The First Avenger [1]

★ Captain Rogers

★★★★★

"Come in. This is Captain Rogers. Do you read me?" Steve's voice came through on the radio. Diana sighed in relief. Only moments earlier had Ares been defeated, leaving Diana feeling... new. It felt as though her strength had doubled, she now felt more accomplished, and more powerful.

"Captain Rogers, what is your..." Diana cuts in.

"Steve, is that you? Are you alright?"

"Diana! There were explosives on the ships that were ready to be deployed, I got rid of them, and cleared the area."

"What about the plane?" Peggy asked from the side.

"That's a little bit tougher to explain."

"Give me your coordinates, I'll find you a safe landing site." Peggy said taking a seat next to Diana.

"There's not going to be a safe landing. But I can try and force it down." Steve said making Diana furrow her brows and shake her head even though she knew Steve couldn't see her.

"I'll get Howard on the line, he will know what to do."

"There's not enough time. This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York." Steve objected. Diana shook her head once more.

"No Steve. Whatever it is, give me your coordinates, I can fly to you and force the plane down safely." Diana replied, she could almost sense Steve shaking his head.

"I don't want you to risk your life trying to save me." Steve replied. He took a few more breaths before coming to his decision.

I gotta put her in the water."

"Steve, please. Let me do it. We can work it out." Diana begged as tears came to her eyes.

"Right now I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer a lot of people are gonna die. Diana, this is my choice." He replied as he forced the plane down towards the water.

"Diana?"

"I'm here, Steve."

"Y'know I never took you out on a proper date." He said making Diana smile.

"You never asked." She replied with a small smile.

"Alright then, a week, next Saturday, at the Stork Club. Eight on the dot."

"And you won't be late?" Diana added.

"Deal." Steve replied.

"A deal is a promise, Steve, and a promise is--"

"Unbreakable." He cut her off. Silence stood from both ends as Diana inhaled deeply.

"S- Steve?" Diana stuttered.

"Yes?"

"I Lo--" Diana was cut short as the line went static.

"Steve?" Diana called out, but she knew it was too late.

Diana felt the tears pour out of her eyes as Peggy got up and engulfed her in a hug.

★

The war had been won. Ares had been killed and the soldiers had been freed from his grasp. Everyone was happy. Except for Diana. She counted herself as extremely lucky to still have her friends Howard and Peggy, but at the end of the day, she still missed Steve and Bucky. Her worst fear was losing one of them, and now that she had lost both, she did not know what to do. But she powered through, this time she did not cower away and hide. She stayed with Howard and Peggy and lived their lives with them. They were her only friends and she loved them until the end of the line.

Sticking by them had been the best choice Diana had made. She was a founding member of a new agency, SHIELD, as she fought through her losses and found a love of helping others.

The war had been won, but what had been lost?

"Diana." Peggy called as she sat in the commandos board room. The men were in the other room, silently celebrating the victory, but mourning the losses. Diana stood up and walked into the other room. Everyone turned to look at her as she stood at the head of the planning table.

Diana's hand moved over to a stack of files on the table. The top folder was all the information on Steven Grant Rogers. She smiled slightly at the picture of him pre-serum, and moved the file to the side. Taking a moment to re-adjust.

"What's the plan now, your majesty?" Gabe asked, sitting down in his chair.

Diana picked up another folder from the pile, throwing it in the middle of the table for everyone to see.

Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division

S.H.I.E.L.D

The men glanced at Diana with confusion, her right arm coming to a rest on the table as she leaned forward.

"There was an idea..."

★★★★★