Training with Cap. Heee. This was fun to write, as always. Thanks to all of my new followers. Special thanks to IronBell for recommending my story. I obviously implore you to read hers as well! C:

Anyway, on with the chapter.

OCs © StaciaStarburst

Loki and almost everything else © Marvel

"So let me get this straight: I train with each of you guys for one month individually and then for another month I train with all of you each day?"

Steve was unwrapping his hands, beads of sweat still present on his brow. "That's right, Miss Hoft. They chose me to help you first to rebuild the muscle mass you lost. It's been two years, correct?"

"Yeah." With no grace she rubbed her face and slapped her cheeks a couple times, still not awake yet. "Uh- not to question your methods, but why the hell are we doing this at six in the morning?"

His brow drew together as if it would be odd to train any other time. "Seeing as I am doing this as a favor to S.H.I.E.L.D., I get to dictate the the timing. This is usually when I work out, so you're going to have to get used to my schedule. The next time you're late though, you'll be paying with your body."

"Kinky," she remarked at his poor choice in wording.

She could have sworn he blushed. "For that, I'm adding an extra hour to our run." The pace of her own running was probably a pleasant stroll for him. "And the more you fall behind, the longer we'll run. I set the pace." He shrugged, smiling.

"You mean to say I have to keep up with a superhuman?" She gawked, never one to be tolerant of anything in the morning, let alone physical activity. With her arms crossed, she complained, "That's hardly fair."

"Never is, ma'am." He retorted.

"Please, no need for formalities." She flicked her wrist. "Really, call me Victoria, or Vic, whichever." With a shrug, her weight shifted unsteadily to one leg.

"Victoria, then," his gaze shifted downward, "so, what exactly happened here with you? I don't mean to pry, but I'd rather hear the truth from you than a litter of rumors."

"Hah. I feel like a celebrity. I'm flattered, really." Her voice caught in her throat for a moment. "As far as I know, I was in a car accident with my mom and dad. I had been training here to be an agent; pretty simple stuff." She crossed her arms across her chest, comforting herself subconsciously. "I was in a coma for a month and woke up without single memory. I just knew my name and my parents. Well- I remembered my mom. My body retained what I learned via muscle memory, thankfully." Victoria swallowed audibly, "Then she was tried for treason and my dad had to serve as the executioner." She gave a humorless laugh. "Then I left." With a step back, she opened her arms like she was presenting something before her. "And here I am again, making use of my- talents."

"I-" Steve began.

"Condolences accepted. I'm not a charity." She muttered, but shot him a grateful look. "I suppose we should start running."

The run wasn't as bad as she had expected. Yes, the cool air stung her lungs, yes, Cap was way faster than her, and yes, she was essentially being tortured. However, the path they took was in the woods with a lot of elevation change, leaps, and beautiful sights. She had persuaded him to allow a break at the midway point.

Without a word, Victoria immediately collapsed when they stopped, palming her thighs and making a poor attempt to massage her burning calves. Her face was pressed to the cold stone beneath her. "Oh- sweet- fucking- ..." She inhaled deeply between each word. "I hope- this gets- easier..."

"It will, now get up." Steve extended his hand to Victoria. With delayed acceptance, she took his hand and rose.

"Mother of- I- Ah." Vic audibly groaned before looking to see her running partner gone. Hearing him land somewhere out of sight, she looked over the edge of the large stone they rested on. "Ah. Am I supposed to jump off of this?"

"Yeah, you'll be fine! Bend your knees and project forward. It's all moss, you'll be fine." He gestured for her to jump, eager to continue their run.

With that, she leaped, the drop had to be at least ten feet. She landed with her knees bent but wasn't able to project forward like she thought. It may have been the distraction of the pain that ripped up her leg from her ankle with an audible crack following shortly after. Victoria's face nearly slammed into the dirt and lichens, but her arms caught her first.

Cap rushed to her side to inspect her ankle. "I didn't think you'd actually jump! I mean, for me it was easy, but not for someone your size!"

Victoria grunted, one hand clutched at her calf, the other grabbed at her unnatural looking ankle. "You-" she bit back a groan, "calling me short?" Her attempt to smile was feeble, and switched to that of shock when she felt strong arms under her knees and at her back. It wasn't long before she was off the ground and bracing an arm against his chest to keep herself semi-distant.

"I'm really sorry. That was my fault, I really didn't think you would jump. That was a twenty-five foot drop." There was a lump of apology in his throat, and she admired its presence in his voice. "I'll carry you back and we can have Banner fix you up, then we'll work on upper body exercises."

