A/N: I decided to write this because, if you watch deleted scenes in The Avengers, there is a scene where Steve is watching old video footage of him in the 40s as Captain America. There is one video shown on his laptop where he is climbing off a boat, leading a group of American soldiers onto a beach which I choose to assume was Normandy, since he did no fighting in the Pacific Theater. While Dwight D. Eisenhower was the leader of D-Day, I like to imagine that in the Comic/MCU verse, Cap was there as well. And since the Comics have Steve crashing into the ocean and freezing in early 1945, I believe it plausible that in the fiction world, he was there.
I know in Captain America: The First Avenger it showed people celebrating D-Day after the Valkyrie crashed, but I'm going to just disregard that and pretend it was V-Day instead.
Tony rolled over in bed, his hand hitting the empty pillow beside him. Frowning, he looked over to Steve's side of the bed to find it empty, and hardly slept in. He sat up and looked at the clock. 5:37. The rest of the team would be waking up soon anyway.
Sighing, he got out of bed and walked to the living room, hoping to find his sleepless boyfriend there.
Tony and Steve had a rough beginning, admittedly, but they worked it out. They may not have had a lot in common, but their clashing personalities seemed to even each other out. Steve had been unfrozen in 2011, it was 2014 now, and they had been together for a year and a half.
Looking out the window, he could see the sun beginning to rise, projecting a heavenly glow over the White House, making the Washington Monument stand out in the distance.
He walked into the dark living room and saw Steve, dressed in his boxing clothes that were still drenched in sweat. Old, black and white videos were playing on the TV of men climbing out of boats, lead by Captain America, onto beaches into enemy gunfire. Many men never made it all the way to shore, being struck down before even getting out of the water, but Steve, followed by his Howling Commandos, pushed through like a battering ram, shooting and running, never stopping to breath.
Steve stared blankly at the TV, eyes not focused, obviously lost in memories of that day without need of the videos as a reminder.
As Tony got closer the videos changed, and Steve jumped, watching as the scenes changed to ones panning the beach, showing the craters from bombs in the sand, the bodies of fallen Allies and German soldiers alike. The scene changed again to Steve and Bucky standing next to a man that Tony recognized as Eisenhower, the leader of the D-Day invasion, shaking hands with both men.
"It really was 70 years ago today, huh?" Steve monotoned from his seat. Tony froze. "I knew you were there as soon as you walked in. You're really bad at being sneaky."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Well, what do you expect from a guy like me? At least the reactor can't give me away anymore," he said as he came around the couch to sit by his boyfriend. He looked carefully at Steve's face, seeing the haunted look that was shown in the light of the TV. "You're nervous."
Steve scoffed. "Wouldn't you be?"
"No, not really. I would be excited that I get to meet up with people I haven't seen in years. So what if they look a little different?"
"It's not that…" Steve's voice trailed off, watching the videos again. On the screen he was receiving some award from President Roosevelt, smiling and waving at the crowd. "I don't know what it is. I know they'll remember me. I'm just… scared."
Tony knew that Steve was scared, but hearing him admit it was a little different. "You told Rhodey you would do this, and everyone thinks it'll be a good idea, even you did."
"Well, I changed my mind."
"Look at me," Tony grabbed Steve's chin and turned his face towards him. Steve kept avoiding his eyes. "Look at me, Steve." His eyes met Tony's reluctantly. You could see the sadness in his eyes.
"You are going to this not as Captain America, but as Captain Steve Rogers, a soldier who sacrificed his life to stop HYDRA and Hitler from taking over the world. You all fought for the same thing. You all fought for freedom and protection, and they respect that. They know that. They're not going to care that you look like a 30 year old instead of a 95 year old man. This will be a good thing for you. We even got you an old Captains uniform from 1945. Come on, everyone will be there."
Steve's eyes flickered to the TV once more, a silent tear dripping down his face. "Not everyone."
On the TV was Bucky, standing with Howard, Col. Philips, and Peggy, all holding up a drink with smiles on their faces, laughing at something Howard had said and saluting Steve, who was hiding behind the camera.
Tony held Steve when cried then. He cried about everything that was lost that day, every family that was ripped apart by the war, he cried for the life he never got, he cried for Bucky, and Howard, and Col. Philips, and for Peggy, who had died in her sleep just month earlier. And Tony held him, waiting for the ability to help Steve like he always wanted to when he got like this. He always felt so helpless. There was nothing to do but sit and hold him, and wait for his anguish to pass.
