I left him on the dock. When I entered, I kept my back to the door, and threw my hands over my face to muffle my sobs.
I felt arms around me. I looked up, startled, until I realized it was Bucky. He and Sam had been sitting at the kitchen table. I hadn't noticed. He hushed me as I mumbled through my tears that I was sorry for not noticing them. He asked if Steve and I ended it. When I said yes, he rubbed my arm, then excused himself to check on Steve.
Sam patted the spot next to him on the couch. I trudged to him and collapsed on the seats, my body slouched beyond belief. I stared at the fireplace, squinting through my puffy eyes to keep them open.
Sam wiggled his arm around me and pulled my dead weight into his side. "Am I allowed to come visit you in space? Seeing space might be cool."
"It is cool," I mumbled. I sighed. "I hate to leave you just as I got you back."
"It's alright," said Sam instantly, shaking his head. "You're beyond Earth. I get it, Barnes gets it, Steve does, even if it hurts all of us to admit it. I'm proud of you, Clara. You've come so far since we met. I encourage you to go further."
"Are you guys gonna be okay, though?" I asked.
Sam laughed. "Yes, Clara. We're gonna be okay without you for a while. Just come back, okay? Before I'm Steve's age."
I wrapped my arms around Sam's waist. "Of course. You're my best friend, Sam. I've never loved any of my friends like I have you. I spent years missing you, wanting you there with me, wishing I had your advice. Wishing you just could make me laugh... I'm so sorry to leave you."
"Stop apologizing. I'm thankful for the time I had with you and Steve," said Sam, squeezing me. "I love you, Clar. You're gonna do great things up there."
After some time away from me, Steve returned inside. He and Bucky had been speaking just as Sam and I had been. Despite what had been the outcome of our talk, Steve and I both knew it was our last night together. I hadn't thought he wanted to spend it together, but when his outstretched hands were suddenly blocking my view of the fireplace, I knew differently. He scooped me up into his arms and took me back to our room.
I managed to laugh as he tossed me down lightly into the bed. He smiled brightly at the sound of my laugh. He sat down beside me and bent forward to kiss me softly. I pulled him down to lay with me. We spent the night in bed together. We shared kisses and we played with each other's hands, he kept trying to tickle my stomach, he would gather me up in his arms to hug me. We talked about endless things. It seemed tonight, after five years of almost silence, we had thousands of things to talk about.
We talked about if he went back, where would it be to. I asked him what he would miss, beside me, if he decided to stay with Peggy. He asked me what I would miss when I left Earth. We theorized about what the universe held for me. I told him I would send him pictures or use the Comms Hologram to show him.
I don't remember who fell asleep first. I remember us entangled in each other, our breathing synced, our hearts at peace, and the happiness in our hearts outweighing the grief for our last moments.
In the morning, it was somber throughout the house. We let Wanda sleep in as we made breakfast. Steve and I cooked together for Bucky and Sam. As the two of them were already bickering, Steve and I shared smiles and laughs. Kona paced throughout the kitchen waiting for table scraps. We had to yell at Bucky when he fed her a piece of bacon-- he pretended he had no idea what we were speaking about.
A chime from the doorbell killed my appetite. My heart sank into my stomach. I mumbled to everyone that I would get it.
"Hi, Bruce," I smiled warmly when I opened the door.
He smiled. His arm was in a sling. His eyes were drooping, from the pain medicine, I assumed. I offered him what was left of our breakfast spread; he assured us he would finish it for us. As he, Bucky, and Sam started to clean up our kitchen, Steve and I headed back to our room.
I pulled out his suit and laid it on the bed. I helped him into it, piece by piece. In between latching his suit together, he would kiss a part of my face to make me smile. I kept rolling my eyes, despite how much I appreciated it.
"I think I know what it is you liked about this suit," he said, and I raised my eyebrow. "It's my ass, isn't it?"
I laughed heartily. "Maybe it is."
We kissed. We kissed a few times. We knew this was going to be the last time we saw each other like this. Still in love together, still young together. He didn't say definitively if he was going to stay back with Peggy. I hoped he would. I hoped he would try the life he deserved. Even if he did return, still young, I would still find myself having to leave. There truly was no win for us.
I grabbed the briefcase with the Infinity Stones tightly in my hand. Steve summoned Mjolnier to his hand. He gave a heavy sigh as he caught it.
"Gonna miss that thing?" I asked, smiling.
"It's a decent weapon," he agreed. "I'd ask you to try it, but..."
"Oh, hush," I laughed, nudging into him.
We met Bucky, Sam, Kona, and Bruce outside. From the boxes in Bruce's truck, they had built up the miniature Time Vortex in the front of our yard. I pushed the briefcase up onto the platform, then wrapped my arms around my waist. I found myself standing next to Sam and Bucky. Kona found her place in front of my feet.
"Remember, Steve, you have to return the Stones to the exact moment they were taken, or you're gonna open a bunch of nasty alternate realities," reminded Bruce.
"Don't worry, Bruce. I'll clip all the branches," promised Steve.
Bruce had been rebooting the system as he spoke. His hand slowed. He shyly looked at Steve and I. "You know, I tried... When I had the Gauntlet, the Stones... I really tried to bring her back. I miss her, man."
