Disclaimer: I don't own Avengers or The green hornet.

I've been waiting a looong time to finally get to this chapter and the next. Hopefully you won't be disappointed!

Chapter 27: The right partner

Romanoff was lying in the stretcher while Penny checked her scaring tissue and removed the stitches. They had reached some sort of understanding in the aftermath of the surgery and the procedure was going quiet and smoothly enough, with no slashing one another with quick retorts.

"You're all set Romanoff. Remember to take the painkillers for a few more days. And see Dr. Stevens alright?" Natasha nodded and gave her a piercing look. "I'll see you tomorrow at 10 Dr. Morse" Penny nodded. Disasterrecovery meeting, with Romanoff running point, Fury had a weird sense of humor.

"Natasha, wait" she closed the door and turned around to face her surgeon. "Yes Dr. Morse?" the doctor looked at her "Are you having problems with me running point? I am one of the finest agents in this place." Penny crossed her arms over her chest in a Steve Rogers way.

"Wow, you're already copying his body language. I wonder who's handling who in your partnership" Of course she knew that Penny had replaced her as Steve's handler. "I liked the Meet Peggy Carter addition you made to his plan. It has charm" Penny gritted her teeth "Lakin is backing up Mandarin"

"I picked on that, yes."

"Aren't you worried?"

"Why would I?"

"Because he's here" Natasha's flushed cheeks suddenly went pale. "He'd never leave Europe" Penny handed over pictures and passenger's lists. The pictures showed a tall man with grey hair and broad shoulders going through airport gates, taking coffee, meeting with other people… Natasha rushed through the list and spotted a name that was familiar to both of them. "That's right; he used the name of that psychotic asshole to leave the country. There are no traces of him getting in, but that was taken in Washington, that other in Virginia, this one in Jersey…"

"Did you tell Fury?" Penny sighed "What am I supposed to tell him? That a resounding business man is in the US? I have no evidence linking him to anything Natasha. And technically he didn't enter US soil"

"So you remember" Natasha's heart was pounding, "Every gory detail" she gave the pictures back "And why didn't you tell him anything?"

Penny chuckled. "I thought about it. Tons of times. I do remember enough for Clint to hate you for the rest of your life and I wouldn't hesitate on using it." She sighed "But what would be the point? No one would get a happy ending and you got a sweet new life here, you've proven a good asset for SHIELD and I know that you love Clint unconditionally. I've seen the way you look at each other… Love is for children my ass. I'm not taking that away from him"

"Back in Lviv I didn't do… I"- Penny stopped her "I also know, well, not know but, I'm pretty sure that it was you the one who made the anonymous call tipping them on my location. So I do owe you my life, not just because you pulled Lincoln away from me that last day, but for everything. And I don't forget my debts"

"You saved mine in the OR. I should've listened to you before, I just…" Penny smiled with the corner of her mouth "Couldn't admit to yourself that you would mind having his children so much anymore?" Natasha looked at Penny one last time "So, what's the plan?"

Penny half smiled "Oh well, we'll get to that eventually. I"- Steve was at the door with a bag and some canvas. Penny smiled at him and took the pictures from Natasha. "I gotta go, see you tomorrow Romanoff" Penny was about to open the door "Rogers' a good man Morse, don't fuck him up"

Penny couldn't help wanting to retort to her comment. Romanoff, Black widow, former assassin that lured men to her bed, get their secrets and then slaughter them, telling her what to do with Steve. To Steve, of all people! Someone that had got under Penny's skin against her better judgment, someone that made her feel that life could actually be good after all, with him by her side. Of course she didn't want to fuck him up! She wanted to be with him forever for God's sake!

Wow. When did that happen? How did that happen?

Penny looked at Natasha trying to remove that sudden realization from her face and did what she did best with her frenemy "I won't. And the same goes for you and Clint. Hurt him and I swear to God Romanoff, you'll wish you'd kill me on Lviv" Natasha half smiled "Now that's more like us, I was starting to worry thinking we were buddies or something"

And just like that, they laughed together, for the first time of their lives.


