Before the War

Five Year Plan

FIVE

YEARS

LATER



When a great tragedy strikes nothing that came before it was ever so awful or horrifying. Like every great tragedy time does what no one ever could. Time encourages those who have faced a great catastrophe to forget it. This is often the only way forward. One must continue living as the world goes on, and try to keep from breaking down moment to moment. It had been five years since The Vanishing. The universe had lost so much. Government entities were only finally gaining their footing. The world had changed so much, and some of the world was starting to move on. Steve Rogers hoped to help those who weren't doing even that.

"That's great. You did the hardest part." Steve said to the man who had shared his recent experiences with the group. They sat in a circle of fold up chairs in the basement of a church. It was one of the many groups session Steve started to help people try to move forward.  

"You took the jump and you didn't know how you were gonna land. And that's it. Those brave little baby steps you gotta take. To try and be whole again. To try and find purpose. I went in the ice in 45. Right after I became healthy from a life of being sick, and right after I became a war hero. It was also after I thought I met the love of my life. Woke up 70 years later and that was all gone. Had I not moved on I wouldn't be the man sitting before you today. I wouldn't have done the things you've heard about, and I wouldn't have met the people I did them with. People who are now gone. But... You got to move on. Gotta move on. The world is in our hands guys. We have to do something with it. Otherwise... Thanos should have killed us all."

Steve was always happy to stay longer and talk with the those who needed one on one counseling. Over time he had realized that he was good at talking to people to help them come to terms with themselves. As it was similar to the journey he went through to become who he was now. And he enjoyed it. On his drives home he always passed over the Hudson. This time, however, he had to pull off to confirm a suspicion. To his amazement there was a pod of whales swimming underneath the bridge. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of it under the setting of the sun. Steve was reluctant to open the door to the compound. Only because the act of coming home never ceased to baffle him. Of all the awful things that happened to the world, he didn't know how he got so lucky. He mumbled a small prayer of thanksgiving and then opened the door.

"Dad!"

Steve knew once those eyes locked onto him there was no escape. Little Ian Rogers ran up to his father and jumped into his arms.

"How's my best guy doing?" Steve beamed down at his son.

"Dad, I have so much to show you. I made a ship in class today. And I ate an orange upside down. And I met a caterpillar who's name is Rickey. And Dad, did you know that the word discern means to think?"

"Really?"

"Really."

Little Ian Rogers was a fast growing boy. His black hair had grown even blacker as he had gotten even taller. He was the smartest six year old in his class, and the most energetic kid in the universe.

Ian was a sweet boy, who wanted to be just like his father when he grew up. He was Steve's pride and joy, and he had Natasha's whole heart. The little rascal grew up in a family full of love and warmth, despite the horrid times about him. He was luckier than most, and he had been raised knowing that.

It had shocked Steve how fast Natasha had conformed to a routined life. She adapted to a life that was as close to normal as they could afford. This brought Steve so much joy. Though, despite that, Steve struggled to live a life without the fight. Sure they still coordinated Avengers missions. They helped when they could. But they didn't go out and fight anymore. Steve thought he would be fine. But the truth remained the truth. Moving on was never easy.