The cab Tony called dropped them at Steve's apartment. Natasha wasn't sure what to do next. She was laden with her gifts; they'd left the karaoke machine at Tony's. Should she offer to stay, just leave and go home? She didn't want to be a pest if he wanted some alone time.

Steve reached down and tipped her chin up. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I guess I should probably go home." Her unease was apparent.

Steve's eyes were awash with concern as he watched the walls that she had dropped for him the night before start to come down around her. "Natasha, don't. Don't do that."

"What?" She frowned up at him.

"Close up again. Come on, we need to have a talk." Steve swept her under his arm, grabbed the gym bag with her gifts and marched her inside and up to his apartment. Once they got inside, he maneuvered her over to the couch and sat her down. He sat next to her and took her hands in his. They were delicate looking hands, so small in comparison to his own.

"Listen to me," He began, "You are never not welcome here. I will even give you my spare key so you don't have to break in again. You're safe with me, Nat. I will do everything in my power not to cause you any pain or regret."

"Okay." She whispered.

"I laid my shield aside last night not because I've got so much to catch up on but because it was you. I wanted you too; from the first moment I saw you on the helicarrier a year ago. All I could think about was holding you in my arms, a woman who was so special, so incredibly brave and so beautiful. I never dreamed that you might want me as well. Me, Natasha; not Captain America, just Steve Rogers."

He paused and searched her face. It was hard to determine whether he was getting through to her or not. "Please don't shut me out. Whatever you are feeling, whatever questions you want to ask, please keep everything open between us."

She nodded and met his gaze. Her eyes were clear, no tears, receding pain. "I wasn't sure if you didn't want to be alone. I've been here for two days now and didn't know how to ask if you still wanted me to come in. I've never done this before either, Steve. A real relationship, I mean."

"Then we'll do it together, hand in hand and side by side, like we do everything else." Steve's smile was warm and tender.

She couldn't help but smile back at him. "Okay."

Her eyes widened suddenly, "Steve, thank you again for these beautiful earrings." She reached up to touch one. "I never expected any gift let alone such a beautiful one."

"It's my pleasure. I want to spoil my best girl." Steve reached around her and pulled her against him, kissing the top of her head.

Natasha honed in on what he just said, "Your best girl? Is that code for going steady in 1945 speak?"

Steve laughed and hugged her tighter to him, "Yes, Sweetheart, I guess it is." He pulled back and looked her in the eye. "That is, if you want to. I want you to be my best girl, the choice is up to you."

She couldn't explain the turmoil in her heart. He knew what she was, knew she was an assassin; knew she was damaged goods but he still seemed to want her. Well, hell. Apparently this was a day of firsts.

"Okay, Steve. I'll be your best girl."

That pleased him immeasurably and he pulled her in for a proper kiss.

They spent the rest of the evening watching movies and necking on his couch. Much, much later, Steve felt her head grow heavier against his chest. She'd fallen asleep. Carefully, tenderly, the super soldier scooped her up and carried her to his bed. He took her boots off and slid her under the covers. Natasha barely stirred.

He was tired but his fingers yearned to create something. He got out his sketch pad and pencils, sitting at his kitchen table until dawn broke, drawing images of the woman in his bed. When he finally crawled into bed with her, exhausted but happy, she scooted toward his warmth and he enfolded her in his arms before drifting off himself. That night he dreamed of Skinny Steve and an intoxicatingly beautiful red headed spy.

The next morning, Natasha woke up alone in Steve's apartment. He'd left a note for her on the table where she'd left the one for him.
"Sweetheart, quick mission to Toronto per Fury. Here is my spare key for your use. Make yourself at home, everything I have is yours. Can't wait to hold you again, Steve."

She picked up the key and twirled it in her fingers. There was that trust thing again. He trusted her with his home, his possessions, his secrets. She shook her head. He was the biggest example of non-toxic masculinity she'd ever seen. Steve Rogers was alpha enough to be gentle, a guardian of any and all he believed needed his protection, and a man who absolutely would not abuse his status or strength. Never had she known anyone like him.

After a shower and breakfast, Natasha poked through his bookshelf in the living room and found an old photo album. She made herself a fresh pot of coffee and settled on the couch with a cup and Steve's album. The first pages showed a small, frail looking boy with his mother. Natasha wondered who had taken the candid photos since she knew Steve's father had died before he was born.

