2015, May

Sitting at home and watching the events unfold in Sokovia had been the hardest thing which Rosalie had done. She could remember every single detail. The way the news cameras showed the great buildings tumble to the ground. The way the hellicarriers had hovered and saved countless numbers of lives. She even remembered the sight of unimportant details, such as the fact that one house remained standing but had no windows, and the tone of the news reporter as he flew in his helicopter and reported on the madness.

She could do nothing but fold her arms over herself, looking around the small apartment as if she was expecting something to happen. But she was not in Sokovia, she was in New York. She was there and she was safe. Her apartment, which consisted of nothing more than the minimal decoration, wasn't under attack. Not like the people of Sokovia. Shaking her head slowly, she dropped her head into her hands, her palms encompassing her face as she silently prayed for him to come back.

She had seen him on the camera, running around as if he had no care in the world. His face had been the usual one of determination, a slight tensed jaw was apparent. She managed a small smile at the sight of that. His jaw was well chiselled and whenever he was slightly angry he would always tense it. Whether or not they were having a mundane over groceries or over him running off to save the world.

Peering from between her fingers she saw how the camera panned back to the superhero group who called themselves the Avengers. They were splitting up, each one of them running down a different road and doing their best to save as many people from the destruction of their own homes.

The camera followed Iron Man, predictably, and Rosalie did her best not to roll her eyes. Her and Tony Stark had never fully gotten along together. She thought that he was nothing more than a self-conceited superhero and she didn't entirely share his humour. She knew that there was a deeper level to him, but she wondered just how deep that was. Every time she spoke with him he seemed shallow and just annoying.

"Go back to him," Rosalie pleaded with the camera, longing for it to go back to the blond who had completely and utterly walked into her life and turned it on its head. "Please."

The camera didn't do as she had asked. Instead the screen went black, cutting back to the newsroom after a few moments.

"Charlie?" the news anchor held his fingers to his ear as his gaze looked down to the table he sat behind. "Charlie?"

There was a soft cough from the TV and Rosalie sat right on the edge of her seat, her mouth agape and her eyes wider than usual as she shook her head and did her best not to let the tears cloud her vision.

"We're sorry about that folks, but we seem to have lost Charlie…we'll try out best to keep you up to date with the situation in Sokovia once we have restored communication."

Shaking her head, Rosalie turned the television off and stood up. She tucked her hair behind her ears, nervously pacing the flat and counting her steps. Ten steps to the right and then ten steps back again. Her arm wrapped around her midriff and her other hand held her chin, her fingernails taking a biting too as she shook her head.

She was going mad in the flat. She had to get out. She had to go somewhere and find out what was happening. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed her mac from where she had dumped it over the small oak table and shrugged into it. Picking up her keys, phone and satchel, she moved to the door of the apartment and headed to the one place where she knew she would get her answers.

…

Steve Rogers was exhausted. Being a super soldier meant that he often didn't get too tired, but that was the complete opposite as he sat in the back of the car and closed his eyes. They had landed in the U.S. less than two hours ago and were on the way to the New Avengers Facility which had just been purposefully built for them.

Beside him was the girl they had picked up from Sokovia. She was staring out the window, her eyes wide and her face paler than usual. She held her hands in her lap and her short dress and leather jacket were completely ripped. She was just a kid. Steve guessed that she couldn't be any older than twenty. She had lost so much already and Steve knew that she had nowhere to go. She had been manipulated by Ultron and her powers had been used to help him. She had finally seen the errors of her ways, but he knew that losing her twin had been the low point.

Natasha sat at the front of the car, driving it and speaking in hushed tones with Clint as Steve pretended to be asleep. All he could think about was getting home. He wanted his small apartment in downtown Brooklyn and he needed his own bed. He wanted to go into hiding for a while. He just wanted to be Steve and not Captain America.

