A/N: Hey everyone, thanks for all of your great comments. I'm so happy to know you're still enjoying the story.

Now, a couple of people have mentioned putting Maria Hill in this story but unfortunately I'm not really familiar with the character (didn't read the comic books) and after googling her to find out who she was, realised she didn't make much of an impression on me in the Avengers. LOL I'm sure she's kick ass, but I don't have a feel for her at all, so rather than miss the mark completely, I'm just going to let sleeping dogs lie on that one. Plus, I have other plans for Steve. ;) I'm taking things in another direction.

Okay, so let's meet one of the s/l's I have got planned for Steve, the elusive Miss O'Brien.

Toodles. :D

Chapter Twenty-Two

Bruce pulled on Tony's arm as he went to go around the corner and see the intriguing Miss O'Brien for himself. "We need to wait back here. We don't need to embarrass Steve by blundering in and overwhelming the poor woman."

Tony snorted. "The guy wears blue spandex and a hat with wings on it, if he can handle that, he can handle us saying hi to a woman he's met once."

Thor's blond brow furrowed. "What's wrong with hats with wings on them?" he wanted to know.

Tony waved a dismissive hand at him. "You rock the look, Thor, it sets the cape off nicely, don't worry about it."

"Just stay here," said Bruce determinedly.

Tony pouted but did as he was told for once. He sneaked a peek around the corner. "I can't see anyone, I thought they were meeting in the foyer?" Tony looked up. "Jarvis," he hissed, "where's this Miss O'Brien?"

"In the foyer, sir."

"We're in the foyer, we can't see her," he argued.

"She's sitting down, on the other side of the counter."

Tony strained to see around the large reception counter in the foyer of the Avenger's tower and grimaced. "I can't see and where is Captain Come Lately?"

"Stage left, sir."

Just then Steve stepped off the elevator and immediately walked over to where the young woman must have been sitting.

Bruce smiled. "He's changed his shirt. That's adorable."

Tony wrinkled his nose. "He did? Just how much plaid does this man own?" He shook his head. "I have to take him shopping."

"I like his clothes," Thor noted as they all crowded around to attempt an unobtrusive look at Steve's Miss O'Brien. "Tis jaunty."

Tony tried not to laugh. "I don't think that's the look he was going for. I think Cap is more into lumberjack chic."

"At least he dresses his age," Bruce noted as he gave Tony's def Leppard t-shirt a pointed look.

"Well, at least I don't dress like someone's grandfather," Tony shot back as he took in Bruce's rumpled pants and shirt.

"I go through a lot of clothes," said Bruce flatly. "There is no sense spending money on pants that are going to end up being the other guy's thong at any given moment."

Tony winced. "I didn't need that mental imagery."

"I see her," said Thor excitedly. He nodded approvingly. "The maiden is most comely."

Tony craned his neck to see as Miss O'Brien stepped into view. Thor was right, she was most comely. The blonde woman was quite short, barely five foot four by Tony's estimate and she had shoulder-length blonde hair which was tied back in a loose pony tail. She was wearing a pale green summer dress covered in small flowers with a darker green short-sleeved knitted cardigan over the top of it. The woman looked like she'd just stepped out of a country style magazine for the happy homemaker and Tony had to admit, it suited her.

The woman gave a nervous smile as Steve came to stand in front of her. "Hello," she said unevenly.

"Hi," Steve returned quickly.

There was a brief awkward silence.

"I hope you don't mind me coming here-"

"I've been trying to find you-"

Miss O'Brien stopped talking. "Oh, sorry, go on."

"No, no," said Steve hastily, "ladies first."

Miss O'Brien looked a little unsure. "I was just going to say I hope you don't mind me coming here to see you, Captain America?"

"Steve," he said, "my name is Steve." Steve paused. "Ah, Rogers, Steve Rogers."

She gave a shy little smile. "I know your name."

Steve looked like he blushed a little from where Tony was standing. "Oh sure, I guess you do."

"I'm Olivia," she volunteered and then bit her bottom lip. "If you were wondering."

"I was," said Steve immediately. "That's why I couldn't find you to check up on you after all that happened. I didn't know your first name but now I do, it's Olivia." His voice trailed off as he obviously tried to think of what to say next. "It's a pretty name."

"It's my second name," she admitted.

"What's your first name?" he asked curiously.

Olivia looked hesitant to share. "Ophelia."

"Your name is Ophelia Olivia O'Brien?" asked Steve in surprise.

She wrinkled her pretty little nose. "My parents really liked the letter 'O'."

"Well, sure," agreed Steve readily, "who doesn't love the letter 'O', I mean, there are oranges and oxygen, ahh, orang-utans, they're all great."

