Notes:

So, as I've mentioned, I've been watching that deleted scene between Maria and Steve over on tumblr, much more than is healthy. I noticed that Steve walks off with Maria's tablet at the end of their scene. It seemed significant. :)

Things you should know. This falls into my Daffodils series. In this series, Maria's favorite show is Castle.

Maria opened the door to Steve. He had a mischievous smirk on his face which usually only led to one thing.

"Don't you have a mission to plan?" She met his look with a stolid gaze.

"Well, I seem to have accidentally walked off with your tablet earlier." He grinned as he pulled the item from behind his back. "And I thought I should return it."

Maria quirked an eyebrow but she opened the door further and stepped back to allow him entry.

An hour later, Steve pressed soft kisses down Maria's neck as he spooned against her back in her bed.

"So, what do you want to "borrow" from me?" he asked. "It's your turn."

She chuckled.

"Don't you think this game is going to get obvious soon?" Maria questioned. "Your jacket at the party, now my tablet. I never let anyone walk off with my tablet."

"Nah, it's like Castle," he explained.

"What?!"

"Look around," he whispered in his best imitation of Richard Castle. "We are in a room full of detectives and nobody has a clue."

Maria allowed herself a laugh and she turned to him.

"I could borrow your pants," she joked. "That would make it pretty obvious."

"Yeah, especially when I walk out of here in my drawers," he laughed, then began to kiss her again.

She pushed him away playfully and crawled out of the bed, pulling him behind her toward the shower.

"I could borrow your shield," she told him as they walked to the door later, when Steve knew he could wait no longer to return.

"Thinking I might need that."

He shook his head at her then leaned against the door and closed his eyes. Maria knew he hated this part, but Steve couldn't stop himself. If he could help people, he had to do it. Dr Erskine had given Steve a body and mind that enabled him to do what his heart had wanted his entire life, Maria would never try to prevent it.

"My bike," he said as he opened his eyes.

"Really?" She didn't believe him. Not that she hadn't ridden his bike before, but this seemed to up the ante, especially since she'd worn the jacket longer than they'd planned the previous night, and Stark had noticed earlier that she didn't have her tablet, which was why she'd texted him to meet her.

Steve pulled the keys from his pocket and handed them to her. He kissed her goodbye and she followed him out to return to the team.

The next night, Maria stared at the ceiling of her apartment bedroom. There had been only two functioning Avengers when she'd spoken with Stark. Even Thor had been deeply affected by what the Maximoff woman had done to him. And now they were on zero contact. She knew Steve wouldn't try to contact her, and, while she could contact him, she wouldn't because she suspected she knew where Clint had taken them. Instead she had sent Nick.

She sighed and turned over to try to get more comfortable, the keys in her hand jangled together.

Maria had never been much for romantic notions or gestures before Steve. It had always annoyed her that a man would bring her flowers or make her breakfast after she stayed over, then just assume he owned her and could begin to dictate how much attention she should pay to him for the sake of their "relationship."

But that wasn't Steve at all. Though he was indeed intense in his feelings, he was never controlling. He took what she could give him and he gave everything he could in return. She'd thought she loved him when she'd married him. Two years later now, those feelings were even stronger. Sometimes she laughed at herself over the absurdity of her thoughts. No one would believe it of her. Probably not even Nick.

She and Steve had talked of going public after HYDRA was gone; they'd have the conversation again when he returned, she was sure. She wondered who would be the most surprised.

Finally, she drifted to sleep clutching Steve's keyring.

A few days later when Steve could contact her again she sent him a picture of his bike.

"I have something of yours," she texted along with the photo.

"Yes. My heart," he returned.

"Such a sap, Captain Rogers," she replied.

"I love you too, Mrs. Rogers."