Peggy's funeral required a trip to London. Without hesitation I told Steve I'd go with him, Sam insisted that he went as well. I was thankful for the backup; it was going to be a rough day for my husband.

A lot of people knew Peggy Carter, that much was evident as the cathedral was filled almost to the brim. I sat with Sam; Steve was one of the pallbearers to help carry Peggy as a choir sang a haunting tune.

My eyes fell to the picture of Peggy near the altar. By the gods she was beautiful, no wonder Steve took a liking to her. Her picture alone cast a strong air about her. So he has a thing for strong women. I'll take care of him, Peggy. I'll make sure he tries not to do stupid stuff.

The priest stood before us once Peggy's coffin had been set down. I gripped Steve's hand the second he sat down. I didn't want to wipe the tear streaks off his face, I didn't want him to feel embarrassed or babied.

"And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words."

I blinked in surprise as our former neighbor from DC, Kate, came up to the podium. She used an alias. I cast a side-glance at Steve, he looked just as surprised as I had. So he had no idea either.

"Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of S.H.I.E.L.D....but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy. She had a photograph in her office. Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK. As a kid, that was pretty cool. But it was a lot to live up to. Which is why I never told anyone we were related.

"I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. And she said, compromise where you can. But where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move...it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say 'No, you move'."

As the service progressed, I thought more about Peggy. Just how little I knew about Steve's first love. I hated to admit it, but, I was comparing myself to her. She was by no means extraordinary in the sense that she had abilities. Perhaps just her mere strength and attitude had attracted him to her.

And he had given up on waiting for her, for them both to be together. I came along and changed his mind. He mourned her as though they had been married a long time. I couldn't help but wonder if I had maybe pushed him onto a different path than he had wanted to be on.

Maybe I prevented Steve from having his happiness with Peggy.

As everyone left, Steve lingered. I opted to stay with him. Quiet feet approached from behind, I saw Natasha dressed appropriately. I hadn't known she had been around. Steve noticed where my eyes went and turned.

"When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I had known was gone," he said quietly. "Then I found out that she was alive. I was just lucky to have her."

"She had you back, too," Natasha said.

"Who else signed?"

"Tony. Rhodey. Vision."

"Clint?"

"Says he's retired." She smiled a little.

"Wanda? Aria?"

"Wanda is TBD. Aria...she plans to. Secretary Ross really got to her with his evidence. I'm off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. There's plenty of room on the jet."

Steve sighed, bowing his head. I put a light hand against his back.

"Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path. Staying together is more important than how we stay together."

"I'm sorry, Nat. I can't sign it."

"I know. Just like I know Kia won't, either, not out of wifely duty to you, but because of what she's been through."

"If you already know this, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"I didn't want him to be alone." She nodded towards Steve. "Come here." I stepped away as Natasha pulled him in for a hug.

Thank you, I told her.

It's what friends do.

Steve and I headed for a hotel once departing from the cathedral with Natasha. We walked through the streets of London, as our next destination wasn't very far from where the service was.

Though the service for Peggy was done, my mind did not want to be done with her for some reason. I didn't know why I kept doing the comparison. Really, I should be focusing my attention on Steve, who was abnormally quiet—but I supposed it was normal, given the situation.

"Something on your mind?"

It took a moment to register that Steve had spoken to me. "Nothing that you need to worry about."

"You're my wife, Kiara. I'm going to want to know what's bothering you."

"I never said anything was bothering me."

"You didn't, but your face did."

I sighed. "You're already in pain, I'm not about to make this worse on you."

"What are you talking about?"

I rolled my tongue in my mouth. Did I dare address the big issue, the reason behind my recent inner insecurity? "I bear no ill will to Peggy, but...I wonder if I interfered with what could have been with the both of you."

Steve stopped, I took a few steps forward before noticing. "What do you mean?"

"Steve, that fierce woman that Sharon described was the first woman that you ever loved. She's been with you, on your brain, before and after you went into the ice. She still is even now, I can feel it. I can't...I can't compete with that."

Steve's mouth parted. "Why would you think...Kiara, there was never a competition. I chose you. I married you."

"Did you marry happily?"

"You really want to do this right now?"

"Answer the question, Steve."

"You can't compare yourself to Peggy. Never once have I compared you against her, ever. My time to be with her has long been gone, Kiara, all those decades ago. As you and I grew closer, I realized I had another opportunity, and I was not about to let this one slip past. We fight together, we fight for each other. We work through what major or minor issues we may have as a team. Don't ever think that I'll stop doing any of those things with you or for you."

I looked away, feeling ashamed that I even brought this up.

"You can't compare the past and the present. I can't say that I've never thought about what it could have been like had I not done what I did, but I've come to accept that this is where I'm meant to be. You're who I'm meant to be with."

Don't be petty, just let this die down.

"I'll let you in on something that I've never told you," he continued. "I wasn't sure I was ever going to be able to measure up to Loki, despite all the bad he had done and what he had turned into. You still felt something for him, even after what he had done, because you remembered who he was before he turned down a different path. I mean...I may be a super soldier, but he's more like you than I ever can be."

"You've compared yourself to Loki?"

"I've never liked that I have, but yes, I have. I could never give you what he could."

"Yes, Loki was like me in the sense we're from the same home realm, but our ideals did not match. We had butting views. I mean, he controlled me with the scepter when he attacked New York! That wasn't love or a need to protect me like he proclaimed. I thought he was right for me...and then I realized the world he wanted was one I could not give him nor live in.

"Look at this for me." I put my hand in his, my wedding band glaring right up at him. "You know what this is, as do I. We both said yes for a reason."

"To be fair, you said yes as you were dying."

"Also to be fair, you proposed when we were fighting murderous robots."

Steve chuckled lowly. "I asked you because, in this life, I can't see anyone else by my side except for you. It doesn't matter who tries to get my attention or who I loved in the past. I'm choosing to spend my life with you, just as you chose to do the same with me. As long as we keep that in mind, there's no reason to have doubts or feel insecure."

My eyes downcast to the flame charm on the necklace Steve was wearing since he got mine. A little piece of me whenever I'm away. Those were the words he'd written down on a note when he'd given my necklace to me.

I shook my head. Damn Tony Stark for being right about us from the start. He'd seen it a mile away, and every time I noticed it, I thought back to how obliviously stupid I was then.

Tony's like a brother to me, but now...these Accords may just split us apart.