Chapter 4: A Wonderful Dream

******The Next Day*****

Felicity wasn't sure why she was so nervous. It wasn't like she'd never helped someone with their phone or technology before. It wasn't like this was a real date or anything. Felicity looked at the time. He was going to be here any minute. She paced in Pepper's living room, waiting for Steve. The doorbell rang. She smoothed her pink short-sleeved silk shirt that she'd matched with a pair of black slacks and black flats. Felicity had been going for comfortable chic.

She opened the door. There he was. The beautiful man was smiling at her as he stood in his brown bomber jacket.

"Hi!" she said, smiling shyly. "Please come in."

"It's good to see you again," he said. "I appreciate you helping me."

"Not a problem. I'm on vacation, so I'm trying desperately to not spend all my time on my computer. Relaxing has not come easy for me the past few years," Felicity admitted. She led him to the living room sofa. He sat down next to her, leaving a respectable distance between them.

He held up his phone. "Here it is. In all its torturous glory," he said with a wry smile.

She laughed as she took the phone from him. "Torturous, huh? You and I have very different ideas about what torture is. For me, it'd involve being tied up, poked with hot things, maybe some electricity. Not that I'd know about that first hand, of course. But I've heard about it from..ah...you know...I will stop talking in 3-2-1," she said, flushing. She stopped and looked down at the phone.

"I can't say I've ever been personally tortured," Steve said, smiling at her. "But this phone does make me feel stupid every time I attempt to work it."

"Well, it's an Apple I-phone. They have a lot of stuff on them. A less high tech smart phone probably would've been better for you since you're a virgin techie," she said absently, looking down.

"Excuse me?" he asked, his surprise at her words in his voice.

Felicity replayed what she said and cringed. "Oh God! I'm meant virgin techie as in not experienced with technology. Not that you're a virgin! Of course, a man that is as gorgeous as you would not be a virgin! Not that there's anything wrong with being a virgin. I was one once, too. Not that I'm a slut now. I rarely have sex. I mean, I can't recall the last time really. To call it a dry spell would be understating the matter. Oh, God! What I can't I just shut up?" Felicity exclaimed, mortified. She felt her face heat up.

Steve looked at her in bemusement and delight. She wasn't like the women he'd met since he'd woken up. Women like Pepper, Natasha, and Agent Hill were composed and confident. Felicity made him feel more comfortable in that moment that he'd been at any other time unless he was engaged in battle. For the first time, he was with someone who instantly made him feel right at home.

He reached over and put his hand on top of hers, moving an inch or two closer. "Hey, it's okay. I can honestly say I probably have the least amount of sexual experience than any man over twenty-five in this city," he confessed. Felicity's eyes met his in surprise as he continued. "I was a sickly virgin kid before taking the super-serum. I loved exactly one woman, Peggy, who is now old enough to be my great-grandmother."

"You've just had one girlfriend?" Felicity asked in surprise. Then she winced. Why couldn't she not say what she thought for once? She held up her hand. "Oh God! Forget I asked that!"

Steve couldn't help it. He chuckled. "Hey, it's okay! I know it's surprising, especially in today's world. People have become pretty promiscuous," he said.

Felicity laughed. "Yeah, tell me about it! My boss has went back and forth between actual sisters!" she shared. Then grimaced. Why was she mentioning Oliver? Ugh! "Anyway, back to the phone!"

"Yes, let's get this over with," he said, smiling.

The next hour was spent with her patiently going over the applications. She got out her tablet at one point and extended the tutorial to the larger touch screen, which he naturally preferred due to his man-size hands. Felicity found Steve to be highly intelligent and much more patient than Oliver was with technology. She sensed that patient was just one of his many redeeming qualities. If she focused on the phone, she found that she could ignore how his presence affected her. His arm brushed up against hers a few times when she had to lean over to show him things. Luckily, working so closely with Oliver had prepared her how to conceal her reaction to a beautiful man.

"I think I got it," Steve finally said. He smiled warmly at her. She was truly remarkable. He could tell her genius level was much closer to Tony and Bruce's. However, unlike Tony, she was modest and patient. Her love of technology was charming. He couldn't help but think how Bucky would've liked her. Would like her.

"Great! You did well!" Felicity told him proudly. "You'll be comfortable with technology in no time!"

He took the phone from her and put it inside his jacket's inside pocket. "So I'm starving. Are you ready to grab that lunch?" he asked.

