A/N:

Hello lovelies.

So this is just a one shot I really wanted to write. I really don't see a lot of Captasha fanfics so I decided to write one of my own but I had two ongoing stories so I really couldn't write a multi-chapter story. Hence this one shot.

So this will be based around a little before Winter Soldier. Onto the story. Also please excuse the typos.

~TSF

Disclaimer:

Hahaha if it was mine Cap and Nat would be together.

Story:

"Captain I don't think we need to discuss this any further. You have the information you need and you have the perfect partner. I don't see any problems" Fury said.

Steve was sitting in a conference room in one of the many S.H.E.I.L.D offices along with the Black Widow and Nick Fury. He wanted Steve and Romanoff to get a couple of details from a Louis Brengort. He was an apparent illegal arms and drug dealer but most importantly an informant for Hydra or atleast that's what the manila file in Steve's hands said. Brengort was about to throw a lavish party, which was where Steve was being sent while playing George Desmond, a wealthy businessman and his wife, Regina Desmond, being played by non other than Romanoff.

"Honestly Rogers, I really can't see your problem" Romanoff spoke. She obviously had no problems, in fact she never did. She was built to follow orders without questioning anything.

"My problem is our covers. A businessman is the last thing I am. I have been frozen for over 70 years and I know nothing about today's mannerisms or culture. Something could go horribly wrong because of something so trivial" Steve said.

"Captain that is exactly why I am sending you with Agent Romanoff. You'll be fine. I don't have so much time and resources. You're going to do this. End of discussion" Fury said sharply and left.

"We leave in an hour. Pack up. And of course you'll need a formal suit. Okay?" Romanoff asked standing.

"Uh huh" was all Steve said. Natasha was leaving but that weak response made her turn around and look at the super soldier. He was looking out of the window now with a frown on his face. She walked back, turned a chair around and sat with her legs crossed and hands resting on her lap. Steve simply raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Why are you so skeptical about this Captain? It's unlike you" she said.

Steve looked at her and took in her features, her scarlett hair, her calm eyes, her surprisingly small and lean frame. She was undeniably and unmistakably beautiful. She often looked at him like he was only good, like he was a true hero. And that's how she was looking at him right now, expecting him to be the soldier he was meant to be but at the moment he was being selfish. He was afraid, of losing her. Cover ops weren't his forte and he knew the possibility of something going wrong were incredibly high. Had he been going alone he would've said yes without thinking twice but he was going with her. She was very capable of taking care of herself and he knew that. He also knew that if everything went as needed they would have some very valuable and credible information. But if something went wrong, he would lose her. That he couldn't handle, not again. She meant too much. So he was being selfish, instead of choosing to extract the information he wanted to choose her safety, not for her but for himself. But be couldn't possibly reveal that too her. So he crossed his fingers and hoped simply for the best, which was her completely safe.

"It's nothing. Let's get a move on it" he said and stood up. He extended a hand for her.

Natasha stared up at the hand he had offered. Steve had sat there, staring at her for an odd minute or two but he hadn't said anything the entire time and then he just stood up and told her that it wasn't anything specific. She knew he was lying. Something worried him but she wouldn't push him. If he wanted to tell her, then he would. So she just took the hand and stood up. She squeezed his hand a little and said "It'll be fine Steve" and then let go of his hand and walked to her room while he walked back to his own.

"Take care Nat" Hawkeye said to Romanoff. He was driving Natasha and Steve to the airport. They had just reached and were pulling out their luggage.

"I will" Natasha said and Clint kissed her forehead. Steve saw and turned away. Soon they went in and started with the security checks. Steve felt like an idiot. He was jealous, and he hated that. That was her closet friend, the one who let her live. Despite how disgusting it sounded, it was true. The Hawkeye had chosen to give Natasha a chance when he had clear orders to kill her, yet here she was. S.H.E.I.L.D.'s personal lethal weapon. So he was being irrational, it was obvious. But he couldn't suppress the want to be the one giving her a peck on her forehead or cheek or lips. He needed to calm down, focus. His security checks were done and he was waiting for Natasha as he tried to swallow unnecessary feelings.

Natasha walked out of the security checks' room and collected her duffle bag. She saw Steve waiting for her. He had been sulking ever since they had entered the airport and she knew the reason. She knew he was jealous. She had seen the way Steve had turned away when Clint had kissed her on the forehead. She knew instantly by the look on his face. And Natasha wasn't naive when it come to these matters. Multiple times she had manipulated and seduced men, jealousy was an easy emotion to tamper with. In missions she used it to her advantage and considered the feeling foolish but in this case it made her warm. Warm everywhere.

