Tsunami (Avengers Fanfic)

Chapter 12

  After Steve and Bella walk off, they go to the Smithsonian Museum where there is an exhibit dedicated to Captain America. Steve had explained that he wanted to remember the past and figured that the Smithsonian would help him take that walk down memory lane.

  "A symbol to the nation. A hero to the world. The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery and sacrifice." They listen to the narrator Steve, keeping his face hidden under a baseball cap, walks over to the exhibition with Bella.

  "Welcome to the Smithsonian. Visitor information booths are available on the second level." They hear a woman say on the PA.

 "Denied enlistment due to poor health, Steven Rogers was chosen for a program unique in the annals of American warfare. One that would transform him into the world's first super soldier." The narrator continues and Bella smiles at Steve after she sees the way he looked before. She didn't believe him when he said that he was tiny, I mean look at him now, was what she said to the others at the shawarma. A boy recognizes both Steve and Bella, Bella smiles at the kid and Steve smiles puts his finger against his mouth to indicate for the boy to keep quiet and the boy nods, Steve then watches an old footage of himself.

  "In this rare footage, everyone's favorite warrior, Captain America..." The narrator continues. Steve goes to the display where there are mannequins with costumes of Steve's old commando squad and Bella goes with him knowing he needs support. "Battle tested, Captain America and his Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes. Their mission, taking down HYDRA, the Nazi rogue science division." Steve walks over to the a display of his friend Bucky Barnes and takes ahold of Bella's hand. "Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country." Steve and Bella watches an older looking Peggy Carter being interviewed.

  "That was a difficult winter. A blizzard had trapped half our battalion behind the German line. Steve...Captain Rogers, he fought his way through a HYDRA blockade that had pinned our allies down for months. He saved over a thousand men, including the man who would...who would become my husband as it turned out. Even after he died, Steve was still changing my life." Steve looks at the photo of Peggy he'd kept in his old compass and Bella squeezes his hand.

  Steve takes Bella and visits Peggy, who is now lying sick in bed "You should be proud of yourself, Peggy." Steve looks at Peggy's family photos by her bedside table showing her with her husband and children.

  "Mm. I have lived a life. My only regret is that you didn't get to live yours." Steve looks sad after he glances at Bella "What is it?"

  "For as long as I can remember I just wanted to do what was right. I guess I'm not quite sure what that is anymore. And I thought I could throw myself back in and follow orders, serve. It's just not the same." Steve says and Peggy chuckles while Bella smiles.

  "You're always so dramatic. Look, you saved the world. We rather...mucked it up." Peggy says.

  "You didn't. Knowing that you helped found SHIELD is half the reason I stay." Peggy takes Steve's hand after he says that.

  "Hey. The world has changed and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best, and sometimes the best that we can do is to start over." Peggy starts to cough after she says this, Steve turns to get her some water and goes to hand it to her while Bella helps her sit up so she can breathe better.

  "Peggy." Steve says and suddenly Peggy looks at Steve like she's seeing for the first time since he was frozen. Bella suddenly feels sorry for Steve knowing what was coming up and glances at him. He was already looking at her and nods knowing what was going to happen too.

  "Steve?" She asks tearing up.

  "Yeah."

  "You're alive! You...you came, you came back." Peggy says.

  "Yeah, Peggy." Peggy begins to cry after Steve says this.

  "It's been so long. So long." Peggy says.

  "Well, I couldn't leave my best girl. Not when she owes me a dance. And to wanted to introduce you to a friend of mine." Steve says. "This is Bella, she helped me adjust to today's stuff. And introduced me to some interesting people."
 
"Hello, Peggy. I've heard great things about you." Bella says offering her hand for her to shake.

  " All good things I hope." Peggy says good naturedly. Bella nods with a smile. After a bit they left to Steve's place, where she is staying during her visit, to drop some things off and Steve ropes Bella into going to a PTSD group meeting where Sam is counseling other veterans with him.

  "The thing is I think it's getting worse. A cop pulled me over last week, he thought I was drunk. I swerved to miss a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED." Bella hears a female war veteran say.

  "Some stuff you leave there, other stuff you bring back. It's our job to figure out how to carry it. Is it gonna be in a big suitcase or in a little man-purse? It's up to you." Sam says. After the meeting ends Steve waits for Sam as he finishes saying goodbye to the veterans.

  "I'll see you next week." The female veteran says to Sam

  "Yeah." Sam says with a nod before he walks over to Steve and Bella.

  "Look who it is. The running man and woman."

  "Caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense." Steve says.

  "Yeah, brother, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret." Sam says.

  "You lose someone?" Bella asks him.

  "My wingman, Riley. Flying a night mission. Standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before, till RPG knock Riley's dumb ass out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch." Sam says.

  "I'm sorry." Bella replies.

  "After that, I had really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?" Sam says.

  "But you're happy now, back in the world?" Steve asks him.

  "Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero. So, hell, yeah. You thinking about getting out?" Sam asks Steve.

  "No. I don't know. To be honest, I don't know what I would do with myself if I did." Steve says and Bella gets where he's getting at. SHIELD gives her something to do besides teach at the school.

  "Ultimate fighting?" Sam asks and Steve and Bella laughs. "It's just a great idea off the top of my head. But seriously, you could do whatever you want to do. What makes you happy?"

  "I don't know." He says glancing at Bella. She sees a look in Sam's eyes after he glances at her, like he knows something that they don't. Soon after the leave to Steve's apartment.