Light of my Life (STONY)

14:07 PM

Steve's POV

I didn't even wait for the car to stop, I just got out.

"STEVE!" Yes, Tony was pissed at me - if I didn't see her before she passed then I'd hate myself forever.

"I'm sorry, I have to. Meet me in there," I yelled. I then turned and ran to inside and stopped abruptly at the front desk.

"Woah, calm down there," said the woman at the desk. She looked me up and down and I sighed and crossed my arms.

"Margaret Carter, where is she."

"Surgery," she replied promptly.

"What? Why!"

"She needs a blood transfusion. You wouldn't by any chance be free when you leave?"

"Not interested." I turned and sat down, I could see her out of the corner of my eye. Her face was slightly pink and she was talking to her coworker who then also looked at me and giggled. She made to came over and Tony sat down next to me.

"Anything?"

"She's in surgery for a blood transfusion," I replied hollowly. The other woman who was talking to the one at the front desk stood in front of me.

"Sir, this is Amander's number," she held out a piece of paper. "Call her." I laughed incredulously.

"I'm gay. Also, this isn't exactly the best time or place to be handing out people's phone numbers - not very respectful." The woman in front of me turned a deep shade of magenta.

"You wouldn't consider changing?"

"He has a boyfriend, move along Barbie," replied Tony. The woman scowled and walked off. "Steve, you can't just jump out of a moving vehicle-"

"Tony, she's the only person from my past that I have left. I can't lose her now, definitely not now."

"Why definitely not now?"

"This is the only time since I got out of the ice that everything's been going relatively well. Peggy was okay, I finally have someone I'm happy with... if I lose her then I don't know what I'm gonna do. I mean, I'm 96 - anyone from my past died a long, long time ago, Tony. I see her every week, even with her dementia she knows who I am. It's amazing that she can recognise me, let alone remember what I did." Tony put a hand on my shoulder. "It's bittersweet, really."

"In what way?"

"Sad that she might go but nice to know she'll be in a better place." He nodded.

"It's like that with everyone. But she's been a huge part of your life, I get it. Or maybe I don't, I dunno. But hey, I'm here for you if you need me." I looked down at him and smiled.

"Thank you, Tony."

"Yeah. Also, no public affection because neither of us are actually out yet."

"Got it," I replied. This was a secret that me, Tony, Clint and Nat had. I'd made it clear that if they told anyone they would be exiled on Asgard. Thor wasn't in on this but they hadn't said anything, so as of now we were good. We sat talking for a few hours and a man at the front desk called me over (I'd put my name down so I knew when she was out).

"She's out and she's stable but still in the coma. We had to operate now otherwise she might never come out."

"Thank you," I replied. "Can I go see her?"

"She's with a few nurses as of now so give it 5 minutes. I'll let you know when you can go in."

"Thank you." I went and sat back down. Tony was almost asleep, his elbow on the arm of the chair and his head propped up in his hand. "If you wanted to sleep you could've fallen asleep on my shoulder at least."

"No public affection, remember?" He yawned, but covered his mouth with his hand. "Besides, I'm fine. How is she?"

"I need to give it 5 minutes before I can do anything. He said he'd let me know." Tony nodded and leant his head on the wall behind him. "I'm sorry," I said quietly. "This wasn't how I anticipated this going."

"No, it's okay. You gotta make it right, you gotta do what you gotta do. I get it," he sighed. "Also, this was going way too well, something had to happen. Nothing ever runs a full course 'well'."

"Mr Rogers? You can go in now." I stood up and was shaking from head to toe, I didn't know what to expect. I didn't even know if I wanted to see her, but I didn't not want to see her.

"I'm with you, it's okay." He stood up next to me and brushed against my arm gently. Tony grabbed the name of the room from the front desk and walked me there. I placed my hand on the door and hesitated.

"If you want to go in by yourself I can wait out here. If you want me I'll be right here, okay?" He looked up and down the corridor and once checking it was completely empty, he placed his arms around my waist and placed his head on my chest.

"Thank you, Tony." I kissed him on the head and quietly pushed the door open. Tony sat on the floor next to the wall and I took a deep breath and walked in.

The door shut and all I could hear was a steady beep from her heart machine. She was pale as a ghost and looked so small on the bed. She had a blanket pulled to her neck and her breathing was light but steady. I took a deep breath and sat down on the chair next to her. I gently took her hand from under the blanket.

"Hey, Peggy," I breathed. "It's Steve. Well," I chuckled. "I know you know who I am. I've missed you, honey. I'm sorry I couldn't come and see you yesterday, it's my biggest regret. Now you might not make it and I-" I cut myself off. 1 because sometimes talking positively makes all the difference, and 2 because there was a lump in my throat and I didn't know if I could continue.

"I remember the first time I met you. I was a weedy, little kid from Brooklyn, taken on in a secret mission I didn't dare to believe. Then I thought you were dating Howard... that would've been awkward considering I'm dating his son," I laughed. "Then I met you and Doctor Erskine. Had the serum where I met Stark. Doc passed by death of a Hydra agent - you tried to shoot him and I pulled you off the side of the road. I was so mad at you - I'm sure you would've got him, but I couldn't watch you possibly get hurt and know I did nothing about it. Then, the shows, Captain America, the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan." I chuckled bitterly.

"I didn't know if I was going to see you again, I was so certain that putting the ship in the ice was gonna trigger the bombs and kill me. Then it didn't - crazy. I was woken up in a bunker, they were trying to convince me it was maybe a couple months since everything that happened. It'd been almost 70 years, the first thing I said when I was asked if I was okay was that I missed a date. Our date. Then I found out you were still alive - it was the gre-" The heart monitor was reading that her heart was going faster and faster. I got up and ran out, I was so dizzy I could hardly see where I was going, my breathing was shallow, quick. I burst out of the door and Tony stood up abruptly.

"Talk to me, what's happening. Take a deep breath, Steve, talk to me."

"She's- her heart - doctor, now..." Tony yelled for a doctor and about 4 came running over, making us leave. I wanted to fight them but miraculously, Tony managed to hold me there and convince me to leave her. I sank to the floor, still hardly able to breathe, tears running down my cheeks. He sat down next to me and pulled my head to his chest.

"It's alright, she's gonna be okay," Tony whispered. He ran his fingers through my hair and kissed the top of my head. "Steve, I need you to take a deep breath for me, okay? Look at me, breathe..."

Once he somehow got me to breathe again, Tony got up and walked to the vending machine around the corner of the corridor. He bought back 2 bags of chips, a couple of sandwiches and 2 bottles of water.

"It's not the best selection but it's what they had." I smiled weakly.

"Thanks for the gesture, honey, but I'm not hungry."

"I just spent $12.14 for you to not be hungry?" He said it in a sarcastic tone and I laughed. "It's fine, I'm not either. Just wanted something to take your mind off everything." We sat outside her room for another hour and the doctors finally left the room. They looked exhausted.

"What happened?" The head doctor looked at us and I stood up.

"It was a very sudden heart attack. I'm so sorry; Margaret Carter's time of death is 14:07 PM."