"Shall we go Cap?" she asked the man who just nodded in response. "You seem upset, is something bothering you?" she teased. He just looked down at her and then looked away. He didn't deny it not did he accept it but she knew anyway. She smiled faintly.

They soon entered the airplane and were seated. Natasha took the window seat and Steve took the aisle seat.

Steve yawned the moment he sat. "Sleepy?"Natasha asked.

"Yeah. Been a tiring day" he said simply. She knew that already. Fury had met them at 7 in the morning but Captain America had been busy since 3am. He had been running a drill with some agents.

"Why don't you take a nap?" she suggested.

"Its fine" he replied.

"Captain it's a 2 hour journey and then we have a task to complete. Just rest. Here" she said while lifting the arm rest in between them and patting her lap. This surprised both of them. Natasha had just offered her lap for Steve to sleep on. But she wasn't going to take it back. So she just looked at him and while she was very surprised by her action, a part of her hoped that he would take the offer.

Steve looks at her like she had grown a second head, but to be fair that would've been a bit more realistic. So he just looks at her, dumbfounded. She returns his stare but unlike him she seems confident of her offer. So he has a choice and the correct one seems to be refusal yet that is not what he chooses. He tentatively puts his head on her lap and angles his body in the most comfortable manner he can and then he looks up at her. If she is taken aback by his actions, she doesn't show it. They both just stare at each other. Steve feels like this is all that matters. This woman is all he wants now, all he'd ever want and yet he can't tell her that because they weren't built to love, Steve wasn't given the serum to be a school boy in love nor was Natasha trained for years in the Red Room to be a loving wife. They were built to be machines of annihilation. Yet here they were and after years he felt content. For the first time he felt like he could sleep and the nightmares wouldn't come. All because when he'd woke up, she'd be right there. He searched her eyes, wondering if she felt the conflict that he felt. Her face was calm, calmer than seas. But her eyes, her eyes were a mix of emotions. He could tell she was feeling feelings she didn't ever allow herself to feel. And then something clicked inside her and her eyes were suddenly determined. She pushed her hands into his short blonde hair and slowly started massaging.

"Natasha" he whispered her name like a prayer, like it was all he could say or do or think.

"Sleep, Captain" she said and he did.

Natasha looked at him, sleeping in absolute peace and her fingers that were still entangled in his hair. He was so tired that he fell asleep almost instantly. She smiled and thought of how simple he was. Simple. One word that reeled her back to reality. He was simple, he was good. But Natasha? She was dangerous, strong, dominant, quick, but not good. She was the opposite of good. She was a terror, a weapon, an assassin. She had wasted all her chances to be good, let them go down the drain. Happiness and love weren't for her. Pain and broken memories were her life partners. This thing she was doing with Steve was a pretense, she was pretending to be someone else. She didn't deserve him. He was righteous and courageous. She was ruthless and aimless. So how could these two polar opposites ever be something? They couldn't. She had to stop, now. This type of damage could not be compartmentalized. She reminds herself of who he is but most importantly, who she is. She pulls out her fingers from his hair and stares out the window.

"Your partner looks cold. Should I get him a blanket?" an air hostess asks her.

"No I don't ... Actually yeah, that'd be great" Natasha replies. Her partner? Yes he was for this mission but nothing more and definitely nothing less. Soon the attendant arrived with a blanket and Natasha covered him. She wouldn't have guessed this big man to sleep like child. Childish, simple, good. She turned to the window again.

Steve woke up, for the first time in years without a nightmare. He hadn't slept this well in years, he hadn't dreamt of Bucky. He looked up to see Natasha staring out of the window with a frown on her face. "How long have I been asleep?" He asked.

"Around one and a half hours" she replied.

"I'm sorry" he got up and realized there was a blanket on him.

"Its alright. The blanket was from that attendant. She has the hots for you" she said pointing at the said air hostess.

He just gave a short laugh and covered Natasha and himself with the blanket.

The rest of the flight she didn't say anything and neither did he.

They soon arrived at their hotel and realised they were sharing a room because they were portraying a married couple.

"We have 3 hours before we need to leave" Natasha pointed out.

"I'd like to go over the plan again" Steve said and so they did. It took them almost an hour. Steve wanted to go over every single detail.

"I'm going to hit the gym" she informed him.

"I'll be in the room" was all he said.

For the next hour or so they kept to themselves.

When Natasha returned she found Steve drawing. It really was an interesting habit of his. So she sneaked up on him and went boo and he legitimately jumped. She couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't something she did often and it was music to Steve's ears. Once she stopped laughing she said "I'm going to shower"

"Alright" he responded.

