Hi guys!

How is everyone doing?

I'm back! Happy late Christmas and New Year to everyone!

I know I disappeared without leaving any trace behind or living proof and I am truly sorry but I needed a break from writing.

Don't get me wrong, I love to write, I do, but, lately, I didn't find the creativity and patience enough to do it, you know? My light was kind of cut off. Nothing I wrote was good enough to achieve my expectations of what I know I'm capable of writing and I would disappoint all of you, my dear readers, so I step back for - three? - months so I could recharge and find the energy to write. Also, you all must have seen the news about the riots in the first week of January involving the supposed illegal and fraudulent presidential elections. I'm not going to give my opinion towards this here because it isn't the adequate place for it - here is a sacred time and place to distract ourselves from our reality with fictional characters - but I can assure you all the atmosphere here in Brazil - in case someone doesn't know where I'm from - it's extremely tense, dangerous and toxic, about to get inside something bigger in case one of the sides put their foot where it doesn't belong. I just hope that everything works out in the end for everyone's well-being.

I'm forever grateful for everyone who still trusts me in this new story and in the oldest too. About them, I have news: I'm working on two shared stories - that I won't be giving away any spoilers because I don't have authorizations for the other writers - but I can assure you it will fantastic and worth waiting for so long. About my individual stories, I'm doing He is like my son still and will start working on three others right away. I will be working on seven fanfics simultaneously for you all to compensate for the time out and I will give my maximum, blood, tears, and sweat for them - You're on your own, kid reference. 2023 will be a great year!

Meanwhile, I watched Spiderman: Homecoming, Far From Home, and No Way Home and I fell in love with Peter Parker and Tom Holland. That man is perfect - both, the fictional character and the celebrity - so humble, funny, hard-working, and a person to whom you look up. I felt connected with them after seeing the bullying Parker suffered daily from Flash at school and the actor's bullied experiences because of dancing; he didn't let himself get dark, on the contrary, he tries to be better and do better, overcame all this and look at where he is and who he is: spiderman. I use him as a daily motivation to pursue my goals and overcome my trauma due to them. He is a role model for me, my hero, and my idol.

Of course, during this time, I read a lot. Including Spiderman's fanfics. And I got this idea that was the battery, the gasoline I needed to return writing for all of you and try to put a foot inside the Marvel Cinematic Universe fandom that is so huge and brilliant that frightens me a little bit. I hope I can make all my readers proud. I won't be a Tom Holland lookalike and spoil everything like he almost - and did - sometimes during interviews or lives but this will be somehow an alternative universe. (I don't blame him though because if I was there too, I wouldn't contain myself in sharing the amazing magical moments those producers do as a little child in a candy shop or at Disneyland).

And please, as I'm kinda new to this marvel world, don't get mad if I do some mistake. Take it easy on me. Just correct me in the comments and I will fix it as soon as possible. This isn't a place to hate!

Have a nice recovery, Jeremy Renner! I hope you feel better and ready to be our Hawkeye as soon as possible.

Music references: Don't Let Me Down by The Chainsmokers and We Found Love by Rihanna.

I think I have said too much already. Shall we begin with the story? Yes! Let's go!

I need you, I need you, I need you right now

Yeah, I need you right now

So don't let me, don't let me, don't let me down

I think I'm losing my mind now

It's in my head, darling, I hope

That you'll be here, when I need you the most

So don't let me, don't let me don't let me down

D-don't let me down

Don't let me down

"Ok, we arrived." Clint Barton says as soon as he stops at the end of the line full of cars to drop the kids to another day of school.

"Thank God, this music was killing me!" Cooper Barton exclaims with an exaggerated huff, taking the seat belt off as quickly as possible and grabbing his backpack from the ground in the passenger seat.

"Don't piss me off, Cooper, we heard your rap songs in a row because it was your birthday last week without complaining. Now the 'music schedule' play returned to normal and it was my turn to pick the soundtrack!" Lila Barton retorts to her older brother.

The 'music schedule' was created by Hawkeye after many fights between the siblings about who should choose the car ride songs. They had exceptions like birthdays, special events, or personal achievements and also penalties like having their time passed to the next because of misbehaving or lies. The fights didn't cease but they declined in intensity and frequency, which was a win for him and his wife, Laura Barton.

