AN: Just gonna post this chapter here and see what readers thought of it... if there are any out there. Also, I'm finally getting to the Winter Soldier :) Hopefully this chapter wasn't a complete disaster (though I'm kind of guessing that's what everyone will think of it...)

Chapter Sixty Nine

"You mean to tell me that you agreed to go on a date with the guy, even after everything that happened?" Tony asked incredulously as Ada sifted through the piles of dresses she'd pulled out.

She knew the moment she told him was when she would receive an earful. Tony had never been keen over the fact that they worked together in the first place. But the moment Steve asked her out on a date was when all hell broke loose. It took more than a few minutes for her to finally calm him down, and for Pepper to convince him that it was okay for her to go on a date. Besides, it wasn't as if they were doing anything formal.

Not to mention the fact that he agreed he'd rather it be Steve than some random guy I met, she added silently. Of course, Tony would never recall having that conversation during Thanksgiving. She highly doubted he'd want to remember the fact that he'd been accepting towards her dating someone who was willing to give a damn about her.

"Look, we both agreed that it's best to get to know each other for now," she nearly rolled her eyes after finally picking three out of her favorite dresses. She wasn't planning on wearing anything extravagant. They'd planned on keeping the night as casual as possible to make things less awkward than they already were. "The last thing either of us need or want is to rush into anything."

"You're damn right about that," Tony scoffed. He eyed one of the open back dresses she had skeptically. "When did you get this dress?"

Ada glanced at the light blue dress and shrugged, "Pepper got it for me a couple of months ago."

The truth was, they had gone shopping a couple of months before the Mandarin incident. Pepper almost always kept spare clothing at her own apartment in case Ada chose to stay with her for the evening. Those moments had gotten rare since she and Tony started dating, so she had her spare clothing shipped over to the Tower.

Tony just let out a huff of disapproval as she grabbed the dress he'd been inspecting. She knew he wouldn't approve of whatever choice she made. Considering she was going out on a date with Steve for the first time, she at least wanted to make a good first impression. Besides, it was always far more satisfying ruffling Tony's feathers than she wanted to admit out loud.

"So let me get this straight, you're willing to go on a date with the guy even after what happened?" Tony demanded when she reached the bathroom.

She'd slammed the door shut before he could reach it, already aware that she was on thin ice as it was.

After everything that has happened, a break would feel good, she thought with a roll of her eyes. She wasn't even sure where they were going tonight. Steve hadn't mentioned the place in question, just that he was going to be there at six in the evening. The hardest part was coping with what had happened only a couple of days ago. Her mother's control over the situation had led to massive damage at the warehouse, and she could have easily killed everyone in the area, including the team.

The thought left a shiver of dread through her. She would have never forgiven herself if anything happened to them because of her. And not for the first time, she was suddenly grateful that Natasha had been willing to take the risks that no one else would. Despite what Tony said, she knew that it was the only way Nadia would have stopped unleashing her wrath upon everyone.

"I know that what happened at the warehouse was a disaster," she sighed irritably after she finished putting the dress on. She checked to make sure that her hair wasn't all over the place, and that she didn't look like a complete mess. "But I also know that wallowing in self-pity is never the answer to anyone's problem."

Tony arched an eyebrow when she emerged from the bathroom and offered a sheepish smirk. Despite his earlier misgivings, he seemed to finally understand where she was getting at with her decision. As much as he hated the idea of her going on a date, especially after what had happened, she made a valid point.

"Just make sure you kick his sorry ass if he crosses the line," he finally muttered when they headed towards the elevator.

Ada couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed at that.

"Something tells me that isn't going to be necessary," she reassured him.

She had already reached the conclusion that while Steve had his moments, he wasn't an asshole like most of the men she had encountered in her life. She knew in the long-run, she could be just as difficult to deal with.

"Pep's probably going to get back late from the board meeting," Tony suddenly warned her. Ada rose an eyebrow at the mention of Pepper. She had been hard at work keeping the company afloat while Tony was busy in Manhattan. It was never a dull moment at Stark Industries, especially when they were involved with the energy business. "Maybe I'll call Rhodey over and see if he's doing anything."

