Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes - Fall Out Boy.
"I'm just a friendly person; that runs in my family." - Dolly Parton.
Katie was exhausted.
Well, not really. Flying from one place to another and back within two days time didn't make her tired like it did most people. Some would say it was because of the super-soldier serum, but Katie would just argue that she was used to it by now.
So no, flying an hour and a half to New York and back to D.C. a few hours later didn't make Katie this tired. It was the S.H.I.E.L.D. meeting that she'd had to attend that had seemed to take the life out of her.
She'd gotten a call from Nick a few days before she left, saying he wanted to have a word with her in person and talk about what was 'in store' for her. Basically, he just wanted to ask her if she planned on training some more and going on missions again in the future, which she said yes to. Even though going on missions was what pushed her and Steve apart in the first place, Katie couldn't wait to get back out there. She was tired of just sitting around when she could be training and saving people. Plus, she felt like her and Steve were in a different - and better - place now than what they were in back then.
And because Katie said yes to going on missions again, Nick wanted her to take some tests and officially become an agent, something Katie honestly didn't think she'd ever do.
Yes, her mother was an agent and the co-founder of S.H.I.E.L.D. but Katie moved away from S.H.I.E.L.D. when she was twenty-three. Sure, she kept in touch, but it was only when Peggy first started showing signs of her Alzheimer and Nick became director that Katie really started getting involved with S.H.I.E.L.D. again.
In short, the meeting gave her a lot to think about. And the fact that it was her birthday didn't help matters.
Katie didn't care for her birthday, she couldn't really remember the last time she actually celebrated it with anyone. But, it did happen every year, and it was just yet another reminder that she was staying the same well the rest of the world got older.
Now, she wasn't a bitch to people or anything just because she didn't like the fact that it was her birthday. She just didn't bring it up to anyone, and only a few people did know it was her birthday. Nick wished her happy birthday when they met up and Natasha and Clint phoned earlier that morning, but that was about it. And if anyone else was to wish her happy birthday, she would throw them a smile and say thank-you, not turn them away.
As for her father. Well, Katie already had her mind made up weeks ago. A month ago even.
She wasn't going to tell him.
If it came up, it came up. If he somehow found out and confronted her about it, Katie wasn't going to deny it. But she wasn't going to flat out tell him or mention it around him. After all, it wasn't anything special. It was just another day. Well, to her anyways.
See knew that if Steve realized what today was, he would make a big deal out of it, but that was the last thing Katie wanted. A big deal being made out of the fact that she was a year older, but still looked the same she did forty years ago.
So no. Katie wasn't going to tell Steve that today was her birthday.
And in her defense, Katie had told him once, maybe twice, that her birthday was May 4th. So it's not like she kept it completely from him.
Besides, she really doubted he would remember. Not because he was the type of person to forget his own daughter's birthday. But really, it hadn't even been a year since they met. It wasn't like this was her first birthday ever, and Steve wouldn't be used to celebrating his daughter's birthday, not yet.
Katie sighed as she slowly walked up the stairs to her apartment. She was going to head straight to Steve's place for dinner, but she sent him a message telling him she would be a bit late because she was going to shower first. Between all the flying and rushing around, she felt in need of a hot shower and change of clothes.
Pulling out her keys and placing them in the lock, Katie pushed open the door and slipped inside, closing the door behind her as she placed her keys on the small table just off to the side.
She slipped out of her jacket and placed it on the hook by the door along with her purse before heading towards the bathroom.
Walking past the kitchen, Katie glanced at the clock on the stove and saw the green letters of 6:12pm shinning back at her. She still had about an hour before she was suppose to be at Steve's. When she told him that Nick wanted to meet with her, he said that he would cook dinner for them around seven so she could tell him about the meeting. Plus, it's been about a week now since they had dinner together, and they liked to eat with each other about once a week.
Katie marched into the bathroom, checking her phone one last time and sighing when she saw that she had no missed messages or call, before slipping out of her clothes and stepping into the hot shower.
Sure, Steve didn't really know it was her birthday. But she left very early that morning, telling Steve the night before she would text him when she landed and call him before she left again.
He didn't respond to that text and didn't answer that call.
And Katie was starting to worry a bit - because though he could take care of himself, he was still her father - when her phone started to ring just as she sat in her seat on the plane,
Okay. Call you later. - Steve.