"Don't even start fighting again or we are listening to the news or classical music on the way home." he gently threatens his soon-to-be teenage children who stopped immediately. They indeed hated classical music and thought the news boring enough to hear after a whole day of listening to their teachers explaining their subjects. Calming his tone to a sweet, he speaks: "Dad loves you two, now hug me before leaving!" they smile as they hug each other, the father delivering a kiss at the top of their head.

"I love you too dad!" they say simultaneously as opening the door and take off the sidewalk to their respective group of friends already waiting after hugging each other, wishing mutually another great day. He stays there, contemplating the cute friendship scenes when his phone rings. He picks it up, wondering if it was Laura asking for some groceries on the way for some dessert she saw on some reality show, but turned out it was Steve Rogers, Captain America.

Hey Clint, sorry for the inconvenience to bother your day off but it's an emergency. It's HYDRA. A source of mine discovered another warehouse of theirs where it probably holds multiple arsenals and prisoners, including kids. Meet me at this address as soon as possible: 178 Marble road, New York. Thanks.

The last time he was contacted by Avengers for a mission, things went south. He almost faced a life-sentence jail time for staying by Rogers' side during the Civil War. Also, if it wasn't for Rogers, he would never escape prison. Their lives now are more restrained, almost an undercover life, due to him being an outlaw, a rogue, to the authorities and society but, at least, they are overcoming the fear and the insecurities and accustoming to their new routine together. He promised himself and Laura he would stay away from him to avoid further problems.

His promise to be distanced is about to be broken.

It's insane how much he hates them. He would love to pass a day off and be with his family but the service is calling and, above all, when it includes children in captivity who could be his own, it shatters his heart. He just hopes she understands. He calls his wife, explaining the urgent situation and that she will need to be the one picking them up after school. She assures him and wishes him good luck, she knows how close to his heart he takes when it comes to HYDRA, and demands he looks out for himself out there carefully to return to them later. He promises her and ends the call after saying he loves her. He replies:

"On my way, Captain."

Natasha Romanoff leaves the gym in Wakanda feeling as renovated and well with herself as ever and refreshed after the shower. She kicked some asses - metaphorically because punching bags don't have it - despite having to put in double the effort due to the most advanced technological gym equipment owned by King T'Challa's kingdom if compared to the ones she was used to in the United States or Russia. She isn't complaining though.

As a former Russian spy trained in the Red Room to sexually persuade and kill her enemies - were they her enemies or her institution's enemies? - and a current Avenger, she doesn't fight anymore for random or third-party interests, she fights for herself, her family, her world, her causes, and her principles for common sense. It was for the greater good. Every sacrifice wasn't in vain, it was honorable. Honor. A feeling she never felt overseas.

Family. Another word and group of people she had never had someone to call her own. Now she has. She wasn't used to believing in God or other superior entities but she thanked the sky above for reuniting her with such a lovely family. A crazy, messed, and, sometimes, dysfunctional family. What did she do to deserve them she doesn't know but it isn't on her plans to walk away because they would die for each other and would be there for each other without second-thinking. Although it could be better if the battle between Tony and Steve hadn't happened due to the Sokovia Accord, or if she never had betrayed Tony in letting Bucky and Steve get into the plane. She misses New York, the new compound, the team, and Tony.

In the hush against the clock, she never adequately met Tony's recruit, the arachnid man. She had a great first impression of the man - which is rare to happen - due to his impressive fighting skills, firm and good heart, and who would be under that mask.

That's why training isn't more a walk through the fire and yes a paradise, where she can draw her bad energy and traumas and recharge with good energy and will to fight inside the law who attempted to destroy the world's normality and tranquility. That's why she feels grateful she can leave heavily sweating as she had just got out of a huge storm or a clothed bath and is as renovated and well with herself as ever.

She has her black earphones on as she gets into her car to head to the supermarket before home when her phone rings. It is a message from Steve:

Hey Natasha, sorry for the inconvenience to bother your day off but it's an emergency. It's HYDRA. A source of mine discovered another warehouse of theirs where it probably holds multiple arsenals and prisoners, including kids. Meet me at this address as soon as possible: 178 Marble road, New York. Thanks.

