She had absolutely no reason to feel ashamed for reminding him of the past ─ it was something he never wanted to forget, because it was the reason he fought. It was the very reason he'd become Captain America, to save people who were being oppressed; to stand up against the evil, the bullies, and just the apathetic of the world, and say Enough. We are better than this. Her own story, and now Erik's, just made him want to fight harder, so that no one else had to go through what they had. What any of them had.

At the touch of her hand, Steve turned his own over, gripping her fingers gently. He turned to his head to watch as she explained how he'd helped her, how he'd kept her from giving up. When she finished, Steve pulled her hand up to kiss her knuckles; he pulled it back further, draping her arm over his shoulder, before leaning down to kiss her gently. He ran his hand down her left arm and said, "He was right. You're so much stronger than that." He pulled her left hand up, pressing his lips to the inside of her wrist, reminiscent of what he'd done when she'd first told him what she'd gone through ─ had it only been yesterday? It had been a lifetime ago. He told her now what he'd thought then. "You are victory."