A.N – Hello my lovelies. I know it's been a while. But here I am with a new chapter! Yaaaay! If you would be so kind as to drop a review at the end to tell me what you think I'd really appreciate it.

Disclaimer – I do not own anything you recognise. The Avengers and the characters therein, belong to Marvel.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Steve could tell she was nervous. She wouldn't stop fiddling – with her necklace, her hair, her blouse. It was endearing that she wanted to make a good impression, but a little unnecessary. He had already told Peggy all about her, and Peggy seemed to like what she heard. Whether or not she remembered what Steve had told her was another story though.

The room was the same as always, but there were more photos around than last time. Steve knew her family was bringing them along to help her memory, so she wouldn't wake up and be alone. Peggy was sitting up in bed, staring out the window while the record player in the corner spun slowly, a soft jazz song filling the air. She smiled at Steve when she saw him, and he made his way over to her, kissing her cheek gently and giving her a smile.

'Hey Peggy.' He said, looking her over with a critical eye. She hadn't freaked out in surprise to see him, so it was a good sign that her memory was alright that day. 'How are you feeling?'

Peggy made a small sound in the back of her throat. 'Well enough, despite what they feed you here.' She replied with a cheeky smile. Steve chuckled, and he saw Peggy's eyes fix on something over his shoulder.

'Oh, yeah.' Steve realised, turning around and grabbing Nadia's hand, dragging her forward. She looked hesitant and was biting her lip. 'Peggy, this is Doctor Nadia Paolera…my girlfriend. Nadia, this is Peggy.'

'Hi.' Nadia squeaked, grasping Peggy's proffered, frail hand and squeezing it.

'So, this is the girl you never shut up about.' Peggy smirked, amused. Steve noticed Nadia's cheeks tinge pink and shoved his hands in his pockets.

'Sure is.' He crowed. Peggy raised a single eyebrow at him and he and Nadia sat down in nearby chairs.

'You didn't tell me she was beautiful, Steve.' Peggy said with a small smile, eyes locked on Nadia's.

'Yes, I did, Peg.'

'You also didn't tell me she was a doctor.'

'I told you she was a genius.'

'Steve.' Nadia hissed.

'What?' He defended, 'You are.'

Nadia shook her head and Peggy chuckled, a gravelly sound that racked her chest. 'How did you two meet?'

Steve looked at Nadia and she shifted in her seat. 'I gave Steve his final physical exam after he had come out of the ice and gone through rehabilitation. I'm a consultant for SHIELD.'

Peggy nodded. 'And you two kept in touch?'

'Yes.' Steve said, reaching over and grasping Nadia's small hand. 'Nadia was the first person to help me adjust to modern life. She's still trying to teach me, though I'm not a good student.'

'Hey, you managed to use the computer to pay bills the other day. That's no small feat.' Nadia reminded him kindly.

'I heard you lost your job.' Peggy stated, and Steve winced a little. It was a sore subject for Nadia, as she loved being a doctor and having her license stripped was a hard blow for her to take. He saw her shift in her seat a little before answering.

'Yes. But it was worth it.' She said, glancing at Steve from the corner of her eye, and Steve once again felt full of gratitude and love for her. She had sacrificed so much to get him back after he had been kidnapped – her job, her pride, had held him through the nightmares and had talked with him through it all. He really felt that he didn't deserve her.

'What do you do now?' Peggy asked. She was being very blunt, Steve noticed, but he had expected that. She was his friend, and he had brought a girl to meet her, of course there would be an interrogation of some sort.

'I work in a zoo, helping animals rehabilitate to be released or to ease them into sanctuary living.'

Peggy gave her a curious look, 'Yes. You can speak to animals, is that right?'

Steve knew how much it annoyed Nadia to get that question and had to hide a chuckle with a cough. Nadia folded her hands around her knee.

'Not exactly. I can change into the forms of animals, but I can't technically talk with them. Animals have a different way of communicating than humans do. It goes beyond words and dialects, its more about emotion and instinct. They can sense there's something different about me, so they're sometimes wary when I approach, but after a while they can sense that I don't mean them any harm.'

'That's…extraordinary.' Peggy breathed, looking at Steve quickly. He raised his eyebrows at her and she turned to Nadia again.

'How did your parents react to such gifts? I imagine it was quite a shock.' Peggy giggled, no doubt wondering if there was a hilarious story to be told.

Oh shit, Steve thought. He hadn't told Peggy about Nadia's parents, mostly because it was such a personal thing to share.

