Lovers In Crime (A Winter Soldier Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Fourteen

-Present Day: Endgame-

FIVE YEARS LATER

Knowing the portal jumping spooked the civilians sometimes, you find yourself fast walking though the seemingly abandoned streets of New York City. There are a lot of boats gathered around a dock, all abandoned. A baseball stadium comes into view, with no life present at all. The aftermath of the Decimation is evident, and Earth has not coped well. You approach the abandoned cafe, with a poster on the wall labeled "WHERE DO WE GO, NOW THAT THEY'RE GONE?" and turn in to join the therapy session that  is taking place with Steve and seven other people, some of whom you recognised.

"So I, uh... Went on a date the other day. It's the first time in five years, you know? I'm sitting there at dinner... I didn't even know what to talk about." You slide into a chair near the man talking, Steve giving you a look to question why you're late.

"What did you talk about?" He turns his attention to the man talking.

 "Same old crap, you know? How things have changed, and... my job, his job... How much we miss the Mets. And then things get quiet... He cried as they were serving the salads."

"What about you?" The man you recognised as Jim or at least you think he name is Jim asks him.

"I cried... just before dessert. But I'm seeing him again tomorrow, so..." 

"That's great. You did the hardest part. You took the jump, you didn't know where you were gonna come down. And that's it. That's those little brave baby steps we gotta take. To try and become whole again, try and find purpose." He smiled a little at the man and then looked around the room as he spoke  "I went in the ice in '45 right after I met the love of my life. Woke up 70 years later. You gotta move on. Gotta to move on. The world is in our hands. It's left to us guys, and we got to do something with it. Otherwise... Thanos should have killed all of us." he ends the speech dramatically. 

"Y/N you want to share today?" He asks as the room muses over what Steve had said, most nodding. 

"I don't think so..." 

"Come on Y/N, its a safe space here, you never talk, we're here with Captain America..." Jim encourages. 

"We're here for you..." another voice joins in, Steve smiles. 

"Ok I'll talk..." you sit up abruptly slapping your hands on your thighs. "I don't want to come to these meetings, I hate them, they're stupid." Everyone looks a little stunned although most nod in agreement. "In fact, I would argue its worse than the pain Hydra put me though and defiantly more embarrassing than finding out what Rumlow made me do wasn't just a part of the job..." 

"Y/N..." Steve tried to stop you. 

"No no, you wanted me to talk here it is Cap." You throw your arms about. "Every day for the last five years, when I'm not in excruciating pain form the loss of my... of Bucky... I am trying to help Natasha Romanoff keep what's left of the Avengers together because, some people, think its ok to go into hiding or run therapy sessions." You narrow your eyes at Steve. "I am not going to let half the universe disappear.... not after all the bad shit I've done.... all my life I've wanted to be a good guy and when I realised I'd been on, not just the wrong side, but the epitome of evil, I was heartbroken... and I have a lot to do to make up for it. So excuse me whilst I save the love of my life and the rest of universe." and with that you disappear into a portal that you create behind you and vanish. 

"I like her..." Jim says and the others nod. 

"Right, that's it for today, I'll see you all here next week." Steve ends the meeting heading straight for the compound.