The Five Years (Romanogers)

Chapter 20: Return of the Stones

(Steve's POV)

I zapped through time and landed in 2014 Asgard. I landed in some sort of hallway. I looked around and saw gold everywhere. I figured it must be Thor's palace. I've never seen anything like it. Little golden engravements everywhere. I looked up to see many golden chandeliers with numerous candles. Paintings of the adventures of Odin, Thor, and Loki were all on the ceiling. I laughed when I saw the painting of Baby Thor.

I heard heels clanking down the hall so I ducked behind a pillar. It was a group of ladies and they all wore lavishing, expensive, and highly detailed dresses. One however was leading the way. I figured that must be Thor's mother. She looked like a queen, not to mention her crown. She was telling what I assume to be servants, to go to this large room. A young lady came out looking very confused.

"These are for you to wear Miss." The servent in a golden dress said.
"Do you need anything else?" Another in purple asked.
"N-no..." the woman unsurely responded.
"Is everything okay?" The purple dressed woman asked.
"Yeah. Did you guys happen to see a taking raccoon? He just attacked me and took the ether..."
The servants confusedly look at one another.
"Oh!" The red dressed servent laughed, "You must've had one to many drinks from the royal drinking room!" The four other servants laughed.
The other woman looked confused but thanked the laughing ladies and shut the door quickly.

That just be Jane! Rocket....
I waited for the women to leave before I went inside.
Before I went in I got out of my white time-travel suit. I knocked at the door, because I didn't want to startle her.

Jane opened the door.
"Yes?"
"Oh uh." I had to come up with an excuse.
"I'm here to check up on you! Yes! I heard you were not feeling the best."
"Oh actually I'm feeling better after that raccoon came and attacked me. Wow. That sounds weird."
I nervously laughed.
"Well Thor demanded that I did a quick check up anyways."
"Oh!" She slightly blushed, "Come in."

I sat her down on the white chaise and got out my brief case. I look the now liquefied reality stone and the sleeping drug so that she doesn't remember mine or Rocket's visit to her.
I cleared my throat, "This is a... pain killer. The needles may hurt but other than that you should feel good." She nodded and held out her arm. When I injected it she flinched but other than that didn't make any reaction.
I picked up the sleep drug, "Now this is a medication to make sure that the stone's chemical properties don't... spread unit your... blood stream." As I injected it I let out a breath I was holding in.
"Alright! I'll be going now."
"Thanks..." she passed out on the chaise.

One down five more to go.
                                        ————
I zapped into the remote planet of Morag. Wow... this place is a lot different from Asgard. As I walked down to where the stone came from I saw a passed out man. Ah, that's Peter! The 'idiot' Rocket and Nebula talked about occasionally.

I walked down into the vault where the power stone is kept. I took the now incased power stone rock thing and put it back into its place to later be stolen. That doesn't sound right but whatever.

Two down four to go.

                                       ————
I was back into 1970 again. This time, alone. I remember just the other day going here with Tony. He saw his dad again. It made me so happy to see him finally forgive and drop the resentment he once had for his father. I miss him. His sarcasm was quite nice to be honest. He was kind of a punk but that made he even more lovable.

I quickly change into an old military outfit and go down into the offices. I saw that lady who thought we were suspicious earlier and avoided her. She was making her way to the elevator but I ran and beat her to it. I wasn't going to let her see me again. She cursed me out as the doors shut right in her face. I did feel a bit bad.

I made my way down to the lab where Tony left the door to the Tesseract open. I put it back and walked back to the elevator. This time that lady was that was there before was there.
"Hey! Are you that jackass who didn't wait for me to get to the elevator?" She said looking displeased.
"I'm afraid I have no idea what you are talking about Ma'am." I looked away scared she would see right through me.
She let out an annoyed groan as I got into the elevator.
Thankfully she was too busy looking at her paperwork to notice that I was the one she reported earlier that day.

I quickly left to the men's bathroom to go leave when I saw Peggy. I stopped in my tracks. It's been so long.
I never got that dance.
Should I talk to her?
No.
Yes.
No, she can't know.

She was too busy looking at some file that she didn't see me standing there and bumped into me. Her files fell down.
"Oh! I am so sorry sir!" She vent down to get her file.
"No it's my fault." I also reached for her file but she got them first. I nervously scratched the back of my neck. She got back up and gave me a smile.
"You remind me of someone." She trailed off looking sad. "What is your name? I swear I've seen you before!" She laughed.
Crap!
"Uh. My name is Grant." Wow Steve, middle name! She knows your middle name.
"Huh." She said, "Lovely name! My name is Peggy Carter. I really have to go now but you seem quite interesting. I hope to see you around." She smiled.
I sadly shook my head, "That would be nice but I'm transferring tomorrow to another location."
"Well then good luck!"  She waved and walked off.

I felt so much better now and I don't know why. I guess it was closer to me. Peggy will always be my best girl but she wasn't my one and only. She was my first love, they aren't meant to last.
But I know that my love for Natasha will last for eternity.

Three down three to go.
                                     ————
As I made my way to the Sanctum Sanctorum I noticed a figure looking down at me. I knew that was the person I should give the time stone to.

"Steve Rogers, greetings." The lady called out to me.
"I see your friend Banner was correct, you would give my stone back."
"Yes." I took it out of my briefcase and handed to her. She examined it before putting it back in to the necklace.
"I know what you seek."
I looked at her confused, "What?"
"When you go, don't be to quick to rush. The treasure you seek will be hard to retrieve." She looked me dead in the eyes.
"Trust your instinct they will guide you more than you think." With that final statement she left.

I have no idea how she saw right through me soul and inner thoughts like that. She's right. I need to trust myself.

Sneaking back into the Avenger's tower was much easier than it should've been. I quickly popped in and out the mind stone back into Loki's staff.

Five down... one more to go.