"Call Happy over," she suggested with a knowing look. "He's always got something interesting to talk about."

She watched in amusement as Tony made a face at the mention of spending the entire night with Happy. Ada had no doubt in the back of her mind that Tony would send Happy to spy on herself and Steve during their 'date'. And something told her Happy would jump at the opportunity.

"And spend the evening watching Downtown Abby?" he snorted in amusement. "I've got better things to do."

Ada only laughed at that. When she was younger, Happy would always make her watch episodes of Downtown Abby or something similar when he babysat her. Those nights were usually some of the most memorable nights, because they would often play board games or do something entertaining with the show running in the background.

"I'm sure you'll think of something to keep yourself entertained," she reassured him.

Tony merely crossed his arms over his chest when they finally reached the main lobby. She wasn't surprised to see Steve already waiting. One warning look thrown in Tony's direction was all it took for him to keep his mouth clamped shut. Though his jaw tensed as he caught Steve eyeing her curiously. Ada threw him a warning look when she caught the glare that followed. She knew he wouldn't hesitate to ream Steve out if he was given the opportunity.

"You look beautiful," the Super Soldier finally cut through the awkward silence that filled the lobby.

"You don't look half-bad yourself," she gave a slight nod after noticing that he too was dressed in a casual white t-shirt and jeans. While it wasn't necessarily something that most men would wear on a first date, she had no problem with it. What threw her off was the baseball cap he wore, as if that would be enough to hide him from the public. "What's with the baseball cap?"

"Well, I wanted to make sure the public didn't recognize me," he admitted bashfully.

Ada almost smirked when she caught Tony nearly rolling his eyes. She understood exactly what he was implying. Years of putting up with the press had taught her to hide her face when she was out in the public, or to wear some kind of disguise. She had gotten used to dealing with them, but she could understand why Steve wasn't in any hurry to let the media jump to conclusions again if they were spotted together.

"Just make sure that she's back safely," Tony scoffed after finally deciding it was time to leave. Even he had enough dealing with whatever they planned on calling themselves. "And Rogers, if you cross the line—"

"I don't plan to," Steve replied without missing a beat. "I know my limits."

And I know mine, Ada silently reminded herself. She wasn't entirely sure what Steve had planned for them tonight. But she did know that it was just supposed to be a casual dinner. Ada was perfectly fine with that notion, especially after everything that had recently happened.

"Shall we?" Ada gestured towards the front door where their night would actually begin, and Steve was all-too-happy to escape Tony's accusing glare.

She just hoped the night didn't end in disaster.

…

The diner that Steve had chosen was a casual looking place that had been around the same time he was living in Brooklyn. Ada couldn't hide the smile that followed when she noticed that it was decorated to look something out of the forties. Even the seating looked like it had come directly from his time period. Music played softly in the background when they arrived. The hostess blinked in surprise when she noticed the new arrivals approach her stand.

"How'd you find this place?" she asked curiously when they were offered seats by a window.

"This is actually the same diner where Bucky and I would go when we had the money to pay for meals," Steve explained. He suddenly looked sheepish at the mention of having to find money in the first place, though Ada was hardly surprised with that revelation. "We were both pretty poor where we grew up, so money was rare to come by."

Ada nodded in understanding. She knew that she would have been in a similar situation had Tony not adopted her. Not for the first time, she realized with a start just how damned lucky she was. Though, the more she thought about it, the more she began to wonder if this kind of life was all it was cracked up to be.

She was shaken from her thoughts when the waitress stopped by to order their food. The waitress kept shooting either of them strange looks, and Ada nearly rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time when she guessed why. Despite the disguise that Steve tried putting on, he still stuck out like a sore thumb with his broad shoulders.

"No offense, but I think you need a better disguise than a baseball cap," she remarked once the waitress had finished and left.

"You might be right with that suggestion," he laughed dryly at the thought of finding yet another disguise. The baseball cap could only do so much to conceal his identity. "Though something tells me they'd still find out who I am."

"God forbid Captain America actually has a casual night out," she shook her head in amusement, though her voice had dropped to a whisper as she used his name.

