Susan listened as the RV drove away. When she could no longer hear it, she pulled her head back in from the widow and closed the drapes. Steve was really and truly gone now. What had appeared to Steve to have been strength and bravery had merely been an act. Now that she'd had a chance to visit with him, she didn't want to be away from him any more than he wanted to be parted from her. Her resolve faded as she sat down on her couch. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she sobbed uncontrollably for several minutes. She loved Steve more than anything. He was the best thing to ever happen to her, and now she would have to wait six torturously long months before they could be reunited.
She had never really wanted to break up with him in the first place, and sometimes wondered why she had done so herself, but she knew the answer. Steve was a wonderful man, and she could see herself being his wife one day, but she was scared of what that would entail. She knew he wanted a house full of children running underfoot, but how could she care for children when she needed a guide dog to get her through life? Steve's job as an Avenger would mean he was out of the house a lot, leaving her alone with the kids. Would he expect her to become a stay-at-home mother and homemaker? It's what women from his time were expected to do. And as scared as she was for a life like that, she did love the idea of being his wife and bearing his children some day. She knew he'd be a wonderful father, and wanted to be a part of that. He'd been so quick to push for marriage that she'd felt overwhelmed, and running away from it all seemed like the safest choice at the time. She felt like her life was being pushed to a point of no return and she had to make a decision. Did she play it safe and keep Steve out of her life, but remain lonely? Or did she embrace Steve and whatever life they ended up with together?
She and Steve had talked a lot about it during his visit. He had promised to ease off of her and move at her pace. He assured her that in their future together, he would help with anything she needed help with. He intended to be a hands-on father, when the time came for them to have children. He seemed very open to doing whatever she needed. It made her feel a lot better than she had before. Now that she was reassured of the direction that their relationship was heading and what they expected of each other, she allowed herself to love him as fully as she wanted to. She loved Steve with all her heart and enjoyed their time together while he'd visited.
Steve was a very gentle and attentive lover. He made her feel safe and protected. He was the first man she'd been with in many years; the first since she'd lost her eyesight. He had awakened a part of her that she'd ignored for a very long time. She loved the feeling of him holding her in his arms, or kissing her, or pressing down against her as they made love. It made her feel anchored and connected to him fully. She was honored that she had been his first. It was special and something she felt privileged to be the only one to have experienced with him. A man who had traveled all the way across the country just to be with her for a few days was a man to keep close. She knew now that he was the right person for her. And now he was gone, and they had six months before they could reunite. It was an eternity.
Susan sobbed for several more minutes before forcing herself to stop. She spent the rest of the day cleaning her apartment and trying to forget how distressed Steve had sounded when he and his friends had left that morning.
That night, true to his word, Tony Stark called her to check in. "We've stopped for the night. We made it back to Montana," he said quietly.
"Is Steve all right?" she asked anxiously.
"He's still really upset," Tony replied. "He doesn't want to eat dinner, but Bruce said he'd try later to get him to eat something."
"Maybe he'd eat if I talked to him for a while," Susan suggested.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Tony said. "I think he just needs to stop being reminded of you all the time. He's too dependent on you, and that's not good. Just let us get home first and then you two can talk on the phone."
Susan ended the call with Tony a couple minutes later and felt no better than she had before he'd called. She had hoped to speak to Steve, but it just wasn't possible yet. She hated to hear how distressed he was. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around his broad shoulders and kiss him for hours on end. She wanted to go on a long walk while holding his hand, telling him just exactly what he meant to her. She realized now just how much he meant to her. He was the first man who had paid attention to her after she'd lost her eyesight. She had been convinced that love would never come to her. The day she had met Steve in the café had been the happiest day of her life.
After the car accident that had caused her to lose her eyesight, she had withdrawn from much of her previous life. She had cut herself off from most of her friends, abandoned her dream of becoming a fashion designer, and had moved back in with her mother while adjusting to life without sight. Her mother, in what had felt like an act of utter cruelty, had forced her to move out after the first year, stating that she had to learn to live on her own again. Susan had felt bitter and angry towards her mother for months afterwards, and it was only recently that she'd realized how much she had needed that push and how difficult it must have been for her mother to do that to her.
The day she met Steve had been the one year mark of moving back out on her own again. It had been the most difficult year in her life, and she had decided to celebrate by taking herself out to breakfast. She had not expected in the least that she'd meet the man of her dreams that morning. She had been trying to bring herself out of her self-pity, and Steve had done wonders for that. Hearing about his life had helped put her life in perspective. She had a job and a place to live, she was continuing to live as a blind person, but at least she lived in her own time and the culture she was used to. She couldn't imagine waking up after her car accident and being seventy years in the future with no way of getting back. She thought Steve was the strongest person she knew. Not just physical strength, but she knew what he had to go through and had no other choice but to get through it. She couldn't imagine what he must go through on a daily basis, feeling homesick constantly, with no way of making it stop.
That night, Susan tossed and turned in her bed all night long. She had grown accustomed to the feeling of Steve's arms wrapped around her during his visit. She wondered if he was getting any sleep that night.
The next morning, she got up and thought about how she wanted to spend her Saturday. Normally, she looked forward to the weekend, but today she felt terribly alone, and longed to keep herself occupied at work. After debating for a while, she got Diggory ready, and left to walk to the nearest bus stop. She had discovered soon after moving to Seattle, that the Pike Place Market downtown, had the familiar busy energy of New York City. Full of tourists, vendors shouting to the crowds, and many different sounds and smells, it was a wonderful place to stimulate her nerves and feel connected to others. It was one place she would have liked to have taken Steve during his visit, but they'd ended up not leaving her apartment for nearly the entire time he'd been there.
