The diverse group packed into one of Tony's many conference rooms, convening for Fury's sudden meeting. Scanning the spotless area, Edie concurred silently there was a good chance this was the first time the room had ever had occupants other than the cleaning staff. Taking a seat between the Doctor and Rogers, they all swiveled their chairs towards Fury, attentively waiting.
With the Doctor at her back and the soldier in front Edie tried desperately to focus on the Director, as he stood stoically at the helm of the elongated table. But her gaze kept falling from Fury's stern expression to the profile of a particular blonde. Her skin still tingling from the earlier encounter.
Edie's position just close enough to smell the sweet masculine aroma of Steve's skin, she studied the neatness of his hair and the severe cut of his jaw. Every so often he'd meet her eye and she dared to take a dip in those ocean pools that lay behind thick lashes. But just when Edie was sure she'd drown happily in that gaze Fury's statement caught her attention.
"You mean he just disappeared?" Edie's piped in disbelief.
"Into thin air?" Steve added, strong brow knitted with confusion.
"Unfortunately yes, we've had no success in finding the Tesseract or Loki." Agent Hill informed with a grim nod.
"But how does that happen?" Natasha's expression perplexed, contemplating the god's motives.
"I think we need to be asking Why? He comes here, steals the Tesseract, and launches an attack after putting on some big show about ruling earth just to leave? No way, something doesn't smell right."
"Tony, has a point-Doctor, are you still able to track the Cube?" Edie's smooth voice plucked Bruce's attention.
"Yes, most definitely but nothing has surfaced. There's an eerie calm out there, nothings biting."
"Are we to just wait around until Loki decides to reveal himself, very well launching another attack? One that is even more severe." Thor demanded in frustration, knowing his brother's devious ways.
"What else are we supposed to do? Dispatch a man hunt for a god and a cube? A god I might add that has abilities we can't even imagine. Security footage revealed his assault on Edie, where he a form of manipulation that rendered her paralyzed." Fury pointed out and with a few taps of the control panel the camera feed was on display for the entire team to witness.
"Loki has always had a way with trickery and mind games." Thor admitted gravely.
"Is this true?" Rogers cast troubled eyes towards the petite woman, who answers with a slow nod.
"I should have fought harder."
"He had you by the throat." Fury countered.
Anger rose in the soldier's chest as the video played, depicting Edie coiled in the god's grasp. His blood boiling at the close proximity of Loki to Edie, touching her as she was his, the Captain had suddenly become very territorial. The need to protect Edie overriding his every thought, he tore his eyes away from the screen to drink in her presence. He was itching to touch her, comfort her even in the smallest way.
Am I crazy? I just met her.
But look at her. How could I not feel something? I won't miss my chance this time.
A sudden hand ghosted Edie's jaw, trailing along the sensitive skin of her neck where Loki had held a tight grip.
Pooling blue eyes met her with growing concern, tugging hard against the strings of her heart. Edie too felt the pull, the need to console this man and any worry he may ever have.
"I'm alright. Really." Offering him a small smile, Edie's touch laced over Steve's massive hand. All the while she fought the urge to pepper kisses along the sweet skin.
Steve's genuine concern and signs of affection towards Edie made it harder to ignore the desires flooding her thoughts. She yearned to feel his touch longer, to be in his presence as much as possible. If not with love or lust, than at least friendship. The moment they had this morning still fresh in her mind, Edith could still feel the heat of his body radiating against her.
"If we have any hopes to find this thing and we are going to need round the clock surveillance. Which comes to me request, Stark if you would be so gracious as to let my men set up in your lab-"
"Oh no I don't want SHEILD agents running amuck in my building. Wrong-o-." Tony rebuked instantly, hands waving with emphasis.
"Then what do you suggest? We don't have the tech available at the moment to run the surveillance privately, Loki made sure of that." Fury pointed out in a matter of fact tone, as a silence fell across the room.
"We'll do it."
Everyone's attention snapped towards the dark hared billionaire.
"I beg your pardon?" Fury asked what the rest of the team was thinking.
"You're all going to stay cooped up in this tower of yours watching for the cube?"
"Sure. We'll take shifts, it'll be..fun." Tony gave a wicked grin, ignoring the protesting stares of the group.
"Oh brother." Edie murmured, exchanging a weary smirk with Bruce.
"Sure, what could go wrong?" The doctor mused under his breath, pulling a giggle and a playful nudge from the Healer.