Of course he would always be The Cap when necessary. That was the job he had signed up for and he had no intention of letting anyone down. But so much had happened in the past year. Bucky…Ultron…Peggy…and then Rosalie. He knew that his best friend was still out there and he was doing his best to find him, but he knew that it would be difficult. Bucky had seemingly gone into hiding and Steve didn't have a chance to find him.

He regretted that. He wished that he could have gone after Bucky instead of spending his time in a hospital bed where he felt useless. He hated himself for that, but there had been nothing he could have done.

The car jolted to a halt and Steve opened his eyes. Moving from the vehicle he looked up to the large base, his hand moving to his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun. He blinked profusely, realising just how big the base was as the young woman climbed from the car, her arms folding over herself as if she was cold. She walked behind Steve as Natasha and Clint led the way.

Looking back to the girl, Steve was about to ask her if she was okay, but he stopped himself. He knew the answer to his question and he would only feel stupid for asking her. Of course she was not okay. Instead all he could do was try to offer her some comfort.

"I'm sure there will be a room sorted for you where you can sleep for a while," Steve promised her and she looked to him, her eyes wide and her mouth closed firmly. "I mean…I suppose you're tired…"

She nodded to him and he gave her another small smile, doing his best to make her feel safe and secure in the base. Stepping into the marble lobby, a swarm of agents gathered quickly around them, each one of them looking down at their tablets in their hands and speaking quickly with haste. Steve tried to brush them off, not caring for their inquisition as the young woman looked alarmed more than anything else.

"Director Fury wants you all in the debriefing room tomorrow morning at ten."

"There are press conferences lined up for you to offer condolences to families of those who didn't make it."

"Mr Stark also wants to talk to you all later tonight."

"Rosalie Jonson is in the conference room waiting for you."

The flurry of words hit Steve before he raised his hand, blinking once again in a feeble attempt to keep himself alert. With his hand in mid-air, everyone went silent and he went back into his leader role.

"Natasha, take Wanda to a room and see that she is settled," Steve said and Natasha nodded, tilting her head to one side to indicate that the girl should follow her. "And what was that about Rosalie?"

"She's in the conference room," a woman with a tablet said and Clint smirked, slapping the captain on the back as Steve left and the entourage continued to try to talk to him, only for Clint to tell them to back down for the evening.

Wandering along the corridors of the base, Steve dropped his hands to his hips as he came to the staircase to the conference room. He took them two at a time, his red boots making no noise on the marbled floor as he went. The conference room was entirely made of glass and he could see her slumped in a chair, her head on the table and the backs of her hands acting as a pillow for her cheek. Her eyes were scrunched shut and her hair tumbled across one side of her face.

Smiling at the sight of her, he moved into the room, carefully closing the glass door and stepping over to her. He moved his hair on his head, ruffling it slightly before he came to stand over Rosalie. His hand moved to her shoulder that was covered in her long floral print dress. Her mac was discarded over the back of the chair and her bag was on the floor by her side.

She startled quickly and let out a loud sigh before turning her head to the side. Relief soon spread through body as she reached up from the chair to throw her arms around his neck, brining him down to her height as she tucked his face into the crook of her neck and she moved her hands into his hair, breathing in short pants of relief as she moved her own race to rest in his neck. It took a moment for Steve to wrap his arms back around her waist, holding her steady in his arms as she did her best not to sob out loud.

"How long have you been here?" he wondered from her.

"I don't know," she mumbled back, her voice nothing but a gurgle. "I was watching the news but it went dead…I came here and demanded for them to tell me where you were. Steve…"

"Sh," Steve tried to sooth her, knowing full well that everything that had happened would be no good for her mental state. "I'm safe and back home. And you're safe, Rose."

"Yeah," she weakly agreed with him, moving back slightly and taking his cheeks into her palm, making sure that he wasn't hurt.

He was still wearing his Captain America uniform, but it was ripped in several places and the star in the middle was falling from his chest. His hair had dirt in it and his face had a few smudges marring his perfect complexion. Apart from that he seemed unharmed.