Neither Steve nor Tony called her that day, or the next, and by Monday she was frantic to hear word from the travelers. The work day dragged on as she nervously awaited a phone call from somebody. It wasn't until she'd returned home and had finished her dinner that her phone rang. "Susan, it's Tony." Her heart pounded and she set down her glass of wine to concentrate fully on him. "Just wanted to check in. Steve's doing a little better. He's started eating again and I finally got him to leave the RV today when we arrived in Cleveland. He walked around a bit with us and even cracked a smile. We're going to get back some time tomorrow and I think being back in his apartment will be good for him. Familiar surroundings will be helpful."
Susan's heart went out to her boyfriend. "Can I talk to him?" she asked hopefully. "Please?"
Tony was silent for a moment. "I'm still not sure that's a good idea…" he said slowly. "He's just starting to come around. Maybe waiting until he's back in his place to talk to him again would be best."
Frustration got the better of her. "But I want to talk to him! I want to talk to him now!"
"Might I remind you, that it's your fault we're all in this mess in the first place," Tony replied coolly. "You're the one who ran away."
Tears sprang to Susan's eyes and she felt as though she'd been slapped in the face. "I…I got scared…But…It's none of your business. This is between Steve and me!" She began to cry, but tried her best to keep Tony from hearing it.
Tony seemed to have heard, though. She heard him sigh over the phone. "Look, I don't mean to be rude, it's just that I think it's best if you wait until he's back home to talk to him." He was silent a while longer. 'You know, all of this could be fixed if you'd just quit your job and move back home…"
"I can't just quit. I made a commitment." But she did wonder if that was the easiest solution after all. "It's only till the end of the year…"
"That's forever away," Tony said. Susan heard muffled voices in the background but couldn't tell if one of them was Steve. "They're back. I gotta go." He hung up, leaving her listening to a dial tone. Her heart sank to know that it would be at least another full day before she had a chance to speak to Steve. Forget six months, she wasn't sure she would make it through the next day.
The next day passed tortuously slowly for her. Every minute felt like an hour to her, but somehow she managed to get through it. She had finished her macaroni and cheese dinner when the phone rang. "Hello?" She held her breath, waiting to hear who responded.
"Susan? It's me," Steve's voice rang out in her ear. It was the sweetest sound she'd ever heard. "I'm home again and I miss you so much!" He sounded much stronger than when he'd left a few days ago.
"Oh Steve, I'm so happy to hear from you! I'm hugging you right now through the phone!" Her heart soared.
"I can feel your hug," Steve replied happily. "I'm sending you one too."
They spoke for nearly two hours that night. Steve sounded like himself by the end. "I'll be ok," he assured her. "I'm going to work with the kids at the boxing rink and then I'm going to have lunch with Bernie later in the week. I want to see how her sculptures are coming along."
Susan felt a jolt of jealousy shoot through her. Every time Steve talked about Bernie, Susan felt jealous. She normally wasn't the type of person who got jealous about other women, but she supposed it was because she wasn't there with him and Bernie was. She had never met the woman. Could she trust her around Steve? He was quite a catch; any woman would be lucky to have him. What if Bernie tried to steal him from her? She wouldn't be there to try to stop it. She was sure Bernie was beautiful and flirtatious and more than willing to step in for Susan in her absence.
She had heard all about the modeling sessions Steve had done for Bernie. How many times did it take to get a few good sketches? The worst part of it, was that it was all her fault. She had left Steve and that's when he had met Bernie. If only she hadn't run away, none of this would be happening. Tony Stark had been right when he'd said that to her. She had to live with the consequences of her actions. Susan hung up the phone that night feeling relieved that Steve was all right, but had trouble falling asleep as thoughts of Bernie and Steve kept her wide awake.
As the next two weeks passed, Susan found herself becoming more and more upset with the idea of Bernie spending time with Steve. She told herself it was nothing and that she needed to get over it. Steve never implied that anything untoward was going on between them and he was quite open about the time he spent with Bernie. Steve was a terrible liar, and Susan knew she'd be able to tell if he was lying to her. One time he'd attempted to lie about a dinner she'd made for him, and though he'd tried to be a sport about the baby corn and tofu stir-fry she'd experimented with, she could hear it in his voice the he hadn't liked it. She'd be able to tell if he was lying about Bernie.
A week before the art gallery opening, Steve forgot his nightly call to Susan. She was concerned that something might be wrong. He never missed a chance to call her. In the middle of her fretting, the phone rang. Her heart soared, thinking he had finally gotten a chance to call, but she was wrong. It was Tony Stark calling. "I thought I'd just check in, see how you're doing," he said casually in greeting.
"I'm all right," Susan replied, trying to hide her disappointment. "Steve and I have been talking every day since you guys got back. He seems to be doing a lot better now."
"Yes, he is. He's doing just fine," Tony replied. "I was worried for him, but once he got back to the city, he just bounced right back into action. I think being in a familiar surrounding and being with the people he knows best has really helped."
"Yes, I would imagine it has helped him," Susan said in agreement. "I think getting to talk to him again has also helped…"
"Oh, definitely," Tony said quickly. "Steve definitely derives a lot of comfort from all the women in his life."
Susan's breath caught in her throat and she needed a few moments before she could respond again. "Really? He has a lot of women in his life?"
