Don't Forget Me

8

I woke up to the sound of the front door closing. I shuffled the blankets around and looked over at Steve's side. He was gone, and it wasn't even light out. I should have gotten up then, but I didn't. I fell back asleep for another hour or so. It was eight o'clock when I got up and took a shower. Steve and Natasha were on the Lumarian Star now. I grabbed everything of mine out of his apartment before I left.

Before heading to work I drove to a nursing home in the city. It was a nice one, probably the nicest in the DC area. Peggy was there. It had been years since I had visited her. Even with the two years that I was dead for, years had passed since I had talked to her in person. I had written a couple letters, sent some Christmas cards but I was too scared to see her. I think it hurts me more to see her like this more than it pains her to be that way. And that was selfish me, I know. She had found peace with where she was in life. And I was still searching for it.

I walked into the nursing home, it was eight o'clock. It was early and she was probably asleep.

"Hello, I'm here to see Margret Carter." I said to the receptionist.

"Ma'am visiting hours aren't for awhile. She's likely asleep. Can you come back another time?"

"Unfortunately no. I'm leaving indefinitely and I don't know if I'll get to see her again." I tried to guilt the receptionist a bit. "I'll only be ten minutes."

"Alright ma'am follow me." She said hesitantly. I smiled at her sweetly and followed her down the halls. Once at her door I thanked the nurse and hesitantly opened it. She stood outside the door waiting for me. Peggy was asleep like the nurse had told me. She looked peaceful, her grey hair spread out across her pillow. She had pictures of her late husband and children, and grandchildren. Letters and cards were spread across her night stand, and in front of her bed were large windows so she would look out of them. It was a peaceful place. I came in originally wanting to talk to her, even willing to wake her up. But now, as she peacefully slept, and unaware of the trouble coming for us, I didn't want to wake her. It wasn't worth it. I didn't want her to have to carry any more burdens than she might have been carrying already.

I wished I could tell her how awful I felt. I felt like I had failed her. Guilt ran through my body like blood. I had let SHIELD go to waste, and never realized it. I had lost track of the mission. I had failed her, in a way I know she would never admit, but I would be more than willing to confess. She was now on a long list of people who I had failed, a list that kept climbing higher and higher. And I would forever be sorry, forever ready to kneel and take the punishment for it. I ripped out a piece of paper from my blue notebook and scribbled a note down for her. I left it over by her water, hopefully someone will read it to her. I just told her, that I would drop by soon. I promised that I was fine, and I missed her.

I left the nursing home shortly feeling not much better but not much worse. I then drove to the Triskelion. Steve and Natasha would be back from their mission soon enough. As soon as I parked my car in the garage I walked in a side entrance. I headed to the medical wing and stole something before I headed up to Fury's office. I opened the door and he was sitting there at his desk waiting around.

"About time. I was wondering when you would get here."

"How was the mission?"

"It was a success, Romanoff secured the drive."

"I need to show you something." He looks up at me, and I slide a file onto his desk. He opens it carefully.

"I went through the files I took more. I was able to find some new ones, they were all in Russian, but I translated them." I explained. He was looking at a short file on the Winter Soldier. It's maybe only three pages long. It's all I could find. There was nothing in there that hinted that it was Bucky, but it was time Fury knew what we were dealing with.