-0-
After the meeting the two soldiers resumed their plans and headed out to collect the rest of Edie's belongings. The black SUV eased to a stop in front of the building they both recognized; but fondly was not the word to use though.
No, reluctantly is a much better word for this situation. They both reluctantly recognized, associating it only with the fact that this was where they both were footed with the bill of what they truly lost.
"Ready?"
Edie nodded mechanically towards Steve, not realizing she'd been holding her breath until the gritty concrete met her heels. She was glad to have him here, unsure if she'd actually be able to do this without him coaching her into every step with a smile and comforting touch.
A gorgeous blonde crutch.
They'd made it through the maze of elevators and halls in a blur and before she knew it, Edie was faced with a hazy familiarity of their surroundings.
"Here you are. Take your time. We'll be just outside." The agent's voice advised.
A muffled thank you from the Captain passed Edie's ears but she was too hypnotized by the ominous realization of what was behind that door to register the fact they were waiting on her move, her okay before they opened Pandora's Box.
The Healer's nerves jumped as a broad hand grazed her lower back, Steve's lips suddenly very close to her ear and she was kissed by his scent.
"You call the shots, Doll. We can come back another time." He coddled and though Edith was ever tempted to give in, barrel out of those double doors and never look back her body stayed rooted to the tiled floor.
"I-I'm ready." Edie caught her breath, the Captain's presence fueling her confidence despite the shaky response.
A long lashed gaze studied her profile as Steve leaned towards the door, brushing the length of his body against her.
"I'm here." The comfort in his voice kissed her collar, as if the ability to sense Edie's needs was already hardwired into his instincts.
And with that the door was opened but to Edie's surprise she wasn't sucked back in with a hurricane's force, nor was Dr. Zola waiting behind the door with his blood curdling laugh. She was met only with the gleaming wooden floors that always smelled of cleaner and the stark white hospital bed that made her back ache.
As if her legs weren't her own Edith stepped through the threshold, her towering blonde teddy bear close behind. With the same remote detachment she moved to the closet, which housed an array of outfits Edie didn't recognize. They were only there as a prop in the charade but nevertheless she found a suitcase tucked in the corner and began stowing the clothes neatly into its open mouth.
"Is there anything I can do?" Steve's warm words tapped Edie on the shoulder.
She stopped to study the fine detail of the sweater between her fingers; she'd never worn it but somehow felt it belonged to her, a silent witness to her time here.
"The books, there on the shelf. If you don't mind, dear."
Cap followed Edie's gaze to the shelf above the small table, heavy with novels.
They had outdone themselves really, Edie thought, surrounding me with things that mimicked what they found in my file. Teachers must love books, right? She imagined them discussing it and a bitterness rose inside her.
Stopping for a moment to watch Steve pack up the rest of the literary bystanders, the pages crisp and unknown to anything outside of these walls. Large, capable hands coiled around the spines and placed them with surprising gentleness into a canvas bag he too found in the closet.
The thought of being wrapped in those hands and strong arms with such tenderness distracted Edie from where she was. Suddenly she was no longer in that haunting room but rather on a beach, cradled against Steve's chest as they watched the sun melt into the endless blue water.
Reality set in as the whip of fresh air kissed her face and the warmth of Cap's hand returned against Edith's lower back as he ushered her onto the familiar street.
"Captain, we are to inform you both of a team meeting back at the Stark Tower, under Mr. Stark's arrangement."
"Thank you."
-0-
"Another meeting Tony? Really?" Natasha groaned, pulling a chuckle from Hawkeye.
"Hey that first one wasn't me, you can thank Papa Fury for that point less conference." Tony reminded.
"Okay so anyway I called you all hear as I have ironed out the watch schedule. I'm calling it 'Where's Waldo: Asgardian Edition'. "
His clever choice of words pulled a light laugh from the group all except Edie.
"I got that reference." Steve piped proudly before noticing the Healer's confusion.
Tony attempted to hide his growing smirk as he watched the two, Cap's close body language and Edith's sweet giggle muffled under her hand as Steve explained the reference to the popular Where's Waldo books.
Just wait until you see the schedule, Big Guy, Tony mused mentally.
"Alright Hoodlums listen up, in front of you there is a copy of the Watch schedule and do adhere to it, or else you'll feel the wrath of the Pepper Potts. Who worked oh so hard on it and as lovely as she is, no one wants to deal with that." Tony's voice snapped everyone's attention to the neatly typed charts placed in front of each of their positions.
