Chapter Text

Feeling more exhausted than he thinks he ever has before, Steve bends down, shushing SJ as he coughs weakly, murmuring fitfully as he dozes against Steve＊s shoulder.

※Shush, shush, just putting you down,§ he soothes as he carefully lays SJ down on the bed, one hand cradling the back of his head. He folds the blankets over him, knowing how SJ hates being cold, then steps back quietly, rubbing his mouth with his fingertips. SJ coughs again but sleeps on, a small frown between his eyebrows and mouth hanging slightly open. Outside the sun is just starting to set, the sky turning a beautiful lavender colour as the last of the light draws away. It feels like weeks since Steve was watching the sun rise, walking through the quiet streets on his way towards the Brooklyn Bridge.

※We need to go,§ Seven says quietly behind him, and Steve nods in acknowledgement. He can already hear voices on the floor below, footsteps on the wooden stairs as more and more people arrive.

He turns away and meets Seven＊s eyes for a moment. He＊s put the chain back around his neck, though the ring is lying on the outside of his suit, next to the star. Steve wishes he＊d put it away; he＊s seen more than enough evidence of what can happen between him and Tony in the past few hours, he doesn＊t need any more reminders.

God. It＊s so stupid; there＊s a whole new level of intrigue and question been brought into the situation and the one thing he can＊t shake is the way his alter-egos looked when kissing Tony.

He lingers for a moment, not really wanting to leave SJ. He＊d fallen into a fitful sleep on the walk back, curled up in Steve＊s arms with tears still clinging to his eyelashes. It＊s breaking Steve＊s heart, seeing how lost, confused and upset SJ is. He can＊t help but feel guilty as well, seeing as he was the one that agreed to SJing with them today.

※He＊ll be okay. Just exhausted.§

Seven sounds subdued and tired as well, voice quiet from where he stands in the doorway.

※I know the feeling,§ Steve replies heavily, and then turns away and walks over to join him. Seven doesn＊t reply, just reaches out and claps him once on the shoulder before they head downstairs and walk into the room where the rest of the Steves are assembling. Themander is there, looking harried, so are Stephanie and Brooklyn and many other versions that he recognises. The Steve with the robot arm catches his eye even though he＊s skulking at the back; his movements are so very different to the majority of the other Steves, some lingering shadow in his expression that Steve doesn＊t understand.

Steve can＊t spare much thought for working it out though; the room is quickly filled and they＊re all looking at him and Seven expectantly. Most of them are frowning and Steve supresses the urge to cover his face with his hands, promising himself he＊ll stop doing it as much when he gets back home. Maybe Clint＊s jokes about patenting his disapproving look had been warranted after all.

※Tough crowd,§ Seven mutters in an undertone, standing shoulder to shoulder with Steve.

Sighing, Steve reaches up to rub at his mouth again, pulling at his lower lip. ※Did you ever do the USO show with the 107th?§

Seven pulls a face. ※I tried,§ he replies, and then themander is there in front of them, one brow lifted in question.

※Why the emergency meeting?§ he asks, and Steve tries not to be irritated by the way the question is clearly directed at Seven, like he＊s not even there. He＊s the new guy here after all, the anomaly.

※We went looking for some explanations as to why this Steve is here when he＊s alive,§ Seven says, and the rest of the room falls silent, everyone listening hard. The only sound is their breathing, not even the shuffle of a boot on the floor or the rustle of clothing. ※We went into the mist,§ Seven continues. ※And there was something or someone out there.§

A murmur goes through the room. ※What the fuck do you mean?§ asks a Steve in modern military fatigues, and Steve thinks helplessly of the glimpse of the Steve dressed like that, laughing with Bucky in that sandy camp somewhere, beer in hand and expression lit up.

※Something spoke to us,§ Seven says, and the room is again so still they could hear a pin drop. ※All we saw was a shadow, something moving, and it spoke-§

※What did it say?§ Stephanie breaks the tense silence, arms folded across her chest.

Seven looks at Steve, who breathes out and lifts his chin. ※It knew me 每 us 每 by name. It said ＆Steve Rogers, you are here to learn.＊

※Learn what?§ someone asks, sounding suspicious.

※No idea,§ Steve says shortly, and keeps talking because they've not heard the kicker yet, the piece of information he's pretty sure they'll all be interested in. ※It also said that we＊re not supposed to be here. Not just me, none of us.§

※Wait, what?§

※None of us?§

※What the hell do you mean?§

※This isn＊t heaven,§ Seven says bluntly. ※This isn＊t the afterlife we were supposed to have. We saw the places we were meant to be 每 the thing out there whatever it was whipped up a hell of a storm and we saw all these places, the real places were supposed to be. With the people we＊re supposed to be with.§

※So why are we here?§ a shorter-Steve demands, and Steve has a brief moment to feel grateful that they all actually believe them. What they＊re saying isn＊t in question; it＊s only the explanation behind it all that they want.

