Chapter 53
One Month Later-
To say I had gotten side tracked would be an understatement. In my defense I didn’t really have a choice. Apparently I had to file some additional paperwork while I was in the country before I could venture off if I wanted to reside in the UK for longer than four months.
I couldn’t say I was super disappointed in the news, it meant that just for a little longer I could just stay put and bide my time while I figured what intel from the ledger was viable and which was useless. As of now I knew that Mom’s contacts in Galicia were not the only people she was in touch with in Spain. There was another middleman she used to help secure the ports. If Delilah wanted to get out of town undetected, using a ship that wasn’t on the port’s record would be a good way to go about it.
I woke up on the morning of July 4th and the first thing I did was dial Steve. He always woke up at the crack of dawn so I knew he’d answer.
“Hello.” A sleepy Steve answered.
“Happy Birthday!” I cheered making Steve chuckle.
“Thank you.” Steve said.
“Did I wake you up?” I asked.
“Yes but you’re better than my alarm clock.” He said.
“Aren’t you a sweet talker?” I teased. “Also you should probably go open your door. I sent you something and I was promised it’d be there by the time you woke up today.”
“Hayley you shouldn’t have.” Steve said.
“Stop it’s not everyday you turn ninety five.” I said casually before I realized that’s probably why he didn’t want to celebrate his birthday.
“Thanks.” He said awkwardly. “I should probably go.”
“Right you probably have things to do. Have a good day sweetie.” I said before he hung up on me. Damn I’m a horrible soulmate. I got out of bed and went to check the mail downstairs. The doorman had gotten used to me coming downstairs in pjs and that one time I crawled in with Rebekah after an insane night out.
“Morning Arthur.” I greeted.
“Morning ma’am.” He said not bothering to look up from his newspaper. I walked into the mailroom and took out my key. I opened up the mailbox and looked through everything. Spam and more spam that is until I found my student visa.
“Fuck yeah.” I said. I through everything else away and ran upstairs. I grabbed my phone and was about to dial Rebekah but I stopped and thought about it for a bit. With this card I was free to come and go from the UK whenever I wanted. If there was anywhere in the world I could be where would I be right now?
I took my phone out and dialed the one person who would jump at the chance to the pull one over on Steve.
“Morning sunshine.” Tony said.
“I need a favor.” I said.
“This have anything to do with a certain spangly ninety five year old’s birthday today?” Tony asked.
“I can be on a flight to DC in an hour.” I said.
“The jet’s already waiting for you.” Tony said.
“What?” I said.
“I owe spangles for all the teasing and old man meme’s I’ve been spamming him with the past few weeks.” Tony said.
“Aww you do care.” I said.
“Yeah, just don’t tell him. He has an event tonight at the Smithsonian for the Exhibit on him they’re opening and I know he doesn’t have a date.” Tony said.
“I have just the dress.” I said. “Thank you.”
“Call me when you land.” Tony said.
“Will do.” I said before hanging up. I got moving and started packing up for a few days. I shot Rebekah a quick text telling her where I was going and to text me the minute she heard anything from Spain.
One Eight-Hour Flight Later-
Considering Steve had an event to go to and I was going to be cutting it close I got ready and dressed on the plane. I took my blue chiffon dress out of the garment bag and slipped it on. Pulling on the zip was a bit hard but I managed. Walking on a plane with heels on as there’s turbulence is not a pleasant experience.
Tony had the entire night planned out and had even called a car service to pick me up. I dialed him from the limo and he asked me to not knock on the door but to text him when I was there instead. I figured it was part of the surprise so I agreed.
I made my way up the stairs of Steve’s building and texted Tony once I was outside his door.
“Stark I don’t have time for one of your jokes.” I heard Steve through the door. Someone was having a bad day. “Because that event you volunteered for is starting in under and hour and I have to go… What do you mean open the door? If this is some sort of joke…” He said as he opened the door.
“Hey Cap, miss me?” I greeted.
“Hayley!” He said pulling me into a hug dropping his phone. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s your birthday, I called Tony and he had already sent the jet.” I said.
“But I thought you were busy with you know…” Steve started.
“I put Rebekah on it. We’re waiting to set up a meeting with a guy but he still hasn’t called back. It doesn’t matter where I wait so I thought why not come visit the birthday boy.” I said. “Someone said you needed a date for an event.”
“You’re welcome.” Tony’s voice rang out from Steve’s phone, which was still on the floor.
“Thank you Tony.” Steve said before hanging up. “We need to get going.”
“Lead the way.” I said.
