Steve didn't waste any time after the party arranging what he hoped was to be the first of many dates with Martha. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. S.H.I.E.L.D. and UNIT may have been working together, but they were still two separate agencies with two different agendas. As such, Steve and Martha's schedules didn't always line up when they wanted them to.

Well into the New Year and after a couple of false starts, they finally had an opportunity. Steve had the day off, but Martha had to meet him after work. She called him to tell him that she needed swing by her apartment, which was just outside of Washington D.C. in Maryland. So Steve stood outside a café in Silver Spring awaiting Martha's arrival.

After all the buildup, a tiny part of him felt as though they should have made a big to do about their first official date, but the reality of their situation was that their lives didn't leave much time for romance. Nevertheless, dinner would have been nice. Somewhere quiet where they could talk and get better acquainted. Maybe even go out and listen to music afterwards.

They had talked about her grandfather's record collection after their first dance and she made a few suggestions of contemporary music he should check out whenever he got the chance. Martha felt that Adele had a voice that could be one of those classics that people talked about for generations. Up until that point he had only heard that one song she did for Skyfall during an impromptu Bond movie marathon Clint roped him and Natasha into watching. Steve's favorite had been one of the themes by Shirley Bassey, but he did find the other woman's talent to be promising. So he vowed to listen to both of her albums and let Martha know what he thought.

When Martha arrived, she looked a bit tired, no doubt a result of her busy schedule, but she put on a bright smile as soon as she saw him. "I hope you haven't been waiting long."

"Not too long," Steve replied. "But I did have enough time to get this." He held up a gift bag for her.

Martha stared at the bag in his hand and her smile dimmed a bit. "You didn't have to buy me anything."

Steve nodded. "I know, but when I saw it I thought of you. So, take it."

Martha took the bag from him when he offered it. "Thank you," she said graciously.

"Take a look," Steve told her. A smirk played on his lips as he waited for her reaction.

Martha peeked inside of the bag and broke into laughter. She looked up at him shaking her head. "Seriously?" Steve shrugged innocently. Martha reached into the bag and pulled out a canister of chocolate covered espresso beans. "So you finally bought me that coffee you owed me, huh?"

"A promise is a promise, right?"

"Yes, it is." She slipped the canister back into the bag. "Very smooth, Captain Rogers. Very smooth."

Steve shrugged again. "I have my moments."

"I see that." Martha gestured to a coffee shop a few doors down. "Why don't I save these for later and we can sit down for an actual cup of coffee?"

"Sounds perfect." They fell into step with one another and Steve tucked the leather bound book he had in his freehand underneath his arm.

"Were you drawing while you waited?" Martha asked, gesturing to his sketchbook.

"Not really," Steve replied. "I just like to carry it with me. You know, in case inspiration strikes."

"May I see them sometime?"

Steve quirked a brow. "You want to see my sketches?"

"You can say no," Martha said quickly. "I know those sorts of things can be really personal."

"No. It's fine." Steve shook his head as he stopped to hold the door open for her. "You can see them."

Martha flashed her signature smile. "I can't wait."

Steve ordered coffee for the both of them, black with two sugars for himself and an iced Americano for Martha. She requested a chocolate croissant and they agreed to split it. Once they had their order, they found a table near the window and sat down. Martha recounted her day to him while they drank their coffee and ate. After they were done, Steve slid his sketchbook across the table to her.

Martha eagerly undid the ties holding the book closed and looked inside. She took the time to study each image closely before carefully turning the pages. "So this is the famous Bucky Barnes?"

"Yea." Steve stared down at the sketch wistfully. Sometimes when he was feeling nostalgic he'd pull out his sketchbook and drew all the people and things his missed. Bucky. The Howling Commandos. Erskine. The old neighborhood. Ebbets Field.

Peggy.

There were quite a few sketches of Peggy. Some of how he remembered her before the ice and just as many of how he saw her now. Martha turned to a page with mirrored images of Peggy from her days during the war and more recently. Martha glanced up at him with a warm smile. "She's lovely."

"She was my best girl."

"You visit her still, yea?"

Steve nodded. "Not as much as I'd like, but it's hard sometimes…with my schedule and…she has her bad days."

Martha reached across the table and squeezed his hand. That comforting smile she showed him during his examination so long ago returned. "You don't have to justify your actions to me," she said softly. "I know your have good intentions. I'm sure she knows too."

Steve met her eyes and shook his head slightly. "How do you do that? How do you know exactly what I need to hear every time?"

"I'm a doctor," Martha replied with a laugh. "We usually just follow the clues up until the point that we're forced to guess. Then we hope for the best."

Steve moved his hand so that he could stroke the back of her hand with his thumb. "You're a pretty good guesser."

Martha laughed a bit harder. "Yea? Well I've had a lot of practice."

"All the better for me then."

Steve released her hand and Martha returned her attention to the book. More modern sketches appeared as she flipped the pages. The other Avengers. Phil Coulson. New York cityscapes. Washington landmarks. The Triskelion. UNIT soldiers. There were a number of unfinished sketches as well, but one in particular piqued her interest.

"Is that?" Martha looked up from the book. "That looks like the dress I wore to Tony Stark's party."

Steve nodded. "It was a great dress."

Martha smiled and ran her fingers over the drawing. "Is there a reason I don't have a face?"

