o where the 8th street bridge on the passaic river should be, still heading north west. it＊ll take him hours to get back here even if he decides to turn around ande back now.§

※what happened to him?§

steve＊s question hangs in the air, heavy and tense. seven shifts around to sit on the floor opposite them, legs kicked out in front and weight wresting back on his hands. it＊s hard for them all, steve knows that, but they can＊t avoid the issue. maybe there＊s something about the director which he can learn; the key to him avoiding war in his own world and getting home.

※someone needs to tell me,§ steve says when no-one answers, voice low and serious. sj is very still, his eyes on shield and clearly listening in.

shield breathes out through his nose, slow and deliberate. ※we don＊t know,§ he finally admits.

※what do you know?§ steve asks.

shield and seven exchange an unhappy glance. ※as far as we can tell＃he＊s always been that way,§ shield tells him, his mouth a sorrowful twist. ※he went through project rebirth, joined the army, went to war.§

※did he 每 was he frozen, like us? did he crash the plane?§

there＊s another weighty pause, and then it＊s seven who speaks. ※yes,§ he says. ※but it was different. we think he murdered erksine to make sure he would be the only super-solider, then founded shield with peggy and howard before the end of the war. he was the heart of shield, and when he woke up after being frozen he took it for himself. no-one questioned it.§

steve＊s mouth is dry, his stomach churning unpleasantly. ※he murdered-§

he can＊t even finish the sentence.

※we don＊t know why,§ shield repeats bitterly. ※but it looks that way.§

steve shakes his head. no, that＊s not right, he would never. he looks up as sj shifts in his arms, leaning forwards and pressing fingertips to the back of the hand shield has resting over the bullet wound. shield nods, reaching out to ruffle sj＊s hair, and sj smile is wobbly but true as he pulls his hand back.

※why didn＊t anyone stop him?§ he asks, and his mind immediately goes to the one person who always calls him on his attitude when he gets stubborn, when he pushes too far with the team. ※what about 每 what about tony?§

shield＊s smile is depreciating and crooked. ※in his universe, tony stark died in afghanistan. he never knew him. no iron man, no avengers.§

steve shuts his eyes tightly, breathing out and feeling his throat constrict. he doesn＊t need to know anymore. he doesn＊t want to know anymore.

※and the other guy,§ he manages to say, doing his utmost to keep his voice level. ※six-one-eight.§

shield＊s face falls and he looks over towards seven. seven＊s posture has gonepletely rigid, his jaw set tightly. ※he definitely wasn＊t always like that. he - he killed tony stark during their civil war,§ he says abruptly, face twisting in anger. ※the grief, the guilt over what he did＃he couldn＊t handle it.§

steve feels like he could throw up. he opens his eyes, begging, pleading them to be wrong. ※no,§ he says, denial thick in his veins. ※no, i would never-§

※it was war,§ shield says quietly. ※we all know what war does to men. even good men. tony pushed and pushed and pushed, and he just＃§

he trails off unhappily.

※that＊s not an excuse,§ steve says tightly, and he needs to get home now, to check tony is alive and well, to hang onto him for dear life and promise him that he＊ll always have his back, do anything he can to make sure they never get to that point. ※christ, this is ridiculous 每 how can the relationship between two people, two people out of billions, have any impact on the way the world turns?”

※we don＊t know, but it does,§ shield says abruptly, looking at steve and frowning. ※you think you and tony 每 you think that that＊s what you＊ve gotta learn? that you have to be with tony?§

※no,§ steve insists, shaking his head. ※no i 每 i don＊t know. i didn＊t end up with him in every universe, did i? as long as we stay friends, as long as we don＊t＃§