Sneaking a glance at Steve's chiseled profile as his steely blue orbs skated over the itinerary, Edie wondered if he'd noticed the number of times they were paired together.
6 hours at a time, just him and me….starting tonight.
"Alright, Team. Everything look good? Okay good. Shall we put our hands together and shout a catch phrase? No? Yeah, cool. Natasha and Bruce, you two are up first. Make us proud, find that thing and we can all be done with this shit show." The billionaire announced, before making his way out of the room, donning that ever present smirk.
-0-
The two found themselves along once again, walking back to their suite Edie suddenly felt very nervous.
What if he finds me boring? What will we talk about? Will I be able to control myself?
Sitting in the same room as him for a long stretch of time would be a definite test of Edith's composure.
You're a lady Edie, you can't be so forward, men don't like that. Her mother's words reminded.
"Edie? You coming?"
A smile broke across her face at the sound of Steve's voice speaking her name, it seemed to engulf her in a warmth with every syllable.
"Of course, sorry." Edith stepped through the elevator's open mouth, realizing she'd been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn't known they had already made it back to the room.
Once inside they were met with a neat pile of luggage resting in the middle of the living room, Edie's hard shell Samsonite nestled against Steve's olive toned canvas duffle.
"Looks like we can finally get settled in." He acknowledge, starting over towards the luggage. Edie fell in beside him but he beat her to it, gripping both their bags.
"Which room would you like? I slept in this one last night, I wasn't sure which you liked and you looked..looked so comfortable I didn't want to disturb you." Steve recovered, eyes begging to fall across her face again as they closed in on the hallway.
"Thank you, you said you're in this one?"
He nodded when slender fingers pointed towards the nearest door.
"I'll take this one then."
A flood of energy swarmed Steve's chest at her decision on the room just across from his, nodding shyly he followed in behind Edie, finding an open spot for her bags.
"Well I suppose you'll want to get some rest before our shift tonight, I'll let you get settled in." Steve was about to take leave when a small voice turned him around.
"Um, Steve.."
He met her nervous expression with a fighting smirk as he watched Edie fidget with twisted fingers and dig down for the courage.
"I think I've spent plenty of time resting in that ice. Would you be up for escorting a gal around the city?"
Steve shifted the strap of his duffle and cast a glowing grin towards the floor, an overjoyed blush threatening to break his cool exterior.
"I couldn't think of anything better, Doll. Let me just go put this in my room."
They exchanged an agreeing nod and just as he paced into the hall Edie puffed a labored sigh of triumph, checking her reflection in the adjacent bureau with a mile wide grin.
The city buzzed around them as Edie and Steve merged onto the street, a sea of people weaving around them in a bubble of their own worlds. Edie gaped upward in awe at the buildings kissing the sky and Steve found it hard to do anything but watch her, permanently elated. It felt like in an instant everything around them changed, and yet how poetic was it that they were touring the very city where they had first met all those years ago.
The fates bringing them together once more.
The duo stretched a leg to cross the street when one of Edie's heels snagged a crack and she instantly gripped the soldier for support, arm hooked around his elbow.
"You alright?" Steve piped concern, assessing her for any injury.
"Quite, thank you." Edie blushed, and they both took notice to the closeness of their bodies, molded together so naturally. Despite the silence of their lips Steve and Edie's eyes sang sonnets as they stood tangled together, in a bubble of their own.
Resuming their trek through the familiar city with comfortable smiles and Edie's hand still coiled snuggly around the Captain's arm he gave her a peek inside the world of his youth and coming of age in the city as the war raged on overseas. Unearthing deeply buried memories the Captain hadn't thought about in some time, remembering when he was just Steve Rogers and not the stoically ambitious Captain America. Edie listened with deep interest, learning about the man behind the mask was something she correctly assumed did not happen often. The Captain had become a solitary man in this new world.
Steve too learned much about Edie's past life, including her job as an elementary school teacher and the family she left behind. Edie was quite fond of her brother Desmond; a young orphaned African American boy her parents took in at the young age of five years old when Edie was very young herself. Despite the ridged push of society to keep races separated at the time, Edie saw no difference in Desi.
Racism was something that the Healer had no room for in her heart. We are all people after all, flesh and blood in this vulnerable world. And the horrors of what humans were capable of doing to each other would haunt Edie forever, but she did not let that consume her. Only pushed forward and kept a firm grasp on those she loved and held dear.