Steve put his hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Me, too," he mumbled, then walked to meet Sam.
"You know," said Sam cheerfully. "If you want... I could come with you."
Steve smiled as he embraced his friend. "You're a good man, Sam. This one's on me, though."
Sam nodded in understanding. He patted Steve's back one last time before Steve moved on to say goodbye to Bucky.
"Don't do anything stupid 'til I get back," reminded Steve as he pulled Bucky into a tight hug.
"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you," responded Bucky. He and Steve shared a sad smile. "I'm gonna miss you, buddy."
"It's gonna be okay, Buck," promised Steve, nodding.
Bucky forced a smile and pushed him over to me.
Steve bent down to kiss my forehead. "I love you."
"I love you, always, Steve. Thank you," I mumbled. I hopped on my tip-toes to kiss his lips for a brief moment.
Steve gathered me in his arms. He ducked his head down by my ear. "Thank you for changing my life," he mumbled, then let go of me to take a knee in front of our baby.
I wiped the tears from my eyes. Our goodbye had to be brief. If it went on for any longer, he and I were afraid we'd stay.
Kona licked his face, which brought all of us to laugh. Steve hugged her. He pressed a kiss to head. For only he and I to hear, he told her he loved her and promised he would see her in a few.
Steve rose to his knees. He summoned the Hammer back to his hand and climbed the stairs up to the platform. He grabbed the briefcase from the floor and held it tightly in his other hand. He nodded to Bruce.
"How long is this gonna take?" wondered Sam.
Bucky's hand found mine.
"For him, as long as he needs. For us, a few seconds," explained Bruce.
"Meet you back here?" I called up to Steve, smiling up at him.
Steve nodded, a smile taking over his features. "You bet."
Bruce pulled down the lever. Steve disappeared into the floor of the Time Vortex.
"And returning in five, four, three, two, one," counted down Bruce.
Steve didn't reappear on the platform.
Bruce started to panic. He was continuing to click buttons on the panel in front of him, twisting the computer screens to find the reason Steve hadn't reappeared.
"Where is he?" asked Sam worriedly.
"I don't know. He blew right by his time stamp, he should be here," said Bruce frantically.
"Well, get him back," snapped Sam. "Get him the Hell back."
Kona whimpered. She trotted from me and to the lakeside, where there sat a man on the bench in a beige jacket. We watched her sniff slowly and walk carefully to investigate him, but I knew.
I started to walk towards him. He held out his hand for Kona to sniff. It took only a few seconds for her to know it was him. She lunged to lick his cheek, he laughed softly, and kept patting her head.
"It's been so long, my love," I heard him saying to her. "I've missed you."
I stopped a respectful distance from the bench. Before I knew it, Bucky and Sam were standing on either side of me. We both looked to Sam, nodding to him.
Sam stepped to the bench, sliding his hands into his jacket nervously. Steve turned his head to speak to his old friend. I saw the outline of his face. The way the sun was shining blocked his features from my eye.
"He's gonna give him the shield, isn't he?" I asked Bucky quietly.
"I declined it," said Bucky. He nodded once, almost sad to have passed the chance. But he followed what he thought was right. "Where are you headed?"
"Up to the sky," I said softly.
"You'll do great things, I figure," said Bucky kindly. "I'll take care of the Old Man and Sam for you."
I slid my arm around Bucky's waist and nuzzled into his side briefly. I thanked him.
Sam returned to us. He was holding the shield tightly on his arm. He told me Steve asked for me. I took a breath, crossing my arms over my chest, and kept my eyes down. I took a seat beside Steve, feeling his eyes on me as I made every movement. By now, Kona had laid at his feet.
Steve's wrinkled, frail hand touched my thigh. I raised my eyes up to him. He was still my Steve. His skin was bunched across his body. But his cheeks still held dimples when he saw me. His hair was full, just whitened. His eyes were tired, still, but they were softened with love when I met them.
"Oh, Clara," he mumbled, shaking his head. He reached to touch my face, as if I wasn't real. "It's been so long. I missed you."
"I think you said the same thing to the dog," I whispered, grinning.
We laughed. Steve's smile wouldn't budge. I moved his hand from my face and into my lap, turning my knees in to face him. He sat with a hunch now; his posture had softened over the years.
"How was it? Was it full? You were happy?" I asked eagerly.
"It was beautiful," agreed Steve softly.
"Good," I said, chuckling happily. As I smiled at him, so wide, my eyes started to water. "Good, Steve. I'm so happy for you."
Steve nodded. "I just... I just have one wish left."
I raised my eyebrow. I wasn't sure what I could do for him.
"Will you take me home?" asked Steve, unsure. He met my eyes shyly. "To the Light Dimension?"
Breathily, I chuckled in relief. I nodded enthusiastically. I stood, nudging Kona over, and held my hands to Steve. He took my hands carefully and I helped him to stand, hearing his bones creak and snap as they moved to stand. I winced, but tried to smile for him. He nodded in understanding and held onto me as tightly as I was to him.
I opened a portal in front of us. I watched his grin widen; it had been years since he would have seen my powers. He told me he missed me so dearly, I pressed a kiss to his cheek, then we stepped over the brim of the portal and to my new home, the Light Dimension.