The Black Beauty was polished and it's alarm ringed slowly when she clicked to disable it. The lights went white-green-white and she couldn't help giggle. They came nearer the car and Penny showed Steve the little hornet on the front and how the tires were vintage and how during weekends Stanny had turned the car into the actual Black Beauty, heavy guns and all. "He has permits of course"

He put his big bag in the back seat, along with the canvas and a small box with oil paintings. She asked him to be extremely careful with the leathery seats. "He'll kick my ass if it gets stained Steve" he headed to the passenger's seat when she remembered the Halloween costume.

She opened the truck and saw a big shopping box. When she opened it, her old suit was there. Kevlar reinforcements, utility belt, small white lines on the sides and big yellow pilot goggles that'd cover half of her face. "Nice shades" she was startled by Steve's voice on her side.

"Halloween costume" He came closer to it and touched the fabric "Lots of bullets in Halloween parties I take it?" she left the goggles in the trunk and shut it down rather forcefully.

"We're partners you know. I think we're supposed to share intel." She got to the driver's seat and buckled up while he got in the car "He just wants me to be safe while he's gone"

"He always has your back, doesn't he?"

"Do I detect irony in your tone Captain Rogers?" he chuckled "None at all agent Morse. So he's obsessed with the Green Hornet, just like you are"

"Yes…"

"And he makes you sexy Kevlar costumes…"

"Sexy?"

"Well, I hadn't seen it on you yet, but I guess that much. Actually, I don't recall ever seeing you dressed up as an agent. Not live anyway"

"Right, my file" she sighed "You saw me once. I just didn't make a lasting impression back then. You had bigger issues, like breaking into the guns compartment and making Bruce snap and banter with Stark"-

"Got it, got it. So you were there?"

"Yup, you passed me on the hall while heading for the guns. I followed you"

"You did? Why?"

"I always liked getting in trouble" she gave him a playful look "And you most definitely looked like you were about to get in trouble. Didn't you find it weird that no alarm rang when you forced the door?" He had thought back then that once passed the security clearance the room wouldn't have alarms. That's how federal buildings worked most of the time anyway. "Why did you?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Steve looked at her "Is that why you were suspended? Because you helped me?" She snorted "Nope, I did a bunch of other things, went for Loki's throat. He almost didn't make it back to Asgard, that asshole" Suddenly she was driving way too fast. Steve brushed her arm slowly to soothe her. It worked, "Because of what he did to Clint?"

"Because of what he did to Phil" Steve took a deep breath while she adjusted the rearview mirror. "So Stan is my sidekick, since… gosh, always. He likes to think he's Britt Reid and I'm Kato, but not a chance"

He looked at her "Were you ever an item?" She took a moment to answer, "Nah, not really. We were both outcasts back in college and we became family you know."

"So you never…" he made a pause, he still had issues expressing himself in this century "Had sex?" He was slightly blushing "No, we never did. When I was 17 we sort of kissed once, but it was too weird. He wasn't sure what he liked, so" Steve nodded "He's gay then?"

"He goes both ways" she suddenly remembered something "So you and your grandma… what's the story there?"

"My grandma?" He looked at her baffled "That blond woman that supposedly carried your child or whatever, the secretary"

"She was a secretary. I had never got that kind of attention before… One moment she was asking if it was me on the paper, the next her tongue was in my mouth"

"Oh, don't make it sound like it was disgusting, I bet it wasn't" he cleared his throat "So Peggy found out?"

"Oh yes... She saw us and basically shot me 5 times. Howard and I were testing the shield thankfully" Penny giggled "She sounds awesome"

"She was" Penny swallowed and was afraid of looking at him again. "She still is. You need to see her. It's part of your adjustment"

"I can't believe you added that and didn't tell me"

"Well, you didn't read the last draft, it's hardly my fault"

"I don't want to see her. I… She had a full life, I don't want to bring regrets in her life Penn" He started looking through the window. She understood where he was coming from; still, he had to talk to her. She needed him to talk to Peggy. Fast. "I understand Steve, but she lived your life. If someone can- if someone can help you come to terms with the last 70 years, that's her"

Steve kept quiet the rest of the ride. Once they stopped at the ribs restaurant he grabbed her hand before she got off the car. He cupped her face with his other hand "You help me, that's all I need. You are all that I need" she smiled sadly, "Steve I" he kissed her again while caressing her cheek slowly with his thumb.

