"Is that Kayla Ellis?"

Steve scrunched his face, realizing how close the voice was. He groaned a little as he shifted, eyes fluttering open to see a small group of teenagers crouching a few feet away.

"Captain America!" One of the guys gasped, his face lighting up when Steve looked to him, "I'm a huge fan!"

Steve offered a gentle smile, stretching his leg muscles as he shifted to sit up on his right forearm. Steve had flipped onto his side at some point to drape his left arm over Kayla, his shield protecting her from view as she instinctively snuggled up to his side. He almost didn't want to wake her, but he could see her shivering in her sleep, still soaked from head to toe.

"Where are we?" Steve asked the teens quietly as he gently stroked Kayla's arm to wake her. She stirred slightly, wiggling closer to Steve, but her face flinched against the sand. Steve kept his shield over her, hiding her from view as he waited for an answer.

"Clearwater- Florida, Sir." One of the boys said nervously, taking a step closer, "What happened to you guys?"

"Some bad people are after us. We need somewhere safe to go." Steve told them as Kayla whined his name. He meant to keep his eyes on the kids, but Kayla's strained, weak voice broke his concentration, "It's okay. We're okay."

Kayla lowered her brows, blinking her heavy lids as she pushed herself to sit on her ass. She rubbed her palm against the side of her head until her charred strands of hair brushed against her, causing her to jump. "Oh my gosh."

"Hey, hey, it's okay. We're okay." Steve repeated, pushing himself up to sit beside her. He leaned forward and massaged his calves to ease the dull pain he still felt. He looked to the teenagers, noticing the girl of the group had her phone out. "I'll take a photo with you, if you delete that."

The girl considered this as the boys turned to her, a mix of hope and frustration written across their various faces, but the young woman wasn't convinced, "Why?"

"Because nobody can know we are here." Steve explained sternly, his expression unkind, "I want that footage deleted. We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"Group photo and she'll delete it." One of the younger boys exclaimed and the girl stared at him as his friends snorted, "What? Captain America is asking us to do something and you don't want to help him?"

Steve grunted as he pushed himself to his feet, his stealth suit heavy from all the water it had soaked up. When he returned to SHIELD, Steve would ask if they could make him a waterproof suit. He moved slowly, gritting his teeth as his legs got used to carrying his weight again, further convincing him he'd broken at least a couple of bones. "Come over here." Steve finally said to the boy and he sidled up to the Avenger while his friends flanked them. The girl rolled her eyes and took their picture, then turned around the screen so they could see it.

"Alright, give it here." Kayla gestured from where she still sat in the sand. The girl wandered over to the President's daughter and a look of pity crossed her face for just a moment. She handed Kayla the cell and she went through the photos, deleting the video footage of her and Steve, then deleting it from the recently deleted folder. Kayla passed the phone back and looked to the other teenagers with her steely green eyes, "Anybody else have anything I need to get rid of?"

"No." The first boy who'd approached admitted. He looked nervous and sad, and he didn't say anything else for a moment as Steve walked back over to Kayla and carefully helped her to her feet. Finally, the boy mustered out, "Was it the Mandarin?"

Steve looked over to the boy and nodded, "Yes. Which is why no one can know we are here. Not just for our sake, but for yours."

"Is there a hotel or something around here? Somewhere cheap?" Kayla asked, leaning her weight against Steve. Her neck hurt with every breath she took, which made her lightheaded. Kayla just wanted to lay down somewhere that wasn't sand. She wanted to get out of her soaked clothing and take a warm shower, or even a bath. She wanted to hide and to pray, because she didn't know if her family was alive or dead. The Mandarin had every intention of killing her father, and if the past few days had been any indication, he would succeed.

"Yeah, there's lots of hotels along the beach." The girl admitted, rubbing her arms with her hands, "It's Christmas Eve- you sure you want to spend it in a hotel?"

"What choice do we have?" Kayla muttered sadly, looking at the kids, "Why are you here on Christmas?"

"We actually have a Christmas party to go to down the beach, the public area between all the upscale hotels. Wanna come?"