The child she was looking at had his mother's blonde hair and big blue eyes. Evidently he'd gotten his nose and mouth from his dad. Baby Steve was simply a beautiful little boy who was obviously loved and cherished. Further into the album, there were pictures of him with a handsome young man who was apparently his friend since there were a lot of them together. Natasha extracted one of the pictures and saw elegant handwriting on the back noting, "Steve and Bucky".

There were a lot of pictures with Steve and the young man named Bucky. Some with just the two of them, some with Steve and his mother and some with perky looking young women as the two boys became men. The ones with the girls gave her more of a clue; the girls always seems to be hanging on or close to Bucky while Steve was a little off to the side.

Natasha frowned as she inspected one toward the end, it was dated 1941 and said "Sergeant James 'Bucky' Barnes". It was a picture of Bucky in his uniform. Next to him was Steve who looked to be at least a full eight inches shorter, much more frail, but smiling at his friend. Bucky's hand was on Steve's shoulder in a brotherly fashion. Behind them were a couple of impatient looking women and a large banner that said, Stark Expo. It must have been one of the last pictures taken of Steve before he joined the Army. One of the last of Bucky too. Now she had a face to go with the name of Steve's lost best friend. The one he'd lost on the train which she'd read about.

Steven Grant Rogers had been born in 1918, America entered the war in 1940, which made him 23 in the picture in 1941. With his slim frame, he looked like an eighteen year old kid next to his taller, muscular friend. He had a lost look about him. Natasha stared at the photo for a long time. She knew from his file that he had been so determined to join the Army and serve that he had lied on his enlistment forms and tried five different times to get in. His health issues had earned him a firm 4F rating until Dr. Abraham Erskine had seen beyond the fragile shell into the heart of a guardian soldier who only wanted to help others in need. Erskine's death still haunted Steve as did Bucky's.

She carefully put the photo back in the album and the album back on the shelf where it had been kept. There was an old cigar box further down the shelf. Natasha opened it and found more of Steve's medals, a presidential citation, Medal of Honor, and an old tarnished compass. She flipped open the lid to find a picture of a beautiful dark haired woman with dark eyes in uniform. "Peggy," she whispered and studied the photo.

Just looking at her, she could see how Steve would have been smitten. The woman was beautiful with a strong, determined look on her face. Natasha knew that Steve had gone off half cocked to rescue men trapped behind enemy lines because Peggy believed in him. Thankfully, he had been an excellent tactician even then and pulled off the rescue without a hitch. Still, it twanged at her own protective instincts that even then when he was being an actual hero, no one, particularly Peggy herself, had thought to really be there for Steve. Sure they were all there cheering Captain America on but why wasn't Steve Rogers valued and cherished? No wonder he had identity issues.

Nat scrambled into her clothing, left Steve a brief note and had the doorman hail a cab for her to her apartment. Once there, she changed clothes into a tight midnight blue v-neck cashmere sweater that hugged her curves and contrasted well with her red curls, black jeans and her lower heeled thigh high black boots; packed an overnight bag with some specific garb that she had on hand from prior missions, stopped in at S.H.I.E.L.D to get currency from their storehouse then headed off to Stark Tower to find Thor. She had an idea simmering in her head and she was pretty certain the god of thunder would be able to advise her and maybe even help her.

As she walked in the front doors of Stark Tower, she ran into Pepper Potts, Tony's patient, erstwhile girlfriend who was on her way out. "Hey, Pepper," Natasha waved at her friend.

"Natasha! What a nice surprise!" Pepper stopped to hug her.

"Listen, Pepper, I need a favor. I need to talk to Thor. I've got an idea to help Steve with some stuff but I don't want Tony finding out or teasing me or Steve about it."

Pepper grinned, "I don't think Tony is going to antagonize Steve very much for awhile after that swat he got at the party."

Natasha laughed, "Good, but could you please distract him for a bit while I get Thor and get out of here?"

"You bet. I'll take care of it. Can I know what's going on?" Pepper asked.

"It's a little hard to explain right now but if I am successful, I'll tell you all about it; I promise." Nat appreciated Pepper for a number of reasons. She was a very, very good friend; she could control Tony when no one else could and she could keep her mouth shut when necessary.

