𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐋𝐘━︎━︎T. Stark ✓︎

𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞

CHAPTER FIVE:
PEGGY CARTER'S FUNERAL

VICTORIA STOOD IN HER'S AND Tony's shared room, putting a black dress onto her body along with black heels. Today was the funeral of Peggy Carter, and even though Victoria wasn't necessarily with him on the accords ordeal, she was still Steve's close, if not best, friend and she wanted to be there for him. A knock came on the bedroom door just as she was curling her hair into loose curls.

"You know this is your house, you don't have to knock." Victoria reminded her boyfriend, knowing it was him that was on the other side of the door. He opened the door, entering the room.

"Well, I didn't want to walk in on you if you were indecent." He defended. Victoria caught eyes with him through the mirror, an eyebrow raising in slight amusement.

"Since when did you or I ever care about that?" Victoria asked, finally turning to face him.

"Since you seemed upset yesterday." Tony told her. "Tori, I'm only doing this because I think it's best for us. It's best for the team. We've crossed too many lines, Nat was right when she said that we need to gain the people's trust back."

"I know." Victoria nodded her head. "You don't have to explain your reasoning to me, Tony. I'm with you on this, you should already know that. But, I know Steve isn't going to be, so there's only one thing I ask from you."

"Of course, anything." He nodded, coming closer to her and allowing her to grab his hands into her own. She looked up at him before she spoke.

"Don't make me chose between my best friend and my boyfriend. Because that's a completely different circumstance." Victoria told him. He nodded his head in understanding.

"Tori, I would never intentionally put that on you."

"I know that." Victoria said, a gentle smile on her face. "But, I have a feeling that it's somehow going to come down to that. And I don't want that."

"I don't want that either." Tony assured.

"Good." She smiled. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "I have to go meet Steve. I'll be meeting up with Nat afterwards to go sign."

"Be safe, you hear."

"Always am." She smiled.

"That's what you said last time." He mumbled. Victoria playfully rolled her eyes at him before giving him a kiss on the cheek and moving around him and walking out of the home. She met up with Steve and Sam, the trio all going to London where Peggy's funeral would be held. She and Sam sat in the front row whilst Steve helped carry in her casket, tears filling his eyes, but Victoria could tell that he was trying to be as strong as he could. When he joined his two friends, he sat in between them and Victoria placed a hand on his arm, giving it a small squeeze.

Once the Priest was finished giving his message he said, "And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words."

Sam nudges Steve, grabbing his attention. Sam nods his head towards the stand where a blonde woman stood, also known as Agent 13 of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as Steve's neighbor. Steve raised his eyebrows in surprise, Sharon's eyes meeting his for a brief moment before she looked away and started to speak. "Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of SHIELD . . . but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy." Steve, realizing who she was, let out a surprised breath. "She had a photograph in her office. Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK. As a kid, that was pretty cool. But it was a lot to live up to. Which is why I never told anyone we were related." As she said this, she directly looked at Steve. "I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. And she said, compromise where you can. But where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move . . . it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in they eye and say "No, you move.""

Once the funeral was over, Steve continued to sit there, and Sam decided to give him a moment alone. Victoria was going to do the same, but Steve asked her to stay, and so she did. She kept a comforting hand on his own whilst they sat there in silence. It was when they heard the click of heels that they both turned their heads to see Natasha walking towards them. They both stood up and moved to lean against the aisle.

"When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I had known was gone. Then I found out that she was alive. I was just lucky to have her." Steve softly said. Victoria placed a hand on his shoulder, sending him a soft smile.

"She had you back, too." Natasha told him.

"Who else signed?" Steve asked.

"Tony, Rhodey, Vision." Natasha answered him.

"Clint?"

"Says he's retired." Natasha answers, a small smile pulling at her lips.

"Wanda?"

"Tbd."

Victoria then decides to speak up, moving slightly away from Steve so that she could look up at the man. "Nat and I are off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. I'm sure there's plenty of room on the jet." She didn't want this to split them apart, so she had to try. But she already knew Steve's answer. Steve let out a soft sigh, bowing his head so that his eyes were looking on the floor.

"Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path. Staying together is more important than how we stay together." Natasha tried, sounding like she was trying to not only convince Steve, but herself as well.

"What are we giving up to do it?" Steve asked, looking back up at the two women who he had become close with over the years. Victoria frowns whilst Natasha lets out a soft sigh.

"I'm sorry, Nat, Vic. I can't sign it."

"We know." Victoria smiled, Natasha nodding her head.

"Then what are you doing here?" Steve asked, looking at Natasha as he asked the question.

"I didn't want you to be alone." Natasha told him. She then pulls him into a hug, and he hugs her back. They stay like that for a minute before Natasha pulls away. The redhead looks at Victoria who nods her head slightly, telling the woman she would be there in a moment. Natasha nodded her head before leaving.

"Just, don't do anything stupid, okay?" Victoria requested. "I don't like this, and I don't want us to be on opposite sides unless we have to be. We're still friends, even if I sign this."

"I know." Steve told her. Victoria gave him a small smile before giving him a hug as well. She gave him a kiss on the cheek before pulling away.

"I'll see you soon." She softly said before turning on her heel and walking out, leaving Steve to stand there by himself.