"Let's get the ribs to go and eat in the new place, okay?" Penny nodded, still smiling sadly.


"The restaurant will be closed for the weekend and Gwen has this Osborn conference in Virginia and asked me to tag along" Penny was waiting to hear what the problem was. Nothing.

"Oh poor you, having to stay in a Bed and Breakfast in Virginia with your hot girlfriend, all expenses paid" Peter scowled at his friend while Steve went to the back to check the jukebox "I don't think he likes me much" Penny rolled her eyes "So, what's the problem with the trip? Besides the fact that Osborn is a disgusting little man"

"He's a genius, and his son is my friend Penny"

"He's also" she looked around "Just watch it around him okay? He's not good news. Don't trust everything that shines" Peter was incredibly nervous playing with something in his pocket. "Speaking of things that shine…" he took a little black box and offered it to Penny.

Inside, a beautiful ring was standing. Aunt Mae's wedding ring. Steve came closer to them "That's one nice ring son, planned what you'll tell the lucky lady?"

"No idea" Peter sighed "I'm probably gonna trip and stutter and just leave it on her pillow for her to find" Penny chuckled a "Chicken" and took a step back to talk to Mirna, leaving the guys talking since they seemed to be finally hitting it off. Made sense knowing where they both came from and how they always chose to do the right thing because it was the right thing to do.

Mirna was handing over the bags to Penny "Here's your order little lady" when a sturdy man came through the front and started talking to Mirna without giving a second glance at Penny. He had a strong German accent and was packing a 9mm under his big shirt. She nodded at the man and thanked Mirna and then headed to where Peter and Steve were chatting.

"Hey kid, finish your break outside!" Mirna wasn't being polite, which was unlike her. While they were walking to the door, Steve picked on the man's words in German and eyed Penny, who seemed suddenly too aware of her surroundings. Once they reached the yard Penny talked "Pete, does that guy come here often?"

"You mean Chuck? He's a regular. Bit rude but big tipper. I think he has a crush on Mirna" Steve sighed and Penny decided to talk again "Pete, we're"-

"You're dating. I got it, happy for you guys" Penny shook her head "What? No, that's not." Steve frowned slightly at her negativity "We're in the middle of a big thing at work. Something bad may happen soon and well, we don't know where it could hit. If you go to this Osborn thing, just check for exits first and at the first sign of something weird, you get Gwen and you out of there"

"But I could"- Penny gritted her teeth, "You get Gwen and yourself out of there. And call you call me, understood?"

"No, not understood. Stop giving me orders! I can take care of myself and her!" Steve decided to interrupt "Son, a crazy man is playing with biological threats. We don't know where he'll hit and only a handful of the population will be unharmed when he does. If you see something odd in this convention, call us. Then go to a bathroom, set some napkins on fire without being seen and ring a fire alarm. That'll empty the building. Don't come back in. If you do, it could kill you" Peter was serious and nodded.

Penny looked at Steve surprised. "I will Steve, thanks. Wish me luck with this" he pocketed the ring again and smiled at them while walking back into the restaurant.

Penny stood on dry looking at Steve. "What?" she kept on staring at him "Why did you do that?" Steve came closer to her and put his arms around her "You trust him." He sighed "And if he's old enough to ask his girlfriend to marry him, well, he's old enough to know what's at stake"

"Confidential information to a civilian? That's unlike you" Steve's hand run through her back and reached the curve of her neck "I guess you're a bad influence Dr. Morse" They shared a smile and as they started kissing, rain started falling on them, but neither of them cared to move.


By the time they reached the storage place the car seats were as soaked as they were. He got off the car and opened the large door while she entered the Black Beauty to what seemed to be an incredibly tall cellar room. Once they locked it, they went through a smaller archway. Steve turned on the light and saw that the place looked like a spacious loft. High ceilings, lots of walls, couple of windows on the top, integrated kitchen with a small island and a small wood-burning stove on the corner, with a pile of wood right next to it.

