You were his wife in the 40's through thick and thin, sickness and health, richer or poorer, and through all of the twists of life. Even 70 years later you continued to love him, and stay by his side.
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It seemed as though Thanos didn't factor in the causality of his "destiny fulfilling snap". For the rippling effect was catastrophic.
Half of the population was reduced to ash, yes. But it was so much more than that as well. For it also meant that the snap caused anyone who was operating a vehicle, plane or in charge of any in-motion machine, if any of them was also one of the fallen, the number of non-snap related casualties was limitless as well.
Thousands upon thousands of civilian fatalities occurred as well, on top of the cut in half number of living beings. The consequence like a row of domino's, if one falls, the rest fall along with it.
Any Doctor doing surgery, if they turned to ash, their patient in turn, died as well. Anyone who was caught up in the wreckage of car accidents, caused by the driver suddenly disappearing, also died or were severely injured. Anyone who was trapped in an airplane, who's Captain had become nothing more than a pile of soot, that also resulted in their demise.
The victims of the snap so much more than those reduced to ash. And, as a cause to Thanos' effect, every Hospital was jam packed with patients. And, with the extensive patient count came with it the need for Doctor's to take care of them.
For the past 5 years I had been working tirelessly at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, working days and nights, anytime I was needed. On call always, there to lend a hand or help with any surgery. Becoming a bit of an insomniac I spent all of my days aiding those suffering and taking care of all that I could.
After being apart of another intense emergency case I stripped out of the sterile gloves, long gown and face mask before washing my hands and putting back on my lab coat before exiting the Operating Room.
Just outside the waiting area was crammed with families, a customary sight nowadays and I made my way over to the front desk to check in with the nurses.
"Are you leaving for the day, Dr. Barnes?" One of the ladies who manned the phones asked and just I nodded.
"Yeah, but please call me anytime. I'm always free." I told her, the reception area covered with a myriad of flowers with loving notes attached to the vases, the fragrant bouquets all eager, waiting to be given to the sick patients they were bought for.
"Alright, but try to get some rest, okay?" The nurse cautioned, various cartoon characters adorning her scrubs.
"Sure, I'll try." I replied with a small smile, knowing I would not act upon the rest she talked about. Sleep had come in short supply these past few years.
Making my way out of the Hospital into the monochromatic city I took a seat down onto a nearby bench, the Hudson murky beneath the pale, gray smog.
Running my hands through my hair I just took a breather, my lab coat splattered with blood from the events of today and the many emergencies that had taken place. The crimson staining the pure white with it's cruelty.
"You seem busy." I suddenly heard my friend's familiar voice say as he took a seat beside me.
"Yeah, well... Billions dead, millions injured... Half of the prominent, capable people who did the saving are ash now and any Doctor left with the burden of surviving the snap has to work double time," I divulged. "I thought I had seen the worst during World War II. Apparently I was wrong."
"I'm sorry." Steve apologized, gazing at me with his sad blue eyes as if the weight of my sorrow was his burden to bare.
"You don't have to keep saying that, Steve," I chided. "I know you think everything is your fault, but it isn't."
But, Steve just gave me a small, broken smile. When you love someone you blame yourself for everything that's wrong in their life even if you had no control over it.
Touching the golden band on my ring finger I just sat with the tired Captain on the bench in silence for a moment, the cement beneath our feet still to this day littered with the ash of the fallen.
"You know, I stopped James from saying his last words to me..." I began, the past never straying from my mind. Not even for a second.
"I wanted to hope so much on that day... And, I don't know what's worse. Stopping him and never hearing them or hearing them one last time but knowing I never will again."
"I'm sorry, Becky." Steve said again, almost like that was all he could think of when looking at me as he held tightly onto my hand.
"There you go again, Steve."
"I guess it's just a habit of mine when it comes to you," He stated before continuing.
"You know, When I first lost you and Buck on that day in the Alps it was the hardest day I ever lived through. After that, I couldn't seem to get on with the swing of things. It was hard to even think about taking orders, let alone thinking about the War I was fighting in without you two there beside me. It seemed impossible to see a point in it all," The Cap reminisced.
"Then, when I was on that plane with the missiles and I had to put it in the water... I was just relieved. I had done my part, been the Captain America everyone wanted and I think back then as the plane was getting ready to crash, I just thought about how I was finally gonna see my family again, see you and Buck again. I guess fate had other plans..."
"You think we've lived long enough, Steve?" I asked my friend, resting my head on his shoulder. Feeling old and time worn. Us both seeing our fair share. Hell, we've lived through a lot of people's share too.
I think, rightfully so, the little guy from Brooklyn and I deserved peace. An End.
By now we were both relics, novelties and Steve wasn't even human in the eyes of others; those who looked up to him and only saw a Living Legend. An experiment, and a hero, but never was he just a man. The pedestal everyone put him on too high, too bright that no one even noticed when he was breaking and being torn apart from the inside out.
And, even before World War II I failed at being who I "should be" during the 40's. I had always been a woman who carried a gun in my purse rather than a compact and who fought, even when it took everything in me to even stand up.
Always, I had been a soldier, first and foremost. Along for the ride while in the midst of heroes and villains and chaos.
But, now I wanted nothing more than to get off. I was tired and these past 5 years especially had taken their toll on me.
"I don't know." Steve admitted, never one to think he had a choice in the matter anyway.
He held the burden of being Captain America firstly and lastly too. His own feelings shoved aside endlessly, never even in the equation. Never spoken out loud.
Pulling out my phone from the pocket of my dress pants I checked the time, the clock splayed across the screen.
"Would you look at how late it's gotten. I have somewhere to get to actually." I said, the reality of life resuming on.
Heading back into the Hospital I went up the many flights of stairs to the rooftop with Steve following close behind like a puppy. My ride waiting for me, in the middle of the helipad.
"Where are you going?" Steve inquired as I hopped onto the helicopter's skid and into the cockpit.
