"No— don't tou— just stand over there." The odd half-Hulk half-Bruce Banner thingy shooed me away after I attempted to touch one of the screens next to him. Satisfied with his annoyance, I backed off and stood next to Bucky beside this large platform with five prongs upright.
Time travel was so fucking weird.
Bruce had explained it to me at least four different times, and each time it gets worse. Ninety percent sure, not even he fully gets it.
Regardless, there I was in the middle of the woods with Steve, Sam, Bucky, and Bruce (waiting to be murdered). It was a pretty day, though, soft breeze and birds flying through the sky, very peaceful. Hardly resembled the torn lives in the city.
"And remember, you gotta put the stones back exactly where you found them, or else you're going to open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities." Bruce finished the explanation I had toned out of as he closed the briefcase with the infinity stones.
I didn't know why I was here, but I was nervous.
Anytime I'm near more than two avengers at a time, shit hit the fan hard.
"Don't worry, Bruce," Steve assured in his Captain America suit. "I'll clip all the branches."
"You know I tried." Bruce mournfully looked at the stones. "I really tried to bring her back." I swallowed, pulling my jacket tighter around my stomach and focusing on the beetle a few inches from my feet. "I miss her, man."
"Me too," Steve said.
The blonde man took the briefcase and began to walk to the time travel station. Sam walked with him. "You know, if you want, I could come with you."
Steve stopped and looked at Sam carefully. "You're a good man Sam." Then gave a corner pinched smile. "This one's on me, though."
With a mix of adoration, nostalgia, and sadness, Steve went to Bucky. "Don't do anything stupid till I get back."
"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you," Bucky replied softly.
They hugged each other tightly, and I regret not taking a spot next to Sam to spare myself being the third wheel. Once they pulled away, Bucky stared at Steve. "I'm gonna miss you, buddy."
"It's gonna be okay, Buck."
And then there was one.
His eyes grazed over my face, and I shifted slightly. "Still don't see why we couldn't do this at noon."
He smiled. "Out of all the people we could have picked for breaking into a Hydra compound, I'm glad we chose you, Queens."
My brown eyes searched his blue ones for a lie, then I quirked a lip. "Well, out of all the super soldiers in the world... you're definitely top five." A little laugh escaped his mouth, and I ignored the worry feeling in my stomach. "Good luck, Oldman."
With a slight nod, he took his position at the center of the platform.
"How long is this going to take?" Sam asked Bruce.
"For him as long as he needs, for us five seconds." Bruce presses a few more buttons. "Ready, Cap?" Steve nodded his head at Bruce. "Alright, I'll meet you back here, okay?"
"You bet."
"Going Quantum, three... two... one." In the blink of an eye, Steve's body disappeared. My gut turned, and I felt slightly sick. "And returning in five, four, three, two, one." Bruce clicked back on a button, so Steve could come back. But... Steve didn't.
"Where is he?" Sam questioned.
"I don't know. He blew right by his timestamp. He should be here." Bruce frantically flipped switches. Staring at the empty platform, I held my breath. Please, don't be stupid, Steve. Please. Please.
"Well, get him back." Worry festered in Sam's voice, then snapped. "Get him the hell back."
"I'm trying." Bruce insisted, but I knew it was futile.
"Sam," Bucky called, staring in the direction of the lake nearby. Our heads followed his, and we saw who he was looking at. It was a man in a beige jacket facing the water, bag next to him. Bucky, Sam, and I walked closer to him. The super-soldier turned to Sam. "Go ahead."
As I watched him get closer to the old man, a ball formed in my throat. He had done it.
"You knew?"
"Had a feeling."
Once Sam finished talking, he turned to us, new shield in hand, and began walking back. His eyes were shiny, and he held the shield some-what awkwardly. "You're up, girlie."
Jaw clenched, I nodded, and despite not wanting to move an inch forward, I walked up to the man at the bench. Heart hammering in my chest, I didn't know what to do. My eyes turned to Steve, his new wrinkled skin, sun spots, and a full head of white hair. "You look like a fucking raisin."
"That's one way to talk to the elderly." His lips curled as he looked at me. "Didn't think I would leave without saying goodbye again did you?"
"How was... it?"
"Finally, got that date." He said, and I nodded stiffly, not trusting my voice. Not a second later, I wrapped my arms around his neck and couldn't stop the wave of tears from drenching his shirt. "It's okay. I'm right here." Slowly, I felt his arms around me, and I cried harder.
"You're leaving me with an ex-assassin and fucking bird-brain."
I felt him chuckle slightly as my tears stopped flowing, but I didn't let go of him. With a light pat on the back, he said. "They're not that bad." Gently, I pulled away and wiped my face with sleeves. With a soft voice, he said. "Don't be rough with yourself, kid."
"No promises," I replied, but he looked at me firmly, but gently. I nodded.
He smiled. "Now, can I have my wallet back?" Begrudgingly, I pulled out the old leather piece and handed it back to him. Giving my hand a final squeeze, he looked at me."Good luck, kid."
"You too."
I walked back to Sam, signaling Bucky's turn. Sam had set down his shield next to him and was watching me with crossed arms. "How come he gets a hug?"
"Are you on your death bed?" I shot with a glare.
"Damn." He muttered, then I stood next to him, unable to stop the annoying tears from brewing in my eyes. Stop it. It's a nice moment. Steve deserved to be happy. But even as I forced the ideas in my head, I felt the intense sense of loss swell in my bones. He's gone.
Sam opened an arm to me as I forced my lip to stop quivering. "Come on."
I shook my head but then hugged his waist and buried my head in his chest. He lightly stroked my hair and rubbed my back. After a moment, I pulled away and caught Bruce staring at us with a small smile, which prompted me to snap. "What the fuck are you looking at?"
"Nothing." He said, quickly typing some random things on his computer, then muttered. "Jeez..."
***
A few days after Sam and Bucky had driven me home with more trauma I didn't plan on discussing with anyone, I found myself walking down a familiar road. Clad in Voltage gear, I noticed all the new shops they opened and the old ones they closed. Delmar's was still open, thank Thor(it felt weird saying it now).
Streets were more crowded; crime was on an incline which kept me distracted most days.
But today, I didn't feel like kicking or punching; I wasn't sure what I felt. I was on autopilot half the time.
Either way, my feet found the same building I always came to every time I felt lost, though lately, that was all the time. Every time I came, I couldn't bring myself closer than the street across from it before turning back. But today, I felt like making a bad decision.
I snuck past a gangly brunette and slipped into the building, I hadn't ever actually been inside, and there was a huge chance the person wasn't even there anymore. Most people who blipped back were displaced in shitty shelters or just homeless.
Nonetheless, I racked my knuckles against the door
A tan strong-jawed girl, who didn't look too far into her twenties and seemed vaguely familiar, grazed her eyes up to my frame and stared at me silently.
Awkwardly, I cleared my throat. "Hi, err— does a Neo Conrad live here, by any chance?"
The door closed, and I wasn't sure if that was a hell no or not. But regardless, I hadn't thought much past this and stood foolishly there, until I hear footsteps behind the door.
A feeling spurred in my chest, and the door swung open.
The dark-skinned boy opened the door. "Hello?"
His eyes were still the same soft near-black shade of brown, but his jaw was stronger, and his brows were bushier. Stubble was on his cheeks, and a light blue t-shirt was stretched across his broad shoulders. His hands were rougher, but that wasn't as stark as the silver ring on his finger. My eyes locked on it.
Then I threw up.