"He was my best friend. We shared everything together, don't get me wrong I loved my older brother Everett to bits it's just…Desi was different, with a heart of gold. We clicked immediately and were inseparable from the start. I loved him very much." Edie blinked away the pooling tears as the memories of her dear brother reminded her of how far away she truly was. Desi's beaming face resurfaced in her mind from the day she left Philadelphia, kissing him goodbye on the train and promising to call him as soon as she got to Queens.
"You remind me of him." Edie whispered against Steve's shoulder.
"You have that same kindness in your eyes."
And Steve shifted that very gaze towards Edie's profile as she studied the life around her, admiring the people and shops they passed. He couldn't shake the feeling that despite Edie's radiant smile, she held scars and wounds deep within her soul much like he did. And if even in some small way Steve was hopeful that he could help her feel whole again.
Isn't that what people really want? To feel complete?
Steve could feel that sensation spread through his chest each time he looked at this raven haired woman that walked with such humble purpose beside him.
The two were unaware of the severe bonding their souls were taking to each other under the surface. Two cannot go through what they had and not feel a connection. The world around them may have been modern and changing but the love they were building for one another was old fashioned enough to stand the test of time.
Later on in their tour of the city….
"I can tell you one thing, people treated me a lot different after the serum. Took some getting used to, it was as if folks were seeing me for the first time in my life." Steve confessed, settling down on the park bench next to her as they rested for a quick bite from a street vendor.
Rogers was finding the ability to talk to Edie as easy as breathing. They had fallen into a pattern of speaking and sharing their thoughts but then there were moments of comfortable silences that came as natural to the duo as if they'd know each other for much more than just a few days.
"I saw you." Edie reminded, a smile reaching her eyes as she chewed on the salty bit of pretzel.
"That you did. You were about the only one, besides Bucky and Dr. Abraham Erskine who dared to take a chance on me. If it weren't for him I don't know where I would have ended up."
Why did that name sound familiar to Edie? A cloud of hushed conversations in Red Skull's voice surfaced in her mind, hazy with exhaustion from countless experiments they were mere muffles at the time but the name Erskine had stuck out to her.
"You would have been a fine artist, maybe even designing posters for the war effort." Edie asserted, returning her attention back to reality she witnessed the light from earlier returning to Steve's eyes when he'd told her of his passion for sketching and the art school before the war.
Cap puffed a laugh at Edie's prediction, shaking off the jitters of affection running through his veins he threw a skin of pretzel to a gaggle of awaiting pigeons who squabbled for their share.
"You're too kind. Tell that to Johnny Risco, or Big Reggie Bailer. They thought I'd make a better punching bag than anything else."
"Give me their addresses, I'll pay them a visit. I can be very intimidating" Edie nodded with mischief as she crossed her legs gently.
"There's only two places they could be." Steve laughed, reminding them of their true ages.
"Ah yes, well I'm skipping the cemetery, but I will trudge through every nursing home I gotta. Give them a stern talking to. Who could ever hurt such a kind face?" Edie mused through a pursed smile, playfully nudging Steve's chin with her knuckles and they both felt that tingling hum as their skin met.
"Where did you picture yourself if you hadn't joined?" Steve continued, watching Edie's face twist with pondering.
"Possibly still teaching or helping my father open another shop, he was hoping to expand one here into the city. Maybe we would have been in the same city."
"I would've liked that." Steve grinned at the scenes flashing through his head if things had truly played out differently.
Where would they have met again? As he made his way down the street, noticing her beautiful smile in a shop window? Or perhaps bumping into her in the park with her button nose buried in a thick novel? Steve was sure of one thing, if he'd gotten a chance to see Edie again back then he'd never let her out of his sight.
Isn't life funny that way? Never works out how you planned but seems to give you another version of happiness that you couldn't have predicted in your wildest imaginations.
"Edie if you don't mind me asking…why weren't you married? I mean, you're just so…" Steve's words trailed to the wind when she met his gaze, hand itching to brush back the raven waves that clung to her neck with the warm breeze.
"Um, I just mean I would think fellas would have been lining up around the corner to have chance with you." He coughed nervously with elbows planted against his knees, Steve hunched to study the crisp grass fighting to push through the concrete path.
He hasn't changed a bit, just as nervous and shy as that night at the convention. He truly doesn't know his worth does he? Did he really not know how his beautiful soul radiated to his handsome features and made him down right irresistible? Edie mused to herself, biting back the growing smirk that wobbled across her lips. She took the liberty to inch closer, sensing the Cap's back stiffen as she closed the gap between them.
