Ch 26

Hello all you lovely people! So here is the next chapter. The next 4 chapters after this are going to be taking place in one night. Normally I would only make something like this a scene or a chapter at most, but then mishkakikia96 AKA my 'idea person'/'resident asgardian crazy' wanted to see more. It was tremendusly fun to write. I just thought to warn you all now as things that happen during those chapters might reveal some things and change things.

THANKS FOR 111 REVIEWS! I NEVER THOUGHT I'D GET THAT MANY FOR THIS LITTLE STORY! YOU GUYS ARE THE BESTEST EVER! Also when you guys review saying you laughed so hard you cry, that basically makes my day. Thats the only situation where it's okay to make people cry. I like it.

THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS: whiteoak13 (odd is a guaranteed), Rainclaw (that actually sounds like a great day and I hope you had fun), acompletenerd (you laughed? YAY! I look forward to going in more depth as well, not right now but very soon), laurenbear88 (those are some of my favorite things as well), Absent minds (tbh when I wrote it, I didn't either. Then I found an actual comic with Steve actually MAKING a sexual reverence like that. once I saw it, it opened up doors a bit), Elenya2 (here is more!), (you reviewed for ch 13 and I know, many want to know the 'lockdown incident'), and StardustOwl (thank you! happy you're happy!)

THANKS FOR THE FAVORITES/FOLLOWS: morethanapieceintheregames, acompletenerd, amegos, Deidramara, alexchan14, Prime's Assistant, Shekat55, , horsebell, and MavisVermillion54!

Now on with the show!

It didn't take long for Jimmy to find out I was back in town. It probably wasn't hard as Jimmy works so closely with Pepper now. It was about eight in the morning on a Tuesday when I awoke to knocking at my door. I had to answer the door in my pajamas.

"Hey Alyssa, you didn't tell me you were in town. Why not?" was the first thing I got and I hadn't even fully opened the door yet.

"I got here Saturday. Why are you here so early?" I say groggily.

"Its Tuesday. Normal people are up now."

"Since when am I considered normal?" I ask.

"Never. Pepper gave me the day off and said to go see what you were up too. You know I had to find out about you being here from your step-mom? What's up with that?"

"Pepper's not my step-mom. Well, not yet anyway."

"Details. Were you planning on telling me you were here?"

"You want to stop standing in my doorway?" I move to let him in.

He entered and took note of how messy it was. "I know you aren't the neatest person but your house is never this bad. And have you been sleeping on the couch?"

"No, I have a houseguest. And the mess is because we were watching movies then we had a popcorn and gummy bear fight that turned into throwing whatever was soft and made a good projectile." I informed him. Steve and me got into a debate about if the sequel for Toy Story was better than the original. We watched both. Steve said the first and I thought the second was slightly better. And as you probably guessed I started throwing gummy bears at him and he retaliated.

"That oddly makes sense… How are you?" he asked. "We haven't talked in a few months."

"Fine." I shrug. "How are things with you?"

"Great actually. Job is going really well and I got a girlfriend." He tells me.

I am shocked. "You kidding? You're not forever alone anymore?"

"I am not. You seem so proud."

"I am! That's great Jimmy! You should have met someone long ago. What's her name? How long have you been a thing? Have I really been gone that long?"

"Her name is Elisabeth. We have been together about three months I think. You might have to ask her." Jimmy is smiled the biggest I had ever seen on him. He must be really happy.

"So its pretty recent then. I'm happy for you. You seem happy. And I want to meet her by the way. I need to make sure she's not insane or something."

"Thanks, I'm sure she would love to meet you as well. What about you then? Is it still all work and no fun?"

"My work is fun! So much fun my work has become my social and personal life."

"I don't doubt that with you. You made a robot a pet. Speaking of which, where is robodog?"

"I don't know Bandit's exact location. I'm sure he's fine."

Then with Steve's ever so perfect timing that's when Bandit and him walk in. He must have gone for a run.

