It's Now or Never

Part 9

Sam, Steve, and I traveled to London for Peggy Carter's funeral. I could see how much she meant to him and it hurt me to know that he was hurting. Since Bucky was not in the picture, he had lost his one connection to his past. I knew he still loved her and I was ok with that. He never got to live the life he deserved with her.
Sam and I sat in the front as Steve and six other pallbearers carried Peggy's coffin draped with the Union Jack. His eyes were red - he's been crying. At the altar, a candle burns by a framed photograph of Peggy Carter in a military uniform. The label reads "Margaret 'Peggy' Carter". Steve sat in the middle of Sam and me as the Priest started.
"And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words."
Sam watches a woman get up and nudges Steve. He looks up to see the woman, who glances at Steve and takes a breath. I recognized her from after SHIELD. Steve told me she was his "neighbor" sent to spy on him for Fury.
"Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of SHIELD... but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy." Sharon starts.
Steve realizes who exactly Sharon is and looks at Sam shocked.
"She had a photograph in her office. Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK. As a kid, that was pretty cool. But it was a lot to live up to. Which is why I never told anyone we were related. I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. And she said compromise where you can. But where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move... it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye and say No, you move." Sharon finishes. I could tell it was directed towards Steve and he knew too.
Later, Steve stands alone in the aisle as Sam and I sit in the chairs behind him. I look up and see Natasha coming down the aisle. Steve turns to face her.
"When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I had known was gone. Then I found out that she was alive. I was just lucky to have her."
"She had you back, too," Natasha said back.
"Who else signed?" Steve asked.
"Tony. Rhodey. Vision."
"Clint?" Steve asked.
"Says he's retired."
"Wanda?" I asked.
"TBD (To Be Determined). I'm off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. There's plenty of room on the jet." Natasha says.
Steve sighs and bows his head.
"Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path. Staying together is more important than how we stay together." She says with a reassuring smile.
"What are we giving up to do it?" Steve says looking up at her.
She sighs and he shakes his head, unconvinced.
"I'm sorry, Nat. I can't sign it."
"I know."
"Then what are you doing here?"
"I didn't want you to be alone. Come here." Natasha pulls him into a hug.
After Natasha left, we went back to the hotel and ran into Sharon. Steve wanted to talk to her so Sam and I followed him from behind.
"My mom tried to talk me out of enlisting, but, um, not Aunt Peggy. She bought me my first thigh holster." Sharon said.
"Very practical," Steve said.
"And stylish," I said butting into the conversation. We got to the elevator and waited for the doors to open.
"CIA has you stationed over here now?" Steve asked.
"In Berlin, Joint Terrorism Task Force," Sharon answered.
"Right. Right. Sounds fun." Steve says.
"I know, right?" Share said with a laugh.
"I've been meaning to ask you. When you were spying on me from across the hall..." Steve starts.
"You mean when I was doing my job," Sharon says cutting him off.
"Did Peggy know?" Steve asks.
"She kept so many secrets. I didn't want her to have one from you." The elevator then arrives. "Thanks for walking me back you guys. I needed the company."
"Sure," Steve says.
"I know you lost someone special to you today, but you still have her," Sharon said nodding over to me as I stood behind Steve.
"She would have wanted you to live the life you deserve, even if it wasn't with her." Steve looked over his shoulder at me and smiled.
Sams phone then goes off. He watches something that I couldn't see.
"Steve. There's something you gotta see." Sam calls out.
"A bomb was hidden in a news van..." I hear the news anchor say.
"Who's coordinating?" Sharon asks.
"...ripped through the UN building in Vienna." The new anchor finishes.
"Good. They're solid. Forensics?"
"More than 70 people have been injured. At least 12 are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier. The infamous HYDRA agent, linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations."
"I have to go to work." She says walking away from us.