Sam steered Tiffany back toward Steve and she looked up at him with guilty eyes, "You sure you're okay, Steve? I was just really excited, I've waited a long time for this, and I really needed a win."

Steve smiled down at her and replied, "I'm okay. I'm so glad you're happy, it's just, I'm here with someone, and it's complicated. I didn't want to upset you since you just got engaged, but Sam says I should introduce you two."

Tiffany's expression fell so fast Steve could practically hear glass breaking from how shattered she looked, "Oh. You're, uh, seeing someone?"

"Kind of. Like I said, it's complicated. She's special to me though, and I want you two to meet her." Steve said slowly, looking up to meet Sam's eyes and he nodded in approval. Steve motioned toward the windows and Tiffany followed hesitantly.

"How long have you two been together?" Tiffany asked quietly and Steve bopped his head back and forth as they approached the dark-haired woman by the window.

"Three days, but, it's complicated. You'll understand why." Steve said, stopping when they were just out of earshot. "Tiffany, I need you to understand something. You don't know this person. This person doesn't know you. This isn't a joke, this isn't a prank, this is real life and I'm working on it, okay?"

Tiffany looked up at Steve nervously, grabbing and squeezing Sam's hand as Steve continued to lead them to the windows.

"What the hell is happening?" Tiffany whispered to Sam, and he just nudged her forward as Steve took a deep breath.

"Tiffany, I want you to meet Katiana." Steve said boldly, and the woman stood and turned around to smile at the tiny brunette, but the moment Tiffany laid eyes on her, she passed out.

"Tiff!" Sam yelped and caught her, dragging her over to the couch where Katiana had been sitting. "Tiff, honey, wake up!"

"Is she okay? Get her some water!" Katiana ordered Steve as he backed away quickly to do as he was told. Katiana kneeled beside Sam, looking at the small woman curiously before looking at the man, "Does she know Kayla?"

Sam stared down at Katiana sadly, not believing his own ears. She really had no idea who Tiffany was. "She's been Kayla's best friend since they were little kids."

Katiana's mouth opened and a silent 'oh' escaped as she pushed the brown curls away from the woman's face. Sam sat her up as Steve arrived with water and Sam situated himself between Tiffany and Katiana so his fiancé wouldn't panic when she woke up. Tiffany started to stir from the movement, groaning as Sam helped her hold the glass of water in her hands.

"I- she- what-" Tiffany whimpered as she clenched her eyes shut, tightening her grip on the glass as Sam helped her drink. She opened her brown eyes and saw Sam, and he pushed back her hair and smiled at her as she struggled to get her wits about her, "I thought I saw her."

Sam squeezed Tiffany's hand and nodded, "Baby. You gotta understand, something happened, okay?"

Tiffany's eyes widened before she blinked slowly, realizing what Sam was about to tell her. It wasn't a dream. She leaned around Sam and saw Steve with the black haired woman cowering behind him. She stared for a moment, and finally the woman peeked around Steve's side. It was Kayla.

"Kayla?" Tiffany gasped, clenching Sam's hand tighter to make sure she wasn't dreaming, "Is it really you?"

"She's lost her memories, Tiff. She doesn't know any of us." Sam whispered sadly in her ear, but she just shook her head, tears beginning to stream from her eyes.

"No. She's dead. She's been dead, that's why we couldn't find her."

"She was kidnapped by Hydra and brainwashed. She doesn't know who she is. That's why we couldn't find her, she didn't know she was lost." Sam answered, looking up to Steve to make sure he'd gotten the story straight. Steve just stood still as a statue as Katiana occasionally peeked out to get a look at Tiffany and Sam. "Steve found her this week. They just got back today. He's trying to figure out if he can get her memories back."

Tiffany pushed herself to her feet and took two long steps towards Steve, her lower lip quivering angrily, "Is that true?"

"Tiffany, this is all my fault." Steve started, but Katiana stepped past him to face the smaller woman, causing Tiffany to clasp her hands to her mouth in shock. Steve stammered, "Tiff, I-"

"I don't remember you. I don't remember any of you, I don't remember who I was. I don't remember being Kayla Ellis, and I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, because clearly she was very important to you." Katiana slurred in her thick Sokovian accent. She looked to Steve and he just ducked his head away from her, "I'm Katiana. That's all I know, but I'm trying to learn who I was, and who I forgot."

"You- you're alive... and you're here. You're back. I- I told Steve to stop looking for you. I... gave up on you..." Tiffany panted, pressing her fingertips to her temples as she leaned forward, "I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe they... they broke you."

