And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something, you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?
-Fix You by Coldplay
The next 48 hours were hard for Steve and Sophia. Sophia tried every way to reach Bucky, but he was still very much off the grid. She left messages on every devise she could think of. They boarded the Quinjet to London. Peggy Carter was being buried with the highest honors by the British government and Steve was asked to be a pallbearer. Sophia and Sam were going with him, knowing that this was going to be difficult.
Sophia wakes up in the hotel room before dawn. She made her way to the balcony to watch the sun rise in London. She thought about the woman who taught Steve how to love. She had met Peggy a couple of times while she was in a nursing home in DC. Peggy should have been the standard that all women should have been held to. When she asked for a private moment with Sophia, Sophia wasn't sure how she would be able to handle any comments from Peggy. She thought back to that day.
'Director Carter?'
'Please, my dear, call me Peggy.'
'I don't know if I can do that, ma'am. You were one of my heroes growing up. I'm not sure you even know who I am.'
'My dear, you are a replica of your father. But you got your mother's tenacity. That is a good mix of two extraordinary people.'
Sophia blushed at the comparison. There were very few people who knew much about her parents.
'Sophia, I can see that you love Steve as much, if not more, than I did. I can see that you are strong but scared.' She took Sophia's hands into her own. 'Don't be scared, sweet Sophia. You are a Stark. Your father would have been so proud to see you become this woman that I see before me.'
A tear fell from Peggy's eye. Sophia grabbed a tissue and dabbed at the woman's face. She smiled.
'It takes an extraordinary woman to love a man like Steve. You have to be his opposite to be perfect for him. And you are. You have my blessing, my darling Sophia, to love him and have a future with him. Please don't let his love for me overshadow the overwhelming love he has for you.'
'I promise to take care of him, always. You left me a good man. I won't take that for granted.' Sophia held Peggy's hand tighter. 'Thank you, Director Carter. Thank you... Peggy.'
Sophia felt a single tear fall from her eye as she continued to watch the sun rise.
"Marie? You ok?"
Sophia glanced over at the balcony next to hers. Sam looked tired. The fight with Natasha had left him broken. He still hadn't fully explained what happened. "I'm ok Sam. Just thinking about Peggy. The last conversation I had with her." She looked at her friend's eyes. "You should try to sleep more. You look like hell."
"Thanks, but I can't. Not used to sleeping alone anymore. Plus, I'm worried about Bucky and Steve. They should be together right now."
"So should you and Nat," Sophia said softly. She saw the wave of emotion hit Sam and regret of her statement hit her. "I'm sorry Sam, I didn't mean..."
"It's ok Marie. She made her choice."
"What happened, Sam? I could hear you yelling but I didn't hear what was said."
"She wants me to sign. I refused." Sam closed his eyes. "I can't... I can't do that to you."
"Me?" Confusion laced into Sophia's voice.
"Marie, if I sign, that means we are on opposite sides. You are one of my best friends. I know Steve won't sign and I've got a good feeling that Bucky won't sign either. How could I abandon my family? Leave my best friends? My nephew?"
This was exactly what Sophia had feared for so many years. That her family would be torn apart. She had tried to contact Natasha with no response. Now she understood why. "Sam, we would have understood if you wanted to stay with the woman that you love. We wouldn't have made you choose."
"I told her that I loved her. The same day. It was the first time. But it wasn't enough. Even if there wasn't this family, I still couldn't sign. The enhanced in the world need us to be strong to show that we can't be controlled by faceless people. Steve is right. What if they send us somewhere to do their dirty work? I can't live with that. Can you?"
"No," Sophia shook her head, "I couldn't." She went back to the conversation she had with Tony before they had left for London.
'Tony, I need to leave Peter here while we attend the funeral. Just please make sure he gets to school on time and he doesn't eat his weight in junk food,' she said as she packed her dress.
'Rose, are we not going to talk about this?' Tony asked, his arms folded over his chest. He looked back down the hallway to see if Steve was coming.
'I need to think about this Tony. You are asking for my free will to be bound to this document.'
'No Rosie I am not. I am asking that you have a new direction on how we handle your powers. When and where to use them.'
'I don't use them now Tony. I don't go on missions. I am telling you that there is something wrong with these accords. Ross wants something more. I can feel it. They are going to break this family apart.'
Tony sighed as he continued to look at his sister. 'Rose, I know you think that this will break us apart but signing them is the best thing for all of us, you'll see'.
Sophia huffed at his words. 'I'll think about it Tony. That's the best I can do right now.' She leaned over and kissed his cheek. 'We'll talk when we get back, ok. Thank you for watching Peter. Love you.'
