A/N: This is the last chapter, but I'll add an epilogue in the next weeks.

The next week was filled with trips with Natasha, Yelena and Bucky. Steve was glad that Yelena and Bucky got along so nicely. They had a big brother/little sister dynamic that was both sweet and hilarious. Yelena loved to mock Buck at any given moment, but he could give as good as he got.

Steve also saw Yelena as his little sister and he was almost thankful that Yelena was nicer to him than to Bucky. He suspected that Natasha had had a word with her sister.

Today was New Year's Eve and there would be a little party at the community center Natasha volunteered at. Bucky and Sam would come, and Christa would also be there, having returned from Germany. Yelena had invited her new friend Kate and Bucky's niece also wanted to come. Steve was really looking forward to meet more of Natasha's "students". He knew that she loved her job and he was so proud of her.

But it was still hours until the party and Natasha asked him to meet him at an address a few blocks away from his apartment. He knew the area, but he didn't know why his girl wanted to meet him there.

He walked around the corner and she was already waiting for him. She looked so pretty, her cheeks were pink from the cold. Her face lit up when she noticed him and his heart fluttered. He walked faster to get to her. Natasha greeted him with a sweet kiss and he rested his forehead against hers for a minute. He'd seen her yesterday and had spent the whole day with her, but he still missed her even if they were only apart for hours. And he knew that it would never change.

"Hi." She whispered and gave him another sweet kiss.

"Hey, sweetheart." She smiled, but she seemed nervous. "What's going on, doll?"

She bit her lip and nodded her head towards the house they were standing in front of. It was a beautiful townhouse that could use a little bit of love. He still didn't get why they were meeting here.

"See that house?"

"Yeah..."

"It's for sale. Well, not officially yet, but I know the owners and they told me..." She looked at him with big eyes. Did she want to buy it? Buy it with him? "Could you imagine living here?"

"Nat-" He whispered. "Are you...Do you want to live here...with me?"

She nodded. "I know it's soon, but...We know each other for over a decade and I know that this is it for me. Why live apart if we can live together. Maybe this house is a sign. It's beautiful. It has everything we both like. I think you'd love it."

He cupped her face and kissed her. "I'd love to live with you. Going to sleep with you by my side? And waking up next to you? That's my dream come true."

"It's not too soon?"

"No. We've wasted enough time."

She smiled and nodded. "You wanna take a look inside? And please tell me if you don't like the house. We don't have to get it. I don't care where we live."

He didn't care where they would end up either. He'd just wanted to live with her.

"I'm sure I'll love it." He followed Natasha up the stoop and she unlocked the door. A thought crossed his mind. "Will Yelena be living with us?" He had the impression that Yelena wanted to put down roots in New York.

"No." Natasha laughed. "She already called dips on my apartment. She doesn't want to share a house with us. She's scared she'll hear us having sex."

"Well, I can be quiet, but you're quiet the screamer, doll."

Natasha pinched his waist and he wasn't proud but he let out a squeak. "You were saying?"

They took a look around the house. He could see them living here. They would have to update and change a few things, but the house had good bones. There was enough space for them to each have a studio, and if they decided to adopt children there would also be enough space for them to have their own rooms. The house even had a little garden where they could spend their summer nights.

"I love it."

Natasha smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah, really." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "We'll need to have professionals have a look and if everything checks out, then we could put an offer down if you want."

"I'd love that."

She smiled up at him and he bent down to kiss her. His thoughts drifted to the little black box he'd hidden in his apartment. The charm bracelet hadn't been the only thing he'd bought at the jewellery store...

It was good to know that they were on the same page when it came to their future.

"Let us put these chairs into the basement, so we'll have a little dance floor for later." Natasha suggested and started to pile chairs.

The party was in a few hours and they were preparing the center for it. Bucky, Sam and Yelena were also already here to help. He carried the chairs into the basement with Sam and Buck's help. Natasha and Yelena started to decorate the room and other volunteers arrived with food and beverages.

Steve was really looking forward to the New Year's Eve party. Maybe because for the first time in his life, he would actually get a New Year's kiss. Well, at least he was hoping that his girl would be kissing him at midnight.

Bucky and Sam were bickering about something, but if Steve had learned one thing in the last months then it was to ignore them when they were bitching about the other one. Yelena had suggested that they should just bang it out and Sam had almost chocked to death on his chicken wing.

Steve heard new voices upstairs, so he figured that more people had arrived to help with the party preparations.

He was wrong. So very wrong. As soon as he walked into the room a giant, slightly over weighed man was running towards him.

"Captain America!" He growled, grabbed Steve and pushed him against the nearest wall. "We meet again!"

That had to be Alexei. "I-"

"You think you can touch my daughter!"

"Alexei, calm down." It was a female voice Steve didn't recognized. He figured it was Melina. He couldn't see anyone besides Alexei. "Let go off him!"

"Kick him in the balls, Daddy!" Yelena suggested gleefully. Gee thanks, Yelena.

What was Steve supposed to do? Fight him off? Could he just do that to his girlfriend's father? Alexei was strong, but Steve knew he was stronger than him.

"Um, sir...Can you... please let go off me?" He was trying to do this the polite way. He didn't want Alexei to start a fight. Steve really didn't want to destroy the community center. Nat would be so mad with him.

"You're defiling my little girl? My little Nateshka!"

"That's enough!" Natasha yelled and Steve heard her coming closer. "You had your moment, now let go off him, Alexei." He still didn't move. "Dad!"

