The Viper || BUCKY BARNES [2]

12 ― The Funeral

2016 ― London, England

Holland Stark accompanied Steve Rogers to the funeral of Peggy Carter. Though she had once worked with Peggy and deeply respected her as a colleague and fellow trailblazer, Holland knew this day wasn't about her grief—it was about Steve's. This loss struck something far deeper in him, something rooted in decades of love, regret, and time lost. Holland's only goal was to be there for him, to stand at his side, and offer whatever strength she could.

Sam Wilson had come as well, equally loyal to the man they both cared about. Between the two of them, Steve didn't have to shoulder this alone.

Steve was one of the pallbearers, and Holland watched as he helped carry Peggy's casket down the aisle with solemn reverence. His movements were steady, composed, but she knew the ache behind his silence. When he rejoined them, taking a seat in the front pew between Sam and Holland, he kept his gaze low, his hands clasped in his lap like he was holding something fragile inside.

The church was quiet but full, the weight of legacy hanging heavy in the air. The pastor stepped up to the front and addressed the gathering. "And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words."

Sharon's heels echoed softly as she walked up to the podium. Holland glanced up and offered a small smile in support. She genuinely liked Sharon—smart, fierce, grounded. A true force. Sharon caught the look and gave her a small nod in return. Steve, however, hadn't looked up yet, still lost in his thoughts, until Sam gently nudged him. When he finally lifted his eyes and saw Sharon standing there, he blinked in surprise.

It was clear he hadn't expected this.

Sharon noticed his reaction but didn't waver. She took a breath and began.

"Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of S.H.I.E.L.D., 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." Her eyes met Steve's; that particular line meant for him.

Holland watched quietly, absorbing every word. She knew how much it mattered to Steve to hear these things—not just about Peggy's public accomplishments, but the private woman behind them.

"I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time where no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. 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.'"

Holland felt something stir in her chest as Sharon spoke those words. They echoed something she had always believed in—something she saw in Steve, and in herself. She looked over at him, the quiet emotion in his eyes unmistakable. This speech wasn't just a tribute; it was a call to hold the line, to stand tall even in the face of impossible odds.

It was exactly what Steve needed to hear.

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After the funeral and the burial, Holland circled back to the church where she found Steve alone. The soft light streaming through the stained glass cast colored shadows on the floor, but the warmth of the sun didn't reach him. He stood there, still dressed in his formal black suit, a man mourning the last tie to the world he once knew. His back was to the doors, head slightly bowed, and hands loosely clasped in front of him.

He didn't turn until he heard the sound of footsteps behind him—hers. The heels of her boots echoed faintly in the quiet space as she approached. Her presence was gentle, steady, and unmistakable. She didn't call out. She didn't need to. He knew it was her.