Thank you for the reviews and favorites. It makes me excited to keep writing.
The chapter contains the topic of LGBTQIA+. If it's not your thing, this is your warning to back out now as it will continue to be in chapters in the future.
Thank you to Harliquinn for beta editing!
Happy Readings
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A few days had passed since Skye's talk with Wanda. Skye had decided to visit Kate at work one afternoon after school. She had okayed it with her dad, and she went to the coffee shop Kate worked. She went to the counter and ordered herself a drink as she looked around behind the register at the people who were working.
"Is Kate working today?" Skye asked the person serving her as she paid for her drink.
"Kate?" The girl asked.
"Yeah, Kate Wiley," Skye said.
"Oh, no, she doesn't work here anymore," the girl said.
"Oh," Skye said. "Since when?"
"It's been a few weeks," the girl said.
"Oh, guess she just forgot to mention it," Skye said as she took her drink and thanked the barista.
Skye left the coffee shop. She figured maybe she would be able to get more hours at one of her other jobs. She went to the store she knew Katie worked, it was close by and was looking around trying to find her. But she couldn't find her. She also hadn't seen her car in the parking lot so she figured Kate must have been at her other job. Skye didn't know much about that one. Kate had always just said it was her paid internship. Skye didn't think to ask much about it, but now she was wondering if she should have.
Skye decided to check to see if maybe Kate was home. She took the bus and went to the address Kate had given her. it wasn't in the best area of town. But Skye had been in much worse places, and she knew she could defend herself better now than before. She buzzed up to the apartment, and a male voice answered.
"Yes?" The man said.
"Oh, is Kate there?" Skye asked.
"No Kate lives here," the man said.
"Is this not apartment seven?" Skye asked.
"It is. I just moved in a couple of weeks ago. Maybe who you're looking for is who lived here before," the man said.
"Oh, okay," Skye said. "Sorry to bother you." She sat down on a bench that was along the side of the building and tried calling Kate, but the phone line was disconnected.
Skye was now pissed. Kate and she had been close for years and had been through hell together. She had a feeling that Kate had been jealous of the fact that Skye had found her father and was able to live a better life, but to completely cut her off and not even tell her?
Skye went onto her Instagram and tried to look up Kate's account, but she was unable to find it. They had been following each other on Instagram, and now she couldn't even find her account. Skye let out a breath and got on the bus to head back home. She looked out the window, watching the people on the street.
When she got home she went inside.
"Hey, did you manage to track Kate down?" Steve asked, looking up from where he sat on the couch. He and Bucky had gotten home the night before.
Skye shook her head. "She doesn't work at the coffee shop anymore. She wasn't at the store she works at. I don't know where her internship is. I went to her place, and she doesn't live there anymore either. I tried calling her, and her phone line is cut off. I went to check her Instagram, and I can't find it. She has blocked me or something, I don't know why but she clearly doesn't want to be friends anymore," Skye said with tears in her eyes.
Steve got up and went and wrapped her in a hug. "This might all be a misunderstanding. Maybe her phone was cut off for some other reason."
Skye hugged him. "Okay, but the guy who answered the buzzer to her apartment says he has been there for a few weeks. And she hasn't worked at the coffee shop in a few weeks, either. Her Instagram is just gone and she doesn't try and get a message to me, she doesn't just show up here? She knows where I live," Skye said.
"I'm sorry, Skye. Maybe you are right. Maybe for some reason, she has decided to stop contact with you, but that doesn't mean you have done anything wrong. Sometimes friends grow apart," Steve told her.
"I guess," Skye said.
"Come on, I think there are some cookies in the kitchen," Steve said.
Skye nodded and went with him.
She got the milk from the fridge, and Steve got some Oreos from the cupboard.
"You know, when I was unfrozen I was pleased that Oreos were still popular," Steve said, opening the package and putting it on the table. He grabbed the glasses that Skye filled up with milk, and the two of them sat.
"They were around when you were a kid?" Skye asked.
"Yes, they were invented before even I was born I believe," Steve said.
Skye took out her phone and googled it. "1912 is when they were invented."
Steve smiled and nodded. "So, yes before I was born."
Skye took one of the Oreos and dipped it in her milk. Steve did the same.
"Did you have Oreos often?" Skye asked
"No, I grew up in a time when everyone was struggling to make ends meet during the great depression, and my dad died when I was young. My mother being a single mom made us even poorer. So it was not common to have more than the very basic needs, if even that at times," Steve said. "The first time I had an Oreo was actually at Bucky's place. His family had a little more money, so it was something they had around sometimes."
Skye nodded.
"You probably don't have many pictures of you and Bucky when you were kids do you?" Skye said.
"Just one," Steve said, taking his wallet out and pulling out a folded picture, and handing it to Skye.
Skye looked at the picture of the two young teenage boys. "You have kept this in your wallet?"
"Yeah, why?" Steve asked.
"Just wondering how it made it through everything," Skye said.
"Well, when I was frozen I had it with me. So just like I was kept the same, so was everything I had with me," Steve said.