"I suppose I hadn't met the right one yet." Her velvet voice tickled Steve's ear and beckoned him to look into those green eyes.
"Well since we are on the subject, don't even try and tell me there wasn't a Mrs. America." Edie teased with a knowing smile.
"Barely."
"Don't hold out on me now, Rogers." Edie hummed through closed lips.
Steve shook his head with a weak grin before slipping a hand into his back pocket, suddenly very nervous. The brown leather of his wallet unfolded with ease and inside he found the ceased photo of Peggy Carter staring back at him. The last piece of her and his past, Steve handed it off to Edie with a held breath.
"Wow. She's lovely, Steve." Edie's fingers traced the black and white photo gingerly, following the worn edges.
Air caught in Steve's throat, the painful farewell to Peggy still held a fresh wound in his heart, but it was one that began a slow progress towards healing the closer he drew to Edie. Her presence held a comforting stability which calmed the crushing unease that drummed against the Captain's chest.
"We had a date but…"
A thick silence followed after Steve struggled for words.
"You ran out of time." Edie concluded gravely before slipping the picture safely back into his hand. Edie's fingers loitered, thumb drawing a pattern across his palm and Steve felt the walls crumbling.
This bear of a man was nothing more than an orphaned cub in her hands, blue eyes yearning desperately for solace and it broke Edie's heart.
What was it about this woman that stripped me of my defenses and left me vulnerable? And why did I feel so safe with her? As is completely myself for the first time? Steve battled with the realizations.
Edith's hands found his body, cupping Steve's cheek and drawing soothing circles across his back to calm the tension rising in that muscular body.
"You aren't alone anymore. I promise you that, Steve."
Edie watched thick lashes caress his tragically beautiful expression as he drew in a cleansing breath.
"Thank you." Cap whispered a kiss against the soft skin of her palm, all the while resisting the urge to kiss those strawberry lips.
Not like this, but I will taste those lips one of these days. He vowed to himself.
"It's a tricky game isn't it? Reminiscing."
"It can pull you into a dark pit with one thought and can be impossible to escape. It's suffocating. The what if's and the what could've been's. I propose a counter attack, what do you think soldier?" Edie continued with a manicured brow arched in waiting, lightening the mood in the process.
"Ma'am?" Steve replied with peaked curiosity, finding Edie's ability to relate to the 'out of place' feeling he carried with him everywhere and the swarming thoughts that often ripped him from a dead sleep uncanny.
It was as if she was reading his mind where they sat and Steve would have gladly told her anything she wanted to know, gladly given anything to keep that smile pointed in his direction. The Captain had acquired a guilty pleasure for the Healer and he couldn't shake it.
"When we begin to fall into that trap, we will make it a choice to list three things that either we won't miss from the past or that we hope to try in this new era we've been given." Edie punctuated in a matter of fact tone that pulled Steve from that very pit she was referring to.
"I'd like that very much." Steve beamed.
"Shall we start? Help me list three things we hope to try." Edie extended a hand as she erected to her full height that just met his shoulder in her cream colored pumps. Soon the wind caught the maroon pleats of her dress and whipped waves of hair across her cheeks, and Steve felt his heart ache with happiness as he watched the giggle erupt from her throat.
Picking up where they left off, Steve and Edie wandered back through the concrete jungle towards the towering name of STARK that stamped the skyline.
"Internet."
"What's that? Sounds serious." He had peeked Edie's curiosity.
"It's something alright, hard to wrap your head around but don't fret I'll show you. Now your turn." Steve fought to keep his smile under wraps, surely he looked like a mental patient to those passing by with his beaming smile and that starry dazed look in his eye. But he couldn't help it, Edie just had that effect on him. He was pleasantly at her whim, heart tucked neatly in those soft hands.
Sneaking a glance at her, eyes narrowed and ivory expression contemplating for another answer as they crossed the streets just in time for the traffic light to change.
"Hmm…films. I had quite the crush on a fella named John Wayne. Did you know of him? I wonder if he became popular."
"Oh did you now? Well we'll have to google him." Steve's words hummed through a happy tune, giving her hand a teasing squeeze. It had found its favorite spot snaked around his elbow and suddenly Steve forgot what it felt like not to have her on his arm.
"Google him? Oh dear, I fear I have a lot to learn." The Healer mused wearily.
"Don't worry, that's what I'm here for. We'll learn together."
"You've got one more, Captain." She reminded, internally stunned as they neared the familiar sky scraper so quickly, time seemed to fly when they were together.
