As always (sigh), I'm sorry for the long wait for this. I have clear ideas on where this story is going, but the roadway is a bit foggy in places. I'm not quite ready for the next big development, so this was just going to be a couple of short little filler bits, but it ballooned into some major wordage.

sunshineforever13: Thanks for reading. Glad you liked

jdho2: Thank you. I thought the ending rather appropriate.

ChEiFi: You're the one who reminded me about my plans to use the Pierces again and I realized that this was the perfect place to do it. And thanks for the encouragement. Sometimes, I feel frustrated because my writing seems to be moving so slowly, so thank you.

sailorraven34: I'm glad you loved it. I really enjoy developing relationships of all sorts.

Leonie1988: You are so very welcome.

Sandy-wmd: You are very kind (even if you don't like pecan pie :)). I was a bit leary about bringing the Pierces in originally, but I'm having fun using them. I'm glad you're enjoying it, too.

star3235: Thank you

skyfall007: Uh-oh. You're on to me. She'll probably give him an answer before you go completely insane.

GabycatStark13: Fear not. The end it not yet. I have a whole lot of ideas on where to go with this story. Unfortunately, it's just taking some time to get there. I hope you'll stick around.

My thanks to each of you lovely reviewers and to those who favorite and followed. Now. Who's ready for a story?


Stroll 22

After completing the repairs to the plane. Steve and Maria spent a couple of relaxing days as guests of the Pierces. Joined by Blake and her family, they took a drive to the coast to a little place the couple knew for some famous Maine lobster.

Maria found that saying good-bye was strangely difficult, but they knew that the tickets Jen had gotten them for the performance were highly sought after.

"This feels odd," she told him that evening when he stopped at her apartment to pick her up.

"What? Going to the symphony?"

"Going to the symphony. Hanging out in a small town. Working puzzles. Drinking hot chocolate. It all feels so..."

"Normal?" Steve inquired.

"Frighteningly so," she agreed.

"Like it?"

She considered. "It's a nice break, but I think I would get bored after very long."

"Yeah, you would."

Though Tony and Pepper were also attending the event, Steve and Maria decided to catch a cab instead. Their hope was to avoid the press lining the red carpet, anxious to snap photos of celebrities, both local and international eager to be seen at such an event.

They managed to avoid the paparazzi by having the cab drop them off several blocks away, then walking the rest of the way. They slipped inside while a storm of flashes captured the arrival of some important someone. They did have a close call when a young photographer approached them as they stood in the lobby.

"Aren't you Captain America?" he asked, studying Steve as he raised his camera..

"No. Just Steven," he told the man with a smile and a shake of his head.

Maria mimicked the photographer, studying her escort. "Now that you mention it, there is a little bit of a resemblance, isn't there?"

"Yeah," the other man agreed, "but now that I'm up close, maybe not quite as much as I first thought. I'm sorry to have bothered you, Steven."

"It's okay," Steve told him. "I suppose I'm flattered. Captain America is generally considered to be a pretty good looking guy, isn't he?"

"Nah. You're much better looking," she told him with a grin.

That comment earned her a long kiss, his arms wrapping around her as he pulled her close. As he broke the kiss, he ran his hands lightly down her sides.

"Not armed tonight?" he asked.

She lifted an eyebrow. "Have you ever known me to be out in public unarmed?"

He nodded towards the security screeners. "They didn't seem to find anything."

She snorted. "I have a small pistol in the lining of my purse, another concealed on my person along with a couple of throwing knives and a small dagger. All made from a special alloy that the metal detectors don't pick up. Additionally, this," she lifted the delicate chain draped around her neck, "is an almost unbreakable filament that can be used for anything you would use a rope for. Makes a great ligature. And the bracelets can discharge an electrical current, much like the ones Natasha wearswhen she's in combat."

His eyes raked her figure, appreciating the form-fitting bodice. "Where could you possibly conceal that many weapons in that outfit?" he queried.

"You can have fun finding them later," she whispered seductively.

"Looking forward to that," he whispered back, his lips lightly grazing her neck.

Soon, they made their way into the theater, winding their way through the crowd to the two open seats next to Phil and the kids. Max stood up, waving wildly to get their attention. His sister was trying to pretend she didn't know him and not succeeding very well, since he kept poking at her at her as he pointed at the arriving couple.