Hearing about Hydra operations and bases sends shivers up and down her spine and rage through her veins. Her dream is to dismantle every horrendous base and operation of them and tear to pieces and bones the motherfucker who thought the terrorist organization was a great initiative for the greater good by transforming human beings into mindless war machines after many inhuman experiments and tortures. This was the only way to make her travel away from Wakanda. This was the only way to make Steve leave his room at the palace, who locked himself up with guilt and shame after whatever happened between him, Stark, and Barnes after Germany, watching certain unknown videos to her in a row.

If time permits, she would try and meet Iron Man and reconcile. She would try and meet his recruit, whoever he was.

Of course, she was on a mission.

"On my way, Captain."

"…With that, I pronounce the promotion of class number 191 of captains of the United States Air Force!" United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes finishes his speech by proclaiming as the new captain throws their caps up in the sky, shouting their war names, some falling on their knees with tears of joy, others hugging each other in excitement. All their physical efforts and studies during nights and days were worth it now.

Looking at that up on the stage, reminds him of when he was on their skin years ago. Class number 130 of captains of the United States Air Force. He tries to keep the serious and serenity composture, containing the smile on the curve of his lips or the tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

This one was the first group he accompanied since the very beginning of the rote to the captain rank and one of the few groups he can easily say that everyone truly deserved it. Although it's sad to admit, many highest-ranked officers, including from his graduation class, don't deserve the title they acquired. Many lowest-ranked officers deserved their spots and if he could switch their places, he would do it without hesitancy. However, that's not how militarism works. All he can do is keep an eye on them and write as many recommendation letters as he could to help.

He leaves the stage quickly to greet and compliment personally, even take some pictures if asked - although he hated and wasn't in the mood for that, he felt like he owned them, talking about military business with other highest officers when his cell rings:

Hey Rhodey, sorry for the inconvenience to bother your day off but it's an emergency. It's HYDRA. A source of mine discovered another warehouse of theirs where it probably holds multiple arsenals and prisoners, including kids. Meet me at this address as soon as possible: 178 Marble road, New York. Thanks.

He can't contain the shiver running up and down his spine reading the super soldier's name. He can't contain the pain running up and down his spine reading the super soldier's name. He was a soldier himself but he hasn't passed through a so near-death experience such as that. If he closes his eyes and dives into the profound of his mind, he feels Vision's laser, aimed at Sam Wilson who was persecuting him and Tony, hitting him in the arc reactor in his front. He feels his armor shutting down like a light being turned off and him descending to the ground. He feels himself doing flips, backflips, rotations, and many other circus movements that would be gracious if he had control over them as the red-and-blue-suited man does so casually. He feels the strength of gravity acting toward him. Sky above. Ground under. The horizon. Iron Man and Falcon - surprisingly - fly down at their maximum to reach him while shouting his name desperately but many feet above yet, they won't reach him in time. All those five elements above are combined into one, he can barely distinguish them. He wonders if that's what Tony saw while falling down the black hole near the Avenger Tower, the entry to the aliens invading New York. Gladly, he passes out before colliding with the grass harshly. The next thing he knows, he just wakes up in the Medical Bay at the compound with Tony by his side who is talking on the phone with someone about him. He is informed he is lucky to be alive and he has to pray he doesn't have a serious spinal cord injury that might leave him paraplegic. After a lot of physiotherapies paid for by Stark, he is fine - as fine as he can be - although he still feels pain when he does sudden movements and his reflex is overworking.

Mentioning, who is the red-and-blue-suited man? The man disappeared as fast as he came and put up a show at the airport. He is someone else: he stole the shield and fought equally with Captain America until the last one dropped the finger structure above him, held him from colliding with a plane, and based on Star Wars, made a plan to knock out the giant man. Stark didn't do the carbon dating as he said he would neither tell him the recruit's identity. Also, it is a mere coincidence of dates that a teenage boy, called Peter Parker, was contracted as an intern the day before Spiderman's sudden appearance at the airport. He saw the picture of the two of them holding the internship certificate upside down, Tony with a serious business face meanwhile the Peter guy wears the biggest and brightest smile he has ever seen, bringing up his own to his face immediately. Is Peter Parker Spiderman?

He wonders why Steve called him. It's rare and weird so he grows suspicious. Most of the time, it's Tony who makes the communication whether there is a mission somewhere or confirming their former Friday movie session at the Tower. He just hopes the last one will be there too:

"On my way, Captain."