'Love you too sis. Have a safe flight.'
She stopped and looked back at Steve, still asleep. "I told Tony I would think about it. As soon as we get Bucky and get back, we should start looking for a new place to live." She turned and smiled at Sam. "A nice big house with plenty of rooms. So, our family can be together."
Sam reached out for Sophia's hand. "I know that this is yours and Steve's and Bucky's saying but to the end of the line, right?"
She took his hand. "To the end of the line. And it's the family moto." Sophia knew that he understood. He was her family. She looked at her watch. "I should probably wake up Sleeping Beauty. We have to be at the church in a couple of hours. You should get ready as well."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
At the cathedral, Sophia is standing with Steve and Sam, talking with the other guests. Sophia looks over at the altar. The different flowers in white cascading everywhere surrounding a picture of Peggy in her uniform. She tried to bring her attention back to the conversation in front of her when she felt a tremble in Steve's hand. "Excuse us, Steve, I'm getting a call. Could you come with me?"
Steve excused himself and Sophia led him to the side garden. "Sweetie, are you ok?"
"They keep looking at me. I hate it." Steve mumbled, his head down.
"Why love?"
"I don't like looking weak."
"Love, you aren't weak. You are in mourning. Its ok to be emotional today."
"How are you ok with the way people look at you today? They look at you like, like..."
"Like the woman who took the love of Peggy's life away?" Sophia had seen the looks. But she knew the truth. That's what matter. She never told Steve what Peggy had told her. She decided it was time. She sat Steve on a bench. She took his head in her hands and looked deep in his blue eyes. She sent him her memory of the conversation. Once she was done, Steve started to cry.
"Why? Why would you share it?"
"Because she loved you so much. And she knew that I did too. Everyone has more than one soul mate Steve. She knew the small time you had together was special. But she wants you to be happy. And if your happiness is with me than she was happy too."
Steve continues to cry for a few more moments. He took a deep breath and pulled Sophia on to his lap. "Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you for being here and sharing such a moment with me. I love you."
"I love you too my Steven. C'mon, its time."
The cathedral was packed with mourners. A choir was singing. Steve started to come up the aisle as one of six pallbearers carrying a coffin draped with the Union Jack. His eyes are red.
The priest addresses the mourners. "And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words."
Sophia's eyes flew up to the pulpit. She knew Sharon from her time at SHIELD. Sharon's eyes flicked towards Steve and Sophia. Sophia furrowed her brow at the look. What didn't she know? Sharon started.
"Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of SHIELD . . . but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy. 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.""
At the end of the service, Steve and Sophia lingered inside, wanting the family to have time to leave without the press focusing on the soon to be former Avengers. Sam had stepped outside to try and reach Bucky again.
A red head in black approached the couple. "Hey guys."
Natasha wrapped her arms around her best friend. She looked at Steve who was quiet. "Is he here?"
"He's out back, trying to reach Bucky."
"Are you going to talk to him?" Sophia asked.
"There is nothing left to say." Nat fought back the tears threatening to spill. "How are you holding up?" she asked Steve.
"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."
Steve grew uncomfortable as he knew the real reason Nat was there. He looked down. "Who else signed?"
Natasha sighed, "Tony. Rhodey. Vision."
"Clint?"
"Says he's retired." She smiles slightly.
"Wanda?"
"To Be Determined. I'm off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. There's plenty of room on the jet. 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."
"What are we giving up to do it? I'm sorry, Nat. I can't sign it."
"I know." She turned to look at Sophia. "Tony asked me to bring you in with me. To sign."
"Is that what you doing here? Bringing me in?" Sophia asked.
"No, I'm giving you the choice. But Rosie, you have to know that this choice is dividing your family. You'll never be able to come back."
Sophia takes Steve's hand. "Tony is making that choice for me. My place is here beside my husband, for my son. For my best friends. My family. My chosen family. I can't sign Natalia. I won't let them take away my right to choose. To shackle me. I'm sorry. I wish you could see it our way."
"I understand." Nat hugs both of them and whispers, "take care of him, please. I need to know he'll be ok."
"Till the end of the line," Steve replies. Nat walks away and Steve turns to Sophia. "Husband?"
"As soon as we get Bucky back and we pick up Peter, we're making this official, Captain." Sophia smiled. "I don't need it to be big to be perfect. I just need my family."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A man is sitting in a hotel room is studying the worn, red notebook. He receives a call and he answers.
It's time to put the plan in motion.
"Vienna is ready. Send me the therapist's info when you have it."
Good luck.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A few hours later, walking back to the hotel, Steve, Sophia and Sam run into Sharon Carter. Sophia approaches Sharon, "Miss Carter," she says.