Steve winced playfully. "I could never get it quite right," he explained. She looked up again and he met her eyes. "None of my sketches seemed captured the essence of the real thing."

"Maybe I should pose for you sometime."

The corner of his mouth turned upward. "I'd like that."

"As long as you don't expect me to get my kit off so you can draw me like one of your French girls," she joked.

Steve furrowed his brow as he racked his brains to remember the reference she had just made. "I know that's from a movie, but I'm not sure which one."

"Titanic," Martha answered. "Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio and the ever present Celine Dion song that everyone tried to sing even though most of them really shouldn't have done."

Steve nodded. "I've heard of it."

"Not your cup of tea?"

"Well when you know people who were directly affected by the real thing, the movie sorta feels like it's in poor taste."

"I imagine so," Martha agreed. "But you'd be amazed the strange circumstances filmmakers are willing to insert a romantic subplot."

"Does that mean I can't talk you into seeing a romantic movie with me one of these days?"

"You can try," Martha told him with a grin. "But I already have the greatest film ever made on DVD."

"Oh?" Steve asked with genuine interest. "What movie is that?"

"The Princess Bride."

"I haven't seen that either."

Martha grabbed his hand again. "You have to see it!"

Steve smirked. "Because it's the best movie ever made?"

"Yes!"

"How about we watch it together?"

Martha smiled at his suggestion and let go of his hand. "Trying to swing a second date before the first one is even over?" she teased. "Ambitious, aren't you?"

Steve shrugged. "I like to plan ahead."

"Fair enough. How about you plan to come round to my flat tomorrow?" Martha suggested. "I'll cook us dinner and we'll watch the film afterwards. We can make a whole night of it."

"You cook?"

"Well…" Martha made a face. "With my schedule there's usually a lot of heating and reheating, but I've never burned anything," she pointed out. "So that has to be a good sign."

"I think it's a sign that we should probably get takeout."

"Probably," Martha conceded with a grin. "There's a place not too far from my flat that has the most amazing curry. Do you like Indian food?"

"Never had it."

"Captain. Captain. Captain." Martha tsked playfully. "There's so much you've yet to learn."

Steve smirked. "I'm working on it."

"Good."

"Any tips?"

"Hmm." Martha paused to think. "Lulls in conversations like this are a perfect time for snogging."

Steve quirked a brow. "Snogging?"

"Kissing."

"I know what it means," Steve said. "But don't you think we should do that somewhere more…private?"

"You mean like a stalled lift or a crowded dance floor?" Martha quipped.

Steve rolled his eyes. "I'm being serious."

"So am I." Martha looked around. "No one is watching."

Steve glanced around as well. "A quick one?"

"You know the bashful thing is surprisingly adorable," Martha teased.

"I'm not bashful," Steve protested. "Or adorable."

Martha laughed. "All evidence to the contrary."

Steve huffed and shook his head. "I know what you're doing," he told her with a hint of a smile. "And it's not going to work."

Martha shrugged playfully. "It's all guesswork." She picked up the sketchbook and held it up to shield her face from the other coffeehouse patrons as she leaned forward. "Does this help?"

Steve leaned forward slightly and rested his arms on the table. "Now who's being ambitious?" he challenged.

"Oh you arse!" Martha retorted with a lighthearted scowl. She closed the sketchbook and handed it back to him. "I don't even want to kiss you now," she said defiantly.

Steve laughed softly as he retied the binding on his sketchbook. "I don't believe you."

"I don't care," Martha said with a sassy smile.

Steve looked up again. "Yes, you do."

Martha stared him in the eyes and leaned a bit further across the table. "Prove it."

"Maybe I will," Steve answered back in a low voice as he inched forward.

Martha moved a tad closer. "I'll win if you do," she reminded him.

"It's not really a loss from my perspective," Steve said as he leaned in to kiss her. Martha laughed softly and moved towards him as well, but before their lips could meet his phone began to ring. They both exhaled sharply as they pulled away from one another and he reached for his cell. "I should answer that."

"Of course." Just then Martha's mobile rang as well. "That can't be a coincidence."

They both took a moment to answer their calls. Once they were done, Steve sighed softly and shoved his phone back into his pocket. "I gotta go," he said regretfully as he rose to his feet. "There's a mission."

"In London?" Martha guessed as she followed suit.

Steve tucked his sketchbook under his arm again. "You too?"

Martha picked up her gift bag and followed him outside, depositing her empty cup in the bin next to the door. "Yea, apparently your mate Thor had a big drag out trans-dimensional battle and now there's a frost monster roaming around my city."

Steve turned to face her once they were outside. "I guess we'll have to reschedule the movie night."

Martha shrugged. "It seems to be the trend, but we'll figure it out," she assured him.

"Do you want a lift back to your place?"

Martha shook her head. "I'll manage." She shooed him away jokingly. "Go save the world."

Steve laughed. "See you in London?"

"Definitely," Martha promised with a bright smile. She started walking away and Steve caught her by the arm.

"Martha?"

She turned to look at him. "Yea?"

Steve took a deep breath and let it out quickly then pulled her close for a kiss. It wasn't as fiery or passionate as the one in the elevator, but it was a definitely a step above the chaste peck she'd given him at Christmas.

Martha pulled back with a mischievous grin. "A kiss in public? People will talk."

"So let them talk," Steve replied then moved in for one more parting kiss.