Phil leaned over, kissing Maria lightly on the cheek, then shook Steve's hand. Max watched the scene closely, then offered his own hand to the super soldier. He then smiled shyly at Maria. She leaned over, brushing her lips across his cheek. Then, she turned to smile at Mia, who rolled her eyes, then smiled back at them.

As they all settled into their seats, Maria noted with amusement that Phil and Steve had positioned themselves at either end of their group, Maria, Max, and Mia sandwiched between them. She leaned over to listen to Mia, her eyes scanning the premises, noting the location of exits and best spots for defense and, should the need arise, attack. She had pulled up the schematics for the building earlier in the day and was now matching the reality to the drawing.

Phil caught her gaze. With a few quick glances and nods, they silently laid out a plan, just in case. She heard Steve laugh quietly as he leaned close, draping an arm around her shoulder.

"You do know that's not normal, don't you?" he asked.

"What's not?"

"To walk into a room and immediately plan how to defend or escape it?"

She shrugged. "It's pretty well always been normal for me."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, kissing her temple.

With a smile, she turned back, chatting with the others until the lights dimmed and the concert began. Once the music started, Maria found herself lost in the music, appreciating the skills of the musicians. She felt Steve's arm tighten around her and looked over to find him watching not the orchestra, but her.

When the concert ended, they waited for Jen, then headed for a late night dinner at an upscale restaurant. After placing their orders, they sat quietly talking, Everyone congratulated Jen on her part in the excellent production.

Talk turned to the week ahead and Phil asked Maria and Steve if they were ready to get back to work. She nodded. "What I'm not looking forward to is getting caught up on what I missed."

"It's actually been pretty uneventful the past few days," Phil told her. "You shouldn't have a whole lot of catching up to do."

"Then I have to get Nick to take his vacation time."

"That, on the other hand, could be a bit difficult."

"I've just got the usual school stuff, I think," Mia commented. "What about you, Phil?"

"Normal work stuff," he shrugged,. "Meaning, I have no idea,"

The girl snapped her fingers as though suddenly remembering something. "Oh, There is this thing. I know it's really short notice and it's really stupid, so if you can't or don't want to, that's fine. It's no big deal or anything."

Jen smiled encouragingly and Maria nodded, thinking she knew where this was going. Phil gave her his undivided attention.

Mia shrugged. "It's just...my school is having this stupid father daughter dance thing Friday night. They said that it could be an uncle or a stepfather or a father figure type person if our father wasn't able to go. I know you probably have better things to do, so don't worry about it."

Phil glanced at Jen, watching him hopefully, then turned to Mia, smiling, "I'm not sure how I feel about qualifying as a 'stupid father,' but if you're offering the job, I'd very much like it."

She laughed slightly. "Yeah, my journalism adviser would be all over that misplaced modifier with her red pen." She considered. "Father daughter stupid dance? Stupid dance for fathers and daughters?"

"Whatever, I'd be honored to escort you," Phil told her. "Is this a formal thing? Tux? Limousine?" he asked.

Mia's eyes lit up, even as she shook her head. "I've heard that some of the fathers really go all out, but it really doesn't need to be that big a deal. Just a regular suit is fine and we can take a cab. That is, if you're really sure you want to go."

"I really want to go," the older agent reassured her.

"Cool," the teen replied.

Maria hoped that he realized just how important this was to her in spite of her show of unconcern.

XXXXXXXXXX

Though Phil was mostly right, there was still plenty for Maria to catch up on when she returned to duty. Much of it was reading, making sure that she was up to date on all that had occurred while she was out. Fortunately, her assistant knew her passion for detail and had made certain the reports would satisfy even his demanding boss.

She spent several long days reading, but made sure to make time for Steve, even if it was only a quick text or call He noticed her effort, his chest swelling with pride when she smiled at him when passing in a corridor, or touched his shoulder in the mess hall.

Then, there was the matter of making sure Phil's Friday night stayed clear. She was determined that her best friend and his girlfriends daughter would have a memorable evening,.

Of course, she wasn't entire sure how to do that. When he had asked her and Natasha if they had any suggestions for the evening, they stared at each other, then at him.

"Right," he acknowledged. "Probably never much father/daughter stuff."

The rest of the Avengers weren't much more helpful. The men, of course, had no experience as fathers or daughters. Betty's father had had little time for such frivolous activities, Darcy's had been mostly absent, Jane's had enjoyed time with his daughter, but mostly in laboratory situations. Pepper's single father had worked long hour at his factory job and she had always hesitated to ask him to attend more than a few important functions.