"Yeah, we hear you love to party." One of the boys who had been quiet called as his friend laughed and high-fived him.

Steve's eyes narrowed in on the boy as Kayla laughed dully, "Not tonight. Sorry to disappoint."

"Get moving. You can show the photo in a few days." Steve ordered, not taking his eyes off the group until they'd moved a little farther down the beach. Once sure they were alone again, Steve leaned down to Kayla and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "What can I do?"

"I just want somewhere to rest." Kayla admitted softly, running her fingers along the thick fabric of his stealth suit, "Part of me wants you to go look for my parents."

"I will if you tell me to. Say the word and I'll bring them home." Steve promised, stroking her cheek with his thumb as his voice softened, "I know that's what I should do, but I don't want to leave you."

Kayla swallowed, trying to soothe her dry throat, but it just felt like someone was dragging a knife down the length of her windpipe. "If you don't go after my father, nobody will. Iron Patriot has been compromised, there are no Avengers around-"

"Tony was on the plane." Steve blurted quickly, "Tony was the one who saved the staff. I stayed behind to get you."

"Oh, thank goodness." Kayla collapsed against Steve's chest as relief washed over her as she registered that Steve had said that earlier. "And my dad?"

"He's already been taken." Steve said quietly and Kayla breathed in deeply and nodded. "This is Tony's fight. I know I should help, but I don't know what we're dealing with."

"We don't even know where they're going." Kayla added, feeling her legs quiver, "I'm so tired."

"Then we'll go rest. If that's what you want?"

"That's what I want." Kayla assured him, "I just want you."

Steve led Kayla to the nearest hotel, helping her limp through the lobby to the front desk. The receptionist stared at them in alarm, muttering to herself about Kayla Ellis and Captain America in her lobby. Steve asked for a room. Kayla assured the woman she was good for it. Neither of them had any money, or even an ID to their name. All they had were their public personas and weathered looks that proved just how desperate they were for shelter.

The receptionist took pity on them, taking Kayla's silver chain necklace as collateral until they could get a payment through.

So Steve led Kayla into the hotel room they'd been given, something nice and casual, with two beds that he'd find too soft and she'd find too hard. But it had a shower and it had blankets and they didn't need much more at that point.

The moment the door clicked behind Steve, he padlocked it and wedged his shield under the handle for extra protection. When he looked up to see Kayla on the bed, she was sobbing. "Shhh, I know. I know." Steve muttered as he took a seat beside her, the mattress shifting under his weight. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest as he soothed her, "What can I do? How can I make you feel better?"

Kayla looked up at Steve as a smile broke through her sobbing, "I don't deserve you."

"Well, you got me." Steve answered with a soft smile. He used his thumb to wipe away her tears as she shook. "I can go find you some food?"

"Could I take a shower?" Kayla's faint voice broke and Steve simply nodded in response.

"Do you want me to join you?" Steve asked innocently, not thinking about anything more than staying by Kayla's side.

Kayla shook her head slightly, "Not yet."

"You can barely stand alone." Steve argued and Kayla chuckled, wanting so badly to acquiesce to his request, but Steve didn't realize what he was asking. There was no scenario that they showered together and didn't end up making love against the wall. As delicious as the idea was, Kayla wanted their first time to be special, so she'd made the difficult decision to wait.

She raked her slim fingers through Steve's hair, pushing it out of his face, "How about I take a bath then? And you can sit in there with me to make sure I'm safe."

Steve gave a short laugh, knowing she was kidding but wanting to do it nonetheless. "Okay. Whatever you want. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"Steve, I want something to be very clear," Kayla told him firmly, "There is nothing you could do to me that hasn't been done before. The idea of you and me in the shower together isn't uncomfortable, it's quite alluring, but I'm making the decision to do this right. I've had too many relationships that took off too fast and crashed and burned. I don't want that to be us."

