Eleanor's POV

Natasha and I stood by the car as Steve fumbled with the ignition, his hands sure but careful, like he was trying not to break anything.

I scanned the street, ensuring no one was approaching. For the first time in a long while, I felt... normal. Happy. I'd always been the kind of person who carried light, but losing Riley had left a shadow I hadn't realized was still there.

And now, here I was, with Steve Rogers. The man my great-aunt Peggy had loved for years. That love didn't change just because life moved on. Somewhere deep in her heart, she would always care for him.

I remembered one afternoon, years ago, when I was at her house with Sharon and our parents. I had wandered up to Peggy's study looking for something, and instead found her old photo deck. Among the papers and pictures... There he was—Steve Rogers, frozen in time. I'd slipped them back carefully, keeping my great-aunt's secret.

Peggy had known I saw them. She had told me stories, just her and me, about Captain America—her Captain. And I promised I'd never tell anyone. Not my parents, not Sharon, not even anyone else in our family. That promise had meant everything to her, and it became ours.

We'd always walked together after that, rain or shine. Even when Alzheimer's came, and she didn't always remember me, I went every day. Because some part of us remembers love, even when our minds forget.

"Ella, you coming?" Steve's voice was soft, steady, the way it always carried calm even in chaos.

I turned to him, a little startled. "Sorry... really, Ella?"

"I mean..." he smiled, half apologetic, half teasing. "Are you ready to go?"

I nodded. "Let's go."

Natasha's POV

I glanced in the rearview mirror.

Eleanor's head rested against the window, fast asleep. For someone who carried sunshine around as she did, she looked surprisingly peaceful when she finally shut down.

I turned back to Steve.

"Eleanor's asleep," I said casually. "So... where did Captain America learn how to steal a car?"

Steve didn't take his eyes off the road.

"Nazi Germany."

I hummed. "Mm."

"And we're borrowing," he added. "Take your feet off the dash."

I smirked.

Steve being Steve.

So yeah, I did—dropping my boots to the floor. He gave me the smallest, satisfied smile.

I leaned back. "Alright. I've got a question for you. You don't have to answer it... But if you don't, you're kind of answering it anyway."

"What?" he asked.

I tilted my head toward him, amused.

"Was that your first kiss since 1945?"

He glanced over. "That bad, huh?"

I shrugged. "I didn't say that."

"Kind of sounds like you did."

"No," I said. "I just wondered how much practice you've had."

"You don't need practice."

I snorted softly. "Everybody needs practice."

"It wasn't my first kiss since 1945," he said. "I'm ninety-five. I'm not dead."

"Anybody special, though?" I asked.

He chuckled, but it was quieter this time.

"Believe it or not," he said, "it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience."

"Well," I said lightly, "that's alright. Just make something up."

He gave me a sideways look. "What, like you?"

I shrugged.

"I don't know. Truth's a matter of circumstances. It can't be everything to everyone all the time." I paused. "Neither can I. Or Eleanor."

"That's a tough way to live," he said.

"It's a good way not to die," I replied.

For a moment, the car was quiet except for the road.

"You know," Steve said finally, "it's kind of hard to trust someone when you don't know who that someone really is."

I looked out the windshield.

"Yeah," I said honestly. "Who do you want me to be?"

"How about a friend?"

I laughed softly.

"There's a chance you're in the wrong business, Rogers."

He didn't answer, just focused on the road again.

Behind us, Eleanor shifted. She pushed some hair out of her face, still half-asleep.

"Are we getting close?" she murmured.

I glanced back and smiled.

"Well, hello, Sleeping Beauty. Have a good nap?"

She smiled sleepily. "Pretty good."

Then she looked at me.

"You should get some sleep too, Nat."

I nodded, settling deeper into the seat.

Maybe I would.