"Now this looks nice. I think even the bike could fit in this place" she was following him slowly, carrying the food bag, trying not to tremble much. She was soaked and it was winter and this place was incredibly cold.

He kept walking slowly through the living room towards the kitchen and she dropped the food in there. He went through yet another small archway and found a bathroom and a small bedroom. Penny found a note on top of the island, with Stark's logo on the top left.

"Steve,

I hope you find the place to your liking. You'll find new sheets and towels on the cabinet next to the bathroom. I took the liberty to leave some basics in the fridge and the cabinets next to it. Kind regards,

Pepper Potts"

Steve came back from the rooms still carrying his bag and box of paintings. "This place is… amazing"

"And Stark's girlfriend personally stocked up your fridge. Why aren't I friends with this guy? Not cool" She sneezed and he realized that she was as soaked as he was, only he was too excited about the place to care. He reached for a towel in the cabinet and handed it over. She whispered a quiet thanks and then told him they should heat up the food.

After 5 minutes, she was still sneezing and his damp shirt was starting to bother him "I'm so stupid" Penny lifted her eyebrow at him, while he reached for his bag. "Here, change your clothes. You can get a warm bath too if you'd like while I heat this up"

She automatically reached for the shirt and pants he was offering and then she saw the stamp on it. Strategic Scientific Reserve. She looked up and gave it back. "It's late, I should- I should get going. I forgot I need to check on Kato"

"What is it Penny?" She took a deep breath and looked at him with her sad eyes "I can't do this anymore" She was holding the tears inside and he was suddenly defensive "I've been keeping things from you. I was supposed to keep them from you and then I just… I didn't want to tell you cos you would- you would hate me for keeping it from you. I can't stay. I'm sorry"

Steve cleared his throat but didn't move while she started walking towards the car. "I know most of what you've kept from me and I'm still here" She sighed "Sure you do" he came closer to her, his voice rising with every word "I know who Spidey is. And I know you've been helping him and not just with his college applications." She took a deep breath "I know that you want Bruce to be okay and that you feel guilty for bringing Betty because you think that just rushed his decision" she stood still "I'm also pretty sure you never stopped being an active agent. Which probably means that we were your assignment, isn't that right?" She turned around, eyes reddened.

"I also know that you put that formula together to save just one guy. A guy that's supposed to be long gone" she looked at him ashamed, "and I know you think I'm dying. You're probably right about that one though"

"It's not, that's not" Hundreds of thoughts were running through her head. He didn't look that mad. "I'm still… You're right about me being active, but no one other than Fury should know that. There's… someone trying to overthrown Nick and there's no one else he can trust. He and I… we go way back" He nodded "So you and him…" She frowned looking disgusted "God No! He's like my older brother Steve, that's all!" He kept staring at her with sad eyes "There a few other things you hadn't figured out yet"

He stared right into her eyes, not realizing he was brushing her arms slowly. There was only one thing he needed to know, the one thing that had been in the back of his head holding him back, the rest could wait. "Am I just your asset then? Is this some sort of game? Is that why you were pushing me away before? Because you wanted to spare me the heartbreak when I found out it was all a lie?" His voice broke and he was quite upset. That look she never wanted to see in his eyes was staring right at her.

She run her fingers through his lips "It's not an act, not at all" she lingered in front of him "I didn't want you to have feelings for me because I'm packed with lies and you deserve someone much better than that. Goodbye Steve" She gave him a small kiss in the corner of his mouth and started to walk away.

"Stay"

She stood still and she slowly felt his warmth behind her, as his arms surrounded her slowly. He kissed the top of her head, then her ear, moving little by little to her neck. She turned around slowly and they kissed fully on their smiley lips, not holding anything back.

He smiled at her while kissing the tip of her nose and then let go to put some wood on the stove. He went back to his bag and grabbed the clothes for her. When he turned around she was near the stove, firelight lighting her face. She looked so calmed and beautiful, just like when they were dancing. For the first time since the day he had woken up in SHIELD, being frozen for 70 years made sense. He had been waiting for the right partner.

He dropped the clothes back on the bag and turned off the roof lights. He could see her smiling with the corner of her mouth. She was going to say something, but he stopped her bringing her closer to him. They didn't need words anymore, not tonight.