"Is he flirting?" asked Tony in consternation from their hiding place. "Is this how they flirted in the 1940's?" He shook his head in disbelief. "If it is, how did anyone ever get laid?"

"He's just a bit rusty," Bruce defended him. "He'll warm up."

"He'd have to catch fire to make it to tepid," Tony noted.

"What is this arangtan?" asked Thor. "Tis food?"

"Sure, if you're really hungry and can outrun Green Peace," said Tony in amusement.

"It's orang-utan and it's an animal," Bruce supplied. "An orange, hairy, monkey with a bald spot."

Thor looked intrigued. "And this creature is used to woo women in this realm?"

"Absolutely," said Tony straight-faced. "How do you think I got Pepper to fall in love with me?"

Bruce shot Tony a warning look for teasing Thor but then Olivia was talking.

"I really like orang-utans too," she helped him out. "I often take my kids to see them at the zoo."

Steve looked a little crestfallen. "You have children?"

"My class," she clarified, "I take my class to the zoo. I don't have any children."

"Do you want children?"

"What's he doing?" asked Tony in dismay. "We just went from sitting in a parked car to doing 200 miles an hour. You don't talk kids to a woman you've just met."

Olivia looked a little taken aback but she recovered quickly. "Oh sure, one day, when I meet the right guy, of course."

"Of course," said Steve, "me too." He hesitated and obviously reconsidered that statement. "I mean, with the right girl, not the right guy, obviously." Steve trailed off again and looked like he didn't know what to say next.

"Oh God, this is like watching someone pull a zeppelin out a cat's ass," Tony winced. "Someone make it stop."

"I do not know what a zeppelin is," said Thor with a sad shake of his head, "but tis true that Steve Rogers seems more apt at repelling creatures of menace then conversing with pretty maidens."

"It's okay, Steve," Bruce coached him even though the other man couldn't hear him, "you're doing fine, just circle your wagons around and get back on topic. Don't panic."

"I think panicking is the only option open to him right now," said Tony. "I know I'm feeling pretty anxious and I'm just watching."

Steve cleared his throat, his expression becoming serious. "I came looking for you to see how you were doing, Olivia." He looked her over intently. "Are you alright? How is your side? Should you be up and around so soon? Do you need to sit down?" Steve shot the questions at Olivia like he was cross-examining her on the witness stand.

Olivia smiled. "I'm fine, it really was only a flesh wound. It didn't even need stitching. They dressed it for me at the hospital and sent me home. I'm back at work now."

Steve frowned. "So soon? Don't you think you should be taking it easy for a little longer? I mean, you could get an infection, or anything."

"Steve reassures women like you do, Tony," Bruce noted, "badly."

"I'm better than that," Tony protested.

"No, you're not," Bruce and Thor answered together.

Steve was talking again. "I'm so sorry I let you get hurt, Olivia. I can't tell you how badly I feel about that."

"You don't need to be sorry," she said, blushing and looking embarrassed. "I just did what anyone would do if they had the chance. We're all just so grateful to you and the Avengers for all that you do for us. We know you risk your lives for us every day and I just wanted to return the favour."

"That's not your job," said Steve unhappily.

"If people only ever did what they were paid to do, then this world wouldn't have much to recommend it."

"Okay," said Tony approvingly, "I'm sold, she really is adorable."

Steve and Olivia were smiling at each other now and then Olivia blinked. "Oh, I almost forgot, the reason why I came here." She started to dig through the large bag she had slung over her shoulder. "The children in my class wanted to invite you to something they've been working on." Olivia kept hunting around in her voluminous bag. "I know you're really busy and I've told them that you probably won't be able to come and they understand, so don't feel like you have to say yes-"

Olivia was talking fast, clearly nervous as she finally managed to find what she was looking for. "Here it is," she said triumphantly as Steve took a step closer to see what it was. As Olivia dragged the item from everything else that was in her bag, a pen must have gotten caught and it flicked out of her bag and directly into Steve's eye. He took a surprised step back and clutched at his eye from the unexpected assault. Olivia looked mortified. "Oh my, I'm so sorry, are you alright?"

Steve took his hand away from his eye and blinked rapidly. "I'm fine," he said quickly, "no harm done."

She grimaced. "I'm sorry, I can be a bit of a klutz sometimes."

"No," said Steve, "it was my fault. I shouldn't have been standing so close."

Olivia still looked embarrassed as she bent down to pick up the pen. Unfortunately, Steve had the same idea at the exact same moment and their heads collided, making a dull hollow sound. They both staggered back now, Olivia clutching her forehead and Steve his nose. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," squeaked Olivia as she looked at him in complete horror.