Felicity smile and nodded. "Give me just a minute to freshen up," she said as she got to her feet. She walked slowly to the bathroom. When she got inside, she shut the door carefully and laid against it a full minute, her heart beating rapidly. Taking a deep breath, she pushed off from the door and examined herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were bright. However, what struck her was the smile. It'd been a long time since she'd seen that smile on her face—one that lit up her entire face. The eyes and the lips and the mouth all working together to express the joy she was feeling. She applied some extra deodorant and lip gloss. After running a comb through her hair, she left to go meet Steve.

She didn't think about Oliver once.

******Two Days Later******

"Yes, John, I'm having a great time!" Felicity said to him. He'd called as she was getting ready for her dinner date with Steve. John had been more than supportive when she'd stop by his place the evening she'd decided she needed a break. He knew how hard it was for her sometimes to be around Oliver the way she felt. John had told her that she should take as much time as she needed. If she didn't think she could do the job anymore, he understood. Felicity didn't think she would've survived the past year without John. Knowing he would be her friend no matter what meant the world to her.

"That's good to hear," John said. He glanced over at Oliver, who was waiting anxiously for word on Felicity. "You're not thinking of staying in New York permanently, are you?" Oliver nodded, relieved the question that was haunting him was finally asked.

"Of course not!" Felicity assured him. "New York is fun. But I wouldn't want to live here year around. Winter lasts six long months! And the people are too rude. No one stops to just say hi. Of course, there's some great people here, too. I've made some new friends. In fact, I'm about to go to dinner with one now."

"Oh yeah? Well, that's great, Felicity," John said, giving Oliver a thumbs up. John grinned at the tangible relief Oliver displayed. "We really miss you. Oliver has been moping around since you left."

"Really?" Felicity asked in surprise. "Well, tell him not to. I'll be back when I'm ready. You guys stay safe."

"We will," John said. "Oh, have you met some of the other Avengers?"

"Actually, I have," Felicity said, grinning.

"If you meet Captain America, will you get his autograph? Oliver's been bugging me about it. It's a bit embarrassing. I keep telling him that hero worship just doesn't look good on him," John said. Oliver's loud "What?" could be heard.

Felicity giggled. "Yes, John, I'll get you your autograph. That's Diggle with two g's, right?" she teased.

John chuckled. She knew him too well. "Thanks. Talk to you soon," he said, hanging up.

Felicity disconnected, feeling good about the call. Some distance had just been what she needed. She finished putting on the diamond earrings that Pepper let her borrow. They were studs, so they weren't overly dressy. She knew Steve wasn't flashy or wealthy like Tony, so she didn't expect a five star restaurant. Her dress was simple but flattering. It was blue with a V-neck and a tight waist with a flowing skirt. The sleeves were short. She wore her hair down and curly. As normal with her dates, she took off her glasses and put her contacts on. Taking one last glance in the mirror, she stepped out of the bathroom.

The guest room Pepper had her in had its own private bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub. It was insanely gorgeous. Their place wasn't ostentatious like the Queen's mansion, but it spoke of wealth and taste. Pepper's touch was everywhere, which is probably why Felicity felt so comfortable. She was slipping into her three-inch black pumps when the doorbell rang.

Since Tony was home, she knew she didn't have to rush to answer it. Pepper had gotten stuck late at work. Grabbing a small purse that she put her cell, lip gloss, and some money in, she headed to the living room.

Steve was wearing an actual suit jacket without a tie. He looked so gorgeous that Felicity had trouble believing he was really here for her and that he was smiling in pleasure at the sight of her.

"Nope, you look too beautiful! Go back to your room and change!" Tony ordered. "We don't want the old man here to have a heart attack! He is a national treasure after all!"

Felicity giggled while Steve gave a long suffering sigh. "Technically, Tony, you are much older than me. Biologically speaking, of course," Steve said with a smirk. He looked back at Felicity and smiled. "You do look beautiful, though. Tony's right about that."

"I'm always right!" Tony said smugly.

Steve held out his hand and Felicity took it, the butterflies building in her stomach, but she was excited. "Are you ready?" Steve asked her. She nodded.

"Now, Steve, I expect you to have her back before dawn, at least. Pepper worries," Tony said with a wink.

Felicity felt her face heat up. "Tony!" she scolded.

Tony gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Have fun, sweetheart," he said, flashing her that smile that had gotten him out of nearly every fight he'd ever been in.

"We will," she said. Steve led her out the door. Their first lunch date had went very well. Felicity hadn't been as nervous as she normally would've been since she'd just spent an hour with him teaching him how to use his phone. They'd chatted about how things were so different now than before he'd been frozen. Steve shared some of his frustration with how fast things moved in the new America he'd woke up to. He talked about things he missed and the new things he loved. Turns out he loved how great movies had gotten. They spent a good hour talking about movies.

