Characters: reader, Kurt (Steve).

Summary: Almost three years have passed since that unforgettable night you spent with a mysterious man in a snowy cabin. When Steve unexpectedly walks back into your small town, a lot has changed for you both. How will your time apart and Steve's uncertain present affect the possibility of a future together? [Canon, events take place shortly after CACW]

Warnings: None, so far. ;)

Word Count: 2.8k

Song Inspiration: The Night We Met by Lord Huron 

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I am not the only traveler
Who has not repaid his debt
I've been searching for a trail to follow
Again
Take me back to the night we met...

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February 2017

Arctic winds whipped past furiously, chilling Steve to the bone as he rode in the back of an open-bed cargo truck headed for the mountains up North. On it's return trip, this truck would be filled with logs headed to a lumber mill, but at the moment, the bearded fugitive, along with the small construction vehicle he was hiding behind, were the only cargo.

The driver was unaware of his presence and perhaps he would have allowed Steve to ride in the cab if he had asked, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Pulling his knit hat lower upon his head, he dared to peek out over the side of the truck to check the road signs showing distances until reaching certain towns.

Finally reading the name he had been searching for, Steve strapped his duffle to his back, crept to the side of the truck bed and waited until the driver's gaze was facing the opposite direction before launching himself into the air and landing in a large snow embankment by the side of the road.

Shaking off the snow, Steve walked the mile and a half through the woods before reaching the edge of town. He stowed his large pack under some steps in a back alley, then pulling up his collar before walking toward Main Street and the town's main center.

Steve didn't really have a plan at the moment, which was ironic for him. He was used to always knowing the next step, but for now, it was better to act purely on instinct rather than overthink it and complicate things. The man formerly known as Captain America had absolutely no idea where you were. A lot could have happened in the three years since he last saw you, but he had to start somewhere. Perhaps somebody in town knew where you had headed.

That was his one thought, though. His one singular goal: finding you.

Steve walked up and down the street twice to ensure that he wasn't being followed and also to re-familiarize himself with the small town. Very little had changed since he had been there and he did recognize a few faces from his time as an employee for Snow Peaks Lumber. One of them might know of your whereabouts, but he had to be careful about who he could approach. Hopefully no one would alert the authorities of his own location. It was a gamble, but you were worth it.

Glancing at his reflection in a store window, Steve almost didn't recognize himself. His normally close-cropped dirty blond hair was now poking out from under his hat and brushing his shirt collar. Steve had also let his beard grow a little wild and along with the world-weary expression he wore, the Captain Rogers the public knew was nowhere to be found. Luckily, that was his objective—to hide in plain sight.

His gaze finally leaving his own reflection, he looked through the window pane of the coffee shop and felt his heart leap into his throat. Could it be? Was it possible that in this time of challenge and uncertainty that he could receive the stroke of luck he had hoped and prayed for?

Pacing inside the coffee shop while talking animately on the telephone was...you. Or he thought so, at least. Squinting, he cupped one hand against the glass with his nose millimeters from it's reflective surface. Another turn in your step and he finally got a clear shot of your face. It was true. He had found you.

This was unexpected and despite the miles he had traveled and the daydreams he'd had of this moment, Steve suddenly felt ill-prepared of what to do. What could he say, after all this time? You had probably moved on and had a completely different life that didn't involve him. Maybe you didn't ever think about that night, unlike the images and feelings that were permanently seared into his entire being. Was it right of him to try and drudge up the past?

Regardless, after lingering on the sidewalk a few more minutes, he knew he had to see you. Speak to you. Even the mere sight of you had his heart racing. With no more delay, he pulled the cafe door open and allowed a couple to exit before stepping foot inside. You were still engrossed in your conversation, so he joined the line to order and hunched his shoulders in an attempt to hide himself. From what he could hear, you were wrapping up your conversation.

"...so much for doing that, I really appreciate it. Okay. Yeah, I'm just grabbing some coffee," you uttered with one more turn of your pacing steps. "Sure. I'll see you in a bit. Bye," you signed off and hung up.

Two more customers had joined the queue behind Steve before you followed suit. He dared to peak behind him with just a half turn to see you lost in your phone before you looked up quickly to read the specials board above his head. He nearly panicked, returning his gaze to face forward at lightning speed. Catching him staring out of the blue was not what he had in mind for your first meeting in so many years.