Imagine the chaos that would follow if people knew he was here right now, she thought while glancing around warily. Fortunately, most of the costumers were too focused on either each other or their food to notice them sitting in the corner. Ada preferred it that way. The less attention she received, the better off she was. Besides, the media would go crazy if they realized we were on an actual date.

Unease swept through her at the thought. The last time the media went on a field day over them working together hadn't ended well. She was thankful that one reporter had the audacity to at least talk to her. Getting an interview hadn't been her idea of making peace with the press, but at least it got them off their backs for a while.

"I don't know how you managed to put up with the press for as long as you do," he put in.

"It isn't easy, I'll give you that much," she offered a wry smile after taking a sip of her water. "Reporters are always looking for something juicy to write about, and being Tony's kid didn't help much. Things only got worse when people found out I was adopted. Pepper and I usually only went out when I was wearing a disguise if we wanted to go shopping, and even that didn't always work"

She could already recall how many times she had to run for cover when she saw a reporter trying to ask questions about what it was like living with Tony Stark. Or the countless reporters that had asked whether or not she planned on taking over his company. The worst were the ones who asked where she came from, and if she was taking advantage of Tony's generosity.

"Can't be any worse than being forced to take pictures with women all the time," Steve muttered after giving her response some thought. Ada rose an eyebrow and looked at him skeptically as he shrugged, "When I was touring across Europe, the press had me use pictures with various people as an opportunity to gain the public's trust. Captain America wasn't always the most popular soldier on the field until I rescued Bucky's unit."

Ada's brows furrowed together as realization dawned on her. She would have thought that Captain America was the one hero that the world needed at the time of World War II. Then again, with so many conspiracy theories going on at the time, she shouldn't have felt too surprised.

"So, I have to ask because I am a little nosy, but what was life like for you before you became Captain America?" she suddenly cut through the awkward silence when their food arrived.

Hell, she wasn't even sure if they could make the conversation anymore awkward than they already had. Ada frowned at the thought. They'd talked about things like his past before, but he'd never actually gone into a detailed account about it now that she thought about it. What was more, their conversations usually weren't this awkward. Steve blinked in surprise when she asked that question, but to her relief, he didn't look too annoyed that she brought it up.

"I was a scrawny kid with numerous allergies and medical issues," he explained with a sheepish look. It was Ada's turn to look at him in surprise as he pulled out his wallet, revealing a small black and white photo of what he looked like prior to becoming Captain America. She couldn't hide the small smile that followed when she noticed how short and thin he was compared to now. Despite the size difference, she could clearly tell that he still looked like himself. "People used to make fun of me all the time for my size… sometimes we'd end up in fights, and I always refused to back down from them."

For once, Ada wasn't sure what to say as she handed him back the picture. She knew that it couldn't have been easy living that kind of life. She'd experienced bullying early on in the orphanage, but the kids there had quickly learned that she wasn't a force to be reckoned with.

"Coulson always mentioned that Captain America was brave not only because of what he stood up for, but because he never backed down from a challenge," she remarked. Steve glanced at her in surprise when she mentioned Coulson's name. "We worked together a lot when I was training with Natasha. He would always try to use Captain America as a way to inspire other agents."

She watched in amusement as Steve's cheeks flushed a faint shade of red at the thought of being used for inspiration towards SHIELD agents. Though, he shouldn't have been too surprised considering how big of a fan Coulson was.

"Sometimes I keep forgetting that you joined SHIELD when you were so young," he admitted.

"Well, it was either that or have someone watching my every move twenty-four-seven," she replied with a shrug. She knew that in hindsight, SHIELD still watched her every move. But at least she had a little more freedom than she would have if she refused to join the agency. "Besides, it was the best way to figure out what I really was, and where I came from."

It was more than that, though. The truth was, she had always wanted to find a way of helping people. She had the powers and the ability to do so. She was never a fan of the limelight like Tony had been, so she didn't want to become a superhero like Iron Man or even Captain America. SHIELD had provided her an opportunity that she couldn't ignore.

"I never wanted to become Captain America just to gain the muscles or the benefits," Steve suddenly deadpanned as if he'd read her thoughts. Ada glanced at him in surprise when she caught him eyeing her thoughtfully. "That's why you joined SHIELD, wasn't it? To help people like I wanted to?"