Even though she dyed her hair from red to blonde, is wearing light blue contact lenses, and appearance of an art teacher at the elementary school that doesn't at all her personality or taste or the place she is standing in, Wanda is afraid of being recognized. Afraid of being denounced by the authorities. Afraid of being taken again back to the raft. Afraid of being restrained and collared like an animal.

She didn't want to be distinguished while visiting Pietro's grave at a cemetery in New York, she wanted to be herself and be vulnerable around him but the circumstances don't permit it. She is a rogue Avengers after all and, most of the ones designed with this title should be refugees in Wakanda illegally - any international police force would dare to invade the most advanced country in the world in terms of army and technology without causing a conflict or disruption of numerous vibranium commercial accords in a row.

Steve will be furious if he discovers that she left the African country again - she vehemently promised him she wouldn't escape last month and look where she is: breaking another promise - but she can't break the only promise she managed to keep up with someone.

"I promised our parents I would keep you safe when they passed away and now look where you are, dead because I couldn't protect you as a sister and as an Avenger. I promised Vision I wouldn't leave the compound no matter what happened to Germany and I joined Clint and Captain and hurt the love of my life, physically and emotionally," she says, a tear falling down her eyes, rolling out the right side of his gray grave and running down the rock slowly until achieving the ground. Vision left as soon as she arrived back from the prison without a proper goodbye, his future location, or time of return. He left her after what she had done to him. Cruel. Justifiable. "I broke Steve's trust again coming him but at least I'm managing to keep my word of visiting you once a month intact for now." she chuckles sadly and whispers. "I don't know for how long though." her cell rings and she freezes when she reads a message from the second world war veteran, imagining the worst:

Hey Wanda, sorry for the inconvenience to bother your day off but it's an emergency. It's HYDRA. A source of mine discovered another warehouse of theirs where it probably holds multiple arsenals and prisoners, including kids. Meet me at this address as soon as possible: 178 Marble road, New York. Thanks.

If it wasn't for the HYDRA mention, she would guess he knew she is in the city, two or three blocks far from the address given if not mistaken, and ready to give her the fifth scolding towards this matter. She swallows drily at the thought. She can't leave him hanging now she has seen the message:

"On my way, Captain."

King T'Challa, from time to time, wonders why he was born into the royal family. He wasn't prepared for the royalty. He was in training. He doesn't fit into that place with the highest function in his country inherited by his father. It was like putting in the crown to a fourteen-year-old kid from night to day without any type of training or a mentor by their side, dealing with grieving from their parent's death and expecting them to resolve war and economic crisis from night to day like magic. He doesn't know how his father, easily, effortlessly, gracefully managed to handle all the stress that comes with the function. He was the King after all.

It's far from what the fairytales usually show on television, the reality is tough and busy from sunrise until dawn, dealing with international politics meeting after meeting; resolving local problems in the supermarket while walking through the kingdom; playing football, basketball, or other sports with the kids in the park; visiting his genius yet irritating young sister Shuri in her paradise called the palace's laboratory where she almost inhabits, working on her inventions on his Black Panther suit, other inherit from his old man, proving it and training with it whenever she allows.

To facilitate his life, now he is hosting some of the old Avengers now considered rogues by the entire world after the combat due to the sign or not the Sokovia Accord. He didn't take Anthony Stark's side because of only just the Accord, it was a personal vengeance. Bucky Barnes - or the Winter Soldier - was responsible for his father's death in the United Nations Congress in Vienna and he was going to pay for this by the newly crowned man no matter the consequences.

For a little second, he considered not hosting them - at least not Barnes - but his father wouldn't be proud of him. He believed that people deserved second chances and a word of trust if they truly and deeply regret their wrong actions so, for his name and legacy, he proposed hosting and they accepted gratefully. Except for Tony, Spiderman, Clint Barton, Scott Lang, and James Rhodes who reject the offer gratefully for personal reasons. Besides, they are in a consensus of what is expected in case they are caught out of Wakanda: prison. They are safe here. Barnes himself asked to be put into a coma to start a proper treatment to erase the HYDRA ordeal he endured these last seventy years and the words that transform him into a cold-blooded assassin machine even though Steve disagrees and is still somewhat reluctant with his best friend's choice. Step by step, he is getting to terms with all of them. He is on his way to the gym when his phone rings:

Hey Majesty, sorry for the inconvenience to bother your day off but it's an emergency. It's HYDRA. A source of mine discovered another warehouse of theirs where it probably holds multiple arsenals and prisoners, including kids. Meet me at this address as soon as possible: 178 Marble road, New York. Thanks.

