A year had passed since Thanos had snapped his fingers and then destroyed the stones. Gem and Steve had found themselves an apartment in the city. Steve couldn't stay at the compound; it was filled with too many memories. He spent a lot of time trying to help people adjust to this new life and she was trying to find her place in this new world knowing now that this would be her only home from now on, now that Asgard was gone. She didn't know what to do. most of the time she just took each day as it came. Something she had found rather amusing was that she quite enjoyed cooking and would run food to the compound for Nat every couple of days as she tended to make things in big batches. Natasha herself had taken to running what was left of S.H.I.E.L.D.

When Steve arrived home that evening, he was surprised to see Gem waiting for him perched on the sofa arm.

"How was it?" She asked. Reaching out to take his jacket.

"Same, everyone wants answers and I don't have them. No one does." He answered tilting his head trying to pull out some of the tension. Gem took his arm and led him into the dining area. The table was set and accompanied by candles and wine. "It's our anniversary. I forgot." Steve groaned. He knew there was something he was meant to do this week.

Gem looked at him. She knew he would, but she just wanted a little bit of normal, just for one night. "It's ok, I just thought we could try and forget everything for just one night."

Steve grabbed her round the waist. "See this is why I love you so much." He kissed her.

The meal was beautiful and afterwards they sat together on the sofa, just glad they had each other. Gem had her head in Steve's lap, they were watching an old movie on tv. Neither really paying attention. Steve brushed her hair behind her ear. She was so beautiful, he thought they would have been married by now. Then the rug had been pulled from under their feet. It had felt wrong for so long to be happy. How could they be so happy and so in love when they had all lost so much.

Gem turned so she was facing him as she looked up at him. Steve brushed her hair away again, she kissed his stomach, Steve moved his hand down her body, feeling every curve, Gem shifted so she was laid flat. He ran his hand down and undid her trousers. He slid his hand under them, she turned her head away from him. He pulled her head back.

"Oh no, I want to watch and listen."

Gem melted under his touch and it didn't take long for her to be undone under his touch. Time to return the favour, she thought with a smirk. She turned and undid his trousers. Pulling him loose. There was to be no teasing, she took him straight into her mouth, every single inch until she could feel him at the back of her throat. Gem had lost her gag reflex a long time ago. She enjoyed the feeling of taking him as deep as she could, loved the way he would buck his hips in time with her sucking effectively fucking her mouth. Steve gripped her arse with one hand and gathered her hair with the other. His moans were deep and long. Gem knew he was close and so as she pulled her lips up to the top of his cock, she made sure to push her tongue firmly against his shaft. With that spurt after spurt of hot cum covered her tongue as she continued to work him swallowing every drop.

When they finished, Steve looked down at her. She was pulling her t-shirt off and looking rather hungrily at his own. With a laugh he gripped the hem and pulled it over his head before passing it to her to wear. He loved the way it came just below her arse. "Marry me?" He blurted out.

Gem turned to face him, he slid off the sofa and was now laid naked on the rug. "I believe you asked me that question some time ago."

"I know, but we haven't actually done anything about it. So, let's do it."

Gem stared at him. Had he gone completely mad? "We can't just…." She stopped then continued with, "What happened to Mr responsible?" A smile lighting up her face.

"He realised that life is too short."

Gem laughed. "Says the 100-year-old man marrying the over 900-year-old woman."

Steve laughed as well. Neither of them had had short lives, but he didn't want to waste any more time. He watched as Gem knelt beside him.

"Ok. let's do it."

The next day Gem rang Natasha, if they were doing this, they were gonna need her. Turns out she was licensed to officiate marriages.

"Let's do it here, in the gardens, I'll sort everything." Nat replied with glee. It was the first thing she had had to be truly happy about in over a year.

"Nothing over the top. We just want to be married." Gem reminded her.

"I promise to throw you the wedding you two deserve."

"Natasha, I mean it."

"I hear you. Just come suitably dressed." Nat put the phone down before Gem could say another word.

The following day, Gem was going through her wardrobe trying to find a dress, nothing seemed right. she bagged a couple up. Steve was in the living room waiting for her, his suit bag over his shoulder. "You ready?"

"I think so. are we really doing this?"

Steve held his hand out to her, Gem took it. A look came over her face that was half sorrow and half disappointment. "What's wrong?"

"We don't have any wedding rings?" She said quietly.

Steve let go of her hand and out of his pocket he pulled a small black lacquered box, when he opened it, there were two rings inside.

"Where do you get them?" Gem looked at them, they were Asgardian made. She picked one up. It was solid silver and on the inside a small set of ruins had been engraved.

"Your father gave them to me."

Gem stared at him. When did that happen? Gem began to tear up at the thought that her father, a man not known for being sentimental, respected Steve enough to give him these rings. Gem brought the ring closer to the light so she could see the ruins. "The better half of me." She whispered letting the tears that had been welling up fall. This was her mother's ring.

Steve stepped forward a little to wipe the tears from her face." He said that he knew our time together might be short, but he wanted you to be happy." Gem smiled placing the ring back on its cushion inside the box.