Alexei sighed and finally let go off Steve's coat, but made the international "I'm watching you"-sign. Natasha was immediately by his side and pulled his ear.

"Ow, Natalia! What the hell!"

"You're being ridiculous! Apologize to Steve!" She still had him by the ear.

"No! Never!" Natasha seemed to tug on his ear again. "Ow! Fine, I'm sorry, Captain America."

"His name is Steve."

"Fine, I'm sorry, Steve."

Natasha let go off her father and moved to Steve's side. "I'm so sorry for this, honey."

"It's okay. Never thought I would have such a confrontation with a father. That was always Bucky's thing." He chuckled.

"Bucky?" Alexei perked up. "James Buchanan Barnes? The Winter Soldier? My worst-"

"Save it!" Natasha waved him off. "You don't have a feud with James. And not with Sam before you get any ideas!"

Steve was then introduced to Melina who smiled at him warmly and welcomed him into the family. He liked her and she reminded him a lot of Natasha. They both were calm and quiet, but always in control of any situation. Alexei seemed to have calmed down, but he was still looking like he wanted to kill him. Steve really had no clue why Alexei thought that they'd met and fought before.

Bucky and Sam joined them and were introduced to Natasha's parents. Bucky being Bucky flirted with Melina much to Alexei's annoyance. Maybe that would put Buck as number one on Alexei's enemies list and Steve would be left alone.

Melina suggested to have coffee and so Steve, Natasha and Alexei left the community center to go to a cafe. The others would finish the party preparations.

Melina was asking questions, wanting to know more about Steve and how he and Natasha fell in love while Alexei just grunted. Steve wasn't so sure if they would ever get along. Really, Buck had been the one being hated by dads, not Steve. This was completely new to him.

"Don't slouch, Natasha!"

"I'm not-" Natasha sat up straighter. "Slouching!"

Melina raised her eyebrow in the exact same way Natasha usually did. Alexei was just staring at Steve, almost like he was trying to size him up. Sure, Alexei was bigger and taller, but Steve knew his own serum was superior to his. If Alexei really want to a fight, then Steve wouldn't back down and hopefully put this whole thing to rest. How mad would Nat be if Steve beat up her father? Not that much if her father started the fight, right?

"What are your attentions towards Natasha, Steve Rogers?" Alexei asked, speaking up for the first time since they left the community center and arrived at the cafe.

Steve smiled at Natasha's father, hoping it would help somehow. It didn't look like it was working. He was still glaring at him. Natasha covered Steve's hand that rested on the table.

"I love her. I want to be with her and take care of her as long as she lets me. I just want to make her happy."

Natasha squeezed his hand and Melina was smiling at them. Alexei seemed to warm up to Steve a little bit. He wasn't smiling, but he also wasn't glaring at him anymore. Baby steps.

Alexei leaned back against the chair and took a sip from his coffee. "Do you remember when we met in 1986, Steve Rogers?"

No, he did not remember it, because he had not been around before 2012! Natasha had already told him that Alexei was telling every time a different version about their alleged fight.

"Alexei." Melina sighed. "We've been through this. You never fought against Captain America. This is the first time you two are meeting."

"Steve Rogers knows what I'm talking about, doesn't he?"

"Not really, no."

Alexei's eyes widened and then it almost looked he was blushing. "Oh...then it...it must have been someone else...It was dark...maybe it was another super soldier...or not a super soldier...Pretty weak the guy..."

Natasha was snickering and Melina looked highly amused. "Well, thank you for that, Steve."

"Yelena is gonna be pissed she missed this." Natasha chuckled and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, honey. Maybe this will put an end to his fairy tales."

Alexei took a deep breath. "Let me tell you about the time I fought the Iron Man-"

"Or it's not the end of it." Natasha mumbled next to him and rested her head on his shoulder while they listened to Alexei's obviously fake story about Tony.

"You're so funny, Kate Bishop!" Yelena was throwing her head back in laughter because of something her friend had said. Steve didn't know what it was, but judging by Kate's facial expression she was a bit embarrassed about it.

The party was a success. The new year was around the corner and people were talking and dancing. And Alexei was eating. Sam and Natasha were dancing while Bucky and his niece Riki were talking to Melina and Nat's friend Christa. There others guests also looked like they were having a good time. He was glad that Natasha had this place. That she had found this community for her. He was so proud of her.

Natasha left the dance floor and came towards him. Sam didn't need long to find a new dance partner.

"Hey, handsome." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "What are you doing here all alone?"

Steve gave her a quick kiss. "I was waiting for the beautiful girl to finally notice me."

"Charmer." She grinned and kissed him. "Are you having fun?"

"Yeah. It's really nice to just have a normal party. I think this is the first New Year's Eve party for me."

"For me, too." She rested her forehead against his. "I like being normal and boring."

"As do I. Hopefully next year around this time we'll be normal and boring house owners."

He really wanted that. He wanted to buy that house and live there with Natasha. Build a life with her. Wake up to her every morning for the rest of her life.

"I want that, too." She looked so happy and he knew with every fiber of his being that they would grow old together. "So, what do you think about my parents?"

"You and Melina are so much alike. She's great. And Alexei is quite the character, but he really loves you."

Natasha chuckled and pulled him towards the dance floor. They danced until it was time for the countdown.

"Ten!"

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

Natasha smiled and her hands cupped his face, her thumb brushing his cheekbone.

"Two!"

"One!"

"Happy New Year, my love." Natasha whispered, closed her eyes and kissed him.

The End