Loving The Captain

Epilogue Part 1

A/N: This isn't the last part so please keep following this story. There will be one more update after this. Thanks everyone!

Cora shut the dishwasher and turned it on. She dried her hands on the towel and hung it back up, and her heart skipped a beat as she heard a familiar sound outside. It was a sound she hadn't heard in the five, almost six months, since Steve had died.

It was the sound of a very specific, custom made, Harley Davidson motorcycle on her driveway.

She froze, listening, her heart pounding in her ears as the driver shut off the roaring engine. There was a pause as heavy foot steps sounded across her porch, another pause, and then, a knock at the front door.

It wasn't Bucky. He had told Cora on his last visit that he was going to be away for at least a month on a mission for S.H.I.E.L.D. He and Steve were the only ones she had ever known who drove Harleys.

Swallowing, Cora took a deep breath to steady her shaking hands. The knocking sounded again.

"Be right there!" She called from the kitchen. Being only a few days away from her six month mark, Cora felt like she was waddling down the hall to the front door. When she reached the door, she couldn't see the person's face. Slowly, she opened the door, peaking through the crack. "Can I help-"

Throwing the door wide, Cora stood there in shock, tears falling from her eyes.

"Hey, Doll."

Unable to speak, Cora threw her arms around his neck. He held her close, or as close as he could due to her big belly. When she finally calmed enough to speak, she pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. "Steve."

"How'd you know it was me?"

Cora laughed, wiping at her eyes. She took in his appearance. His hair was cut short and dyed dark. He also had a beard, dyed dark and he wore glasses. Steve did look like a different person. But his eyes, they were the same. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't? After all of the time I spent staring into your eyes?"

Steve smiled and stepped up to her, this time he bumped into her belly. Frowning he looked down, and noticed for the first time, the growing bump under her dress.

Steve looked from Cora to her belly then back. "Doll?"

Cora swallowed. "You've missed a lot...I uh...found out...the morning of the day they had your funeral..."

Steve's face was filled with disbelief. He sank to his knees before her. Wrapping his arms around her, he rested his head against her belly. "A baby?" Tears fell from his eyes as he cried.

"A girl, actually." Cora blinked past her own tears, running her fingers through Steve's short, dark hair.

"A girl," He whispered. Running his hand over her bump, he jumped when a jolt ran across Cora's belly. Looking up at her he asked "Was that her?"

Cora nodded. "Yeah, that was her." She watched as Steve pressed a kiss to her belly. The situation began to sink in and Cora looked away. "Steve?"

"Hmm?"

"I've lost my fucking mind, haven't I? This is some kind of...hallucination. It has to be. You're dead. They buried you." Cora shook her head. "I'm going to wake up, alone in our bed. And you'll be dead." She choked on her tears.

Steve placed one more kiss to her belly, then stood. Wrapping his arms around her, he said, "This is real. But we need to talk. Come inside, and I'll explain everything."

Steve led Cora into the living room where they sat on the couch. Looking around, he saw that Cora had placed his medals and photographs with her own. It warmed his heart to know that she hadn't left them in the box.

"Okay, Steve. I'm listening." Cora tucked her feet up onto the couch and laid against him, listening to his heart beating in his chest. It was a sound that she knew well, and one that she thought she would never hear again.

"Well, as you know, I got shot after Bucky's trial. When they got me to the hospital, there was nothing they could do. I was losing too much blood, and when they tried to operate, it just made it worse. I knew I was going to die, and so did everyone else..." Steve ran his fingers through Cora's curls. "I remember asking for you. Natasha had gone to get you, but there wasn't enough time. I could feel myself dying...then Tony came and he said he had a proposition for me. It was an experimental drug, similar to what Juliet uses in Romeo and Juliet. Only once it was injected, it froze my blood and heart, instead of just making me appear dead. Tony didn't know if it would work, but he thought it might be worth a try, after all, I survived the plane. So Bucky and Tony were the only ones who knew. They've kept it a secret this whole time. I was frozen this whole time..."

Cora looked up at him. "But you hate the cold."

"It was worth it though, wasn't it? After all, I now have you to keep me warm." He kissed the top of her head. "They slowly brought me out of stasis, operating and allowing sections of my body to heal. That way I wouldn't bleed out. I only fully recovered about a week ago. They did tests and everything to make sure I was okay. And now, here I am."

"But why the funeral? Why tell everyone you're dead?"

"Because Steve Rogers is dead. He's finally been put to rest. I'm Joseph Barnes, the son of James Buchanan Barnes' third cousin."

"I'm confused."

"By changing my name and my appearance. By telling everyone that Steve Rogers is dead, it allows me to have the life I never got to have. No one will come looking for Steve Rogers or Captain America because he died. He was publicly assassinated."

Cora ran her fingers through his beard. "That makes sense. So what? You're just going to color your hair and wear fake glasses from now on?"

Steve shrugged. "Once things calm down I can shave and grow my hair back out. And the glasses are just an extra precaution."

"So, what made you choose that name?"

He shrugged again. "Well, Joseph was my father's name. And I figured Bucky and I have always been like brothers, so why not?" Glancing down at her, a look of worry crossed his face. "Do you think you could marry Joseph Barnes instead of Steve Rogers?"

Cora smiled, leaning up to place a kiss lightly over his lips. "I wish it wasn't necessary for you to give up who you are. I feel like you're sacrificing so much. No one will know who you are, or the things you've done for your country. But...I will always love you. No matter what your name is, you will always be the man I love."

"I know no one but our closest friends will know. And that's how it should be. I won't be able to have a normal life with you if anyone knows. That's all I want. For that to happen, people need to forget about Steve Rogers."

"Do you really think someone won't get suspicious?"

"The shield is still being carried. The uniform is still being worn. So I don't think they will. Besides, Tony set me up with all of the required documents. I even have a social security number and a degree in World Wars One and Two."

"Who is wearing the uniform, though?"

"Bucky. He and Nat are now heading the new Avengers team."

Cora blinked. "Bucky is the new Captain America?"

Steve laughed. "Yeah, he was...kind of excited about it. He always was a fan of the uniform."

They shared a kiss, and when they broke apart, they both had tears in their eyes.

"I thought I lost you, Steve."

"I know, but I'm here now."