Reaching the counter, Steve ordered and stepped aside to wait while keeping his back to you. He was hyper aware of every small motion you made, his view available through your reflection on the glass case holding baked goods and pastries. You seemed lost in thought, automatically advancing in line a few inches as the people ahead of you moved. Steve was so taken by you that he nearly missed the barista calling out the fake name he had given when he ordered.

Snapping out of it, he picked up the two coffees to go and took a few deep breaths before he slowly turned in your direction. Your gaze was still off in the distance, clearly lost to your surroundings since Steve was able to sidle up to you without your noticing.

Heart galloping, he finally cleared his throat and spoke quietly only for your benefit. "Thought I'd save you some time. Hope it's still your usual," he uttered to gain your attention, watching as your eyes fell to the two cups of coffee and then trailed up his coat-wrapped muscular form to meet a familiar face.

He saw your flicker of confusion before realization set in, your eyes growing wide. "Wha...Steve?" you breathed out in disbelief.

"Shhh," he urged you quietly, then gesturing with his head toward a table in the far corner away from the crowd before walking that direction.

Steve glanced back to see you hesitate a moment before following, an expression of awe upon your face. You settled into the chair that he pulled out for you and Steve then took a seat across the table, sliding your coffee over to you. You wrapped your hands around the warm beverage, eyes still wide in wonder.

"Wow," you finally spoke with a growing smile. "Steve. Or should I say Captain?" you asked quietly with a raised eyebrow.

Steve smirked a moment before the cocky smile faded into a nostalgic one. "Not so much anymore."

"Right," replied, pursing your lips. "I heard something about that. How are you? How did you even get here, being on the run?" you asked him in a low voice.

He breathed a heavy sigh. "I'm fairly resourceful, so I made do. And I've had better days, but I'm getting by. Speaking of my alter-ego, how long did it take you to realize who I was?" he asked with a curious smile.

Steve watched you take a sip of your coffee, then clear your throat. "A few months," you finally replied. "D.C. and the helicarriers....I think we all knew about Captain America after the Battle of New York, but that was a superhero with a helmet and shield, not....you. I mean it IS you, but it's not, you know? Few people put the two together, I guess, until the truth about SHIELD and HYDRA came out. Plus the Smithsonian display. I haven't seen it, but I heard..." you trailed off with a noncommittal shrug.

He nodded soberly, unsurprised at your astute powers of observation. "I know what you mean....about the Captain, anyway. I do feel like he's a part of me and has been for so long, so now without him I'm a little...unsure. He always had a plan, you know? But now, I'm not sure of anything, really," he let out with a dry laugh, attempting to make light of his confession.

Steve reluctantly met your eye only to see sorrow there and a softness. He didn't want to burden you with the weight he carried, but something in him felt like you would understand. It was almost as if he wanted to share all of this with you, like he had come all this way just to look into your eyes and know that it would be okay. It was a strange and comforting feeling. It was still a bit unexpected, though, when you reached across the table and grasped his hand in yours.

"I'm sorry," you uttered with a squeeze of his fingers. "I obviously don't know the full story behind the Accords and...everything else, but it does seem unfair that the blame has fallen to you. I do believe that no matter what, you did what you had to do. What you thought was right," you said with assurance. You didn't even know the half of it yet, but his heart warmed at your faith in him.

Steve finally let out a genuine smile, a little more light shining in his brilliant blue eyes. "I hope so. I won't lie, I haven't always been so sure, but...thank you for saying that," he said, returning the hand squeeze.

"So...why here, of all places?" you asked, throwing Steve a little off guard.

He withdrew his hand from you reluctantly, taking off his knitted cap to run a hand through his hair in a nervous moment and to gather his thoughts. "Um....I've been searching for...something. A purpose or an occupation of some kind, I guess. The Captain always had his objective, but as Steve? I hadn't thought about myself in a long time. So after it all happened, I took care of a few things and then I had a thought: I always wanted to see America. As great as Brooklyn was, growing up I'd hoped to see more of the country I loved. So, I grabbed a few essentials and started walking," he answered with a shrug.

Your eyes widened at that. "Wow. That's...ambitious. Especially for someone who doesn't want to be found, but I guess it's easier to be off the grid that way. So where did you go?" you asked, leaning forward on the table, your coffee forgotten.

Steve smiled, his memories of the past few months flitting through his mind. "Anywhere. Everywhere. Sometimes I would point to a spot on the map, other times I would be at a truck stop and just ask where they were headed, see if they minded my tagging along. Or I'd even just hop on a passing trailer, see where it would take me. I stayed in the colder areas so it was easier to hide under a hat, beard, and bulky clothing. I saw a lot of the country and I loved it, but couldn't interact with the people the way I would've liked to. Eventually, though, I found myself heading West, then a little more North. It was almost as if something was pulling at me. Even in my wanderings, I almost felt like I had a destination," he explained, then taking a pause as he took in your expression.

