pathway through the garden leading him to a little section of dirt that his son was digging through.
“Whatcha doin?” Steve asked, crouching down to look at the fresh overturned earth.
“Uncle Howard sent seeds from another new place and I wanted to plant them!”
Steve smiles, “that’s wonderful. I can’t wait to see what grows.” Abraham looked up, his blue eyes, which made Steve’s and his ma’s smiling brightly. Steve ruffled his deep brown hair that matched Peggy’s. “Where’s your mum?”
“I think she went over to Aunty Nat’s house.”
“Well, I was going to ask her what she wanted for dinner, but since she’s not here, I suppose you get to choose.”
His son smiled and wiped his hands eagerly on his pants, “can we have that stew with the fresh bread! And some cheese?”
Steve smiled, “of course. Potatoe stew, coming right up. Will you be finishing up here soon?”
Abraham looked back down at his plot of dirt and nodded, yes, just a few more minutes.”
“Okay, come clean up when you’re done.”
“Uh-huh.” He answered, already shifting his focus to the task at hand.
Steve stood and walked back into the house, past the hanging portraits of his ma, the Barnes, and one of him and Peggy at their wedding.
He had asked not even a year after returning to 12, but she had turned him down, refusing to marry him until she felt like she had full control over her brain and actions.
A year later they were married and living in Steve's old house, in the Victors’ Village. Bucky had claimed one of the other houses, and Phillips and his wife had moved into their old one again.
New houses went in, nicer and more modern houses. But none of them cared. They didn’t need more or anything else. They had their homes.
Bucky traveled a lot with Howard the first few years, until he came back from District 7 with a redhead named Natasha who Peggy had connected with instantly. Now Bucky stayed and worked in 12, which Steve was grateful for. Because it meant he forgave himself. Allowed himself to be happy and have a home again.
Once Bucky had tried to apologize for shooting him back in that first year when they were still at the Capitol. But Steve had looked at him and said, “you can apologize to me by forgiving yourself. And acting like you deserve to be my friend again.”
Bucky had frowned at him and said nothing. It took a few years, but he finally seemed to be able to do just that.
Bucky and Natasha had a little girl named Sarah. She was 4 years younger than Abe, but Steve watched as his son took to being a big brother with ease. Teaching her about the plants and the animals and how to play.
He paused outside his art studio. The door creaked as it always did when he opened it. He flipped on the record player and smiled as soft music filled the air. The painting hung on the far wall. The one he’d ruined the night he found out he was going back in the arena. After a year or so of being back in the district, he’d carefully unwrapped the canvas and hand sewed additional canvas onto the right side, street hung it over a new longer frame. And after the red and black mess that his small hands had made, he’d been carefully adding his new life to it. Peggy’s gold and red influence clearly visible. As was Bucky’s deep blue and silver. And there, just near the end was a new addition. Abraham’s golden orange sunset palette, lightening up his life and adding a depth of joy he couldn’t begin to comprehend.
His hands chopped potatoes and carrots and made broth as he hummed the tune he could still hear clearly from his office.
Soft footsteps and a calm heartbeat entered his field of hearing.
Hands wrapped around his waist and kissed at his shoulder. “Hello,” Peggy said softly, “miss me?”
He turned in her grasp, leaning down to brush his nose against hers and then kiss her, “you know I always do.”
Her cheeky grin had him smiling back and she quickly grabbed a knife and began to help him.
“Abraham in the garden still?”
Steve laughed, “he is indeed. I swear he has magic with those plants.”
She chuckled and peered out the window trying to see him. “Barnes and Natasha say hello, and Rebecca was there too. She says hello, they want to see you, you’ve been very busy.”
“I’ll see them tomorrow.” Steve responded, “I wanted to talk with Bucky about our upcoming trip to the Capitol.”
“Okoye is rather insistent.”
Steve laughed, “she’s turned us into a well oiled machine in just over a decade. I can cut her some slack for being stiff scheduled.”
“I suppose.” Peggy said with a laugh.
“You’re going to come for the next one, right?” He asked. Okoye held councils every 6 months to check up on the districts, what they needed or what goals they had. To ensure everyone was getting the care and attention they deserved.
“Yes,” she replied, “I just don’t want to miss Olive’s birth. With her own family gone, I—“
Steve couldn’t help himself. He pulled her to him and kissed her, soundly and firmly, imbuing it with all his love. Love for her heart and compassion for others. For her time and energy to better their district and country. For everything.