"Oh sure," Tony said with a chuckle. "I mean, there's you of course, but you're so far away. But there's also his good friend Mary Helen. They like to work out in the boxing ring together, if you know what I mean…And then there's Bernie of course. They spend most of their days together. He can't seem to get enough of her! They're actually out tonight, having a night on the town. Bernie's just so nervous about the gallery debut next week and you know how much of a comforter Steve is…"
"Oh, he went out with Bernie tonight? I was wondering why he hadn't called…"
"I don't think you have anything to be concerned about," Tony said reassuringly. "Steve would never cheat on you. He just has so much love to give to people, you know? The ladies just really respond to that…"
Susan's mind filled with visions of desperate women throwing themselves at Steve, and Steve doing his best to hug and comfort each of them. She did her best not to cry, but that's exactly what she wanted to do right then.
"So, it's a shame you can't get out here for the opening next week. But, I know your job is important to you. I'd be happy to help you make arrangements with your job to get the time off. And I have my own jet; I could send it out your way to pick you up."
Susan's stubbornness reared up once again. "I just can't. It would look really bad at work, and I can't afford to lose this job. It's tough enough for somebody like me to find a job as it is, but throw in the economy and…"
"Oh, of course, the economy. I forgot about the economy. Well, you have to do what's best for you, and I completely respect that. I'm sure Steve will fill you in about the gallery next week, assuming he doesn't forget to call you again…But if you change your mind, all you have to do is ask." With that, he hung up, leaving Susan feeling terrible.
Was Steve really cheating on her? All her worst fears seemed to be coming true. After he didn't call at all that night, she cried herself to sleep. The next morning, everything seemed to have changed. Things seemed much clearer to her now. Before leaving for work, she called Tony, not caring anymore about her job. "Does your offer still stand?" she asked, forgoing any formal greeting when he answered his phone.
Tony sounded like he'd just gone to sleep when he responded. "Be packed and ready to go by tomorrow. I'll have a driver pick you up at eight in the morning." His voice was groggy, but he seemed to have it a plan already. Susan's heart pounded with excitement at the idea of going home to visit Steve. It sounded like they had a lot to talk about. If he called today, she'd have some choice words for him.
Work flew by that day. After her lunch break, her manager approached her. "So, I just got off the phone with Tony Stark, you know, Iron Man? Anyway, he donated $250,000 before asking to have you sent to Stark Tower to work as his personal secretary. He said due to a family emergency, it was essential to have you return to New York City immediately. I wasn't sure if he meant your family or his family…He requested that you be released from your duties here so you can leave tomorrow. And then he donated another $250,000 to us."
Susan's jaw dropped open. "What? I thought…What? Move back for good?"
"Is that what you want? Or is this some sort of scam?"
"I do feel like returning home would be the best thing for me at this time," Susan replied honestly. "I love Seattle and working for you, but I'm terribly homesick…But I don't want to leave you in a lurch…"
"We just got half a million bucks, I think we'll be able to find somebody else," her manager replied with a grin. "Go with my blessing. In fact, why not take off now so you can start packing. You have less than a day before you move across the country. I'm sure you have a lot to deal with!"
Susan packed up the few items on her desk and said her farewells to the people in the office that she'd gotten to know over the last few months. Within an hour, she and Diggory were walking down the street to her bus stop. She felt a sense of freedom and loved it. She was going home, now, not in six months. She hoped Steve would be as thrilled as she was.
As soon as she got back to her apartment, she started to pack up. Most of her items were still in their boxes, but she still had a lot to repack. Hours passed quickly, and boxes were filled and ready to be transported by the end of the evening. She debated with herself over telling Steve or letting it be a surprise when she showed up the next day. When he called that night, she still couldn't make up her mind.
"I'm sorry I didn't call last night," Steve said apologetically in greeting.
"What happened? I was worried." She remained calm on the phone but bit her lip nervously as she waited for his response.
He was quiet for a moment before answering. "I just lost track of the time. Bernie's been so nervous about the opening and she wanted me to hang out with her. She taught me that phrase. 'Hang out'" he chuckled into the phone, "Anyway, we ended up at the movies and I was too tired to call you when I got back so I decided to wait until now. I'm sorry you were worried about me."
Susan took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. She would have to have a talk with Bernie when she finally met her. "You sure are spending a lot of time with her," she finally replied, as casually as possible.
"I know, but she's leaving at the end of the summer to go to law school in Los Angeles. She'll probably stay there forever, so I figured I might as well hang out with her while I can."
"Oh, I see…" Steve was trying to get his fill of Bernie before she left. He certainly cared for her a lot. "Well, don't let me stand in your way if you'd like to spend all your evenings with her. Don't feel you are obligated to call me if you'd rather be with somebody else."
"I…I…Are you all right?" Steve sounded unsure of himself.
Susan decided she was done talking with him. "I'm just fine, but I have to go now. Diggory needs to be let out." With that, she closed her phone and burst into tears. She was coming back home in less than twenty four hours. But to what, she didn't know.
The next morning, she woke up early and did some last minute packing. She finished her breakfast just as the door buzzer went off. Tony had sent a driver for her, who was ready when she was to take her to the airfield. "The moving guys will be here later to take care of all your boxes, and Tony has already made all the necessary arrangements with your landlord," the man named Happy Hogan explained as he drove her to Tony's jet. "Everything is all set for you to come back home."
As Susan settled Diggory and herself into the backseat of the car, she thought about going home and picking her life up where she had left off. Tony had said to her manager that he'd wanted to employ her as his secretary. Was he serious? What did he need a secretary for? An unrelated thought suddenly popped into her head. She had nowhere to live! "Almost everything is set," she replied to Happy. "I don't have any place to stay. It'll be a while before I can find an apartment I can afford…I suppose I can live with my mother until that happens."