And if the rest of the Avengers noticed their sobbing Captain as they walked into the room, the said nothing, instead crowding around the couch and waiting with Tony for Steve's pain to pass.
"I don't know if I can do this."
Rhodey sighed, clapping Steve on the shoulder. "You can. I know you can. And frankly, I think you need it. It'll help you. I think so, Tony thinks so, and Sam thinks so, so you should listen to him at least because he actually knows what he's talking about."
Steve looked down at his uniform. Somehow, Fury had managed to scrounge up his actual Army Captains uniform from 1945. The last time he remembered wearing it was when they were planning his last attack on Red Skulls major HYDRA base. It looked like it did back then, right down to the scruff on the bottom of the right pant leg, where he had slipped while shinning his shoes, and left a barely visible black stain from the shoe shine.
"Come on, Steve. They don't want Captain America. They want Captain Steve Rogers, the man who led them 70 years ago onto the beaches of Normandy. You can do this. Everyone is waiting for you, man. You shouldn't keep the president waiting."
Steve took a deep breath. "Ok. Let's go."
He pushed the door to the ball room in the White House, and almost every eye turned his way. There was silence for a few moments before there was a roar of "Yeah, Steve!" and everyone started clapping. Feeling overwhelmed, he looked over to the middle of the group where the Avengers all stood dressed in their best black tie attire, standing with what was left of the Howling Commandos: Dum Dum Dugan, Gabriel Jones, and Jacques Dernier. Despite their age, as soon as they saw Steve they literally ran up to him, hugging him, clapping him on the back, and smiling so widely Steve thought their faces would split.
« Capitaine, je suis si contente que tu sois, nous avons entendu parler de votre combat à New York avec les Vengeurs et nous savions qu'il devait être vous, personne d'autre ne peut porter cet uniforme autour et battre le cul comme vous le faites—«
"Oh, shut up Dernier, no one has any clue what you're saying!" Dugan shouted with a laugh, rustling his now white handlebar moustache.
Steve laughed. « Il est bon de vous voir aussi, Jacques, tu m'as manqué tout autant. I a tout simplement pas été la même sans vous battre avec moi. »
Steve felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and came face to face with President Ellis. Steve hurriedly stuck out his hand for the man to shake.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Captain Roger," President Elis said with a smile, shaking Steve's hand excitedly. "I've always been a fan, and I've heard so many good things about you."
"The pleasure is mine, sir," Steve said, standing at attention and giving the man a salute.
President Ellis laughed. "Alright, alright, at ease soldier. This is a celebration; I won't have any of that tonight."
As the president walked away, a dozen other people walked up to Steve to greet him, talk about how their lives have been since they last saw him, and to thank him for stopping Red Skull from blowing up the planet. Steve recognized every single soldier there, having met all of them while helping lead them through the invasion.
The smile on Steve's face couldn't be any bigger.
Natasha walked up to Tony, who was standing on the other side of the room, beer in hand, regaling his tales of fighting the Red Skull with his old men in arms and the President, waving his arms around excitedly while talked, smile never leaving his face as he talked with the laughing group of people.
"How did you know he needed this?"
Tony smiled. "How could he not need this? He's needed it for a long time now, he just didn't realize it."
Natasha smiled, looking over at their Captain once more. "I think life for our Captain will be very different after this."
Tony nodded. "I know. He's happy. And hopefully this will help him move on. Remind him that crashing that plane gave him something to live for. Just not in the way he thought, I suppose."
Thor's booming laughter at one of Dum Dum's stories could be heard over the roar of everyone else. Clint was leaning on Rhodey trying to keep himself up from laughing so hard, and Rhodey just stood shaking his head in amusement. Steve looked up and met Tony's eye. He winked and waved him over.
"Tony, Natasha," he shouted as President Ellis nearly spit all over Gabriel laughing so hard. "You have to hear this, it's hilarious!"
Tony nodded and Natasha grabbed his arm as they walked over.
Yeah. Steve would be alright.
A/N: In case any of you didn't know, today, June 6th, 2014, is the 70th anniversary of the invasion on Normandy, France known as D-Day, also a major turning point in a war against Nazi Germany and their reign over Europe.
This was written in honor of those who risked their lives, or lost their lives, in an effort to make the world a better place, and end Nazi violence in Europe. You may be gone, but your sacrifice will never be forgotten.
"You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have
striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The
hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.
In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on
other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war
machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of
Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well
equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of
1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats,
in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their
strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home
Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions
of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men.
The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to
Victory!
I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in
battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!
Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great
and noble undertaking."
-Dwight D. Eisenhower, June 6th, 1944