The Man My Father Always Talked About • A CAPTAIN AMERICA STORY

54

So this chapter really skips around a little bit as I'm trying to explain what happened in those five years, so sorry if it seems a bit choppy of anything. Also, it's kind of short because of what it is explaining, so I'll update a new chapter soon. Love you all 3000!

~54~

No matter how much time had passed, nobody could move on from their defeat. How could they? They had lost people that they loved. In an attempt to make peace with it, some of the Avengers didn't stop fighting. They were saving the world in a new way. While Tony and Pepper where keeping their lives private from everyone, Steve and Clara began helping the public with their grief. Steve started a support group while Clara, with the help of Natasha, began organizations to help children who were left alone after the snap. They'd find them loving homes where they could have a bright new future. Clara and Steve continued helping people without the need of a shield or a suit of armor.

A couple months after their defeat, Clara and Steve made the decision to move out of the compound and find a home of their own. They found a nice house on a lake, one with no neighbors and a lot of privacy. It was only around ten minutes away from the compound, unlike Tony's where he moved his new family a good hour or so away to a secluded home like their own. They chose to stay close so they could continue to check up on Natasha and anyone else who decided to show up.

They lived a peaceful life in their home. A simple two story home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, living area, and a large porch that Steve would often go to and spend his time drawing. A nice, peaceful home for the couple. No thoughts of when they'd have to go on a mission, or thoughts of inevitable death. Steve and Clara attempted to live the normal life.

Clara took up a few new hobbies such as art, learning a few techniques from Steve. She was never really good at it though. She read a lot, most of the books on their living room had been read twice if not three times already. Clara had always wanted a normal life with Steve, to marry him, have children, and grow old together, but the simple life didn't suit her. She'd think about wearing her suit sometimes, but she knew what would happen if she put it on. She didn't have to worry about losing Steve again, he had already promised he'd never leave her, and he kept it.

Steve had a big plan for his proposal to Clara. He had been planning it since be watched her smile at him across the battlefield of New York. He knew even then that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Originally, he was going to take her to her favorite restaurant, then take her to get her favorite dessert, walk around New York City while it was lit up with Christmas lights, then propose to her on the boardwalk. That was how it was supposed to happen.

In reality, the proposal happened one night as Clara rested her head on Steve's shoulder as they sat outside starring at the small lake behind their new home. Lights were hung up through the trees, shining dimly and reflecting off the lake. The two had just laughed at one of Clara's jokes, a laugh that seemed real as they still felt pain in their defeat, but a laugh nonetheless. Out of nowhere, Steve closed his eyes and rested his chin on top of her head. "Marry me."

Clara opened her eyes and looked at him. It had slipped out. He didn't regret asking her, he just hadn't planned on it being at that very moment. He gave her a small smile before he dug into his pocket a pulled out a small velvet box. Inside there was a simple silver band with a small diamond in the middle. Clara cupped Steve's cheeks in her hands and pulled him into a kiss. As they pulled apart, Clara breathed out in a quiet laugh, "it's about damn time you asked Rogers."