Choices || CAPTAIN AMERICA (Book 3)

Chapter 10

The air was cool and crisp as I stepped outside the new Avengers facility in upstate New York. After the chaos of Sokovia, this place felt like another world entirely. The sleek, modern structure behind me was surrounded by endless fields and hills, a far cry from the battle-scarred streets we had just left behind. The quiet here was comforting—a rare luxury for someone like me, always on alert, always fighting for something.

I walked toward the field in front of the facility, the dew on the grass dampening my boots as I went. The horizon was just starting to blush with the soft hues of dawn. The sky stretched above me, fading from the deep blues of night into pale oranges and pinks, like a promise of something better. For a moment, I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, letting the stillness wash over me.

The memories of the past few days were still fresh in my mind. Ultron was finally gone, Sokovia was behind us, but the world felt heavier now. So many lives had been saved, yet so much had been lost. A sigh escaped me as I gazed up at the early morning sky, trying to let go of the weight of it all.

"You always did prefer the quiet moments," a familiar voice broke through the silence. I didn't need to turn to know who it was.

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "And you always manage to find me in them," I replied, glancing over my shoulder to see Steve walking toward me. He looked the same as ever—calm, steady, like a rock in the middle of a storm.

He stopped beside me, his eyes drifting up to the sky. "It's peaceful here," he said softly, his voice matching the quiet. "Hard to believe the world almost ended a few days ago."

I nodded, my gaze still fixed on the horizon. "Feels like a dream sometimes," I murmured. "Or a nightmare, depending on how you look at it."

Steve chuckled lightly. "We made it through, didn't we? That's gotta count for something."

I turned to him then, my heart softening at the sight of his familiar face. After everything we had been through, the battles, the near-death experiences—this was what grounded me. "Yeah, we did." My voice was quieter now, more personal. "We've been through worse and come out the other side."

His eyes met mine, and there was something deeper in them, something that hadn't been there before we had confessed our feelings to each other that night. The night we had finally stopped dancing around the inevitable, when words weren't enough to express what we felt.

Steve reached out, his hand brushing mine. A simple touch, but it sent a warmth through me that had nothing to do with my control of fire. "I don't think I could've done it without you," he admitted, his voice low. "I mean that, Alice. You're my strength."

I felt my heart swell at his words, the vulnerability in them. Steve wasn't one to show his feelings easily, and when he did, it meant something. I smiled, stepping closer until our shoulders brushed. "You're the one who keeps me going, Steve," I said softly. "You make me feel like I'm not alone in all of this."

For a moment, we stood in silence, the world around us quiet except for the soft rustling of the wind through the trees. His hand slipped into mine, and the simple act felt like an unspoken promise between us.

The sky was growing lighter now, the first rays of sunlight touching the earth, casting everything in a soft golden glow. I leaned my head against his shoulder, and for that moment, everything felt right. It was peaceful. It was us.

"You think we'll ever get a break?" Steve asked, his voice tinged with humor.

I chuckled softly. "I wouldn't count on it. But maybe that's not such a bad thing. Gives us something to fight for."

He turned his head slightly, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. "As long as I'm fighting beside you."

I smiled, warmth filling me from the inside out. "Always."

But as much as I wanted to stay wrapped in that quiet moment with him, I knew duty called.

"I've got some reports to file," I said reluctantly, pulling away. "Time to get back to work."

Steve nodded, though he didn't let go of my hand just yet. "Me too. I'll meet you inside."

I gave his hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. "See you soon," I said with a smile.

After parting ways, I headed back inside the facility, passing through the sleek, modern corridors that had become a second home. I found Tony and Thor in the common area, sharing some banter over breakfast.

"Heading out?" I asked, leaning against the doorway.

Tony gave me a mock salute. "Duty calls. Can't sit around in upstate New York forever."

Thor grinned, his deep voice rumbling through the room. "Aye, Stark and I are needed elsewhere."

"Well, safe travels," I said, giving them a smile. "I'm staying here to train the new recruits with Steve and Nat."

Tony arched a brow. "Playing teacher, huh? Be gentle with them, sister."

I smirked. "I'll try." I then stepped forward and shared a hug with both of them.

As I turned to leave, Thor's voice called after me. "Good luck, Alice."I waved back before heading down the hall.

After finishing up my work, Steve was waiting for me outside, having said his goodbyes to Tony and Thor. We met up in the corridor, falling into step beside each other as we made our way to fetch Nat.

When we found her, Natasha was standing alone, staring at the wall like it held all the answers. I gave her a look, my voice teasing. "You want to keep staring at the wall, or do you want to go to work? I mean, it's a pretty interesting wall."

Natasha glanced over at me with a raised brow, her smirk deepening. "And here I thought you'd be with Steve, gazing into each other's eyes. How do we look?"

I shot Steve a quick glance, unable to hide the smirk on my face as he handed Natasha the tablet. "We're not exactly the '27 Yankees," Steve said, his tone dry but warm.

I nudged him playfully with my elbow. "Speak for yourself, Rogers. Some of us have been knocking it out of the park."

Natasha looked down at the screen, her expression thoughtful. "We've got some hitters."

"They're good," Steve added, his serious tone matching the weight of the situation. "But they're not a team."

I looked at both of them, feeling the weight of the task ahead, but also the excitement of it. "Well, if anyone can turn them into a team, it's us. Besides," I added with a smirk, "you know I love a good challenge."

Natasha's eyes flicked to mine, her smirk softening into something almost approving. "Let's beat 'em into shape, then."

Together, we gathered the new recruits—Rhodes in his War Machine suit, Vision hovering in the air, Sam adjusting his Falcon wings, and Wanda, now wearing her new outfit, looking fierce and ready.

Steve stepped forward, looking over the group with that calm authority only he possessed. "Avengers...," he called out, pausing for a moment before giving the order that would mark the beginning of something new. "Assemble."