Crave

Chapter Nine-Finale

It's been a few weeks now.

I've been hunkered down in Brooklyn near Coney Island. Figured my old apartment wasn't safe and this is the last place anyone will ever look for me. Yawning, I stretch my arms up and stand, wiping the sand off my jeans and red long-sleeve shirt. While sleeping under a pier may not be for everybody, I've found it really isn't that bad. Not sure where I'm going next, but I think maybe I'll head to Hawaii. It's one place I haven't been to and I've gotten a little attached to the beach. Even more compelling, it's an ocean away from him. The feeling of him being within reach and not near me is still very much present. The heavy weight sitting on my heart like a dumbbell. The farther away I go, the heavier it gets and the safer I know we...we both are. I strap my bag to my back and step out of the shadows, basking in the sunrise over the ocean.

"Pretty hot for a hobo."

I spin away from the ocean to find a familiar smile on the face of a familiar friend. "Sam? How the hell...?"

He shrugs and makes his way down the slope into the sand. "You really think Stark hasn't been keeping eyes on you? Although I've got to say, seeing him get a bit flustered every once and a while when he loses track of you is entertaining as hell." I smile and drop my bag into the sand, walking straight into his open arms.

"Missed you, Sam. Been a while." I mumble and pull back, tugging his arm. "Come on, bet you don't get to see the sunrise over the ocean too often." Grinning, he lets me drag him down and we leave our shoes by my bag.

"So, when you coming home?" He asks and I sigh.

"The facility isn't my home, Sam. Besides, you know I don't deserve to come back."

"Do I know that?"

"Uh, definitely. He...he must've told you what happened."

"Mmm. Not really. Heard it second hand from Steve. Who misses you too, by the way. He wasn't the only one that liked having you around, Rosalie." I smile thankfully at him before looking back at the sand.

"Is that why you came all the way out here? To try and convince me to come back?" I question and he stops our little walk so we can just face each other.

"Not quite, but it would be a perk." Once again, he coaxes a smile out of me. Glad to see I still have friends. "Steve and I want to hang with you so, I said I'd come and drag you to a VA meeting. No arguments." I actually think about it a minute.

"Okay." I agree and Sam blinks, then beams.

"Damn, that's great! Thought I'd have to convince you." He teases and I roll my eyes.

"Hey, I miss you both too. Besides, you said no arguments." I shrug and we turn to head back to my bag. "No one else is coming, right?" I have to ask, not looking up to meet those honey eyes. Still, Sam's voice is distinctly softer when he speaks.

"No. No one else." I nod and grab my shoes and bag, then head up to my motorcycle and Sam's car. "Take your bag?" He offers and I gratefully allow him to take it to his car.

"I'll follow behind." I tell him, looking forward to spending time with my friends in any capacity. I have missed them. Sam is a sadly slow driver and I do my best to follow him at a respectable distance. Judging by the look he gives me when we park, I failed. As we walk in he bumps my shoulder.

"Ride my ass much?" He jokes and I sigh.

"Sorry if I'm just a little excited, Sam. What's it been? A month and some change?" I ask rhetorically and he wraps an affectionate arm around my shoulder. We arrive in a near empty room and my eyes instantly pinpoint the tall, hunky, blonde in the corner. But he's not alone. Natasha and Tony are here too. Natasha is raiding the coffee bar and I'm not sure what Tony's doing but he's under the podium on his back. Steve's the first to see me and his slow, genuine smile does me good. I squeeze Sam's hand before rushing over into Steve's open arms. The hug is surprisingly tight and does me a world of good. Pulling back, I grin. "Good to see you up and about."