Chapter Text
The van hits the water, waking everyone else besides Steve and Thor, who’s stuck in Limbo. Loki panics as the water rushes in through the windows of the van. He unbuckles himself and grabs Selvig-who still has the sack on his head-out of the river and onto the shore.
Bruce pulls two regulators out from the front seat, the three of them taking in oxygen before they swim upwards. Clint moves toward Thor, who’s blood is seeping into the water. He checks for a pulse, but there isn’t one. He tries to wake Steve, but Tony pulls him away, before they lose too much oxygen.
On the riverbank, Loki and Selvig breathe quickly, exhausted. “I’m sorry, Loki.” Selvig says.
Loki stares at the rain hitting the water. “The will means that Dad wanted me to be my own man, not live for him.” He turns to Selvig. “And I’m going to, Uncle Erik.” Selvig nods. Loki turns to look at Clint and Tony sitting a few feet away from them. In the reflection of the puddle next to Selvig is Natasha, wearing a fitted suit.
Clint wipes the rain from his face, gasping for air. “What happened?” He asks.
“Rogers stayed.” Tony says.
“With Bucky?”
“No. To find Thor.”
Clint looks at the water. “He’ll be lost..”
“No. He’ll be alright.” Tony says, nodding his head.
--
Steve wakes up, coughing up water as it moves over him as he lays on the beach. He’s smaller again, and has scruff on his face. He’s older. He realizes this, and thinks of Bucky; how much time has passed without him. The Japanese security guard brings him into the castle, and he's given food in the dining room. Across from him, Thor’s there, in his 90’s, his body frail, his voice weak. Next to him is Steve's pistol, sand in the creases, and the spinning top. He watches an older Steve wolf down his food.
“So..have you come to kill me?” Thor asks. Steve doesn’t look up, but stops eating. “I’ve been waiting for someone to come for me..”
“Someone from a half-remembered dream..?”
Thor looks at Steve closely. “Steve? Not possible-he and I were young men together. And I am an old man..”
“Filled with regret?”
Thor nods slowly, remembering. “Waiting to die alone, yes.”
Steve stares at the table, then Thor. “I came back for you..I came to remind you of what you once knew..” Steve gestures at the table, then himself, in his regular body. The small version, the real version. “That this world is not real.” Thor spins the spinning top the security guard gave to him when he brought Steve in from the waves. It spins perfectly; never going to topple. He looks at it for a while, then back at Steve.
“You came to convince me to honor our arrangement?”
“Yes..And to take a leap of faith.” Thor glances at the gun next to him. “Come back. Come back and we’ll be young men together again.” Thor nods.
--
Steve’s back in the plane, the turbulence jolting him awake. The flight attendant-the woman from earlier-comes up to him with a tray of towels stacked in a pyramid and forms in her hand. “Hot towel, sir?” Steve shakes his head. “We’ll be landing in Los Angeles in about twenty minutes. Do you need immigration forms?” Steve nods.
He looks at Clint, who’s chuckling. They made it. Steve’s home. Tony’s slumped in his seat, looking at Steve with a small smile. His eyes reach Thor. Thor’s watching him, confused, trying to place where he is, who these people are, his arrangement with Steve. Thor remembers and picks up the phone and dials. Steve nods as a thank you.
In the airport, Steve’s in line to step towards the immigration official. His heart pounds fast as he walks towards the guy and hands him his passport. He tries to hide how nervous he is, watching the guy flip through his passport, as if this moment is in extreme slow motion. Is he actually on his way home? Or is he still in a dream? Steve gets out of his trance when the official stamps a page of his passport. Steve takes it and puts it in his pocket. Across from him, he sees Tony watching him. He nods, and Steve continues on his way.
Steve grabs his suitcase and exchanges subtle greetings with Natasha and Bruce, then sees Clint smiling at him. Steve knows they'll keep in touch. He'll miss them, but for now he's gotta see his family. He has to. Steve moves towards the arrivals hall, passing Loki, who’s messing around with his phone. Loki looks at Steve for a moment, trying to place Steve as if he should know him, but doesn’t care enough to look closer.
Erskine is waving at him, a huge smile on his face. They hug and continue through the airport to the car that will finally bring Steve home.
***
Steve enters the kitchen of the home he hasn't stepped a foot in for years, and drops his bags. He can finally rest. He looks out at the garden, then has to check that this is real. That all he suffered through was real. That the home he’s in is his. He takes out the spinning top and spins it on the table. Sharon and Becca’s shouts make him look up.
They turn, and scream with joy as they run towards him. Peggy is right behind them. He gives them all hugs, making sure that this is real. “I’ve missed you.” Peggy says. “We all have.”
Steve almost cries. “I’ve missed you guys so much. And now that I’m home, my heart can relax. I get to live my life now.” Steve says, smiling.
"We've built something!" Sharon says, taking his hand to pull him outside into the garden.
"What'd you build?" Steve asks, smiling bright.
"A house on a cliff!"
Steve, Sharon, Becca, Peggy, and Erskine walk outside and sit together. Steve relaxes, becoming caught in the moment. Trying to make sure this is real without the spinning top. He believes with all of his being that it is.
--
Back in the kitchen, on the table, the spinning top doesn’t topple.