A message from Steve. To someone who was born in the last century without cell phones or any type of communication except for letters, he is very used to it like a kid from the current generation or Shuri to message him when they are in the same place, two floors down at distance. Nevertheless, he can't drop the habit of being excessively formal despite his insistence on being called by his name and lacking this habit at the palace unless it's in front of others leaders in formal situations.

He changes his direction to search for the veteran in his room to question him further and finds it open and empty: he might be waiting for him at the location already. Suspicious grown on him: he was being extremely and rudely firm and inflexible in prohibiting the others from exiting the kingdom, nonetheless to say the palace for a few hours to breathe fresh air, immersed in guilty for whatever occurred in Siberia and overprotectiveness around the partial sense of security despite a hypothetical threat.

In addition to this, he despised the terrorist organization enough even with the lack of time and wisdom of them due to how recently he met the Avengers and being so incarcerated in his own country for long periods. He is totally into it.

"On my way, Captain." he messages the man back and gets down to his sister's laboratory to grab his vibranium Black Panther suit.

Scott Lang, in record time, drops his daughter Cassie at her mother's house so she could have breakfast and go to school. It was a blessing he left alive or harmless with Maggie's flaming fury.

As part of the guardian custody accord, the kid gets to pass the weekends with him and the weekdays with her. Usually, he would pick her up on Saturday morning and take her back at Sunday twilight so the routine wouldn't be hurried the next day for everyone. However, he asked if she could pass the night with him eating Mexican tacos and watching the Shrek trilogy. The kid instantly agreed and got extremely, his ex-wife got a bit reluctant, afraid they would sleep way too late for her usual and she wouldn't be able to wake up the next day.

He disagreed, saying he had everything under control.

Said and done.

He hadn't everything under control.

He messed up again.

Since their divorce, their relationship gets rougher and rougher for the time being. He failed as a husband but he couldn't fail as a father. Living undercover because you took Captain's side in the Sokovia Accord, got arrested - again - and now are considered around the globe a rogue Avenger isn't classified as good father parenting. They were called to school once they figured out the affinity and they were instructed his presence wouldn't be invited there to not cause trouble for the poor little kid to get socially isolated or bullied by her colleagues because of him. Heartbroken, he accepted the decision, he had somehow foreseen where the reunion was going in the moment they were called. The mother got madder than before and painfully punched his arm on the way out saying 'this is all your fault'. They also combined to, in no hypothesis, tell her about his criminal worldwide identity - the first thing he proposed that she didn't contradict and said he wasn't such an idiot as she primarily thought, he took it as a compliment - for now, she had to be spared as she was too young to understand such a major and impacting thing, but maybe later, once she figured it out by herself or by thirties, they would sit down with her and explain everything.

He gets inside his car, passing a hand through his sweaty hair and face after the morning stress. Perfection is a utopian and unachievable status programmed by society and the industries that didn't exist, but he had to be near the concept to be Cassie's father because she deserves it. He didn't know what he had done to deserve such a beautiful, intelligent, brilliant, gentle, compassionate, true-hearted, ray of sunshine, and honest girl; an exact copy of Maggie. The noise of a message takes him out of his daydream:

Hey Scott, sorry for the inconvenience to bother your day off but it's an emergency. It's HYDRA. A source of mine discovered another warehouse of theirs where it probably holds multiple arsenals and prisoners, including kids. Meet me at this address as soon as possible: 178 Marble road, New York. Thanks.

Another order he received from his former wife is to never and ever contact Steve again even with an imminent alien invasion or diarrhea; she doesn't want him near him or herself or her daughter - principally her daughter - after all he had made them through. Of course, he was the one who accepted the battle offer - not like he had much of a choice as he was somewhat kidnapped by Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch to the airport and, let's be honest, who in sane conscience would recuse working alongside Captain fucking America, an one-time and lifetime experience? He sighs, he has to accept.

"On my way, Captain."

"After all, there is no way I couldn't let her down again as this is what I'm good for," he murmurs under his breath to himself, irony, sadness, and embarrassment mixture in the declaration.