Steve drove them to the compound on entering the grounds, the pair were shocked to see the amount of work their friends had put into making the plane grass lawns into a classy aisle. How had Natasha and the others managed it? What had meant to be their little wedding, looked far more beautiful than she thought possible. As they got out of the car, Natasha grabbed Gem and the dress bags she had brought with her.

"Come on you, let's get you ready." Nat had swiftly pulled her into the compound, up the stair and into Nat's own room. "Sit down and let's see which one out of these we are going to use shall we?" She said, taking Gem into her bedroom and pointing for Gem to sit in the chair under the window while she laid the dresses out on the bed.

One cream tea length dress with wide shoulder straps, the other was a duck egg blue that fell to ankle length, it seemed to be strapless with a low back. Nat smiled as she zipped up the bag on the left and left the other on the bed. She did Gem's hair, pinning it up and curling a few of the locks to accentuate her natural waves. The makeup that Nat decided on was a natural summer look with very little eye makeup, she then helped her into the dress. They went with a light blue waterfall dress. As they stepped out of Nat's room Thor was waiting for her in the hallway.

"May I have the honour of walking you down the aisle?" Gem went to take his arm, she looked up into her uncle's face. He was looking a little rounder in places. but she was so happy he was here. He could see her disbelief. "Did you really think I would miss this?" Thor asked with a small smile.

She didn't reply, she just hugged him. Everyone headed outside and Natasha hit play on the sound system. Thor began to walk Gem down the aisle towards Steve. He looked so handsome in his suit. As they reached Steve, Gem smiled at him. Thor handed her to Steve.

"Ok, so we finally gather here today, to get these two wed!"

Everyone laughed.

"Putting this little thing together, has made me very happy. To be able to share some happiness in these times is an honour. And if anyone deserves happiness it's these two." Nat smiled at them warmly. "So, I'm now going to put them on the spot and let the two of them come up with their own vows. Steve, you first."

Steve looked from Nat to Gem. How was he meant to put into words how he felt about this woman? "Thanks Nat. I don't know how to put into words what I feel." He looked at her hands in his and then back into Gem's eyes. "I remember meeting Gem for the first time and knowing then there was something special about her. Though it wasn't till she knocked me on my ass for the first time…"

"Good girl, that's my niece." Shouted Thor.

Steve smiled and continued on. "... That I knew she was gonna change my life. She, like me, was out of place, out of her time, but together we could make it work. I can tell her I love her till I'm old and grey, but it won't be enough to ever show her how I feel. I will never stop trying though." He ended with a look of such deep devotion that it took Gem's breath away.

"Ok, Gem your turn."

She was silent a moment, not quite trusting her voice. "How do I follow that? I never had the chance to see the love my parents shared, but I know my father loved her deeply. I watched the love my grandparents had for each other, they loved and depended on each other as well as sort council from each other. I feel that with you, I feel that I can depend on you, trust you and that you will be able to help me through this strange life. I didn't come here looking for anything other than peace. But it seems I've found something so much more. You are my home. You are my heart. By your side is where I belong."

"Wow, they were better than I thought they were going to be. I believe you have the rings Steve."

Steve pulls them out of his pocket and hands the largest to Gem.

"Do you Steve Rogers, take Gem Laufeyson to be your wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, from this day forward as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Steve pushes the ring on to Gem's finger.

"Do You Gem Laufeyson, take Steve Rogers to be your husband. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, from this day forward as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Gem pushes what had been her father's ring on to Steve's finger.

"Well it is my great honour to pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Announces Natasha beaming.

Steve pulls Gem into his arms and kisses her to the sounds of everyone's cheers. What Steve hadn't been expecting was that as soon as his wife's feet were about to touch the floor his own began to leave it as Thor scooped them both up. "No going back now, Cap. Your part of the family."

They spent the rest of the afternoon eating, drinking and enjoying themselves. For the first time in a long time they felt normal, alive. Steve and Gem had taken to the floor a second time. Their first dance had gone perfectly. No-one's toes had been stepped on and not a beat was missed. This dance was a little different at first, she had been all for it but now. Now it felt wrong. Even in Asgard the second dance was meant for the bride and her father. A minute passed and Gem was about to come up with an excuse to leave the floor when their dancing was interrupted by Thor cutting in.

"I wish father was here." She whispered when Steve was out of ear shot.

"He is. He is watching over you, always." Thor reassured her.

"Do you think he is? I dream about him you know. To the point I think I'm going to wake up and find him sitting with me."

"I dream about them all. I miss them, our family, our home. I'm sorry I couldn't save him for you."

"Stop apologizing. you can't change the past, but you can carry it forward to change the future. We are here, we can rebuild. We can be a family."

Thor looked at her, when had she become so wise? So, like Frigga and her mother. She would make a great ruler. But he knew deep down she didn't want it. "I do believe there is a man watching us in a rather jealous way. Should I hand you back?"

"I think you best, you know what these Midgardians can be like." She said in a cheerier mood than before. If she could not dance with her father on this day at least she could dance with her uncle.

Steve stole her back from Thor and began to spin her round on the patio. "So, Mrs Rogers, when do I get to see what's under the dress."

