"I told him that I had to make a decision."
"What decision?"
"Whether I will keep fighting for you or let you go."
After another international incident inv...
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A few days later we were in London attending Peggy's funeral, by we I mean Sam and Natasha were with me. I was carrying the coffin with others before placing it in the middle of the cathedral so people could pay their respects. I saw with Sam and Natasha with tears in my eyes as I stared at the photo of Peggy back in the 40's looking back at me.
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"And now, I would like the invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words." The priest replied moving to the side while my former neighbor and formerly known as Agent 13 moved up to the podium.
"Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of SHIELD...but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy. She had a photograph in her office. Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK. As a kid that was pretty cool. But it was a lot to live up to which is why I never told anyone we were related. I never got to know about my other Great Aunt Eleanor either but I have her name...Sharon Eleanor Carter (Sharon's middle name isn't known but this will be a key for this story so go with it). Eleanor was a fighter who fought in World War 2 and was a hero in both America and in London. Living up to two big legends was very difficult growing up. So I asked my Aunt Peggy once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. And she said that her sister used to say; compromise where you can. But where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move...it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye and say No, you move." Sharon exclaimed I was surprised to hear that Sharon was related to both Ellie and Peggy. Maybe Ellie had a chance to know her family but that's if her family would understand what happened to her and accept it. Hearing Sharon recite words that Ellie believed in gave me a different perspective of what I should do involving the Accords.
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Soon Sharon finished her speech and returned to her seat; the mass ended and I found myself standing alone leaning on one of the pews staring blankly at the photo again. A pair of heels caught my ear when I turned I saw it was Natasha giving me a small smile and touched my arm with her hand.
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"When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I had known was gone. Bucky...Ellie...everyone. Then I found out that she was alive. I was lucky to have her, the last connection to the past." I exclaimed feeling a tear drizzle down my cheek which I wiped away quickly.
"She had you back, too." Natasha answered I nodded looking at her photo again then looked back at Natasha.
"Who else signed?" I asked she knew I meant the Accords which she removed her hand from my arm the clasped hers together.
"Tony...Rhodey...Vision." Natasha began I looked seeing Sam talking to someone from the funeral then back to Natasha.
"Clint?" I asked seeing Natasha give me a small eye roll because we already knew what Clint's answer would be.
"Says he's retired." Natasha answered just as I said those words in my head as I shook my head towards her seeing her smile.
"And Wanda?" I asked seeing Natasha's smile drop for a brief moment then slightly return again.
"To be determined. I'm off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. There's plenty of room on the jet." She offered I lowered my head sighing which gave her an answer that I wasn't coming. Her hand returned to my shoulder forcing my eyes to look at her again. "Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path. Staying together is more important than how we stay together."
"What are we giving up to do it?" I asked watching her sigh as I shook my head at her to tell her I wasn't convinced by her words. Ellie's words that came from Sharon meant more to me now then hers. "I'm sorry, Nat. I can't sign it."
"I know." She replied I watched her give me a small smile while my hands tightened on the wooden pews behind me.
"Then what are you doing here?" I asked watching her look up at me giving me another sincere smile.
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"I didn't want you to be alone...come here." She smiled pulling me into a hug, after a moment she broke away from me then turned to leave. Sam came up to me shortly after and just as he did I saw a dark figure in front of Peggy's casket.
"You ready?" he asked my eyes narrowed on the figure seeing blonde hair tucked behind a small dress hat, the figure turned slightly as I saw a familiar pair of blue eyes look at me before moving away heading towards the back entrance without drawing attention.
"I'll meet you outside." I answered following the dark figure down the hallway until I saw them slip out the back entrance as I jogged over. I opened the door seeing the figure moving through the alleyway. "Ellie?" They stopped moving turning slightly to look at me and it was her.
"Hello Steve..." she mumbled standing a good distance away from me now, I was surprised to see her here and I was now a loss of words.
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