Disclaimer: I don't own Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Agents of SHIELD, etc. I own Jamie.
Chapter 11
Routine
The early morning was alway so peaceful. Dawn was one of Jamie's favorite times. It was still too early for most people to be up and about and that was exactly why Jamie loved it so much. It was different from dusk, where many people were still out and about doing whatever it was they were doing. The sunrise was beautiful, and the quiet was something she longed for ever since she took the job working at SHIELD and had moved to DC.
She was no longer right with James and his family, and perhaps that was for the best. Not having her around was safer. SHIELD was involved in so much crazy and dangerous crap that Jamie would lose sleep over worrying that something would follow her home and put them all in danger. Amir moved his family to Canada where nothing ever really happened after getting released from SHIELD after the events with Loki and the Chitauri invasion, so she didn't worry about him as much, but she still greatly missed her Doc.
The Brits were still with SHIELD, though they were running primarily out of a SHIELD office in London so they could all be closer to home. Every once in awhile, when things slowed down on both ends (which was very rarely) they would talk over Skype, or sometimes even meet in person if someone happened to be in the general area. But even they weren't a constant in her life.
Johnny was preoccupied with whatever him and his family and the Fantastic 4 preoccupied their time with, which Jamie never really figured out in all those months of working for them and getting to know Johnny. He would send her a text every once in awhile with a cheesy pick up line for old time sake ("Can I have your picture so I can show Santa what I want for Christmas?" "If you stood in front of a mirror and held up eleven roses, you would see twelve of the most beautiful things in the world." "If a fat man puts you in a bag at night, don't worry I told Santa I wanted you for Christmas."), but it wasn't the same as actually being in New York and seeing him almost everyday in the lobby at the security desk.
There was only one constant in her life at that moment that was really keeping her grounded. Steve. Steve was there and still his awkward self. He had gotten a lot better as time went on. He was getting more used to their time, even getting a smartphone, though many of the capabilities that it had were going unused by him. He understood more references and was catching up even more on pop culture references throughout the ages.
They still had their movie nights every week. They still went out and had dinner. They worked out together. And they even went through the torture of paperwork for their missions, which, of course, was something nobody ever enjoyed doing.
And it was a usual routine for Jamie and Steve to go for their morning run, though Jamie obviously couldn't keep up with Steve. Jamie would do what she could and after they were both finished (Steve doing a substantially longer distance than the brunette) they would go out to breakfast before separating to get ready for work.
It was simple and relaxing, two things the two soldiers greatly took advantage of, seeing as most of their careers were anything but. After all, the things SHIELD involved itself with were some of the most complicated, stressful and dangerous things in the world.
Jamie's route for running was different than Steve's. She prefered not to be shown up anymore than she already was by the super-soldier, so she always met up with Steve about thirty minutes later at the reflection pool.
The brunette finished her run a little earlier then usual, so she found herself stretching to keep herself loose as she waited for Steve to join her. She sat on the group, legs spread out as she leaned forward, stretching her back and legs. She heard footsteps coming up to her from beside her on the sidewalk and glanced up, Steve coming to a stop a couple feet before her.
"You ready for breakfast?" Jamie asked, standing up from the ground, dusting her backside off before joining the blond on the sidewalk.
The two made their way down the sidewalk, heading to Jamie's car. However, before they got to the busier sidewalk, Jamie caught Steve looking over at a man sitting on the ground against a tree breathing heavily.
"Hey, one sec?" Steve asked.
"Yeah, sure," Jamie said with a simple shrug.
"Need a medic?" Steve asked.
"I need a new set of lungs," the man replied. "Dude, you just ran, like, thirteen miles in thirty minutes," the guy said in disbelief.
"Guess I got a late start," Steve replied, a smirk in place.
The man chuckled. "Really? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap." He looked away for a moment before glancing back up at Steve. "Did you just take it? I assume you just took it. Did you time him?"
"Nah, it makes me feel bad to time him," Jamie laughed. "Why do you think I don't actually run with him? He shows me up!"
Steve rolled his eyes at the girl next to him before turning back to the man on the ground. "What unit you with?" he asked.
"58th Pararescue," the man answered. "But now I'm working down at the VA." He raised his hands to the two to shake, as well as a pull up. "Sam Wilson," he introduced.
Jamie took one while Steve took the other. "Jamie Roe," she informed him.
"Steve Rogers," Steve offered back, pulling the man to his feet.
"I kind of put that together," Sam said. "Must have freaked you out, coming home after the whole defrosting thing."
"It takes some getting used to," Steve admitted. "But I've had some help," he said, glancing down at Jamie. Jamie just shrugged, one hand going to the back of her neck. "It's good to meet you, Sam. You ready for breakfast, Jay?"
"Starved!" Jamie groaned. "Maybe we'll catch you around, Sam."
The two went to leave, but were stopped a moment later. "It's your bed, right?" Sam said, stopping the two before they could go.
"What's that?" Steve asked.
"Your bed, it's too soft," Sam said. "When I was over there, I'd sleep on the ground, use rocks for pillows, like cavemen. Now I'm home, lying in my bed, and it's like…"
"Lying on a marshmallow," Steve finished. "Feel like I'm gonna sink right to the floor."
"Half the time I sleep on the floor," Jamie said.
"How long?" Steve asked.
"Two tours," he said. He looked at Jamie and asked, "You?"
"Three," she answered. "But, one was extended."
"How long?" he asked.
"Unofficially, a year and a half," she answered.
"Wait, so you're Solace?" Sam asked. "You're the one that glows blue?"
