The Black Knightress (Back up for fulls)

{105}

The Next Afternoon
Astoria, Queens NY
Sarah's POV

"What do you mean 'we're going back to the compound'?!" I raise my voice

"Happy is on his way here to pick us up. Cappie's cage is set up for us to bring him with us, he has enough food to last a week, and we already have all of our necessary clothes and toiletry items at the compound." Uncle James lists

"I'm tired of going back and forth every weekend."

He sighs and looks down in an ashamed manner, coming back up to make and sustain eye contact with me.

"Why don't have I have a say in this?" I sniffle as my eyes begin to water

"Because right now I'm your caretaker again, and it's my job to make sure you're stable."

"I'm fine staying here with you." I shake my head as I walk to him

"I don't want us to be alone on a holiday, especially one that's a more popular one and commonly celebrated than most others."

"I'm sure we'll survive if we stay here for a week."

"Sarah, I am done fighting for survival. I love you, which to me means that by any means necessary, I will work to give and or keep you in a healthy environment." he insists

"We're fine where we are."

"Since you were twenty years old my job has been to keep you safe in one of the most dangerous places on Earth, and now I get to protect you anywhere we have the money and allies to help us live? I'm taking the high road on this, you and I have worked for everything that we left Hydra with-which ended up just being the fact that we're alive, but it's enough and you're enough and I want you to know that you are."

"Is that what love is?" I ask as I keep walking to him

"That's what it is for me, at least right now it is."

"And what about in five years from now?"

"Hopefully i'll have this stuff out of my head, maybe we'll be living with your niece or you and Steve while I find a life somewhere meant for me." he chuckles

"I may not know what love is, or remember what it feels like, but I am absolutely sure that me telling you this has something to do with it."

"Tell me what?"

"You are as much a part of the Rogers family as I am, maybe even more because you know them better and you've known them longer than I ever have..maybe better and longer than I ever will." I smile slightly

"I love you too, now make sure you have everything you need for this coming week." he nods

"I never sai-"

"You didn't have to." he admits gently before walking to my right side

He kisses my right cheek and walks past me to get to Cappie's tank, removing the lid to put the small critter into his travel cage. As he proceeds our family pet's travel transition, I walk into my room to make sure I have all the school things I need so I won't fall behind.

After I have all my school assignments aligned, I carry them out to my school bag and throw it over my shoulder as I hear the familiar sound of a fancy car door shutting outside of the apartment complex.

"I thought you told him to stay in the car." I ask my uncle

"I guess he thought we have bags to carry, but let's go before people start questioning why we have a chauffeur." he urges

He hands me Cappie's cage that I take before he starts rushing out of the door, waving me to do the same until I've slipped behind him. He shuts the door and locks it behind us before grabbing my free hand in his and running down the layers of stairs.