She didn't relish that thought, but it seemed the only solution. She wasn't sure where she stood with Steve currently, but it was clear to her that it was far too soon in their relationship to contemplate living together. Knowing him, he wouldn't even consider it before they were married. If they ever married…
"Oh no, Tony's thought of that too," Happy said reassuringly. "Stark Tower has plenty of extra space, and he's set aside an entire wing for you. He already has Mr. Banner staying in one, so you'll have good company."
"Live at Tony's place? Why is he being so generous? He donated half a million dollars to the Red Cross yesterday, and is doing all of this for me. Why?"
"Money means nothing to Mr. Stark," Happy replied as he drove. "And though he doesn't come across this way, he'd do anything for his friends. I don't say this to sound rude, Miss Reed, but he's not doing this for you. He's doing it for Steve."
"He would really do all of this for Steve and ask for nothing in return? It seems too good to be true."
"I think Mr. Stark was hoping for some playtime with your dog, actually," Happy replied with a smile. "But other than that, he just wants his friends to be happy. What's the point of having money if the people you care about are miserable?"
Susan was silent after that, taking in all that was happening so suddenly. Was Steve really as miserable as Happy said he was? It sounded like he was having the time of his life with all his girlfriends.
Once they arrived at the air field at Seatac, Happy helped her into Tony's jet and settled in across from her as the pilot prepared for takeoff. When they had taken flight, Happy started chatting with her. "I should get to know you since you'll be living with Mr. Stark."
Susan told him all about herself. She found that she quite liked and trusted Happy. He came across as a very kind and protective person. It made her feel safe. Halfway through the flight, he got sandwiches for them out of the mini fridge on the jet. They ate their lunches and Happy described the scenery they were flying over.
When lunch was over, nerves began to get the better of her as her thoughts returned to Steve. What was going to happen after she confronted him? Would they be able to survive the drama that was sure to unfold? Maybe Tony's kindness would be for nothing in the end.
They arrived in New York City later in the afternoon, and Happy led Susan and Diggory over to another car to drive her to Stark Tower. Her heart pounded nervously as they got closer and closer to her new home. Everything was happening so quickly, she still couldn't process it all yet. Happy parked the car in the underground parking lot, and led her up to the elevator. He left her at the door to go get the items she'd brought with her.
Tony greeted her at the door as she and Diggory walked into the penthouse. He kissed her cheek and gave her a warm hug. "Susan, I'm so glad this is working out so perfectly," he said before introducing her to Pepper, his girlfriend, who wanted to meet her.
"Aren't you just a dear," Pepper said before giving her a hug. "I can see why Steve loves you so much." She gave Susan a tour of Stark Tower, ending at the wing that was to be hers. "I'm sure you'll memorize the layout pretty quickly. Plus you'll have JARVIS here to help you if you lose your way."
"JARVIS?"
"Tony's computer system. It's all over the house. You can just call out and he'll respond." To demonstrate this, Pepper called out to JARVIS. "JARVIS, we have a new housemate. Her name is Susan. She'll also be working as Tony's personal assistant here."
"Welcome, Susan," she heard a disembodied British male voice reply, "I wish you the best of luck working with Tony. You'll need it."
"Thank you, JARVIS. It's a pleasure to meet you." She felt strange to be speaking to a computer like it was a real person, but didn't want to say anything to Pepper.
Pepper led her to a wing and gave a detailed description of the rooms. "Your boxes should arrive in a few days and you'll be able to unpack, but you have a bed at least and the bathroom is fully stocked." She left Susan a short time later to return to work. "I'm sure you'll be just fine here. I'm so happy that you've come back home to Steve."
Susan walked around her rooms with Diggory, counting steps and memorizing the layout. She had just finished unpacking her bags when JARVIS's voice rang out, startling her. "Tony Stark would like to see you in his laboratory. If you will follow me, I shall lead the way." She grabbed Diggory's harness and slowly walked down the hallway. "At the end of the hallway, turn left and proceed for approximately twenty feet. The door will be the second door down on the left-hand side." She found the instructions to be accurate and helpful. It helped boost her confidence over the situation.
"Ah, you found me," she heard Tony's voice call out from somewhere within the room. She turned and walked towards it. "Do you like your wing?" She stopped when she reached a desk near which Tony's voice was emanating.
"Yes, it's wonderful," she replied with a smile. "It's more than generous of you to do all of this for me…I'm still trying to figure it all out. Why do you want me to be your secretary? You don't really need one, do you? You have other people running your company…"
"Yes, but I still need help with the everyday stuff. I get calls here from around the world, for speaking engagements or requests to go on talk shows or to help solve people's problems. I need somebody to keep track of it all for me. Turn people down gently, as well as help me decide which ones to respond to. That sort of thing."
Susan thought he sounded earnest. "This is just happening so quickly…" she replied meekly.
"Listen, I know this is probably going to be a temporary thing," Tony replied. "You and Steve will probably get married or whatever and you won't want to stick around here. But for now, and as long as you want or need to, the job, and this place, are yours."
"Thank you," she sighed, feeling more at ease. Steve had told her all about his eccentric friend, and she found herself rather intimidated by the "Great Tony Stark". He did seem to enjoy throwing his weight around, and getting his way, but he helped out people too. That was a good thing, she thought.
They decided that she'd start helping him the next day. "Are you going to track down Steve tonight? He's probably with Bernie," Tony called out as she was leaving the room.