It was such an unlike Steve message, but Katie was so exhausted from her meeting that she just brushed it off and turned off her phone as the plane started to take off. And when she landed, she turned it back on only to find no missed calls or messages.
It was kinda sad when Katie thought of it really, not even her own father would text her back or call her. Katie almost laughed out loud at that thought.
The shower was a quick one. Katie quickly washed her body and hair before stepping out into the cold bathroom and wrapping a towel around her, not even brother to check her phone as she picked it up and walked into her bedroom. If someone called her, she would have heard her phone go off, playing her classic phone ringtone she had set… The same one that was going off now.
Katie looked down at the phone in her hand. It started to ring the moment she stepped into her bedroom and flicked on the light.
Steve Rogers.
"Hello?" Katie answer her phone as she walked farther into her room. "Who am I speaking with?"
"Funny," Steve replied, and Katie could hear the humour in his voice. "This is your father."
"Hmmm," Katie sat down on her bed. "The same father whose been ignoring me all day."
"I haven't been ignoring you." Steve said. "I messaged you back."
"A four word text message doesn't count."
"I'm sorry," Steve sighed. "I've been busy."
This got Katie's attention. It wasn't unlike Steve to keep himself occupied by studying history books or different fighting strategies. After all, a lot had happened with the world since the 40's, and Steve just liked keeping himself up to date with different fighting skills for missions or alien invasions (which hopefully wouldn't be ever). But this time, Steve's tone wasn't right. There was something there in the way he said he was busy, something Katie couldn't pick out.
"Busy?" Katie questioned, sitting up straighter. "Busy doing what exactly?"
"Nothing important," Was Steve's reply. But before Katie could question him any farther, he spoke up again. "What time are you coming over?"
"I just got to get dressed and dry my hair," Katie told him. "Then I'll be over."
"Okay. See you then."
Katie just got a bye out before the line went dead and Katie pulled the phone from her ear, giving it a confused look before she shook her head and stood up, throwing the phone on the bed.
Walking over to her closet, Katie pulled out a thin, beige sweater and black skater skirt. She pulled the two pieces on, tucking the sweater into the skirt before running the towel through her hair for a few moments as she walked back into her bathroom and pulled out the hair drier. It only took her a few minutes of working with the hair dryer and brush to get her hair completely dry and hanging down her back in lose waves. After putting on a bit of make-up, Katie was walking towards the front door. She threw on a pair of booties and grabbed her purse and keys before walking out door, locking it behind her.
The walk from her apartment to Steve's wasn't an overly long one. In the middle of the day, the walk was about twenty minutes. But seeing that it was supper time, there were a little less people out and about and Katie made it to the apartment in a little over ten minutes.
Walking up the stairs to Steve's place, Katie pulled out her keys just as she reached the door. Both Steve and Katie always kept their doors locked, no matter if they were out or not. So, they each had a key to each other's place. It just made it easier.
However, as Katie turned the key, she knew something was off. Something just didn't feel right. And the feeling only grew as she pushed the door opened and was met by darkness.
She was just talking to Steve not a half-hour ago. What the hell happened between now and there?
With narrowed eyes, Katie slowly and quietly stepped into the apartment before closing the door behind her with a soft click.
It took her eyes a few moments to get use to the dark, but when they did, Katie swiftly toed off her boots before slowly padding barefoot across the floor and past the kitchen before carefully rounding the corner to the living room.
"Surprise!"
Katie stood in the entry of the living room, a look of utter disbelief and surprise on her face as she took in the scene before her, her purse slipping off her shoulder and falling on the floor with a thump.
The living room was completely transformed. There was a table against the far wall that was covered with food. Chips, popcorn, candy, fruit, chocolate, cheese, crackers, sandwiches, you name it, it was there along with a number of different drinks. There were streamers and balloons all over the walls and ceiling along with a giant tiffany blue stringed sign that read Happy Birthday Katie. There was also a small pile of presents by the mantelpiece and a giant stereo system that hadn't been there before was playing music.
Okay, so maybe Steve knew today was her birthday after all.
But in all honestly, it wasn't the food, decorations, or presents that caught Katie's attention.
