Maya Stark

Chapter 90: Sometimes you have to run before you can walk

Sam and I stared at the new suit he had in the briefcase. It was a perfect combination of Captain America and the Falcon. I heard Sam take a deep breath. I pat him on the shoulder and give him a reassuring smile.

'Suit up, Birdie,' I said, walking to the door. I click my ring to put my suit on. 'You're slowing us down.'

He shook his head at me, and my smile grows as I walk out of the room. I leaned against the wall and took my own deep breath. It was now or never. I run a hand through my hair. It doesn't get in my way anymore and I can still tie it back. I almost laugh at how ridiculous all of this was. I used to just jump right into everything. And now I'm cautious? I look at my ring and spin it around my finger. I think of dad. He would give me the stupidest pep talk right now. I could almost hear his voice. Something he said once. A distant memory.

'Sometimes you have to run before you can walk.'

That's what he said. I was so young. A couple minutes later he was crashing through the floor, landing on his nice car. That felt like a whole different lifetime. In a sense, it was. It was pre-Avengers. Pre-powers. Pre-Ironman. Pre...Everything.

'Sometimes you have to run before you can walk,' I whisper to myself. A small smile plays on my lips. I thought he was insane when he used to say that. Now I understand it. Now I get it. Or maybe I just get him. I take another deep breath and walk downstairs to wait for Sam.