"Hey Bandit." I say as I patted the dog when he ran to greet me.

"I see you're finally awake Aly." Steve notes.

"Yes. Steve this is Jimmy, Jimmy meet Steve." I introduce.

They both say hello to each other.

"I'm guessing he's the houseguest?" Jimmy asked me when Steve left to take a shower.

"You would be guessing correct-ish."

"You're going to have to explain the 'ish' then."

"He's more than a houseguest."

"Wait… is he your boyfriend? Alyssa, you're my friend but really? I didn't think you would be dating. You're too into your job."

"He's not my boyfriend." I groan. "He's… I … well… we're married to each other."

"WHAT? You didn't tell me this Alyssa!"

"Well we were forced to. Once we can we will no longer be married. This is for the job."

"You're a scientist, how is this apart of the job?"

"It directly involves me." I answer not wanting to give too much away as I know it's all classified.

"So you getting hitched is the solution? That sounds like a terrible idea."

"At least I know Steve pretty well. It could have been someone I hardly know." I shrug. Honestly I am getting tired of this conversation. I feel like I am repeating this for everyone.

This was supposed to be a vacation. Not kidding, I was only supposed to be in California for a week. It's been a month since then. Oh and Fury doesn't plan on having us back in DC for at least another two months.

Tony is ecstatic that I get to stay longer and so is Pepper. Clint is also still here for unknown reasons. He probably did something he shouldn't have again.

I think Clint might think he is actually Tony and Pepper's kid and not me. It's really strange.

I asked Steve how he felt and he honestly is indifferent about the whole thing. I will never understand that. I thought he'd be begging for DC by now. I honestly don't understand how he just doesn't care that Fury told us to just do work here. I'm pretty pissed.

I actually asked Steve about this, he just shrugged and said if they needed him, he'd get a call.

So apparently I am the only one who may want to get back to work. Strange.

But even stranger is that Natasha is right here in my dad's house, just casually talking with Clint.

"Natasha?" I ask as I come up the stairs from talking with my dad.

"Nice to see you again Alyssa." She smirked.

"Likewise… why are you here?"

"The same reason you are."

"You blew up something in the lab and got put on leave too? I find that unlikely."

"She's here because of you. Its her job to make sure everything goes okay with you and Cap." Clint explained.

"Oh… well, we're fine. More than fine. We didn't get into one argument this week. New record." I inform them proudly. The last fight the soldier and me had was a little over a week ago and I think it was about the dishwasher.

"I will still be here to make sure everything is continuing to run smoothly." Natasha says in her agent voice. Which really is just her voice. Unless she's undercover I have never actually heard her voice change from that tone.

"Great, than you can tag along with us to the fundraiser gala that Stark Industries will be hosting." Pepper informs us.

Natasha looked at Pepper strangely.

"Ha! You have to go schmooze with old rich guys!" I smirk.

"The only reason I am going is because you're going Alyssa." Natasha pointed out. "Keep an eye on you and Cap."

"Say what now?" I look at Pepper.

"Ha! You have to go schmooze with old rich guys!" Clint mocks.

"Legolas is coming too." Tony said from coming behind Pepper.

"WHAAAA?" Clint did the Despicable Me Minion impersonation again. He really has gotten quite good at it.

"I'm not trusting you alone here. Plus if I'm going down I pulling you down with me." Tony pointed to Clint.

"Hey Pepper…" I start when I walk into the living room to see her reading a book. It's a Sunday afternoon and Tony went to go see Rhodey for the day.

"Yes Alyssa." Pepper smiles as she puts down the book.

"Question, I know I'm kind of cutting it close here but the benefit, gala whatever it's called… what am I supposed to wear?" I ask. "I've never been to one so I would have no clue."

Pepper smiled. "Would you like some help?"

"That would be very appreciated."

"Come on, lets go shopping." She stood up and motioned me to the door. "Your dad's buying."