They decided to bring Jen on the planning.

"Honestly," she told them, "She's trying to play it cool, but she's really excited to just be going. Her father's been gone for a couple of years, but even before that he didn't often put himself out for anything involving the kids."

"So, it's a go with the tuxedo and the limo?" Phil asked.

"You should definitely go with the tux," she told him. "You really don't need to go to the trouble to rent a limo, though."

"No trouble at all," Pepper interjected. "No one is using the team limo that night and I'm sure Happy would be willing to drive."

"And if he can't, I will," Darcy volunteered.

"You can drive a limousine?" Jane asked in surprise.

The other woman shrugged. "I did a whole lot of odd jobs to earn money for college," she explained.

"Thanks," Phil told them. "Anything else?" he asked Jen.

"We're going dress shopping. I can order a corsage to match if you want," she offered hesitantly.

"Absolutely," he told her.

He grabbed a pen and paper. 'Order flowers delivered?' he wrote, showing it to the women.

They looked at each other and nodded.

'Pink roses?'

Pepper was busy looking up something on her mobile. She held it out, showing a page titled 'Rose Flower Meanings.' 'Light pink rose blooms,' it stated, 'are indicative of sweetness and innocence.'

More nods.

Plans were finalized and Maria reaffirmed her commitment to make sure that he wouldn't be called on to work that night. As it happened, she had to do some creative scheduling and put in a few extra hours, but she didn't mind, especially when Steve volunteered to help her.

XXXXXXXXX

The next morning, the two stopped by his office bearing bagels and coffee. He welcomed them with a bright smile, helping himself to a bagel.

"I take it last night went well?' Maria asked, making herself comfortable on his couch. Steve handed her a coffee and sat next to her.

"Yeah, it did. She's a really great kid." He sipped at his coffee. "I was a little concerned about what we would talk about, but she's really well informed on current events. She and Happy and I had an interesting discussion about several of the current world leaders."

"Happy?" Maria asked.

Phil nodded. "It seemed like a good idea to keep the partition opened during the drive."

She nodded agreement. "Just a bit surprised about him discussing world leaders, I suppose."

"We also talked about 'Downton Abbey,'" he added.

"Ah," Steve commented. "And the dance itself?"

"Interesting. She tried to teach me some steps and I tried to teach her some that I knew. We ended up with some weird something in between, but that seemed to be much the norm." He crossed the room to sit next to Maria, pulling out his phone. He showed them several photos taken the previous night. Mia looked lovely and Phil looked very much proud to be with her.

He tucked the phone away in his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He opened it and turned it where the couple could see it.

"What do you think?"

Steve felt Maria tense slightly under his arm and he allowed his fingers to lightly caress her shoulder. They both studied the simple but gorgeous solitaire in the box.

"It's beautiful, Phil, but I just don't think of you like that," Maria told him, a teasing note in her voice.

Phil felt a bit of something between the couple and studied them. He started to say something, then stopped. Instead, he gave her a stern look. "Good. Because it's not for you. The next time I find one of those vending machines with the big plastic ones, I'll get something for you."

"Congratulations, Phil," Steve told him.

"Don't congratulate me yet," Phil answered. "I haven't asked. I had been thinking that if things went well with Mia, if I thought we could get along alright, I'd have a talk with her and Max. Kind of see how they felt about me asking their mom to marry me." He stopped, smiling at a memory. "On the way home last night, Mia told me that she and her brother had talked and that if I decided I wanted to be their stepfather, they'd be okay with that."

Maria patted Steve's leg, aware of his still unanswered proposal hanging between them. His arm tightened around her again, reassuring her that he wasn't pressuring.

"They'll be lucky to have you," she told him, leaning over to hug him tightly "All three of them."

"I'll be the lucky one," he countered. "And I'll want you to be my best man," he added.

"I don't exactly fit half of the qualifications," she told him.

"I'll vouch for that," Steve replied, placing a quick kiss on the back of her head.

"Best person, then," Phil amended. "You've been my best friend for so long, Maria. I can't imagine taking such a big step without you beside me."

"You know I'm always here for you." She hugged him again, then rose. "For now, though, I need your support." Both men looked at her curiously. "I have to kick Fury out for his vacation."

Steve and Phil looked at each other.

"Look at the time," Steve commented, glancing at his wrist. "I've got a class starting in"

"Two hours," she interrupted. "You have plenty of time."

