Resilience | S. Rogers [3]

19 | EPIPHANY

June 2018
Avengers Compound, New York

"You're leaving?"

Rose turned to meet Steve. "Yeah," she nodded putting away another one of her clothes. "I can't stay here."

After what happened with Thanos, the remaining Avengers, if they could still be called that way, scattered. Thor had vanished as soon as they came to Earth, and Tony left with Pepper a few days after. Rocket and Nebula had gotten back into their spaceship out of Earth, though they had promised they would keep in touch. Bruce had stayed a couple of days, but he was gone too. Rhodey, though he hadn't particularly left, was running errands with the government, solving things...or trying to, so he wasn't around often.

After three weeks, that left Rose, Nat and Steve in the compound. They enjoyed each other's company, but it was obvious that neither of them was nowhere close to getting back up. But they were trying.

Maybe letting go of the past was the first step to moving on, if there was even such a thing.

All Rose knew is that she couldn't stand being in that empty compound again, passing through rooms and labs that were used by others.

"I was already on retirement anyway," she remarked with a begrudging smile. Exile, but retirement.

"Where are you going?" Steve asked leaning on the doorframe.

"New York."

He raised his brows. "You hate New York."

She smiled tightly. "Well...I don't want to stay here, but I don't want to go away either." Besides, there was the unsettling fact that the reason she didn't like New York was because of the bustle and now...well.

Steve remained staring at the desk with a few pictures as Rose closed her suitcase. She didn't have much, she would leave most of the things she had in the compound here. Her other things were in her apartment at Tony's place but she wasn't getting those any time soon and the other items she wanted were all in Poland. She had already asked for them but due to everything that had happened, it would take a while until they were sent back here.

"You know—I already told this to Nat but...you should come. I mean—get out of...here." He stared at her seriously with a conflicted expression, then looked down at his hands. "I get why she's staying, I do.  However...this has to stop at some point, right?"

Steve held her gaze, thoughtful. But she saw it, something in him changed.

4th of July 2018
New York City, USA

"Was Nat okay?" Rose asked Steve as they walked back to his apartment. People were moving, everyone getting ready for the festivity. It was the first week that Rose saw anything other than a depressed population. The mood had spread through her as well a little, it was difficult when she barely came out of her apartment though.