"We stopped him," Steve told her, his own hands holding her waist loosely. "Ultron's gone."

"They told me," Rosalie nodded, sniffing and then wiping her eyes with the back of her hands. "They said that you just made it…just…Steve…"

"Hey," Steve tried to calm her again as he saw her take deep breaths and her chest heaved. She closed her eyes and turned her head away from him, almost too ashamed to let him see her like this. "Rose, darling, I'm fine."

"It's…Steve…do you know hard it is?" she asked from him. "To see you continuously go out there and risk your life. It's draining me. Do you not understand? I love you so much but I don't know if I can keep doing this."

"I'm not asking you to do anything, Rose. As long as you're safe here then that is all that matters. I can handle myself." Steve's promises were wiped away with continuous shakes of her head as she moved away from his grip, instantly feeling the loss warmth he had given her.

"I sat with you whilst you were in hospital, Steve," Rosalie said, moving her finger to point to him. "You were unconscious and I didn't know if you were going to make it. I almost lost you then…and now…this Ultron creature…I don't know how much more I can take, but more importantly I don't know how much more you can take."

"What do you suggest I do?" Steve demanded from her. "I cannot sit back and watch people suffer."

"I know that," Rosalie mumbled back and Steve shrugged, suddenly not feeling tired anymore as he looked to her and she sniffed again. "I know that's not you."

"Then what?" Steve wondered, his arms flapping by his side. "You know who I am, Rose. I cannot change. I cannot stop when I see suffering."

"It's driving me mad!" Rosalie finally snapped, unable to lower her voice as she yelled at him. "Sitting around and not knowing when…or if…you will come back is killing me. I love you too much and I want you to be selfish, Goddamn it. I want you to be safe!"

"That's not who I am," Steve yelled back at her and she nodded her head, accepting defeat as she sunk to rest the back of her thighs against the table, folding her arms and tilting her head to look to the ceiling.

"And I know that."

Steve kept silent, watching as she sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. He remained stood where he was, moving to fold his arms over his chest as he shrugged his shoulders, looking to the ring sat on Rosalie's finger.

"Then what do you want?" Steve wondered and there was a fragility to his voice as Rosalie turned to look at him and she shook her head, her hands running nervously through her hair.

Looking to him, she knew the words that wanted to come from her mouth, but she was having a harder time saying them then she could have imagined. He looked broken. He looked as broken as she felt. Shaking her head, she kept her distance from him as the ring on her finger continued to weigh her down, almost as if it knew what decision it should make for her.

"I don't know."

With a slam of his fist against the table, Steve quickly left the room, ignoring Rosalie as she tried to call him back. Shaking her head, she placed a hand over her mouth as the tears began to fall freely.

2012

Rosalie Jonson didn't believe it at all. She believed none of it had really happened. A Norse God? A Green Man? A man who had been frozen since the World War? It was ridiculous, yet it had happened. Shaking her head, she wandered into the newsroom and walked down and along the rows of Macs with her coffee cup in her hands. It had been five months since the Battle of New York and everyone was rebuilding their lives.

Even though Rosalie had transferred from The New York Mail to The Washington Mail she still had friends and family she cared for in New York. The Avengers were not her story, but she still rolled her eyes whenever she heard people mention them in passing.

"What story do you have today, Jonson?"

Rosalie had barely sat down at her desk before the political editor had asked her the usual question. She set her cup down and reached for her planner, folding her legs over each other and looking to the elder woman on the opposite desk who was stood up, her usual cup of herbal tea in her fingertips as she arched her brow expectantly.

"Not a lot," Rosalie admitted. "The British Prime Minister is due to visit in less than three days, but since Obama won re-election it has been pretty quiet on the political front. I was thinking of just heading over to The White House and chatting with their Press Officer. We go back to college so she might have something I can use."

"Fine," Marina nodded her head. "And write a piece about what the UK PM is due to do during his visit. Get it into me before we go to print at five."

