[Quiet in the Chaos]

~54~

                                      ~54~

"YOUR PREACE KEEPING TROOPS, CARRYING WEAPONS, ARE FORCING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE INTO SETTLEMENTS AROUND THE WORLD RIGHT?"

Dani pauses, folding her arms over her chest, standing beside a van attempting to stay out of everyone's way while she watches Sam turn to face the senator. His features are hard and his words even.

"What do you think those people are gonna call you? These labels, terrorists, refugees, thug. They're often used to get around the question, 'why?'"

The second senator sighs, his eyes crinkling. "Those settlements happened five years ago. You think it's fair for governments to have to support that?"

"Yes."

"And the people who reappeared only to find someone else living in their family home, they just end up homeless? I get it. But you have no idea how complicated this situation is."

Her eyes flicker to Bucky as he stops a foot away from her, leaning against the van opposite. Her stomach drops a little when he doesn't glance in her direction. She should apologise.

She should.

But she doesn't want to talk about it yet.

"You just don't understand."

Sam laughs dryly. "I'm a black man carrying the stars and stripes. What don't I understand? Every time I pick up this thing, I know there are millions of people out there going to hate me for it. Even now, here. I feel it. The stares, the judgement, and there's nothing I can do to change it. And I'm still here, no super serum. No blonde hair, blue eyes. The only power I have is to believe we can do better.

"We can't demand that people step up if we don't meet them halfway. You control the banks. Shit, you can move borders. You can knock down a forest with an email. You could feed a million people with a phone call. But the question is who was in the room with you when you're making those decisions? Is it the people you're going to impact? Or is it just more people like you?

"I mean this girl died trying to stop you. And no one stopped for one second to ask why. You've got to do better. Senator, you've got to step up, because if you don't, the next Karli will and you don't want to see 2.0. People believed in her cause so much that they helped defy the strongest governments in the world. Why do you think that is? A few people have just as much power as an insane God or misguided teenager. The question you have to ask yourself is how you're going to use it?"

He lingers for a moment, letting his words sink in, before he turns, making his way towards the pair. Dani smirks a little, her eyes crinkling. "Did you write that down first?" she teases, quoting his question to Steve all those years ago.

Sam laughs a little, shaking his head. Bucky claps him on the back, his mouth tugging into a small smile. "Sorry. I was, uh, texting. And so all I heard was a black guy in stars and stripes. Nice job, Cap."

Sam's lips press into a thin line, his eyes widening a little. She sees how much the word means coming from Bucky. They start walking towards the cars, a familiar blonde coming into their path.

She hesitates, her eyes dropping before meeting Dani's. "Look, I'm sorry for how things ended back there."

The ex assassin dips her chin. Granted, she probably went too far with the things she said - but so did Dani. "Me too."

"For what it's worth," Sharon mentions after a beat, smirking at Sam. "The suit looks good on you."

Sam glances to the wound on her stomach. "You should go to the hospital."