“Well,” she said hazily as she leaned back, “what was that for?”
“I just..” he started, “I can’t believe I am married to the most wonderful woman on this planet.”
Her eyes softened and she grinned at him. “You know you can’t just say things like that. I’m liable to drag you up the stairs and then where would dinner be?”
Steve’s ears went hot and he grinned, leaning down and kissing her softer this time. “I love you, Peggy.”
“And I, you.” She responded, kissing his cheek.
He frowned, “should I stay? This is Olive’s first kid. What if something goes wrong? Or, what if it goes smoothly and I’m not there. I can tell Okoye that I can’t go..”
“Steve!” Peggy laughed, “you are such a big brother, you know that?” She leaned against his shoulder. “If the meeting goes smoothly then you may be back in time anyways. And if I’m not there then for sure you have to be. Someone has to have common sense.”
Steve laughed. “I can’t wait to see Abraham’s face when he sees the Capitol.”
Peggy smiled, “probably similar to ours the first time we saw it.”
He nodded, “just less threat of death hanging over his head.”
She looked at him with those eyes. The knowing ones.
There it was. The admission of what they’d been through. The realization that no matter how normal or safe or lovely their life was now, that there would always be their past. The blood and the battle and the fight for freedom, mentally and physically.
“Barnes mentioned he’s been free from nightmares for 5 years yesterday.”
Steve looked at her and he smiled, “that’s… phenomenal. Truly.”
“And you?”
Steve winced, “it’s rare. Much more rare than his ever were.”
“Same.” She answered.
“Dad!” Steve turned to see a dirt covered Abraham run into the kitchen, “do they have gardens in the Capitol!?”
“They do indeed.” He responded eagerly, “gardens on rooftops and the sides of buildings and so big you could get lost in them!”
Abe jittered with excitement and shook his head in disbelief, “can we see some while we’re there? Can we?”
“Of course—“
“What if I find a new plant there!?” He asked in excitement, “will you draw it for me? I want it for my wall!”
His heart ached with how much he loved his son, “of course, I’ll draw whatever you want.”
“I’m so excited!” Abraham said with a gleeful grin, “will Uncle a Howard be there? I want to tell him that I planted the seeds!!”
“He will, and his son Anthony will be there too. You’re about the same age.” Abraham’s eyes lit up at the prospect of meeting a new friend, “go wash up, okay? We don’t need dirt as a seasoning.” Abraham broke out into a fit of giggles and ran back out of the kitchen and clambered up the stairs.
“I can’t believe he’s going to be 10 soon.” Peggy whispered.
“I can. He’s growing so tall.”
“And he’s never been sick.” Steve eyed her and she raised her eyebrow at him. “I’m just mentioning something.”
“You keep hinting at things.”
She laughed, and threw a potato peel at him, “you’re too afraid to say something because you’re worried it will jinx it.”
He sombered, and his eyes caught on the little teapot that sat on the shelf, the last thing of his ma’s that she had from her ma. “I just…” he leaned on the sink, his hands gripping the edge, “I couldn’t have ever imagined getting to have this. Being so sick and weak and—“ he felt his throat get tight, “I never want him to live like we lived.”
Peggy grasped his face, turning it to her and looking at him with such love that the knot in his throat got tighter.
“That’s what you fought for Steve.” She said softly, gesturing in the direction of the town. “You fought for them. You fought for us, and every person in this country who wanted more for their own lives and for their children. You made it so he would never have to got through that—”
“Not just me—“
“Yes.” She said firmly, cutting him off, “there were others. But they are not my heroes. Y ou are my hero. Not them. You are Abraham’s hero. More than he’ll ever even realize.” She looked at the silly picture Abraham had drawn a year ago of them being surrounded by a flock of ducks, and she smiled, “our son has never been sick. Or injured. He has your gifts—“
“And your smarts—“
“And us.” She finished. “Because of you, he has us. Abraham and millions of other children can live in freedom and safety. Never having to worry about the games. Never again will parents agonize over the possibility of losing their children.”
He doesn’t respond to that. His mind raced with the possibilities that Abraham had now, never having to be concerned about the games. “I can’t wait to see what he grows up to be.”
Peggy smiled at him and placed a hand on his chest. “I know what I want him to grow up to be.”
“Oh?” Steve asked, raising an eyebrow and clasping one of his hands over hers. “And what’s that?”
She rose up on her tippy-toes and kissed his nose before tilting her head and smiling, “just like his father.”
——————-