ℜ𝔲𝔰𝔱 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔅𝔬𝔫𝔢 | Winter Soldier | Bucky Barnes

IV

✪

The funeral had been beautiful, and very touching.
It was held at a huge cathedral back in London, filled with people, who all shared at least one thing; Peggy Carter, and how she'd touched each and every person's heart and soul, and changed their lives forever by just existing.

Steve had been one of the six  people carrying the coffin, which had been draped with the Union Jack.
Athena had never met Peggy in person, but she felt like she had because of Steve's many stories and memories he'd shared of her. Steve was beyond grateful when Athena asked if he wanted her to come with him. He really wanted her there, but he wasn't sure wether she would agree to come or not because of her anxiety, so he hadn't asked her himself in fear of her rejection.

Sharon Carter had been an interesting turn of events. Both Steve and Athena were surprised when the blonde girl who'd posed as being Steve's neighbour last year, stepped onto the podium. The speech she'd held had been very touching and both Steve and Athena were inspired from her words and stories. It was like a breath of fresh air to their current situation with the Avengers.

"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 eyes and say no, you move."

After the beautiful ceremony, Steve and Athena had stayed in the empty church. Steve had insisted that Athena didn't need to stay, but she refused to leave him alone. And he actually appreciated that.

"When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I had known was gone. Then I found out that she was alive. I was just lucky to have her." Steve said not looking up.
"She had you back, too." Athena's words were sweet and sincere, and it made him smile.

Since Athena remembered everything, she'd become much gentler and more empathetic. Not that he didn't sometimes miss her reckless and always sarcastic behaviour, but he knew that he couldn't be mad at her for changing. He needed to love her and support her for who she'd become, and not who she was, 'cause that Athena wasn't coming back.

"Why are you staring?"

"I'm just thinking." Steve smiled at her, but Athena just chuckled at him. "About what?"

"You've just changed a lot." Athena looked away ashamed before remembering what Bruce had told her. "I'm sorry. I really want to be who I was.. but it just doesn't feel like me anymore. I don't really know how to explain it besides, it feels like the memories I have aren't mine." She looked up into his icy blue eyes with sorrow. She wanted to give him the woman he loved back.

He'd never said it aloud, but Athena knew. The memories of her old self gave her perspective. The way he looked at her, the way he would madly blush whenever they were close, how he held her, it was all very obvious to Athena now.
She just didn't remember if the woman she once was reciprocated those feelings.
She wanted to remember, to give him that although she didn't feel the same anymore.

"I appreciate you for who you are, not who you were or weren't." Their noses almost touched, so close were they.
"–And I would appreciate it if you were both on a plane headed for Vienna." Athena and Steve looked up shocked at Natasha as she crashed their little moment.

"Who else signed?" Steve asked after taking a small step back away from Athena.
"Tony, Rhodey, Vision." Natasha listed.

"Clint?" Steve asked, noticing his name wasn't mentioned. "Says he's retired." Natasha smiled slightly.

"What about Wanda?" Athena asked curiously. "She's to be determined. I'm off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. There's plenty of room on the jet."