Once the others were gone, Steve got out of bed to make himself and Kayla breakfast. He led her to the small table and told her to sit and wait while he cooked. She stared out the windows in a daze. Jarvis informed her that Clint had collected Zawadi earlier in the morning for a walk since Captain Rogers and herself were still sleeping.
She enjoyed the quiet, but her head was racing. "Steve, is my face going to burn off?"
"Only if you keep freaking out about your changes," Steve answered bluntly, not looking away from the eggs he scrambled.
"Do you only want to have sex with me because I'm a super soldier now?"
"I've wanted to have sex with you since the night I met you." Steve stopped, realizing he shouldn't have said such a thing to a lady.
"Well, that makes me feel better," Kayla stated as she munched on a pop tart.
Steve glanced at her over his shoulder. She was still wearing his t-shirt as she didn't have any clothes of her own at that point. She had her feet propped up on the chair next to her, giving Steve a view of her black underwear. She was at least acting like herself, which was comforting. Once he convinced her the serum was making her emotions go haywire she was able to, as Tony said, simmer down.
"Do you consider me being a sexual deviant a good quality or a bad quality, because I think it's getting stronger and I don't want my face to melt off," Kayla stated again, almost in a trance as she considered her future if she continued down this road.
"Your face isn't going anywhere Kay." Steve gave her a kiss on the nose as he placed the eggs and bacon in front of her, "Now eat up. We have a long day of doing nothing ahead of us."
"Sounds delightful," Kayla answered, returning his kiss. "Although, I was wondering if maybe you'd work on training me. You know, so I can't defend myself and all that." She added as she stuffed a piece of bacon into her mouth.
"Defend yourself from what?" Steve asked as he picked up a hunk of eggs to pop into his mouth.
"From bad guys, duh." Kayla answered as if it was obvious, but Steve still didn't understand.
"There shouldn't be any bad guys in the Tower Kay, you are perfectly safe here."
Kayla matched his gaze, green eyes piercing his blue. "I know that. I mean out there." She pointed out the window with her fork. "Out in the world, you know, Avengers stuff."
Realization hit Steve like a ton of bricks and he nearly choked on his scrambled eggs. "Avengers stuff? Umm, Kayla, you aren't joining the Avengers. It's too dangerous. Somebody will recognize you and you lack the training to be out there in the field."
"That's why I need you to train me. You, Natasha, Clint. I want to be prepared to help the team."
"You are not a part of the Avengers Kayla. It's too dangerous." Steve's tone darkened his words the order of a Captain, not as her boyfriend.
Kayla shrugged, looking back down to her plate, "Fine, I'll just stay at home all day and wallow in my self-hate until my face melts off."
Steve's brows furrowed, Kayla was always very civilized with the soldier. Sexual but definitely not childish. This behavior was different for her. "Kay-"
"Please, Steve! I can't be trapped in this Tower, its why I didn't go home! Train me, recruit me, let me come along! If nothing, I make a heck of a scientist and I'm great at public relations. I would be an amazing asset, you just have to prime me to join the team." Kayla begged, puppy dog eyes wearing down the super soldier.
"Fine. We'll start training tomorrow. Today you need rest. Remember, doctor's orders." Steve reminded playfully as he stood to take his plate to the sink.
"Where are you off to?" Kayla asked curiously as Steve made his way into the bedroom suite. After placing her dishes in the sink she trotted over to the bedroom, looking around. "Steve?"
She heard the water of the bathtub running and she turned her attention to the bathroom, finally seeing her soldier.
"What'cha doing?" Kayla asked as she sidled up behind Steve, wrapping her hands around his waist. "Is this for me or you?"
He turned and kissed her, "For you. It'll help your muscles loosen up. While you are here I'm going to go train with Clint. Hopefully by the time I'm done Pepper will have your clothes."
Kayla stuck out her lower lip, pouting up at the blonde soldier, "I was hoping you'd join me."
Steve couldn't contain his smirk as he grabbed some bubble bath and dumped the contents of the bottle of the water. "I know. I will someday."
"You test my patience Steve Rogers. But I imagine someday it'll be worth it." She cooed as she stripped out of his T-shirt. That was his cue to leave, as she started tugging off her underwear he closed the bathroom door.
"So, things are a little weird now with the girlfriend huh? Nat got me up to speed on what happened." Clint panted as him and Steve practiced hand to hand combat.
"She thinks I like her better after the serum, which isn't true." Steve threw a punch which Clint easily dodged, "I'm just so happy she's alive, and you didn't see her after she took that dart. She's the most beautiful dame in the world again."
"And it helps that she's got the same serum in her blood that you do?" Clint sent a kick to Steve's side and Steve easily shoved him to the ground with his palm. He offered a hand to the archer to help his friend up.
"Is it so wrong if it does? Is it so wrong I like having somebody like me? Someone who will understand me for the first time since I woke up from the ice."
"Just keep in mind Cap, it wasn't her choice. She had a good life before the serum, you didn't. Just give her some time to adjust." Clint clapped Steve on the shoulder, wiping sweat from his face.
"Thanks Barton."
"Anytime. Also, can I just say that dog of yours is a beast? Where the hell did she get him?" Clint laughed as the two made their way to the locker room.
