Forgive or Forget

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

All the noise of the city rang out, kissing her ears as Aly Carson walked through the crowds downtown. The Square was busy and lit up as usual, and the flashing billboard showed bright as a picture of Captain America standing tall and proud with his shield. For a moment, staring at the picture of him, her heart ached, and she could feel the lump in her throat bob as she tried to swallow down the emotion that was surging through her. With a shake of her head, she pressed on through the crowds ignoring the billboards as they continued to flash through pictures.

Around the corner, a lively bar called to her, and she walked into the too-warm building filled with people of all shapes, sizes, and genders as they danced and drank and bellowed out noises of different emotions. In the corner was an empty stool, so she slipped onto it before it could be taken by anybody else. She put her card down, opening a tab when the bartender approached to take the drink order. He quickly opened a beer for her and passed it to her before moving on.

It was different to be back, but it still felt like home even if she had never been to this particular bar. But she couldn't go to her normal spots, the likelihood of running into someone from her past was too high to risk it. The city was big, and she had a fresh start and nothing but new beginnings ahead of her. So, what better way than to toast to those opportunities? Silently, she did just that and took a big drink of her beer before setting it back down on the bar and twirling the bottle in place between her fingers. The man next to her had gotten up and moved on, but the spot was quickly replaced by a black leather jacket and a hat.

"This isn't one of your usual places. Decided to try something new?" A female voice asked her and froze her in her seat. "Well, I suppose I would too after disappearing for a year without so much as saying goodbye or kiss my ass."

Aly tightened her jaw and nodded in agreement. She deserved that. She knew she did. She gave no explanation or warning except a note saying that she was leaving and then, she just... left. "Did I destroy one of your webs or did you follow me?"

Natasha, the red-haired beauty who was also her friend and colleague at one point in time smiled to herself before turning in her seat to face Aly. She waved to the bartender for another round and stared at Aly for a long moment. Neither of them said anything. What could Aly say anyway that would be a good enough answer to Nat? The bartender set a couple of bottles down in front of the women and then left after staring at them for a moment, noticing the strange tension between the two.

"What do you want Nat?" Aly finally asked and took a drink.

"Where have you been?"

"Not here."

"Then where?" Nat scooted her chair closer to Aly and leaned in close. "You and I both know that you can't keep this a secret for very long. Sooner or later, you are going to either run into us or you are going to see his face everywhere and you won't be able to live with yourself."

Aly let out a laugh and waved to the bartender again. "You say that like I've been able to live with myself for this last year." She told the bartender to close the tab and got her card back, sliding it into her wallet and finishing her beer. "You don't know the hell that I've gone through or the things I have done this past year just to survive. You're not stupid, Nat, so let's

stop pretending this is old friends reconnecting and it's really just you trying to interrogate me." Aly left, leaving Nat staring after her while shaking her head. Nat finished her beer and left as well.

Letting the voices guide her, Natasha found everyone in one of the sitting rooms and joined them, sitting across from Steve as he read. Rhodes and Sam stop their discussion and turn to Nat who leaned forward, her elbows on her knees. Steve looked up at her, knowing that she was about to say something that was going to throw them all for a loop.

"I thought you should hear it from me," Nat told him. Steve stared at her, waiting for her to finish. "Alyson is back."

Steve looked down, his thoughts beginning to jumble as he recalls every moment he spent with Alyson, and every moment he didn't while she was away.

"I'm sorry, back?" Tony asked and leans on the couch.

Steve snapped, "that's what she said, Tony."

Everyone fell silent once more as tension began to fill the room. For months, they had all tried to help Steve pick up the pieces that were shattered when Alyson had left, and now that he's finally put back together, she's back and with no explanation.

Nat stared longingly at her friend, hoping, praying that some part of him will just let it go and continue to move forward. She couldn't stand the thought of him falling back into that well of emotions that he had for Aly, because next time he may not be able to come out of it. Steve said nothing, however, as they all sat in silence and let the unspoken words linger- Aly was back.

Steve's phone vibrated in his pocket, so he pulled it out and unlocked it. The number on the screen was one he recognized but had deleted months ago.

Can we talk?

Those three words he had wanted to hear for so long were finally staring right at him. Tony and Nat began bickering with each other about how she found out that Aly was even back in the city, so instead of paying them any attention, Steve just got up from his seat and left the room without saying a word.

He walked, nowhere, in particular, just to get his head cleared. Can we talk? He could almost hear her voice as the words echoed in his head. Her soft voice, the voice that once told him how much she loved him, how she would never leave. Her soft voice, that sang painful words in his head as he read the note that she left on his pillow.

Steve stopped, not realizing that he had walked to the bridge. He stopped at the railing and leaned on it for a moment before pulling out his phone and typing a message.

Tomorrow morning. Meet me by that church at 9.