A/N: If you don't like the character's, plot or pairings, then don't read.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Captain America, only my character/s
WORD COUNT: 1, 775
Chapter 15:
Love
Steve carried a limp Seph back in the tower as she slept off the after effects of her power.
The rest was a flurry of activity.
Joseph ran to his aunt, sobbing as Tony and Bruce came to assess her health and her chances of survival. Nat, Clint and Thor had been unable to stop the assassins from biting into a cyanide capped false tooth in all the commotion and died for their cause. Bobby was taking care of the fire that Seph's power had flung everywhere, also updating Professor Xavier on Persephone's status.
Steve lay Seph on his bed, pulling the covers over her to keep her warm and Joseph curled up against her side, resting his head on her chest, "A-Aunt Seph will be okay, yeah?"
"She'll be as good as new." Steve gently pet Joseph's shaggy hair, smiling gently at the young boy, "I promise, Joey." The young boy nodded before he went back to cuddling his aunt, sniffling and he watched over her.
Walking out of his room, Steve entered the relaxing area where all of the Avengers with Bobby and Professor Xavier had gathered.
Nat was the first one to stand, "how is she doing?"
"She's alright, she's resting now. It took a lot out of her." Steve reassured, "Joey's watching over her, he'll probably call for us if anything happens." Steve moved to the sofa and sat down heavily, exhausted by the day's events.
"Persephone's power could have easily wiped out all of Manhattan-" Professor Xavier started only to be cut off by Tony,
"-but she didn't. Cap calmed her down."
"And that's all very good, but her power is unstable. If her emotional levels were to go incredibly high, she will lose control, her body will start to burn from the inside out and then, there will be no stopping the explosion of her powers. Bobby tells me that her aura was starting to break apart?"
"Yeah." Steve answered shortly, not liking where this conversation was turning.
"Then it is even worse than I imagined."
"Explain." Steve ordered.
"If the fire surrounding her was starting to break off from her protective shield, then she was starting to become overwhelmed. Her power is that of an Omega level mutant, Persephone cannot contain nor overcome that level of power, especially when she has not been in touch with it for so long."
"I ran many tests on Persephone, everything was fine. There was no external or internal damage to speak of." Bruce spoke up, his arms crossed over his purple shirt as he stared straight at Professor Xavier, "she's completely fine. I concluded that all she needed was some rest to recuperate."
"Bobby also mentioned that she was also healing. Regenerative healing."
"She was pushed out of a window and she healed. I'm counting my blessings right now rather than finding a problem with it." Steve grounded out.
"The only problem is that we don't know the extent of her injuries while she was combusting. We don't know how far it went before she started to heal." Charles's expression became despondent, "there is only one thing we can do, to ensure it never happens again."
"I refuse to give up my powers just because you're a little antsy." Persephone spoke from the archway with Joseph next to her, standing fearlessly.
After today, he vowed to use his emotions to propel him forward, instead of gluing him to the spot.
"Persephone, please consider the consequences if we do not." Charles turned to face her as Steve stood from his spot.
"They're considered and I recognize the dangers, but I refuse to have that wall put back up when I've accomplished too much to turn back now. I won't forget everything up to this point. I won't go back to how it used to be," Persephone stood her ground, her voice firm and her eyes hard, "not when I have my family back." She lifted her arm to rest it over Joey's shoulders and the young boy leaned into his aunt.
"My Mum believed in Aunt Seph." Joey spoke and all eyes were on him, "Mum believed that Aunt Seph can overcome this, or she would never have made that video for her and would have kept quiet about it, but she didn't." Joey turned his head up to his aunt and indigo blue looked deep into hazel, "I believe my aunt can do this, or I wouldn't be by her side." Seph sniffled, wiping away the tears that slid from her eyes, "we are the Brandt's after all."
"Damn right we are." Seph grinned, bending to press a soft kiss to his forehead, only to be met with grumbling and soft groans of displeasure from the blushing eleven-year-old, causing all of the adults in the room to laugh.
"It looks like you have your answer." Steve cut through the laughter, making his way to his girl and her nephew, standing tall behind them, a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Yes, it appears I do." Charles smiled, looking up at Seph, "do come to us if you ever need to, for anything."
