Chapter 9-Old Friends

Beni:

I was so relieved it was finally Thursday. In other words, the day I would be meeting up with Sam for lunch. In other other words, a chance to get out of the house while Bucky was using my gym membership card for the next four to six hours (his words, not mine). Since it was just Sam for lunch I just threw on a pair of black basketball shorts and a tank top, along with my back pack that would hold everything I needed, like my sketch book, laptop, wallet, and keys. My cell phone was in my pocket. not only that, but I might just go grocery shopping or something after lunch. It just depended.

So there I was, hobbling up to the little coffee shop-Simply Serene-and grabbed a table outside. I was to be meeting Sam here pretty soon, so to pass the time I pulled out my sketch book and started drawing. Then a waitress came over, took my order, and left. I continued drawing.

I'm not gonna lie. I was really nervous about seeing Sam again. I hadn't exactly specified that I lost my freaking leg when we talked over the phone the week before, and I knew he would probably be pissed, but considering that my leg was dust in the wind, I highly doubted he could really do anything about it. And if he gave me a look of pity or anything of the sort than I would punch the look rig toff of his face. I didn't need it and I didn't want it. But Sam probably knew better than that, so I didn't need to worry about it to much. Besides, that only showed me how much he cared if he was worrying about me from something that happened over six months ago.

A few minutes later my coffee and slice of pizza (the place apparently did actual food food instead of JUST coffee and bagels, which was a miracle) had come to me, but instead of putting my sketch book completely up, I just set into the side. After that I just sort of dug in. When I was in the middle of my second slice is when Sam and an attractive looking man sat down. The blonde was well built, but he seemed to innocent, like the kind of guy that didn't curse even as an adult. He wore a button up with a pair of jeans and old-ish brown boots and a bombers jacket (the same kind that I left back at home because I would have just gotten to hot). Sam wore jeans, a loose, white T-Shirt, a leather jacket, and a pair of sunglasses, along with that same smile that said he was hiding something but was going to tell me once he got settled down, which usually took a few minutes. That was a few minutes to long for my short attention span.

"It's about time, old man. I was beginning to think you wouldn't show."

"Sorry, in was waiting on this old geezer to finish and hurry."

"Sam, I don't think you realize just how slow you two are. I've only got one leg and I beat you both by enough time to where I could order food and eat half of it."

That's one way to break it to him.

Sam's smile dropped, and I stood up, using the table for support to show him my stump. He took his sunglasses off and I sat back down and continued eating my pizza like nothing ever happened. The blonde, who was noticing the tension, cleared his throat and extended his hand, which I took with the hand that wasn't covered in pizza grease.

"You must be Beni," he said.

"The one and only," I shot back with a grin. He smiled and sat down to my right while Sam sighed and sat down across from me.

"I'm Steve. It's nice to finally meet one of Sam's friends. On your left."

For some odd reason Sam groaned and hit his head on the table while Steve just chuckled. He pointed to my sketch book, asking if he could see it, and I shrugged. He didn't ask verbally, but the question was in his facial expression. Sam and I watched as it changed slightly. He went from impressed to whistling in awe within the first few pages. While he continued to do that (and draw his own picture in the back, but I'm the one who gave him a pencil to do so, so it was all good), Sam turned to me and gave me an expectant look. The waitress came over and gave the boys their coffee (do they really come here that often? Holy shit), and Sam decided to get right down to business.

"How'd it happen?"

"Sam," Steve said, giving Sam a disapproving look, but Sam kept his eyes on me, and I did the same to him, never wavering.

"Cain was a traitor, so he blew us up. Tam didn't make it, Derek got burns all around, and Troy lost an arm. He says hi by the way, John hit a dude when he picked me up, and I got a job at Stark Industries."

Then, for some odd reason, Steve groaned and hit his head on the table. I laughed and took my sketch book back, and Sam chuckled, leaning back in his chair casually.

"He's not just your regular Joe-" Sam started.

"-I thought his name was Steve," my cheeky grin made Sam roll his eyes.

"That's Captain Rogers."

"Cool."

"Cool? That's all you gotta say about meeting Steve Rogers?"

"Well I have a friend who's a dermatologist, and he hates Steve. He's ninety-five but looks to be in his twenties."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course not, what the hell kind of question is that?"

Sam sighed and looked to Steve for support, silently telling me that I've basically won, but he wasn't going to give up. Steve had been laughing his ass off the entire time. He put his hands up in surrender.

"Even if I did let you bring me into this I would probably choose her side. Just because I know she would win."

"What happened to sticking up for the underdog? Some Captain America you are," Sam pretended to be offended. "Can't believe you two. It's a shame neither of us out rank him because then we would be able to tell him what to do." Sam shook his head and sighed, and I shifted in my seat. Sam saw and narrowed his eyes.

"Beni, what rank did you leave as?"

"A colonel."

"I'm almost afraid to ask who you threatened to prank in order for that to happen."

I laughed for a full two minutes, and in that time Steve and Sam's chuckles turned into full blown laughter.

"So, I gotta ask, Steve," he turned to me expectantly, "How did you make it from the forties to here looking that good? Are you using some special cream or shit? Because if you are then I need to get me some of that."

When Steve blushed madly, Sam laughed so hard he almost choked on his drink.

"I was frozen in ice and thawed out by S.H.I.E.L.D. Then I kinda tried doing civilian life, and then the Avengers formed. I keep having the same argument with Tony every time Thor comes to town."

"What's the argument?" Sam was the one to ask this.

"Knowing Thor isn't a religion."

"How old is that guy, like, our centuries? Like, I bet he makes even you feel old, Cap."

Steve chuckled, and for the first time In a long time, I felt like I had more friends than just Sam. Than just Bucky. My social circle, which was pretty much just Sam and Bucky at the moment, expanded to Steve and Tony as well. I was happy. I was starting to be the normal girl I always tried to be in high school. But I didn't really care for normal. My life was anything but, and I embraced that to a passion.

After all, who needed normal when you have these guys as friends?