PSYCHE | AVENGERS

One year later

It had now been a year since it all changed. Since the Avengers broke up. Since Steve and Tony stopped being friends. Since Steve and I took a real hit. And a year since Bucky had been on ice.

And during this year, what had I been doing, you might ask? Well, let me tell you. Even though I can only walk on the street with a disguise, I have been traveling like crazy. After all, I had to keep tabs on everyone.

I was now with Nat, Wanda, and Steve on the warehouse them and Sam were now living in. Sam was out getting the groceries, from what I gathered.

"I'm so glad you finally decided to join us." Wanda said with a smile as she took a sip from her coffee.

"We missed you." Nat said truthfully.

"I missed you guys too." I said smiling fondly at my friends. "I'm sorry for being distant lately.

"I'm actually intrigued." Nat started. "What have you been up to?"

"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask you that myself. Whenever we talk you never mention anything you're doing." Wanda said as she slightly furrowed her eyebrows at me.

Steve shifted uncomfortably in chis chair.

We haven't spoken since leaving Bucky in Wakanda. I said I would meet him whenever I felt the time was right... but I never did.

Nat and Sam asked me to live with them, which would be safer than traveling on the down low, but because of Steve, I could never bring myself to say yes.

"Uh, well..." I cleared my throat. "It-It's been weird, you know?" I paused. "I spent years learning to be alone in a cell, to then almost never being alone. It's a weird experience learning to feel alone again."

"But you're not alone." Nat said as she looked at me seriously.

"Yes, I-I know you guys are all there for me, but I had to learn how to be alone again." I tried to explain. "Find things that I like to do alone instead of some group activity to do at the compound on a Friday night."

"I get what you mean." Wanda told me with a nod. "So? Have you found out?"

"I love reading." I said with a small smile. "And this might make me sound like a weirdo, but ever since living alone, I found myself having a sitcom in the background as I cook, or clean, or sometimes even read."

"Why?" Wanda asked slightly weirded out.

"I guess it just reminds me of living at the compound. You know, always with that background noise." I explained.

"Yeah, I get it." Nat said with a small smile, remembering the now good old days.

Huh... never thought I would call them that. I wish there was a way for you know you're in good old days before actually leaving them.

Steve cleared his throat as he looked at me, making the first noise after greeting me after I walked in.

"Have you talked to him?" He asked hesitantly.

Nat and Wanda were looking between us almost as if they were on a tennis game.

"I have." I said with a soft smile. "He's doing well. He and Pepper are great, and I already hear marriage talk." I paused. "He also kind of adopted that spider-man kid? I don't know, he has the kid working for him. I helped them finish a project for his class a couple of months ago."

"That's amazing." He said with a sad smile. "I'm happy for him."

The air became tense after that. I knew I had to talk to Steve. And for the looks on the faces of my faces, so did they.