Susan cringed before turning to respond. "I thought I'd wait for our nightly phone call and then I'd surprise him," she replied as lightly as she could. But Steve missed his call again that night. She waited in her new bedroom until midnight before giving up. She called him several times but he didn't answer. She wasn't sure it was the jetlag that kept her from falling asleep.
The next morning, her mood was very low as she walked to the kitchen for breakfast. Did Steve not love her anymore? Had she come back for nothing? "So, did Steve enjoy your surprise?" Tony asked as he handed her a bowl of cereal.
"Actually, he didn't call…"
"He didn't? Oh…Well he was probably at a movie or something…"
"Probably…"
After eating, Tony led her to his office. He took her to a desk with a telephone and a computer. "So, you know, just answer the phone and take notes, or whatever works best for you," he instructed her. "Breaks, lunch, whenever you want. I don't care. Call it quits around five, that's when the calls seem to stop."
Tony seemed like a rather relaxed boss. Susan was grateful for that. He was right too, the phone was flooded with calls for nearly the entire day. There were calls from all over the world, some with sad tales to tell, some just wanting to meet the famous Iron Man. She made no promises, but created a spreadsheet that prioritized the calls. Tony would have to make the final choice. By the end of the day, the spreadsheet had over one hundred calls logged on it. Her head was spinning, but she had enjoyed the work and the day had flown by.
Tony was happy with the spreadsheet of the calls. "This will make it much easier to decide, thank you," he replied. "Are you going to get together with Steve tonight? You should call him."
"I'll try, but he just isn't very communicative right now…" Upon returning from a walk with Diggory, she gave Steve's phone another try, but again there was no answer. "Still nothing," she said to Tony, frustrated.
"Maybe you should go find him," Tony replied. He moved around the kitchen and opened the fridge door. "Come on, let's go find him." He shut the fridge door and a moment later, Susan felt his hand on her elbow, leading her out of the room. "I'll get Happy to drive us. It bet I know where Steve is…"
It only took a few minutes for them to be outside and waiting as the car pulled up to the curb. Tony rattled off an address and Happy sped off as quickly as he could in the rush-hour traffic. Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at their destination. Susan's nerves were getting to her. Her heart pounded and she bit her lip to try and calm herself down. Tony took her by the arm and escorted her into the building. "Where are we?" she asked as the door shut behind her.
"Bernie's studio," he replied curtly. "They've been thick as thieves since they met, so I just assumed they'd be here."
Susan's stomach clenched to hear his words. "Thick as thieves". Her heart sank as he led her into the building. She could hear muffled voices in the background. One of them sounded like Steve's and one sounded like a woman's. Her heart fell even further. She stopped walking when Tony did and let him do the talking.
"Steve, look who I found" Tony called out. "We tried to get through to you, but you haven't been answering your phone."
Susan heard a yelp, and then a chair scraped against the floor. She listened as a set of feet ran across the room towards her. Suddenly, a large pair of arms wrapped around her, picked her up and swung her around. "Oh!" she cried out in surprise. Diggory, normally very calm, barked at hearing her distress.
"Oh Susan! What in the world?" Steve set her down on the floor again. "What are you doing here?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing," she said coolly, trying to regain her dignity. "You missed our call again last night. And I tried to call today and you didn't answer…"
She heard a shuffling sound. "I…My phone is right here," Steve said, sounding bewildered. She heard somebody grabbing it from him.
"Oh my God, Steve! You need to learn how to recharge your phone! Seriously, you can't keep doing this!" Tony yelled at his friend.
"Why didn't you call last night?" Susan asked quietly.
"We went to another movie…"
"We?"
"Bernie and I. Actually, you should meet her. She's right here. Bernie? Come on over!"
Susan frowned and shook her head. "No Steve, I don't want to meet anybody. We need to talk in private," she said, feeling overwhelmed.
"But…What's wrong? I'm so glad you're here!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to him. He pressed his lips to hers.
Susan pulled away from him. 'No Steve, we have to talk! You aren't being honest with me. Why are you spending time with other women and not calling me when you say you will? Are you seeing other people?"
"Susan, don't be silly, I—"
"Silly! I am not being silly, Steve!" Susan's heartache was turning into anger. She took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm the one who is being left in the dark and not hearing from you while you go off and have a night on the town with your other girlfriends! You don't call and you think I'm being silly? What am I supposed to think you're up to?"
"But nothing's—"
"I don't want to have this discussion here! If you want to talk to me sometime, I'll be at Stark Tower. I'm living there and working for Tony now. You can stop by when you want to."
"What? You're living with Tony? What is going on here?"
"You'd know if you'd have called when you should have!"
"You cannot live with Tony, I won't allow it!"
Susan's jaw dropped open. "You won't allow it?" She shook her head slowly. "I don't believe you, Steve…" She turned to walk away. "Tony, can we please go back home now?" She heard Tony and Steve argue for a minute before Tony rejoined her at the door. He held the door open for her and helped her back into the car.
"Well, that didn't go well," Tony muttered as Happy drove away.
Susan was fuming. "I can't believe him! First he cheats on them and then he tries to control me? What is wrong with him? I just cannot believe it…"
Tony remained silent for the rest of the ride home, and helped her back up to the penthouse. Susan stormed off to her bedroom, Diggory leading the way. "Tony, what is going on?" she heard Pepper ask.
"I'll explain later," Tony replied quietly.
When Susan closed the door to her room, her anger dissipated into despair. Had she just broken up with Steve? Were they still together? She couldn't call him because his phone was dead and he still hadn't learned to recharge it. Would he come over to talk? Was he terribly angry with her for living in Tony's house? It was overwhelming to think about and soon she was sobbing. Was this something they'd be able to overcome or were things finished for them?