Steve was standing in front of the mantelpiece with a smile of his face as he took in his daughter surprised face, and Natasha was standing next to him, a smirk playing on her own lips over the fact they caught Katie by surprise. Clint was standing by the table, a smirk on his face as he munched on was chips and dip. Bruce stood on the other side of the table, a bottle of water in his hands as he gave Katie a friendly smile and Tony stood in the middle of the room with a proud smile on his face as if this whole thing was his doing - which it may have been - with Pepper by his side, a warm smile on her face.
"Katie?" She heard Steve's voice call to her as he took a few steps forward, but it still took her a few moments to finally form words.
"How- I…" Katie looked around the room once more, mostly everyone wearing amused looks, before her eyes landed on Steve. "What is this?"
"It's you birthday," Steve pointed out as if she didn't know, his smile growing bigger. "So, this is your birthday party."
"Birthday party?"
"You know, a party to celebrate one's birth." Clint butted in as he scooped up some home-made dig onto a chip, humming as he took a bite. "This is amazing. Who made it?"
"I told you my birthday like, once" Katie said, ignoring Clint as her mind working overtime to think of another time she could have mentioned her birthday. "And that was almost a year ago now. How did you remember?"
"I wouldn't forget my daughter's birthday," Steve told her with a small smile. "Besides, it's honestly not that hard to remember. It's exactly two months before mine."
"I know," Katie replied, a smile finally broking out on her face and she took a few steps forward and walked over to her father, giving him a hug. "Thank-you, this is amazing." Katie told him as she pulled away. "But you really didn't have to do all this."
"It's your birthday," Steve said, emphasizing the word birthday. "Plus, I have a number of birthdays to make up for."
Katie gave Steve a pointed look before rolling her eyes. He'd been using that excuse a lot lately. Whether is was paying for a coffee, or celebrating a birthday as it turned out, Steve would always say 'I have all those years to make up for' which okay, that was true. But Katie didn't think he needed to. They were here now, why couldn't they just focus on all the birthdays they would have as father-daughter from now on?
"Besides," Steve continued as they both made their way over to the table. "I didn't do this all by myself. I had help."
"Help? None of this would have happened if you didn't call us in, old man." Tony spoke up before turning to Katie. "Thor sends his regards by the way. At least I think he would if he even knew this party was happening. Apparently cell phones don't work on Asgard."
Katie only had time to smile back in return when Clint suddenly spoke up again.
"Someone turn up the music, and let's get this party going," He said before throwing another chip in his mouth. "I'm hungry."
"How?" Bruce questioned. "You've been munching on all the snacks since they were set up."
"I'm hungry for dinner food," Clint explained. "Big difference."
"Wait?" Katie spoke up, looking from Clint and Bruce before back to Steve. "Dinner food?"
"I did say you were coming over for dinner." Steve told her with a smile.
"And speaking off, I should check on the chicken." Pepper said before turning to Katie, walking towards her. "Katie. It's nice to meet you. And happy birthday."
"You too Pepper. And thank-you." Katie smiled at the women before her, glad she was finally getting to meet Pepper Potts after hearing so much about her. "But really, you didn't have to cook me a meal."
"It's no problem," Pepper waved her off. "Besides, I promised Tony we'd have a cooked meal tonight, so I was cooking something anyways. But I really should get back in the kitchen."
"Well, if you need help with anything, let me know." Katie offered but Pepper just shook her head.
"I will need a hand, but not from you. It's your birthday, I'm not making you cook your own birthday dinner." Pepper gave the blonde a pointed look, before turning to Natasha. "Can you give me a hand?"
Natasha, who was leaning on the mantelpiece with her arms crossed, nodded. "I'll be right there."
Pepper nodded before giving Katie one last smile, then disappearing into the kitchen as the music suddenly become a bit louder, thanks to Clint.
"You cook?" Katie turned and couldn't stop a smile from breaking out on her face as she took in the curly red-haired women now standing just a few feet away from her.
The last time Katie saw her best friend was about four months ago now, just a few days after she talked to Steve after the little trip to Tennessee, and to say Natasha was pissed was an understatement. Katie was pretty sure if they weren't friends, she wouldn't be breathing right now. But, what Katie found the most interesting about all the yelling Natasha did to her that day, was what she was yelling about.
"How could you do that to Steve?"
"Do you not realize how much he cares about you?"
"You're both to stubborn for your own good."
