Chapter Thirty Eight

Ada groaned and rolled over to her side, glancing at the clock that read five in the morning. Though her muscles weren't sore thanks to training with Natasha and Clint, she felt mentally drained. A few weeks of working with Steve taught her the meaning of patience.

She had been going over the last few decades with Steve, mostly focusing on the important details that might have been missed. That was the easy part. The real challenge was helping him deal with modern technology. Though he rarely showed it, she knew when he got frustrated.

Eventually, she decided to start a routine that would make things a little easier.

Each morning, they would go out for a morning run either through Central Park, or along the city. She had to remind herself to thank SHIELD for preparing her for when they started running. Because of the Super Soldier Serum, Steve had a lot more stamina and energy to burn off, and he could easily run a few miles without feeling exhausted.

Later in the afternoon, they would pick up on where they left off the other day. Despite his obvious lack of faith in modern technology, Steve did have patience when it came to her teaching. If there was one thing she admired about him, it was his persistence. He may not have been fond of it, but, he did understand the importance of technology.

Though, it wasn't until after they were finished with their work that Ada really began to see a new side of Steve. She hadn't missed how much more open he was around her. They enjoyed spending time together, even if neither were willing to admit it out loud.

The best part was hearing the stories he had to tell about fighting in the war and before that. She'd read stories about the Howling Commandos, and she even had the honor of meeting one when joining SHIELD. But, hearing the stories from Steve, who experienced it firsthand, was something entirely different.

What surprised her more than anything was the lack of calls she had from Tony. The last few days had been stressful because the Tower's construction had just begun, and Tony wanted most of his input along with Pepper's ideas put into place once the contractor arrived. So, it surprised her that he hadn't called or checked in since finding out that she and Steve were working together.

She knew he was overprotective of her, and had to admit that she couldn't ask for a better father. Though his behavior could be annoying at times, she appreciated having a father that cared about her and looked out for her.

Letting out a sigh, Ada finally sat up and got into the shower. There was much that needed to get done for the day. Between working with Steve and making sure that everything went well with the Tower's construction while Tony was away, she knew her day would be booked.

Once she finished washing up and dried her hair, she changed into a new outfit and checked her messages.

To her surprise, the Stark pad showed one missed call and a new caller, both from the same person. She almost smirked after recognizing the caller in question.

"You called?" she asked after swiping the pad to answer.

The person on the other line just frowned as he noticed her expression. Try as she might, it was impossible to keep a straight face around Tony when he was looking at her like that.

I knew he couldn't leave me alone for too long, she thought after recalling their previous conversation. He wasn't happy with her decision to stay behind and help Steve. The worst part was, he wasn't afraid to say it.

"Yeah, with the Tower finally under construction, Peps and I were talking about having Thanksgiving down there," he explained.

Ada rose an eyebrow in surprise at that.

Tony rarely had Thanksgiving dinner or celebrated the holiday. It was usually Pepper who managed to get everyone together and cook a meal for them with her help. Not that she didn't mind helping. Those were the few rare times they spent together when they weren't talking about work or when Pepper wasn't stressed about running the company. Ada found herself appreciating those rare moments, especially since she knew how stressful it could be for Pepper to manage both the company and Tony all at once.

"Not that I don't like hearing the sound of your voice at 5:30 in the morning, but why are you telling me this?" she asked, eyeing Tony suspiciously.

She knew he had his motives. One of the many irritating qualities about Tony was the fact that he tried spying on her even when he failed miserably at being discrete. The only reason he wasn't able to find out that she'd joined SHIELD for as long as he did was because they had security protocols. Protocols that kept even Tony out of her work life.

"Is it that early?" Tony rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, though she could tell he was just stalling at that point. "Okay, I really, really hate the fact that you've been spending so much time with Rogers. And it's not just because I don't like the guy."

That was enough for Ada to nearly snort with laughter.

Is he seriously complaining about the fact that I'm spending time with someone? she wondered.

"I think you've made it perfectly clear that you don't like him, dad," she pointed out with a roll of her eyes. She stopped for a moment, hardly missing the fact that he was down in his lab working on what looked like a new suit in the background, "And, just so we're clear, we are not dating."

Tony just looked at her skeptically. By now, his arms were crossed as he turned from the suit he was working on so that he was now facing her.

"Really? Because, that's not what the media's been implying," he retorted.

Ada had to bite back a snippy response when he moved to the side, just as a video appeared on the edge of the screen. Her eyes narrowed when she realized that it was a news broadcast from the Daily Bugle; a media company from New York run by a loud, obnoxious man known as J Jonah Jameson.

"And that's not the only juicy details we've had over the last couple of days," a woman with platinum blond hair and overly obnoxious makeup reported. The look of pride written across her face as she gave a 'detailed' account of how they'd gotten photos and information was enough to make Ada's stomach twist in disgust, "We've heard reports and rumors that Captain America and Miss Ada Stark are now dating. They've been seen together in Central Park and one of the many cafes in the city, along with at the library."

