female robbery | marvel

Heaven

"We laughed at the darkness, so scared that we lost it. We stood on the ceilings. You showed me love was all you needed."

- - - -

Her resting bitch face is replaced by a look of deep sadness as Harley watches Steve hold Peggy Carter's casket down the church pews.

By the time they make it to the head of the church, Steve is breathing heavily and barely has time to compose himself before taking a seat next to Harley and Sam.

"And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words." Says the priest.

It takes Harley a few seconds, but she recognizes the woman at the podium to be the same woman who lives across the hall from Steve in his D.C. apartment. Harley nudges Steve and he looks up at Sharon with confusion and curiosity.

"Margret Carter was known to most as a founder of SHIELD." Sharon began. "But I just knew her as Aunt Peggy. She had a photograph in her office. Aunt Peggy standing next to J.F.K. As a kid, it was pretty cool, but it was a lot to live up to, which is why I never told anyone we were related." She directs the end of her sentence at Steve, who looks down in understanding.

"I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time where no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either." Sharon continued. "And she said, 'Compromise where you can, and where you can't, don't. Even if the whole world is telling you that something wrong is something right, even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye and say, no, you move.'"

- - - -

Long after the church had been emptied of people; Harley stood with Steve, using both her hands to hold one of his in support.

The duo turn as they hear the sound of heels on the church carpet, and see Natasha making their way towards them.

"When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I knew was gone." Steve tells her. "When I found out she was alive, I was just lucky to have her."

"She had you back too." Natasha says warmly.

"Who else signed?" Steve asks, not in the mood for her sympathy.

"Tony, Rhodey, Vision."

"Clint?"

"Says he's retired."

"Wanda?"

"TBD."

"I'm off to Vienna for the signing of the accords. There's plenty of room for the two of you on the jet." Natasha says, she and Steve both look down at Harley.

Harley raises a single eyebrow at Natasha.

"Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path." Natasha continues. "Staying together is more important than how we stay together."

"What are we giving up to do it? Sorry Nat, but I can't sign it."

"I know." She says, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Then what are you doing here?" Steve asked her.

Natasha looks down at Harley once more. "I was hoping to convince this one of signing." She explains. "You're young. You have an entire life ahead of you and no one wants that to be taken away. The public is most scared of you, and signing could be your last chance at getting in their good graces. You have to do what's right."

"I am doing what's right." Harley tells her. "I have people in this world that I love, believe it or not, and I need to be able to protect them. I can't do that if I sign. I'm not interested in being controlled. That's happened to me once before and over my dead body will it ever happen again."