My Angel - Sam Wilson

On the Run

2016

Their timing was just never right - first he was on the run, by choice, by choosing to stick next to Steve's side as he always had, as he had always fully believed in. And as for her, well  she wasn't staying in one place for too long, with too much of her own personal stuff to figure out, or at least try and figure out.

At least she hadn't been planning on it, sticking around.

That was until they had met, and the more time they spent together and the more they got to know each other - had she ever wanted to stay. It broke her heart to leave.

"Stand down, team," a familiar voice said.  "It's just me." Nat smirked at her friends, teammates, and fellow Avengers as she emerged from the shadows.

"Nat - you're here," cried Steve.

"Yes I am. Of course I am."

"Where did you go?"

"Had to deal with some stuff from my past," was all the detail she gave.

"Good to have you back, Nat." Steve hugged her.

"Good to be back." Then she gestured to the woman with her.  "This is Alex - she saved my life. Alex, this is Steve and Karen. Or Cap and Spark."

"Hi, I'm Alex - or Black Widow."

Nat caught Karen staring.  "I know, we've got another one on our hands."

"How many is that now? I'm losing track."

"Me too."

"Do you know anything about this look-alike thing?" Karen asked the newcomer.

Alex shook her head.  "No." Oh, she knew about a look alike thing, just not the one Karen was referring to.

"So how's our friend Secretary Ross?" Nat asked.

"Still persistent," Steve answered.

"Oh, I bet."

"And here I thought we were under attack." Sam soared in then, gliding in gently and landing smoothly to join the group.

"Nope, just me. Good to see you, Sam."

"You too, Nat. We missed you."

"I missed you, too. I see you're hanging in there without me."

"Just barely." Sam hugged her as well.

"This is Alex, a fellow Black Widow," Nat introduced them. "Alex, this is Sam."

"Sam Wilson, Falcon." He still had his wings outstretched.

"Wow," she breathed. "You look like an angel!" The words just slipped right out, but it was true, he really did look angelic.

He chuckled.  "Well, thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Welcome to Team Cap," Nat told her.  

2017

They - Team Cap - were still on the run, nothing had changed there. Labeled 'fugitives' by the government for refusing to heed by the terms and conditions of the Sokovia Accords.

The team had stayed the same, had struck together, at each other's sides, having each other's backs, always.  Nothing had changed there either, and nothing would change that, no matter what. Alex admired it - as a Black Widow, there wasn't a lot of teamwork, only individuals. But she preferred this. They even made her feel welcome in their team, in their family.

"Do all Black Widows have red hair?" Sam asked jokingly, nodding to Alex and Nat.

She chuckled.  "Not all of us."

"About that - I'm thinking it's time I change my hair," Nat remarked.

Alex had long ago split from the group for a time, however, they would meet up again here and there, always when the group was in Europe.

"Come with us," Sam urged her when the team was heading back to their base in Wakanda, having been receiving help from King T'Challa by the sounds of it.

"I have to go, Sam. But we'll meet again - I believe that. I truly do."

"We can find out more about these likenesses of appearance-"

"It's okay, I'm not too concerned." She squeezed his hand.  "Goodbye, Sam. Good luck. See you soon."

See you soon...

2018

Wanda and Vision had disappeared, Vision turning off his tracker. They had stopped checking in with the team as requested, had gone off on their own.

"Of course I'll keep an eye out," Alex promised when Natasha asked.

Then it happened: more aliens spotted on Earth, Iron Man vanishing and then the Blip itself, where half of all life on Earth - and throughout the whole universe - suddenly vanished. It had all happened so fast, so suddenly.

He was apart of those who disappeared, gone for five years, five long years. She didn't know this at first, but after checking in with Natasha, she learned the truth. Sam was gone. He was gone and it hurt more than anything else.

Now she really wished she had stayed. If only she had stayed - if only they'd had more time. Maybe then she wouldn't be so full of regret.

Their timing was never right - but now, that might change. Now, they might just be given a chance - another chance - here in the new world.

And she was going to fully embrace it.

(Hello and welcome to my Sam story! :) So yes, this does take place post the Black Widow movie (for which I'm writing a currently in-progress story) and mostly during The Falcon and the Winter Soldier - Captain America and the Winter Soldier ;)

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this little introduction chapter! :))