Captain America: Love in a Time of Loss

Denial

Dorothy offered her arm and Steve smiled in spite of himself and accepted it. Together they walked back into the room as the others took their seats.

"Good evening, everyone," Dorothy greeted the group. She then turned to Steve. "I want to introduce our newest member. This is Steve Rogers. And he's come to share and listen with us. So I want everyone to give him a warm welcome."

Steve had expected pitchforks and torches. But when everyone stood up and clapped he could feel the floor shifting underneath him. And older man grabbed a chair from along the wall and brought it over for him and Steve took a seat in the circle.

"Now then," Dorothy said as she set the fruit out and then took a seat next to Steve. "Group is now in session. And since we have a new member I want to go over the guidelines."

Steve learned that everything discussed in group was confidential. That dignity was honored and no member should ever feel humiliated or abused in any way. She discussed the importance of allowing everyone to speak uninterrupted. With that task out of the way, Dorothy warmly asked who would like to share first that evening.

Having opted to simply listen during his first session, Steve learned a great deal about the people around him. As he listened to each person speak their truth, he felt himself being moved by their openness with one another. He was so engrossed in everyone's stories that when a box of Kleenex was offered to him he hadn't even realized he'd started to cry. He saw their pain and their sorrow as they talked about the loved ones they'd lost. But, more than that, he saw the unity, strength and tenacity of the human spirit. Faced with tragedy, these people had come together to support one another. To be each others strength. He felt humbled in their presence.

"I'm glad I stayed," he confessed as he sat in a booth across from Dorothy at the nearby cafe. "I needed that."

"I'm glad you did too. And I hope you'll come back again," Dorothy replied.

And he did. He made it a habit to show up early each week so he could help put snacks and drinks out and set up the circle of chairs. He would carry things in for other members. He even- much to Natasha's amusement- started preparing snacks to take to group.

"You are so incredibly adorable, Rogers," she said as she sat on the kitchen counter and watched Steve arrange a fruit plate and mix up a sweet dip to sit in the center of the arrangement.

Steve grinned as he placed the plate in a container for transport. "It's...I don't know...it's been good for me. I like it."

"I'm glad."

"You could go with me, you know?" Steve offered despite knowing the answer he'd get.

Natasha shook her head. "Oh, no. I'm good living vicariously through you."

As he attended more groups, Steve found himself becoming more vocal. There were occasions when he would speak for great lengths of time while the others listened, captivated. Then he'd look up at the clock and smile as he sheepishly apologized for taking up so much time. But the others never seemed to mind. In fact, there were several occasions where people would approach him individually during breaks to thank him.

"You bring me hope," Fiona, a mother of three whose husband was taken in the Blip, told him. "The way you speak. I look forward to it every week."

As time progressed, Steve's natural affinity for leadership made him a person that the others looked to. It was in those moments that he felt he'd found himself again. He felt needed. And he felt that he was giving back to the world in some way. He wasn't throwing his shield around, but what he was doing wasn't of less importance. He rallied his group just the same as he once rallied the Avengers.