Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Pairing: Steve/Beth (the waitress, it's on her nametag, I swear!), allusions to others.

Summary: He probably won't ever read the letter and that's okay with Beth, it really is. Because all she wants to do is thank him. Post Avengers. Steve/Beth (the waitress)

Author's Note: okay, this is it folks. Wow. It's been great, you guys have been great. Seriously, I am so grateful to all of you! WARNING: This is fluffy. Like complete corny and some of you may not like it but this has always been the way I've seen this story end when I decided to continue with it, so I'm hoping that you all like it because we've come so far, so here's to hoping, I didn't manage to screw this up too badly. Also, I apologize in advance for any mistakes!

Sincerely

Part 6

…Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds

Or bends with the remover to remove

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken

It is the star to every wandering bark

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks

But bears it out even to the edge of doom…

William Shakespeare – Sonnet 116

"So, you're technically a seventy year old genetically modified human?" Beth asks slowly. She's trying to wrap her head around what he's telling her. Trying to come to terms with what he's confessing to her.

He smiles and it doesn't quite reach his eyes. He's leaning against the pillows but Beth can see by the way he moves, the way he breathes, the way he talks, that he's regaining his strength. Which is kind of astounding because if he were anyone else, they would still be unconscious. Or dead. But he's Steve (he's Captain America) and he's not like everyone else. "It's a lot to take in, I know, and I apologize-"

Beth cuts him off, "You need to stop apologizing."

He frowns, "What?"

"You've apologized five times in the last hour I've been here with you. Steve…you need to stop apologizing for who you are. It's weird, yes, of course it's weird. You're like…every superhero movie my brother made me watch personified. And it's probably going to take me a while to get used to all of this, if I'm even allowed to get used to this- oh God, is that big guy with the eye patch that was here earlier, going to have me killed? Because I mean, I survived an alien invasion, thanks to you, so it would really suck if I died because I know too much."

This time when Steve smiles, it does reach his eyes. "No one is going to kill you. I think you're going to be around for a while."

Beth lets out an exaggerated breath and then giggles; she covers her mouth and shakes her head, strands of blonde hair falling in her face. "This is surreal, right? I mean, you're you and I'm me and we're here."

Steve is silent for a few moments and then he grabs her hand, intertwining their fingers so that she doesn't know where she begins and he ends. "But…it feels right. I…"

"Don't feel so lonely anymore?" She finishes quietly. "Me too."

They sit in compatible silence after that. Beth stays awake and she watches as Steve slowly drifts off into sleep. She settles herself into the chair, trying to find a comfortable position and she lets out a deep sigh. She closes her eyes, and relaxes, unaware of how exhausted she is.

(She remembers thinking about how young Steve looks when he sleeps and how this feels so right, before she succumbs to sleep herself).

Dear Steve,

I believe this is the start of something great. Also, I've become really attached to writing you letters. Is it okay if we still continue?

Sincerely,

Beth Williams

Dear Beth,

I would not want it any other way.

Sincerely,

Steve

Epilogue

3 years later

A year into their friendship, they start to become something more. It almost feels like a natural step. Like it was something they were meant to do all along. They keep it quiet at first, but it doesn't take him long to realize that you can't hide things from your family (and this is exactly what the Avengers have become, his family).

They tease him most of the time but they do it out of love. Steve knows this. Steve also knows that they like Beth. Natasha teaches her self-defense. Tony and Bruce try to teach her about science but she always tells them that she's an art history major and this is way over my head, Clint brings her back little trinkets from the countries they save (half the time they don't even know when he has the time to buy the stuff he does, all they know is that Beth squeals with delight every time he gives her something), Thor offers to take her to Asgard (Beth politely declines, saying that it isn't pretty when she flies from New York to Tacoma, so how would I even begin to fare on an inter-galactic trip? Jane tries to convince her otherwise but to no avail), Pepper is her rock, the only other person in their group that knows what it's like to wait with fear in the pit of her stomach. Fury, well, Fury, despite not admitting it, he likes Beth too. Steve knows this because after Beth will talk to him, he'll shoo her off and when he thinks no one is looking, he'll smirk, one good eye glinting with amusement.

It's been a tough couple of days. One that has exhausted every single one of them. Steve has never been a fan of hot places and Japan in the summer is not only hot but it's humid. They were thrown around and bruised by the mad nuclear scientist and his band of serum charged mercenaries but they were victorious in the end.

