Conscience (Captain America FF book 3)

Chapter 2: Graveyards and visits

Steve Rogers

Captain America

"Hey honey. Happy birthday." I said looking at the inanimate object that held my whole world. A six by four hole with a rock sitting on top of it. I set flowers in front of the tomb stone, the words engraved crushed my heart. S.H.I.E.L.D had buried Jade in DC upon my request.

I shoved my hands in my pockets, continuing the one sided conversation. "Natasha and Pepper came to visit last week. They taught me how to dance. But it only made me think about how I never took you on a date. We'll never get to do a lot of things. And I'm sorry. I should've saved you the first time. I had the power to stop you and I've let you go twice."

I stood there, thinking of ways I could've changed it. Ways I could have saved her. Jade could be here with me right now instead of under my feet.

I stared at the stone, the words bold.
'Aurora She will forever be a shining star'

They had simply engraved her birth name so Hydra couldn't trace her body and steal her body. Who knew those eight little words could could be my biggest weakness?

Someone else joined me in the cemetery. I looked over my shoulder and saw Tony strolling over, wearing a casual suit and holding a flower in his hand. He joined me, setting the flower on her grave before saying "You can't live like this anymore Cap."

I chuckle coldly, not believing he was telling me this. "I can't huh? And how exactly did you live after your parents died? Or imagine what you would do if Pepper died?"

Tony fell silent. Which was a first. "I've lost everyone I care about at one point or another Stark. My parents, Peggy, Bucky..... and I've lost Jade twice. Twice! I have every right to live like this, to blame myself!"

Tony's eyes remained on the grave as he spoke calmly "Then don't do it for you. Do it for her. Because I sure as hell know she wouldn't want you to think it was your fault. You need to get back to being yourself again."

I let out a huff of air, seeing his point but not knowing how I was going to get there. "I can't be myself without her. How do you think she is?"

Tony pats my back, staring at the grave as I did everyday. "I say where ever she is she is doing just fine." But I knew nothing of where she really was.