"Sure," Rosalie agreed, draining her coffee. "I'll head over to The House and be back by lunch."

"And try to get a good story," Marina said before sinking down to sit at her desk and talk to the deputy editor next to her.

Rosalie stood up and grabbed her satchel and left her desk and warm coffee behind. Shrugging into her grey blazer as she went, she draped her satchel on her shoulder and left the building. Once on the sidewalk, she began the familiar walk towards The White House. She was grateful that the Mail wasn't far away from Pennsylvania Avenue.

It was only as she came to the familiar Monument did she pause and look up to it, still in awe of where she was. She never tired from looking at it. She enjoyed it more than she cared to admit. Realising that she should call Jane, the Press Officer, in advance she looked down to her phone. It was only then when she felt someone bump into her shoulder and her satchel tumbled down her shoulder, the contents spilling on the floor.

Before Jane could answer on the other end of the phone Rosalie had hung up the phone and was already on her knees.

"I am so sorry, ma'am."

Making sure that she didn't sit on her grey pencil skirt, Rosalie knelt back on her heels and began to move items back into her satchel as another pair of hands came out to help her, grabbing at her notebooks and pens and handing them to her.

"Yeah, it's fine," Rosalie made a non-committal sound as she took the notepad and pens from him to dump in her satchel. "I suppose it happens all the time. I'm more impressed that you're polite enough to stop and help. Most people would have…"

She trailed off as she finally met his gaze and her brows furrowed. She couldn't deny that he was well built, decked out in running gear that clung to his body in a way most women would find rather attractive. That didn't detract from his face either. His baby blue eyes and chiselled jaw was enough to make Rosalie consider if he was even human. He most certainly rivalled the only God which Roaslie had seen in the form of Thor.

"Are you alright?" he wondered from her and she nodded at him as he remained bent on one knee and she did her best not to look too foolish.

"Fine," Rosalie said and she moved to her feet before he event had chance to offer her his hand. "Anyway, thanks again…what…do I know you?"

Before he event had a chance to answer the question she was looking at him intently, her head jutting out as she took in his features and squinted. He watched her back and shook his head, unsure of what he should say in response. He had never met her before. Of course, he suspected that she might recognise him, but he had done his best to lay low for as long as possible. After New York he wanted to stay quiet for a while.

"No, I don't think so," he said to her, his hands on his hips as she shook her head.

"Sorry," she said, realising how ridiculous it sounded. "I just thought that you might be Captain America…you know…Steve Rogers…after New York I have been Googling a lot and struggling to understand."

He rocked back and forth on his heels and shrugged his shoulders, knowing full well that the woman before him was no idiot.

"Just don't tell anyone," he mumbled to her and began to start walking backwards and away from her. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss…"

"Jonson," Rosalie said, unable to believe that she had just bumped into Captain America, literally. "Wait, you're him? You're actually him?"

"Yeah," Steve called out to her, still walking backwards as Rosalie followed him, her satchel moving down her shoulder slightly as she tried to keep up with him. "But I'm laying low for a while."

"But…how…how is it possible? I don't understand…you were on ice," Rosalie said and he chuckled and looked to the sky above him.

"It's a long story," he told her and Rosalie shrugged.

"I have time," she told him.

Steve stopped wandering and stood still then, tilting his head to the side. She wanted to know? Mind you, who didn't want to know? But he had to admit that he was weary of her. He was weary of who he should speak to ever since Fury had warned him that there would be people who would want to know every detail of his life.

"Why?" Steve wondered from her.

Rosalie looked at him as if he was crazy. "You really have to ask?"

Knowing that was probably a stupid question he nodded his head in agreement with her but sighed. "No can do," he said. "Like I said, I'm laying low for a while."

She almost wanted to scoff but she kept silent, shaking her head as he began to jog away from her, turning his head over his shoulder.

"But it was nice to meet you, Miss Jonson."

...

A/N: First chapter of my new Captain America/OC story. I hope you'll let me know what you think!