𝗀 𝗁 𝗈 𝗌 𝗍 | | 𝗌 𝗍 𝖾 𝗏 𝖾 𝗋 𝗈 𝗀 𝖾 𝗋 𝗌

𝖾 𝗂 𝗀 𝗁 𝗍 𝗒 － 𝗌 𝖾 𝗏 𝖾 𝗇

✧ 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟤, 𝗇𝖾𝗐 𝗒𝗈𝗋𝗄 𝖼𝗂𝗍𝗒 ✧

IT HAD BEEN QUIET ON the comms for a long time. Too long, according to a very stressed Steve. They walked through the Tower, hoping that everything was going to plan. "Tony, what's going on? Tell me you found that cube," Steve asked through the comms as Marta fiddled with her suits. "Oh, you gotta be shitting me." Steve muttered.

        "My God, Steve, what awful profanity you're displaying–" Marta said without looking up, a smile on her face. Steve grabbed her wrist to keep her from walking, and Marta finally looked up. "Oh, fuck." she blurted out upon seeing Steve in 2012 looking at them.

        Steve from the past stared at them. "I have eyes on Loki. 14th floor. There's a woman with him. An agent." 2012 Steve said, his mask over his head. He was so uptight, and Marta could instantly tell the difference between him and her husband.

        Steve put the case down, pushing Marta back ever so slightly. "I'm not Loki. And we don't wanna hurt you." Steve said cautiously.

        Instantly, the two Steves began fighting each other. Marta watched them, a perturbed look on his face. "Huh. It's like a weird dream." Marta said as 2012 Steve kicked present Steve across the walkway, Marta watching him slide beside her.

        Marta pulled out her gun, firing a few shots at 2012 Steve, designed to tire him out. "I can do this all day." 2012 Steve said after dodging Marta's final bullet.

        "Yeah, I know. I know." Steve said with an exasperated sigh, pulling himself to his feet.

        "Did I tell you Steven said that to me and Nat the other day?" Marta asked, cracking her knuckles as Steve prepared to go after his former self again.

        Steve just sighed in disappointment. He threw his shield at 2012 Steve and he launched his back. Marta shot at both shields, causing them to diverge away from the men. Both Steves engaged in hand-to-hand combat, Marta inserting herself where she could to help her Steve get the upper hand. She had completely forgotten that she was pregnant, not that it would've stopped her.

        Present Steve accidentally kicked the glass sides of the walkway, and Marta lunged, but she couldn't grab the scepter before it fell. Then, 2012 Steve kicked out Marta's legs, and she fell through the gap in the walkway, both Steves tumbling after her. Marta landed on her stomach after falling through glass and against stairs with a painful groan. She rolled onto her back instantly, terrified that her baby was harmed, but she didn't feel anything other than the expected pain from falling off a tall ledge.

        Both Steves landed beside her, and Steve crawled over to his wife, his compass falling out of his pocket. Marta stood up, using Steve's hands to pull herself up her feet, breathing heavily. 2012 Steve held the compass, a new picture displayed in it. This one was of a smiling Marta as she held Steven on his second birthday. It was Steve's favorite picture of them. "Where did you get this?" 2012 Steve asked, not recognizing the baby in the picture.

        Instantly, Marta and Steve made a pass for the scepter, but 2012 Steve stopped them. He kicked Marta in the chest and pulled Steve into a chokehold. From the ground, Steve knew there was only one card left to play as Marta recovered against a nearby wall. "Marta... is... alive!" Steve choked out, voice strained.

        2012 Steve loosened his grip on present Steve as Marta came into his view, pulling off her facial transformer. "Miss me?" Marta asked to really make 2012 Steve believe that it was her.

        "Marta?" 2012 Steve asked in shock, and Marta honestly felt bad for him.

        Amidst his counterpart's debilitating surprise, Steve punched 2012 Steve in the face and used the scepter to knock him out. "Poor guy." Marta said as Steve grabbed his compass and stood up with the scepter.

        Steve breathed heavily and stared at 2012 Steve. "That is America's ass." Steve panted, putting his compass away.

        Marta smirked despite herself. "Am I America?" she asked, holding a hand to her side.

        Steve had to smile, walking over to her. He could tell instantly that something wasn't right with her fighting. "What's wrong? You're never this tired after an easy fight." Steve said, noticing everything about Marta.

        She had a few backup lies to tell him. "Must be out of practice." she said simply, and Steve decided to believe her. Marta could tell that nothing was wrong with her baby. It was resilient, just like her and especially just like Steven. If Steven could survive an extremely premature birth ridden with complications, Marta figured this baby could stand a few bumps.

✧