He feels the water leave the glass capsule he has been sleeping on since they arrived in Wakanda. He opens his eyes slowly. The extremely brilliant lamp penetrates his eyes and he closes them again immediately, a headache screaming out his human being and soul.

Despite knowing the different circumstances and willingly asking to be put there, Bucky Barnes can't contain the shivers and pain tracing down and up his spine and the memories of the torture and experiments he endured under HYDRA's mercy.

He didn't want to feel that though but it was his body and mind's natural response after seventy years of suffering at the hands of those motherfuckers. That's why he submitted himself to that psychological therapy he had heard of and was disponibility in the most developed technological African country. It wasn't going to be an easy way - after all, it's not easy like a snap of fingers erases seventy years of life - but he has to get through it.

Apart from all the cold murderers he committed after hearing those Russian words, he never thought he would be one of the reasons Anthony Edward Stark and Steve Rogers would fight a civil war and, altogether with the disagreement over the Sokovian Accord, convoke eight Avengers too. The first one demanded his surrender to SHIELD while the last protected him. He knew how willingly Steve would go to protect the ones he cares about but not would continue over finding out he was the one who killed the billionaire's parents or the multiple murder attempts on the veteran man that he, himself, did. Any other person would turn their back on him. Comprehensively. But Steve wasn't any other person that would turn his back on him, almost facing prison - imagine how dishonoring it would be being an under-arrest legendary, over-temporal hero for someone so unworthy as him - almost murdering his friend - or better saying now, former friend - hitting right at the arc reactor and giving the shield up on the terrorist complex in Siberia.

He owed the therapy and recovery to every unnamed victim he killed and to all the families he destroyed, to Steve - for putting everything and himself at risk for him -, to Tony - for being the reason he was almost killed and his parents were dead -, to Sam - a man whom he linked immediately with since the escape from Shield and during the fight at the terminal -, to King T'challa - who even accusing him of killing his father and trying to get revenge, hosted him and disponibility the finest equipment and professionals to treat him -, to Rhodey - who suffered a major fall after being accidentally hit by Vision, the shot aimed at Sam, while persecuting their plane -, to Natasha - who betrayed Tony in the forty-five minutes of the second round -, to Wanda, Clint, Scott and Vision - the forth was retired, two of them in a relationship, the other reunited with his mysterious hidden family and the other almost returned to prison when all he wanted was his daughter -, to gimmick - who the hell is he, by the way? And how old is he? How could have he held his punch with his strongest arm and wasn't frightened, he was fucking amazed and thrilled about how cool his metal arm was and surely didn't know the mortal assassin he was. Neither does he. His voice is way too thin to be a grown-up, it would be…did Tony bring an enhanced teenager to a war?

Once a day every day, a Wakandan therapist would chat with him for an hour about this or any other matter he wanted to, related or not. Steve would appear in some sessions but not all of them - he can't say if it's a good or a bad thing though - for another hour or so before he returns to his capsule to sleep. He mainly asked about him and the others, however, never expressing his worry towards the red and blue fighter they met - something about him didn't match well but that was a question Tony should have answered.

He leaves the capsule and senses something wrong: there isn't Steve or the therapist there with him. The place is empty. Bile climbs up his stomach and adrenaline rushes through his veins, eyes a mile per hour running across the room in search of a weapon itself or an improvised one and an efficiently and properly hidden spot to hit or cover his attack. How much he misses his arsenal is unbelievable. Survival super soldier mode activated: once a soldier, always a soldier. Could Wakanda be invaded in search of him and the rogues? This could cause serious diplomatic and commercial crises between the African country and the invader country, if not a new war. However, the tranquility outside doesn't match the calamity a current invasion could do to the city and the Army. His eyes land on an empty table in front of him, empty despite a lonely little white paper deposited on it. Suspiciously, he approaches it slowly like it was a trap, a tricky ambush to get jumped at, and picks it, looking to his sides as he is being watched.

Hey Bucky, sorry for the inconvenience to bother your day off but it's an emergency. It's HYDRA. A source of mine discovered another warehouse of theirs where it probably holds multiple arsenals and prisoners, including kids. Meet me at this address as soon as possible: 178 Marble road, New York. Thanks.

Fuck! Why couldn't Rogers wait for him to go together? How is he supposed to take a plane all by himself using his identification card and walk through New York city without being recognized? He is going there obviously, after all, it's his responsibility to how powerful and dangerous the terrorist organization has been acting around and haunting the globe.