15 minutes later Natasha called out.

"Captain" she said from inside the bathroom.

"Yeah" he replied without looking up from his drawing.

"I need help"

This made him look up and he froze. But his heart thumped hard and fast, so fast that he might as well had had a cardiac arrest. She stepped out in a mint coloured cocktail dress with black lace running across it in an intricate design.

Her hair were up in a bun while her face was void of any makeup, it was pure Natasha.

"I need help zipping up the dress" she said. She turned around and her bare back was in sight. He walked to her, his steps slow. The zip ran from the small of her back till her neck. For a moment he just stared. The curve of her back, the depression at her small. He wanted to imprint what was in sight into his mind because he knew he wouldn't see it again, he couldn't allow something like this to happen again, and god, she was majestic. So he simply put a hand on the zip and with the other he holds the clothing together, at the base of her neck. He is cautious not to touch her because then he wouldn't be able to stop.

Steve hasn't even touched her yet and she's panting, heavily. He starts pulling the zip up and the it feels like she been standing here forever, and soon the dress is zipped but he doesn't move. One hand still on the zip while the other now rests on her waist. She leans back a little into his touch and her back collides with his chest. "Natasha.." she hears him say in a breathy whisper right into her ear and suddenly his arms around her waist.

"Steve" she replies in the same tone. And then they stand there, for a minute or two or maybe seconds or longer but Natasha can't tell. All of a sudden time seems to have no value, its the feel of his body that matters. The way she perfectly fits into him is what matters. The fact that her heart beats fast and the fact that he is right here, with an equally fast heart rate, is what matters, what holds value. But then he lets go. "I should get ready" he says and removes his arms from around her. All of a sudden she feels empty, incomplete but then again that is what the reality is. Love is for children, not for her and she is glad he has moved away because they weren't meant to be and it was that simple, yet so, so very difficult to understand. He had left to shower and she was alone. His drawing was lying on the sofa. She walked over and picked it up. She found a pair of eyes staring back at her, her own eyes were staring back at her. They were detailed, she could see the stokes in them and her resolve to keep her distance from him, to keep her feelings at bay came crumbling down. How could she? He was so devoted to her, so vary of her. She just couldn't, she couldn't. She loved him, she knew and she hadn't been this sure of anything before.

Steve fixed his tie for the billionth time.

"Its fine Captain. You can stop fixing it" Natasha said as they walked down the lobby to enter the party hall. Steve was in a traditional black and white suit with a black tie. Natasha looked the same except she had put on a pair of black stilettos and some basic makeup. She seemed absolutely alright, like the moment, or did it even count as a moment for her, had no effect on her because it sure as hell had one on him. He couldn't stop thinking about it, about her. They soon arrived at their destination.

"Names, please" the attendant asked.

"Mr and Mrs Desmond" Steve said.

The attendant searched the guest list and then found their names and ushered them in. Natasha immediately draped her arm over his arm. Steve quickly did a head count of the CCTV cameras and possible body guards.

"I see 13 cameras and 27 guards"

Natasha said.

"I spotted the same number" he replied. "Let's meet the host"

The weaved their way through the guests and soon they saw Brengort. He was a tall, intimidating man, dressed sharply in a white suit with a tinge of purple outlining the edges. He had tattoos peaking out of almost everywhere. Two on the neck and one on each hand.

"Mr Brengort" Steve calls out to the man. He turns around and sees them.

"Hello" he replies back.

"I'm George Desmond and this my wife Regina" Steve introduces and there is a handshake between the men but then Brengort's eyes linger to Natasha and he smiles at her, sickly. He takes Natasha's hand kisses it.

"Mrs Desmond" he greets.

"Oh please, Regina is just fine" she says with a sweet smile.

"Then I am Louis"

"Of course" and then Brengort turns his attention back to Steve.

"Mr Desmond, you're the textile importer aren't you?"

"Indeed I am. I think Charles would've informed you that textile isn't the only thing I import" Steve replies.

"Yes he did but tonight party first and business later. We wouldn't want someone as gorgeous as Regina to get bored. I'll catch up with you guys in a while" Brengort said and left.

As if on cue music starts playing and soon couples are dancing around them.

"Well Captain, I guess it's time to see your dancing skills" Natasha says to Steve in a whisper.

"Alright" he replies and then they get into position. He places one arm around her waist and pulls her close and the other hand he holds up for her to take. She places a hand on his shoulder and the other is in his hand. They are flush against each other and once again their hearts beat erratically. The song plays.

'From the moment I saw you, from the moment I looked into your eyes,

There was something about you, I knew, I knew.

