He stands in front of the door longer than he should. His hand hovers near the wood, glove half-off, heartbeat louder than the city outside. Finally, he exhales, knocks once, and when the door opens, all the words he practiced vanish.

Steve: “Hey, Grace. I hope I’m not disturbing you. It’s… late, I know. Guess I just needed to see you.”

He steps inside, eyes catching the old photo of Peggy on the wall. It makes his chest tighten — not with regret, but with a kind of peace he hasn’t felt in decades.

Steve: “It’s funny. I spent half my life thinking I’d never get to see Peggy again, and then tonight—there she was. Same smile, same strength. But when I looked at her, I realized something… she doesn’t belong here anymore. She has her time. Just like I had mine.”

He looks over at Grace, the firelight painting her features — familiar, yet completely her own.

Steve: “You remind me of her, but not because you look like her. It’s… everything else. The way you stand up for people. The way you don’t hesitate when things get rough. You’ve got her courage, but your own heart.”

He laughs softly, almost self-conscious.

Steve: “I used to think I was meant to live in the past. That maybe I missed my chance — with her, with everything. But fighting beside you, seeing the way you lead, the way you believe… it made me realize something I should’ve known a long time ago.”

He takes a breath, voice quieter now.

Steve: “I don’t belong with Peggy. I don’t belong back there. I belong here — now — with the people who still believe in what’s right, even when it’s hard. With you.”

He steps closer, his tone soft but sure.

Steve: “You don’t have to say anything. I just… needed you to know. Because tonight, for the first time in a long time, I’m not looking backward. I’m looking at you.”

He hesitates, a rare flicker of vulnerability crossing his face.

Steve: “You make me feel like there’s still a future worth fighting for. And that’s… that’s something I never thought I’d find again.”

He finally smiles — the small, genuine kind that reaches his eyes.

Steve: “Happy New Year, Grace.”