Frozen Over: An MCU Story

Chapter 10 - Stark's Funeral

2023, Stark Cabin.

Tony Stark's funeral was shortly after he had passed away. All the Avengers were present at the funeral that took place just outside Tony's cabin. His wife, Pepper, along with her 4-year-old daughter Morgan, approached the nearby lake, passing by everyone, with a wreath carrying Tony's old arc reactor, which said "proof that Tony Stark has a heart" on it. Pepper gently placed the wreath down on the water and let it drift down the lake.

Standing with Pepper and Morgan were Rhodey and Happy Hogan, along with Steve. Behind Steve, Peter Parker stood with his aunt, May, and behind them was Thor, Bruce Banner followed by Doctor Strange, Wong, and then Scott, Hope, Janet Van Dyne and Hank Pym. The Guardians of the Galaxy all stood behind them, followed by T'Challa, Okoye and Shuri, then Clint, his wife Laura and his three children, Lila, Cooper and Nathaniel. Standing behind Clint and his family were Wanda, Bucky and Sam, and behind that trio was Clover, Olivia, Isaac and Oliver. Finally, Harley Keener, Secretary Ross, Maria Hill, Carol Danvers, and Nick Fury were at the back. The huge group of people all slowly watched the wreath float down the lake until it was out of sight, where everyone slowly split off.

Clover and their family stood with Sam, Steve, Bucky and Bruce, as Steve was getting ready to return the stones to the past or whatever.

"Now, remember, You have to return the stones to the exact moment you got them. Or you're gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities." Bruce explained to Steve.

"Don't worry, Bruce." Steve reassured him. "Clip all the branches."

Bruce finished setting up the quantum tunnel then looked back at him.

"You know, I tried. When I had the gauntlet, the stones, I really tried to bring her back." Bruce told Steve, reffering to Natasha. "I miss her."

Steve nodded in agreement. He also missed his friend. It was upsetting that she didn't make it out of this alive.

"Me too." He said.

"You know, if you want, I could come with you." Sam offered.

"You're a good man, Sam. This one's on me, though." Steve kindly refused.

He then approached Clover and their brothers. Clover smiled and shook his hand.

"I don't have a clue if you're coming back..." They muttered to him. "But it was a damn honour meeting you."

Steve smiled at the young adult.

"It was good meeting you too, Clover."

He then walked to his best friend, Bucky.

"Don't do anything stupid till I get back." He said.

"How can I?" Bucky asked. "You're taking all the stupid with you."

The super soldiers gave each other a hug, exchanged a few more words, and then Steve stepped onto the quantum tunnel, the quantum suit trvaelling over his standard Captain America one.

"How long is this gonna take?" Sam asked Bruce.

"For him? As long as he needs. For us? Five seconds." Bruce explained. "Ready, Cap? Going quantum in three... two... one..."

Bruce pressed the button, and Steve shrunk down into the machine.

"Okay, that's pretty cool." Clover remarked.

"And returning in five... four... three... two... one..."

However when Bruce pressed the button this time around, nothing happened. Steve didn't return. Sam furrowed his eyebrows, as did Clover.

"Okay, when I said I wasn't sure if he was coming back, I didn't think he was actually not coming back." Clover spoke up.

"Where is he?" Sam asked, confused.

"I don't know. He blew right by his time stamp. He should be here." Bruce said, looking around the equipment.

"Get him back." Sam told him.

"I'm trying." Bruce sighed.

"Get him the hell back!" Sam then exclaimed.

"Dude, chill out. He's working on it." Clover whispered, lightly punching Sam's shoulder.

"Sam..." Bucky spoke up.

Everyone then turned towards a log in the near distance, where an old man appeared to be sitting that.

"Yo, is that..." Isaac spoke up.

Sam and Bucky took a few steps forwards, then Sam approached the old man.

"Cap?"

The old man, who was just an older Steve Rogers, continued to stare off towards the lake, but acknowledged Sam's presence.

"Hi, Sam."

Sam was a bit quiet, as he was confused by what had happened to his friend.

"So did something go wrong or did something go right?" He asked.

Old man Steve turned towards Sam.

"Well, after I put the stones back, I thought, maybe I'll try some of that life Tony was telling me to get." He explained.

"How'd that work out for you?"

"It was beautiful."

"I'm happy for you. Truly." Sam said.

"Thank you."

"Only thing bumming me out is the fact I have to live in a world without Captain America." The man chuckled.

"Oh, that reminds me." Steve said, opening up the brown leather pouch leaning next to him.

Inside the pouch was Steve's shield, all in one piece and very shiny. Steve grabbed it and gave it to Sam, who took it and put it on his arm.

"How does it feel?" Steve asked.

"Like it's someone else's." Sam replied, honestly.

"It isn't." Steve assured his friend.

Sam smiled at the now old man.

"Thank you. I'll do my best." He said.

"That's why it's yours." Steve replied.

He then shook Sam's hand, and Sam took notice of the shiny ring resting on Sam's finger.

"You wanna tell me about her?" He curiously asked.

Steve looked back at the lake.

"No. No I don't think I will." He stated.

He wished Sam goodluck one last time and Sam walked away, returning to the group of people still standing by the quantum tunnel. Bruce, Sam, Bucky, and the Pines all went their seperate ways. Clover went off to their bedroom and laid down, finally getting to relax in their bed, something they felt they didn't get to properly do since that battle in Wakanda. They laid their and rested their head, hopefully allowing the concussion to go away soon enough so they could get back to the ice rink to help their friend Bradley.

A/N: Anyway about my little SamClover situation, I've decided I'm making Sam 30 years old as of now in this story instead of 40 years old like he apparently technically is. This is for two reasons. One of them is because there is no way in hell this man is frickin 40 THAT MAN LOOKS 30 YEARS OLD AND YOU CAN'T CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE. And the other main reason is because I WANT MY FRICKIN SAMCLOVER SHIP!