Steve never contacted her that night, and it took hours for her to fall into a fitful sleep. She was exhausted the next morning, but got up to do her job anyway. "Steve's pretty upset," Tony announced at breakfast. "He came over last night and we argued for almost an hour. You were already in bed, and I didn't want to wake you. I did manage to show him how to recharge his phone before he stormed out of here. Maybe he'll try calling you today…"
"I'll call him later if I don't hear from him." Her heart was broken as she went about her work that day. Fortunately, the amount of calls she fielded helped the day go by quickly. She took Diggory out for an afternoon stroll and hoped it would clear her mind. She was contemplating calling Steve, when her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Susan? It's Steve."
"Steve…Hi."
"Susan, we need to talk. I don't know what happened last night. I'm really confused. Can we please get together to talk?"
Susan's heart soared to hear his voice. Maybe things were looking up for them. "Let's meet at your place. Ok?"
"I'll order a couple pizzas for dinner. I haven't been able to eat since last night…"
"I'll be there in an hour, ok?" They ended the conversation and Susan hurried back to Stark Tower to get ready. Her boxes hadn't arrived yet, so her clothing choices were limited, but she managed to put together a decent outfit she hoped Steve would enjoy. A sheer white blouse with a short black skirt, with matching black pumps. It showed just enough skin to hopefully remind him of why he liked her, besides the personality parts he claimed to enjoy about her.
Tony insisted on having Happy drive her to Steve's apartment. "He'll drop you off and then you can call when you're done. And since you know you and Steve are going to kiss and make up and spend the whole night having crazy wild sex, Happy can come get you tomorrow. You can come in to work whenever you want…"
Susan blushed furiously before thanking Tony and leaving to meet Happy at the car. Tony really was a forward man; Steve hadn't been exaggerating when he'd warned her about him.
The pizzas had just arrived at Steve's apartment when Susan did. Steve brought the boxes into the kitchen and brought out plates of food and sodas for them to eat in the living room. "I'm so glad to see you," Steve said quietly. "I've missed you so much since I left you in Seattle."
Susan ate her food in silence for a moment before responding. "I've missed you too. It's why I came back," she finally said before taking a sip of her Sprite. "I was worried…"
"Worried about what?" She heard the sound of Steve setting his soda on the coffee table and felt one of his large hands take one of hers. "Susan, what's the matter?"
Susan tried to be strong, but his hand felt so comforting on hers, that she felt her resolve crumble. "I've been so worried Steve, and I tried my best to ignore it, but I just couldn't anymore. You've been spending all your time with Bernie, and when you're not with her, you're with Mary Helen. How many more women do you have Steve?"
"Susan, there's just you," Steve said earnestly. "There's always only been you. Bernie and I are just friends. I got the feeling that you didn't like to hear about me spending time with her, so I did my best to avoid talking about it. But I can see now that I probably made things worse by doing that. I'm sorry."
"Bernie is probably very beautiful, and she's very close to you and I was across the country. She might have wanted you, and you wouldn't have been able to ward her off. You're too nice and she would have taken advantage of that."
"Bernie is only interested in being my friend. I promise," Steve said when she'd finished. "In fact, she really wants to meet you before she moves to L.A. All I ever do is talk to her about you. Actually, I think she's probably sick of me talking about you by now…"
Susan burst into tears and threw her arms around him. "And what about this Mary Helen woman?"
"She's a nun at my parish. We were in the same orphanage growing up, and now she helps me with the boxing program after school for the kids. Believe me, we are only friends…"
Susan sobbed harder. "I feel like such a fool! I've always hated the idea of being the jealous shrew of a girlfriend, and here I am! Exactly that!"
Steve wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap. He held her tightly, making her feel cherished and protected. "Susan, baby, it's all right," he murmured in her ear. "You are the only woman for me. I would never cheat on you. I love you too much to throw it all away."
Susan rested her head against his chest, listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart. It was the best sound. "I am trying to work on it, I really am," she replied.
"Who told you about Mary Helen?"
"Tony mentioned how much time you spend with her and Bernie, and I…"
Steve cleared his throat and sighed. "This is why I didn't want you to work with him. Or live in Stark Tower. He's very manipulative. He does stuff like that all the time."
"Why are you friends with him then?"
Steve was quiet for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't even know…" he replied. "I was friends with his father, so…" She felt him shrug his shoulders. "Plus, he's an Avenger, so we work together sometimes."
"You aren't really going to forbid me to stay there are you? Or to work for him? I really like it. And Tony doesn't bother me at his house. It's a great arrangement. I really hoped that our relationship wouldn't end up with you trying to control my life…"
Steve didn't respond right away. "I understand better now, that you are supposed to live your life the way you feel is right. I'm still working on that too, so it sounds like we're perfect for each other."
Susan laughed and wiped her tears away. Steve leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. They kissed for a couple minutes. When they came up for air, Susan slipped off of Steve's lap and settled in next to him. "I'm still hungry," she commented.
Steve handed back her soda and plate of food before jumping up. "Oh! I wanted to try this out some time," he cried before running off somewhere. She heard him across the room making noise. "Bernie has been helping me get my comic up and running and she was telling me about this website that has radio programs you can listen to. She wrote down the address for me…" Susan heard the sounds of papers rustling and then keys on the computer keyboard being tapped. Several seconds later, she heard music and voices wafting out from the computer's speakers.