"Dad, you and Bucky," Skye said.
"Yes, what about us?" Steve asked.
"You two ever been more than friends?" Skye asked.
Steve chuckled. "You're not the first person to assume that."
Skye handed him back the picture. "That wasn't an answer."
Steve took the picture. "Okay, I'll give you an answer. But first a question, why do you think that?"
"Well, you've carried around a picture of the two of you for a very long time. And, I don't know, it's just something I've wondered. You two are very close," Skye said.
"Yes, we are close. We grew up together, and we have been through a lot together - a lot we have had to work through," Steve said.
"I know," Skye said.
"But I did promise an answer. So, at one time we were getting closer, but nothing came of it. He went to war, and I became Captain America and went to war. I thought he had died, and I was frozen. So nothing came of it," Steve said.
Skye nodded. "Have you two talked about it since?"
"It's not something you need to worry about," Steve said.
"Does Bucky know you have that picture in your wallet?" Skye asked.
"I have a question for you. Is there anyone you have any interest in?" Steve asked, changing the subject.
Skye smirked a little at his attempt at misdirection. "No," she answered. "Never has been."
Steve nodded. "You know if you do, you don't need to hide it from me."
"Honest, never has been. I'm picky I guess," Skye said.
"Okay, that's okay too," Steve said with a smile.
Skye and Steve sat for a couple of minutes in silence.
"Now, I think there is something else we need to talk about," Steve said.
"Oh?" Skye said.
"Did you think I wouldn't be told about what happened while I was away?" Steve said.
Skye sighed. "Well, I was hoping."
"You should know by now I will be told these things," Steve said.
"Am I in trouble?" Skye asked
"Wanda handled it I'm told. But you know better than to act the way you did, whether I am here or not," Steve said.
"I know, I'm sorry, I apologized to Wanda, and it won't happen again," Skye said.
"Okay," Steve said. "Anything happening at school? No more notes in your locker? No information about who sent it?"
"Nothing exciting, no, and not as far as I know," Skye said.
Steve nodded. "Any tests coming up?"
"Just had one today," Skye said. "I don't know how I did."
Steve nodded. "you studied?"
"Yes," Skye said.
"Okay, good," Steve said.
Skye put her now empty glass in the dishwasher. "I'm going to go get started on homework if there is nothing else you needed to talk to me about."
"There isn't, no," Steve said.
Skye went off to start her homework.
Bucky came into the kitchen right after Skye left and grabbed one of the Oreos from the package on the table.
"Hey, Buck," Steve said.
"Steve," Bucky said. "So the first time you had an Oreo was at my place, huh?" Bucky asked. "Didn't know that."
Steve let out a soft chuckle realizing Bucky had probably heard his whole conversation with Skye. "Yes, it was."
Bucky nodded and finished his cookie, debating if he was going to ask the questions he had. He didn't get a chance before Wanda and Bruce came into the kitchen with bags of groceries and started to put them away.
"Did Skye have any luck with Kate?" Wanda asked, knowing what the girl was up to.
"No, she has seemingly made a lot of changes that Skye was unaware of. She doesn't work at least one of the jobs Skye knew about. She has moved out of her apartment, either got rid of her Instagram or blocked Skye, and her phone has been disconnected," Steve said.
"Damn," Wanda said. "How is Skye taking it?"
"She's upset. I think she is still trying to come to terms with it," Steve said.
Wanda nodded. "I will see if she wants to talk to a woman about it later."
Steve nodded.
The four of them put away the groceries before Wanda and Bruce started making dinner for everyone.
Steve went to the office to get some paperwork that he had been neglecting done.
Bucky sat in the kitchen talking to Bruce and Wanda as they made the meal.
After dinner, Wanda knocked on Skye's bedroom door.
"Come in," Skye said.
Wanda went in. "Hey, your dad told me about Kate. I was wondering if you wanted to talk about it?"
Skye shrugged. "She doesn't want to be my friend anymore. I don't know why, but whatever."
Wanda nodded. "You sure she just hasn't ended up in a bad situation without having the money to fix it?"
"That doesn't explain the Instagram page being gone," Skye said.
"Maybe she wanted to be off social media?" Wanda asked.
"Not Kate, she blocked me," Skye said.
Wanda took out her phone and opened up the app. She looked up Kate and couldn't find her either.
"Well, if she blocked you, she blocked me too," Wanda said.
"She probably doesn't want anyone who knows me to contact her," Skye said.
"Or she could have decided to turn off social media," Wanda said. "Maybe something happened to her on social media, and she felt it was the right thing to do."
"Maybe," Skye said. "But it all seems to line up with moving, dropping at least one of her jobs, and her phone being cut off. I don't think this is a coincidence."
Wanda nodded. "I'm sorry, Skye."
"Thanks," Skye said.
"What can I do to help?" Wanda asked.
"Nothing really," Skye said.
Wanda nodded. "Well, if there is anything I can do, you let me know."
Skye nodded.
Wanda wrapped her in a hug, and Skye smiled and hugged her.
After they broke the hug Wanda left Skye to finish her homework.
