Girl in Blue

4 - Preparations

"Steve?" Atlas asked quietly as she slowly made her way down the flight of stairs she had found him at the bottom of.

Steve had been leaning against the railing and pinching the bridge of his nose before he looked up at Atlas. He didn't say anything, all he did was look at her. His eyes were red, he was on the verge of tears.

Atlas stood directly in front of him. "Steve," Atlas said more seriously. Steve had let her vent about all her problems to him, especially when it was about Bucky. She wasn't about to let Steve deal with whatever was happening on his own.

Steve looked down at the floor again when Atlas spoke. "...She's gone," he said quietly.

Atlas immediately knew what Steve was talking about. It was the only woman that Steve would ever talk about with Atlas. The only woman that was likely to pass soon because of her age. "I'm sorry, Steve. I know how much Peggy meant to you, especially after you came out of the ice," Atlas acknowledged. She knew that Steve wasn't much of a hugger, but she pulled him into a hug anyway, whether he wanted it or not because even if he didn't want it, he needed it.

Steve hesitantly hugged Atlas back, wrapping his arms around her waist. "There's a funeral in a few days. It's in London," he said.

"You're going," Atlas assumed.

Steve nodded. "...I was wondering if you'd wanna come with me?" he asked shyly.

"Of course I will. But only if you want me there," Atlas responded, pulling away and looking up at her friend.

"I want you there," Steve reassured. "I promise."

Atlas nodded one last time and hugged Steve to comfort him again. Peggy to Steve was like Bucky to Atlas. Both couples were so far apart, yet they'd always be meant for one another. Atlas understood that Steve had just lost his soulmate, and she couldn't imagine how terrible it'd be if she ever found out Bucky was dead. It made her question if Bucky was still even alive, but she didn't want to think about that. She needed to focus on the here and now, on helping Steve.

~

Three days later...

"And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words," The minister said as he stood in front of the whole church. It was crowded with people and all the seats were filled. Atlas and Steve had underestimated how many people had known Peggy or how many lives she had touched.

The name sounded familiar to Atlas. Steve had told Atlas the story of when he first discovered Bucky was still alive. He had also mentioned that his neighbour had been an undercover SHIELD agent.

Sam was the first to nudge Steve when Sharon walked up to the podium. He didn't react. "Steve," Atlas whispered while nudging him as Sam did. He looked up at Atlas and she pointed to the podium. Steve made eye contact with Sharon as he looked up at her standing, about to give her speech.

Sharon exhaled before she spoke. "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 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'."

Steve and Atlas were moved by her words. They both understood that they couldn't sign the Accords. Today would've been their chance to do so, but they wanted to be here instead. Steve and Atlas both knew that they couldn't sign because they both had people in their lives that would need to be protected no matter the personal cost - even if it did brand them as a criminal and a threat to humanity.