"Okay, okay, I accept your apology, let's go, though. My foot is unnaturally bent and it is really starting to creep me out." Victoria shifted her body in his arms, feeling slightly uncomfortable and a little more than embarrassed.

With Steve beginning to walk, her body began to relax as she focused on the heat radiating from him. When they ran, she didn't notice how chilly it was. However, now that she rested her head against his chest with her arms draped over his shoulders; she was very aware of how cold it was outside. With her thoughts absent, her arms locked on him tighter, dozing off to his brisk pace.

A sharp whistle sounded in her ear.

Victoria nearly jumped out of Steve's arms, but his grip tightened so she wouldn't fall. Her head switched back and forth, looking around the room of stopped motions, all the workers and agents were staring at her.

"Well isn't that just the sweetest? Right, guys?" Stark clapped his hands together as if he had just presented something stupendous to the crowd of agents and computer-grunts. To them, he had. "Look at you two. Victoria, I definitely pegged you to fall for some pale skin, dark-haired fellow. And Cap- her? C'mon she's tiny. You could break her."

"He already did." Victoria shifted to lift up her leg as proof, but Stark clearly beat her actions.

"Did you fondue?" Tony was repressing his smirk.

"Wha-?"

"Do you ever shut up, Tony?" He shook his head, incredulous. "Where's Bruce? Her ankle is really bad and needs to be taken care of.

Stark let his expression deadpan. No one ever liked to sass around with him. "Lab, as always."

Steve took no time waiting for him to say anything else, and took long strides toward the lab. When Victoria glanced up, she realized he was blushing. That made her blush, too.

"Banner?" Cap called as he passed the threshold into the lab. "Uh- Little help?"

Bruce shifted to look at them both, removing his glasses before he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sure." He reclined the chair for Victoria, the same chair in which she had received her shots.

"How pleasant." Victoria remarked as she laid back uncomfortably. She cringed when her bent foot rested against the a table that Banner had moved to raise it.

"Oh-" Bruce was tweaking her foot some and receiving mentally written death notes from Victoria. She whined when he pressed against the swollen ankle. "It's only dislocated."

"Only?" Her back ached as he began to shift it, stopped, then nodded toward Victoria's upper body. Steve understood and moved to stand behind her, pressing his elbows onto her shoulders, and turning his arms into a v-shaped harness over her chest.

"This is going to hurt." And it did. He pulled her foot out from it's locked position, lined it up with its intended joint and shoved back in. Steve had done a great job even when Victoria stifled her scream by drawing blood from his forearm with her teeth. It didn't seem to bother him since he had already felt bad about coaxing her into jumping.

Victoria pressed her head back against the head rest of the chair, muttering apologies to Steve and swearing at Banner under her breath.

A howling laugh came from the door of the lab. Surprisingly it wasn't Stark. It was Barton. "We recruited a Vampire. Oh wow, this is exciting. Do you sparkle in the sun, too?" He tried to contain his snickering.

Victoria pushed herself out of the chair, bumped Banner with a half-hearted thanks, and limped past Clint, shoving his head against the door frame after she squeezed by him, too. It didn't stop him from laughing.

Steve caught up to her, offering to help her walk. She declined. "Let me buy you a drink to make up for this. It's been a rough first day for you.

Victoria paused for a moment, biting her lip. Her mind stopped working for a moment.

"Sure."

Victoria stumbled up a few steps before a sober Steve let her crawl onto his back like a little kid. She really was tiny compared to him. He laughed as she slurred some incoherent statements about something silly. Later he would stroke her ego about how well she held her liquor, but how she would never compare to him. After the first flight, she was just giggling and much too giddy.

Cap bent down for her to unlock her door, then he straightened up to open it. When he stepped in she reached for the light switch, which illuminated her small apartment.

"Sorry, s'not the Rrrritz." Victoria slurred apologetically. Steve pulled her off of his back and rested her on the couch. She smiled up at him, her cheeks and nose red with a buzz. "Staaaay anyway. I've Scrabble."

"No, I really shouldn't. I had fun tonight, but you've got to rest up for training tomorrow." With that he ruffled the top of her head and turned to leave, placing the keys on the coffee table. He hesitated at the door, turning to look back to see her heavy lidded against the armrest, just waving lazily. He let out a short laugh and gave her a half-salute before the door closed behind him.

Lazily, Victoria turned over palming her eyes. When she stretched her arms above her head, a firm hand pulled them together, locking them there easily. The other pressed against the armrest next to her head. Her eyes shot open.

"You little whore."