Happy Ending *Completed*

Chapter 9

"How could Dolores be active? Surely she would be dead or close to it by now?" With even more confusion Bucky flipped the page to show a stack of pictures, the one on top being of the three of them back in the 40s; pre-serum, pre-enlistment, pre-confessions, and they all looked happy. Flicking to the next one showed a Dolores who looked exactly the same but instead she was at the opening of NASA, at least ten years after the first picture. Steve and Bucky kept going from picture to picture, the 1960s: Dolores is walking next to Martin Luther King Jr. in the Selma March, the 1970s: Dolores with Bill Gates and Paul Allen at MITS demonstrating their interpreter, 1980s: Dolores at the Miracle on Ice cheering after the winning goal, 1990s: Dolores fleeing Columbine High School, 2000s: Dolores helping people near the World Trade Center on 9/11, all of them showing the same Dolores that they knew back in the 40s. Coming onto the final picture they see it was from just before Steve came out of the ice. It had a smiling Natasha and laughing Dolores next to each other.

Both men look at each other, and flip back to the first page, seeing just what they were hoping for, a last known address.

They both immediately stand up and walk towards their rooms, they were going to see Dolores for the first time since the 1940s tomorrow.

*Transfering to Dolores POV*

Another day, another mental crisis. It didn't help that Nat sent me a text saying that Steve and Bucky know that I'm still alive. I left before Steve woke up for a reason, I still can't face it, and now both of them will be trying to find me. It's two a.m. but I can't focus on anything other than how soon it will be before Steve and Bucky find me and I have to confront that issue again. All I have been doing is pretending that nothing had happened, but it's only come back to haunt me again.

When it's seven in the morning I finally decide to get started with the day. Stumbling out to get some coffee in my system, I was lacking in the energy department from the restless night. Soon after I turned on the coffee maker I heard a knock on my door.

Making my way over to the door I open it without checking, there lies my first mistake, standing behind it was Steve Rodgers and Bucky Barnes. I could feel my eyes widen to double the size and my first response was to slam the door, but one of them managed to get their foot in to keep it open a bit, so I went to the next logical solution, shove with all my might. After struggling for a few minutes I was finally able to get the door shut and locked. Sliding on my back down the door I began to go into another mental breakdown, they are literally outside of my door.

Soon knocks came on the door, "Dolores! Please, we know you are in there! We just want to catch up! Please let us in!" Sure, Steve, I'll just let the issue that I've been avoiding for the last 70 years walk into my apartment. They both kept knocking on my door and asking me to let them in for another thirty minutes. That's when it went quiet, they probably gave up. And then subconsciously my body just stood up and opened the door, and two bodies came tumbling backwards into my apartment, Bucky and Steve were laying on their backs looking up at me.

"I don't know why I just did that, but I suggest you two get in here before I close the door again."

Within a second they were both on their feet inside my apartment... this will go well... not.