Lost Our Minds |5| The Ascension

Chapter Seventeen: Civil War - The Funeral

Zosia squeezed her husband's hand, sitting in the front row at Peggy's funeral in London.

"And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words," the preacher said, and Steve frowned as he recognised the SHIELD agent from when she used to live across from him in DC.

Sharon caught his eye, managed a small smile, then began her speech. "Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of SHIELD. But I just knew her as Aunt Peggy. She had a photograph in her office: Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK. 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. I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage at a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. And she said: compromise when you can. When you can't, don't. Even if everyone 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 eyes and say, 'No. You move.'"

***

Steve sighed. He was the only one left in the chapel, looking at the picture of Peggy. He heard familiar heeled footsteps and smiled sadly. "When I came out of the ice, I thought I wanted to ignore she was gone. When I found out that she was alive, I was just lucky to have her."

Behind him, Zosia inclined her head. "She was glad you were back too."

He turned to her, opening his arms; she hugged him tight. "Who signed it?"

"Nat, Tony, Rhodey, Vision..." She took a deep breath. "Dad."

"Clint?" Steve checked.

She shrugged a little, smiling gently as she felt him breathing. "Says he's retired. Mom's taking the kids to his farm. They'll be safe there. She said she'll try and get him to help, but she doesn't know if he'll do it. I doubt he'd want to fight his own wife."

He narrowed his eyes, but didn't comment. It was clear that something serious was going on between the Doctor and McKenzie, but he didn't want to make Zosia talk about it. After all, she was the one who had insisted on calling them in. "Wanda?"

"TBD. Dad and Nat are off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. Apparently, there is plenty of room on the jet. Nat says, 'just because it's the path of least resistance, doesn't mean it's the wrong path'."

"She got any more wisdom to bestow upon us?" Steve asked.

Zosia smiled. "'Staying together is more important than how we stay together'."

Steve sighed. "She knows we won't sign it."

"Yeah."

There was a long pause, then Steve pulled back to look at her. "I thought you were going to help Sam with something."

"I was," she confirmed.

He frowned. "Well, then, what are you doing here? Not that I'm complaining."

Zosia smiled, her arms around his neck. "I didn't want you to be alone. Come here." She kissed him.

***

"Excuse me, Miss Romanoff?" a man asked, making Natasha turn from where she had been observing the journalists and reporters in Vienna as they prepared for the signing of the Accords.

"Yes?" She smiled politely.

"I just need your signature." She took the proffered pen and signed. "Thank you."

"Thanks."

"I suppose neither of us is used to the spotlight."

Natasha turned again, recognising the Wakandan prince T'Challa. "Well, it's not always so flattering."