(Authors Note: Yay! I'm loving the fact that people seem to be reading this and like it. Thanks to my reviewers, and everyone who's added it to alerts, favorites, it means more to me than you guys realize.)
(Continuation of chapter 2)
Steve sat watching her, eating a cheeseburger as the door to the diner opened, and the little girl ran in, smiling and giggling. He'd looked down at a newspaper, when he heard a little throat clearing. The little girls brown eyes were fixed on him when he looked up and around.
"Sir? Mama wanted me to ask if you want another slice of pie. I'm gonna have one." Anna said quietly, as she tilted her head to the one side and smiled at the man, quietly, politely. Steve smiled and nodded and then asked, "I'm sitting here alone. You can sit if you want, I don't mind."
Even though he had no idea why the hell he'd just done that. He had NO experience with kids, none whatsoever. Okay so when he'd done all those USO shows in the war.. But that hardly counted, right? He probably spent ten whole minutes with a kid, tops, in his adult life. But for some reason, this one.. She felt familiar, like her mom. Like he'd known the two females his entire life.
Anna smiled and then said quietly, "I have to do homework though. Mommy usually helps me, but that stupid Gina's being a pain." as she slid onto the booth close to him, Hello Kitty book bag following behind her. She took out books that to Steve looked way heavier than a child that age's books should be, and he asked, "Are those your school books?" looking at them curiously.
Anna nodded and said "Mhmm, sir." as she quietly began to work, every now and then, stopping to stick the end of her pencil in her mouth and think.
Steve watched her, quietly, the girl seemed to be having trouble, because every now and again, she'd crinkle her nose, give the book a disgusted look and grumble lowly about teachers. Before he knew it, he was slid into the booth on the girls side, gently explaining things to her while being firm about it. Kind of like his dad, from what he did clearly remember, was with him.
Anna looked at him quietly, as he helped her with her homework. Her friends all had daddies to do this. She didn't, but mostly, it didn't bother her. She'd met her daddy once.. And she didn't like the man. He was mean, he scared her nearly to death.
She kept quiet and kept that to herself. She liked this man. She could kind of tell that if he HAD TO be, he could be mean, but any other time, and most likely, with her mom and her, he wouldn't be mean.
The arguing from the back got Steve and Anna's attention as Gus walked out with a cup of coffee and the slices of pie, hiding an amused grin.
"Carolina would have bought this out.. But currently, she is sitting on Gina. If you're smart, son, you won't ask. Woman's mind is man's greatest mystery."
Steve rubbed the back of his neck and said calmly, "Do you need me to go in there, sir?" as he looked to the back of the restaurant. Suddenly, facing a landmine, or a grenade attack was a hell of a lot safer than going back there with two battling women.
Gus shook his head and said "Oh trust me.. I think it'll sort itself out in just a minute." Just as the man spoke, Gina, the brunette stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
Carolina walked out, glaring at the door. "She gone?" she asked Steve and Gus, who simply nodded. Any man with half a brain would obviously be quiet right now. The two men exchanged a look and then Gus shrugged. Steve barely contained a smirk as he asked, "It's probably not my business but what was that about?"
Carolina shrugged and said "Not much. She just kept pushin' buttons, so I pushed her right back. Shoulda pushed her .." her sentence trailed off as Gus and Steve nodded their heads to the little girl who simply rolled her eyes and then said " Butt, right?"
Steve did manage to catch the tail end of Carolina's mumbling, " Teach her to go after somethin' I saw first, damn it to hell." He smirked a little and then put his hand on her shoulder to calm her down, while he smiled in amusement down at her. He was tempted to tell her how sexy she looked when she was angry. He had to pace himself though.
He was taking his time. As per usual, if he was going to attempt something, he was going to do it right, carefully and with a damn good plan. Just like he had in the war.
And first, not only did he have to learn more about the two females he felt such a bond with, and why.. He had to learn how to get himself into todays time. Which was most definitely out of his comfort zone.
(Later that night)
Carolina had just punched her time card, and was carrying Anna out, because Anna was asleep. When Steve saw the car, he couldn't help but smile. It wasn't one of those odd little new ones, no, not at all. It was probably maybe ten years younger than he was. And bright fire engine red.
