The One Shot Chapters (18+)

Steve Rogers - Blip (final part)

Two Years Later

The people may have returned, but the world was still in turmoil. In the wake of their return, the lives of Iron Man and Black Widow had also been lost.

Lissy hadn't seen Steve since the morning of Tony's funeral. He'd stopped by briefly to see how she and Hazel were, but he'd been quiet - which was understandable. He'd lost a friend after all.
Their relationship had turned into more than just friends who confided in one another. Both of them were people who liked solitude, he sketched, she liked books.

Both were shy in nature in some ways. But they made quite a team, regardless.

The halls of the orphanage were quiet for once, the children out to play, some saying their goodbyes as they were reunited with parents for the first time in five years. Seeing the emotional reunions made Lissy dread for when she would have to let Hazel go. The little girl had been her main focus for the last five years, and soon she too would finally be going home. Currently she was out with some of the older children, now having grown into a confident but sweet young girl herself

Tidying away some things, she soon realised she was being watched and now saw Steve standing there.

And he was wearing his suit...

"How did everything go? With the funeral?" She asked, having given him space.

He nodded. "It shouldn't have been him..."

She walked to him and kissed him gently. "Are you ok?"

Steve shook his head. "Losing Tony and Nat? It's made me realise that perhaps now it's time for me to lay down the shield as well..."  he looked at her. "I have a chance to go home, where I belong".

Lissy's heart dropped. "You want to leave?"

"I've never fit in anywhere, least of all here. Going back, I could feel a sense of home that I've been missing".

"You're leaving me..." she swallowed, trying to confirm if what she was hearing was right.

He nodded. "Lissy...this isn't my world. You deserve a hell of a lot more than I could give".

"So not only do I lose Hazel. I'll be losing you too?"

She had never thought that she could fall as hard in love with a man again, not after the past, but Steve had changed that. Even if he technically was decades older, they just seemed to click.

At least, that was what she thought.

Lissy knew he longed for home, to be back in his time. For he was a man out of time. She couldn't be selfish even if she wanted to be.

"I understand". She told him, wiping some tears away and then smiling. "Thank you for helping me through these last five years, for being there to listen to me go on, and for making me happy...I didn't think I could feel that way again. But I know I need to let you go. Because if you love someone that much? Sometimes you have to do just that". She leant up and kissed him gently. "I won't forget you, and I won't stop loving you".

Steve kissed her once more. "I'm sorry Lissy". He whispered. "I'll always love you".

She watched him go and then once he'd disappeared, she broke down into sobs.

If Captain America didn't want her,  then there was no hope at ever finding a love like this again

**

With the children sleeping soundly that evening, Lissy closed the door and made her way to her room, feeling deflated now that the day was done. Already silent tears were sliding down her cheeks and she opened the door, now stopping in her tracks as she saw who was standing there.

"Steve..."

He looked at her and smiled weakly. "I couldn't leave the woman I loved behind - I've made mistakes in the past, but I'm not gonna make you one of them".

"But...I thought..."

"Liss - the moment I got to where I wanted I realised just how much I was throwing away. I wanted the life and family when I went in the ice, when I came outta it my priorities changed, and then I met you...that's when I realised that I'm still the guy in the ice. I want the family, that kinda life, but I want it with you, and I want it here".

She walked up to him and kissed him deeply, resting her forehead against his and grinning.

"So what are you waiting for Rogers?"