~:~

"What's the case this time?"

He shook his head. "No case. Just want to know why you were seen with Grant Ward a month ago."

"You got people following me, Nick?" I scoffed. "Should have known."

"It was for your safety."

"My safety? You got people following Cap too?"

He gave me a look.

"You do. Huh. Well, nothing happened. Same old thing, he's still involved with the same thing that I won't tell you about."

He pulled out a file. "How about a trade?"

"You're unbelievable." I threw the door open, slamming it shut behind me. "You'd think I'd risk everything for that? Well, you're wrong."

As I started to walk away, he called out.

"You'd walk away from the answer?"

I looked over my shoulder. "I would if it kept everyone safe."

~:~

WEEKS LATER...

After another Sam-less morning run, I headed for the Smithsonian, where they had opened an exhibit on Captain America.

I walked through the wings until I stopped at one I didn't realize I was looking for.

"Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in the service of his country."

I watched the footage and took in his appearance. His hair, his eyes, his smile. Something struck a chord in me.

What was it, Mom, why him...

I shook the thoughts from my head.

A kid walked up beside me. He looked at the video then at me. "You kinda look like him."

I smiled. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, you just do."

"Well, kiddo, I will take that as a compliment." I put out my fist to fistbump him, and he bumped it and ran off.

"He's right, you know," Steve said, startling me. "Mainly your smile."

"You're back!"

He walked up and threw an arm around my shoulders. "What are you doing here? You miss me or something?"

"No." I looked over the exhibit again. "Something brought me here. I don't know why."

"That's understandable." He looked at the exhibit as well, tears brimming his eyes. "I wish you got to know him. I know he would have loved you."

"And I bet I would have loved him."

~:~

As we ate lunch, Steve fidgeted in his seat.

I tried to reach into his mind but it was so clouded I couldn't read anything.

He noticed me staring. "What?"

"Sorry, you seem off. What happened?"

"Nothing. Fury just ticked me off," he grumbled.

"You and me both," I muttered, nodding and choosing not to push further. "So, tell me more about the infamous lover-boy of Brooklyn."

Steve rolled his eyes at my description of his best friend. "Well, one time we went to Coney Island and- "

I grimaced. "Was it a double date?"

"No, it was just us guys." A grin crept on his face. "We got on the coaster and I remember we got stuck on it. Oh man, Bucky panicked. The one guy you'd think would never panic. And I had to calm him down."

I laughed. "What happened when y'all got down?"

"Well, I laughed at him. Then he punched me in the arm and threatened me to not say anything. And I quote, 'Because it would damage his reputation.' "

"Is that another reason why I remind you of him?"

"No, you definitely get that from Tony."

The waitress came to check on our drinks. "How long y'all been together?"

"How long has it been, Stevie? "

He shrugged. "I was 6 when you were born, so...29,30."

The waitress blushed in embarrassment. "I am so sorry, I thought.."

"It's okay. We're adopted so we get that a lot. "

"I really didn't mean to offend you."

"Don't worry about it." I reassured her. She nodded and walked off. I looked back at Steve, "Nice acting."

"I was just playing along." He went back to reading his newspaper. "So, what have you been up to?"

"Nothing much," I shrugged. "I take runs in the park, get coffee at McGee's cafe, research at the library and so on and so on."

"Where you run?"

"Usually around the Reflecting Pool. Somedays Constitution."

"I ran around the Pool the other day. Met someone."

"Ooooo!," I squealed. I leaned against the table, resting my chin in my hands. "So, what's her name?"

He rolled his eyes at my outburst. "First of all, it's a he, and his name is Sam."

Sam, wait a second….

"And, really? You're just as bad as Natasha."

"Well, you do need to get out more." I stated, matter-of-factly. "We don't want you to die alone."

"When will that happen?" he asked furrowing his brows.

"You never know." I shrugged. "You might get shot, hit by a car, blow up in a plane, slip on a banana peel…"

"Banana peel?"

I dramatically leaned back and covered my eyes. "Help I've fallen and can't get up!"

"Yeah, laugh it up." He shook his head. "So, back to the story." I crossed my arms and slumped into my chair.

"His name is Sam…"

Got that.

"-and he works down at the VA."

Oh, yeah, definitely Sammy.

"After this, you wanna come with me and meet him?"

I had to avoid this. What can I find to do?

"I can't; I have paperwork to do."

"You finished all of it yesterday. I saw it on the counter this morning."

"Fine…I guess I could swing by."

I'm going to regret this….

~:~

VA OFFICE

I followed Steve through the familiar hall until we stopped at Sam's class. I motioned for Steve to go in.

"I'll just wait out here." I sat on the bench until the vets came out.

Sam walked towards Steve. "Look who it is. The running man."

"Caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense." Steve said leaning against the wall.

"Yeah, brother, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret."

"You lose someone?

"My wingman, Riley."

