iiii. 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨 - 𝐭𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐰𝐬

𝟎𝟎𝟏

Everett wrapped her arms around herself as she walked through the graveyard. Rain dropped from the trees overhead and the ground squelched beneath her feet. Her hair was damp from the rain, leaving her cold. But the cold that shivered down her spine had nothing to do with the rain.

As she walked further through the cemetery, she wondered how she could've gotten to this point. Visiting her own grave, looking for her best friend who she hadn't seen since they were sixteen. At 24, it felt like a lifetime ago.

Everett came upon a plain headstone. No flowers decorated the ground around it, and no elaborate carvings littered the stone. Only a few simple words.

Everett Barton

2000-2018

Loving friend

Why did her life have to be so messy?

Everett walked around the headstone, examining it and the ground around it. And found what she was looking for. A small piece of white paper with a small, hand-drawn dahlia on it was taped to the back of the stone.

A sign.

When Everett and Kashim were younger, they had made up the sign of the dahlia in case they got separated and needed to get in touch. The dahlia would let the other know who the note was from.

Everett ripped the paper off the stone and unfolded it. On it were words written in a handwriting Everett hadn't seen in almost 10 years.

You know, I almost had a heart attack when I got your message. The dahlia made sense, but that was about the only thing. Then I thought about it. There wasn't a body. Sounds like the beginning of a horror film. I still can't believe it. You're alive and presumably well. I've missed you so much. The years when you were a fugitive were hard, but at least I knew you were alive. But when Captain America found me and told me you'd died, I didn't think I was gonna make it. But I found something to fight for, to believe in again. And you can't try and find me. If the things I'm involved in somehow hurt you, I'd never forgive myself. So please. As much as I hate it, stay away.

Forever yours,

Kashim

Everett felt the tears welling in her eyes, but she willed them away. She understood where he was coming from. She had done the same thing to him.

But the idea that Steve had thought she was dead...

That hurt her more than she would care to admit.

But there was nothing she could do about that.

Her phone chimed in her pocket. A message from Rhodey lit up the screen

Shouldn't you be at the airport right now?

Everett cursed under her breath as she looked at the time. She had to be on a plane in an hour if she even wanted a chance to make it to D.C. on time.

She turned back to the grave and sighed.

"I'll see you soon."

—————————————————

4 Hours Later

Everett stood behind a row of cameras, boom mics, and reporters in a one-shouldered black jumpsuit. She didn't know why, but it almost felt like a funeral. Rhodey stood next to her. Sam stood at the podium, dressed in a suit.

"Steve represented the best in all of us. Courageous. Righteous. Hopeful. And he mastered posing stoically." Polite laughter echoed through the building. A brief smile crossed Everett's face as memories came back of Steve and his stoic facial expression. "The world has been forever changed. A few months ago, billions of people reappeared after five years away, sending the world into turmoil. We need new heroes. One's suited for the times we're in. Symbols are nothing without the women and men that give them meaning." Sam pulled the shield from its case and the ring of the vibranium echoed around the room. "And this thing? I don't know if there's ever been a greater someone. But it's more about the man who propped it up. And he's gone. So today we honor Steve's legacy, but also we look to the future. Thank you, Captain America. But this belongs to you."