Katiana stammered a little, unsure how to respond. Steve grabbed her wrist and tugged her back a little, "She's not broken. She's just a little lost right now, but the woman you see is perfectly fine. She," Steve brushed his fingers up and down Katiana's arm and she bit her lower lip, "She has her own life now. We're going to see what we can do about getting her memories back, we're looking into it."

Tiffany studied the dark haired woman in front of her, twisting her lips thoughtfully as Katiana looked past Tiffany nervously, "You don't want to remember, do you?" Tiffany chuckled darkly as she lifted her chin a little, "I know that look. I guess its inherent. You want to put your past behind you, and bury it."

"It's... hard." Katiana shuffled her boot against the tile as she looked over her shoulder, "I thought I knew who I was. I believed what they told me, and now I found out that there's a whole other person inside my brain."

Tiffany took a few steps toward Katiana, grabbing her hands and looking up at her familiar green eyes, "This is the happiest day of my life. I'm going to marry the man I love, and, although you aren't the person I hoped for, you're here. You're alive, and that means something." Tiffany pulled Katiana into a firm hug and the taller woman stiffened, looking to Steve in panic before slowly wrapping her arms around Tiffany. She leaned her cheek against Tiffany's head, and the smaller woman murmured, "I'll take whatever I can get."

"Okay." Katiana sighed, trying not to think about how uncomfortable she was. She wasn't the one who's best friend came back as a different person, though, so she was patient. Finally, she pulled away and looked down at the tiny woman with cascading brown curls. Katiana's eyes found a diamond ring on her finger that she fiddled with, and realized that's what she meant about happiest day of her life. "Congratulations." Katiana said with a perfect smile that made Tiffany snort, because she knew it was forced.

"Thanks." Tiffany looked up at Sam, then to Steve, "Well, keep me posted on, all of this. I'm going to go shove this rock in more people's faces and then Sam's gonna take me to the Plaza to celebrate alone." Tiffany purred as she stroked Sam's cheek. "Should have known we'd have something to celebrate when he booked us a room at the Plaza."

"And then breakfast at Tiffany's tomorrow. Did you know you can actually eat there?" Sam chuckled and Steve just shrugged, not knowing what Tiffany's was anyway. "If you need anything, give us a call, okay? We'll be in town till tomorrow night."

"You got it, Sam. Congratulations. I'm really happy for you guys." Steve pulled Sam into a hug, "I expect details of a wedding date soon."

"Oh, you'll be in it." Tiffany repeated, then looked to Katiana, who stiffened. Tiffany opened her mouth, then slammed it closed and smiled diplomatically, "It was nice to... meet you."

"You too." Katiana said as Sam guided her back to the party. Tiffany looked over her shoulder and smiled weakly, making Katiana feel even more guilty.

Katiana turned to wrap her arms around Steve and rest her cheek on his chest, "I feel terrible."

"Don't. She's okay. We're all okay." Steve promised her. "Are you having fun? What do you want to do now? I can get you another drink, or we could play pool, or- or dance? If you're tired, we can go, too."

"What do you want to do?" Katiana asked gently, reaching up and placing her hands on Steve's shoulders. "I'm good with whatever. We don't have to stay if you want to leave. You seem stressed."

Steve blinked down at Katiana, remembering that she wasn't Kayla and she didn't feel the need to stay and make a perfectly crafted impression. "This is fun, but it's been a long day."

Katiana nodded slightly, leaning back to give Steve some space, "I'm not blind, I can see it's hard for you... to be here with me. I'm not Kayla, but everyone thinks I am. It's almost easier to just abandon ship. I can go up alone if you want to stay, I really don't mind."

"No. Where you go, I go. I'm not letting you out of my sight again." Steve took Katiana by the hand to lead her back to his floor. He paused and looked down at her, reminding himself that she wasn't Kayla, and that he wanted his Kayla back. But Katiana meshed better with Steve. He felt comfortable with her go-with-the-flow attitude, and the way she didn't pretend to be somebody else. She didn't pretend to be Kayla Ellis, because she wasn't.

Steve slammed his eyes closed as they waited for the elevator, and Katiana pressed her hand gently to his arm, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Sorry, I just-" Steve stammered, not wanting to tell her his thoughts, because if he told Katiana that he was happier now than he was before, she'd never bring Kayla's memories back. He also had to remember that Katiana didn't love him. "I'm fine. Let's go."

