Time [ CA:TFA ]

Twenty- One

A/n: This is it. The end of the first book. Wow.

                      Twenty-One |

         “ He's gone, Steve. I'm sorry.”

2011

Kai watched anxiously as Steve laid in the "hospital room". A baseball game was going and he was dressed in a standard SSR training shirt with khakis.

Nick stood next to her watching as Steve's eyes fluttered a bit before they finally opened.

The " Nurse" entered with a smile as the baseball game played. Kai picked it out knowing Steve would remember it and hopefully figure out that something wasn't right.

" Good morning, " The Agent says before looking down at her watch, " Or should I say afternoon?"

Steve looked at her confused then around the room, " Where am I?"

" You're in a recovery room in New York City."

" The Dodgers take the lead, 8-4. Oh, Dodgers! Everyone is on their feet. What a game we have here today, folks. What a game indeed." The Announcer says and Steve looks at the Agent suspiciously causing Kai to grin.

" Where am I really?" Steve asks.

" I'm afraid I don't understand."

" The game, " Steve started looking at the nurse, " It's from May, nineteen forty-one. I know, cause I was there, " He gets up from the bed, " Now, I’m gonna ask you again. Where am I?"

" Captain Rogers..."

The agent pushes an alarm and Kai turns to Nick with a nod before disappearing and reappearing near the box set up.

" Who are you?"

Kai watches as two soldiers in black uniform enter the room and Steve knocks them through the wall causing her to hide a bit. She watches as he realizes that he’s on a movie set up and runs out of the place.

" Damn it, Rogers," Kai mutters shaking her head, as she watches the Agent call out a code 13.

Kai then disappears again outside in the middle of Time Square where Steve stood looking around in shock. She watched carefully as numerous SUV's encircled Steve and Fury step out of one of them.

She moved through a gap as Fury began to talk to Steve.

" At ease, soldier! Look, I’m sorry about that little show back there, but… we thought it best to break it to you slowly." Fury said looking at the blonde Super Soldier.

" Break what?"

Kai moved forwards slowly catching Steve's attention quickly. His eyes widened and his face paled as if he had seen a ghost which is what she should've been.

" You've been asleep, Steve, " Kai stated softly moving towards him, " For almost seventy years."

Steve looked at her in shock before he looked around him at the billboards and buildings.

" Are you okay Steve?"

Steve looked at her sadly, " Yeah. Yeah. I just... I had a date."

Kai's heart squeezed painfully and she nodded walking towards him still slowly before putting a hand on his forearm.

" Steve, come with me and I'll explain everything, " Kai said looking into her best friend's ocean blue eyes that had a hint of green.

Steve looked down at her still in shock and nodded mutely allowing her to pull him gently towards one of the SUV's.

••••

Kai stood in the archway between the kitchen and living room of her apartment letting Steve settled on the couch before she walked in and took a seat in the chair across from him.

She looked down at the mug of hot chocolate in her hand then up at Steve who was staring intently at her.

" Go on, " Kai said quietly, " I know you're curious as to why I'm still alive. How I'm even alive after the, " her breath hitched, " the fall."

Steve looked down at his hands before back up to Kai, " How are you? Is Buck still? Or is he..."

Kai let out a small sad chuckle at the mention of his name shaking her head, " He's gone, Steve. I'm sorry."

Steve's face dropped a little. He knew that he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up about his other friend being alive because she was. She was injected with the same serum that kept him alive for over 70 years. Bucky didn't have any of that.

" It's not your fault, Kai." He said trying to comfort the female.

Kai shook her head, she knew it was her fault. She could've saved them both very easily and they wouldn't be in the situation they were in now.

The three of them could've lived normal, happy life's until they died of old age. But that never happened and never would happen.

" Oh, Steve, " She said her voice cracking, " But it is."

He shook his head in disagreement and got up to crouch in front of his friend, " Kai, it's not your fault. You tried your best to save him. Now, tell me what happened to you, please Kai."

And so Kai told him everything. Well, almost everything. She didn't tell him Bucky was actually alive because she knew that even if he looked like Bucky, Winter wasn't their Bucky. While he was still Hydra's he wasn't their friend, he was their enemy.

Steve stayed over that night after Fury approved of it and laid on the bed with Kai who had her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat.

" Kai."

She looked up at Steve a bit, " Yes?"

" You know he loved you right? "

Kai's breath got caught in her throat, her eyes welling with tears, " Yeah, I know, " She closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek slowly, " And I loved him too."

And she always would.

She realized then that their Time together was not measured by the ticking clocks but by the moments they spent together.

So with that thought, she fell into a peaceful sleep at the sound of her friend's heartbeat.