"Where have you been all day?" Steve asked me as I entered the apartment after my shopping trip with Pepper. He had been sitting on the couch drawing in his notebook.

"I could ask the same of you captain. I've hardly seen you all week." I remark as I put the large bunch of bags in my arms down.

"I've been busy." Steve shrugged as he closed his notebook.

"Cryptic much?"

"Well what would you like me to say Aly? It's classified?"

"That would imply that you've been at work, which I highly doubt." I sat beside him then I smirk. "Cheating on me Cap?" I joke.

"Never. But I have been looking at leads on the people that kidnapped you."

"Oh so it is work?"

"Well, not work I was assigned to."

I gasp. "Are you breaking protocol? Are you breaking rules? Who are you and what have you done with Steve Rogers?" I smile.

"Well how am I supposed to protect you if I don't know what I'm up against?"

"Trust I can take care of myself." I suggest.

"I already try to do that. But I think you should not be the one in the line of fire."

"Well, the idea of being shot doesn't seem… ideal. I'll give you that."

"You're not mad then? Me looking into something like that?"

"What did you expect me to say? Stay out of it? I don't think I could stop you if I did."

"I thought you would say SHIELD is working on it and I should stay out."

I smirk. "Yeah well, I may work for SHIELD but I don't exactly trust them. I trust people. I trust you. If you want to look into my capture then I am sure you have a valid reason."

"You don't trust SHIELD?"

"And you do?"

Steve stays quiet and I then realize he feels the same way about SHIELD right along with me.

"SHIELD isn't the nicey nice organization they think they are. They keep secrets and lie to their own people and sometimes the ends justify the means. I trust people in SHIELD more than I trust the organization itself."

"Fury is good at that. Lying and keeping secrets."

"I don't think Fury tells the truth unless it's absolutely necessary or someone figures it out. I know for a fact he keeps very big secrets. Some I can't tell you but I want to so bad." I stop there. Anymore I might let the secret of Coulson being alive go.

"I know what you mean. There is a lot that goes on that we don't know about."

"No kidding. I choose what I do for SHIELD very carefully because of that."

"So do I."

"So lets not talk about that. How was your Sunday?" I smile.

"Fine. When I was in the park with Bandit some woman tried to flirt with me at the park." He informed me.

"Let me guess, you were incredibly awkward?"

"No actually. I'm surprised myself."

"So you got her number?"

"No. I just said she seemed nice but I am married and she left." He smiled. "Because of you I have a legitimate excuse to turn down women and not be awkward."

"Is this a good thing?" I look at him curiously.

"Very. I'm too busy to date. And we are married."

"Well its nice to know you are fully committed to our fake marriage."

"I don't do things halfway. What did you do today? Other than buy out the city." He asked looking towards the bags.

"Pepper and me went shopping with Tony's money. I didn't have anything appropriate to wear to the fundraiser gala benefit thing."

"You find something?"

"Yes I did. Shopping with Pepper is an experience."

"A good one?"

"Yeah, a great one. We don't often get to spend time just us so it's a nice bonding thing. Especially because she will inevitably be my step-mom one day."

"You think Tony will marry her?"

"Tony promised once he gets his shit together and is a stable human being yes."

"You really think that will happen?"

"Honestly? No." I say truthfully. "But I hope for both of their sake Tony gets to the point he just does it. They both love each other so much that they both deserve it, to really be happy. Only then will Tony start to resemble a stable human."

"You don't seem to have much faith in him Aly."

"I don't. I love the man and all but come on. Tony is as stable as a house made of toothpicks and glue. Mind you he is starting to get better. Why? You think he'll do it? Actually become a normal person?"

"I don't see why not. Think about it, he is starting to make good decisions. He handled you pretty well too. Maybe Tony is maturing."

"Wow. Now I am really wondering who the hell you are. Are you sure you are in fact Steve Rogers?"

"Completely sure."

"I have never seen you think Tony could do any of that. What changed?"

"I saw him with you."