"Okay..hmmm I'd have to say sushi. Agent Romanoff says it's her favorite."
The two filed in through the lobby, the clicking of Edie's heels joining the conversation, they stopped to wait for the elevator.
"Fancy, care to try it tonight? After all we are due in for our shift at 6'oclock. Unless you've had enough of me for today." Edie batted glittering eyes at him, relaxed against the wall in such a way that had Steve's self-control waning and he was ready to pounce.
"You read my mind." Steve gulped audibly, watching a smirk tug at the corner of her lips in the warm glow of the elevator's overhead light.
-0-
"Well now this was on our list of things to try but I still plan on taking you out for a proper dinner." Steve advised with a chuckle as he spread out the carry-out containers on the metallic lab station in front of them. Assuring Edie he hadn't forgotten about his promise to her amongst the chaos of the Hellicarrier attack just the day before, something that seemed years away, and unable to break the spell of happiness that fell over their time today.
"Oh yeah? I'll have to hold you to that. Mmhh, thank you. I'm excited." Edie wiggled with eagerness in the padded stool as the cartons revealed multicolored dishes of Japanese cuisines.
The evening they spent together was rather calm and uneventful on the Tesseract front but the two only grew closer. Sharing a new experience and struggling with chopsticks all the way but Edie couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed so hard, sides aching.
"How did you meet Bucky again? I mean I know you two were in the same squad but did something happen?" Steve asked later into the evening, discarding the last empty carry-out box into the trash.
"Janet Burdock." Edie answered simply.
"Oh no, what did he do?" Steve winced dramatically, knowing Bucky's track record with dames.
"Well you see the nurses were stationed in their own camp but that didn't stop the..mingling." Edie recalled with an insinuating blush.
"Did you and Buck ever…mingle?" Steve kicked himself for asking, the green monster of jealously clawing up his leg at just the thought.
"No, not at all. Buck and I were strictly friends, I had to keep him in line most of the time."
Edie caught the soldier's eyes flicker, nervous gray lightened into a breathtaking cloudless sky and she swore his shoulder's exhaled in relief.
"Especially with Janet Burdock. I told him that she was engaged but Sergeant Barnes was quite the charmer." Edie refocused, hands tying themselves together on her lap to resist the urge to knot into that soft sandy hair, kiss those plump lips and show him who she truly wanted to mingle with.
Flashback: Meeting Sergeant James Buchannan Barnes
Dirt flew through the air and rained down in a hail of stones and mud, grenades cratering the ground beneath them as the Nazi soldiers dug their claws in to hold the position against the mountain.
A dark haired soldier darted between the cover of towering pines and jagged boulders, advancing further through the dense forest. The atmosphere above rang with a barking melody of German tongue and heavy artillery fire but Sergeant Barnes kept a trained eye on the target at the foot of the highland.
Machine Gun.
An angry assembly of hot metal mowing down everything in its path, if he just could take out the gunner manning the weapon they'd cripple the German's upper hand.
Taking a firm step forward Buck continued his stealthy creep, successfully undetected until a searing pain slashed his thigh and sent him tumbling into the open aisle of forest bed. The damp moss beckoned him to stay down but he knew he had to get out of the line of fire, German soldiers just feet away and oblivious to his vulnerability…but not for long.
It was as Bucky eased onto his knees to crawl back under the cover of foliage that again that crippling pain shot through his lower body and he was unable to cage the yelp of agony, immediately catching the Nazi's attention.
Preying like hungry wolves on a wounded lamb the sneering soldiers lined up the machine gun in his direction. Clawing desperately into the soft ground Buck fought to move even an inch out of harm's way, chest heaving with exerted efforts. But when his attempts were futile Buck clamped his eyes shut and braced himself for the dark hands of death.
Shots pierced the air and rang loudly in his ears but nothing came, he felt nothing but the throbbing of his wounded thigh. It was when he dared to take a peek that a blur of hands, sky and was that the smell of..lemons? flew by Buck in an instant and soon he felt the thud of his back against the cover of trees once more.
A petite shadow of a muddy uniform stood before him, holstering a pistol before crouching in front of him. Brilliant green eyes focusing on him from under a heavy metal helmet.
"Where are you hit, soldier?"
Bucky heard her voice for the first time, a calming velvet that seemed so out of place in this chaotic warzone. Shock stole Barnes's words and he could only watch as the stranger gave him a once over, reaching around for her bag she pulled out supplies. He was just about to ask who she was, finally finding the deeply buried courage when her soot covered hand flew up over his mouth and the next thing Bucky felt was the pressure of her right hand pulsing a cool sensation over his thigh as the pain dissipated.
