Not Without You: Book 1 (Canon-Divergence Stucky Fix-it-Fic)

Four

Pulling into the field, Steve stopped his motorcycle. Behind him, he could hear the gravel crunching beneath the van's tires. Slowly, Scott approached Steve's hidden camp. So slowly that Steve impatiently waved his hand as though he was trying to guide him; when really Steve just wanted him to hurry up.

Should've let Cassie drive, Steve couldn't help but think when Scott finally put the van in park.

"So, what's the plan?" Cassie asked, hopping out of the van before Scott even cut the engine. Again, straight to the point. Just the way Steve preferred.

Steve shrugged while Scott quietly rushed, "Peanut, you can't just demand things from Captain America like that." Turning an apologetic eye to Steve, he defended, "She's new to all this."

"It's alright," Steve reassured before honestly answering the teen, "I'm not really sure. I didn't think I'd get this far."

"You traveled all the way to San Francisco without having a plan?" Cassie blinked incredulously at him. Shaking her head, she mumbled, "And here I was thinking you were the, Star Spangled Man With a Plan."

Huffing out a small good-humored scoff, Steve glanced over his shoulder to watch as she approached the pop-up camper. Simply looking over the small trailer vehicle without attempting to climb inside. Scott paused next to Steve and kindly assured, "We can come up with something."

Glancing over at the man, Steve couldn't help the small tick to his lips as he gestured for him to lead the way. As they joined Cassie at the camper, Steve opened the door, allowing them to enter first. Cassie gladly accepted the offer and climbed inside. Instantly moving towards the back and examining the interior and the minimal way Steve lived.

Peeking into the small bathroom. Looking over the messy evidence board on the wall next to his bed. Lifting her hand to follow the different colored yarn connecting pictures of those taken, to detailed articles, to cards of people who might've been able to help come up with a solution.

Not that it did any good. Not before San Francisco, at least.

Scott climbed in next and noticed the mini-fridge. Eagerly, he questioned, "Do you have food? I'm starving!"

"I have some leftovers," Steve offered, climbing inside and closing the door behind himself. Self-deprecatingly, Steve warned, "I'm not the best though. So, it'll probably taste like a gym sock."

"I think you underestimate just how hungry I am, Cap," Scott replied, opening the compact fridge and removing a blue container.

Awkwardly standing there, Cassie finally asked, "Is there some place to sit? Or...?"

Steve's eyes followed hers over to his unmade bed, and he blushed as he crossed the small area to the bed. Reaching for the handle in the storage area below, he pulled out one of the benches and waved his hand for her to sit. Pulling another handle, he revealed a hardwood table top, in which Cassie immediately rested her elbows on.

Pulling out the other bench, Steve stood there for another moment as he wondered, "Are you hungry?"

"Depends," Cassie quirked a brow, watching as her father popped the safe container into the microwave.

"Well," Steve chewed on the inside of his lower lip as he offered, "If you don't want leftovers, I think that I have some tofu that I could fry up."

Surprised, Cassie smirked, "Captain America is a vegetarian?"

"Bucky is," Steve conceded with a small smile. Then, he remembered that Bucky wasn't just a Skype call away. He wasn't anywhere or anything away. Clenching his jaw, Steve quietly corrected, "Was."

Pressing her lips together, she dropped her eyes to the table. Steve didn't miss the sympathy painted on her face though. But he wasn't going to voice his appreciation. Instead, he continued, "I know how to fry 'em just right so they taste just like chicken nuggets."

"Just like chicken nuggets?" Cassie feigned suspicion as she playfully admitted, "I don't believe it."

"Then, I guess I'll just have to make 'em and have you see for yourself," Steve grinned, stepping around Scott to grab a skillet from the overhead cupboard.

As he reached for the vegetable oil beneath the sink and the prepared tofu from the fridge, the microwave beeped. Instantly, Scott pulled out the heated dish and started shoveling the hot food into his mouth. Closing his eyes, he groaned and informed Steve, "This is heaven."

"I don't think anyone's ever said that about my cooking before," Steve chuckled to himself as he started heating the oil on the small hob.

"They really should," Scott praised around a mouthful of leftover vegan chili. Taking the seat across from Cassie, Scott reached over with his free hand and gave hers a comforting squeeze.

Steve tried not to encroach on their moment, and instead focused on his task at hand. Steve was good with tasks. They gave him a purpose. And Steve desperately needed a purpose. Even if it was simply making food.

Once Scott polished off the mock-meat dish, he placed the empty container in the small sink. Taking his seat again, he blurted, "What the hell happened?"

Plating the fried tofu bites, Steve blew out a puff of air before answering, "Thanos happened."

"Thanos?" Scott asked, looking across the table to Cassie who simply shrugged as she popped one of the crispy squares into her mouth.

"An interstellar tyrant who's mission was, 'fair genocide,'" Steve explained, leaning against the counter. Crossing his arms, he set his gaze on the middle-distance and thickly swallowed, "And he succeeded. He wiped out half of all existence."

"More than half," Cassie quietly added. Keeping her own eyes on her food as she clarified, "They don't take into account all the preventable deaths caused by accidents."

"More than half," Steve amended, glancing at the teen before looking down at his feet.

"Jesus," Scott breathed. Aloud, he wondered, "How?"

"He fashioned a gauntlet to hold the infinity stones," Steve informed emotionlessly. He explained, "They're pure energy and whoever welds them are the epitome of powerful. With a snap of his fingers --" Steve snapped for added effect "-- he did exactly what he set out to do."

After a moment of silence, Scott asked, "What do we do now?"

Steve smirked, "Was hoping you'd know what to do."