"Son of a bitch," Ada swore under her breath after realizing too late what they were insinuating. "Dad, you know none of what they're saying is true."

Tony smirked at her response, obviously not buying the excuse as he looked at her defiantly, "According to those stories, it doesn't seem that way to me."

Of all the irritating things he has to say, why is it this? She groaned silently, suddenly wishing a hole would open up and swallow her.

"Dad, we're not dating… Steve's too much of a…" Ada chewed the bottom of her lip, unsure of how to explain the reason behind their lack of willingness to take things the next step, "He's too much of a gentleman."

If it wasn't for the fact that Tony wasn't actually there in person, she would have wrung his neck when he suddenly burst out laughing. As it was, her cheeks turned a faint shade of pink out of sheer embarrassment at the sound of his laughter.

"More like he's too chicken to ask," he finally caught his breath after doubling over with laughter. By now, Ada was struggling not to suddenly end the call right then and there. "Talk to any reporter, give them the real scoop. Hopefully, you can get this mess cleared up before things go too far."

Ada let out a sigh of frustration, knowing full-well that things couldn't have gotten anymore awkward than they already were.

Once the video screen went dark, she set the Stark pad to the side of her bed and sat down, already debating what to do. They needed to get things sorted out. She knew that they would take the news too seriously and make life ten times worse for the both of them.

…

"The media made a mess out of this," she sighed irritably as she jabbed a fork at her salad.

Steve just mumbled in agreement, though she caught him moving slightly at the mention of what had recently happened.

It had taken a bit of convincing on her part, but, she finally managed to convince him to meet at one of the diners for lunch. They were lucky not to run into any reporters or any citizens demanding answers. The last thing either of them wanted or needed was the added attention the media seemed to be giving them.

"They always used to make up stories about Captain America during the war," Steve explained while watching the ice in his glass of water melt, "I didn't think that would continue in this century."

"Welcome to the twenty-first-century," she snorted in grim amusement. The Super Soldier threw her an incredulous look, though he didn't bother arguing. If they wanted to do something about it, they needed to act quickly before things got too out of hand, "Look, I know this is probably the last thing you wanted, or needed, but… we need to find some way of convincing them that none of their claims are true."

Not for the first time, Steve found himself glancing at Ada self-consciously. Though he knew she had a valid reason for wanting to fix the mess the media had created, a small part of him wanted a different path. Try as he might, he couldn't avoid the fact that he had feelings for her.

"Tony doesn't think we're together, does he?" he suddenly asked, feeling uneasy with the thought.

After seeing the way her father acted, he had no doubt Tony wouldn't react kindly to the idea of them 'dating'.

"Oh, he tried claiming that the stories were true," she nearly rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time that day, "As much as I love him, it drives me crazy when he gets this way."

She jabbed her fork into another piece of lettuce, this time harder than she intended. She flinched from the sudden motion, knowing that taking her anger out on food wasn't the answer. She couldn't necessarily blame Tony for letting this get out of hand. After what had happened with Emmett, he was wary of her dating anyone without him running a full background check on them. And for the first few months of his new rule, she had approved.

It wasn't until feeling Steve's gaze boring into her that she noticed he was watching her thoughtfully. She looked at him warily, not missing the fact that he nearly flinched under her curious gaze.

"You should consider yourself lucky… he seems like a good father," he started, almost biting his tongue when she narrowed her eyes.

"Of course, he's a good father," she retorted. He braced himself for whatever rebuking would follow, but instead, the tone of her voice was full of amusement, "I couldn't ask for a better father, as much of a pain in the ass as he can be."

He almost laughed at that.

"I uh, have to ask, though… are you opposed to what they're saying?" he finally found the courage to ask.

Ada blinked in surprise at his random question. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, suddenly aware of the fact that they were still out in the public. Any signs of intimacy or affection wouldn't go by unnoticed by the people watching them.

"I wouldn't say I don't oppose their claims," she replied with a shrug, her voice barely a whisper. Steve's brow shot up faster than he thought possible, and it was at that point when she finally noticed his cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. She could feel her own cheeks growing warm with embarrassment as she finally looked away, hoping to hide the blush that likely followed, "But, it doesn't mean they are true."

By now, neither of them were sure what to say as they refused to make eye contact.

The realization of what Steve just asked her left her mind reeling with shock, and confusion.

"Yeah, of course," he nodded in agreement, letting his shoulders sag in relief, "Wouldn't want things any different."

…

The next few weeks seemed to blend in together.

Ada knew that she and Steve were now avoiding each other in the attempt of keeping the media from getting suspicious. Or worse, her father. The last thing she wanted or needed was to deal with his annoying tenacity to figure out something was going on.

The good news was, the Tower was almost finished with construction over those next few weeks. Tony had already made plans to stop by with Pepper, Happy and even Rhodes to meet with her after the Tower was finished for Thanksgiving dinner. He'd asked Banner to tag along with him, despite the doctor's protests, and eventually Banner finally agreed to go as long as there was as minimal stress as possible. As if that wouldn't make things anymore awkward than they already were, she'd already made plans in asking Steve if he wanted to join them.

