For The Love Of A Captain Book 2

The Smithsonian

Steve POV

As I looked up at the banners showing me in my old uniform, I couldn't help but feel sad. I couldn't understand why things had happened the way they had. But when I looked down at Alia's worried face, something clicked in me. She was why. She was my destiny and that's why I was meant to go into the ice and wake up when I did. I was meant to find her and I was meant to love her. I mean that's what soulmate means right? I smiled a little at her and pulled her gently into the exhibit. There was a man speaking about me and my story. I didn't really listen to him as we walked along. On one wall there was a picture of me before the serum. I grimaced at the picture; I had forgotten how frail and sickly I was. Now I couldn't even get so much as a cold because of the serum so I hadn't thought about it in years. The picture changed to show me as I am now, tall, muscled, strong. I had never really seen myself that way, but I guess that's how the world saw me. As I was looking around, Alia nudged my shoulder. I looked over at her and she gestured toward a young boy who was staring at me in shock. He knew who I was. I smiled at him and placed a finger over my lips. He nodded, smiling at me. 

"I think you have a fan," Alia said chuckling. I chuckled too.

"I think they are all fans, otherwise they wouldn't be here," I whispered to her. She just slapped my arm and we kept going. We walked past one of my old motorcycles that I had ridden into many battles. Next to it was a video playing of me on a battle field and not far from that was a row of mannequins wearing the uniforms that I had worn along with my team, The Howling Commandos. I smiled slightly looking at the old uniforms. It was amazing to see that they were in such great shape after such a long time.

"Hmmm, I'm not sure if I like the new one or this one better. Maybe this one. It has more color," Alia murmured thoughtfully. I laughed and shook my head at her. I turned around and felt as though I had been punched in the gut when I saw a glass wall with a picture of Bucky on it with some information about him. He had been gone for so long and it still hurt me like it was just yesterday that I lost him. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes and I closed them for a moment to try and shake it off. I felt Alia's arms wrap around me and I just squeezed her tight. Bucky was the only one that we lost out of the Howling Commandos and I still blamed myself for his death. There was another video playing with snippets of me and Buck together planning missions, fighting alongside each other, and even standing in a room laughing and joking. I watched it for a few minutes, smiling sadly.

We walked a little further and there was a small room with benches in it. We went in and sat down for a minute, as I looked down. I didn't realize that this had another video in it until I heard her voice; Peggy. I looked up in shock. She was talking about the winter that I had gone in and saved a thousand men from a HYDRA blockade. She went on to say that one of those men ended up becoming her husband and I smiled. I was glad that she was able to have a life. I had just hoped it was a happy one.

"Is that her?" Alia asked. "The Peggy you told me about?" I nodded, smiling at her.

"I'm glad she was able to have a happy life. She was special to me and it means a lot knowing that she got everything she deserved in life. And now it's my turn," I replied, leaning down to kiss her. 

"Steve there's something I need to talk to you about," she began. I stood up, pulling her with me.

"Let's go get some lunch," I replied. "We can talk about it there." She nodded looking nervous and I took her in my arms. I held her tight, hoping that I could convey all of my love into that one hug. I needed her to know that even though the past still hurts me, she is my future and I want everything with her. I just didn't know how to put it into words. "I love you Alia."

"I love you too Steve," she replied. We walked out of the exhibit, not looking back as we passed the wall about Bucky again or the row of uniforms from my fallen comrades.

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Once we had left the museum and jumped back on my motorcycle, I took her to her favorite lunch spot. The diner we had eaten at our first night in D.C. because by the time we had made it into our apartment, all the grocery stores were closed and we were exhausted. We sat in our normal booth and ordered the same thing we always did; her a bacon burger with a little pink and me a mushroom swiss burger with all the fixings. She was a little quiet and that worried me slightly.

"Hey what's wrong? What did you want to tell me?" I asked taking her hand.

"I was doing some research on something while you were on your mission," she began. She was picking at her fingers on her other hand something she only did when she was nervous. I took that hand in mine too and she looked up at me. "I found someone that you used to know. Someone that is still alive." 

"Who?" I asked, slightly confused.

"Peggy," she whispered. I stiffened at the mention of Peggy's name. I looked into Alia's eyes and I saw worry and what even looked like a little bit of fear. "She's in a nursing home here in D.C." I sat still for a moment processing this information. I couldn't believe that Peggy was still alive. 

"How did you find her?" I asked. 

"I have connections at SHIELD remember?" she replied chuckling slightly. I nodded.

"Would you like to go see her?" Alia asked. "Maybe it would help you and her both. She probably still thinks your dead."

"Alia are you sure you're ok with that?" I asked. She knew what Peggy had meant to me at one point but I don't think she realized how deeply I felt for her. I knew Peggy was in my past, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I would have loved to see her again.

"Of course. I think it might be helpful for you. This way you have a chance to see her and she can know that you are still alive," Alia replied. I smiled at her.

"Thank you sweetheart. You don't know what this means to me," I told her kissing her hands. "Why don't you come with me? I know she would love to meet you."

"Really? You want me there?" she asked, stunned. I looked at her in confusion.

"Of course I would. I want her to meet the girl who stole my heart and who hopefully one day will steal my last name too," I replied. Her cheeks turned bright pink but she just smiled. I was a little shocked at myself. I couldn't believe I had said that. "Easy Rogers or you'll spoil the whole thing," I thought to myself.

"Sure I'll come with you. We can go after lunch," she replied, finishing her burger. Once we were both done and I had paid (much to Alia's irritation), we got back on the motorcycle and headed to the nursing home. We pulled up and got off, and I just stood there for a moment looking up at the building. I couldn't believe that after seventy years, I was going to see Peggy again. I looked over at Alia, and took her hand. We walked into the building and stopped at the desk.

"Hi we're here to see Peggy Carter," I told the lady at the desk. 

"She's on the third floor, room 314," she responded. I nodded my thanks and Alia and I headed up the stairs. When we made it to the third floor, we found her room rather quickly, and the closer we got the faster my heart raced. We stopped outside her door and I stood there for a moment. Alia squeezed my hand and with a deep breath, I knocked softly.