When Time Collides ★ [2] ✔

No Strings On Me

Every man and his dog was at Stark's party. Two hours in and the place was packed! I didn't know if he knew everyone attending, but if he did...it sort of explained why he acted like such a tool at times.

I was thrilled when Sam walked through the door. At least there was someone I knew other than the team, who wandered around in clusters meeting new people and conversing with some old friends.

I wasn't the sort of partying guy, but, I had to admit, I was having a good time. And playing Pool with Sam was a walk in the park. It was our third game and I was still winning.

"Whoo!" he whistled. "Come back, come back, come back!"

"You know, you can take the fifty bucks off the table if you're worried you'll lose," I warned playfully.

"Pfft! Yeah, right!"

I shrugged before I took my turn. And the 8 ball, my final ball, went into the pocket. The game was mine.

Sam sighed as he straightened.

I grinned. "Come on."

He whipped out his wallet and handed me my winnings. "I'm never playing with you again."

I chuckled, and we left the table for someone else to play. We stopped by the bar to get Sam a drink before heading up to the second floor of the party.

"Sounds like a hell of a fight," Sam said after I filled him in about the skirmish at the HYDRA base. "Sorry I missed it."

"If I'd known it was going to be a firefight, I absolutely would've called you," I reassured.

"No, I'm not actually sorry. I'm just trying to sound tough. I'm very happy chasing cold leads on our missing persons case. Avenging is your world." We stopped at the balcony overlooking the party below us. "Your world is...crazy."

"Be it ever so humble," I concluded.

"You find a place in Brooklyn yet?"

"I don't think I can afford a place in Brooklyn."

Sam sipped his drink and nodded in understanding. "Well, home is home, you know."

It seemed like an everlasting reality. Avenging was my world, yes. The way it was going, that wasn't going to change anytime soon. I couldn't really see myself settling down. I was created during a war, I woke up during a war, and now I was fighting another war. That was all I knew how to do. It seemed like that was all I was going to do. And it was a sad reality.