"Come on, Maria," Phil cajoled. "Why don't you take Nat with you? She's better back up than we could be."

"Yes, she is, but you're here and she's not so you're it," she told them.

They looked at each other.

"But he'll get pissed," the older agent stated.

"And if you don't come with me, I'll get pissed. Which do you find scarier?" she asked them, fixing them with her universally feared glare.

The two men looked at each other again, finally sighing in defeat.

"Yes, dear," they said in unison.

XXXXXXXXXX

When they arrived at Nick's office, he glanced up at them. "Glad you're here, Hill. Coulson. I need an update on Istanbul."

"No."

"What?" he looked at Maria.

"You really don't need an update on anything since you're leaving on your vacation this afternoon."

Before he could object, she continued. "Remember? You're taking your time off when I get back? I've been back for more than a week now. It's your turn."

"I didn't say right after," he protested, eying the trio in front of him.

"You made the rest of us take time off," Phil reminded him. "Something about only being able to push ourselves for so long? Needing to recharge? Any of that sound familiar?"

Nick looked annoyed. "I think I know when I need time off."

"No, you don't," Maria countered. "How long has it been since you've taken more than a day?"

He waved the question off.

"If not for yourself, then how about taking some time off for your wife?" Steve asked.

The director turned his glare on the super soldier. "We've been married for 15 years, Cap. Charlotte knows how demanding my job is and she understands."

"Twenty, actually," Phil interjected.

Fury looked at him in confusion.

"You've been married almost twenty years," he clarified.

"Really?"

The others nodded, and he sat back in his chair.

"She and I talked quite a bit when Maria was in the hospital," Steve explained. "She's an amazing woman and really does understand SHIELDs demands on you and appreciates the time she's able to have with you, but I think she'd love to have you to herself for a little while. Don't you think she deserves that?"

"She deserves a whole lot better than me," Fury sighed. "But you're right. As soon as this situation in Istanbul is settled, I'll tell her I'm all hers for a few days."

Maria shook her head. "No, you'll pick up that phone and do it right now. Because as soon as the situation in Istanbul is settled, something will come up Turkmenistan."

"Then something in Sierre Leone," Phil added.

"Then Albania," Steve contributed.

"What do you know about Albania?" Nick snapped.

"Nothing," Maria shot back. "It's just the nature of what we do."

"There's always something going on somewhere that we need to deal with," Phil replied.

"One situation settles down, another pops up," Steve said.

Maria crossed her arms, staring at him as a suspicion started to grow in her mind.

"You don't think I can do it, do you?"

He looked at her, puzzled.

"You don't think I can handle running SHIELD on my own without you close by."

"Of course I don't think that," he replied, glaring at her. "I've been training you for it. I know damn

well you can do the job."

She smiled in satisfaction, suspicion confirmed. "In fact, you're afraid I can do the job too well, aren't you?"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Hill."

She pulled a chair over and sat down across form him. "You're afraid that I'll do the job so well that you'll come back and the council will tell you that you're not needed anymore."

He snorted, but didn't meet her gaze. "That's ridiculous."

"Nick." She leaned forward, waiting until he looked her in the eye. "It's no big secret that I want your job. I want this office, this desk.

"You can't have my desk," he interrupted, his fingers stroking the smooth wood surface. "This is my desk and I'm taking it with me when I leave." I was a well kept secret that fine antique furniture was a passion of Nick Fury. The hobby had started merely as a way to spend time with a pretty young doctor, but had quickly become a shared interest.

"I want this office, the desk you'll buy me as a promotion gift, that chair."

He shook his head again. "Chair stays with the desk."

She sighed. "I want your job. But not yet. I'm not ready. I still have things to learn. You still have things to teach me. Right now, I firmly belief that you are still the best person to run SHIELD. When that's no longer the case, you'd better believe that I will be the first to tell you."

"And if I won't leave?" he asked, eye narrowed.

"I'll take you down."

She wondered briefly if that statement would shock Steve.

Nick nodded. "Maybe you don't have as much left to learn as you think."

Smiling, she could almost taste victory. He had one more excuse, though.

"We'd probably need a couple of days to plan something."

Maria pulled out her phone, but Phil had already dialed the number.

"Charlotte? How much time do you need to get your vacation plans made?" he asked, putting the phone on speaker.

"How long will it take you to get him home?" she asked.

