For The Love Of A Captain Book 2

Attacked

Alia POV

Once we had reached the V.A. Steve seemed to be in a better mood. He seemed a little happier. I was glad that his visit with Peggy had gone well. I knew it was a form of closure that he needed in order to move on with his life completely. I knew he was happy with me, but he needed to see her again. We parked and walked into the building. Walking up the lady at the front desk, I smiled.

"Hi we are here to see Sam Wilson?" I asked. She nodded and pointed down the hallway. 

"Just head down that way, you will see them," she said. I nodded and thanked her and Steve and I headed down the hallway. As we got closer, I could hear a woman talking.

"The thing is, I think it's getting worse," she was saying. I could hear the pain in her voice and i instantly felt for her. "A cop pulled me over last week. He thought I was drunk. I swerved to miss a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED."

"Some stuff you leave there," Sam started. He was standing at the front of the room behind a podium. "Other stuff you bring back. It's our job to figure out how to carry it. Is it going to be in a big suitcase or in a little man purse? It's up to you." I looked over at Steve and gave him a look. Sam was impressive. He dismissed the group and said his goodbyes. Steve and I walked out into the hallway and hung back away from them to give Sam a few minutes. After he had said his last goodbye, he turned to us and smiled. 

"Look who it is, the running man and his lady," he said playfully. He walked over to a table and began to clean up the pamphlets that was on it. We walked over and I gave Sam a hug.

"We caught the last few minutes. It was pretty intense," Steve said, leaning against the wall. 

"Yeah brother. We all have the same problems. Guilt, regret," he said sadly.

"Did you lose someone?" I asked. He nodded.

"My wingman Riley," he said, sadness in his eyes. "Flying a night mission, standard pj rescue op. Nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before. Until an RPG knocked Riley's dumbass out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It was like I was up there just to watch."

"I'm so sorry Sam," I whispered, tears in my eyes. Steve wrapped his arm around my waist and nodded. 

"After that I had a really hard time finding a reason for being over there you know?" Sam explained. 

"But you're happy now? Back in the world?" Steve asked. He had felt this pain already today and I didn't think he could handle Sam's as well. 

"Hey the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero, so hell yeah," Sam grinned. "You thinking about getting out?" I tried to look as normal as possible but I was also curious about this answer.

"No...I don't know...to be honest I don't know what I would do with myself if I did," Steve replied. I wasn't sure how to take that answer. Steve and I had been together for two years but it wasn't like we were planning on getting married or having a family anytime soon. I guess it made sense.

"Ultimate fighting?" Sam replied. I snorted out a laugh and Steve chuckled. "Just a great idea off the top of my head."

"Speaking of great ideas, thanks for the heads up about the new Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian, Sam," I said, slapping Sam's arm and giving him a glare. He looked over at me and then at Steve and his face instantly changed.

"Uh oh, I'm sensing that I'm in trouble here," he said, rubbing his arm. Steve sighed.

"No you're not. It came as a bit of a shock to be there but it was actually kind of nice at the end of it all. The memories aren't all great but there are good ones there," Steve explained. He leaned over and kissed the top of my head.