Finding Death

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Nine months later...

Falcon

"I seriously cannot believe I actually got an invite to this party," Rikki says for about the twelfth time today. "You, absolutely. No questions asked. But me? That's ridiculous."

"Tony doesn't hate you."

"Everyone else does."

"Not after Berlin." Berlin was a mess. Pretty much everything went sideways and Rikki ended up bailing us all out. It's been a busy nine months for us- even with almost radio silence on Barnes' location. There's been a few tips, all of which have turned up nothing. I can tell it's getting to Rikki; she has got progressively more reserved. She hasn't given up, though. That's for sure. I doubt she ever will.

"Berlin was a mess," Rikki grins. See? Exactly as I said. "Anyway. Have you seen what I'm wearing? I don't own anything that's party-suitable."

I gesture down at my jacket and jeans, "I'm not planning on getting changed." This time she doesn't say anything. "How's the brain doing?" Recently she's been remembering more very quickly, which always makes her tired and achy.

Rikki just shrugs. "It's been better if I'm honest. I just feel like there's too much going on up there to deal with at once. And..." exhale, inhale. A sign she's about to tell me something she should've already told me. "Even though I'm recalling more, I'm forgetting more too. More recent things, and all the time from before HYDRA is hard to hold on to."

"That's not fantastic," I say softly. "You remember how to land the Quinjet though, right?" Did I mention Rikki's piloting? She annoyed me enough about it that I ended up teaching her. Unsurprisingly she picked it up super fast and I think she might actually fly the Jet more than I do.

Rikki just laughs at me. "I might be an idiot but I think I've got it." As if on cue she starts the descent to Avengers Tower, dipping down below the clouds. "I'd buckle in, though. Just in case."

"I hope you're joking."

*

Nomad

It's not hard to find Steve amidst the crowd of smaller, less-super-soldiery people. His blond head is way above almost everyone else's shoulders. "Steve!" I call, dodging through the mass of bodies with Sam close behind me.

"Hey, Rikki. Sam," Steve slings an arm around my shoulders. "How's the hunting going?"

"We're trying," Sam admits. "We heard about your trip to Sokovia. Going to tell?"

Steve laughs, but does launch into a full-blown story about Europe and- surprise!- they actually managed to get the sceptre they were looking for. I hope he'll let me see it later- that thing has got me into way too much trouble these past few months.

"Sounds like a hell of a fight, sorry we missed it," Sam remarks when Steve's done.

I chuckle- I can tell Sam does not care either way. "If I had known it was going to be a firefight I absolutely would have called you," Steve says  semi-apologetically.

"No, I'm not actually sorry. I'm just trying to sound tough. I'm very happy chasing cold leads on our missing persons case. Avenging is your world. Your world is crazy."

"You can say that again," I comment. "You two have got me into some odd spots."

Steve smiles at me. "Be it ever so humble."

"You find a place in Brooklyn yet?" Sam asks him.

"I don't think I can afford a place in Brooklyn."