Nadia titled her head, considering her answer before she replied honestly, 'I don't have any parents.'

'Oh.' Peggy's smile dropped. 'I'm sorry.'

'Don't be.' Nadia shrugged. 'I'm not. They abandoned me as a baby, and I grew up in the foster system.'

'You never went looking for them?'

'I did. I couldn't find anything on them. They simply vanished without a trace.' Steve noticed that she left out that she had a brother and understood why she did so. Josef's occupation put her safety in a continuously precarious position, so keeping her relationship with him a secret was imperative.

'And you have no other family to speak of?'

'Well,' Nadia began, glancing at Steve with a small smile, 'Family is sometimes more than blood. My team has shown me support, acceptance, kindness – more than any blood relation I can speak of.'

Peggy looked at Steve. 'I like her. She's smart.'

Nadia laughed outright, and Steve leaned back in his seat, looking from Peggy to Nadia, his gaze lingering a little longer than perhaps was appropriate. He loved when she laughed, but he thought back to earlier that day. How she had held his face in her hands, had caressed his lips with just the hint of a smile. He loved her, more than he had ever loved anyone.

'Alright, enough of the chit chat.' Peggy said, waving a frail hand about and grinning at Steve. 'You ready to get your arse whooped?'

'A woman of your age should not be using language like that.' Steve replied as he got up, a small smirk on his face. Nadia snorted.

'You're one to talk. You hit your toe on the counter last week and said things that would have made a sailor blush.' She winked at Peggy as they both chuckled at his annoyed expression at being outed.

'It really hurt!' He defended, coming back with a board game in his hands. Nadia situated herself on the other side of Peggy and they laid the game on the bed. It was Scrabble and Steve rubbed his hands in anticipation. It was something that Peggy had insisted on doing every time he visited. She claimed it was because her family let her win all the time, but Steve knew it was because it helped her mind stay sharp. Nadia was very good at this game and though he didn't like to brag, so was he.

'Have you played this before?' Peggy asked. Nadia grinned impishly.

'I beat Steve once.'

'Once.' Steve held up a single finger as he sorted tiles. Peggy laughed and shook her head, looking livelier that he'd seen her in a long while. They began to play, and time slipped by quickly. Peggy was still as sharp as she always was when her Alzheimer's wasn't playing up and ended up winning two of the three games they played.

She and Nadia got along better than Steve could have hoped. They teased him constantly but he didn't mind because they were bonding. Peggy told them about her grandchildren, about her time at SHIELD, how tiresome Fury was, and anything else she could think of. It gave Steve a warm feeling in his chest, watching them and something clicked into place within him.

Eventually Nadia and Steve had to leave in order to gather groceries for their dinner with their new neighbour, and Nadia excused herself to go the ladies before they departed. Peggy was smiling, happy, as she reached over and took one of Steve's hands in both of hers.

'I can see why you love her. She's quite a woman.'

'She is.' Steve agreed, wholeheartedly. Peggy's expression turned sad.

'I see the way you look at her. You never once looked at me like that. Like you light up from the inside.'

'Peg…'

Peggy shook her head with a melancholy smile. 'It's alright. I have had a wonderful life and a husband who loved me and whom I loved in return. My only regret was that you didn't get to live your life after the war, but now that you have Nadia…you have that chance. So, don't be an idiot and don't waste it.'

'I don't plan to, Peggy.' He said, giving her hands a squeeze.

'Then maybe you're smarter than you look, Captain Rogers.' Peggy teased, releasing his hands and Steve leaned forwards to kiss her cheek gently. He smiled at her and then told her something he'd realised a long time ago, but had never said aloud.

Until now. 'I'm going to marry her, Peggy.'

Nadia and Steve had departed the nursing home together, leaving a sorrowful Peggy behind. She had made Nadia promise to visit her again, even without Steve. The two women had gotten into an energetic conversation about women's rights in third-world countries, and Steve guessed they would probably pick up where they had left off, not to mention another Scrabble rematch. It made him happier than he could ever express that the two most important women in his life got along so well.

They had gathered the necessary groceries and now Nadia was cooking away in the kitchen, preparing for when Kate arrived. The table was set, wine waiting, and Steve had selected a great swing album to play. He was trying to stay out of Nadia's way, helping in any way that he could without messing anything up. She had changed into a purple dress, her feet bare and her hair in a messy bun on top of her head. She looked lovely.

