*Author's Note*

Thank you for the faves, follows, and reviews.

And here's a holiday Rom-Com that nobody asked for. Hope you guys like it.

A Solid

Brock POV:

"Sorry I'm late, was held over by some last-minute reports." I told my friend, who I used to fool around with once before she started dating Cap (*shudders*), as I took a seat next to her at the bar on U Street that we frequented a lot for after work drinks.

"That's fine, Brock." She smiled. Taking a sip of her cosmo, she added in, "I understand, reports have to get done."

"You sound a bit tense, baby. Is something wrong?" I asked, tilting my head curiously at her as I waved for the bartender.

"Yes, something's wrong." Gem bitterly bit out as she sipped her cocktail. Setting her glass on the bar, she rattled on with, "Very wrong considering Darcy and her idiot boyfriend ran into my Uncle at the deli buying ravioli in Brooklyn the other day and let it slip that I'm in a serious relationship with somebody."

"Scotch on the rocks." I told the bartender before turning back to Gem and asking, "Billy and Lewis buy ravioli in Brooklyn while he lives in Manhattan?" Our friends Billy and Darcy lived in a high rise in Hell's Kitchen. He moved her in with him whenever her boss, our other friend Dr. Jane Foster, took a position with the science department at Hudson U. after her boyfriend Thor moved into Avengers Tower in Upstate New York.

Yea, me and Gem knew a lot of 'superheroes'.

"Yep." Gem popped her tongue. "Apparently they like authentic pasta, but I think that's cause I spoiled them by bringing some back every time I go home to Bensonhurst for the holidays."

I nodded a silent thanks at the bartender as he set my drink down before turning back to the beautiful brunette at me side and pointing out, "I haven't been back to the neighborhood in years for a holiday and neither have you, so I think that's why they're trekking to Brooklyn for pasta." Picking up my glass and sipping on my drink, I added in, "You haven't brought any home to Darcy in years and now that Russo's got that private security firm of his up and running, they live in New York now; can go get their own fresh deli made pasta."

"We haven't been back to the neighborhood in years cause we were busy working and then you, Mr. Triple Agent, had a building fall on you and was in a coma and physical therapy for a long time." Gem reminded me as somebody did a double take at us before walking by and sitting at an empty table. I was so used to stares and funny looks from people when it comes to my burns. "I still can't believe Maria Hill tasked me with being your nurse since I studied Poli Sci instead of medicine."

Sipping on my drink, I told the brunette, "She did that cause we're friends, plus she felt bad that her husband made me a triple agent and didn't tell anyone, but my contact Coulson about it."

She looked down at her drink and then up at me before sighing, "You know that Sam still feels bad about not getting you out of the Triskelion before it collapsed."

I knew that. Hell, Sam's apologized countless times about the incident. We were on good terms; had a sort of friendship going on. More than I could say about me and Cap.

"But Cap still doesn't believe Fury that I was undercover Hydra. He feels I'm a threat, reason why I'm stuck behind a desk while Rollins is running my STRIKE team." Rollins was at one-point real HYDRA, but was a bit worried that Pierce would do something to his family so he ended up confiding in me and defecting. I don't know why Cap trusted him and not me, but it was what it is. Jack Rollins ran STRIKE Alpha in the recommissioned SHIELD agency, that was set up outside of Arlington, Virginia in some office space (turns out Maria Hill working for Stark Industries had its perks: including Tony Stark fighting for SHIELD aka the organization his father had a hand in building (even tho he hated the drunk bastard), to be reformed and saved despite Cap wanting it purged), while I was stuck pushing paper behind a desk.

"Steve doesn't think you're a threat, he just doesn't like that you didn't tell him about your spy work."

"Just cause you're fucking the guy doesn't mean you have to lie for him; defend him." I bluntly told the only woman I'd ever been friends with before taking another sip of my scotch.

Giving me a pointed look, she asked, "You really don't like him, do you?"

"No, I don't, but I deal with him cause he makes you happy. Gem, we're friends and I'd deal with the devil for you if I had to."

"You're so full of bullshit." Gem mused, shaking her head and biting back a smile.

