I Thought You Were Different: Part 6

Reunions

You hadn't yet had a chance to move some of your belongings into the compound, even though you weren't going to live there full-time.  Both you and Steve agreed that Brooklyn would remain as your primary home, because it had to be; it was the only way that the two of you could resist getting dragged back into this life again and to resist losing all of the privacy and normalcy that you had found.  After a quick run back to the house, Steve returned to the compound with clothes and accessories, leaving you with hope that he had picked out items that matched. Once you put together the best of your options and realized that maybe the man could be trusted, you made your way from the bathroom and into the bedroom, where Steve was ready to go, and had been for quite some time.

"I didn't get what you wanted, did I?" he asked almost shyly.  "I mean, you look amazing, don't get it wrong...but you don't look happy with it. Or me."

"No, you did good," you reassured him, "it's not about the clothes.  I think I'm just not really feeling excited for this party."

"Why not?"

"I mean...I'm ecstatic to see our kids again in the same place together, and I'm excited to catch up with the others and to hear what they learned at Xavier's, but..." you paused with a quiet groan, "I don't know, Steve, it's like a passing of the torch tonight, you know?  Like those of us who didn't come back are handing the job over to kids who are just barely ready."

"I see your point, I do," he answered.  Steve took measured steps towards you, his hands out for you to take as he got close enough.  "But, honey, we weren't really ready either.  Right? We were all thrown into this life when we were needed, and we did okay."

"But we can do it better now," you insisted, "we can make sure that they're prepared so much better than we were."

"So, Tony working with Anthony and Wanda teaching Brooke isn't preparing them?  Grant has been with the Four for over five years now. (Y/N), they're far readier than we ever were.  The only other spot is going to Allie, because the others are too young yet.  We get to suffer this agony for a few years to come."

You closed your eyes and tried to push away the images of your trio as members of the team, not wanting to face the inevitable.  They had seen terrible things in their young lives, from the dangers that you and Steve had survived, and they were active in the fight to save the universe from Thanos; somehow, those things still paled in comparison to what they would have to fight day in and day out.  Those events were moments in time, but the job as an Avenger was ongoing and filled with dangers every single day.  Despite it all, you had to give in, and realize that your fears were obstructing your rational mind from taking the lead.  "You're right."

"I...I am?"

"Don't you dare tell anyone I said that."

"Secret's safe," he smiled, putting his hands up in mock surrender.  "After all these years, no one would believe me anyway, that's for sure."

~~~

Even once you had arrived at the party, you weren't feeling overly happy about being there.  The sight of your children mingling and interacting with the team they had grown up with warmed your heart some, and the looks of pride that their aunts and uncles were giving them left you filled with it as well. 

Maybe Steve was right; they were trained and ready.  Their skills were proven time and again, and if their instructors hadn't felt as if they were solid in their abilities, this day wouldn't have come so soon.  It took a very conscious effort, but in that moment, you decided to let your fears go and move forward; if nothing else, you would do more to be sure that they would be well protected and you would help them to build their confidence as you worked at their side.