Phil looked at Maria. "An hour or so?"

"I'll have us packed and ready to go," the woman replied, disconnecting the call.

"Okay." Maria pulled out her pad. "What do I need to know for the next two weeks?"

"Weekend," Nick countered.

"Ten days."

"Long weekend. Three days." She glared at him. "Four."

"One week.."

"Five days. Monday through Friday."

"Seven days."

"Six."

"Ten."

He started to speak again, then sighed,. "Okay. 7 days."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Would you really take Director Fury out?" Steve asked her as they headed down the corridor.

She nodded shortly. "It wouldn't be an easy call. In fact, it would be the hardest thing I would ever have to do. But if I honestly felt that he was a danger to SHIELD, to our overall mission and he couldn't see it..." She shrugged. "I respect him too much to let him tarnish his legacy."

"What if it was me?"

She turned to him, a tortured look in her eyes.

"I do what I have to do, Steve. Always have, always will."

XXXXXXXXXX

With Nick finally off, Maria stepped up into the position of acting director. Steve realized that, while he had always been impressed by the way she handled her authority, there had been a part of him that had assumed it was at least, in part, due to Fury's backing. Seeing her on her own, though, he understood that she was fully capable.

He also decided that he wasn't the only one coming to that realization. Some who hadn't taken her seriously before were seeing her in a new light. His own respect for her increased as well, especially when he realized that, even with her current heavy load of responsibilities, she was still making time for him each day.

A text. A call. Even a quick shared meal in the mess hall.

And she was making the effort because he had told her it mattered to him. It gave him hope for the answer she would eventually give him. His hope was further bolstered when Phil dropped in one morning when they were sharing coffee in her office.

He was grinning from ear to ear.

"She said 'yes!'" he told them.

"Of course she did," Maria replied. "She's a smart woman." She left her desk and crossed over to where the other man stood. Completely at ease, she reached up, wrapping her arm around his neck. He slipped his arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet to spin her around.

"I'm getting married," he sang.

"You're getting married," she confirmed.

He lowered her, kissing her forehead before turning to Steve.

"I'm getting married!"

Steve couldn't help but smile back at him.

"I suppose I can congratulate you now," the super soldier replied as Phil pulled him into a bear hug.

"You thought about a date yet?" Maria asked, settling back onto the sofa.

He shook his head. "Nothing firm. Probably soon. We've pretty much agreed on small and simple, but we have to sit down and look at everyone's schedules and see when we're all free." He smile happily. "One of the complications of having a family."

"And you absolutely love it," Steve replied.

"Yeah, I do."

Just then, Maria's phone buzzed. She looked at it and sighed.

"Nick," she told them.

When he left, he had insisted on daily e-mail updated. She had reluctantly agreed, knowing it was the only way to get him out of there.

She hadn't promised detailed reports, though, and after a couple of days of "Sun set last night, rose this morning. World still turning," he turned to daily calls. If she didn't answer, he just kept calling until she did.

"Good morning, Nick," she said, using his name to remind him of his current situation.

"What's going on, Hill?" he asked.

"Absolutely nothing you need to worry about. Just sitting in my office with Phil and Steve planning out the day."

Both men called out greetings.

"What's going on with you?"

"I'm staying in a fucking bed and breakfast, Hill," he explained. "In a cute New England town with antique malls, tea rooms, and a lake full of fish."

"Well, you've always said you wanted to try fishing and I seriously doubt prowling the antique malls is much of a hardship for you," she responded.

"Tea rooms, Maria."

"Is Dr. Adair enjoying herself?" Steve asked.

"Seventh heaven," Nick replied, not quite able to to keep the smile out of his voice.

After several more minutes of discussion, Maria ended the call, sending greetings to Charlotte. She then placed another call.

"Sitwell," he answered.

"My office."

"There in 15."

"Make it 10," she told him, pulling up the list she had been working on earlier of the priorities for the day. While she checked e-mail for any updates, Steve cleaned up the remains from their breakfast and refreshed their coffee. When Jasper arrived, the Captain excused himself and started for the door. She caught him before he reached it, pulling his face down for a passionate kiss.

Coulson and Sitwell waited, watching for a few minutes, smiling at each other.

Phil started whistling softly as the two shifted their gazes to the floor.

Then the ceiling.

Their watches.

Their phones.

"Seen this great cat video?" Jasper asked, moving to stand next to Phil.

