Familiar Face

(Scarlet POV)

It's been almost a month since that night and it's been so miserable! To be so close but at the same time so far is torture. When we're out in front of everyone it's been completely professional between us...other then the lingering looks, the very lite touches and having our bodies so close together. It's more then I can take so I've been canceling shows, appearances and just staying in my room or going to places he doesn't need to be with me at, if anything Tom goes with me. As much as I miss him it's better this way...I think.

As I'm walking down the stairs I see Tom walk up to Steve, Tom looks furious.

"Steve, do you know what the hell is going on with Scarlet?" I quickly hide so neither of them can see me.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she's constantly been canceling everything, she's hardly even in her studio and is just always in her room, what is going on?"

"I have no idea."

"Your suppose to keep her happy...this tour is too big for her to blow it on something you did." Tom scolds him.

"Hey! Back off...I'm doing my job...my job is to protect her and that's what I'm doing, if she's canceling shows that's her business not mine."

"It should be your business because what good are you if she doesn't do her job?" Tom snaps back. I hold in a breath, this actually worries me!

"Have you ever thought maybe some things are more important then this tour...she's a human being, not a robot. I suggest you talk to her."

"But she's blowing it and she's dragging me down with her."

"She's been working her ass off and just because she's decided to cancel a few things doesn't mean she's blowing it, she'll be fine...maybe get your head out of your ass and not making her career all about you...because news flash Tom it's not." Steve doesn't even let Tom respond, he just walks away, I hide a little more just in case one of them sees me.

Of course Steve just has to do something to make me fall in love with him more...but I have to say their whole conversation has got me worried. What if Tom fires Steve? I know I've wanted him gone since he's got here but that was before...everything is different now. Even though it's hard to be around him I don't want him out of my life permanently, just the thought of that is making feel nauseous. I need to be strong and just deal with the fact that we're not going to be together. I'm ready to go back to the way things were...by not showing him how I feel whatsoever!

We just arrived at a concert and Steve brings me into my dressing room, like he always does he checks all the doors and closets.

"Okay, the show starts in about 30 minutes, I'll knock when it's time." He spoke out.

"Okay, thanks." I say as I wave him off. "Oh by the way Bodyguard (he slowly turns around) I don't want to forget but tomorrow night I have a fundraiser benefit at 5:00." I tell him.

"Alright, sounds good." He only said. "Did you need anything before the show?"

"No, I'm good." I grin.

Yes I'm back to calling him Bodyguard, if he wants us to be professional and go back to the way things were then this is what I have to do, the only way to distance myself. I soon perform and every time I do it gets harder and harder knowing he's watching me and I want to so badly look over at him but I don't.

The next day I'm performing at the fundraiser benefit, unlike my usual concerts Steve is more in the crowd and ever so often I glance over at him and when I do he will smile at me and it gives me no choice but to subtly smile back...God that smile kills me. After I perform everyone's clapping and cheering, I'm smiling and showing my gratitude and after walking off the stage someone steps in front of me, it's one of the catering staff.

"Hey Scarlet...I didn't think I would ever see you again." The man spoke out.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I ask.

"Oh it's Travis, we met..." He starts to explain.

"The Dollhouse of course...hi." I remember. "Listen, that night I was not in the right frame of mind and if I said or did anything to you that was rude or mean I'm sorry."

"Oh no, it's fine...I get it." He replies.

"Your part of the catering?" I ask.

"Yeah, I read that you were suppose to perform but I didn't quite believe it, there are a lot of celebrities that say they'll perform but don't show up."

"Oh I never do that (anymore), when I say I'm going to do something I do it."

"I like that." He smiles. "Listen, my shift ends in about 30 minutes, could I get you a drink?"

"Oh, I don't drink." I inform him.

"Well any drink you want then."

"...Sure." I hesitantly answer.

"Great." He again smiles before going back to work.

Steve walks up to me, "Is that..." He starts to ask.

"Yes that's Travis, I'm going to have a drink with him in 30 minutes so we're staying longer then expected."

"That guy?" He hissed.

"Yes, he's nice." I defend. "Now, when he comes back go over there like you usually do." I instruct.

"...Okay." He slowly answers.

We do indeed get that drink and we talk for a few hours. I don't look over at Steve once. I've got to say Travis is a nice distraction, he does seem like a nice guy and let's face it I have to move on if I'm ever going to get over Steve, maybe Travis is just who and what I need!