"Miss Rogers. Or is it Stark? Or is it actually Mrs. Rogers," Sharon says with a smile. She reaches over to hug her old friend. "It's been a long time."
"Like four years, right? Right before the fall. And its Stark. For now." Sophia replies. She turns and looks at Steve and Sam. "I met Sharon at the academy. She was an instructor."
"Instructor of what?" Steve asks. He remembers Sharon as his neighbor in DC before he realized she was with SHIELD special force.
"Undercover Ops," replies Sophia.
"Makes sense," says Steve with a tone of annoyance.
"Am I missing something?" Sophia turns her head to Steve, who has a particularly hard look on his face and Sharon, who looks embarrassed. She then looks at Sam who looks just as confused as she does.
"I, uh, was assigned to be an undercover agent and I posed as Captain Rogers' neighbor. He found out after Director Fury's attempted murder." She looks down on the ground.
Steve snorted. "Yeah, after I also made a fool of myself," he muttered under his breath. Sophia had not heard him but Sam had and tried to contain his laughter.
"Oh, yeah I guess that is awkward." Sophia shifted her weight, slightly uncomfortable about the exchange. "How are you holding up Sharon? We are really sorry about Peggy."
"She was a great mentor. She loved her work and her family. I'll miss her."
"I've been meaning to ask you. When you were spying on me from across the hall . . . ." Steve started to ask.
"You mean when I was doing my job."
Steve rolled his eyes. "Did Peggy know?"
Sharon looked at Steve with sympathy. "She kept so many secrets. I didn't want her to have one from you."
Sam got an alert on his phone and walked away from the group. Sharon asked about the wedding, trying to make polite conversation. Sam came back and said, "we need to get to a TV, now."
The group went up to Steve and Sophia's room and turned on the TV.
News anchor: A bomb hidden in a news van ripped through the UN building in Vienna. 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 and current Avenger is linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations.
"No!" Sophia yelled at the screen. Steve grips Sophia to make sure she doesn't fall.
"We need to get to Vienna now. Let's get going," Steve orders.
As they are exiting the building, Sophia receives a call from Tony. She ignores the call and keeps moving. Her phone rings again and this time its Peter.
"Sweetie, are you ok?"
I'm fine, Ma. Is it true? Did Uncle Bucky bomb the building in Vienna?
"No, sweetheart, he did not. We're on our way to get him."
Uncle Tony seems pretty mad right now.
"I know he is. Just tell him we're ok and that we will be home soon. I love you, Pete."
Love you too, Ma. Can you let Pop and Uncle Sam know that too? Please be careful Ma.
"I will Peter. Talk to you soon."
"Can I get a lift? The CIA is calling me in," ask Sharon.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
T'Challa is sitting on a bench looking stunned. His father was dead. There's a cut on his head. Natasha sits on the next bench along. "I'm very sorry," she says.
He glances at her. He's holding an ornate silver ring which he toys with between his fingers. "In my culture death is not the end. It's more of a . . . stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into the green veldt where . . . you can run forever."
"That sounds very peaceful."
"My father thought so." He puts the ring on his finger. "I am not my father."
"T'Challa. Task force will decide who brings in Barnes."
"Don't bother, Miss Romanoff. I'll kill him myself." He walks away.
Nat's phone rings "Yeah?"
You alright? asks Steve.
"Ah, yeah, thanks. I got lucky." She pauses. "I know how much Barnes means to you. I really do. Stay home. You'll only make this worse. For all of us. Please."
Are you saying you'll arrest me?
"No. Someone will. If you interfere. That's how it works now."
He didn't do it, Nat, he was on a recon op.
"And we can't reach him. We don't know if he was activated or if he's dead or if he's actually the bomber. You need to stay away and keep Sophia and S-Sam safe."
I can't do that Nat. Sam and Sophia won't either. He didn't do this. We'll bring him in. He hangs up.
Steve approaches Sophia and Sam sitting at the counter of a coffee shop nearby the bombing.
"She told you to stay out of it?" He looks at Steve. "She would."
"He'd do it for us."
"I just want to make sure we considered all our options. The people that shoot at you usually wind-up shooting at me. We ready to put Marie in the middle?"
"I'm right here. And yes, we need to get to him," Sophia says.
Sharon approaches the trio. "Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public. Everybody thinks the Winter soldier goes to their gym. Most of its noise. Except for this." She slides Steve a file. "My boss expects a briefing, pretty much now . . . so that's all the head start you're gonna get."
"Thank you."
"And you're gonna have to hurry. There are orders to shoot on sight."