He watched you fiddle with the gloves in your hand absentmindedly as Steve told his story. He was right. It was you he was seeking and you whom he truly wanted to speak with. He began to feel unburdened already, just seeing the light in your eyes and the slight upturn of your lips as he spoke.

Finally, he continued. "I honestly didn't know what it was that urged me on at first, but I was thinking back on a question someone once asked me in a time of uncertainty. A friend asked me what made me happy and...I hesitated. I told him I didn't know, but I lied. I knew. No one had asked me that in a very long time. All that was expected of me was to take orders, execute the mission, and be a good soldier. The second he asked, though, the image of when I was last truly happy was of a snowy cabin in the woods...and a beautiful face..." he trailed off, gauging your reaction.

Steve watched the realization hit you, your eyes growing wide. You leaned back in your chair and raised a hand to your lips and suddenly regret hit him like a blow to the gut.

He sputtered out an apology. "I'm sorry, I didn't...it's too much, I know. I mean, that was years ago and I'm sure you've moved on and don't ever think about that night, but..."

"I do," you blurted quickly. " A lot, actually. I do think about that night...."

"...the night we met," he finished with a smile, thinking of your official introductions once Steve confessed who he really was.

You grinned with a bite of your lip, "Right."

There was a lag in conversation as he held your gaze, knowing that you were both lost in memories of the time you had shared together from years ago. Feeling the electricity flow between you even in the middle of a crowded cafe, Steve knew that it hadn't just been him who dwelled on that night and the months previous you had spent time getting to know one another. Time hadn't changed everything, it seemed. You were still as beautiful as ever, your hair only a little different, but your expressive eyes and kind smile remained the same. There was also a shift in the way that you carried yourself, but he couldn't put a finger on why.

Steve finally broke the silence with a clearing of his throat. "So...how have you been since then? I'm honestly surprised you're still here, what with all the plans you had to get away. I thought I'd have to track you down through someone here. Are you still working for the lumber company?" he inquired, sipping his lukewarm coffee.

You shifted in your seat, seemingly nervous. "Yeah, um...that's the thing about plans. They can change in an instant. Steve, I should probably..."

The cafe door opened then, letting in a cold gust of wind as a few customers entered. Steve was still focused on you, but your gaze was on someone else with a smile growing on your lips. You stood from your chair as a small voice cried out and Steve's eyes followed the sound.

"Mama!"

A young boy was trying to escape the clutches of a tall, dark-haired man, who eventually put the child down. Steve watched as the boy scampered toward you and you scooped him up in your arms, planting a kiss on his squishy cheek.

"There's my boy! Did you have fun at daycare?" you asked, rubbing a smudge of something from his chin with your thumb.

"Yeah! I drawed a picture!" he announced enthusiastically.

Steve stood up then, shocked by what he was seeing as you stepped toward him with a smile upon your face.

"This is my son...Grant. Grant, can you say 'hi'?" you prompted him, followed by a small wave.

Steve felt the blood drain from his face. Did she say...Grant? Was he....could it be? No, there's no way. Unless...

He finally found his voice, shaky and breathless as it was. "Um...hi, there, Grant. It's nice to meet you. How old are you?"

"Can you show my friend how old you are?" you asked, holding up his hand as the boy struggled to hold up two fingers without the third popping up. "Are you two? More like almost two and a half," you answered, turning back toward Steve.

The blond felt a flip in his stomach as he met your eye, knowing that you were well aware of why he was asking. With a smile, you nodded in confirmation. Steve suddenly felt faint, taking in a few deep breaths as he turned away with tears in his eyes. It was true. The child was his.

Steve Rogers had a son.

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Part 6>>> Coming Soon!! 

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Eeeee!!!!! What did you think of this part from Steve's perspective? Fugitive on the run with Steve looking SO good in that gif, I just knew I had to tie in this post-CACW persona! I know I'd be pretty shocked if he popped back into my life! What do you think of that surprise reveal? Steve knew immediately, hearing that she named the boy after his middle name. Small tidbit, Grant is also the name of my late grandfather so I have a soft spot for him. Any thoughts and feedback are appreciated! There's a lot more to come, so thank you for enjoying the ride with me! Love ya!<3