iiii. 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨 - 𝐭𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐰𝐬

𝟎𝟎𝟑

The helicopter was dark and loud as they flew home. Bucky was lying down on the bench, and Sam was sitting on top of a cargo load. Everett sat across from Bucky, mind racing.

"You all right?" Sam's eyes were on her.

"Yeah, yeah. Of course," Everett replied. Sam tilted his head, then came and sat down next to her.

"You know, nobody thinks that you were Steve's pet psychopath. You were part of his family, and everybody who matters knows that."

Everett looked at Sam. "You think I'm bothered by that? I don't care what people call me. I know my past, and I'm trying to figure out my future. Nothing John Walker says is going to change that."

Sam gave a slight laugh, then turned his worried gaze back on her. "So, what's up? What happened on that truck? Bucky nearly lost it, thought you died."

Everett's shoulders stiffened. "Oh, that."

Movement across the plane caught her notice. Bucky had sat up and was watching her. She sighed.

"The Flag Smasher whose mask I took off? I knew him." Admitting it felt strange. Like she had broken some sort of promise.

"How?" Bucky's voice was dark.

"He was...a friend, from when I lived in D.C., years ago." Kashim had been more than just a friend, but she couldn't think about that right now. "I thought he died, or Blipped, and I seriously thought I was hallucinating, or I was seeing a ghost, or something else."

Bucky looked at Everett. "So, you saw an old friend from when you were a kid, someone you had thought was dead. And now they're on the other side."

Everett laughed. "It's like I'm reliving Steve's life." She sighed, trying to exhale the fear filling her body.

Sam smiled. "Don't worry about him. He'll be fine. And if he's not, we'll get him out."

Everett looked at Sam, hope filling her chest. "Really?"

Sam bumped her shoulder. "Of course."

Everett smiled, exhaustion filling her body. "Thanks, guys." She yawned as she laid down on the bench.

"Wake me up when we get to D.C.," she mumbled.

--------------------------------------------

"Hey, Ev." A deep voice woke Everett. Her eyes flew open as she sat up. Sam stood in front of her. Bucky was in his same place on the bench.

"We made it?" Everett posed the question, although she already assumed they were.

But Sam looked at Bucky. Bucky looked at Everett.

"We're in Baltimore. There's someone you two need to meet."

The trio walked out of the jet and onto the streets near them. Eventually, they came to a neighborhood. There were kids playing on the sidewalk. One of them saw Sam and walked up to him.

"Hey, it's Black Falcon. What's up?" The kid walked next to Sam as they continued down the street.

"It's just Falcon, kid."

"No, no. My daddy told me it's Black Falcon."

Sam stopped and faced the kid. "Is it because I'm Black and I'm the Falcon?"