Ghostwalker ▷ b. barnes [2]

xv. the poptart epidemic

SAM PULLED HER KNEES INTO HER chest and gazed down at the city below. The nighttime air picked up her brown hair, blowing it across her face. The sound of sirens and faint shouts echoed up to where she sat.

The city was slow to rebuild. Not just its streets... but its spirit, too.

More than the buildings of New York had been damaged in the alien attack. Its own people were unsettled and in disarray. It would take time for things to get back to normal. Though, they'd never actually be normal.

Sam clenched her jaw, rubbing the tags around her neck.

There was a footstep behind her.

She didn't need to turn to know who it was, keeping her eyes straight ahead. The footsteps padded closer and paused at her side. She gazed up into blue eyes.

"Did Thor leave yet?"

"He's worried his father will restrict him from coming back once he finds out what happened. I think he's planning on sticking around a little longer." Steve huffed a dry laugh, shaking his head. "Gods, aliens, different realities. Still haven't wrapped my mind around it."

Sam let her feet dangle over the edge. This was supposed to be the landing area of Stark Tower— for private jets and such. But was far too damaged at the moment.

Despite her fear of heights, she felt no fear at the plunge below.

Only a sort of numbness.

"Steve... what are we going to do?"

He sat beside her, shoulder brushing against her own. In a simple t-shirt and jeans, he wasn't the outfitted soldier of stars and spangles. He was Steve Rogers. The current Steve Rogers. Not the one she'd run into. "I don't know."

"Dimensions, other realities, alien worlds. Dammit, I miss the old days."

"So do I, Samantha."

She closed her eyes. "What if he is alive?"

Steve was quiet at that.

"We have to do something." Sam didn't know what. She didn't know where to start. After taking out Loki, she'd been so certain everything would be downhill from there. But things had flipped. She didn't even know what to think anymore.

At the same time, she'd barely told the others about her encounter with alternate Steve. She'd brought up his talk of timelines, his panic at being seen.

But his words and warnings about her... death... hadn't really made conversation.

"I think it goes a lot deeper than Bucky," Steve said finally. She glanced over, giving him a confused look.

"What do you mean?"

"You said you could sometimes see the dead. But not him. What if that means he's not... dead?"