"I will." Persephone acquiesced.
And with that, the two mutants left.
After an hour of talking and being filled in; Seph, Joey and Steve were all huddled together, Joey asleep on Steve's shoulder, "well, there is nothing to be worrying about."
"What do you mean?" Clint asked, looking at Seph with confusion.
"When I was using their emotions, I could see their memories, Hellfire was going to pull back for the time being if this mission failed. I guess they won't be bothering me or Joey anymore."
"Well, just to be sure, I'd like to set up your house with counter measures, if anything does happen." Tony interjected.
"M-my house? You mean my childhood home?"
"Yeah. I paid off the mortgage in your name and paid the bills in advance, because I assume you'd be moving back in the house and it'd be easier for me to set up said counter measures." Tony leaned back into the chair, speaking like he did this everyday.
"Y-you paid off my mortgage? I own the house now?"
"Yeah."
Seph looked up at Steve, tears in her eyes before turning to look at Tony, too shocked to move, "thank you. Thank you so much, Tony."
"No need to thank me. You're one of us now, Seph." Tony smiled cockily, but there was deep sincerity in his eyes.
"Yeah, you can put up all the safety stuff you need."
"Goody." Tony commented, munching on a snack.
After everything she had been through, Seph could finally see the light at the end of the dark, depressing tunnel she had been in since the invasion and she could finally breathe. She fell against Steve, who wrapped his arm around her shoulders and his fingertips gently traced soft patterns on her upper arm as they all just talked.
(..)
After putting Joey to bed, Steve entered his own room, sure that Seph would be in hers, asleep.
But what he didn't expect was to see Seph in a peach knee-length nightgown, with his brown leather jacket over it as she stood in the middle of his room, with her back to him.
He closed the door, startling her and she turned, her cheeks pink as she captured his eyes with her own, her chestnut red hair down, tumbling against her mid-back in straight locks, a few stray hairs out of place, her stomach, though a little smaller, still pushed a little out, she retained her curvy, hourglass figure and he couldn't say he didn't love it. Because he did.
"What are you doing, Persephone?" Steve asked, a small grin evident on his face as he gazed at her.
"Um," Seph murmured, walking toward the Captain slowly, "well, Captain," her voice wrapped around the words silkily, her eyes smoldering as a soft, sexy smirk curving her full lips, "can you guess or do you need a little explanation?" Her hands rested against his chest, their lips inches away.
Steve smiled and he suddenly bent down, wrapping his arms around her thick thighs and he lifted her up easily, looking up at his angel as her hair fell around them like a brown-red curtain, her giggles echoing in the room as her hands moved from his chest to his shoulders to steady herself. "I think I'm going to need a very thorough explanation, but first," freeing one arm, he slowly slid his jacket off her shoulders, "may I help you out of your jacket, ma'am? It might get a little uncomfortable very soon." The leather fell heavily to the floor at his feet.
"Oh, please do, Captain." Seph giggled, before leaning down and capturing his lips in a breathtaking kiss. Steve kissed back fervently, his head tilting to the exactly right angle to slip his tongue in between her lips and into her mouth, a delighted squeak was all that Seph did before she too, followed suit.
Breaking the kiss, Steve nestled his nose against hers, pressing soft little pecks against her lips, before he whispered, his eyes open and staring into hers with so much emotion, "I love you, Seph."
The words themselves were filled with that particular emotion and Seph revelled in it, her lips spread to reveal her white teeth as she beamed at him, tears rolling down her cheeks as she too whispered, "I love you too, Steve."
Steve laughed joyously, kissing her lovingly as he took long strides to the bed, making Seph laugh in delight and she decided to explain everything thoroughly.
(..)
"What do you think?" Clint asked, sitting opposite Nat who was curled like a cat in the recliner, everyone else had gone to bed or their respective homes, so it was just Clint and Natasha left.
"Think of what?" She asked, looking up at Clint, her brows furrowed.
"Think she's his 'best girl'?" Clint grinned, using the forties lingo.
Nat just smiled before replying, "I think he's her Best Boy."