A tall, blonde, well-built man stood beside a slightly less muscular and shorter companion. They looked down at a gravestone. On it was a short epitaph.

"The path of a righteous man," the blonde read. "Too bad he died."

At this, his friend nodded and grinned. Another man, older and weathered, came to stand with the two other men. He wore a pair of sunglasses instead of his usual eye patch.

"So, you've experienced this sort of things before?" Fury asked, looking pointedly at the blonde.

Steve grinned. "You get used to it," he replied nonchalantly.

Fury shook his head and huffed. "We've been data-mining Hydra's files. Looks like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship. I'm heading to Europe tonight, wanted to ask if you'd come."

"There's something I gotta do first."

"How about you, Wilson? I could use a man with your abilities." His tone was more like making a statement than hopeful and pleading.

"I'm more of a soldier than a spy," Sam answered, a little apologetic.

"Alright then." Fury turned to glance at his own grave, then shook his two companions' hands. "Anybody asks for me, tell them they can find me right here."

With that said, Fury left the cemetery, driving away in a SHIELD issued SUV. Watching him leave, the two men were surprised at the sudden appearance of a certain beautiful red-haired spy and assassin.

"You should be honoured, that's about as close as he gets to saying thank you," she said, holding back a smirk.

Steve frowned. "Not going with him?

"No."

"Not staying here?" There was a sliver of hope, barely detectable, in his voice.

Natasha sighed. "I blew all my covers, I gotta go figure out a new one." She pursed her lips, remembering how she uploaded all SHIELD's files onto the Internet in hopes of driving Hydra out.

"That might take a while," the soldier observed.

"I'm counting on it."

Natasha gave Sam a look, and the veteran left, patting his blonde compatriot on the shoulder. When he left, Natasha handed Steve a file.

"That thing you asked me for? I called in a few favors from Kiev."

Steve looked at the file, glancing over its contents, then firmly shutting it. He smiled at the Russian beauty. "Thanks."

Natasha nodded in response. "Will you do me a favor? Call that nurse."

"She's not a nurse." Steve shot back, raising his eyebrows.

"And you're not a SHIELD agent." Natasha was equally as quick to reply.

Knowing he would not win this battle, Steve sighed. "What was her name again?"

Natasha smirked in victory. "Sharon. She's nice." Turning to walk away, she felt a hand grasp her wrist, pulling her back to face Steve.

"Natasha, I'm not interested in her," he confided.

Her perfectly trimmed eyebrows knitted together. "Why? She's pretty, cool, not to mention related to Peggy—"

"Her relation to Peggy doesn't matter to me. And Sharon's not my type." Seeing Natasha's disbelieving face, Steve sighed and gently let go of her wrist. "She lied to me. I mean, Fury lied to me too, but this is different. I thought I knew who she was, but she was just lying to me all the time. And since the only thing I knew about her was that she was a nurse, that kinda means I was totally wrong about her, and the only thing I knew about her wasn't even the truth."

Natasha understood how Steve felt, but she didn't know what to say. She had been lied to for many years during her experience in the Red Room, but at the same time, lying was part of her job as a spy and agent of SHIELD.

"Okay, but you better find a girlfriend before the next time we meet again. It's about time. Also, I'm gonna meet her, so get someone nice," Natasha smirked. The blonde soldier in front of her looked shocked, scared, amused, and confused at the same time. Natasha couldn't stop herself from smiling at how funny he looked.

On impulse, the spy hugged Steve's shoulders, pulling him into a friendly, but not intimate hug. She was surprised when the soldier reciprocated and wrapped his strong arms around her waist. Natasha drew in a sharp breath at the warmth his body emanated and the safe way his muscular biceps fit around her body. After a moment, Natasha pulled away with a small smile and started to walk towards her car. Pausing, she turned around to face her partner.

Gesturing to the file, she spoke up. "Be careful, Steve. You might not want to pull on that thread." Turning, Natasha started to get into her car. Just as she was about to step on the gas, a voice yelled her name.

"Nat! Wait! Don't go yet!" Curious, Natasha got out of her seat to see an anxious-looking Steve running effortlessly towards her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned, putting a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

Steve breathed in deeply. He had no idea why he ran after Natasha, or why he felt so broken watching her go. It was as if his body was moving of its own accord, pulling him toward the spy, making him stand there in shock as she peered at him with her enchanting emerald eyes through those thick lashes, waiting for him to say something. Steve gaped at her, opening and shutting his mouth. It was as if his brain had shut down, and all he could feel was the heat coming from her hand on his shoulder. Dammit.

"Steve… I need to go. What is it?" Natasha looked at him weirdly, smiling at his awkwardness, which she secretly thought was actually quite charming.

Steve scratched the back of his neck. "U-uhm I-I just wanted to, you know, say something, um, to you… It was, you know, good, to work with you…" he cringed at the words coming out of his mouth.

Natasha chuckled. "It was nice working with you too, Steve." But before she could open her car door, Steve's hand once again grasped her wrist.

Natasha had had enough of this. She whirled around, her red hair flicking Steve's face. "Look, Steve, I honestly have to go, so just say it, or I'm leaving." Her emerald eyes penetrated Steve's soul, showing him that she would do exactly what she said. Steve's eyes widened. He gulped, and opened his mouth.

"I-I… like… you?"

Steve ducked his head. Crap. Crap crap crap crap. He shouldn't have opened his mouth in the first place.

"Steve. I thought we established that we were friends already?"

Steve shook his head. "No… no…" he muttered. Sighing, he knew it was no good. He was easily flustered and couldn't utter a single word in front of beautiful women, and this was no normal beautiful woman. This was Natasha Romanoff.

He felt himself leaning in, tilting his head slightly. Natasha's eyes fluttered closed. Steve cupped her face gently in his right hand, and captured Natasha's plump red lips with his.

Natasha was thoroughly surprised. Steve was kissing her? A million fireworks exploded like bombs in her head as his lips moved against hers. She felt herself kissing back, snaking an arm around his neck and into his soft golden hair, pulling his body closer. Steve felt courageous enough to slide his hand down to her waist, loving the feel of her velvet lips on his and the warmth of her body as she pulled him close.

They slowly pulled apart. Steve blushed and flashed a shy grin at Natasha, who smiled back. "Steve…"

"I know. You need to go… Sorry for holding you up."

Natasha cocked her head. "No, I'm glad you did."

Stepping back a little, Steve looked at her sadly. "So you're really leaving…"

"Don't look so sad, soldier." Natasha gently traced his chiseled jaw with the back of her hand, smiling as he leaned slightly into her touch. Kissing him on the cheek, she added: "I'll be back."

Steve nodded and grinned. "So should I get a girlfriend before we meet again?" he asked jokingly.

"You already have one," Natasha whispered, sending him another look as she got in her car and drove away.

Steve watched her leave, smiling at her last words. Wow, that went surprisingly well. Turning his head, he noticed Sam next to him.

"Let's go loverboy, we got a long-lost friend to find," Sam grinned, nudging Steve as they slowly left the graveyard.