"So where are we going?" she asked as he helped her into his car. She loved how well-mannered he was. He always opened doors for her and helped her into her chair. At first, it'd been weird, but he did it so casually that she realized it was just who he was. After their first lunch date, he'd ended it with a handshake. Since he'd asked her out the same day for tonight's dinner, she didn't take it as a sign of non-interest. He just moved at a slower pace than most men. It was a refreshing change. It kept her from being so nervous about his expectations that she babbled and embarrassed herself. With him, she found that she was able to relax. He just wasn't like other guys. It made things so much easier since she had never done well with the average man, especially one as beautiful as him.

"There's a few places that are still in New York that were here when I was in the war," he said. "I wanted to take you to one of those."

"Sounds great," Felicity said with a happy smile. "So when you say war, you mean WWII, right? 'Cause you know there's been several since you were frozen."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I did catch up on America history. But the most important war is still the one I served in as a soldier," he said.

"True. I hope we won't have another world war in my life time. I'm Jewish, and my grandmother lost her entire family thanks to Hitler," Felicity shared.

"You're Jewish? I didn't know that," he said, smiling.

"I'm not Orthodox, but I celebrate Passover and Hanukkah," she told him.

"It's good to have traditions. It seems most Americans aren't holding on to much from the past," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

Felicity could imagine how strange things must be for him. "It's hard being back like this, isn't it?" she asked.

He glanced over at her a moment. "Sometimes," he admitted. "I've made some good friends like Natasha and Tony that have helped me. Bruce, though, is more patient and less prone to ridicule."

Felicity grinned. "Yes, I can see that!" she said. She had instantly liked the thoughtful, quieter man. "I guess fighting is probably the one thing that hasn't changed much since you were here before."

"Very true," he said. He parked on the street. "Don't get out."

Felicity waited while he went around to open her door. She thought about explaining how she was quite capable of opening her own door, but he smiled so pleasantly at her that she let it go. Somehow she sensed doing something small that he used to do back when he was a young man gave him real pleasure. She decided to take it as a gesture of kindness. It made her feel cherished. He held out her hand and led her inside.

"This is a jazz club that also doubles as a restaurant before ten. We'll have dinner and get to listen to some live music. The music is never blaring like so many other places. I think you'll like it," he said as they were led to a table.

Felicity looked around with interest. The place wasn't too big, but a dozen or so couples were scattered across both sides of the small stage. "This is great!" she exclaimed. "I never get a chance to listen to live music. I mean, the non-headbanging dance club kind."

Steve gave her a pleased smile as they were seated. They were seated at a table. Instead of sitting across from one another like they had at lunch, the server put the menus down so that Felicity was seated at his left. He pulled out her chair for her and waited to sit until she was situated. When she grinned at him, he asked, "What?"

"Oh, I'm just trying to get used to being with a guy that has such good manners as you," she said.

He looked sheepish. "I'm sorry if I offend. I know most women today find it insulting when a man tries to help them," he said. "But it's a habit I can't seem to break. I'll try, though, if it bothers you."

"It doesn't bother me. It's just different. I like that you're different," she said with a smile. "If you can handle my incessant babbling and how I often say in appropriate things at inappropriate times, I can handle your old-fashioned manners."

"Old-fashioned is probably most definitely a word that would describe me," he agreed with a wry smile.

"Often spaz is a word that describes me," she replied ruefully. They smiled in mutual satisfaction at one another.

He ordered some wine and an appetizer. "I love their calamari. Do you mind?" he asked.

"Not at all. I sometimes crave deep fried squid, too," she said, giving him a mischievous smile.

He laughed. Then they began talking. At first they talked about inconsequential things. Felicity made him laugh a lot. It'd been so long since he'd laughed over nothing. His world had been full of death and fighting for so long. He rarely had time for anything else; he rarely made time for anything else. There was just something about her that was infectious. She loved life. It was apparent in everything she said.

After they ate, the server cleared their plates. Both requested coffee. They kept talking. Finally, the music began to play. Felicity listened, but she watched him listen more. She couldn't remember when she'd hit it off with a man so quickly. He really listened when she talked. He didn't patronize her like she sometimes felt Oliver did. Steve genuinely wanted to know what she was thinking. He wasn't just waiting her out so that he could go on to what he wanted to do more or what he wanted her to do for him. He was so amazing. When he reached over and smiled at her and took her hand, her heart melted. Being here with a man like him was a wonderful dream. One that she never wanted to wake up from.

*****Chapter End*****