Cat gathered in the woods by a small, makeshift time machine Bruce— Hulk— whoever he was— had set up.  Sam and Bucky were there too— Steve was going to go return the stones to their rightful places in time.  Sam, Bucky, and Cat were there to say goodbye— just as a precaution. They didn't want to regret not saying anything. 

"Remember," began Bruce, opening a heavily armored case with the six stones inside.  "You have to return the stones to the exact moment you got them, or you're gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities."

"Don't worry, Bruce," replied Cap, closing the case Bruce had handed over to him.  "Clip all the branches."

"You know, I tried," said Bruce, looking down.  "When I had the gauntlet, the stones, I really tried to bring her back." He turned to Steve. "I miss her, man."

"Me too," said Steve quietly.

Sam, Steve, and Cat walked back over to the platform where Cap was to stand, with the case of stones.  Bucky stood there, waiting.

"You know, if you want, I could come with you," offered Sam.

Steve turned to face him.  "You're a good man, Sam," he said.  "This one's on me though."

Steve then walked up to Bucky, who stared him in the eyes and waited for him to say something.

"Don't do anything stupid 'til I get back," remarked Steve.

Bucky broke into a grin and shook his head.  "How can I?" he said.  "You're taking all the stupid with you."

They looked at each other for another moment, then hugged.

"Gonna miss you, buddy," said Bucky.

"It's gonna be okay, Buck."

Bucky smiled at his friend once again.  Steve then turned and gave a hug to Catarina.

"Watch him, okay?" he said.  "Left him some of that stupid.  Make sure he takes care of it."

Cat laughed.

"I will," she said.  "See you in a minute, Steve."

He nodded to her, then turned to the platform and stepped on.  The machine began whirring.  He pressed a button on his suit to trigger the nanotech.  A white time-travel suit covered his blue one. 

"How long is this gonna take?" asked Sam. 

"For him, as long as he needs.  For us, five seconds," Bruce returned.  "You ready, Cap?" Steve nodded.  "Alright, we'll meet you back here, okay?"

"You bet," said Steve.  A helmet came from his suit and covered his face. 

"Going quantum.. three... two... one." Bruce pressed a couple buttons on his control pad.  With a flash and a shrinking motion, Steve was out of sight. 

"And returning in five.. four.." Cat, Bucky, and Sam watched with intent, almost waiting for something abnormal to happen. "Three.. two.. one."

Bruce flicked a switch— but there was no flash.  Steve wasn't standing there. 

Bruce sprung an confused look. He looked at his computer, then flicked some more switches and buttons.

"Where is he?" asked Sam.

"I don't know, he blew right by his time stamp," said Bruce.  "He should be here."

Out of the corner of her eye, Cat saw Bucky turn around, looking at something in the distance.

"What're—" she cut herself off. 

"Get him back," said Sam, behind them.

"I'm trying."

"Get him the hell back," he said, angrier.

"Hey, I said I'm trying," returned Bruce.

"Sam," said Bucky, stopping the bickering.

Sam's head turned from Bruce to Bucky.  He walked to where he and Cat were standing and looked where they were looking.  A man sat on a bench some meters away, staring out at a lake.  Beside him was a circle-shaped, flat brown bag.  Cat could guess who it was.

They walked over to the man and stared from a distance, but Bucky nodded for Sam to go. 

"Go ahead," he said with a smile.  Cat stepped forward to go, too, but Bucky put a hand on her shoulder.  She stepped back, taking the sign.

They conversed for a minute, then Steve took the bag next to him and opened it.  He took the contents out and handed Sam the shiny, red and blue shield. Sam looked back at Bucky for approval.  He nodded. 

Sam picked up the shield and held it up to himself, then put it down to his side.  They conversed for a couple seconds longer, then shook hands.  A gold wedding band showed on his finger.  Sam asked about it, but Steve didn't seem to give a straight answer. 

He stood up as he shook Sam's hand.  He then turned behind him and nodded to Bucky and Cat, who smiled back.  He then walked back the way he'd come, the other way down the path.

——— ✪ ⍟ ✪———

Maybe it hadn't seemed like it at first. Cat didn't think so, anyway. But Bucky hated that Steve wasn't there anymore. She could tell.

He'd been quiet lately. He didn't want to kiss her, he didn't want to talk... most of the time, they just sat together. In silence. Of course, Cat could tell what he was thinking, really. But it wasn't ever much. They never really talked. A lot of the time it was, "what should we eat for dinner?" and then a, "I don't know."

Bucky never started conversations.

It had only been two days, though, right? It was just trauma. It was overbearing. But Cat didn't like time to think anymore.  It was always time to think.  Silence sucked.

"Okay, Bucky?" said Cat, one night, after peering over a sushi restaurant's menu.  She hadn't really been looking at it, though.  She'd been thinking.

"Hmm?" he replied.

"Bucky."

"What."

"You have to talk about it."

He sighed. "I don't have to," he said.  "I'm fine."

"Really?" she asked. She walked out of the tiny kitchen of their very tiny temporary apartment in Manhattan.  "Because you haven't been acting like it.  You haven't been talking.  And I know you, you're quiet, but not like this."

"I'm just tired."

"Tired.  James, you're always tired.  I'm tired too, Bucky.  I'm exhausted.  But it's just gonna weigh down on you more if you don't talk about it.  I know you're sad about Steve—"

"I'm not!" he yelled, finally.  He then put his head back and covered his eyes with his hands.  "I'm not... I'm not sad."

"Then what is it?" said Cat, her voice less firm than before.  "Because there's emotion there.  And you can't just keep it in like that."

"I'm angry.  I'm mad at him, okay?  But what can I do about that, right?  Because I have no idea where he is, or what he's doing.  He got his life, and I'm not there.  And I'm mad about that.  And maybe a little sad.  Because after all this, everything, everything, makes me so, so angry.  And upset.  And I don't know what I'm feeling.  But he's gone. That's fine, right?  I'm supposed to be fine."

"No one's supposed to be anything, Bucky," she said, sitting next to him.  "You saw me, the other day.  Breaking down.  Let your feelings go, Buck.  Please.  Because I'm here to help you.  And if you keep it inside, I'm telling you, it's going to get worse."

Bucky nodded.

"I'm sorry," he said to his girlfriend.  "I just... I feel like I'm not supposed to have feelings."

"Maybe because you weren't," she said.  "70 years is a long time not to have feelings, Bucky.  You get used to it, I'm sure.  I can't even imagine— they only had me for seven."

"I'm sorry, Cat.  For my little outburst." He smiled a little, for the first time in a couple days.

Cat laid on his chest and he ran his fingers through her hair.  "Don't be sorry," she said.  "It happens."

"I love you," he told her.

Cat put her hand on his cheek and looked him in his storm-blue eyes.  "I love you too," she said.  She smiled a little.  "You're so scruffly," she laughed.

"Really?" he smiled.

"I mean, your hair is longer than mine."

"Do you like it?"

"I like you," she said.  "I can barely see you."

"Let's cut it, then."

a.n.

it may be like 11 pm on Monday, but it still counts (?)

also this is the last chapter of this act!! i haven't finished writing the tfatws act so for now this may be the last chapter of this story for a little while! i WILL get it done though. and then you'll get some good stuff

anyway good night love you don't forget to vote byeeeee

molly