When Sparks Fly

Shield

About a week after we receive the news is Steve's funeral, a day where all of us gather again, just as we did for Tony's funeral. Almost everyone is present, everyone except Barnes. I find a decently modest black dress in my closet full of workout gear. What else are you supposed to wear as a training coordinator? A few days after the service, Sam has called for a press conference to announce what he intends to do with Steve's shield and the mantle of Captain America. As I wait in the main living room of the compound I hear a familiar voice call out to me, "are you ready?"

I turn and see Sam, dressed in a black suit, "Sam," I sigh, happy to see my friend again. "It's good to see you."

"Yeah, but hell of a circumstance."

I nod, "yeah, well, we knew it was coming, it was just a matter of time."

"That doesn't make it any easier," Sam tilts his head, just from this tilt I can tell he isn't referring to how hard this is on him. "Really, how you doing?"

I shrug my shoulders and take a deep breath, "uh," I sniff a bit, "I'm alright, you know. Not sleeping, not eating." I shake my head, "everything that's to be expected."

"I know you loved him."

"Yeah, I did... I mean, I already lost him six months ago."

"You have to remember six months ago he was a young hundred year old man."

I shake my head, having not really thought about how old Steve really was, "yeah, how is that gonna look on his head stone?"

"1918-2023, I would think."

"You don't think they'll include the time he lived twice?"

"Technically he didn't live it twice, remember the first time he was in the ice."

"Right, I forgot."

"Are you ready to go?" Sam offers me his arm.

I link my arm around his, "yeah, I think so."

We head to the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. where they have, what could be called, an Avenger's wing. When we get there Sam walks me to Rhodes, before he heads up onto the small stage set up in the room. There are banners with Steve's face on them. Soon Sam looks out over the crowd and begins to speak, "Steve represented the best in all of us. Courageous, righteous, hopeful. And he mastered posing stoically," the whole group chuckles. "The world has been forever changed." Sam pauses as some camera's shutter, taking photos of both Sam and myself, judging by the directions of the flashes and the fact that I have all but refused to talk to any media outlet. "A few months ago, billions of people reappeared after five years away, sending the world into turmoil. We need new heroes. Ones suited for the times we're in. Symbols... Are nothing without the women and men that give them meaning. And this thing..." Sam chuckles, looking over the shield, cameras shuttering as he picks it up and steps away from the podium. "I don't know if there's ever been a greater symbol. But it's more about the man who propped it up, and he's gone." I nod and look down, as I do Rhodes rubs my shoulder, "so today, we honor Steve's legacy. But also, we look to the future. So, thank you, Captain America. This belongs to you." The crowd applauds Sam as he hands the shield to museum staff and they place it into a glass case.

After his speech Sam walks back to Rhodes and I, who are standing with the Smithsonian director, who shakes Sam's hand, "thanks again for coming forward with the shield, Sam. It was the right decision." After this, he leaves the three of us.

Rhodes shifts a bit and scratches his nose, "take a walk?"

"Yeah," Sam nods.

After the two take a few steps away from me, they both turn around, "that means you too, Sparky."

"Are you sure?" I tilt my head a bit.

Sam laughs softly, "what, you think we're just gonna leave you here with all these reporters running around? Nah."

"Come on," Rhodes gestures for me to walk toward them. We slowly start to make our way through the closed exhibit, "so what have you been up to, Sam? Up to anything fun?"

"Yeah, I've been at home with my sister and nephews, man." As we walk through the exhibit light after to come on, as I look around it is all about Steve. "When I left, they were babies. I come back and they're little men. And this one," Sam gestures to me, "is all grown now. It's crazy, you know."

"Yeah."

I smile up to Sam, "you should bring them out to D.C. sometime."

"I'll teach 'em how to fly," Rhodes chuckles, "you know, I mean, the right way." We share a little laugh.

I shake my head, "it's crazy that nobody's gonna be carrying the shield."

"Well," Sam shrugs, "we went for 70 years without anybody carryin' it when Steve was on ice. So, I think we'll be all right."

"Are you sure? I mean, it was a symbol of unity for a lot of people. And an even bigger symbol of hope. Those were different times."

After we walk for a few moments in silence, Rhodes sighs, "I see you're gonna make me ask." Sam and I both stop and look back to Rhodes, "why didn't you take up the mantle?"

Sam takes a deep breath, "when Steve first told me about the shield, the first words I said were, 'it feels like it belongs to someone else.' That someone else is Steve."

"What about you?"

I shake my head, "Steve asked me to make sure that Sam made the right choice with the shield. He wanted him to have it, not me." We continue on into a room with all the promotional posters and tickets for Steve's show before he was really Captain America.

I chuckle softly, causing Sam to turn towards me, "what?"

"I remember Steve telling me about the show he did. He could never understand how he got everything he ever wanted, but he ended up in tights."

"Sounds like that superhero life," Rhodes chuckles.

"Which is crazy."

"World's a crazy place right now. People are... Well, nobody's stable."

"That's for sure."

"Allies are now enemies. Alliances are all torn apart. The world's broken."

"It was always broken," I shake my head. "It's just more obvious now. Everyone just wants someone to fix it, or someone to blame."

"Yeah," Sam nods before we continue on, moving on to one of Steve's first uniforms to see real field action and where they put the shield.

We stop and admire the shield for a few minutes, before Rhodes breaks the silence, "it's a new day." Rhodes pats Sam on the back, "I'll be in touch." Before he leaves Rhodes gives me a hug, "especially with you. Make sure you eat something today."

"I will," I smile weakly to Rhodes before he leaves, once he is gone I turn back to the shield. "So," I clear my throat, "was I that new hero you were talking about?"

"You were one of them."

"What about you? Are you going to hang up your wings? Give Redwing a nice little doggy house?"

"I haven't given it that much thought. I'm doing good where I am."

"Yeah, I've heard about all your missions."

"You know, we could always use someone like you."

"Someone like me in the air force? You do remember 'flying' is not on my resume."

"You wouldn't have to fly, you're smart and good with maps, you could always be my eyes on the ground. Or we could make you your own wings."

I shake my head, "I prefer my feet to be on the ground, thanks."