※We don＊t know,§ Seven says. ※I think it＊s to do with Steve, this Steve.§

And just like that, all eyes are once again on him. Some look curious, some look way and a few look downright angry. Steve doesn＊t really blame them.

※I＊m the odd one out here, right?§ he says, to a general murmur of assent. ※So when the thing talked about learning＃it said something about too many battles and wars, and that we had to learn. I had to learn. We both heard it, but I think it was directed at me. You＊re all 每 you＊re all dead, right? You＊ve all got your 每 your afterlives, or whatever the hell they are. I＊m the only one that can actually learn and go back and change things.§

※It＊s about the Civil War,§ a voice says, and Steve looks around to see Eight in the doorway, face oddly blank and eyes staring at the floor. ※It＊s got to be.§

※Not everything is about-§

※You heard him,§ Eight says tonelessly, his normal prickly agitationpletely absent. ※Too many wars? Has to learn?§ He blinks, and then lifts his head. ※How many of you went through Civil War, or something similar? How many lives were messed up because of it? How many universes were left a mess because of it?§

No-one moves, but the point is made.

※So if this is someone trying to manipulate the multiverse to prevent Civil War happening in his dimension,§ themander says slowly, jerking his head towards Steve. ※What is it he＊s gotta learn so he can avoid it?§

Eight laughs hollowly at that, plucking at his torn uniform. ※If I knew, you think I would have ended up like this?§

※We need to go and check this out,§ someone says, and there＊s more agreement. ※Into the mist.§

※We＊ve been into the mist before and seen nothing like what they＊re saying happened,§ Stephanie points out.

※Ten bucks says it＊s because of this Steve,§ Seven says, tipping his chin towards Steve. ※Like he said, he＊s the one that＊s got to do the learning, he＊s the only one that can actually go back and change things.§

※Well he better hurry his ass up with the learning,§ robot-arm-Steve suddenly says, and he＊s right there behind Stephanie and how the hell did he move so far across the room without Steve noticing? ※If this isn＊t where we＊re supposed to be, I＊d quite like to get back to where I am supposed to be, with the people I＊m meant to be with.§

※Why don＊t any of us remember where we were before?§ Brooklyn asks, wedged in between robot-arm Steve and a captain-sized Steve in a three-piece suit, and as usual he's lookingpletely unperturbed by how they tower over him.

※We saw it,§ Seven says shortly. ※We saw the Avengers, Peggy, Bucky-§

※With Tony?§ Someone interjects, and Seven＊s mouth tightens.

※Yeah,§ he says shortly. ※A hell of a lot of us with Tony, actually. Some people I didn＊t recognise- §

※Sharon?§ someone asks, and another voice is asking about someone called Emily, and Steve hears more unfamiliar names; Ian and Edward and J-

※I don＊t know, I don＊t know who they are so I wouldn＊t have recognised them,§ Seven says, holding up his hands. ※I＊m sorry.§

※It does make sense,§ themander says slowly, and Steve glances at him. ※The things here that don＊t add up. The missing ages. The distorted sense of time＃§

※We need to go check it out,§ a voice insists, and he nods.

※You willing to go back?§ he says, and Steve realises that this time he＊s talking to him.

※Yes,§ he says, because it＊s only fair on the others that they get to see what he and Seven did, and maybe the voice will be able to shed more light on the situation. ※Right now?§

※No,§ themander decides, and then raises his voice and turns to the rest of the room. ※We＊ll go back tomorrow afternoon,§ he says. ※Anyone who wants to go, give me your name. ※We＊ll draw lots at midday, first ten names will go first.§

The rest of the Steve＊s all nod in understanding, though some don＊t exactly look happy about the decision. Steve finds he＊s glad that he＊s got until tomorrow to wrap his head around what he＊s seen before he potentially has to do it all over again, and he＊s willing to bet that the decisions to only let ten go at a time is so that no untoward attention is drawn to them.

He watches as Stephanie moves over to Seven, her expression determined. She pulls him around by the elbow, and he can hear her low urgent tone even if he can＊t discern what she＊s saying over the rest of the conversations in the room. He clearly reads the look on her face though, the uncertainty and grief and desperate desire to find out more, and he just knows that they＊re talking about Tony and what Seven saw of him earlier.

Glancing around, he wonders if any of these fellas belong in any

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