Apparently, on his way to the kitchen Steve had been stopped by Tony, who was holding a conversation with him in the middle of the hallway. He didn't stop talking until Nina wandered around the corner.
"It's day one, Cap. You were supposed to take it easy on her," Tony said. She couldn't tell if he was teasing her or scolding Steve. Either way, they were both a little embarrassed. Tony, wanting no part of a sobbing young woman, turned and finally walked away.
Steve took a few quick steps forward and pulled Nina to him. She wrapped her shaking arms around him, her fingers knotting into his t-shirt as she sobbed into his chest. He cradled the back of her head and hushed her, whispering in her ear that everything was okay even though he was pretty unsure of what the problem was. Once she calmed down enough he pulled back and took her face in his hands.
"Why don't we go somewhere and talk," He suggested, his thumb wiping away the tears that unstuck themselves from her lashes when she blinked. She nodded.
Steve led her upstairs and to the room she was currently staying in, his hand never leaving the small of her back. She felt a little better. Small and ten times as tired, but better. She perched herself on the edge of her bed and Steve pulled up a chair.
"What happened down there?" Steve asked, enclosing one of her hands in his.
"I think I just saw the result of what HYDRA did to Bucky," Her voice was horse and weak.
Steve stared at her, taken aback.
"What do you-"
"The damage, psychologically. I didn't mean to go that far. I-" Her breath hitched and her lip trembled.
Steve got up from the chair and sat next to her, pulling her to his side.
"I could feel it. All of it. Everything he felt all at once," Steve held her tighter.
This information was disturbing. Steve knew more than anyone what Bucky had gone through, all the things he had lost and how much of it was never coming back. It was a lot to take in for someone who had known Bucky his whole life and even lived through some of his undoing. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like to experience that all at once.
"You should take the rest of the day for yourself," Steve told her after her sobs had settled into shuddering breaths. He felt her shake her head against his shoulder.
"No. No, I'm okay," She pulled away from him, suddenly realizing what she was doing.
"I'm sorry. This is embarrassing," She grumbled as she wiped the tears off her face. Or tried to, at least.
"Don't be sorry. You have a lot to learn and it's not going to be easy. I'm here to help you through it. Everyone is," He assured her, tilting his head to see her face.
Nina chuckled.
"In that case, I hope no one wears shirts they like while I'm around," She gestured to his chest, the fabric still wrinkled from where she'd had it in her fist. Steve smiled, glad to see her cheer up a little.
"Come on. You still need to eat," Steve stood up and offered her a hand. She took it, suddenly not so opposed to touching him. It was amazing what having an emotional meltdown in front of someone could do for a relationship.
While Steve and Nina walked to the kitchen she could only think about one thing. Olivia was about to give them so much hell.
"Hey, it's about time. You-" Olivia was no doubt about to say something snarky and sexual in nature, but she stopped the second she saw Nina's red cheeks and swollen eyes.
"Um, what the fuck, Rodgers?" Olivia hopped up from her stool and stomped over to them, pulling Nina away by the arm and putting herself between her and Steve. "What the hell did you do? It's her first day!" The air around them crackled, her hair actually raising a little from the static.