He Came Back (Steve Rogers x OC)

Chapter 7

(A/N: I barely even gave this a second read after writing it because I was so excited to wrap this one up! Hope you like it!)

Another day in the medical bay and Bruce released Ceci from constant supervision. She still had to take it easy, and but he encouraged her to stay at the compound a few more days to rest before heading back to the City.

She'd heard some of the conversations about the Infinity Stones needing to be returned to their proper times but as of yet they hadn't determined who was going to do the task and when.

She went looking for Steve and as she walked down a hallway she heard his and Tony's voices in conversation. As she got closer she heard Tony.

"Are you sure, Capsicle? I can handle getting them back to their times."

"No, Tony–I should be the one to do it. I... I need to be the one to do it."

She stood outside the door, not wanting to interrupt. She heard Tony sigh. "Fine, if you're sure you know what you're doing. Just–be careful. You've got people who will be back here waiting on you–you know?"

There was a moment of silence before Steve spoke. "Yeah, Tony. I know."

Ceci frowned. Why did Steve feel the need to be the one to take the stones back? Why wouldn't he let Tony do it? Was it because Tony had a wife and child now? Was it that dangerous a job? I mean, of course it was dangerous, but..

She stopped her train of thought and slipped back around a corner right as Tony stepped out and walked away. After he was out of sight she snuck back around and looked into the conference room where Steve had been. She saw him there, bent over the table looking at each stone and the location where it would need to go back to. Then she watched as he pulled a small device out of his pocket, flipped it open, and sat it on the table.

Her hand went to her mouth to cover the gasp that wanted to escape.

He stared down at a picture of Peggy Carter and Ceci felt her world crumbling.

*****

Steve knocked at the door of the guest room. "Ceci?" There was no answer so he tried knocking again and speaking a little louder. "Ceci, you in there?"

"She's gone," Wanda Maximoff said from where she now stood just down the hall.

Steve frowned. "What? Gone where?"

"I saw her leaving with her bag. She said she was ready to get home. She didn't tell you?"

Steve just shook his head as he processed the information. "When was that?"

"An hour ago, maybe? Where have you been? You've hardly left her side since she woke up."

"I–I was finalizing plans for taking the stones back. I'm–I'm planning on doing that this afternoon."

Without waiting for a response from Wanda, Steve walked away.

*****

After another hour of trying to call Ceci every ten minutes, she finally answered.

"Hello."

"Ceci. Where are you? I've been worried sick."

"I–I came home. Back to the city. You have work to do and I don't need to be in the way."

"Ceci, you haven't been in the way since you came here two weeks ago, you know that. What's wrong?"

"Nothings wrong, Steve. I just wanted to be able to rest at home. You have other things to worry about, don't you?"