"This is 'Dick Tracy'," he said as he rejoined her on the couch. "I used to listen to this growing up. It's always been my favorite." They listened to the show in silence, eating pizza until they were stuffed.
When the radio program ended, Steve asked Susan to tell him everything that had happened after he'd left Seattle, until they'd reunited the night before. It took almost an hour to fill him in. "So, here I am," she concluded with a shrug. "Back for good…"
"Very good," Steve said. "Very, very good…"
Susan wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's shoulders. "This was our first fight," she replied. "It's a huge milestone…"
"Maybe not one I'd like to repeat," Steve replied.
"Did you know that there's a ritual to be done after a big fight?"
"No, I didn't. What is it?"
"Make-up sex…"
Steve sat up next to her and took her hand in his. "Oh…that sounds like a good ritual. What sort of things does this ritual entail?"
Susan stood up, took his other hand, and pulled him to his feet. "It could entail anything, really…" With that, she led him down the hall to his bedroom. "There are so many things that could happen…"
(SCENE)
Later that night, Susan lay in Steve's bed, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Both of them were breathless. "Wow…we should fight more often," Steve murmured.
Susan giggled and gave him a kiss. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea, but we could just have the make-up sex whenever you like," she replied.
"Like now?"
"I don't see why not," she said with a grin. She slipped out of the bed and walked to the door. After opening it, she turned back towards him. "But, you'll have to catch me first…" With that, she left the room and walked down the hallway towards the living room, listening to the sound of her boyfriend laughing and getting out of the bed to find her.
They woke up much later the next morning, on Steve's couch. They sat up and stretched out. Susan's neck was sore and Steve settled in behind her, giving her a neck massage while they talked. "Well, I had no idea there were so many different ways to have sex," he murmured in her ear.
"Well, and we only just scratched the surface of that…" She chuckled after hearing his exclamation of disbelief. "It'll give us something to look forward to."
After breakfast, Steve walked with Susan over to Stark Tower. They discussed the concept of mutual trust and how important that was for their relationship. "I'll trust you with Bernie if you'll trust me with Tony," she suggested as they walked into the penthouse.
"I think that sounds fair," Steve replied as Tony approached them. "Tony, I expect you to treat Susan well," he said sternly while shaking his friend's hand.
"Like a lady," Tony reassured his friend. "I would never abuse our friendship by doing anything inappropriate to your girlfriend."
Steve hugged Susan tightly and gave her a kiss before leaving. "I'll see you tonight," he said in parting.
"I see I was totally right," Tony commented mirthfully as they walked to his office. "I thought I noticed an extra spring in Steve's step today…"
"That is none of your business, Tony," Susan replied sternly. "We need to keep our working relationship professional, or it won't work out."
Tony sighed and reluctantly agreed before leaving to return to his lab. Susan spent the day on the phone and thought about Steve the entire time. That night, he took her to the movies, and there was no mention of Bernie. It was a wonderful evening.
(SCENE)
The day of Bernie's Captain America gallery debut arrived and Steve was extremely nervous. "Oh darling, everybody will love you and the pieces, I know it," Susan said as she helped him get dressed in his black three-piece suit.
"What if somebody wants to interview me? Bernie said there will be members of the press there."
"Well, you'll just answer their questions, that's all. You've never hidden your past from anybody, so you can tell them about it if they ask. Or you don't have to if you don't want to. It's your choice. And I'll be there, and so will Tony and all your friends. You'll be just fine, I know it. I have faith in you."
Steve turned and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so glad you're back," he murmured. "I really wanted you to be here with me for this, and now you are…"
Susan smiled and hugged him in return. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," she replied. Her belongings had finally arrived from Seattle, and she'd been able to put together an outfit appropriate for the occasion. Steve had fussed that she was showing too much skin in public, until she'd reminded him that they were going to a major art show in New York City, not a quilting bee in Amish country. "I have to look good." And when he had promptly removed her black floor-length evening gown and made love to her one hour before having to leave, she was reassured that she must look at least halfway decent.
She was nervous for Steve, and also for meeting Bernie for the first time. Since Susan's return, they still had not been introduced. She had bought a bouquet of flowers for Bernie, and planned on thanking her for being such a good friend to Steve.
The gallery was full and she could hear a lot of people talking all at once when she and Steve arrived. She wasn't sure, but it felt like a crowded room. It was difficult to get around and not have somebody bump into her. Steve stayed close to her, holding her arm protectively and directing her where to walk. It took several minutes to find their destination, but soon enough, she was standing in front of Bernie, and Steve was making introductions.
"So you're Susan," she heard Bernie say. She could hear the smile on the other woman's face. "At long last, we meet. Steve talks about you non-stop. I feel like I already know you."
"It's lovely to meet you too," Susan replied before holding out the flowers. "Mazel tov on your premiere tonight."
Bernie took the flowers and embraced Susan. "That is so thoughtful of you! Would you like to look at the sculptures before I reveal them to the world?" With that, she took Susan's hand and began to lead her through the crowd. How was Susan supposed to see them? Couldn't Bernie tell she was blind? They stopped a minute later and Bernie instructed Steve to stay outside the curtained-off area with Diggory and she'd take care of the rest.
Susan felt material of some sort brush against her face as she was led into the part of the room with the sculptures. "I've spent hours and hours working on these, and you are the first person in the world who gets to see them," Bernie said quietly after a few seconds.
"But Bernie, I can't see, didn't Steve tell you?"