Everything Natasha said related back to Steve, and it was at that time that Katie realized how close the red-head and her father had gotten over the months that Katie was away. When she left, they were teammates. Now, they seemed almost as good friends as Katie and Natasha.
"Funny," Natasha rolled her eyes but smiled as she walked up to Katie and pulled her into a hug. "Happy birthday."
"Thanks," Katie smiled as they pulled away. "But seriously, you can cook?"
"Don't make me spit in your food." Natasha said before she walked around Katie and into the kitchen, leaving a laughing blonde behind her.
Katie spun around only to found Tony, Clint, Bruce, and Steve now gathered around the snack table before she decided to walk over and join in on their conversation.
"There she is," Tony all by yelled once Katie reached the guys. "The birthday girl! How old are you today, Golden Girl? Eighty-seven?"
"You wanna lose that tongue, Stark?" Katie in a teasing tone as she sent him a light glare.
"Oh, please fulfill that threat, Katie." Clint smirked. "We may finally get some peace and quiet around here."
"See, this is why we never have get-togethers." Tony crossed his arms. "You all gain up on me."
"Stark, this is our first get-together."
"And like I said, this is why we never have them."
"Maybe I should cut out someone's tongue," Katie butted in as a smile formed on her lips.
Tony huffed before turning to Bruce. "Bruce, are you going to help a brother out?"
"No, I'm staying out of this one." Bruce shook his head, a smile playing on his lips. "I could use a drink though."
"Me too," Clint nodded. "Especially if I'm going to have to deal with Stark all night. Cap, you got any beer?"
"In the fridge." Steve nodded as Katie suddenly spun around, giving Steve a look as her eyes shifted from Steve to Tony, hoping he would get the message. Which he thankfully did. "I'll come with you."
Clint nodded before heading towards the kitchen, stopping and giving Katie a quick hug and wishing her happy birthday on the way as Bruce did the same.
"Want anything?" Steve asked Katie as he also started to make his way to the kitchen, but she just shook her head.
Steve now knew where Katie had ended up over Christmas and he knew all about Tony and what he did. Katie always wanted to thank him, but not over the phone. And between everything else, she never got a chance to see him in person. Until know.
"You look a lot better than you did months ago." Katie commented once Steve was out of the room.
"I can say the same for you," Tony said. "I almost didn't recognize you without the two rugrats on your hip. How are they anyways?"
"Good," Katie nodded. "I was talking to them a few weeks ago."
Tony nodded and silence fell around the two for a moment before Katie sighed.
"Listen, Tony. I want to say thank-you. For the plane ticket, for what you did for Harley. Just. Thank-you."
"No sweat," Tony shrugged. "I meant what I said on the note. Can you imagine what it would be like if our leader and a teammate weren't on talking terms. It'd be hell."
"Oh," Katie started smirk. "So that notes wasn't you inviting yourself over for thanksgiving dinner."
"See," Tony pointed a finger at her. "Not I'm starting to regret my decision. I don't like sarcastic Katie."
All Katie could do was laugh as Clint and Bruce suddenly came back in the room and over to them, Bruce handing Tony a bottle of beer.
A conversation started to break out amongst them once more, but Katie wasn't really listening. Instead, she started to look around the room when she realized Steve wasn't with them, only to find him standing over by the mantelpiece.
"I just wanna say," Katie spoke up as she walked over to him. "That I'm sorry."
Steve sent her a confused look. "For what?"
"I honestly thought that you didn't know today was my birthday." Katie told him, a little guilty suddenly starting to bubble in her stomach. How could she honestly think so low of her father?
But to Katie's surprised, Steve just laughed. "Honestly, I didn't."
"You didn't?" Katie raised an eyebrow.
"Well, not completely." Steve explained. "I knew it was around this time of year, I just couldn't remember the exact date. I was so nervous and overwhelmed about meeting you for the first time, remember? I wanted to remember every detail you told me, but I forgot one of the most important ones."
"I told you my birthday in the middle of our first conversation together." Katie said. "I'm surprised you even remembered it was in May."
"Natasha confirmed the date for me." Steve let out a light laugh, causing a smile to also break out on Katie's face as she glanced around the room once more, silence falling around them.
"Thank-you for all this," Katie spoke up after a few moments, looking up at Steve.
"It was no trouble at all," Steve said, smiling at her. "Besides, Tony's right. Everyone really did help out a lot."