Jamie sighed. "Why is that the only thing people every say to me?" she asked Steve.
"Because you do," he pointed out. "And it's not normal."
"Oh hush, you're not normal," Jamie retorted lamely.
"Yeah, but at least I don't glow," he laughed.
"I don't glow," she groaned. "I admit blue energy."
"You glow," Sam added, ganging up on her with Steve.
"Don't make me shove my glowing blue foot up your a-" Jamie started to threaten jokingly when Steve moved in behind her and placed his hand over Jamie's mouth, stopping her from completing her sentence. His other arm was holding her still, across her upper chest, holding her shoulder. His broad chest pressed into her back.
Sam just laughed as Jamie tried to get Steve's hand off of her mouth. Jamie's face turned bright red from the blush flooding to her cheeks. One of her hands went to the strong arm across her chest, feeling the muscles as she tried to get out of his hold, while the other tried to get his large, strong hand to let go of her mouth.
"You must miss the good old days, huh?" he asked Steve, ignoring the muffled comments from the girl.
"Well," Steve said, "things aren't so bad." Jamie elbowed him as hard as she could in the stomach. He huffed and let her go. "Food's a lot better. We used to boil everything. No polio is good. Internet, so helpful. I've been reading that a lot, trying to catch up."
"Marvin Gaye, 1972, Trouble Man soundtrack," Sam told him. "Everything you missed, jammed into one album."
Steve pulled out his pocket notebook and pen. "I'll put it on the list."
"You have a list?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, and it's substantially shorter due to this one," Steve said, pointing to the female.
"Really?" Sam asked.
"Well yeah, when the guy doesn't know what Star Wars is, I gotta help him out!" Jamie said. "It's, like, a crime against humanity! Lord of the Rings is this weekend's catch-me-up."
"All right, Sam," Steve said, slipping it back into his pocket. Steve's phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at it before looking back up at Sam and Jamie. "I'm gonna need a rain check on breakfast, Jay. Duty calls. Thanks for the run," Steve said. "If that's what you want to call running."
"Oh, that's how it is?"
"Oh, that's how it is," Steve joked.
"Okay," Sam said.
"Anytime you guys want to stop by the VA, make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know," Sam said.
"I'll keep it in mind," Steve said.
"Yeah."
A black sports car pulled up to the curb. The passenger side window rolled down to reveal Natasha in the driver's seat.
"Hey fellas," she greeted. "Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil."
"That's hilarious," Steve muttered. He left the group and made his way to the car, Jamie right behind him. Once he was in, she leaned on the window sill.
"How you doing?" Sam greeted Nat.
"Hey," she said back.
"Can't run everywhere," Steve told Sam.
"No you can't," Sam muttered, dazed by the car and Nat.
"Hey Tasha," Jamie greeted the redhead.
"How's it going, Jamie? Working out to make sure you look good next to us?" she teased.
"Very funny," Jamie muttered, rolling her eyes. "Make sure this one," she said, pointing her thumb at Steve, "doesn't get into too much trouble, okay?"
"I don't need a babysitter," Steve groaned.
"Yeah, sure," Jamie said, patting his arm with the back of her hand.
"I'm sorry about breakfast," he apologized.
"Don't worry about it," she told him. "I've done the same thing to you about a dozen times."
"Still," he said. "I'll call you when I get back?"
"I expect nothing less," she said. Jamie leaned in and kissed Steve on the cheek closest to her before pulling out of the car. "Be careful, both of you."
The car drove off, leaving Jamie standing on the sidewalk with Sam. Sam walked up right next to her, hands on his hips, eyes watching the car leave. "Does that happen a lot?" he asked.
"Far more than any of us would prefer," she told him.
"Sorry your breakfast date got interrupted," Sam offered.
"Date?" she gaped, turning directly to the taller man. She wrapped her arms around herself, looking at him quizzically. "What date?"
"Breakfast with Captain America?" he clarified.
Jamie's face grew red in color as she desperately denied, "Oh, no. No, no, no, no. We're not….It wasn't…"
Sam chuckled, crossing his own arms, copying the girl's stance. "Is that so? Then why are you getting so flustered?"
"We're not...he's just...I don't..." she stammered nervously.
Sam just chuckled. "I'm just messing with you."
"You're cruel," Jamie stated, starting to make her exit. "See if I'll show up at the VA to make you look good now!"
"Aw, shit. Come on, don't be like that!"
So there we have it! Again, I'm too excited and can't keep to my scheduled update, but I guess that's cool for you guys. The movie has started! Sam has been introduced and Steve is off to the ship with Natasha! Hope you guys liked the chapter. Let me know what you think.
Thanks go to the following people for their reviews:
Jedi Jelsa777- Oh God, Trip. 3 So many feels! That's one of my favorite episodes too! Oh, Fitzy! Him and Jamie are going to be pretty close.
WaywardandWanderlust- It is my pleasure! I hope you liked the start of the movie.
CJ/OddBalll- You'll just have to wait and see how everything plays out. ;) But for the time being, there isn't the stalker to worry about since the movies starting.
KnowInsight- No, no he doesn't, lol. But that's what makes him so fun to write sometimes!
Jo- I know, I couldn't resist the fan fiction. I've wanted to do it in a story for so long and this was the perfect opportunity.
seasidewriter1- Lol, use the word love all you want. I'm just happy you liked it. I was a bit unsure about how the SHIELD episode went, but everybody seems to like it so I guess that's okay. Hope you liked the start of the movie. I'm really excited to get this going. I've already got through chapter 15 done so I'm super pumped for everybody to read them.