Our Finest Hour (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 11: This Just Got Serious

"Cara wait!" Steve called after her.

Speed walking away from him down a hallway, Cara ignored him, lost in her own thoughts. She was breathing a little more heavily, her heart thumping in her chest. What was she going to do? What were they going to do? Though she felt she already had the answers to both of her questions, she began to wonder if she would be able to. When she got back to the open foyer at the top of the grand staircase Steve had caught up to her. Grabbing her by the arm to stop her, he spun her around the look on her face telling him all he needed to know.

"It's not him." Steve said calmly trying to reassure her.

"Yes! It is! Some version of him at least!" She responded loudly.

"But not a version we know." Steve tried again.

Cara looked into his blue eyes helplessly. The corners of her eyes were stinging with tears she was fighting to keep in. Her head swirling with so many emotions.

"Steve, what if we have to kill him?" She asked quietly.

"In order to stop Rumlow and whatever plan he has, we probably will have to." He said honestly.

She let out a heavy breath, appreciating his honesty but still not liking the reality of the situation.

"How do we ask him to help us do that? What will it do to him if he has to watch us kill another version of him? It's going to fuck him up! It's going to fuck me up!" Cara said a bit panicked.

"HEY! It's not going to be easy but if was easy anyone could do this! It's going to be difficult but we will get through this as a team... as a family." He said before bringing her into him.

Reluctantly, she unfolded her arms accepting his embrace. Resting her head against his chest she listened to the steady beat of his heart. The strong, calming rhythm easing her worry as he continued.

"No matter what we will get through this, all of us will. Okay? I promise you." He said quietly.

Cara nodded her head quickly before Steve kissed her. Letting go of him she stepped back running her hands down the length of his arms to hold his hands. She found the remaining reassurance she needed in his eyes. Nodding again, just once before looking back into Steve's eyes, she spoke calmly without looking in Strange's direction. He had made his way after them, keeping his distance, but not too far.

"Alright. What do we need to do?" She said.

"We need to convince the rest of the team about the severity of the matter, get them on board, and take care of this problem before these two carry out whatever they are planning and before our universes collide into each other and reality as we know it ceases to exist." Strange responded.

Cara now looked at him with a startled face. Letting go of Cara's hands Steve turned to look at him too with a disturbed look on his face. Strange looked from Cara to Steve with no change in his expression.

"I apologize for the brashness, I could have sworn I mentioned the consequences before." He said.

"Pretty sure we would have remembered that one." Cara said sarcastically.

"Yeah, that detail I would have remembered." Steve added.

"Regardless of weather the consequence was mentioned, it's the reality we are facing. So, if you will follow me," Strange said snapping his fingers as he turned, Steve's shield reappearing on his arm and Cara's bow and arrows reappearing as well "we need to go."

As he held one hand up he began making circular motions with the other hand. A swirling sparking portal appearing, inside of which they could see one of the hallways in the tower. Strange stepped through, Cara and Steve following close behind him. No sooner had they gone through, the portal closed behind them. Wasting no time Steve and cara took off down the hall together, Strange following close behind, headed for the war room where they could call everyone to gather at once, as urgently as possible. Entering the war room Steve and Cara stopped in front of the large empty table, facing the glass wall. Strange glided in behind them, stopping just beside Cara.