"On my way, Captain." he murmurs to himself, grabs his old gun in a dresser nearby, and makes his way out of the palace.

"Hey Austin, how are you doing? How have your studies been?" He greets the twenty-year-old delivery guy, doing their typical handshake and hug. He takes out the helmet, places it on the handlebar, picks up the box and the credit machine from his delivery motorbike, and turns to the superhero.

"I'm fine, sir, studies have been rough but I'm managing. Thanks for asking. What about you?"

"Fine too. Just hungry." he licks his lips to express his starvation words. "And, please, do not call me 'sir' because makes me feel older." The man chuckles.

"Sorry, it's a habit." just like Steve fucking polite Rogers. "I'm not going to waste your time anymore and leave you to eat. Also, I'm the only one in service today so I better hurry to deliver everything."

"Oh, poor you. Yeah, go ahead. Thanks so much, man, have a nice and busy day." he pays him, in his humble opinion, the best Japanese delivery guy from the best Japanese restaurant in town. He watches the man put his helmet on and climbs up the motorbike, updating his GPS to his newest location. When he disappears down the street, he enters and closes the back door of the palace.

The palace's bill for takeout food increased exponentially after he arrived and started ordering once or twice a week, sometimes eating there too. Sam Wilson had never eaten since he never had the monetary empowerment to it, he lost his father in trying to break up a gang weaponry fight when he was nine and, years later, lost his mother in a robbery-homicide to an assailant to protect himself, his brother Gideon and his sister Sarah. The first time he ate was in Japan on his first official trip abroad with Rogers and fell instantly. The original food in the eastern country is way much different than in the western continent due to any natural or artificial factor that can interfere with the taste and, although he misses traveling and eating there, he has to get satisfied that he can't now. He misses traveling to eat and visiting his family so much. Before, it was due to his crazy and busy routine as an Avenger, but now it's due to the international arrest warrant.

He feels like a falcon in a cage - metaphorically and realistically or barely a coincidence, he is the Falcon and the cage is the glass castle - without liberty to fly. He couldn't risk it all for everyone's safety: they all have everything to lose. He couldn't risk leaving, getting arrested, and forcing anyone out of there to rescue him again, especially Steve, the one who knocked out all the SHIELD agents at the Raft to rescue him, Clint, Scott, and Wanda and bring them to Wakanda. He wonders how his family is doing: are they ashamed of him? Are they wondering where he is? Are they moving on like nothing has happened or are they struggling? Have they been living in the dark, with no one knowing who they are familiar with, or are they being reprimanded and cursed by society and authorities at their residence or wherever they go because of him? What if his parents were alive: what would they think of his son being an internationally searched criminal? Would they stand up for him and try to clean his name and reputation or would they be ashamed of him for hiding like a coward and not facing the consequences of his acting like a hero like they did the day they died? He guesses no one will ever know. Asa former social assistant, the what-ifs of life can and are messing with his mind and mental health and he shakes his head, takes deep and firm breathes, hoping to throw off the thoughts and eat his favorite meal in peace when his phone rings:

Hey Sam, sorry for the inconvenience to bother your day off but it's an emergency. It's HYDRA. A source of mine discovered another warehouse of theirs where it probably holds multiple arsenals and prisoners, including kids. Meet me at this address as soon as possible: 178 Marble road, New York. Thanks.

He has a strange alerting gut feeling about it; of course, it has a relation to the fact involves those bunch of idiots agents and scientists who, allegedly in the name of science and human evolution, kidnap, torture, and experiment on innocent kids, women and men into mortal, heartless, cold bloodied mindless super murderers. Sergeant Bucky Barnes is the closest example of their cruelty.

But there is something else too. A sensation that it's screaming that it's an ambush, a fallout to the team. However, it appears that the former soldier is already there and is in an emergency; otherwise, why wouldn't he wait for him back here to go there together? If roles were reversed, he wouldn't be standing up still and thinking about it, he would be embarking immediately without second-thinking.

He puts his uneaten meal on the fridge for when he gets back and rushes upstairs to his room, opening the locked dresser where it is about to be unretired and vesting up. He is on a mission.

"On my way, Captain."

That's the end of the first chapter. It is the longest chapter I have ever done. It was without any type of action, I know, but for the next one, I promise the action and the whump will happen for good. See you soon!