"Not for the decorations… Well, yes, thank you for those," Katie explained. "But I meant thank-you, for bringing Tash and Tony and everyone to D.C."
"Well," Steve sent her a somewhat sad smile. "I can imagine that spending your birthday by yourself can get lonely."
Katie sent him a knowing look at his teasing tone when she suddenly saw his eyes light up, as if he just remembered something.
"Here," Steve reached into his bag pocket and pulled out a small, neatly wrapped, little bow before handing it out for Katie to take.
"You didn't have to get me anything," Katie told him, but she couldn't stop the way her eyes lit up and her stomach knotted together. After all, this was her first gift from her father, ever.
Steve chuckled when he saw the excitement on his daughters face. "Happy birthday, Katie."
Katie shared one last look with Steve before she looked back down at the gift and took it out of his hands.
She carefully ripped the tape on the side of the box before pulling the rest of the paper off, only to be meant by a jewelry box. Eyebrows pinched together slightly, Katie tried to think of what it could be as she slowly lifted the lid, the box making a snapping noise once it was completely open.
Inside was a beautiful gold chain with a tiny old star pendant in the middle. It was simply, but gorgeous. It was the first gif her father had ever given her. And Katie loved it.
"I didn't really know what to get," Steve spoke up as Katie continued to star at the necklace. "I found this one day and got Natasha's opinion on it before buying it-"
"It's amazing," Katie looked up at Steve with a smile before giving him a hug. "Thank-you."
"You like it?" Steve asked as Katie pulled away.
"I love it."
At these words, Steve's face lit up as his smile grew bigger, if that was even possible.
Then, before the conversation could go any farther, Katie heard Pepper call out to them all.
"Dinner!"
"About time," Katie heard Clint grumble before the boys started to make their way over to Steve's dining room table.
"Let's go," Steve gestured to the table as Katie nodded.
"We better," She said as she and Steve started to walk towards the others. "If Clint's as hungry as he seems, there'll be no food left in a moment."
Steve chuckled as they reached the dining room table, only to find it piled up with different types of food. Chicken, potatoes, home-made rolls, fruit, vegetables, even a cake with Happy Birthday Katie written across the top.
"So you can cook, Tash." Katie teased the red head as she sat down across from Bruce.
"Pepper did most of it," Natasha said, before sending Katie a light glare. "I did add a little something extra to yours though."
"And I bet it made the food even more delicious."
"This looks amazing Pepper," Steve commented as he sat down in between Natasha and Katie, across from Tony who had Pepper on his right.
"Thank-you, Steve." Pepper smiled, sending Steve a smile from Tony's right.
"Dude," Tony spoke up, a look of disgust on his face as he watched Clint, who somehow needed up sitting at the head of the table. "Have you never seen chicken before?"
"The last thing I had to eat was airplane food," Clint looked up and sent Tony a glare. "Leave me be, Stark."
"You basically just ate the whole snack table." Bruce butted in, causing Clint to shifted his glare from Tony to the doctor.
"You stay out of this, Banner."
Laughter filled the room as everyone started to dig into the piles of food on the table. Everyone started up their own conversations, talking about this and that. Everyone took turns filling the others in on what they'd been up to over the past year. However, there seemed to be an unspoken agreement to keep the conversations light, as no one brought up any dangers or life-treating moments they make have had.
Katie couldn't remember the last time she smiled and laughed so much. Sure, she was happy with how her life with Steve was going, she would chance it for anything. But it was still nice and refreshing to see her team again. To be with her friends again. To be with family. Because that's what this insane group of superheroes were to her.
And as they all gathered around after everyone was done with supper, the cake now in front of Katie as Tony and Clint led a ridiculous rendition of the happy birthday song while everyone else laughed, Katie never felt more at home
Nothing to serious, just some family-feels before the Winter Soldier storyline starts next chapter.
A guest (UlimateGingeDW) requested I use this song for the chapter. I gave it a listen and loved it! If you guys have any songs you'd like to see me use, please send them in.
Thank-you, like always, to Tospringe for putting up with me! You know where all the links are by now, and don't forget to review! We're almost at 200!
Also, because I'm curious, you would rather see BuckyxKatie later on and who would rather see PietroxKatie?
(Also also! Please tell me I'm not the only one who has a headcanon that Natasha can cook... LOL)