"Alright." Steve answered, eventually realizing what showering with the woman would entail: them, together, naked. Steve wasn't necessarily self conscious, because he was fully aware that women found him the 'peak of human condition', but that didn't mean he wouldn't feel awkward and inexperienced under the infamous socialite's gaze. Steve also cringed when he realized nothing says 'Sorry your dad might be murdered by a terrorist and you might lose everything you love' like taking a ninety-year-old's virginity.

"You should eat though." Kayla said suddenly, remembering Steve would need more food than her, "I can try to make some calls, get some money. I know people in Tampa, maybe somebody can drive over."

"I'll be okay. I promise. I've gone longer without food." Steve chuckled, reaching up to unclip his shield straps. "I'm soaked, and this uniform is heavy. I know you said you weren't uncomfortable, but I'm going to ask anyway-"

"Steve, take off your clothes. I was thrown out of an exploding plane by a man who can regenerate his limbs, trust me, your boxers will not offend me." Kayla retorted with a smirk. "In fact, it will most likely make my day better."

Steve blushed as Kayla stood to go to the bathroom, running her fingernails along his jaw as she moved away. She left Steve aching for her, in more ways than one. His fingers felt clumsy as he unhooked his belt and began to change out of his uniform. He heard the water begin to run and cursed his mind for wanting to join her. She'd made her intentions very clear, but Steve couldn't help but think he'd done something wrong. Tony had reminded him time and time again that the woman he chased was a bit of a philanderer, a minx who came and saw and left a man in no more than four months time.

Captain America had read the headlines while they were talking on the phone every day. He read about her escapades with a Moroccan ambassador and saw the paparazzi photos of her leaving a young actor's condo during a business trip to Vancouver. He listened to interviews where she laid out her plans to begin an outreach project with less fortunate African countries to build schools. It never failed, after about five, maybe ten if she was lucky, minutes of promoting her programs, the person conducting the interviews would steer the conversation toward her love life. Kayla was coy. She never gave details and she never confirmed anything, but she'd always deliver the perfect line to paint a picture of the truth.

What seemed funny to Steve was the fact that even when she was supposedly with these other men, Kayla found time for him. When the photos of her leaving the actor's condo were published, Steve knew he'd spent forty-five minutes on the phone with her that very night. While she was wining and dining the Moroccan ambassador in D.C., she was texting him under the table about how his mission had gone. Steve had spent seven months questioning whether or not she was pretending to care about him because she felt sorry for him, or if he was the only person who truly interested her and she was bored. The idea of her sleeping around to pass the time was somehow worse.

Steve draped the top of his suit over the air conditioning unit to dry before pulling his undershirt over his head. A shiver ran through his body as the cold attacked him, but spending more time in his cold, wet undergarments was worse. The water in the bathroom stopped running as Steve bent over to unbuckle his heavy boots, meaning Kayla would be stripped out of all her salt-water stained clothes and sliding her smooth, naked body into the hot water-

The super soldier's breath caught in his throat and he clamped his jaw tightly, pushing those thoughts aside. Kayla was pumping the breaks physically, but she'd committed to Steve. He wouldn't see any more tabloids about her with other men. He'd only see tabloids of her with him, which was a terrifying idea in itself. Suddenly, Steve's attention was pulled toward the bathroom as the door popped open a little, but Kayla didn't come out. It was an invitation. He cursed his enhanced hearing for delivering the quiet sound of water sloshing, taking his mind back to images of his girlfriend.

Girlfriend.

"Steve?"

He looked up, feeling his whole body quake in anticipation. "Yeah?"

"I don't bite."

Steve grinned and stood quickly, running his hand through his hair to smooth it back. His bare feet padded across the hard carpet of the hotel room, making Steve feel like he was having an out of body experience. All he had was his soaked stealth suit and a beautiful woman who teased him with professional skill. He gradually pushed open the bathroom door, feeling his cheeks heat up to showcase his embarrassment.

When Kayla saw him, she laughed lightly, "Oh! You look like a schoolboy." She leaned farther back into the tub so the mountain of bubbles she'd treated herself to covered everything but her knees and her shoulders. She watched as Steve closed the door, trapping the humidity in the bathroom before taking a seat on the closed toilet lid. "How are you doing?" Kayla asked casually, trying to get Steve to loosen up.

