I walk beside Steve as we enter a PSTD group meeting. I stand next to him in the doorway before I notice the African American man Steve was running with before. He's conselling all these veterans and seems to be one himself, as Steve told me.
I listen to the the meeting, all these people have been through so much. I can't help as my mind once again drifts to Bucky, his scream echoing through my head. Forever haunting me...
"Look who it is. The running man." Steve's friend says snapping me out of my thoughts. The meeting seems to have ended.
"Caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense."
"Yeah, brother, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret.
"You lose someone?"
Sam pauses, "My wingman, Riley. Flying a night mission.Standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before, till RPG knocked Riley's dumb ass out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch."
My thoughts of Bucky swirl heavier....put up there just to watch.
"I'm sorry." Steve says with sympathy.
"After that, I had really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?"
Steve nods, understanding the horrors of war and losing a partner. "But you're happy now, back in the world?"
"Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero." Sam smiles, "so, hell, yeah. You thinking about getting out?"
"No. I don't know. To be honest, I don't know what I would do with myself if I did." Steve replies, I see the pain on his face...both of us feel so...out of place.
"Ultimate fighting?" Sam playfully suggests, causing Steve to laugh and me to crack a smile. "It's just a great idea off the top of my head. But seriously, you could do whatever you want to do. What makes you happy?"
"I don't know." Steve says with a small smile, then he turns towards me. "Lizzie, I meant to introduce you earlier this is Sam."
Sam extends his hand and I shake it. "Nice to meet you, Sam."
He gives me a smile. "You're Steve's girlfriend?"
"Oh no, no, no...he's my friend."
Sam nods, "oh so you're single then?"
I pause for a second, his words hang in the air, "I um...." tears start to well in my eyes.
"Oh..hey...I'm so sorry I didn't mean to...make you uncomfortable."
"No...it's okay. I just I..lost my lover in...in the war..he..he was my soulmate..." I can't help the tear that slides down my cheek.
"Oh..god...I'm so sorry..." Sam gives me a sympathic smile.
"Thank...thank you..."
I wipe my tears with the back of my hand, "I'll..be outside, Steve."
~
"Hey...how about pasta night?" Steve asks me with a soft smile trying to cheer me up as we walk up the stairs to our twin apartments. A smile makes it's way onto my lips. "I'd love that."
"That's so sweet. That is so nice. Hey. I gotta go, though. Okay, bye." We hear a blonde woman, talking on the phone, Steve's neighbor. I've seen her a few times, she seems sweet.
"My aunt, she's kind of an insomniac." She smiles at us as she drops her phone into the laundry basket, I notice Steve smiling at her.
"Hey, if you want...if you want, you're welcome to use my machine. Might be cheaper than the one in the basement."
YOU ARE READING
i'll always find you
Romanceelizabeth belflower is bucky barnes and steve roger's childhood friend. but what happens when bucky gets drafted, steve becomes captain america and all three of their lives change forever?? this is based on my shifting dr as i wanted to write it in...
