Sharon woke up to the feeling of someone running their hands through her hair. She froze before remembering her and Steve fell asleep watching a movie last night. She felt her face blush when she realized she was draped across his chest with her hand resting by his hip, gently brushing the skin under his shirt there. She knew she should get up, but she was so comfortable she didn't want to do that just yet.

She thought back to their conversation last night, realizing how much was revealed during their late night chats. He had wanted a life with her, a future with her. She couldn't help but wonder if he still wanted that, still feeling very insecure in his feelings for her.

"I know you're awake," he said gently as he continued to play with her hair. "You still snore, you know."

"I do not," she scoffed.

"It's cute."

"Shut up," she mumbled, turning so she was looking up at him but still not leaving her spot in his lap. "So, uh, thanks for letting me use you as a bed last night."

"Anytime," he smiled, and then his face dropped. She tilted her head curiously at him and he sighed. "Happy called last night. The research you sent Tony was the key. Pepper is stabilized. They're coming back today."

"That's amazing," Sharon said happily, but realized what this meant for them. "Guess we get to spend the day packing up our stuff."

"Seems like it," he said. "Natasha is dropping off Morgan this afternoon."

"Can we stay like this a little longer," she asked quietly, turning her head to the side to avoid his gaze.

"Anything you want," he said with a smile. "Maybe we can shift positions a bit?"

"You want to lay on me?"

"That's an idea," he said as he moved so he was laying behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist to pull her closer. "I was thinking this."

"This is nice."

"I take it by all the suitcases Stark and Pepper are back," Natasha said as she leaned against Steve's doorway.

"Yep," he sighed, tossing a t-shirt in his luggage. "Happy called last night."

"Back to a life of being the creep of your small Long Island town?"

"Very funny," he rolled his eyes.

"It's either that or you man up and tell Sharon the truth."

"I have told her the truth," he said evasively. "Ball's in her court."

"You're so stupid, Cap," Natasha shook her head. "You realize she'll never fully come back until she knows she's not second rate to Peggy."

"I don't know what more I can do."

"Tell her flat out, you bonehead," she said, whacking him with a pillow. Steve went to give his retort, but froze when he heard footsteps approaching. Natasha turned her head and saw Sharon. "You book the first flight out to Madripoor?"

"No, Yelena's going to stay for a bit."

"Not surprised," Natasha snorted.

"Is Morgan in her room," Sharon asked and Natasha nodded. Sharon could sense she interrupted something between the two of them, but didn't want to know what. She smiled at Steve before heading down the hall to see Morgan.

"Something's changed between you two," Natasha noticed. "Did you bang?"

"I really hate you, Romanoff," Steve sighed."How do I know I'm not second rate to Bucky?"

"Because she told you she wanted a life with you, because Bucky knows she wanted a life with you and not him, because I know she wanted a life with you and not him," Natasha said knowingly. "Bucky wasn't a replacement for you and wasn't a one-up from you. It was what it was, and they're good friends now because of it. They both lost the one person they really cared about to Peggy Carter and found solace in each other."

"Well when you put it like that," he muttered as he continued to pack. "I was only gone for two hours in present time."

"Please Steve," Natasha laughed. "You fell off the face of the earth when you came back from the past. You've been gone from us for a long time now, only returning when Stark disappeared to help Pepper. I haven't seen my friend in a really long time."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm happy to see he's back, and I'm happy that you're happy. Just don't fuck it up because you don't know how to communicate," she told him and he nodded.

Sharon had put Morgan down for a nap after an hours long tea party filled with funny stories and promises that she'd visit soon. Sharon quietly shut the door and gasped when she bumped into Steve.

"Sorry, was going to see if you two needed anything," he said as he held onto her to steady her.

"She's taking a nap. We had a lovely afternoon tea," she said with a smile. "All packed?"

"Yeah, pretty much," he nodded.

"Mind helping me with the last of my stuff," she asked and he nodded again, following her into her room.

They were silent as they packed up her belongings. She had to figure out where to ship the artwork she brought, but figured Stark wouldn't mind it staying here for a bit. They kept glancing at each other, nervous to say anything that might ruin their last moments together.

"Well, I guess I should start bringing this stuff out to my car," she said, lifting the suitcases off her bed and onto the floor.

"Sharon wait," Steve said, grabbing her arm to stop her. He didn't speak for a while, he kept staring down at her and she could tell he was trying to put the words together.

"What is it," she asked, feeling more uncomfortable as the silence continued.

"Things didn't work out with Peggy because I couldn't stop thinking about you," Steve said and Sharon felt her breath catch. "It sounds absurd, but it's true. I never really compared you to Peggy when we were together, it was mostly background information that you were her grand-niece. When I was with Peggy and she'd say or do something, I couldn't stop thinking that you would do something different, or you'd have some better idea. The few times she tried to initiate, you know, I couldn't do it because I couldn't stop thinking about you.

