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Chapter 9

The flight back to Wakanda seemed even shorter than the first one, but Sharon couldn't help but admit it always felt like that, even when she was little. Aunt Peggy used to tell her it was because you spent too much time thinking about what happened at the place you'd gone to, so on the way back you couldn't feel time go by. That was particularly true for this mission. Sharon couldn't stop thinking about the conversation she had with Steve, and how he'd covered her from the bullets.

They arrived in Wakanda just short after midday, and after briefing T'Challa on the mission, Sam left with Shuri to fill her in on the details during lunch. She was undergoing training same as Wanda was, and Sharon could see her lithe frame getting stronger over the weeks, even if they did see each other little. She hoped with these missions that would change.

After excusing herself from the conversation Steve was having with T'Challa about the aftermath of their intervention, Sharon drove over to their compound in order to have some peace and quiet. She opened the windows and allowed some of the warm and sweet air from the outside in. Summer was just starting and Wakanda was coming alive at the very seams. It's no wonder Sam and Steve had decided to train up in the mountains. She was considering suggesting the same thing to Wanda.

She prepared a quick meal of fruits, scrambled eggs, and painkillers on the side, and headed to her room for a warm bath. Her muscles ached from the fight and her mind was going a million miles per hour, so she took her time. The mission, short as it was, had provided her with plenty of opportunities to overthink her relationship with Steve in a hundred different ways.

Sharon knew Steve cared for her as way more than a friend, but she didn't know how deep that feeling went, and she wasn't sure she was prepared to know. For her, Steve Rogers was Peggy's love from the war, Captain America, and for two years, her neighbour. During that brief time, she got a glimpse of how the man behind the hero would be. Not from Peggy's accounts and stories, but from her own experience, her own two eyes. And those two months in Wakanda had truly shown her the kind of man Steve was.

As she stood under the hot shower, she considered the implications of trying to make it work with Steve. She wasn't afraid of him being a dick, taking advantage of her, or any other concerns she might have with another guy. Rather, she worried about disappointing him or disrespecting Peggy's memory. She'd be getting in the middle of a relationship dating back to 1945, and she was worried she'd never live up to his expectations of her. It wasn't a healthy sentiment.

Opening her windows and letting sunlight shine into her room, she jumped into bed with a book and tried to focus on the words and how good it felt to relax. It worked – for a while. After reading the same page six times, Sharon decided she'd had enough of reading, and was just about to turn on the TV when a knock sounded on the door.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she opened it and Steve stood on the other side, wearing a white plain t-shirt and jeans – a look that wouldn't make anyone but him stand out, Sharon noted with amusement. "Can we talk?" he asked a bit too cautiously.

She stood aside to let him pass. Sharon hadn't fully thought about the dangers of talking to him privately inside her bedroom until she closed the door – but by then, it was already too late. She brushed past him and sat on the bed. "Take a sit," she said.

Steve removed his hands from his pockets and sat down in front of her, being careful not to stay too close. He looked at her straight in the eye and took a deep breath. "I thought we could talk about – you know."

She could've sworn he was fidgeting.

"The kiss," Sharon said quietly.

He just nodded.

A few seconds of silence followed, which then both broke at the same time.

"Listen, Sharon, I want you to know-"

"Can we just-"

They both stopped for a heartbeat. "Go ahead," she said.

"I… just want you to know that what happened back in Germany was real, and-" he cut himself off for a moment, "- time didn't change the way I feel."

Sharon swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "And how do you feel?"

He took another deep breath and looked her square in the eye. "Like no matter how much time we spend together, it's never enough. You're… great. I want to get to know you, and I don't think being friends is enough."

She felt like she'd run a marathon and was running out of air. His answer hadn't been surprising, not really – Sharon had never been one of those girls that pretend to be blind to a guy's affection. She just wasn't sure being with him was worth all the pain they'd cause each other.

"Steve, I… You know I feel the same," she started, and instantly regretted her choice of words at his expression. "I'm just not sure this is a good idea."

He looked at the garden outside her room and considered for a moment. "Why?"

She shrugged. "For a lot of reasons. You're Steve Rogers; I'm a Carter. Our history goes back a long time, and if I'm with you, I'll keep wondering if you're with me as a replacement. Besides," she raised her eyebrows. "we work together, and I don't want you worrying about me in the field."

She expected him to do a lot of things, but not look at her in silence for a minute, and then quietly start laughing to himself. Sharon just kept her eyebrows raised in silent question while her insides turned to mush at the anticipation of his answer.