"Okay." Katiana said as the elevator doors closed and silence surrounded them, "This is nice. Getting away from the party, it's loud and a lot." She chuckled, raising her finger to her lips to bite anxiously. The corner of Steve's mouth lifted at the action, and she noticed, "What?"

"Nothing. It's just that-" Steve stopped, deciding not to bring up his ex-girlfriend again, "It's nothing."

"I feel you have a lot of thoughts and not a lot of words, Cap." Katiana teased as she left the elevator, heading straight toward the massive windows. She studied the view for a few minutes, eyes scanning all the bright lights of Manhattan, "This place is every bit as magical as I've heard."

"New York is pretty special, but living in the city is hard. People recognize you." He said it as a general statement, but Katiana could tell it was a more specific form of you. "You want a drink? A beer? Water?" Steve stayed back as Katiana looked over her shoulder at him and smiled.

"No thank you."

Steve clamped his hands together behind his back as he shuffled forward, "Do you want to go to bed?"

"I don't want to go to sleep." Katiana answered as she turned quickly, grabbing the collar of Steve's shirt and pulling him close, "We could do other things."

"I-uh, maybe- we could... talk?" Steve pulled away slightly, but Katiana slid her hands from his collar to his buttons. She slowly undressed him and eased the shirt off his shoulders as he stammered, "Katiana, I'm not so sure about this."

"Think less." Katiana whispered as she grabbed his belt, "Kissing you felt like I'd found a missing piece of myself. My body remembers you." Steve shivered at her words and she leaned up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear, "Don't you miss making love with me?"

Steve swallowed as his blood ran hot, feeling his cheeks heat up as Katiana trailed her index finger along his neck, "I've never slept with you." His voice was deep as he spoke into her ear, "You can't have it both ways. You can't be Katiana and Kayla at the same time."

"Why not?" Katiana ripped Steve's belt from his pants and grabbed each end, stretching her arms behind her head with it, "I can be what you remember and someone new. I can be anyone you want me to be."

Steve grabbed the back of Katiana's neck and pulled her mouth up to his, moaning into her throat as she tugged on his hair. She pressed her body against him, letting go of Steve's hair to reach behind herself and grab the zipper of her dress. His hand followed hers and tugged down the zipped before helping the straps down her shoulders. Putting her back toward the window, Katiana stepped out of her blue dress to allow Steve his first look at her in just her bra and underwear. As

"You're so beautiful." He breathed huskily as he put his hands on her waist and peppered her neck with kisses. He moaned a little as he ran his fingers along her lower tailbone, "This is so hard."

"Yeah, I can tell." Katiana giggled into Steve's jaw as she tried to nip at him, pressing her core against him.

"No, not-" Steve reached down and captured her lips with his, "You are very alluring, but it isn't fair to either of us. We aren't ready for this."

"Why? I want you, you want me, stop letting your head get in the way of what you want. I can tell how badly you want this." Katiana purred as she palmed his hard cock through his dress pants, "It's obvious." Katiana winked as she licked the bottom of her teeth.

The idea of giving into her was appealing, and Steve needed a release from the pressure in his slacks, but in the back of his mind, he couldn't stop thinking about Kayla.

Kayla sprinted into Avengers Tower, looking down at her smart watch as she ran to the elevator. Her sneakers squeaked across the clean floor as a security guard called after her for her guest pass. She just turned and waved, causing the guard to nod when he realized who was ambushing the Avengers in yoga pants and a purple hoodie. The private elevator opened and Kayla smacked the button for Steve's floor, knowing she was terribly late and he'd be annoyed.

She watched the numbers rise quickly, but it wasn't quick enough. She was supposed to be there at four. It was five forty-five. Steve was going to kill her. She'd ruined whatever he had planned for their first Valentine's Day. If Kayla didn't get it together and make Steve more of a priority, it would be their first and last Valentine's Day.

The elevator opened to the party deck, and Steve was standing like a wall in her way. Kayla looked down to his hand, seeing a tablet set to the security feed, meaning he'd been watching her late arrival. She tilted her head way back and grimaced, "I'm late."

"I noticed." Steve grunted and crossed his arms. "What happened?"

"The fundraiser went long. There were all these kids Steve, I couldn't get away, I'm so sorry." Kayla whimpered as Steve groaned and got into the elevator with his girlfriend. She fiddled with her red nail polish as they rode up to Steve's floor. She'd been staying with Steve for the past two weeks and knew their time together was reaching its end for now. "Are you mad at me?"

