I own nothing

Mia sat across from Steve at a restaurant near Central Park. Steve reached across the table and touched her hand as she laughed at one of his jokes. She blushed and bowed her head. She took a bite of the pasta. She looked shyly over the table to him. He took a bite of his meal.

"So why did you do it?" Mia asked.

"Do what?" Steve asked.

"Win me that bear"

"You wanted it and you would smile."

Mia tilted her at him looked at him oddly before smiling. She took a slip of the white wine that they order with their meals. She reached up started to play with curls that framed her face.

"You did it just to see me smile."

"Well, yeah. So Mia what type of music do like?"

"All types what about you?"

"Well, I grew up around the swings so I guess the classics you know Sinatra, Como…etc."

Steve blushed as she smiled and touched his hand. Mia bowed her head and bit her bottom lip before looking up as Steve moved a curl from her face. She gave him shy smile that he returned.


When the check came, Mia reached for her purse. Only to be stopped by Steve putting his hands on her hands. She gave him a look and shook her head no. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet.

"You don't have too, Steve"

"I asked you remember I pay" Steve said

"Fine, next time is on me." Mia said.

Steve shook his head before get out of the booth; he reached out to help her up. That was when he noticed all men's eyes travel to her. She shifted unsure when she noticed that women were looking at her like she was unworthy of being with someone like Steve. He took note of her nervous shifting and placed his arm around her shoulders leading her out of the restaurant.

There was a slight chill to night air. Steve notice that Mia shuttered a little. He removed his arm for moment before slipping off his brown jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders.


Steve led her into Central Park. They walked around the park lost in each other company. It was nearly sunset when they stopped by the bridge by the lake. Steve looked at her with wonder filled look. She had serene smile on her face. She looked over to him and smile. The light played across her face; it was breath-taking. He stared at her trying to memorize every detail of her face.


In San Francisco, Claire sat in her office chair in the studio. Her long blonde hair was over her shoulders. She was looking at emails, hoping to hear from Mia. Jeremy walked into the office. His dark brown hair was style in spiky way. His green grey eyes landed on Claire's green eyes.

"Any word, from our missing designer?" Jeremy asked

"Not a word. I tried calling her."

"Not answering the phone"

"The call was blocked… Jeremy what are we going to do without her we don't the money or vision for this company to be successful."

"We have to ways of doing this a. we beg her forgiveness, which will not go over well. Or B, we threaten her"

"With what"

"Exposing her."

"And if she does not respond."

"We go to press."


Steve and Mia made their way back to the Tower. They both had smiles glued to their faces. His arm was wrapped her shoulder as they walked laughing into the front door of the tower. They were greeted by an irate Tony.

"What the Hell, Cap. You go behind my back and start dating my baby sister."

"Tony stop." Mia yelled.

"Stay out of this Magpie. I thought that you would be nice to her. Cap to treat her like lady but to starting dating her..." Tony yelled.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Mia, I had a great time with you but if it is going to cause problems between Tony and you…" Steve stated.

"Don't. Please, don't" Mia cried.

"I'm sorry" Steve said

Steve hugged her shoulder before walking off to his apartment. Mia turned her eyes to her bother with tears running down her face. She shook her head and started to head up to apartment.

"Magpie." Tony tried.

"Don't, just don't. You had to, you just… you ruin everything" Mia snapped.


An hour later Mia was curled up on the sofa in her room cling to the bear that Steve won her. Steve was her only friend she had in New York, in reality, her only friend period. Mia had the room set on private. Tears still fell down her face. She was watching Phantom of the Opera. It was to part where Christine kissed Raoul thus betraying the phantom. Her mind traveled to her and Steve's outing. He was everything she ever dreamed about. He was kind, protective, noble and brave. He was the closest thing to knight in shining armor now days. A knock sounded at the door, Mia got up from the sofa and walked over to door. She crack the door open to see who it was, it was Pepper. She looked concerned. Mia sighed she knew this was coming. She opened the door to let Pepper inside. Then she walked back to the sofa watching the movie. Pepper's eyes travel around the room landing on the flowers. Then back to Mia, Pepper sighed then walked over to the sofa and sat down next to her.

"Mia, are you alright?"

Mia turned and looked at Pepper with tears in her eyes. She looked far from alright.

"Why does he do it?"

"Mia, Tony laws onto himself, you know that. I have no clue why he does it. You really care about Steve. Don't you?"

"He was my friend… he was there for me."

Pepper reached out to touch Mia hand. The tears were still falling down her face as she spoke the tears seem fall more freely.

"What are you talking about?"

"The first night…after the fight with Tony…I was balling in rec-room….but instead of walking pass and leaving me. He came inside and tried to make me feel better. He did…The museums we walking a look at painting. We understood one another. For the first time I felt like was more than just Tony sister. I was…."

Mia curled back into a ball with tears falling down her face. Pepper pulled Mia into her arms and rocked her back and forth trying to sooth her.

"Shh… it is gonna be okay… it will get better."


Pepper walked back into the penthouse; shaking her head when she looked over to Tony. He walked over to Pepper. He placed a hand on her shoulders.

"How is she?"

"Balling, watching Phantom of the opera in the dark"

Tony cringed as Pepper said that. He led her over to the sofa. He knew that it was going to get worst.

"She said that for the first time she felt like she was more than just your sister. Tony, Steve was her friend and yes, she may have feeling beyond friendship. But you really believe that Steve would have behaved wrongly with your sister."

"I don't know Pep. She is just my world and don't want anything to happen to her."

"Tony, you can't keep her wrapped up in bubble wrap. She needs to live her own life."

Tony sighed and bowed his head. He got up and head down to see Mia for his self.


Once down at Mia apartment. He knocked on the door. There was no reply. He tried again, still with no reply. Tony looked up to the ceiling.

"J unlock the door"

"Sir, I'm afraid that miss does not want to see you right now"

"Do I look like I care, unlock the door."

Tony waited for moment before trying the door. The door opened he looked around the dark room. Mia was still curled up with the bear. He noticed the flowers that were not there the night before. He cringed as he heard her sob. He noticed that Cap's jacket was folded up on the table. The movie was now Love Actually. Tony inched his way over to her. He sat down on the sofa. She had not moved from hugging the bear and crying.

"Magpie"

Mia did not reply she curled more into the bear. Tony reached out to touch her. He pulled her into his arms.

"Magpie… Margaret, I'm sorry"

Mia turned and looked at him with fire in her eyes. She knew Tony very rarely said I'm sorry to anyone.

"You are sorry. You acted before you knew everything."

"I was jealous okay"

"Of what?"

"Of Cap… he was with you. You seemed to forget about me."

"I like can forget about you."

Mia looked up at her brother. Tony rubbed the back of her head.

"You back to watching sappy movies Magpie"

"It makes me feel not so alone"

"You are not alone. So what makes Cap so special?"

"We understood each other."

"Understood as in past tense… Magpie."

"I doubt he want to see me again. I just want to feel like I was more"

Tony leaned over and kissed her forehead. He hated this feeling. It was guilt. That was when it hit him. Mia was always living in his shadow. Even when she was child living with their aunt, he was the reason for that. Steve made her feel like she was more than Tony's sister. He had let her be just Mia. Tony looked at her again there were tear tracks make their way down her face.


Tony walked towards the gym. The sound of a chain moving reached his ears. The jacket was in his arms. He shook his head. Tony was lost as to what to do. He did not want to concede his sister but seeing so her broken was not something he could live with.