I remembered the story. They were flying a night mission, nothing they hadn't done before. An RPG knocked Riley out of the sky.

"Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch." He glanced over to me and I gave him a small smile.

"I'm sorry."

"After that, I had a really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?"

"But you're happy now, back in the world?" Steve asked.

"Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero. So, hell, yeah." Sam smiled. "You thinking about getting out?"

"No... I don't know." He sighed. "To be honest, I don't know what I would do with myself if I did."

I popped my head up and said, "Ultimate fighting," just as Sam did. Steve laughed.

"It's just a great idea off the top of my head." He said. "But seriously, you could do whatever you want to do. What makes you happy?"

Steve shook his head. "I don't know."

"Thanks a lot, Stevie," I scoffed, as I walked up to the pair. "I thought you cared." I crossed my arms and raised a brow.

"Hey, Ange," Sam said, slightly chuckling.

I gave him a small smile. "Hey, Sam."

Steve gave us a confused look. "You two know each other?"

"Yeah, we do," Sam replied. "It's…."

"Complicated," I added. "We run with each other sometimes."

"Maybe we can all meet up sometime."

"Yeah…." My phone began to buzz. "Maybe we can…."

Blocked number.

Hmmm, that's weird….

"If you will excuse me, I need to take this." I walked away and pressed the button. "Hello?"

"Jarvis, do not trust ANYONE. Do you hear me?" Fury shouted through the line.

My brows wrinkled in confusion. "Nick, what's going on?"

"Can't talk. There's not much time." Click.

What the….

Steve walked up beside me, giving me a questioning look. I shrugged.

He nodded. "You coming?"

"Yeah," I placed my phone back in my bag. "But I'm gonna catch up with Sam." I hugged him and he went on his way.

I took a deep breath and walked back inside. As I walked up to Sam, I could feel the guilt rising up in me.

"Sam?"

He looked up from the table. "Hey…."

"Hey…."

He walked over to me, hesitating to come close.

I reached out and placed my hand on his arm. "Sam, I-"

"Shh, just come here," he replied, pulling me into a hug.

I shook my head, pulling away from his grasp. "I should have given you a better explanation. It's just…."

"Complicated? I know."

Story of my life….

"Yeah…."

"He's not the one who..."

"No. He's not that one," I replied with a shake of my head. "He was-"

My phone buzzed again. Blocked number.

"I'm sorry, I gotta go. Wanna meet up?"

"Tomorrow at McGee's? 12 o'clock?" he asked, slowly releasing my hand.

I smiled. "You got it." I held the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"SHIELD compromised..Get home…" Click.

"Hello?"

~:~

I walked through the door and saw Steve armed with his shield. A dark figure was on the couch. I squint my eyes and realise it's Fury. "What are you doing here?"

"Wife kicked me out. Didn't know where else to go."

I gave Steve a questioning look. "Didn't know you were married. Doesn't surprise me though."

He chuckled. "Well, you'd be the first." He put a finger to his lips and typed into his phone and turned the screen to us.

'Ears everywhere.'

"I'm sorry to do this." he typed into his phone again,

'SHIELD compromised.'

"It's okay, stay as long as you need." I said. My breath quickened.

"Does anyone else know about her?" Steve asked

"Just…" He typed, 'Just me and you two.'

"...my friends."

"Is that what we are?"

"That's up to you." Suddenly, three shots rang out through the wall and Fury collapsed.

Steve looked towards the window, searching for the shooter. He helped me drag Fury to the next room. Before he left, Nick handed him a flash drive.

"Don't...trust anyone," He said as he passed out.

"Nick, don't you dare! Keep your eyes open."

The door burst open and a voice rang through the apartment.

"Captain Rogers?" I turned to see a gun drawn.

"Sharon? What the heck are you doing here?"

Steve gave me a confused look. "Sharon? Her name is Kate."

"Captain, I'm Agent 13 of SHIELD Special Service," she replied. "I'm assigned to protect you."

"On whose order?" He demanded.

She gasped, noticing Fury.

"His." She kneeled by Fury, pulling out a radio. "Foxtrot is down, he's unresponsive. I need EMTs."

"Do you have a twenty on the shooter?"

"Tell him I'm in pursuit." Steve smashed through the window and ran.

I turned back to the injured man watching his chest rise and fall with rapid breaths.

Come on, Nick….

~:~

HOSPITAL

Doctors frantically operated on him. Natasha and Maria arrived and they immediately started questioning Steve on the shooter. I watched as he began to flatline and as the doctors tried to revive him.

The doctor stepped back. "What's the time?"

"1:03."

Tears streamed down my face as I heard the fateful words.

A hand touched my shoulder. "Get somewhere safe," Steve whispered.

"Where?"

"Anywhere but here."

"How do you know you can trust me?"

He sighed. "I just know."

I nod and started dialing my phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, I'm sorry and I know it's late…" I sighed. "But I really need your help…."

~:~