(Steve POV)

Steve remembered exactly who Travis was the second he walked up to Scarlet and he was forced to for the rest of the night watch them laugh, flirt and he when he put his hand on her thigh that made him want to kick the shit out of him. Of course he immediately took a quick picture to look him up.

"Steve, we got what you need on this Travis guy." Sam told him while he watched them at the bar.

"Yeah?" Steve asks impatiently.

"There's nothing wrong with him, never been arrested, he's pretty squeaky clean." Sam informs him.

"Are you sure? There's been plenty of people that were Hydra that were squeaky clean too."

"I can only tell you what I see here and all I'm seeing is him being cleared."

"...Thanks Sam." He answers and hangs up. You would think this would make Steve feel better but it didn't...they seemed to be really hitting it off, it became worse when he gave her his number and she took it.

They walk up to Steve, "um Travis, you remember my bodyguard."

"Oh yeah, hey." He pulls up his hand.

"Hi." He only says.

"Well, I better go, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay, sounds good." She replies before he kisses her cheek and walking away.

"Are you really going out with that guy?" Steve frustratingly asked.

"Yes, again he's nice...why do you care?" She challenges.

"I don't."

"Good." She says with attitude.

It's been a little over 2 weeks and Steve feels as if he's going to lose it, she was still seeing Travis and were getting along really well and the longer she's with Travis the farther away she felt from him. He knows he told her this was what they had to do and knows she's just moving on but it literally kills him to be away from her, to see another man hold her hand, kiss her, put his arm around her. What makes it worse is Travis is around all the time, he goes on their runs, he goes to almost every concert that's near by and they're always cuddly and flirty. He has to force himself to take a deep breath and just remember this is what's best for her.

They're at one of her concerts, they quickly get in the dressing room and Steve checks all the doors.

"Thanks man, I think I got it from here." Travis told him, Steve has heard this line so many times from her other boyfriends and it drives him crazy every time.

"Yeah, we're good Bodyguard." Scarlet waves him off.

"Oh get us some waters, thanks." Travis ordered. Now he's ordering him to do things that's not his job? He didn't even ask, he just demanded. Steve couldn't stand this guy!

"Oh yeah, that would be nice." Scarlet responded with a smirk.

"...I'll let Rachel know." He slowly responds, trying as hard as he could not to snap.

He looked everywhere but couldn't find Rachel so he had to get the waters himself and soon brings them back.

"Thanks Bodyguard." She smiles at him.

"...Yeah, thanks man."

"No problem...the show starts in 20 minutes."

"I'll be out there." She says as she takes a sip of her water and when she did she split a little bit of it and it went down her chin. "Whoops." She says as she giggles.

"We can't take you anywhere." Travis also giggles and wipes her chin, Steve sighs and just leaves the room.

The rest of the night was like this and Steve was forced to watch. After the concert he needed to get out and clear his head. He goes to his local gym that he's been going to since being Scarlet's bodyguard. He goes inside and tapes his knuckles and starts wailing on the punching bag. Flashes of him and Scarlet that night surface...kissing passionately, she digging her nails into his back, moaning his name, holding each other, looking into each other's eyes but then it switches to her with Travis and the more he gets those flashes the more he wails on the bag. His face is turning red, his knuckles start bleeding through the tape, he either doesn't notice or he just doesn't give a shit. The punching bag breaks off it's hinges and sand goes everywhere, it's all over his arms...he closes his eyes as he's breathing very heavy.

"It's a job...your done when this case is solved and when it is you never have to see her again..." He's telling himself but this revelation doesn't make him feel better...it makes him feel worse. He picks up another punching bag and hangs it up and starts hitting it again, just the thought of never seeing her again is causing feelings in him he never thought were possible. He suddenly stops, "It was one time man...she doesn't even have feelings for me anymore...that's what I wanted, right?" He asks himself as he takes a deep breath. "Get her out of your head Steve...it's over...you asked for this now you have to deal with it." He takes the tape off his knuckles and rubs where it's bleeding a little bit on both of them.

He soon comes back to the house and he sees Travis walk out of Scarlet's room, thank God he's not staying the night!

Oh boy Steve is having a hard time with this! Can Travis be trusted?