Gem pulled a fake shocked face. "I'm a married woman now. I have to be respectable."

Steve kissed her, hard and passionately. "That's a pity because I plan on doing some very naughty, very unrespectable things to you."

"Well in that case husband. Why are we still on the patio?"

….

The whole evening was amazing and when they finally got away from their guests, they ended up collapsing on Steve's old bed completely exhausted. So much so that they almost missed the wonderful job Natasha had done covering it in rose petals. They did however notice that there was a bottle of champagne on the side table with a note.

"Sorry we couldn't be there. Congratulations. Pepper and Tony."

Gem had wished they had joined them, but a lot of water had passed under the bridge between Steve and Tony. She had hoped that they would be able to patch things up in time.

Steve popped the bottle open; Gem held the glasses and he filled them. "To my beautiful wife."

"To a fresh start."

After sip, Steve took Gem's glass from her and placed it on the table. As he turned back round, Gem was standing in front of him. She slipped her hands inside his jacket, running them up to his shoulders and slipped it off him. Steve turned her round and kissed the base of her neck. He unzipped her dress and let it fall to the floor like liquid silk. There she stood in a backless strapless teddy with matching stockings and suspenders. His breath caught in his throat. Slowly he ran the knuckle of his right index finger down her spine following it with his lips peppering butterfly kisses all the way. His left hand trailed up and down the front of her left thigh. His resolve to take this first time as man and wife slowly was slipping.

Gem turned to him, Steve straightened up running his hands to her waist and bringing his lips to her neck. As she began to undo his tie and went to let it fall to the floor, he stopped her. "We're gonna need that." he held it in his hand, as she carried on undressing him. She undid his trousers, but before she could push them off his hips, he stopped her. Taking her hands, he bound them with the tie. "Do you trust me?"

"With my life."

He pushed her slowly backwards onto the bed where once she lay in the middle, he straddled her so she couldn't move, and then continued to tie her hands above her head. "You are all mine now."

Gem liked this side of him. The first time she saw this side of him it was when he had her on the balcony. For someone who comes from the nineteen forties he certainly knew his way around a woman's body.

He stood up and looked at her, tied to the bed, he knew she could probably get out if she wanted, but knowing that she didn't want to get out drove his lust to a much higher level. He slipped his trousers and boxers off and then removed her underwear as well leaving her in the teddy and suspender set. Steve ran his hands up her legs, blunt nails causing her to squirm the closer he got to the apex of her thighs, she pulled at her bounds and arched her back hoping to hurry him along. looking down at her he smirked, this was going to be fun. Steve lifted up and pushed her legs apart before crawling between them. Sitting just between her knees he took up her right ankle and brought her foot to rest on his chest. Steve looked at her as he slowly worked his hands over her foot to her ankle. Then from her ankle to her calf massaging as he went. "We are in no hurry dear and you've been on your feet all day."

"Don't care about my feet." She moaned as his fingers stopped milometers away from her aching core.

"Well I do." He continued the same movements on her other leg before resting it back onto the bed with the other. Still between her needs he leant forward resting his hands either side of her breasts. "Tell me what you want." Steve watched as she blushed, she never found it hard to ask for what she wanted before. Clearly his Gem was thinking of something very naughty.

Steve began to kiss her neck waiting for her to speak, when she didn't, he decide to have some fun while he waited. He ran the fingers of his left down the side of her leg and those of his right ran under her back. Moving out of the way he flipped her onto her stomach. Her squeal of surprise filled the room followed by another after the sound of skin on skin. "Tell me or I'll slap your lovely arse again."

Gem could only moan. That was exactly what she wanted. She had decided she liked it rougher and Nat had introduced her to a set of books that had given her some rather explicit ideas.

He slapped her again, noticing this time how wet she was becoming. So that's what she wanted? He could definitely. "I can do this all night, Gem just say Yankie." Steve gave her another few slaps before dipping his fingers between her legs reaching for her, finding her dripping. She spread her legs as wide as she could as she pulled at her bounds again. He teased her, watching as she moaned and moved under him.

"One-word sweetie." He reminded her.

Gem wanted to touch him, to pull his hair, to run her hands over his body, she was pulling so hard on the tie, it was cutting into her wrists. But she didn't want him to untie her. "Yankie! I want you to fuck me like this. I want you from behind. I want to feel your hand around my throat. I don't want nice."

"Good girl. Your wish is my command." He pulled her up onto her knees and wrapped one arm around her waist taking some of the strain. Before spreading her and slipping in between her folds and into her cunt. God she was so tight so wet. she would be the death of him. He would take her how she wanted but after, after he would take his time. He'd memorise every curve and every spot that made her moan or giggle. He wanted a detailed map of her body that he would never forget.

He took hold of her hair and pulled her head back till he could see her face. "Last chance to change your mind."

"Please." Was all she said and with that one word he began the sweet tortuous pace she loved. When he finally undid her hands and let her lay on her back, she pulled him down to her, he kissed each wrist, they were red where she had pulled at them.

He pulled her close, "Sleep now sweetheart, you'll need it. I had, had something else planned for tonight and I will get my way this once." Gem snuggled down and they fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

…. end of chapter 10.