One | Steve Rogers

22

Steve sits on the bench overlooking the lake as his wife stands right beside him.

A mere seconds after they had originally went back in time.

In 2023.

Sam frantically looks for the couple that should've returned on the platform, but they're not their. Bucky looks out at the lake, and calls Sam over. The two stand side by side as they see an old man and a young woman.

Sam slowly walks over to them and stands beside the bench. Steve looks up at him, and Sam sees the old face of the man who was young 30 seconds ago.

" Hey, Sam," Steve whispers.

" So... did something go wrong, or did something go right?" Sam asks.

" Well, after I put the stones back, we thought... maybe I should try some of that life Tony was telling me to get," Steve says.

" How'd that work out for ya?" Sam asks as he looks over at the young brunette.

" It was beautiful," Steve says as his wife grabs his hand.

The decades they spent together play over in both of their minds.

" I'm happy for you guys. Truly."

"Thank you."

" Only thing bumming me out is... the fact that I have to live in a world without Captain America."

" Oh, that reminds me," Steve says as Lauren hands him a case, he opens it and takes out his shield to hand it Sam, " Try it on."

Sam's face goes from a smile to serious. He looks back at Bucky, who nods. He looks at Lauren, and she nods as well. Sam picks up the shield. He admires it at first, then slowly slips the straps onto his arm.

" How does it feel?" Steve asks.

" Like it's someone else's," Sam responds.

" It isn't."

Sam feels so honored at this very moment. He lets out a deep breath as he tries to keep his cool.

" Thank you. I'll do my best."

The two shakes hands, and once Steve sits up straight in his seat, Lauren puts her hands on either of his shoulder's.

" You wanna tell me what happened with y'all?" Sam asks as he looks at the couple.

Steve looks up at his wife, and Lauren looks down at her husband. They share a smile, then direct their attention back to Sam.

" No... I don't think I will."

After that moment, it was time to leave. Sam and Bucky and Bruce had questions, but all would be answered in due time.

Lauren drives Steve back to their home in Buffalo, New York. She opens the door for him and helps him walk up the steps and into the house. She helps him sit down on the couch and dips into the kitchen to get him a glass of water. She tells him to drink the whole thing. Steve sets the glass down on the coffee table in front of them, then takes both of his wife's hands into his.

" Lauren..." He says.

" Yes, my love?" Lauren asks.

" I know that we have had many years together... many beautiful years. You... have made me happier than I could have ever imagined. You gave me the life I always wanted. You were the love of my life," He says as he rubs her knuckles with his thumbs.

Lauren carefully listens to his words and tilts her head.

" Steve, honey... why are you talking in the past tense?" She asks.

Steve doesn't break eye contact. He continues to look into her eyes, but he sighs.

" Lo..."

" No."

" Lauren."

" No."

" Lauren."

" Steve... no."

Steve keeps his lips closed. He knows what he wants to say, but knows how delicate he must be.

" We're not going there," Lauren says.

" Sweetheart... we need to," Steve says.

Lauren tries her best to stay calm. She's always known this day would come... but she never wanted it to.

" Lauren... I'm dying. You know it, I know it. There's no more hiding it. The pills... help... but they can't save me."

" But I can," She says as she scoots closer to him, " I-I can save you. I can heal you, I can make you young again."

" No."

"... No?"

Lauren tilts her head as she looks into Steve's blue eyes. In all these years, she's never understood why he wouldn't let her.

" I don't want you to save me. I've lived a longer life than I was supposed to. I got my second chance... but soon, it will be my time."

As she listens to her husband speak, tears well up in Lauren's eyes.

" And when that day comes... I need you to promise me something... Promise that you will continue to live your life... however long it may be... Promise that somewhere down the line, when you're ready... you'll find someone. Someone who makes you happy... I don't want to be holding you back from your happiness."

Lauren sucks in her lips as the tears fall down her cheeks. She removes her hands from Steve's grasp and places them on either of Steve cheeks. She rubs his wrinkled skin with her thumbs as she looks into his eyes.

" You make me happy, Steve."

Steve tilts his head to kiss both of his wife's palms, then gives her a smile.

" You are my happiness."

Lauren leans in and gently places her lips upon Steve's. He closes his eyes and embraces the kiss. Steve feels her tears fall upon his face, but he doesn't care. Their lips move in synch, but slow. Steve's wrinkled lips mingle with Lauren's soft ones and they share a kiss filled with love. Lauren pulls back, and then rests her forehead onto Steve. She looks into his eyes, and he sees the tears tangled in her lashes. He brings his thumb up to wipe away her tears, and smiles once more, for he know that when he smiles, she smiles too.

And he loves seeing her smile. He wants it to be the last thing he ever sees.