It wasn't as if either of them would have anything better to do. Plus, it was a good way to get the team somewhat together. She didn't know what Natasha or Clint were up to during their 'vacation', though she'd overheard Jimmy mentioning Clint spending time at the 'safehouse'.

Shaking her head at the thought, she made her way out of the apartment and down to the cafe for a drink and to relax.

Since she and Steve were avoiding one another, this had become part of her morning routine. She knew it was just an excuse to get out of the apartment, but, it was better than nothing. Besides, it gave her a chance to scope out any reporters in the area and tell them the truth.

Anything is better than them believing we're dating, she thought with a roll of her eyes.

She wasn't even sure why it had become such a big issue, or a popular topic. True, the media had always focused on her because Tony was her father. But, they never made a big deal when Tony found out she was dating Emmett.

Ada winced mentally at the thought of Emmett.

It had been months since she last thought of him. The thought of him only brought back painful memories of their breakup, and the realization that he'd been spying on her. She knew it wasn't fair to blame him for that, especially since she worked for SHIELD. But, the fact that his father worked for the Black Knights only made it that much worse.

She tried pushing the thoughts aside once she reached the cafe. Thinking about it wasn't going to help. She'd spent the last three years focusing on her training rather than the real issue at hand because of it. Though she only told Steve bits and pieces of what had happened, she kept out the worst of what had happened.

Of course, any thoughts dissipated when she reached the counter to place an order in. She hadn't missed how crowded the cafe was, or the fact that one woman in particular kept looking in her direction. Ada narrowed her eyes when she recognized the woman as the same reporter who first started the rumors.

"Excuse me," the woman started after gathering the courage to speak with her. Ada bit back a sigh of frustration as the woman reached her, holding a pen in one hand, and a notebook in the other, "I was wondering if I could have an interview regarding your relationship with Captain America?"

"That depends on whether you plan on entertaining the public with lies, or the truth," she retorted.

It took everything she had not to snap at the reporter, whose eyes widened in surprise at her short-tempered response. The woman finally dropped her gaze and looked down at the floor, almost as if she was ashamed of what had happened.

"As a professional journalist, it's my job to gather the facts before I expose them to the public," she explained. Ada rose an eyebrow at that, and was tempted to tell her that she was doing a lousy job at that before she continued, "Jameson was the one who insisted we post that video. After all, it's all about the views."

Ada eyed the woman skeptically, wondering whether she was telling the truth or not. She couldn't shake off the feeling that this was just another excuse to get whatever story was needed for the next big scoop. Though, she realized with a start that this might be what they had been hoping for. A chance to explain themselves and prove that the media had been wrong.

"Alright, you've got two questions," she replied after grabbing her order and leaving a tip at the counter.

The woman beamed at that before leading the way to a table where they could sit and talk. She'd already pulled out a recorder so that she wouldn't miss anything important. Once they took their seats, she got right down to business, "Are you and Captain Rogers really dating?"

"First off, we're not dating," she nearly scoffed at the idea, as appealing as it sounded. She and Steve were purely friends, and she doubted that would change anytime soon, "Second off, I was assigned to help him adjust to life in the twenty-first century. He comes from a time when technology wasn't so advanced, and I've been teaching him how to use modern technology."

That seemed to catch the woman's attention. Most people knew these days that Steve had been frozen in ice for the last hundred years. Because of that, he'd had a huge taste of culture shock upon waking up. Between that and having come from a time when the world was at war, she didn't doubt that the change was overwhelming for him.

"So, what you're saying is, there's nothing serious going on between the two of you?" the woman concluded after jotting notes into her notepad.

"Of course, not." Ada refused to look back as she studied nothing in particular. Try as she might, she couldn't ignore what was said between them weeks ago. Steve was a good friend, and she didn't want that to change between them. "Look, we're just friends. And, that's all we'll ever be."

"Well, it seems to me that there's more going on than you're implying," the woman said with a charming smile. She finished writing notes on her notepad before putting it into her large purse, "But, I do need to thank you for this information."

Ada merely returned the gesture, still wondering if the interview had been worth it as the woman stood up to leave. Kind as she had been, she knew the media would likely try and reword everything that was said. The only thing she could hope for was that the truth would be shared, and that their lives could finally go back to normal.

AN: I ended up getting the Blue Planet II soundtrack on a whim, even if the series hasn't premiered yet. Am I the only one who's stoked for this? Planet Earth II was about as amazing as I expected, if not better, and now they're making a sequel to Blue Planet, which was by far my favorite BBC series. (In case you haven't guessed yet, I love the natural world) At any rate, this chapter ended up being longer than expected. I've decided instead of posting right away, I'll keep editing until I feel the chapters are up to standard quality (or what I feel are my standards). Thanks again to Softballpup12 for reviewing!

Softballpup12 - XD That's good to hear, because there's more on the way, at least until I get to IM3 :) They can indeed ;)