"If you think so, baby." I shook my head. "So, why're you in trouble? Your uncle call ya up, wanting to meet Cap for Thanksgiving?" I asked, even tho I had a feeling that my question was more of a statement.

"Yea, but the thing is my family hates Steve. No, wait a minute, they absolutely loath him and would prolly disown me in I brought home Captain America as my boyfriend."

"Oh, well, your family seems lovely to me." Anybody that couldn't stand Captain America was great in my books.

"Yea…you would think so…" Gem sighed, staring at the condensation dripping down her cocktail class. Looking up at me, she asked, "Do you think that you could come home with me and pretend to be my boyfriend."

Choking on my drink, I asked, "What? You want me to be your fake boyfriend?"

"Yea." Gem nodded. Sipping on her drink, she carried on with, "Just be your charming snarky, sardonic, sarcastic self and then they'll never want me to bring my boyfriend home for the holidays ever again."

"You know that Cap won't like this."

"He's off in Sovokia doing some mission with Tony, Thor, and the others right now, Brock. He won't even know what we're doing."

"You know that Cap would be very disappointed in you for lying to him, baby."

"Don't try to guilt trip me with Steve giving me his disappointed face. I know he'd be disappointed in me; he usually is for nearly every little unladylike thing I manage to do. Now, are you gonna help me out or not?"

I didn't like hearing that Gem felt like a total disappointment all the time cause she wasn't meeting Cap's high ladylike standards. Usually when he was brought up, she acted like everything was fucking sunshine, roses, and cats riding unicorns shitting out rainbows (I can never unsee that meme after Darcy sent it, or was it Billy? I dunno, but one of those assholes sent me a cat riding a unicorn shitting out rainbows meme that is forever burned into my mind just like the ugly pink and red ridges and lines that are forever burned onto my skin). Guess that's not the case after all.

I looked at her hopeful chocolate brown eyes and knew that I wouldn't be able to say no. Gem was the only woman that had me whipped without meaning to. I lucked out on my window to be with her (she had just gotten out of a very bad relationship and started working for SHIELD when we met and was only looking for a fuck-buddy when we first met), but I valued our friendship and would do anything for her. And when I say anything, I mean it, which is why I let out a sigh and told her, "Yea, I'll help you out and play fake boyfriend for Thanksgiving."

Putting her glass down, Gem gave me a side hug and gushed, "Thank you, Brock. Thank you so so much. I swear, I'll make it up to you."

Patting her on the back, I assured her, "Just bake me some of those keto double chocolate coconut cookies you make and we'll call it even."

Oh, when I get home I'm giving Billy a call and cussing that fucker out.

"Billy, you dumbfuck, why the hell did you and Darcy tell Gem's uncle she's seeing somebody, but not tell him the name of the man she's fucking?" I asked Billy as soon as he answered his phone with his usual 'Hey, brother' that he used for me (and once Frank before he fell off the grid after his familied died tragically) whenever my name popped up on his caller ID.

"Cause me and Darce forgot, brother. Sheesh, calm down and don't get your black boxer briefs in a fucking twist." Billy told me in a 'so what' tone. I bet he was shrugging over on his end of the phone too.

"Jesus Christ, how do you even know what kind of underwear I wear?" I asked, slumping further into my couch while looking for a fight doc that I DVR'd. Fuck, I couldn't find the damn thing.

"Gem told Darcy once when you guys used to be fuck buddies and she let it slip to me. Said something like her and her sister from another mister have similar taste in men cause we both have the same haircut, are gym rats, were in the military, and buy the same brand of black boxer briefs." Billy explained, causing an imagine of Darcy badgering Gem until she spilled the beans about us fooling around to pop into my head.

"Well, as it turns out they don't have the same taste in men since Darcy's shacked up with you and Gem's fucking Cap." I dryly spat, not hiding my annoyance at his smartass remark.

Billy let out a rumbling chuckle. "Bet they have a schedule on when to fuck and shit since they only see each other when there isn't a world crisis cause Cap's living in Avengers Tower in Upstate New York while Gem's in DC living in the crap apartment, she had taken the lease over for Jane and Darcy when they moved to take a position at Hudson".