Steve stole his arms around her waist as she stood at the counter, chopping cucumber for a salad. She smiled and continued her work. 'Are you trying to distract me?' She wondered.

'No,' Steve replied honestly. 'You just look so beautiful I wanted to be close to you.'

With her free hand, Nadia reached up and ran her fingers over his cheek, making him close his eyes, loving these tender, innocent touches. 'That's very sweet, Steve.' She said, and he could hear surprise and joy in her voice.

She turned around in his arms and brushed his hair from his forehead. 'You look handsome too, you know.'

Steve shrugged a shoulder, grinning at her. He wasn't very fashion orientated, but personal appearance is important to him. He had grown up in a culture where dressing to impress was important and part of everyday life. When he had joined the army, keeping your uniform tidy and clean in the barracks had been a high priority. Some habits weren't so easily broken, even after seventy years.

Nadia grinned at him, even when he switched his grip to grab her hand in his and put his hand on her waist. She frowned in confusion when he kept smiling in that bold way.

'What are you doing, Rogers?' She asked him with narrowed eyes.

'Dance with me.' He replied simply, spinning them around the small kitchen. Nadia gasped out a little laugh.

'Right now?! Kate is going to be here any minute!' She protested, even as Steve pulled her closer and continued to turn them around the kitchen. He rested his head on top of hers and contentment settled over him.

'Just for a moment, doll.' He pleaded, and she sighed, silently agreeing.

He loved dancing with her. It wasn't as popular now as it had been when Steve was growing up, and he felt it was a damn shame. It was a great way for couples to have a good time and get to know each other. He admitted he wasn't the best dancer, but that didn't stop him from enjoying it.

A knock on the door ruined his peaceful moment and he reluctantly released Nadia with a sigh. She gave him a look and turned back to her work at the kitchen counter while Steve went to answer the door. On the other side, stood Kate, no longer in scrubs, but a flattering black dress and her hair curled to perfection. She smiled brightly at Steve.

'Hi.'

'Hello.' Steve replied, stepping aside so that Kate could enter. 'Please come in.'

'Thank you.' She said, moving past him and looking around the modest apartment. She was holding a wine bottle in her hand, Steve noticed as he closed the door. Nadia came into the dining room and nervously wiped her hands on the front of her dress.

'Kate! Thanks for coming.' Nadia greeted, giving her a killer smile. Kate returned it with equal warmth.

'Thank you for the invite.' She replied, then held out the bottle to Nadia, 'This is for you.'

'Oh! Thank you very much!' Nadia replied, taking it and examining the label. She looked impressed. Steve knew nothing about wine, or alcohol in general, but he could trust her judgement.

'Please have a seat.' Steve said, gesturing to the dining table, a small rounded thing that was just big enough for their cutlery and food. Nadia placed the wine bottle on the table and went into the kitchen and Steve followed. He gathered a bowl of salad and the dish of roasted vegetables. She grabbed a bottle opener and the tray of roasted lamb that she had toiled over for ages that afternoon. They laid the small feast on the table and the food smelled heavenly to Steve.

'Wow. I didn't expect you to go to so much trouble.' Kate said, looking politely humble. Nadia smiled at her.

'It's no trouble.' Steve didn't feel like bringing up her earlier meltdown about the potatoes because he didn't want Nadia to throw a fireball at his head. So instead, he pressed his lips together, trying not to smile.

He watched her struggle to unscrew the cork of the wine bottle for a good minute and knew it must be stuck, because Nadia usually had no problem with opening things – she was very strong. He held his hand out to her and she passed it to him and with one easy moment, Steve opened the bottle. Kate raised her eyebrows.

'Help yourself.' Nadia said, sitting down as Steve poured three glasses of wine. Kate didn't need another invitation, serving herself a full plate of food. Nadia then followed and finally Steve.

'So, are you new to the area, Kate?' Nadia asked between bites of lamb.

'I've lived in the city for a while now, but I recently got a job that required relocation. So, here I am.' Kate replied with a small smile.

'Any family around?' Steve wondered. It was unusual for young, single women to move a fair way without any family to help.

'I have an aunt who lives across town.' Kate nodded, then pointed to the lamb. 'This is beautiful.'

'Thank you.' Nadia replied.

'Where do you work, Kate?' Steve asked.

'George Washington University hospital. I'm a nurse there.'

'Great hospital. I've visited a few times. They do great research there.' Nadia said. 'I read a paper about this new treatment for cancer they're working on and it sounds amazing.'