"Sorry, I didn't know if you'd scream." She offered a weak smile and all Bucky could do was stare at her dumbfounded at where this angel had come from that swooped into the line of fire and saved him. The gun fire had ceased around them and the familiar sound of their squad's commanders barking out orders gave a relieving sign that they had snuffed out the Nazi opposition and could move forward.
"Let's get you outta here, soldier."
Bucky simply mirrored her nod, accepting the delicately outstretched hand he followed her lead towards the now quiet and Nazi ridden bunker.
War can be described as a blur; nothing but adrenaline, instincts and gun fire. It's easy to get lost, or lose someone. But there are also these moments that seem unnaturally slow, haunting and never ending, that seem to leave an imprint on your soul.
After their moment in the forest Bucky lost track of the mystery woman, asking around was hopeless without a name. It wasn't until days later after ceaseless dreams of emerald eyes and bloody earth, often waking up to the faint scent of lemons Buck finally met her once more.
Her back lay comfortably against the chipping bark of a tree along the babbling river. Opening the heavy novel in the waning light of the setting sun there she sat.
Buck hadn't noticed her at first, he'd been walking with Tommy "Motorhead" Kenton from Texas whistling at a group of nurses, in particularly a redhead named Janet.
"She's engaged." The reader hummed as Bucky passed, the sound of that familiar voice stopping him in his tracks.
A triumph smile crept across his handsome face at his final discovering, the nameless woman never bothered to look up from the worn pages only continued to read unfazed by his fixated staring.
"Where in the hell have you been, Doll?"
That caught her attention, revealing those green eyes to him finally.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I been looking for you everywhere, don't break my heart and tell me you don't remember me." Buck drew closer, aware of her scrutinizing gaze that struggled to place his face until recognition lit up her expression.
"Ah, yes. In the forest." She acknowledged, placing the book against her lap.
"That's me."
"So you've been looking for me?" She asked with curiosity.
"Yes, ma'am. Just ask the squad, resorted to calling you Nightingale because I didn't know your name." Buck nodded, stepping closer with hands stuffed in his pockets.
"Nightingale?"
"Florence Nightingale. Angel of the battlefield." He informed her of his clever connection between the two.
"Ah, well Barnes..is it?" She read the stitching on his uniform from his standing position.
"Yes, well I hate to break it to you but that was Clara Barton, not Florence Nightingale."
"Let me guess back home, you're a teacher aren't ya?"
Her brow furrowed with his correctly blind guess of her occupation.
"Yes. How'd you know?"
"By the way you corrected me just then." Buck was a taken back, use to dames crumbling into a fit of blushes and giggles from the moment he flashed a pearly smile. This tough cookie was a breath of fresh air to the New Yorker.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"No, don't be. It's nice having someone call me on my shit for once." Bucky halted her apology with a confession, chuckle rumbling his muscular chest.
"Well in that case, may I dish out another?" She asked and Bucky had a notion that no matter when he said she was going to tell him anyway, so he caved.
"What's that?"
"I saw you out there, almost got yourself killed. Advancing too fast and without anyone on your back." The raven haired nurse revealed, eyes filled with pooling concern and annoyance.
"Hey heroes don't sit on the side lines and wait." Bucky attempted to shrug off the feeling of being scolded.
"They die?" She countered.
"Alright, so what do you propose..?" Buck trailed off, realizing he still hadn't acquired her name.
"Edie, Edie Andrews."
And Buck took a step back, as if noticing her for the first time. Emerald eyes gleaming and ivory cheeks bathed in the dying sunlight, he concluded the name suited her.
"So what do you propose, Edie?" Buck took the liberating to join her on the grass, back relaxing against the wooden trunk.
"Get yourself a wing man out there. I mean we are all supposed to be watching each other's back as a squad but..well you know what's in like out there. Sometimes you barely remember your own name let alone countless scrambling bodies. So there you have it, acquire a wing man and one of your many problems are solved." Edie nodded with conviction, turning her attention back to the novel in hopes of ushering in some alone time.
"Who do you suggest?" Buck attempted to make himself comfortable, nudging and shimming against the unforgiving tree at his back.
"Any one your men."
"Ehhh, I think I have someone else in mind already." Buck countered with a sly smirk to which Edie was oblivious.
"Alright, well there you go. Next step is to ask them."
"Okay…hey Edie."