"Shut up. I don't wanna think about them having a fuck schedule. That's screwed up." I quickly told my friend, shuddering at the thought of Gem and Cap together. I wasn't stupid, since they'd been dating for a few months I knew it was only logical that they were fooling around, but I didn't want to be reminded of the fact. Knowing that I was once the one that fooled around with her before shit went sideways during the failed HYDRA Uprising only to have her be wooed by Cap during my extensive recovery from a near death experience and burns (that would've been worse or killed me if I wasn't injected with that HYDRA juice bullshit serum during my triple agent shit) was a hard pill to swallow. One that I often had to chase down with forced fake smiles and a glass of scotch. Fuck, who am I kidding, it's being chased down with a bottle of whiskey while I bite my tongue off.

"Sorry man." Billy apologized even tho the troll wasn't one bit sorry. Smug bastard. "Oh, might I add that Darcy answers Jane's emails and does that personal assistant shit from home cause once you told me that school was rape and murder central, I couldn't let my hot babe set foot there." He added in as an afterthought.

"You do know that she's always armed with tazers; that she tazed Thor too, right?" I dryly reminded him.

"Of course, I know. Who'd ya think gets her all of her tazers, bro?" The fact that he's been supplying her with tazers since her days at Culver should be unsettling, but it's not.

"No wonder they're military grade." I muttered under my breath before telling my brother, "You know that since Gem's family doesn't know she's dating Cap I'm stuck going home to meet her family for Thanksgiving as her fake boyfriend."

"Nothing about you being her boyfriend's fake, bro. You've been lowkey dating since ya first met." My brother told me in a very serious tone. One similar to what commanders use when going over tactical plans.

"You're fucking nuts. We haven't been lowkey dating." I countered in a loud and deep snap.

"Babe, he's in denial too about their lowkey dating!" I heard Billy shout to Darcy, who was most likely in another room.

"Who?" I heard Darcy shout back. Sheesh, she has a set of lungs on her if I can hear her shouting across her house while I'm on the phone. Good thing Billy owns the top floor penthouse of their building…

"Who'd ya think, Darce? Brock and Gem, that's who." Billy shot right back.

"Messiah Jack-Boot, you and my sister from another mister are totally lowkey dating. Just without the sex cause she'd never cheat on Schmexy Old Glory, but I totally think he's not right for her." Darcy shouted loudly from whatever part of the house she was in. Good god, she just had to make sure I heard her two cents, huh? I swear if she wasn't Gem's sister-like friend and Billy's old lady I wouldn't have anything to do with the crazy tazer toting brunette. Eh, but since she was connected to my friends I just dealth with her; was her friend too.

"What she means is, he's boring and she doesn't get exciting sex stories from Gem anymore." Billy clarified.

"Jesus Christ…" I sighed, running a hand thru my hair. Shaking my head, I asked, "What's wrong with you people?"

"Nothing, bro. Shit, what'd ya think girl talk is? They compare dick sizes of their men and whatever. You know, how us guys brag about our exploits."

"I don't go around bragging-" I began only to be cut off by Billy's interruption of, "Not anymore cause you're a batch of the Colonel's Extra Crispy Recipe, but you had your exploits just like I had mine before I settled down."

"Didn't know taking somebody to Comic Con and buying them a Ring Pop was considered settling down." I sarcastically quipped.

"Just like doing everything a pretty girl wants to do except for fucking is considered dating, wiseass." Billy bounced back. The sound of heels clicking against the floor could be heard echoing in the background before my friend told me, "I gotta go. Me and Darce got reservations at some swanky restaurant. We're trying to reel in some rich tycoon as a security client. Darcy's finished squeezing her big boobs into her tight dress, so…"

"Get going. I'll catch up with ya later, brother." I said before hanging up my phone and tossing it onto my coffee table. Leaning back against the couch, I let out a sigh and wondered what the hell I signed myself up for on Thursday.