And here they are, tired, a little bit cranky and eager to get home.

"Headed to the lady, Cap?" Clint asks him. He winces a little as he moves his arm.

Steve nods, "Yeah, I'm on my way home."

"Nice. Tasha and I will probably be up sometime tomorrow night. Hey, have you guys decided on anything yet?"

There is an excitement building in Steve's stomach, every fiber of his being comes alive, he can feel himself smiling, feel the tiredness that was once evident, ebb away. He shakes his head, "Nothing concrete. I'm sure she's come up with a list though."

Clint smiles, "Then get on home Steve. Beth's waiting for you."

It's late by the time he finally gets to the loft. It's dark inside as he walks in quietly. He can smell the aroma of food that lingers in the air and the faint smell of cinnamon. He takes off his shoes, shrugs off his jacket and pulls over his shirt as he follows the familiar path to their room.

He smiles softly, his heart swelling at the sight of her. The bedside lamp is on, she's curled on her side and there is a box next to her. Steve knows the box; it's the one that holds all of their letters. Three years of letters are in that box, wrapped up in a bright yellow ribbon that holds them all together. Beth always has the habit of bringing out the box when he's gone.

Steve grabs the box and places it on the bureau against the wall. He slides into bed, letting out a deep sigh. He closes the gap between them, bundling her in his arms. He kisses her head as his arms wrapping around her protruding stomach. He feels a strong kick and he blinks.

"He's glad you're back." She says hoarsely, her voice raspy from sleep.

He buries his head into her shoulder. "I'm glad I'm back too. Tasha and Clint are coming over tomorrow."

"Which means everyone else will too." She says.

He can't see her face but he knows there's a hint of a smile. "Probably." He feels another strong kick and he frowns, "How have you been? Is everything all right?"

She chuckles, "Everything is fine. The doctor says he's developing normally and that he'll be strong and healthy." There's silence before she speaks again, "so, I've got a suggestion for a name."

"Really?" He asks teasingly, "Because Tony and Bruce love calling our kid Captain Junior."

She snorts and shakes her head. "God, those two remind me of children. But no seriously…what do you think about James Philip Rogers? We can call him JP for short."

Steve's throat closes up. He feels his heart constrict. "I love it." He says and he really does, he can't think of a better name than the ones of the two men who believed in him completely.

And this is it. They've finally put a name to their son and why does this make everything so real of a sudden? He's consumed with thoughts of what could happen. What if something happens to him? How will Beth react? How will their son react? What if something happens to Beth and JP? What if Steve doesn't know how to be a father? What's it going to look like to their son when he sees his mother age and his father stay the same age forever? What if their son resents him for being Captain America?

"Steve?" Beth calls out; her hands intertwine with his so that when he looks at them he doesn't know where she begins and he ends. "Stop thinking so loud. Everything is going to be fine. We're going to be okay."

He nods and kisses her head again, "yeah, we're going to be just fine."

He falls asleep like this, head buried into Beth's shoulders, hands intertwined and clasped protectively over her stomach, their box of letters situated on the bureau, chronicling the years that have passed and waiting for the years to come.

Dear Steve,

I love you.

Sincerely,

Beth Williams

Dear Beth,

I love you too.

Sincerely,

Steve

Pure fluff. God, I think this is one of the fluffiest things I've ever written. So, there it is. The end of Beth/Steve. What do you guys think? I am actually quite happy about the way it turned out. Then again, I'm pretty biased. Lol. Let me know what you think.

But WOW. OMG, I want to send out the BIGGEST SHOUTOUT to my REVIEWERS, you guys are amazing. I have been so overwhelmed with the response to this story. I can't thank you guys enough, seriously, just WOW: Spiffymac0617, Speakfire, PrentissMysteryChallenge, thecatchisdeadliest, PhantomProducer, garnet86, DarkRulerKida, Imaginemeruler, KelpBass, Arrows The Wolf, LiebenMadchen, Anonymous Heavy on the Anon, HellsTheTwerd, Itsgoose2u, snowspell, NinjaTerra, kazd, Blinding Firefly, Icy Waters, Draceline, SuoSopuli28, Jen Lennon, , comiccrazygothgirl, InvaderIvy, BlackRoseSophie and Marskatr. If I missed anyone, I apologize greatly and seriously, thank you to everyone who reviewed, read, favorited, alerted, anything and everything. Your support means the world to me!

Thanks again and much love,

Bex.