"Something along those lines," Ada nodded in response as she tried avoiding his questioning gaze. She recalled having a similar conversation with him on the Hellicarrier before Loki's attack. A lot had changed since then. "So, you wanted to join the army but they wouldn't let you?" she asked curiously.

"I was too much of a liability," he admitted sheepishly. Ada rose an eyebrow in surprise, "I had a horrible immune system, and I was prone to getting sick all the time. Military didn't want to waste their time or their resources on someone who could drop like a fly if I got sick."

Ada couldn't help but frown at that. She understood why the military had been so strict about illnesses spreading through their ranks. At the time, signing up for the army had been everything. But if someone was sick, it meant they couldn't serve the country the way they had been hoping. She wanted to say something else, but the check had finally arrived at that moment. The moment Ada's eyes met Steve's was when she guessed what was on his mind.

"I've got it covered," he said before she could argue. Ada merely rolled her eyes at that, but then he added something that took her by surprise, "Usually the gentleman is the one who pays the bills after a date."

"I'm not opposed to paying the bill," she pointed out, though there wasn't any point in arguing with him.

She did see the logic behind his statement, especially since that was what men usually did during his time period. Still, she felt guilty for letting him pay. She had more than enough to pay for the both of them, and she didn't mind doing so.

"Consider this my way of treating you."

By now, Ada was struggling not to grin when he offered a charming smile, one that would have captivated any woman. Neither of them said a word as he paid the check, offering the waitress a decent tip in the process. Once the check was paid, they quickly parted before they could draw more attention than they already had. Quite a few patrons had looked in their direction when they began arguing quietly among themselves, and Ada knew it was only a matter of time before they recognized them.

"Thank you again, for all of this," she murmured when they finally reached the Tower. She glanced at her phone warily, surprised to find that Tony hadn't sent her any texts along the way. On any normal occasion, he would have sent her a dozen messages checking in on her. "I really did have a good time, all things considered."

"I did too," Steve replied with a nod of agreement. Ada glanced at him warily, wondering if that really was the case. But when she caught something flicker across his blue eyes, she knew that he was being honest. She'd quickly learned that Steve rarely lied unless it was absolutely necessary. Another quality that she both admired and often got annoyed with. "I wouldn't be opposed to trying it again."

For the first time since her fallout with Emmett, Ada felt her heart flutter in a way she wasn't expecting. Especially when she found herself standing just inches from him. Steve hesitated for a brief minute, as if he was unsure what to do next.

"Are you planning on just standing there like an idiot all night, or do I have to make the next move?" she suddenly cut through the awkward silence that followed.

She had to force back the bubble of laughter that threatened to follow when Steve's cheeks turned a faint shade of red. It was clear that even after all this time waking up from the ice, he was still completely inexperienced around women. But he didn't let that deter him. Steve moved without hesitation this time, capturing her lips with his. Nothing could have prepared her for the sparks that flew, or the fact that her arms had wrapped around his neck. Her heart was fluttering for an entirely different reason when his hands finally reached her waist.

It took a few seconds for either of them to recover from the initial shock of that first kiss. Ada held her breath their foreheads pressed, and she found herself staring into his eyes. She hadn't been anticipating the amount of emotions churning within her the moment their eyes met.

Eventually, Steve finally spoke up, "Worth the wait."

Ada couldn't hide the grin that followed even if she wanted to upon hearing that. She was beginning to realize that he was right. Maybe it had been worth the wait in the end. Despite her earlier doubts, she knew that agreeing to go out had been the right decision.

"I'm glad to hear someone believes that," she whispered as she felt his gaze searching her own. "For all that it's worth, tonight really was one of the better nights I've spent in the city. Thank you for that."

Steve only offered a grin of his own, then he caught her by surprise when he suddenly leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"I'll see you soon," he promised, knowing that truer words couldn't have been said.

Considering they both worked in the same field, Ada had no doubt that they would be seeing each other more often than most coworkers normally did. And for once, she was happy with that idea. She suddenly found herself hoping that she would get the chance to see him again, and not while they were on a mission.