Gem POV:

Brock had agreed to go home with me for Thanksgiving and play the role of my boyfriend, as a solid. Thank god we had that kind of friendship where we'd take a bullet for the other person or else, I'd be screwed. Since Darcy and Billy blabbed to Uncle Rocco that I wasn't single (and hadn't been in a while), I got a call from said uncle bitching me out for keeping such an important fact from him and then told me to bring my boyfriend home for Thanksgiving. Only problem was that said boyfriend was Steve Rogers AKA Captain America who my Gramps, Uncle Rocco, and, well, my entire family loathed.

My family's hatred of Steve aka Cap ran deep. My Gramps served in the army with him and couldn't stand him. When he married my Nonna and they had children, well, he instilled his dislike for Captain America into them too. No Captain America toys, clothes, trading cards, lunch boxes, mugs, costumes, etc were allowed in the house. To this day nothing Cap themed can be brought into the house, which is why I need Brock to pretend to be my boyfriend for Turkey Day.

There was a time, before the Triskelion fell and the failed HYDRA Uprising happened where I thought I'd be bringing Brock home one day, for real, to meet my family, but the universe had other plans. Steve had stopped the HYDRA Uprising, but by doing so accidentally crashed a hellicarrier into the Triskelion, causing it to fall and crumble into nothing but a pile of rubble; my silly dreams of bringing Brock home crumbled into a pile of rubble that day too.

God, if I close my eyes, I can still see it as clear as day. That's how fresh the year-old memory is in my mind.

*Flashback To One Year Ago…*

I was stuck in Pierce's personal office, which was a large glass encased conference room, playing secretary to the secret leader of HYDRA while the other members of the World Security Council stood in the room while Pierce went on and on about Project Insight. He thought that his evil plan to wipe out a third of the population would work, but I knew otherwise. Brock had assured me that those hellicarriers would malfunction and blow themselves up instead of killing innocent (and maybe not so innocent) people. He said that the information he and Rollins (who he managed to befriend and get to defect to true blue SHIELD from HYDRA or uh SHIELDRA) relayed to Coulson and Fury (thanks to me since I was always copying the files Pierce wanted me to review/spellcheck onto flashdrives and slipping them to Brock whenever he sauntered up to the 100th floor for our shared lunch break) ensured that HYDRA would fall and fail today.

I spent the night last night with Brock at his house in Norfolk. It was mainly because he had a rough day yesterday and wanted a night of something good before today's dire events unfolded. We'd been friends with benefits for a few months now, ever since I started working as Pierce's secretary and we got flirty in the workplace gym, so I didn't think twice about spending the night with him. Hell, if I'm honest I practically lived with the man, but since my current residence is the couch of my friends' couch I didn't mind staying over at Brock's whenever he offered.

Last night felt different tho. It was as if we were making love instead of just fucking since our movements were slow and intense. It made me feel things; realize that I'd like to pursue something more then friends with Brock. I realized that I truly and deeply cared for him; could possibly be falling in love with him too. That thought frightened me since that last time I let somebody in I got cheated on and treated like a doormat. I didn't want to be made a fool of or get hurt again. I don't know how I'd feel if Brock didn't feel a thing romantically towards me.

Once Pierce is apprehended, I'll talk to Brock about feelings and see if he'd like to see if we could be something more then just friends with benefits.

I was shaken out of my thoughts whenever I heard Steve Rogers' voice overhead on the intercoms. "Attention all SHIELD agents, this is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days; some of you were even ordered to hunt me down, but I think it's time you know the truth." Oh no. He was going to reveal the SHIELDRA thing wasn't he? "SHIELD is not what we thought it was. It's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader the STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well." Everyone in the room looked at my boss, eyes wide with fear or shock. Pierce thought I was HYDRA since I was such close friends with Brock (Brock said it was safer for me if Pierce thought I agreed with him being his protégé) so he didn't bat an eye when I didn't react like the others. I just hoped that Brock and his friend Rollins would be okay' would be able to keep up their cover until it was time to lead Pierce out of the building with his hands cuffed behind his smug back. "I don't know how many how many more. I know they're in the building; could be standing right next to you." Pierce took his phone out of his inner jacket pocket and sent a quick text, most likely to Brock for STRIKE Alpha backup. Little did Pierce know that his time was limited as the head of HYDRA. "They almost have what they want, absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there if launch those helicarriers today Hydra will be able to kill everyone that stands in their way." What the fuck is Steve doing? They have to be launched. Brock told me the only way they can malfunction is in the air. That a computer chip swap will make then fire at each other and self-destruct into the Potomac. "Unless we stop them." Oh god…Brock's job's going to get tougher since he has to ensure the launch of the carriers. "I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high. Always had been. It's a price I'm willing to pay and if I'm the only one then so be it." After a dramatic pause, Steve's voice sounded out again with, "I'm willing to bet I'm not."

