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So on to housekeeping… (thank you My Favorite Murder podcast for that wonderful term)

M (guest): The Logan/Angie relationship is not quite what it seems but keep on reading to find out why…..

~:~

A FEW WEEKS LATER

After my morning run with Sam, I headed for the Smithsonian. They had opened an exhibit on Captain America. I walked through the wings until I stopped at the one 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 service of his country."

I watched the footage and took in his appearance. His hair, his eyes, his smile. It's been a year since I found out the truth. While in captivity, my mother had been impregnated by his DNA. I was a test tube baby.

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." I turned to see Steve. "Especially your smile. Big and wide."

"You're back." I beamed.

He walked up and threw his arm around my shoulder. "What are you doing here anyways?"

"Him." I stared at Bucky's picture.

He rubbed my arm. "I wish you got to know him. I know he would have loved you."

"I got you," I hugged him. "That's all I need." As he began pulling me away from the exhibit, I turned back to look at his picture one last time. Bye, dad.

~:~

We went to a diner to have some 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 happened?"

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

I nodded not pushing further. "So, tell me more about him. Bucky, i mean."

" 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 thing I get from him?"

"Nah, you definitely got that from Tony."

The waitress came and took our order. "How long y'all been together?"

" How old am I 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 morning runs in the park, get coffee at McGee's cafe, research at the library and the Smithsonian. So, same old, same old."

"Where you run?"

"Usually around the Reflecting Pool. Somedays Constitution." I smiled at the waitress as she brought our food.

"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. Crappity, crap, crap, crap! "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 MY 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?"

"Um…." I had to avoid this. What can I find to do? "Uh, I can't. I need to clean my room."

"You cleaned it yesterday." He totally doesn't believe me.

"Fine…" I'm going to regret this. "I guess I could swing by."

He grinned. "Great. You'll love him."

I smiled and immediately pulled my phone out.

~Hey, um I might be swinging by with someone. PLEASE pretend you don't know me.

S~ What do you mean?

~I'll explain later

I look up from my phone and see Steve staring at me. "What?" He gave me a pointed look. "I forgot to tell my friend Samantha something."

"Okay…." He nodded, taking a bite of his meal. "Why haven't I met her yet?"

"Well, she's always gone. Doesn't have email or any kind of social media," I babbled, him continuing to stare. "And we haven't known each other that long. I thought it would be weird to introduce her to the circus."

He shook his head. "Whatever, kid." He finished his sandwich and wiped his mouth. "You ready?" Finishing my meal, I nodded. "Yep." I grabbed my purse and followed him out

~:~

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 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. "Oh, and where are my manners?" I put my hand out. "I'm Angie. Nice to finally meet you." I gave Sam a look to play along.

He slightly nodded, catching my drift. "Likewise. Sam Wilson."

My phone started to buzz. Incoming Call...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 threw the line.

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

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

What the-? I saw Steve walk up beside me, giving me a questioning look. I shrugged.

He nodded. "You heading back home?"

"Yeah," I placed my phone back in my bag. "I gotta do something first, but I will." I hugged him and he went on his way. I walked back inside and saw Sam glaring at me. "What?"

He motioned towards Steve as he drove off. "What do you think?"

"Sorry, but I haven't exactly told him about you. I may…" My face contorted, "have told him that you were a Samantha."

"Samantha?" He shook his head. "Why would-You know what? Never mind." He started walking away.

I reached out to stop him. "Sam, I just didn't know how to tell him."

"That we're friends?" He scoffed. "Yeah, like that's really hard."

"I don't know what we are, Sam. I just…." My phone starts buzzing again. Blocked number… I sighed, "I'm sorry, I gotta go. I'll call you later." I answer it. "Hello?"

"SHIELD compromised..Get home…" Click.

"Hello?" I run to my car and race home. I walk through the door and see 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. As I drew closer, I saw the words '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.

The door busted open and a voice rang through the apartment. "Captain Rogers? Miss Jarvis?"

I turned to see a gun drawn. "Kate?"

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

"On whose order?" He demanded.

She gasped, noticing Fury. "His." She goes to 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.

~:~

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 stream down my face as I hear the fateful words. A hand touches my shoulder. "Get somewhere safe." Steve whispers.

"Where?"

"Anywhere but here."

I nod and start dialing my phone.

"Hello?" the voice answers.

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

~:~

(Maniac cackling) And the drama begins...