Carolina saw the look and then asked, "You surprised?" and when he shrugged, raked his hand through his hair, she explained, "Belonged to my gramps. My dad had it, now I get it. When I'm gone, my little girl will get it. IF it's still going, of course. Wanna drive?" she asked with a mischevious grin as she wiggled the keys in front of his face.
"That's.. okay.. Maybe next time." Steve mumbled as he helped Carolina get Anna into the car, since the little girl was still asleep. Then, he went around, opened her door for her. She raised a brow, but then her eyes met his, and a genuine and warm very sexy smile crossed her lips.
Once he was in the car, after she'd gotten in, she headed them towards her house. The closer Steve got to the streets, the more he realized.. She lived right in his old neighborhood.. Now this was interesting, to say the least. He was curious when the car stopped in the driveway of his old friend Bucky's old townhouse. "You live here?" he asked as he looked at her, curious more now than ever.
Carolina smirked and said "Yeah. It's been in the family for as long as I can remember. Why?" Steve went quiet and mumbled, "No reason." as Carolina now raised her brow. He almost looked like something was on his mind. But she shrugged it off. Hell, she was shocked HE was even here, in the first place.
Most men would have ran, the second that they even found out about Anna Beth. She watched him, curiously, quietly for a moment, as she mused about this, and dug for her door key.
Steve tapped her shoulder and then said "I can take her.. While you look for your key." as he nodded to a still sleeping Anna. He noticed she seemed almost as wary as he was. He took the sleeping little girl carefully, almost like she was made of glass, and held her while Carolina finally found her keys. He held back a light chuckle, as he watched her pulling all sorts of odd things out of her purse.
But he knew that he was at least attempting to look like he sort of knew what those things were. He didn't know quite how to tell her about his 70 year nap at this point in time. Besides, he didn't want to scare her off, or make her think he was insane, before he figured out what about her felt so familiar, and right, or get to know her.
They walked into the house and he laid Anna down on the couch again, carefully, and pulled a throw blanket up over her. Then he followed Carolina into the small kitchen, leaned in the doorway, watched her as she "danced" around the room humming a song, and started cooking something. She turned and pulled him into the kitchen, held up a wooden spoon as she said , "Taste this."
Steve took the spoon and after tasting it, tried to dip his finger into the pot, and smirked as Carolina popped at his hand, playfully, shaking her head. He dotted some of the sauce onto her nose and then smirked as he looked down into her eyes.
If he weren't so damn cautious, he'd kiss her right now. But, he was being careful. He was a jumble of emotions right now, and he was still trying to figure it all out. All he DID know was that he felt more at home with Carolina, her little one than he did anywhere.
Except his own time, of course.
Before long, Carolina had three plates sitting on the table, and Anna woke up, smelling food, as she raced into the room, colliding with the taller man's legs. He leaned down, ruffled her hair and said "Not so fast. You might fall."
Anna nodded and said quietly, "Yes sir." as she went to get into her chair.
Sitting there eating with the two blonde females that he felt so comfortable around, he couldn't help but feel glad he'd went into the diner earlier. With a teasing smirk, he asked Carolina, "Were you really sitting on Gina today?"
Carolina laughed and then shrugging said "Yeah. She should have left me alone. That's all I'm saying." Steve laughed lightly and then said "I take it you two don't get along, then." Carolina shrugged and said "Let's just say she's what she is, leave it at that."
Steve nodded and smiling, he watched her eating. They talked a lot and for a long time, Anna eventually passed out asleep in his lap, with cartoons going. "Where's her room? I can carry her in, you can sit here. It's the least I can do, you wouldn't let me help with the food, or washing the dishes."
Carolina pointed up the hall and walked down to her daughter's room with Steve. Watching him with Anna was really something, but she knew better than to get her hopes up. She did feel this connection, this sense of safety and familiarity with him, but.. Guys always surprised her.
When it started to get really late, and they'd been sitting on her couch talking, Steve stood and said "I need to go. It's getting late. Maybe I'll see you again?"
Carolina nodded and smiling said "I'd like that. Hey, wait, here's my number." as she took his cell phone, and programmed it in, as she smiled at him again then walked out on the porch with him.
He bent down, kissing her lightly on the lips and smiling one more time said quietly, "Good night, Carolina." before walking off.
(A/N: This is going to be straight OC/Captain fluff with funny moments. I hope you are all enjoying reading it. I love everyone's reactions to the story so far and the reviews, the favorite and alert mean so much to me so thanks.)
