Soulmates

She dropped to her knees in the grass, placed a kiss on her fingertips and reached out, touching the smooth headstone with a steady hand.

A single tear fell into the dirt beneath her and she stared at the name on the grave until she could no longer read it, her salty stinging vision blurring the letters until they didn’t make sense anymore, although she knew what it read.

Anthony Edward Stark.

“I’m truly sorry,” she whispered out loud on a shaky breath.

“I thought I might find you here,” a deep voice rasped behind her and she whirled around, jumping up to a standing position and automatically reaching for a gun that wasn’t there as she stood, heart hammering in her throat.

The figure raised his hands in apologetic surrender, his kind wrinkled eyes crinkled into a warm smile and she breathed deeply as she settled down, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand.

He waited for her to make the first move and she gradually stepped closer, staring at him as if trying to comprehend.

“I know, I know,” he said. “It took some getting used to for me to look in a mirror.”

She raised a tentative hand to his face. “It’s really you,” she said in wonder.

He smiled, opening his arms to her. “I’m not that fragile, you know. You can give an old friend a hug.”

She grinned, throwing her arms around him. “Steve,” she murmured as she embraced him.

“Natasha,” he greeted back, pressing a soft kiss into her hair. “How are you?”

“I don’t know,” she answered truthfully.

“Let me guess. You came back into a world you barely recognize and everyone you knew has changed more than you thought possible.”

She nodded. “I guess if anyone would understand, it would be you.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t actually die and come back to life.”

She bit her lip, taking in his words and trying to make sense of the stranger in front of her and reconcile him in her brain as her dear friend and leader.

“Do you want to get out of here?” He asked hopefully.

She nodded. “Want me to take you out for lunch?”

“It’s a nice day. Let’s go for a walk first,” he suggested, offering her his arm.

She slipped her arm easily through his, hoping she wasn’t holding on tight enough to break him.

“I just told you, I’m not that fragile,” he teased gently as if he could read her thoughts. “I’m still me.”

She relaxed visibly after that, although she did have to remind herself to walk slowly at first for his sake as she led him through the park, but after awhile they found an easy, cordial pace.

“Did he know we won?” She asked quietly after awhile.

He nodded. “He knew. And the whole world knew what he did.”

“How are Pepper and Morgan?”

“They’re doing well. The others check in with them frequently. Rhodey makes a fun uncle.”

Her mouth twitched into a smile.

“I’m sure they’d love to see you too, when you’re ready,” he said. He patted her hand that was still holding his. “How are you, really?”

She shrugged. “I remember everything. Everything that happened with Clint, on that planet. Vormir. I remember dying so he could get the stone. And then…. I was back.” She looked at him. “Was it like that for you?”

“Yeah. One minute I was driving an aircraft into the water to prevent the world from blowing up. And the next…. I was here. And it was seventy years later.” He winked. “In one version of how it happened, anyway.”

She smiled. “They told me what you did, after you put the stones back. So Captain America finally did something selfish for a change.”

He frowned. “Is that what you think?”

“You lived the life you always should’ve had,” she said seriously. “You’ve more than earned it, Steve. And besides, you deserve it.”

“But you don’t?”

She stopped walking, her mouth set in a line. “I- I don’t…”

“Is that it, Nat? You don’t think you deserve to have what you want? Because I promise you, you do.”

She smiled wryly. “What is it that you think I want, Steve?”

He grimaced slightly as he turned to face her, placing a thumb on her collar bone, over the tiny silver arrow charm that hung from a chain around her neck.

She regarded him with a surprised expression, her mouth halfway open.

“Did you really think it was some big secret, all these years?”

She wordlessly touched the charm, lost in her thoughts for a moment.

“Well, I’ll tell you a secret,” he said, leaning close to her. “I think he feels the same way.”

She shook her head.

“You died so that the world could move on together.” He jerked a thumb behind him. “He died so that we could win that very fight. And now, after fighting for everyone else, you’re here, somehow. Don’t you think it’s about time you fought for what you want?”

“It’s getting colder out,” she said, patting him gently on the shoulder. “Let’s get you back home.”

His brows furrowed. “We came pretty far. I don’t think I can walk all the way back.” He coughed and she bent forward to support him.

“I’ll just get a car,” she murmured, pulling out her phone. “What’s your address?”

“I’m in the same apartment you’ve been to,” he wheezed.

She studied him for a moment before punching in the address.

“What? Not everything can change. Some things have to stay the same.”

She grinned. “You’ve aged about sixty-five years in the blink of an eye, and suddenly that makes you wise?”