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

Thirty

Before Steve could go home, he had one more thing that he had to do. Well, two more things. While Natasha fixed the date on her Time GPS, Steve entered another coordinate. He knew that they'd arrive at the same time, but he still hesitated for leaving her for a moment.

As they got sucked into the Quantum Realm, Steve opened his eyes long enough to watch Natasha shoot off in a different direction than he went. Hoping that she wouldn't be too annoyed when they both popped up on the other side together on the new and improved tunnel platform.

For a moment, Steve had thought about taking Natasha with him, but he knew that he needed to do this alone. It had been too suspicious when he and Tony traveled there. And despite himself, Steve had this urge to see Peggy again. To look at more of her pictures and just spend more time with her since he didn't get to when she was alive. Even if that meant looking around a dark, empty office by himself.

With the suitcase in hand, Steve materialized in the warehouse. A whole bunch of dangerous junk laid around and Steve wondered how they could be so disorganized. Especially when this stuff was dangerous.

Nevertheless, Steve placed the newly restored Tesseract into its place. Letting out a breath of relief, Steve could finally breathe easier. It was done. He could go back and live a quiet, peacefu--

"Steve?"

Spinning around, Steve found Peggy standing there. Her pale skin blanched when she took him in and she quickly grabbed onto the back of a chair to steady herself. Quickly Steve rushed to her before she dropped to the floor.

"You're... You can't... I thought... No..." Peggy attempted to gather herself, but couldn't find her words.

Instead, she simply stared at him with wide eyes filled with so much awe. Of course, she never thought that he survived before he showed up in 2012. Steve's heart ached. He had been blindsided before, only... He wouldn't be able to stay the way his loved ones had.

Reaching up, Peggy touched Steve's face. Almost as though she had been expecting him to vanish. Even when his own arms were wrapped around her, holding her up.

"You're alive," Peggy finally breathed. Steve nodded, and Peggy asked, "How?"

Looking around at all the junk -- and being in a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility that had HYDRA as its under belly -- Steve shifted uncomfortably. Peggy must've understood because she instantly regained herself and removed herself from Steve's grip.

Briskly, Peggy led them out of the warehouse. There was a moment where Steve was self-conscious and worried that someone would recognize him. Especially since he wasn't exactly dressed for the time. Sure, he wasn't in one of his Captain America suits, but his tactical gear was still more modern than what others were wearing.

All but pushing Steve into her office, she closed the door behind herself and closed the blinds. The pair were in complete darkness for a moment before Peggy turned on the light. While Steve blinked his eyes until he was used to the sudden change, Peggy studied him. He wondered what she saw.

"How?" Peggy asked, incredulous that Steve was actually there.

"The ice," Steve answered, taking a seat. Since Steve did, Peggy did too. Steve scratched the back of his neck as he chuckled under his breath, "They found me in it. Thawed me out."

"When?" Peggy's brows furrowed. Anger coloring her expression, "Why wasn't I contacted?"

"Because it hasn't happened yet," Steve thickly swallowed. When confusion seeped back into her, he continued, "In 2012, they found me. Right before the Chitauri attack -- they're aliens." Peggy's brows flew up on her forehead and Steve nodded, "I know. Although that wasn't even the craziest thing that happened. There were more aliens. Gods! Robots who wanted to cause the extinction of the human race. But none of those lived up to... Thanos."

Reaching over, Peggy covered Steve's hand and gave the top of his a squeeze, "It's alright, darling. You don't have to elaborate."

"Thanks," Steve sighed in relief. Eyes flittering over to the frames on her desk, he gestured with his chin, "You have a beautiful family."

"I do," Peggy agreed, beaming. Letting go of Steve's hands, she grabbed a decorative gold frame. The picture on her wedding day. Showing it to Steve, she said, "This is my husband, Daniel. You saved him, you know. You saved a lot of people."

"So did you, Pegs," Steve replied, getting a closer look at the picture. Half-wanting to see if he could remember the man, but not wanting to spiral down into the black hole of despair that those memories caused him.

Instead of continuing that story, she picked up a frame with different buttons glued to it. A child's art project, perhaps. Steve's smile grew when he saw a picture of the little boy. He had his father's nose and Peggy's smile. Peggy told him, "This is our Steven Michael." Steve's eyes snapped up from the portrait to Peggy while she kept her gaze on her son, "He's so wildly imaginative."

"Pegs," Steve wetly said, his throat tight with emotion. Eyes roaming over the picture of the little brown haired boy as he used his fingers to enlarge his grin and crossed his eyes in a silly gesture.

"And this," Peggy handed Steve a frame decorated with lace, "Is Colleen Angela. She's the queen of pretend and even gives her god mother a run for her money."

"Oh," Steve exaggerated as he touched his heart. The little girl took after Peggy. Especially as she stood there in a power stance with one hand on her hip and the other holding a play wooden sword. Steve gushed, "She's perfect. They both are."

"We're very lucky," Peggy confirmed. After a moment, Steve tore his eyes from the photos in his grasp and looked up at the brunette. Peggy was watching him and she asked, "Are you happy?"

A smile tugged at Steve's lips as he honestly answered, "I am. I wasn't for a long time, but I am now."

"Good," Peggy's smile grew.

Handing the pictures back to her, Steve declared, "I even found Bucky."

The frames fell and clanged against the desk. Wide-eyed, she looked over to Steve again, "What?"

"He didn't die like we thought," guilt instantly coiled in his stomach, "HYDRA got him. They conditioned him... broke him to his very core... for fifty years he was their weapon."

"Steve, we ended HYDRA," Peggy was still in shock.

He shook his head, "We just cut off a head. It grew back and infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D."

"I beg your pardon," Peggy scoffed, rolling her eyes at the audacity.

"Pegs," Steve said softly.

Peggy spotted the sincerity and cursed, "Zola," before quickly jotting a note down for herself. Something about calling an exterminator, Steve smirked. Shaking her head, she teased, "If only you could forever be here."

"If only," Steve dramatically sighed, earning a giggle from Peggy.

"When do you have to leave?" Peggy asked.

"Soon," Steve reluctantly answered. Wishing that he and Bucky could've lived their lives with the friends they bonded with in the war. Wishing even more that Steve could bring all of them with him to the future. "Bucky's waiting for me."

"Then, it's best not to keep him waiting," Peggy sadly smiled, standing from her desk. Hesitantly, she held her arms open in invitation. Without even debating it for a second, Steve embraced her, holding her close. It had been far too long since he had seen Peggy, or talked to her, let alone hugged her. And really, there was no way that he'd turn down that opportunity.

Reluctantly, he pulled back, dropping a kiss to her cheek as he typed in the time and coordinates on the Time GPS. His heart clenched when tears silently rolled over her checks. His own tears started building as he told her, "Goodbye, Pegs."

"Goodbye, my darling."