Suddenly, without warning, one of the council members dropped like a fly with a hole burnt into his chest, right where his heart was, as Pierce pressed a fob he pulled out of his pocket. Oh god, those name tags had a destruct thing in them. Oh boy…I'm glad I didn't have to wear one since Pierce viewed me as a loyal HYDRA follower (thanks to Brock).

Everything after that seemed to happen so fast. The hellicariers launched and the remaining members of the World Security Council looked on in pure shock and terror, well expect for a woman (she seemed to have on a resting bitch face). Then STRIKE Alpha came into the room. Only Brock wasn't leading the team, Jack was which made my stomach drop. Where was Brock? Why wasn't he with his team and Jack? He was so determined to see Pierce's apprehension thru, no way would he miss it? Was he hurt or fighting some agents (only god knows if they're good or bad guys)?

Jack stood near me, most likely he agreed to keep an eye on me for Brock in case things went sideways, while the rest of the team fanned out in the room. Pierce turned to a man (I forgot who exactly he was, but I knew he was an important diplomat) and told him, "Let me ask you a question. What if Pakistan marched into Dubai tomorrow and you knew that they were gonna drag your daughters in into a soccor stadium for execution." Handing him over a champagne glass, he asked, "And if you could stop them at a flick of a switch, would you?" Looking at everyone he asked, "Would you all?"

The man threw the glass of champagne down and stated, "Not if it's your switch."

Pierce let out a low smirking scoff and turned to Jack. He held his hand out and I just knew that he was silently and gesturing for a gun. Oh god, he was going to shoot the man the stood up to him cause Jack was stuck giving him the gun. If he didn't his defection would be discovered by Pierce and he'd be in danger.

Of course, Jack pulled a gun out of his leg holster and handed it over. Pierce had a maniacal look on his face as he cocked the gun and pointed it at the diplomat from Dubai, but before he could shoot the man, he was kicked out of the way by the lady in the council group. She punched my boss, stunning him and causing him to drop the gun, before throwing a small tazer disk at one of the STRIKE members.

"Move, if something happens to you Brock'll have my balls, sheila." Jack whispered to me while quickly moving me away from the fighting.

"Holy shit, she's dropping agents. Could've dropped kicked us." I told him as we stood back at a safe distance, watching the woman kick ass like Chuck Norris in Walker Texas Ranger.

Picking up the gun and holding it onto Pierce, all the while removing the veil from her face and wig from her head, she revealed herself to be nonother then Natasha Romanoff (The Black Widow) and rhetorically asked, "Did I step on your moment?"

"Holy shit…" I muttered under my breath.

Jack's eyes were wide even tho his resting murderface (it's what Darcy called his resting bitch face once after me, Brock, her, and Billy had drinks with Jack and his wife one night) was firmly in place. "Damnit, that jackass mate of ours better get up here soon. I don't think we'll be staying her too much longer."

"Brock'll get up here. He has too." I told Jack, desperately wanting Brock to appear.

Suddenly out on the helipad a chopper landed and none other then Director Fury stepped out. Pierce looked like he'd seen a ghost (Oh wait a minute, he just did. Haha.) So, I guess thigs are about done and my boss is being taken down. But the thing that worried me was that Brock still wasn't here.