You were once in a lifetime, a treasure ain't impossible to find,

And I know how lucky I am to have you.'

Steve and Natasha were just looking into each other's eyes. Lost in the moment. Like they weren't on a mission, like their lives weren't at stake.

'Cause I've seen rainbows that could take your breath away,

The beauty of the setting sun on any given day,

When it comes to shooting starts, I have seen a few,

But I've never seen anything as beautiful as you.'

The song seems so fitting. He had seen a lot in his life, but she still surprised him and very often left him breathless.

'I can't believe that I have you, I can't believe that you're here in my arms,

Cause I've been waiting a lifetime for you, for you.'

He truly can't believe she's here, besides him. Those frozen 70 years are worth It because he gets to be here, with her.

'And I've dreamed about you, pictured in my mind what I would see but I've never imagined,

Just how beautiful you'd be,

Cause I've seen rainbows that could take your breath away,

The beauty of the setting sun on any given day,

When it comes to shooting starts, I have seen a few,

But I've never seen anything as beautiful as you.'

The song continues lyric-lessly for some more time and then it's over. But she can't seem to move away or rather she doesn't want to move away. She had been trained to dance but this time she felt it, for the first time she felt the music and her feet moved accordingly. But then it ended, so she looked up at the man who allowed herself this moment and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Let's finish up here, Steve" she said.

Steve walked to the bar and got himself a drink, as he watched Natasha walk around. The plan was simple, just plain old seduction because despite having fallen into the trap of women countless times, the male population never learned. He saw Brengort notice her and walk in her direction. She was hard to ignore, no doubt. He saw them make small talk and her laugh multiple times. Soon they were on the dance floor. She continuously whispered into his ear and he just wondered what she was saying. Then all of a sudden Brengort and Natasha were walking away. Now all that was left was to break his fingers till he answered all their questions. Easy, but it wasn't. He was searing with anger, the way Brengort looked at her in the most disgusting manner possible, the way he held her unnecessarily close. It made Steve's blood boil. It took every ounce of self control to not rip his throat out. But he repeatedly reminded himself what was happening and why they were here. It didn't help, it just put a leash upon him.

When he couldn't see them anymore, he got down to business.

Soon Natasha and Steve had all the information they needed and were heading back to their room.

"How easy was that Captain? All that worry for nothing" she remarked.

He looked at her, yes it was very easy and she was okay. It indeed had been a satisfactory operation. So he just smiled at her. "Yes, it was" he said as they entered their room.

Natasha wanted to puke at herself. Her stomach had done a god damned flip-flop when he smiled at her. He looked teasingly tasty in his suit. And that smile, it truly was killing. She takes off her heels and walks to the bed and just falls. Steve just raised an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything. She turned on her side and looked at the man. He had taken of his coat and tie and rolled up his sleeves. Of course she drooled. "Hey super soldier, what happened with Christina from Statistics?" she casually asked.

"Never asked her" was his clipped answer. He had just picked up a pillow from the bed and was putting it on the sofa.

"Do you plan on sleeping on the sofa?"

"Yes"

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why are you sleeping on the sofa? You can sleep on the bed. I swear I don't kick at night"

"That really isn't my worry"

"Then what is your worry Steve?"

"Not now Natasha. You should sleep"

"No, not till you tell me what the problem is"

"The problem is us. We can't be and my heart refuses to understand this" he says suddenly angry.

"We really can't be anything, can we?" she asks.

"We can't. We weren't built for it" he replies in a hushed whisper.

"If we were different people, if we met at a bar or through friends, could we have been something?" she asks looking down.

"I don't care Natasha" he says. All of a sudden he's right in front of her, holding her face in both his hands, merely inches away from his. "I don't know and I don't care. You are you, and I love this woman who stands before me, who has come strong from all that has happened to her, who uses her humour to mask her anxiety, who has an impenetrable wall around. You are perfect just the way you are and I love you and couldn't have loved you if you were someone else so I don't care for a Natasha Romanoff from a parallel universe, I just know the one standing before me and she is the one I want" he says to her. There is so much determination in his eyes, every word that he has uttered is true and she knows that. So she does the obvious. She closes the distance between them and kisses Steve. His lips are soft and he is inexperienced. She takes the lead, as she wraps her arms around his neck and his arms slide around her waist, holding her flush against him.

She is trapped between his arms but at that moment she feels free, free from every pain, from every regret.

"I love you too" Natasha whispers once they break off the kiss. Steve simply grins.

A/N:

Hope you liked it. Leave a review if you did. Thanks for reading :)

~TSF