"Sharon," he said after he quit laughing "I love Peggy, and I always will. She's a part of me just as much as she's a part of you. But it wasn't Peggy who was my neighbour for two years, looking beautiful in overalls while talking to her aunt on the phone." They both laughed a bit at this, even though it had all been a lie. "It wasn't Peggy who stood by my side as S.H.I.E.L.D fell, who fought for the truth even though it caused her to lose her job twice." His voice took a sober tone, and Sharon knew what'd come next. "And it wasn't Peggy who was tortured but still protected me until the end. I don't care for you because of her – I care for you because of you."

She swallowed back tears that were threatening to fall. Damn you, Steve. It felt too damn good to be true, to be hearing those words. To see Steve looking at her like that and getting closer by the second.

"And besides," he added ironically, "I'll worry about you whether we're together or not. It's non-negotiable."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't stop herself from smiling sweetly at him. "Captain America, always the protector."

"Actually… with you, I'd rather just be Steve Rogers," he answered, his eyes falling to her lips.

Well, she'd had enough of that.

Holding her breath and hoping she'd remembered to floss, Sharon leaned forward and gently pressed her lips against his, a silent answer to his question. They both leaned forward, and Steve ran his fingers through her hair, a mirror motion to their kiss under the bridge. Unable to stop herself, she quietly moaned at the memory. That apparently unlocked something that'd been building inside them for the last three months, and their kiss turned suddenly hungry.

Leaning back against the bed, Sharon pulled Steve closer on top of her, grabbing his shoulders and searching his lips with urgency. Her body felt electrified, every nerve ending alive and aware where they touched, from their mouths, to their legs, to his hands searching her back, her neck – ever so respectful, even at that moment. She'd never felt anything like that, to be so completely awake by the person's touch that each kiss felt like a precious memory. She didn't think she'd ever be able to get enough of him. His shoulders, his back – it all felt wonderful to touch.

"Steve," she whispered, leaning her cheek against his, both content to catch their breath against each other. Sharon didn't think either of them had worried too much about breathing in the first place. She had her legs wrapped around him, and they were on top of her cushions. The sunlight made Steve's hair look golden, and she'd never seen him more handsome than at that moment, with his lips kiss-swollen and eyes alive with desire.

"Am I doing something wrong?" he asked worriedly, leaning back to look at her.

Sharon shook her head. "No, you're doing everything right. I daresay even better than some," he raised his eyebrows at that, "but I don't think we should go much further today."

He look at her, confused. "Don't get me wrong, I was going to suggest the same thing, but I thought things nowadays were a lot… faster."

She laughed at his cheeks going a bit pink at the question. "They are, I just don't want to rush this. I'm okay with taking it slow."

Steve nodded. Sharon wasn't sure why she didn't want to rush things with him. It just felt wrong to assume everything they were doing was because of the sex, or not to enjoy exploring each other slowly and taking their time. She'd never wanted to do this with anyone before –had never cared enough for it, if she were being honest. And she knew he'd be more comfortable by taking one step at a time, so it just felt natural to say it.

They continued exploring each other's company in ways that went beyond making out – even though they did a lot of that, too. They talked a bit more about Peggy, what it meant for them that she was a part of their history, and it took Sharon some time but she was feeling more at ease at the thought of their being together by the end of it. She wasn't sure Peggy would approve, but maybe it was time to leave things in the past, where they belonged and would always be cherished.

It was late afternoon by the time Sam came knocking on Sharon's door asking her where Steve was, and he raised his eyebrows with a knowing smile on his face as soon as he saw Steve inside. "Hush," Sharon said before he could make fun of them. "Nothing happened."

"I was asking for him because Wanda made dinner," he said, holding back his laugh. "But I guess you kids are hungry for something else."

Sharon rolled he eyes but didn't stop herself from smiling. Damn if she didn't care about the rest of the team knowing. They were adults, so it was their business. Besides, she didn't want to run around with Steve behind their backs. It didn't feel right after everything they'd been through together.

"We'll be right there."

Sharon closed the door on his face, not bothering with farewells. "Keep it up!" Sam shouted on the other side.

Steve shook his head from her bed. She lay down next to him and put her head on his chest, taking a deep breath. He hugged her close and kissed her head. "Are we really going to Wanda's to eat? I'm really comfortable where I am right now."

She smiled against him. "I agree. We can apologize tomorrow, though they'll probably mess with us for a long time."

"I'll make them run extra laps."

"You do that," she murmured, closing her eyes.

It wasn't too long after that until they both fell asleep, Steve taking a bit longer than Sharon because of his thoughts. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he considered whether his neighbour would go out with him, knowing who he was – now they were trying to make it work in a technological paradise while being on the run from both the government and the Avengers.

If someone had told him that's where he'd be a year ago, he wouldn't believe them. But regardless of the specifics and how he got there, he wouldn't change being in bed holding Sharon while she slept for the world. It was the first thing in months that felt, finally, right.