The Winter Warrior // Captain America

«Chapter 55»

"Remember," Bruce Banner told my brother. "You have to return the Stones to the exact moment you got them or you're gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternate realities." 

"Don't worry, Bruce," Steve said, closing the case that held the six Infinity Stones. "Clip all the branches." 

"You know I tried. When I had the gauntlet, the Stones, I really tried to bring her back," Bruce said, sadness lacing his words. "I miss her, man." 

Bucky tightened the arm he held around me and I sent him a soft smile, hopefully reassuring him. Natasha had been a friend to all of us, but I knew she and Bucky had spent countless nights searching for me. My heart ached as I tried to imagine the pain my husband must be in. 

"Me too," Steve said.

"You know, I could come with you if you want," Sam told Steve as they walked up to the time machine Bruce had built last night. 

"You're a good man, Sam," Steve stated. "But this one's on us." He squeezed America's hand and she smiled up at him. 

The two of them came up to us. "Don't do anything stupid till we get back," Steve told us. 

"How can we? You're taking all the stupid with you," Bucky commented and I chuckled, reaching up to wrap my brother in a hug. Bucky hugged America before we switched. 

"Look after each other out there," I said. 

"Of course," America said, wrapping an arm around Steve's waist. 

We shared a final smile before Steve and America climbed onto the time machine. Steve picked up Mjölnir and America took the case that contained the Stones. They pressed a button to make their white and red quantum suits appear while Sam walked up to me and Bucky. 

"How long is this gonna take?" I asked Bruce, who stood behind the control panel.

"For them? As long as they need. For us? Five seconds," Bruce answered.

America took Steve's hand in hers before smiling at us. "You ready, guys?" Bruce asked them. "All right, we'll meet you right back here, okay?"

"You bet," Steve stated. 

The quantum masks covered their faces and Bruce announced, "Going quantum in three... two... one." 

They disappeared in less than a second and I felt my stomach tighten. 

"And returning in five... four... three... two... one..." Bruce pressed a button and I held my breath. The time machine remained empty and Bruce turned to his screen with great confusion. 

"Where are they?" Sam asked. 

"I don't know. They blew right past their time stamp," Bruce replied, continuing to press buttons and flip switches. "They should be here." 

"Get them back," I said. 

"I'm trying," Bruce said. 

"Get them the hell back!" Bucky called. 

"Guys," two voices spoke behind us in unison and we whipped around, spotting America and Steve standing a few feet behind us with wide smiles on their faces. I didn't hesitate to jog up to them to hug them both in a tight hug. 

"What happened? Why didn't you come back where we agreed?" I asked, pulling back to look them over. Something seemed different about them. They looked happier. 

Steve wrapped an arm around America's waist, pulling her against him. "Well, after we put the Stones back, we thought, maybe... We could try some of that life Tony was telling me to get," he told us.