Fury and Pierce unlocked the security access code for SHIELDS file database (well Pierce didn't want to unlock it, but he had a gun trained on him so…) and the Black Widow quickly worked some hacking magic on Pierce's computer; sending the files loose in the web (both the normal and dark web I presume) and unleashing every secret that both SHIELD and HYDRA (SHIELDRA) had. All of our files were now out there for anyone to read.

Looks like Brock's cover's blown…Shit, I really hope he can get here unscathed.

Pierce mocked the Black Widow and went to activate her badge (in order ot kill her) but Natasha tazed herself with a little disk, causing her to fall to the ground. Also, that badge shorted out and had to recharge. Fury pulled a gun and shot Pierce, causing him to fall flat on his back. "Hail Hydra…" Were his faint last words.

Rushing to the Black Widow's side, the director asked, "You okay, Natasha?"

Sitting up, the redhead sighed, "Those really do bite."

"I thought we were bringing him in, not killing him." Jack remarked will I stared at the elevator and staircase, willing Brock to emerge from one of them.

"He was too dangerous to keep alive, Agent Rollins." Director Fury said matter-of-factly. Nodding towards the helipad outside, he said, "Let's go."

"But what about Brock? We're not just leaving him, are we?" I asked, following after Fury as I walked by Jack's side.

"Agent Rumlow's resourceful and smart, Miss Rizzo-Schulze. He'll get out on his own; now if your motherfucking ass wants a ride out of this hell hole, you'll shut your motherfucking mouth and follow me to my motherfucking chopper."

I didn't say a word, just bit my lip and continued to follow Fury to the chopper.

Once loaded into the chopper, we waited. Why? Well, Fury's wife Agent Hill had to make a run to the helicopter pad from wherever she was in the building. Once she was in the chopper we took off.

As we flew in the air one of the hellicarriers came crashing into the building. The site of it made me sick. Suddenly, Fury was flying the chopper towards the falling building while barking out, "Where are you at, motherfucker?", into his com.

Me and Jack shared a look, assuming that Fury was talking to Brock and was trying to get him.

Oh, how wrong we were. Right before the building collapsed a black man (who looked to be in his late 20s) jumped out of the window and into the helicopter. The Black Widow was pulling him in as he dangled and held on for dear life while snapping, "I said 34th floor!"

"It's not like they have motherfucking numbers on the outside." Fury told the newcomer.

"Where's Brock?" I asked, my eyes wide with both fear and curiosity.

"Who?" The new man furrowed his brows.

"Rumlow." Fury simply said.

"Rumlow? You mean the guy I was fighting that was running behind me, that Rumlow?" The man, who was now sitting next to Natasha, half-asked in a stunned tone.

"What?! Brock was in there?!" I screamed. Without thinking I tried to jump out of my seat, but Jack held me still. "BROCK! WE NEED TO GO BACK AND HELP BROCK!" I screamed and cried while thrashing about wildly.

*End Of Flashback…*

I ended up crying myself into a hyperventilated blackout. By time I came too Brock was at Walter Reed and was in a coma. Sam apologized for not getting him out and explained to me that Brock was very convincing as a HYDRA agent; even banged his chest like Tarzan and spewed out some HYDRA bullshit saying about how 'order only comes thru pain' or something.

That day changed everything between me and Brock. Yes, we're still great friends (the best if I'm to be honest), but we stopped any and all intimacy we had. Whatever feelings he had for me weren't as strong as I thought they were; weren't like the ones I had for him either.

But things worked out tho. Brock got better and since I helped him in his healing process, I was granted experience with burn victims which enabled me to get a job at the VA on the burn unit (Sam also pulled some strings too, but still I did have experience with a burn victim). I ran support groups for burn victims. Brock would show up from time to time (*cough* if I asked him too* cough*), but he never talked. I also sat with burn victims at Walter Reed as a companion. I talked to them and read to them to raise their spirits and cheer them up since they were in a bad place.

Also, I got Steve too. He's a great guy; a true gentleman. Only problem is I just can't bring him home for the holidays.

AN:

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Home For The Holidays. More to come as soon as I'm able to get it written and posted. Oh, and this rom-com is gonna be having angst in it cause it's impossible for me to write something without angst in it.

Oh and don't worry, I'm still working on my other stories too.