"It sounds messed up, I know, but it wasn't because you were related. You could have been from a different galaxy than her, and I would have still thought about you. I knew how badly I messed up by going back to the past the first time she really kissed me, and all I could think of was about that time in your safe house in Italy."

"We drank wine all day and found an outdoor movie playing where we made out in the back of the pick-up truck you stole," Sharon said quietly and watched as his face lit up that she remembered.

"I was too stubborn to return on my own, too proud. I made my bed and I was going to lay in it, even if I wasn't happy because she seemed happy. Then she wasn't happy any more and for some reason the break up blindsided me."

"Steve," she tried to interject but he didn't let her.

"I know you think we didn't know each other during all that, and I agree to a point. Getting to know you now made me realize that during those longer stays together, you'd let your guard down and let me in, and those were the moments that made me want to stay and leave everything behind."

"Steve, I don't know," she sighed. "I'm still dealing with a lot of shit after everything. I'm so grateful we've had this time together, but I'm still so scared one day you'll be gone again. I don't know if I can ever fully trust that you're with me for me and not because Peggy turned you down. It's a lot of baggage you caused, but shit that I should have dealt with and it's not fair to you now. You deserve a nice girl who can love you without the drama."

"You're the girl I want to be with, Sharon. We all know I'm selfish. I don't deserve you, I never did and I especially don't now after everything. But I want to make this work. I'll do whatever you need me to, I just want to be with you. I want those memories with you, I want the late night movies where I'm stealing the chips from you. I want the zoo dates where you climb on my back because a rat escaped an exhibit. If you really don't want to be with me, then I understand that and I will respect it, but if it's just because you're scared? I want to be there while you figure it out."

"How long did it take you to realize you made a mistake," she asked quietly, needing answers to questions she didn't want to ask.

"About a day," he said and Sharon paused to look at him, to make sure he wasn't lying to her. "She made us tea before we sat down and talked, and I thought of how you did the same when we first met up after Siberia. In that moment, all I wanted was Peggy to be you. I wanted to be back on your couch, you pouring whiskey in our tea as I told you everything that happened and you being amazing and just listening because you knew I needed that. She kept trying to come up with solutions and fix the problems. She never knew what I needed, but you did. You knew me more than I ever realized."

"You never had any form of sex with her," she asked and he shook his head no. "You stayed in the past for two years your time without being intimate with your dream girl Peggy Carter?"

"She just didn't do it for me anymore," he shrugged. "I had another girl in mind."

Sharon began to pace around the room as she processed what he was telling her. She couldn't make a decision now, she needed time. She didn't know how he'd take that. She stopped pacing and he went to reach for her, but she put her hand out to stop him.

"I know this isn't going how you imagined. I'm sure you pictured me falling into your arms after all that," she said with a small laugh as she wiped at her eyes.

"I actually thought you'd punch me in the face and just disappear, so this is going well compared to that."

"I need some time, Steve," she said, placing her hand against his cheek. "We've been together in this weird situation for a long time. I need some time to figure out my place here again. I need time to sort this out in my head without the craziness we're constantly thrown together in. This isn't me falling off the grid, but I'd understand if you don't want to wait without knowing the outcome."

"Whatever you need," he said, grabbing her wrist and placing a kiss on it. "I won't push you, but please don't push me away either."

"I won't," she promised, a few more tears slipping as he brushed them away. "Um, Hill got an apartment for me in the city, but she wants me to come look at it as soon as possible to make sure it works for me."

"So you have to go," he said as he stepped back and she nodded.

"She's leaving on some mission for Fury tomorrow, and I'd like to get settled sooner rather than later in my own spot," she explained as she fidgeted with her hands. "I really wanted to stick around for Tony and Pepper to get back."

"No, it makes sense. You should go," he said.

"I already said goodbye to Morgan. I promised her at least two movie nights a month," Sharon said as she finished zipping up her suitcases. "You're invited, unless you're going to be a moody asshole."

"I will let you know ahead of time if I am," he smiled.

Steve helped Sharon bring her bags out to her car and once everything was packed in the trunk, they awkwardly stood outside together in silence. Steve didn't know what more to say at this point, and Sharon didn't either. She needed time, but all she really wanted to do was tell him she wanted to be with him. Steve shoved his hands in his pockets to keep himself from doing something stupid, like grabbing her and kissing her senseless. He'd wait however long she needed, but he prayed it wasn't too long.

"So, I should head out," she finally said.

Steve nodded as he opened the drivers side door for her. She went to get into the car, but stopped and turned toward him. She placed her hands on his chest and leaned in to kiss him softly. It took a minute for him to respond, but he cradled her face gently in his hands as he began to return the kiss. Sharon pulled away and bit her bottom lip as she looked up at him.

"Shar," he groaned as he brushed his thumb against her lip, pulling it from her teeth. "You're being mean."

"I know," she smiled, stepping back from him. "I'll text you when I'm in the city?"

"Please," he said as he helped her into the car. "I'll see you soon?"

"Definitely."

sorry for the delay in posting! this is the last chapter before an epilogue (that has yet to be written, still working on it). let me know your thoughts :)