'You've been?' Kate asked, and Steve looked across at Nadia, watching her face very carefully.

'I used to be a doctor. I don't practise anymore.' Nadia replied smoothly. It was the truth, but she neglected to state a reason. She met Steve's gaze and gave a small, discreet nod of her head. She saw his concern and appreciated it, but it was unnecessary.

'That's right. I heard something about you giving up your practise.' Kate said, then turned to Steve. 'That was right after you were recovered from a kidnapping, right?'

Steve cleared his throat and took a sip of his wine. 'Yes.' He said simply, not wishing to discuss it further, but it seemed Kate got the message.

They ate the rest of their meal in silence and Nadia kept glancing at Steve, eyes wide and urging. Perhaps wanting him to say something to get the conversation going again. Kate beat him to it thought.

'So, how long have you two been together?' she asked.

Steve helped himself to seconds as Nadia answered, 'Just over a year now.'

'Must have been a shock to see how different dating culture is now compared to seventy years ago.' Kate teased. Steve grinned.

'You have no idea. It's been an adjustment and I'm still catching up.'

'What's your favourite thing about this century?' Kate wondered, putting her chin on her hands.

Steve considered for a moment then answered honestly. 'The food. So much variety, different diets of varying nutritional value and it's so easily available. We used to boil everything, and we didn't have much, so I would say, yeah, the food.'

'And your least favourite thing?' Kate prodded and Steve noticed that Nadia's face was thoughtful as she looked at their dinner guest and then over at him.

Steve leaned back in his chair, 'Just one?'

Nadia snorted. 'Don't get him started on the inflation rate.'

'It's ridiculous how much people pay for a bottle of milk these days!' Steve protested. Kate laughed whilst Nadia rolled her eyes. They steered away from the topic and talked instead of inane things such as recent films, books and celebrity drama.

An hour later, after dessert was served, the dishes were piled in the sink and the wine Kate had bought was long since finished, Kate called it a night.

'Thank you so much for inviting me into your home.' She said, shaking Steve's hand and then giving Nadia a quick hug.

'It was our pleasure.' Steve said, putting his arm around Nadia and she smiled up at him.

'You're too kind. Um, well…goodnight.' Kate said, turning and walking through the open door and entering her own apartment, turning once to look over her shoulder and smile at them. Steve closed the door and then ruffled his hair.

'Well, I think that went well.' He said turning and walking into the kitchen. He rolled up his sleeves and started to clean the dishes. Nadia leaned on the counter next to him, turned towards him and arms crossed.

'You're certainly better at flirting now than you were a year ago.' Nadia remarked with a raised eyebrow. Steve frowned at her.

'What?'

'Kate. She's so into you it's not funny.'

'What?' Steve repeated, dumbfounded. Nadia rolled her eyes.

'It was so obvious. She was flirting with you all night.'

'I…honestly didn't notice.' He admitted, drying his hands and turning around to face her fully. He studied her face for a moment before it clicked. 'Are…are you jealous?'

'What? No!' Nadia cried indignantly, her cheeks turning pink. 'I mean, it's not like she's tall and blonde and beautiful. Smart too.'

Steve grinned. 'You are jealous.'

She didn't deny it this time. 'So what if I am?'

Steve stepped closer. 'You don't need to be.'

'She was flirting with you.'

'I don't care.' He replied simply. Their foreheads touched, and Steve's hands cradled either side of her waist. 'She can flirt all she wants. I only have eyes for you, doll.'

Nadia swallowed and said, 'Don't look at me like that.'

'Like what?' Steve asked innocently.

'That! You've got your innocent boy scout expression on but your eyes say something else entirely so stop it!'

'What exactly are my eyes saying?' Steve teased her. Twelve months ago he wouldn't have dreamed of saying something so daring to her, but Nadia got him to come out of his shell. He had always had a smart mouth, and it hadn't helped him avoid beatings as a kid, but now it was dramatically improving his mood as he watched her blush deepen.

'Doesn't matter.' She replied, eyes darting down to his lips before they crashed together in a kiss. It was all teeth, tongues and soft moans, each grasping the other closer, tighter. When Steve latched onto Nadia's earlobe, something she adored, she shuddered.

'What are you doing?' she breathed. She squealed when Steve gathered her up into his arms.

'Proving to my jealous girlfriend she has nothing to worry about.'

And prove it he did. Twice.