The Fall - Book 2

247. Why do you have fish in your ice cream?!

OCTOBER 25, 2020 — AVENGERS COMPOUND — BUCKY

Réa and I come downstairs just as Thor, Loki, and the others—except those still on-mission—are finishing their own breakfast.

After the two Asgardians finish the clean-up, they join me and Réa for a game of Scrabble while the others scatter throughout the compound: Bruce says he has some work to do in the lab, while Wanda, Vision, and Nat opt to have a 'movie marathon' in the home theater...and to no one's surprise, Sam and Mitchell head back to bed.

A few minutes before lunchtime, the relative quiet of the compound is ended by rapid footsteps.

"Réa!" Adam hollers as he sprints into the lounge.

"Careful, buddy! Remember, she's growing a baby, too!" Caroline calls as she and Steve enter the room.

We all exchange greetings, and as Caroline and Adam fall into conversation with Réa, Loki, and Thor, Steve and I excuse ourselves.

"So," he says as he closes his office door, "I know Tony's been keeping this very quiet; aside from him, Fury, and Caroline, nobody knows. Although I'm sure you—and probably the others—have figured it out, given how things have been operating." He pauses. "I'm retiring. Officially. At least from being Captain America. I'll be staying on as a consultant, which means I'll be helping with missions, offering strategic and tactical insights." He briefly hesitates. "I requested that I be allowed to choose my replacement; Fury gave the 'okay'."

"Don't you dare ask me to be the next Cap...I don't want that job."

Steve chuckles quietly, then sobers. "I knew you'd say that. I was actually thinking of asking Sam, and I wanted to hear your thoughts."

I'm quiet for several long moments, considering.

"I think Sam would be great. He's a tremendous asset to the team; he's great with people, both the general public and the politicians—because, let's be honest, you and I both know that part of the job is schmoozing the suits—and, most importantly, he's a good man, who always strives to do what's right."

"That was my way of thinking, too."

We discuss the subject a bit more, and I notice him beginning to fidget.

"Alright, punk, you only get antsy like this when you're nervous or excited, or both. So what's going on?"

"I want to ask Caroline to marry me."

"That's great, Steve!" I pause, taking in his expression. "Let me guess...you're worried she's going to think you're asking because she's pregnant."

He nods. "Yeah. I was actually going to ask her the day after my birthday—which I know sounds quick, since we didn't even have an official date until Réa's birthday bu—"

"Not to me, it doesn't. Especially since Réa said that..." I trail off, unsure if I should tell him.

"Réa said what?"

I sit quietly, debating internally, and decide to just tell him. I relay what Réa told me last Christmas, about how his and Caroline's auras match, and her theory that they're soulmates.

"She thinks that?"

"Yeah. And, honestly, Caroline looks at you the way Réa looks at me...and you look at her the way I'm sure I look at my wife." I pause. "Plus, you've always been one to jump in with both feet. You and Peggy...from what you've told me, you were all-in from the get-go."

Now it's Steve's turn to be the quiet one. I watch him mulling over things, and after a few minutes, he speaks again.

"Like I said, I was going to ask her the day after my birthday. And then, she told me she was pregnant on my birthday...and I tabled asking, because, as we discussed, I didn't want her to think I was asking because I felt obligated. I don't want her to think that."