The event was actually more of a cocktail social at the actual Captain America exhibit. I found it a bit weird that the exhibit was at the Air and Space section but then again Steve did fight aliens and also crashed an airplane into the Atlantic and was frozen for seventy years so maybe they had a point.
There were a few members of the military and a few senators at the event. I just nodded along like Steve did. People gave speeches talking about how great and heroic Steve was, making Steve shift uncomfortably. He was acting weird all night. Then it was his turn to say something.
“Hello everyone thank you for coming. This is all amazing, seventy years ago I never thought my entire life would be put on display like this. I had a hard time with the idea of this exhibit at first but as I started thinking about it I realized this wasn’t just about me it was about honoring everyone that couldn’t be here with us today. So thank you again. Enjoy the exhibit.” Steve said making everyone give him a round of applause.
“I’m going to use the restroom.” Steve said after he got off the stage.
“Okay I’ll just look around.” I said.
I wandered around for a bit just taking in everything they’d managed to collect. There was a recording of Steve during his propaganda tour dancing along to the Star Spangled man with a Plan. They had some of his comic strips from before the war. They had even gotten an interview Peggy Carter had done back in the fifties. I could tell by the way she talked about him that Steve had made just as big of an impact on her life as she did his.
I kept looking around but had to stop when I the memorial display for Bucky.
Damn why are all my soulmates hot?
“I asked for them to put this in.” I heard Steve say coming up behind me. “Didn’t seem right for me to get all this when he was the one that sacrificed everything.”
“You sacrificed everything too. You woke up seventy years in the future, everyone you knew and the world as you knew it gone too.” I said.
“It’s not the same.” He said sadly. Damn I think I just made things worse. Okay I needed to salvage what was left of the night.
“You want to get out of here?” I asked. “I don’t know about you but I could really go for a burger.”
“Yeah, that sounds good.” Steve said.
We snuck out the back exit to avoid the press. Before getting in the car and driving to Steve’s favorite diner. We were munching on burgers before he just sighed and put his food down.
“I’m sorry.” Steve said.
“Why are you apologizing? I was the one that brought everything up.” I said.
“No you were right but you were trying to make me feel better all day. You flew all the way here from London just to spend the day with me and I’ve been in a mood.” Steve said.
“Sweetie it was a lot, I mean I saw the exhibit, I saw what your life was like before and I know you lost a lot.” I said.
“The exhibit showed what I lost but it didn’t show what I gained.” Steve said. “I love you Hayley and even though getting used to everything in the past year’s been hard knowing you made it all worth it.”
I started tearing up at that. “I adore you.” I told him.
“If it’s okay with you can we just go back to the apartment and watch a movie?” Steve asked.
“It’s your birthday, we can do whatever you want.” I said. “Also means you don’t pay for your burger.”
“Hayley.” Steve argued.
“Stop, I’m trying to spoil you. No arguments.” I said.
“Remember this next year on your birthday.” Steve said. “And Valentine’s Day.”
“If I say yes to you I have to say yes to everyone else and it feels weird.” I said.
“We do it because we love you.” Steve said.
“I know I just… I’m not used to it.” I said.
Just as Steve asked we spent the rest of the night at his apartment watching movies. Then at some point we ended up making out on his couch. For someone that said he had no experience with the ladies he was a really good kisser. Bucky taught him well.
Unfortunately Time was not on our side…
“Hayley…” Steve said as I slowly started kissing down his neck.
“Mh.” I hummed.
“I… I uh… I want to make love to you Doll.” Steve said.
That made me stop and look up at him. “Bed.” I said.
Steve stood up while carrying me but right as he started walking to his room his phone started ringing.
“Just a second.” He said putting me down at the same time my phone started ringing.
“I should get that too.” I said grabbing my phone. “Go for Hayley.”
“Hayley get your arse back here now.” Rebekah said.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Our contact just came through. He wants to meet tomorrow in Barcelona.” Rebekah said.
“Shit, Ah I’ll take the jet and head back as soon as I can. I’ll text you when I know when I’m landing in London so we can regroup and head to Spain.” I said.
“See you tomorrow bright and early.” Rebekah said.
“Yeah, bye.” I said.
“That was Natasha.” Steve said. “Mission came up, we leave in an hour.”
“That was Rebekah, our Contact came through. I have to be in Barcelona tomorrow.” I said.
“I’m sorry.” Steve said.
“Stop, don’t ever apologize for doing your job besides you’re not the only one leaving. We’re just going to have to leave things as they are for now.” I said.
“We should really head out.” Steve said.
“Can you call me a cab while I get changed for the flight?” I asked.
“Of course.” He said giving me one last kiss before letting me go.
That’s how what was supposed to be a weekend getaway ended up turning into a six hour visit.