"No," said Steve hastily, rubbing his nose, "that was my fault again. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," said Olivia unevenly.

He took his hand away from his nose and Olivia gave a gasp of distress. "You're bleeding."

Steve looked at his hand. "It's nothing."

"Sit down," she instructed him and lead Steve to a chair by the reception desk. She peeked over the desk and saw a water cooler. Olivia pulled out a handkerchief. "I'll just wet this, you need a cold compress."

"Really," Steve protested, "there is no need-"

Olivia wasn't to be deterred though, she pulled open the little swinging door which partitioned off the reception desk and hurried through. Unfortunately the door swung too hard on its hinge and managed to swing back and hit Steve in the kneecaps, making him double over and grunt in pain.

"Oh my God," said Bruce in disbelief, "I think Cap has taken less brutal beatings at the hands of Hydra Agents."

Tony meanwhile was trying so hard not to laugh he was crying. "I have a new favourite person," he said gleefully. "Sorry, Thor."

"I shall do my best to temper my disappointment, Tony Stark," said Thor in amusement. He looked confused. "Why does the maiden attempt to injure Steve Rogers?"

"It was an accident," Bruce replied.

"All of them?" Thor asked sceptically.

Bruce shrugged. "I think she's nervous."

Tony chuckled. "If Miss O'Brien gets anymore nervous, Cap is going to be hospitalised by the end of this."

Olivia was back by Steve's side, oblivious to the swinging door incident. She went to put the wet handkerchief on his nose. "Here you go."

Steve pressed the wet cloth to his nose. "Thanks."

Olivia bit her bottom lip. "I'm so sorry. You must think I'm an idiot."

Steve just smiled and looked up at her. "Do you want to grab a coffee?"

"Wh-what?" she asked in surprise.

"Would you like to go for a coffee with me?" Steve repeated.

Tony was impressed. "Well, no one ever said the guy wasn't brave. Stupid maybe, but definitely brave."

A big smile lit up Olivia's face, making her look particularly beautiful. "I'd love to."

Steve stood up and pocketed her handkerchief and made a sweeping hand gesture to the rotating door at the front of the foyer. "Shall we?"

Olivia gave a happy little nod and started to walk towards the rotating door with Steve falling in step beside her, impressively managing not to limp as he did.

"Fifty dollars says she's knocked him unconscious before they make it to the curb," said Tony as they watched the couple leave.

"You should be rooting for them," Bruce noted, "after all, aren't you worried about Steve being interested in Pepper?"

Tony snorted. "He can be interested all he likes, but what could Pepper possibly see in Frosty?"

"You're right, he's only handsome, charming, polite and thoughtful. I hear women hate that in a man."

Tony gave him a sideways look. "Sounds to me like you want to date him, B."

"I'm just saying I wouldn't be so complacent when it comes to Pepper."

"I'm not complacent," said Tony moodily.

"The maiden did not say what she wanted from Steve Rogers," noted Thor.

Bruce shrugged. "We can ask him when he gets back, and no, Tony, we're not going to follow them."

"Party pooper."

Thor pulled a face and looked around. "What vile odour assaults my senses?"

Tony instantly smelt it as well. It smelt like burning circuitry.

Bruce had an opinion. "I think it's Tony releasing his magnificence again," he said straight-faced.

Tony ignored him. "Jarvis, what is that?"

"What that are you referring to, sir?"

"That smell."

"I don't have any olfactory senses," Jarvis reminded him. "I am unable to smell anything."

"It smells like something is burning," said Tony impatiently. "Is something burning?"

"I had an intermittent alarm going off at level four, sector B," relayed Jarvis. "But it stopped."

"Well, something is clearly not right," said Tony. "Bruce and I are going to check it out."

"We are?" asked Bruce in surprise.

"I may need your brain," said Tony. "Or, more accurately, the shoulders your brain is resting on."

"Why don't you just buy yourself a ladder?" asked Bruce in annoyance.

"Why would I when you're standing right there?" Tony reasoned.

Bruce sighed heavily but gave in.

"Do you require my assistance, Tony Stark?" enquired Thor.

"I'm trying to fix something, but the minute I need something broken into a thousand pieces, Thor, you're my go to guy."

Thor conceded his point. "Very well."

Tony and Bruce headed off to investigate and left Thor in the foyer. Thor was just about to head back to his apartment level when another unexpected visitor walked through the rotating doors. Thor turned to face the newcomer and folded his arms in front of his chest, making a menacing sight as he waited for the other person to speak...