"Wakanda of all places," Steve answered.
"Since Agent Romanoff dumped all of SHIELD's files onto the internet, we've been digging through whatever we could find about bases. Hydra is far from dead, and I think it's going to take the Avengers to snuff it out." Maria Hill informed the group as they sat around a conference table, looking at the files she'd printed.
"Where do we start Cap?" Tony questioned looking at the files. "Shanghai, Utah, Sokovia?"
"Let's start closer to home, then work our way out. Try to finish off each base one by one." Steve answered, feeling comfort in something he knew. He was a soldier through and through, and peace made him uneasy. He hated that he found himself bored without a battle, but after all these years he'd lost everything he had except his identity of Captain America. So it's what he clung to easiest.
"So Utah, that will be fun." Tony groaned and threw his bead back as he spun in circles in the office chair.
"I'll get the quinjet ready. We can head out within the hour." Clint stated, standing from his seat.
"If you guys think you can handle it, I'd very much like to stay here." Bruce retorted, causing the others to look at him. "I don't think we should leave Kayla alone at a time like this, she's very fragile right now. You all go, you can handle without the Hulk for one mission."
"I hate to say it, but Doctor Banner is right." Steve agreed. "I can't stay but she can't be alone, she's feeling trapped. Maybe Doctor Banner can raise her spirits while we are gone."
"Sure, do science stuff, it'll be fun," Natasha said blandly, making eye contact with Bruce.
"Alright, let's suit up. Meet in an hour on the deck." Steve ordered.
Back at the apartment floor though, Kayla was not happy about the news of Steve's departure. She stood in the doorway of the bedroom with her arms crossed.
"You can't leave already! What happened to doing nothing all day?" Kayla whined as Steve changed into his new Captain America uniform Tony had designed and created.
"You are going to continue resting, and we'll all be back soon. We may need a rain check on the training but I promise it will happen."
"Just like you promised you'd never let them take me? Or you promised we wouldn't hide in the shadows forever?" Kayla spat back angrily, not backing down. A dull pain crept into the back part of her brain, reminding her to control her seemingly hotter temper.
"In my defense, you are the one who wants to stay dead. Hiding isn't my idea, it's yours." Steve defended, grabbing his shield. Something caught his arm and pulled him back. He still wasn't used to her strength.
He turned to see Zawadi sitting at attention next to Kayla, panting expectedly at the soldier. Kayla held his arm, eyes glistening with mischief.
"Just be careful okay. Come home to me safely." She kissed him on the cheek.
"Please don't follow me this time." He responded, grabbing her face and pulling her into a kiss.
Then he left the girl and her dog to fend for themselves in the Avengers Tower. "Well, shall we go for a walk Zaddi?" The dog barked back in agreement and Kayla leashed up the dog's harness to his leash. She smiled happily when the dog's pulling didn't drag her into the elevator. She bopped from side to side with her dog as the elevator dropped ninety floors to the ground level, letting her out into the main building.
Once outside, she took a deep breath of the warm Manhattan air. She'd spent time in New York but wasn't super familiar with it, so she didn't mind getting a little lost along the way. She looked up when she saw the quinjet take off, beaming with pride. Her boyfriend was on that. She wasn't the only one who seemed interested in the jet. She made her way to a cafe with outdoor seating and got a table near the window where Zawadi could lay without being underfoot. She ordered an Americano and a small sandwich, nothing much seeing as she only had what little cash she had found hidden in the pocket of the hoodie she stole.
She stared up at the Avengers Tower, taking in the glistening windows of the massive building. Her home.
"It'll be a while before you see them return. Whenever they take the jet it's usually a few hours, sometimes a few days." The waitress explained while setting down Kayla's sandwich and coffee.
"Hmm?" Kayla asked as she looked up at the blonde waitress, Beth, her nametag said.
"The Avengers. It's why this place got rebuilt after the Battle of New York. The patrons like to sit out here and wait for Iron Man or the jet to fly by. Brings in a ton of business." Beth looked down at the blonde woman and her dog, recognition sparking in her eyes. "Do I know you?"
Kayla stiffened, lifting her chin to look up at the waitress. "Umm, I don't think so. I'm new to New York, so I don't really know anyone yet."
"Oh, I know who you look like! You look like Kayla Ellis. The President's daughter! It's such a shame what happened in D.C. I feel terrible for her family."
"Yeah, me too." The blonde said shamefully, looking down at Zawadi with a bittersweet smile as she patted his head lovingly.
"Well, I better get back to work. Take your time, like I said, the Avengers won't be back anytime soon, so the business will be slow." Beth turned to walk away and Kayla tossed a twenty dollar bill on the table.
Suddenly a flash of lightning struck the Avengers Tower, catching the attention of the two girls and the patrons around them.
"Look like Thor's late to the party." Beth laughed under her breath.
"What?" Kayla asked as she stroked a whimpering Zawadi under the table.
"Thor. God of Thunder? He's one of the Avengers. That," She pointed up to the top of the tower, "is most likely him."
"Oh good," Kayla responded as the waitress walked away. She untied Zawadi's leash from the table and clicked to get him to walk with him. She made her way back to the Avengers Tower to meet the Tower's new visitor.