"It's been a long couple of days." Steve admitted as he clasped his hands, "You feel better?"

"Honestly, yeah." Kayla sighed as she lifted her right arm out of the water to rest on the side of the tub. Steve's lips curved up as he let his blue eyes roam across her bare skin from her sculpted arm to her shoulder and up to her neck. Steve realized that Kayla must spend time at the gym, probably with a trainer, because she had definition to her muscles that she clearly had worked for. Steve imagined working out with her, being the one to teach her how to hit and how to fight and sucking the sweat off her neck with his lips.

"You've never seen a naked woman have you?" Kayla asked bluntly, her eyes twinkling mischievously as Steve looked at the ceiling quickly. Kayla laughed, shifting her legs and causing the water to splash, "Steve! You're adorable!"

"Adorable?"

"Adorable." Kayla confirmed, leaning her elbow on the edge of the tub so she could lean her chin against her palm. "I'm not so sure you're ready to date me."

Steve carefully crawled to the floor to sit at Kayla's level. "What makes you say that?" Those feeling of inadequacy came rushing back to Steve as he rested his arms on his knees and leaned forward to be closer to the woman. "I'm willing to work for you. I know you don't want to rush things on my account, but I can match your speed if that's what you need to be happy with me."

"I don't need sex to be happy." Kayla answered, gazing over Steve's corded muscles of his bare chest. "Not that I don't want to sleep with you, I do, very much. You're just different than everyone else I've been with. You're my best friend."

Steve smiled sadly, "Just your best friend?"

"You're the kind of best friend a girl marries." Kayla rested both arms on the side of the tub and leaned her head onto them, staring up at Steve from under her lashes. "That scares me." Steve's dejected smile suddenly grew into a massive grin and Kayla quickly lifted her head, "I'm not ready for that yet, don't even get ideas."

"But you could see it with me?" Steve prodded, leaning closer and Kayla's eyes watched him nervously, "You won't rule it out?"

"Not tonight, but don't get too excited. All I'm saying is you are more than a one night stand, Rogers. Also you're too cute and adorable and innocent for me to deflower on Christmas Eve." Kayla warned and Steve chuckled, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to her lips. Kayla sighed, frustration written across her face as she made sure not to show too much of herself to Steve, "I don't understand why I'm so nervous with you. I haven't been self conscious since I was sixteen years old."

"How many men have you been naked with?"

"A lot." Kayla deadpanned, rolling her eyes, "How many woman have you been naked with?"

"None." Steve mumbled in response, ducking his head to hide from Kayla's unsurprised gaze. "It's not like I've never had any sort of relations..."

"Oh, now I'm curious." Kayla straightened up a little and Steve noticed the bubbles shielding Kayla's breasts were beginning to fade. He dropped his eyes to the pile of Kayla's clothes next to him as he heard the water splash again, "Come on Steve, tell me a story."

"There was an actress, after one of my USO shows." Steve mumbled, feeling his cheeks heat up at the memory. "We went back to my hotel room. I wasn't so sure, but she was."

Steve looked up to Kayla, feeling like he was seventeen years old explaining to Bucky why the girl he set Steve up with rejected him. Kayla's expression was unreadable, but it seemed to lean toward unhappy as she watched Steve from her soak. "I didn't know what I was doing-"

"You told me ten minutes ago you'd never seen a woman naked."

"I didn't. It didn't get that far." Steve replied quickly, "She was much more interested in me than I was in her."

Kayla's eyes widened as her lips formed a silent 'Oh' as a response. She paused for a moment, staring at the tile floor thoughtfully, "So what happened, soldier?"

"I panicked the minute she grabbed my crotch and she realized I was pathetic." Steve blurted, causing Kayla to grin a little. "There were several encounters like that. Fans. The USO dancers. Lots of nights that started with sweet kissing and cuddling and ended with their displeased comments about how I wasn't what they expected."

