Avengers: The Chronicles Of Gracie Hart: 70 years of change

The Guilt That Eats At You

It was obvious I would not be aloud access to Steve until fury had talked to him so I waited outside his office Steve inside with fury Fury said he would allow Steve to come with me under the restrictions of not leaving the city and having an apartment set up fast I pulled a few strings and managed to get me and Steve a small 2 bed room apartment not far from the S.H.I.E.L.D base and leaving the city was not a idea in mind with stark tower not far from being complete tony and pepper would be in town soon I sat tapping my fingers on the chair in the reception "Gracie"steves voice pulled me out Of my thoughts I sighed he frowned "what's wrong"he asks "you've been trapped in ice 66 years returned to find the war over and mainly all you knew changed and your asking me if I'm ok"I roll my eyes but look to see him nodding damn he has no clue to how sarcastic I have become over the past few decades"it's just weird hearing you say my name I haven't heard your voice in decades"I sadly smile to him "fury said If I can get an apartment for us I can take you off base"I smile "and you did"he asks "well yeah I called some contacts"I smile he looks confused "Steve you should be smiling your alive"I laugh "I know its just everyone I knew is gone all I have is you"he sighs he must have had a long day "is that a bad thing"I frown "no no I just mean"he stops and sighs "it would have been nice to have seen them once more" I considered telling him about Peggy but thought against it cause if he decided he wanted to see her I wouldn't be able to take him out of New York to DC to do so instead I just walked over to him and placed my hands on his shoulders "how about we go get coffee and you can ask me anything and everything you wanna know"I smile lightly he nods if this is a dream don't wake me up please it's to good I thought to myself.

We got to the small cafe down the road and sat in a booth waiting for our coffee to arrive "you must have a million questions"I say"you have no idea"he says looking around almost like everything surrounding him is alien to him which I guess most things are my phone rings in my pocket I pull it out seeing Tony's name across the screen I decline the call I will call back later and explain "what's that"he points to my Iphone I look from my phone to Steve and sigh lord help me now "this is a phone"I say as if its obvious "a phone I ...when ...that"he can't think of what to say "it's a mobile phone you carry it anywhere and like a telephone we had in the 40s it does the same thing just no wires unless you are charging the battery"I explain"this is an apple product"I say as though I'm talking to a 3 yet old "apple"he repeats "yeah it's the name of the company that makes this type of phone"I explain"do you understand"I ask he nods looking around a women with black hair comes over and passed us our coffees eyeing a oblivious Steve up standing staring "excuse me why don't you put your eyes back in your head and get back to your job"I snap at the lady she rolls her eyes walking away "Gracie"Steve looks shocked with my attitude "what"I shrug of course he is not used to this version of me "what was that for"he asked meaning the lady "she was gawking at you it's rude your with a friend"I sigh not wanting a lecture from him "you didn't have to forget your manors"he speaks up"your right I just forgot those years ago"I roll my eyes "what's wrong with you"he asks almost scared of my answer "nothing"I shake my head "your different"Steve observes "did you expect me to be the same cause in that case you were seriously wrong things are different now Steve chivalry is a rare thing the sooner you learn that the better"I say he keeps quite "what has happened to you the past years then"he asks changing the subject "well I have a son now"I sip my coffee steves eyes widen"god son I mean he basically is my son but not by blood he's physically older than me his names Anthony I call him tony"I explained "oh"Steve sighed "he's Howard's son"I shrug "Howard had a son"he asks"yeah he met this girl Maria after we broke up and things went from there"I babbled "you and Howard went out"he asks frowning"yeah I mean for 4 years he purposed"I belated "did you say yes"he intently asks "obviously not that's why we split I loved Bucky always have always will I couldn't do that to Howie he deserved better"I add "so you haven't moved on then been with another guy"Steve went on "what's with all the love life talk but no I'm still a big Virgin Steve"I mock rolling my eyes at his blush "what else happened since I..."he trails off "well howard died years back now, him and his wife were in a car accident"I explain "as for Chester he died of old age we were close till then in fact Chester and Howard are founders of S.H.I.E.L.D"I sip my drink as does he "the thing fury directs"Steve points out "yep a bunch of lying assholes who would stab you in the back given the chance"I says bitterly Steve gives me a funny look guess I had changed a lot since he last met me "and Peggy"he asks hesitantly not wanting me to tell him she is dead I tilt my head deciding if I should tell him about Peggy"she's alive"I vaguely answer "where is she"he imposed "for another time Steve not to much at once"I nod he agrees "there's other super heros now"I reported "heros who"he gives a funny look "tony for one he is iron man and me I'm"I roll my eyes before finishing "miss america"Steve cracked a small smile "miss america"he repeated "don't not a word"I laugh "and iron man"Steve quizzed "yeah a few years back tony was in an accident where some terrorists kidnapped him he has shrapnel working its way to his heart all the time and so in a bid to save him he had a arc reactor put in his cheat stoping it and saving him It was actually Howard's design tony just finished it with my help of course "I smile "so he escaped capture in a iron suit and when he returned shut down his weapons division at stark inc built the iron man suit again but a upgraded version and yeah began saving people I guess"I explained "right"Steve murmured probably confused "Gracie how are you alive? How do you look like you did 60 something years ago?" Steve asks frowning "well after you well died I guess I had nothing you were dead Bucky was dead if lost everything dr erskine turns out had left me something in his will it was one batch of the super soldier serum as a thanks for helping him and so as the serum was mine I decided to take it myself and so I became the first female super soldier and the last ever we didn't have enough time with you before you "died" to see the long term effects of the serum I did turns out it rapidly slows your ageing back then I was 26 now physically I'm about say 28-29 but we all know that's not true" steve looked shocked obviously this was all so much for him to process. Steve looked out the window off into the changed city I observed him before snapping him back to reality "you wanna see our apartment my friend told me the key should be hidden in the flower pot outside she owns it but is never in town much so it's ours for now"I elaborate he nodded as we got up leaving the cafe I had a feeling getting Steve to socialise and get back into the world was gonna be tougher than first thought oh well I have time.