"Yess, Barnes.?" She hummed with a playful eye roll, settling back to re-read the same sentence.
"Be my wing-man?"
Edie dropped the book from her face, eyeing his puppy dog expression with suspicion. He was persistent she'd give him that, and charming. She'd already saved him once before, what's another time going to hurt?
"Alright." She huffed, covering her face with the book once more to hide her growing smirk.
"Swell." Buck bellowed in triumph, taking the liberty to stretch out in the cool grass and nestle his head in Edie's lap.
"I beg your pardon, soldier. What do you think you're doing? Aren't you supposed to be hosting some shindig? " Edie quizzed with wide eyes at his reclined position and the two cast their gaze towards the large tent a few paces away, soft sound of the radio and cackling women filtered down to the riverbed.
"What? I'm spending time with my wing-man. Now what are we reading?" Buck flashed her that boyish smile.
What did I get myself into? Edie shook her head with a wide grin.
Reality: Stark Tower, 12 AM…
"Please tell me you two found something."
The duo jolted at the sudden yawning voice of Tony Stark, pulling them from their warm bubble of conversation. And like children caught with their hands in the cookie jar Edie and Steve gaped wide eyed at the silken robe clad Tony, idling in the doorway with a newspaper tucked neatly under his arm.
The billionaire quirked a manicured brow and mischievous smirk towards Steve at the sight before him; Edie's legs relaxed comfortably across the Captain's lap, his broad hands rubbing smooth circles along her calves and feet. Tony's lingering stares prompted Edie to shuffle back with a glowing blush, and Steve instantly missed the warmth of her skin.
"Morning, Tony, Thor." Edie nodded, erecting to slip her heels back on just as the god joined them. The Asgardian oblivious to the awkwardness thickening in the air.
Tony shook his head, enjoying their feeble attempts to play off their attraction for one another.
"No, sorry. Night was pretty uneventful." Steve coughed, hand pawing the muscles of his neck nervously as he too stood.
"Sure it was." Tony murmured wickedly, clapping a hand on the soldier's shoulder as he shuffled past.
"Sweet Dreams you too." Tony's voice sang after their backs that retreated farther down the hall.
"They better make a big speech about me at their wedding. I mean after all I've done. Don't you think I at least deserve that?" Tony shifted his attention to the long haired blonde looming over the lab station.
"Loki will spend an eternity in the depth of Muspelheim for this. I do not like being awoken at an hour like this for these trivial games." Thor grumbled, iron first hitting the metallic table with thundering force.
"Easy! Are you always this dramatic? I think it's time we introduce you to a little thing called espresso." Tony rolled his eyes, striding over to the one of the many impression coffee brews that were standard in any lab located in his building.
Meanwhile…
The walk back to their suite was a quiet one, filled with sneaking glances and the sting of Tony's knowing smile.
"Well goodnight." Steve concluded when they reached their opposite doors, the struggle to think of something to keep them lingering in the hall pooled between them.
"Yes, good night. Sleep well." Edie nodded, drinking in the handsome features of his face in the overhead lighting. Hooded eyes peering down at her through thick lashes, inviting hands fidgeting in front him.
When there was finally nothing more to say, they both reluctantly turned towards their neighboring doors. But suddenly her small voice entered the air between them once more.
"Steve.."
He turned to find Edie had crossed the space of the hallway, emerald eyes pooled with desire as they gazed up at him and he could no longer fight his arousal. Steve's hands found her body, cupping the smooth skin of her face and tracing the curve of her waist. The small gap between them dwindled with each passing second.
"Thank you for the tour."
The words ghosted his lips and for the first time Steve tasted the sweetness of her mouth, lips crashing against each other in searing kisses that left them breathless. Edie's hands found his hair, tugging him closer but she lost all grip on reality when his tongue swiped the plumpness of her bottom lip. A moan vibrated from Edie's mouth and hit Steve straight in the groin. The couple's lungs burned for air and their desires dared them to continue, but reluctantly they both pulled back to surface for air.
Steve's forehead lay gingerly against hers, their panting a unified symphony in the small hallway and the Captain noticed a smirk forming on her lips.
"Looks like I need to give tours more often." Steve puffed with a chuckle, earning himself a panted giggle from the woman held tightly in his arms.
Neither dared to let go of one another afraid they may float away on a high of happiness; his hands still gripped her hips and Edie's arms were laced firmly around the Captain's neck.
"You're trouble, soldier." Edie mused with husky voice and a dreamy look in her eye.