"Deal." Pepper said, pulling out her phone to call Tony. "Hey, listen, we've got an appointment with some S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who is replacing Phil Coulson...yes, you need to be there. Come down, I'll have Happy keep the car on idle."

"You're all clear. Go that way," Pepper pointed toward the business offices of Stark Tower, "and then go up to the apartment. Give me 5 minutes to get him off site."

Natasha obeyed her and hurried off. As soon as she could she stealthily made her way up to Tony and Pepper's apartment. As promised, Thor was there with Clint and Bruce. "Hey guys," she said as she stepped in. Bruce waved noncommittally at her and went back to what he was reading.

"Hey Nat," Clint said, "Steve's not here. Fury sent him on a thing to Toronto."

"Yeah, I know, I need to talk to Thor though, if that's all right."

Thor's surprise was evident, "Lady Natasha? What may I help you with?"

She'd gotten to know Thor fairly well over the past year and liked him and his astrophysicist girlfriend, Jane Foster very much. They'd never really sat down and had a chat one to one though so this was a little awkward.

"You got a minute for a private talk?"

"For you, certainly, Lady Natasha." Thor stood to his full height, dwarfing the red haired spy. He was at least four inches taller than Steve, she noticed as she really looked at him.

"Great, let's go out on the patio." Nat set her bag down and went out the door. Thor followed.

"I'm going to share something with you that I'd like you to keep to yourself for the time being," Natasha started out.

Thor's bright blue eyes regarded her steadily. He wasn't just all muscle. Like Steve, Thor was highly intelligent and after thousands of years of life, was pretty quick to catch on to subtle 'tells' from people. "You and Captain Rogers are finally in a relationship?"

"Damn it, Thor." Natasha blushed, to her absolute horror.

Chuckling, he patted her shoulder gently, "It is well, little sister. You two compliment each other. He is a fine, honorable man and you, my lady, are a fine, honorable woman."

"Well, I don't know about that," she said without looking at him.

"I do." Thor said, definitively, reaching down to tip her chin up so that she'd meet his eyes. "We have all done things we are not proud of, Natasha. Your Captain Rogers is well aware of this. He is not a man to judge people for their past. He knows that his life and his heart are safe in your keeping. You need to remember that yours are safe in his hands as well. Let him love you. You are worthy of such a man and he is worthy of a woman who will not fear his love and who will be at his side, always."

Natasha fidgeted uncomfortably. Besides Clint and now Steve, she wasn't used to having true male friends who would throw truth into her face when she least expected it. Thor was treating her like a kid sister and while it felt different and a little invasive, it felt comforting as well. She patted his arm.

"Thanks, Thor. That means a lot, really it does. That is kind of what I wanted to talk to you about..." They sat down on the edge of the fire pit and Natasha explained what she was thinking. Thor listened without interrupting until she was done.

"I believe there might be a way to fulfill your wish," Thor said finally. "Will you accompany me to Asgard? We will seek counsel of my mother, Frigga. She will know how to accomplish this, I am certain."

"Seriously? Asgard? That would be great." Natasha was surprised and humbled that he would suggest taking her to his home world.

"Clint! Please bring my bag here!" Natasha yelled to Barton in the next room. Hawkeye came out onto the patio and handed her the bag, "What's going on, Nat?"

"Clint, Thor's taking me to Asgard. I left a note for Steve but it's not going to cover this. Will you please tell him that I'll be back as soon as I can and I will explain everything?"

Clint narrowed his eyes at her. "Were you planning on explaining to me as well?"

"Yes, I will explain everything to you as well." Natasha replied.

"Good, you can explain when we get there. I'm coming with you." Barton jogged back into the apartment to get his equipment before she could answer. "No, Clint..." Natasha yelled at his receding back.

"It would be a good idea to have a partner, little sister." Thor said. "I cannot go with you as I am afraid I am too obvious. Barton is stealthy and your friend as well. He would be a good choice to watch over you in case there are problems."

"I really need to do this alone, Thor." Natasha sighed. "Clint knows better than anyone that I'm capable of taking care of myself. Let's go."

"As you wish," Thor wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and threw out his hand. Mjolinir flew to him instantly. "Heimdall!" Thor bellowed. There was a barrage of rainbow light then a wrenching twist in her stomach as the world fell away. Natasha threw her arms around Thor's waist and held on.