"So they expected you to be Captain America, but you were actually a scrappy ninety pound asthmatic who just wanted to go to war for his country?" Kayla supplied, her expression soft and understanding. "Nobody really got that, did they?"

"One person did." Steve said quietly and Kayla nodded to herself, sliding back into the tub and placing her feet on the far wall so just her head was sticking out. Steve fiddled with his hands, leaning back against the bathroom door, "I know you don't like Peggy."

"I don't have issues with Peggy. I know what she meant to you. It's just hard to compete with her." Kayla admitted, eyes running up Steve's bicep before landing on his face, "She cared about you before the serum, and that's why you were drawn to her. It's not like I'll ever have that opportunity to prove to you that I could care about you that way, too."

"I went to see her." Steve whispered, and Kayla's heart rate sped up. She'd been trying to get Steve to visit Peggy for as long as she'd known him. "She told me not to date you."

Kayla deflated, a weak cry escaping her throat before she could stop it and she grabbed her mouth once she realized Steve had heard. She looked to him in surprise, blinking quickly. "So why are you here?"

"She said you weren't good enough for me, and that you'd ruin me." Steve explained without emotion, "I spent the next forty-five minutes explaining all the reasons I thought we could work." Steve gave a short laugh, picking up Kayla's clothes to try and dry them a little with the towel. "I think it was all a ploy to see how I felt about you. At the end of it she beamed at me and asked why I was there with her when I was clearly in love with somebody else."

"You're what?" Kayla breathed, wanting to scramble out of the tub and into Steve's arms.

"I'm in love with you." Steve told her again as he looked up from her clothes, "I feel like I know you, even though we've been apart."

"That was the point." Kayla laughed with a smile, "I- I wanted to prove to you, and to myself, that I could be with you for who you are. If I could fall for you without physically being with you, then I knew we actually had something special."

"Did you?"

"Did I what?" Kayla asked as Steve plucked her thong from her pants. He looked to her incredulously and she just shrugged, "It covers enough."

Steve dropped the undergarment and shifted onto his knees so he could lean over the tub, "Did you fall for me?"

"I told you I could see myself marrying you someday, what do you think?" Kayla retorted playfully, and Steve lunged forward, letting his hands land on either side of her so he could kiss her lips. Kayla leaned into him, tasting him greedily as his hand slid up her arm to her neck, his thumb supporting her jaw while he used his other hand to keep himself steady as he leaned his body into the bathtub.

Kayla reached up and ran her hand down the length of his torso, from his chest down to his stomach, fingers sliding along his abs until they reached the cut V leading into his pants. She pulled away to look at Steve with wide eyes, finding his own filled with lust, "Why don't you get changed out of those." She nodded, as if convincing herself that he should go. "I'll get dried off and come to bed."

"There's two beds. Do you want your own?" Steve asked, but his tone was laced with sadness.

"Not tonight." Kayla whispered and Steve left, closing the door gently behind him. Once alone, Kayla pulled the plug and allowed the water to drain. She struggled to catch her breath, as if Steve took her ability to breathe with him. She carefully stood, feeling her tired muscles strain as she climbed over the wall onto the towel on the floor. She toweled off before re-securing her bra and underwear, smirking to herself as she remembered Steve's face at discovering them. Kayla grabbed the bathrobe from the back of the door. It wasn't soft, but it would do.

Emerging from the steaming bathroom, Kayla found Steve standing outside, still wearing his uniform pants. She raised her brow to question him, but Steve just stammered as he shifted uncomfortably, "I wanted to use the restroom when you were done."

"Oh, okay, it's all yours." Kayla gestured to the door, taking a long step away so Steve could enter. Once the door closed she bit her bottom lip, looking up in a silent prayer for strength. She knew she should be more worried about what would happen to her come morning, not knowing if her family was alive and if the Mandarin would seek to kill her or force her to help with his regenerative serum. Kayla's entire life would never be the same, that was for sure.

But all she could worry about tonight was how hot and bothered she was, knowing she made Captain America feel the same way.