Steve raised his brow as he looked down at Kayla, taking in her wide green eyes and pouty lower lip. She looked guilty, and a little scared, as if she actually believed he could be mad at her. "No."

The doors opened to reveal the suite filled with candles and rose petals in the most obnoxious show of adoration Kayla Ellis had ever laid her eyes on, and it was everything she could have wished for and more.

"Steve..."

"I knew you'd be late."

"You did all this for me?"

Steve chuckled, holding Kayla's hands as he stood behind her. He leaned his chin over her shoulder, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek, "Who else would it be for, Honey?"

"I kinda thought we'd go to dinner or something. No one's ever put in this much effort." Kayla admitted, leaning her cheek against Steve's, "Are you sure you aren't mad?"

"I promise. Nothing has gone awry, I just wanted to tease you." Steve whispered into her ear as he led her toward the bed, "I ordered pizza. Got a bottle of that sangria you like. Told the team that if aliens attack, I'm busy." Steve promised as he sat Kayla on the rose petals scattered across his mattress.

Steve kneeled and reached beneath the bed and pulled out a single rose and handed it to Kayla. She inhaled sharply, holding the flower between her fingers as she stared past the red at Steve, "This is too much, Steve. I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." Steve snaked his hands up under her sweatshirt to stroke her stomach, "Do you want to get a little more comfortable?"

Kayla smirked, ducking her head bashfully as her cheeks turned pink. "I'm pretty comfortable right now... I kinda think you just want me to wear a little less."

Steve bit at his bottom lip, trying to hold back his boyish grin, "Maybe. If I was trying to seduce you, how would you say I'm doing?"

Kayla grabbed at the bottom of her hoodie to pull it over her head and toss to the side, "Very well. I'm tempted to let the pizza get cold."

"Yeah? I could reheat it. Or we could order a new one. It's on Stark's card." Steve teased as he grabbed hold of her yoga pants and peeled them off her legs and she started unbuttoning his plaid shirt. "I would really like to make love to you tonight." Steve rested his forehead against Kayla's until she reached his last button and paused with shaking hands. Steve pulled her hands to his lips and kissed her fingertips as he watched her carefully, "You can tell me no, Darling. I'll wait for you forever."

Kayla pushed his shirt down his shoulders and reached for his jeans, "I'm ready when you are, Baby, but I warn you, if I like it, I may never let you go." She winked as she pushed down his zipper and he stood, crawling over her on the bed as she pushed his jeans down his thighs.

Steve blinked rapidly, moving past Katiana toward the bathroom. She looked startled by his action, but she didn't try to follow him as he stood at the bathroom door, "I'm sorry. I can't."

Katiana shook her head as she crossed her arms over her bra, "The woman you're looking for is right in front of you. You know what you're missing out on. I don't." Katiana shrugged and bent down to scoop up her dress. "It's your loss."

He turned away as she passed him on her way to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Steve pulled a black workout shirt over his head and decided to give Katiana some space. They both needed it.

Steve decided to take the stairs back down to the party deck. Natasha would talk him off the ledge. She'd know what to say and what he should do. He walked slowly down the stairwell until he heard a commotion coming from the party deck. Steve snorted, thinking the rest of the team was having one hell of an after party. He contemplated going back upstairs to talk to Katiana, but his feet kept walking down until he reached the door and realized there were gunshots on the other side.

He burst through into the party deck, seeing Tony in the air clinging to one of his Iron Legion robots and Thor battling another one on the upper level. Natasha was firing down at the robots from the stair case while Doctor Cho cowered behind Tony's grand piano. Steve tore through the room and grabbed the top half of a robot stalking Cho, ripping it away before it could fire at the woman.

Tony finally got the robot he was trying to trying to subdue to fall, crashing to the ground as Steve looked up at the last robot fighting.

"Cap!" Clint called and threw Steve's shield to him. Steve had only a moment to realize he'd left his shield down at the party before spinning and hurtling the disk toward the robot and causing it to shatter. Steve turned to see Thor glaring at the robot before finding Tony massaging his wrist at the bottom of the staircase, but Steve didn't get a chance to ask what was happening because a robot he hadn't noticed began addressing the Avengers from the front of the room.

"That was dramatic." The robot drawled. Steve watched its flickering white eyes and dangling wires and the way it spoke like a person. "Sorry, I know you mean well, you just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to evolve? There's only on path to peace- the Avenger's extinction."

Thor threw Mjolnir and shattered the robot, finally causing peace to fall over the destroyed room. Steve turned to Tony and barked, "What the hell did I miss?"