black sun rising || b. barnes ASSEMBLE ✔️

1.7

W A S H I N G T O N  D.C.
america

ATHENA

WHEN I came to hours later, I was resting comfortably in a hospital bed. My head was aching, much more than it ever had before. But my body felt light. They must have given me morphine.

I didn't expect anyone to be sitting in my room. So when Stacy Cortez was sitting in the chair, eating a bag of chips, I was more than surprised.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

She jumped at the sound of my voice. Her focus just have been on the television hanging from the corner of my room. "Fuck." She breathed out. "Good morning."

"Did we win?"

"Yes, we did. You've just been here overnight."

"Why are you here?"

Stacy crumbled the bag. "I wanted to make sure you were okay. I wanted to... say thank you. For pulling Steve out of the lake."

"I didn't." I looked at the ceiling. "James did."

"He did?"

I didn't say anything. "Did Shield fall?"

"Yes."

"Maybe it's time Black Sun came to America. We could set up an outpost here."

Stacy snorted. "Good luck with that. The government is currently trying to lock Natasha for her crimes against the country."

"That is nice." I said sarcastically.

"Do you remember when we were little?" Stacy asked. "And mom would take me to Austria. It was always so much fun."

"Why are you reminiscing? You left me to die." I said. I tried and struggled to sit up.

Stacy's eyes dropped to the floor. "Look... I thought you were dead. I shouldn't have left like that. I... I'm sorry."

Her apology caught me off guard. Apologies from Stacy Cortez were rather than vibranium. "You're sorry?"

"I know that we'll never be like before, not after everything that happened." She swallowed. "But you were a good friend. I should've been better. I'm learning how to be a better person now."

"With the help of Steve Rogers?" I couldn't help myself. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, with the help of Steve Rogers."

It grew quiet for a minute as the both of us thought. I did remember when she would come to Austria. It was long ago, before everything happened. Before Shield had foolishly failed in front of Black Sun so many times.

I glanced at Stacy. "How is your mother?"

Stacy's gaze dropped. "Maxwell did damage. A lot of it."

"He dead?"

"Yeah; I killed him a year ago."

"Good." I said. I wasn't sure what else to say to my cousin. Then, I did. "I'm sorry about Shield. I know how important it was to you. What do you think you're going to do now?"

Stacy shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea. Stark is building a tower for the Avengers in New York City. Steve and I might go there."

I nodded but didn't say anything for a second. "How's Steve?"

"He's okay. He woke up earlier." Stacy said. She stood up. "I got to go though. Your mothers on the way and I do not want to be here when that happens. Thank you again. If you ever need anything..."

I was surprised by her offer. "Thank you. Same to you."

Then she was gone and I was left alone. I thought back on our conversation, it being the first friendly one since she had left me to die in Helsinki. Other than seeing her the other day for the first time, whenever that really was, I had seen her since that poor mission.

She must have been so lonely. Her father was dead, her mother could barely say or do anything. I was glad that she had Steve Rogers and this Avenger family. She may have left me for death, but no one should be that lonely.

Then I thought of James. Where he was, what was he doing? Did Hydra find him already or was he wandering around D.C. somewhere?

I started to move from the hospital, groaning slightly and the discomfort it brought me. But after taking a few steps I felt somewhat better.

The IV was pulled from my arm and I grabbed my bag of clothes that was sitting on the counter and got dressed as quickly as I could.

Just as I was typing my combat boots the door opened and my mother walked in.

"Athena, are you alright?" She came to hug me.

"Ja, mama." I hugged her back. "I need to go, though."

"What, why? You have a concussion. We need to get you to the agency so you can get proper treatment."

"I will as soon as I get back. But I need to go now. James, mama, he's somewhere out in the city. I need to find him before Hydra does."

"Athena." My mother said.

"Mama, I need to."

She tucked a lock of hair behind me ear and pressed a kiss against my forehead. "You really are my daughter. Go, I will cover for you here."

"Danke, mama." Then I was gone.