"Oh, you know what I mean," Bernie replied enthusiastically. "There are other ways to 'see'. Give me your hand." Bernie took Susan's hand and led her to one of the sculptures. She placed her hand on the smooth glass before standing back to let Susan "see" it with her hands and fingers. Bernie described all the colors in vivid detail and Susan smiled as she took it all in. They were indeed beautiful, the reds and blues blending into each other. The sculptures were extremely lifelike and seemed to capture Steve perfectly. Each one was in a different pose. One was in the same pose as the famous discus thrower statue from ancient Greece, using the shield in place of the discus. She thought that was quite clever of Bernie to do. Susan loved getting to feel the smooth shape of the shield, something he had only shown her once before. He liked to keep Captain America and his job as an Avenger separate from his relationship with Susan.
"Bernie, this is truly amazing," Susan said breathlessly. "You are quite a talent."
"Oh, thank you," Bernie cried. "I've been so nervous about this. I'm glad you approve." She led Susan out of the curtained-off area and back to Steve. "Well, I guess it's time for the unveiling…"
Bernie called out to the crowd in the room and when everybody was gathered, she began to speak to them. "Several months ago, I met an amazing man named Steve Rogers. We became friends, and I learned a lot about him. He told me about being Captain America, and an Avenger, and I wanted to try and capture that in my art. Even though he's one of the humblest men you'll ever meet, he agreed to pose for me. He was very patient as I drew him from nearly every angle you can imagine, but I hope it was worth it. My goal was not to show how masculine or strong Captain America is, but to show how beautiful a person who chooses to fight for others can really be. Well, without further ado, I present to you, the Captain America Gallery…" She pulled the cord holding the curtains over the section of the room with the pieces, and revealed the art to the world.
There was a collective sound of "oohing" and "aahing" and then the room erupted in applause. Susan felt people moving around her, going into the room to get a closer look. She could hear them comment on the different pieces, and everybody had positive things to say. Steve took her hand in his and walked into the room to look at them as well. "I'd say she was quite generous with the face on this one," he said to her. "And I don't think my muscles are quite that big…"
Susan smiled to herself. "Oh, I'm sure she was just being polite," she replied. She knew from when she'd explored the sculptures that they were very true-to-life, even if he wanted to be humble about it.
"I've never seen anything like this before," he said a minute later. "The colors are so vivid! It's just amazing…" When they approached Bernie, he let go of Susan's hand to give the other woman a hug. "Bernie, you did a wonderful job! I'm just so happy for you."
"Thanks, Steve," Bernie replied, sounding ecstatic. "Everybody seems to love them!" She was quickly swept up in the crowd of well-wishers and members of the media demanding to hear from her.
Steve and Susan slowly made their way out of the room to let others have a chance to look around. They stopped and talked with Tony, Pepper, and Bruce for a while, before the three went off to look at the sculptures. A while later, they ran into Clint and Natasha. Susan had never met Natasha, and shook the woman's hand. "Pleased to meet you," she said with a smile.
"Nice to make your acquaintance," Natasha replied politely. She came across to Susan as a very no-nonsense type of woman, and left her feeling slightly intimidated. She leaned in closer to Steve, who wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders, making her feel comforted.
When Steve's friends left to find refreshments, he was approached by a reporter looking to interview him. "It must be a wonderful feeling to be so admired by so many," the reporter asked him.
"I don't do it for admiration from others," Steve replied. "I do it because it's the right thing to do. It's what any of us would do for one another if the opportunity arose. I'm just blessed to be able to help serve and protect my country."
"What's your angle?" the reporter asked, sounding skeptical. "Do you make any money from what you do? Are you hoping for a book deal or a movie franchise one day?"
"I doubt anybody would be interested enough in my life to make a movie about it," Steve replied with a chuckle. "And the only money I have is from when I was in the Army in the War. The only thing I'm working on is a comic strip, and Bernie's helping me put it up on the internet. But it'll be free. I won't be making any profit from it."
"You sound too good to be true," the reporter replied, sounding mystified. "And who is this with you? Hey, is he the real deal?"
Susan blushed when she realized the reporter was speaking to her. "My name is Susan, and I'm Steve's girlfriend," she replied. "And yes, he is very much the real deal. He would give anybody the shirt off his back if they needed it. And then he'd probably give him a ride home and buy him a meal too. And help him find a job afterwards. That's how much the real deal he is…" She reached up and brushed her fingers over Steve's cheek.
The reporter thanked them for their time before leaving to track down Bernie for an interview. Steve leaned down and kissed Susan. "See, that interview wasn't so bad now, was it?" she said when he stood back up again. "And it's true, you would give anybody the shirt off your back…Which I'm hoping you'll do for me tonight when we get back to your place…"
"You want the shirt off my back?"
"Absolutely."
"What do you need with—Oh, I get it…" He laughed before giving her another kiss. "You're so clever…"
"I try my best…"
They stayed at the gallery for another hour, speaking to other reporters and people in the crowd, until Steve declared it time to leave. "It's been a lovely evening so far, and I hope we can continue to it back at my place," he said while guiding her towards the door.
The lovely evening did indeed continue back at Steve's apartment, lasting well into the next morning. As Susan lay in Steve's bed, her head resting on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, with his arms wrapped around her, birds chirped outside the windows. The sun shone through the windows, filling the room with warmth that she could feel. She allowed herself to wonder, for the first time, what it would truly be like to be Steve's wife. Would their days always begin like this, and end the way they had the previous night? Would they continue to live in a lover's paradise as they were now? Would it be even better than it was now? As she drifted back to sleep, she didn't come up with any answers, and realized it didn't matter. The moment they were in now was what mattered. She was back home again to enjoy being with him, and she intended to love every minute of it.