Finally, Maria broke off the kiss, sending him on his way, then sliding into her chair. "Alright, gentlemen. Who's got our diabolical world domination scheme today?"

XXXXXXXXXX

The week was long and a bit stressful, but worth it when Nick returned. Though one had to know him well to see it, there was a new spring in his step and a glint in his eye. Her "Welcome back, sir," was greeted with a grunt and a nod, and a request for a detailed update on everything that had occurred during his absence.

When she was finally able to return to the Tower a few days later, she found a more tangible thanks. A large box had been delivered, addressed to the two of them and signed, simply, 'Thanks. C."

Opening it, they found a beautiful set of cobalt blue depression era glassware. Steve smiled as he handled one of the glasses.

"We had stuff like this back when I was a kid. Came free in boxes of oatmeal and detergent, I think."

Maria nodded. "Yeah, and now it's highly collectible. Depending on the piece and the color, it can sell for big bucks."

Steve shook his head, digging deeper in the box. There was also several packages of gourmet pet treats. 'To thank the kids for losing their people time,' Charlotte's note said. 'Nick said your cat is partial to cheesy ones.' Bucky was immediately appreciative, but Cat wasn't yet ready to forgive her abandonment. He sat on the back of her sofa and glared at her. She offered him one of the cheese ones and he flicked his tail, turning to show her his butt.

"Remind me to check my shoes for hairballs," she told Steve.

Leaving the treat near him, she and Steve headed into the kitchen to put together a late meal. Afterward, they cleaned up. Steve was still shaking his head over the fact that the giveaway dishes from this childhood were now sought after collectibles.

When they started back to the bedroom, they noticed Cat still ignoring the treat. At least, until Maria reached over to pick it up. That earned her a loud hiss and a hard 'whack' from a dark paw. Rogers laughed as she pulled her hand back and the beast finally deigned to sample the snack.

Waking several hours later with Steve's arm around her waist and a warm, furry body pressed up against her side, she figured she had been forgiven.

XXXXXXXXXX

Days soon settled back into as routine as things could be be for a group of spies, scientists, assassins, researchers, business experts, and not so mythical beings who doubled as superheroes in their spare time. Routine being a relative term.

One evening, the team was relaxing in the common area after dinner. A loud clap of thunder announced the arrival of Thor and Jane. It was a testament to their odd lifestyles that there was little reaction to the noise and trembling beyond mumbled greetings.

"I come bearing invitations from the Lady Frigga," he announced, holding up a stack of elegant looking envelopes. "She is hosting a banquet to announce my lady's acceptance of my offer to join our houses ," he told them, leaning in to kiss Jane on the top of her head.

"You're getting married?" Darcy squealed, jumping up to embrace her friend. The others added their congratulations as well.

"It's an epidemic," Maria muttered under her breath.

"I hope so," Steve replied, smiling as he pressed a kiss to her temple. When she looked at him, he continued quietly. "Not that I want you to feel pressured or anything. I don't want you give me an answer until you're absolutely certain."

Betty settled back at Bruce's side, fingering their invitation. "Any suggestions on what might be appropriate dress for dining in Asgard?"

"My lady mother has offered the assistance of her seamstresses," Thor told them.

"Frigga will be sending her personal designer to meet with everyone this coming Friday. Get your measurements, an idea of your style," Jane explained. "If that will work for everyone?"

The others mumbled agreement as Jane looked to each in turn. When she got to Maria, the deputy director shook her head.

"I'm not really sure. I have an early appointment Friday," she replied.

"She'll be here all day."

She nodded, then continued. "It'll probably be okay. It's actually a doctor's appointment. Day surgery. I should be back here by afternoon."

Everyone looked concerned. "Surgery? Is everything okay?" Bruce asked.

"Nothing to worry about," she assured them. "Just minor day surgery." Every continued to look at her, their worry clear on their faces.

"Female stuff," she admitted.

"Oh."

Natasha laughed, shaking her head. "Always the perfect conversation ender. Especially when there are men involved." When Clint looked at her questioningly, she made a stern face. "Romanoff, why did you shoot your target 42 times? Especially since the first one was between the eyes," she asked in a perfect imitation of Fury. She switched to her own voice. "Female problems." Looking at Clint, she mimicked his voice. "Nat? Why do you need another red lipstick? You already have a dozen." She shrugged, speaking in her own voice again. "Women things."

"You're absolutely right," Tony agreed. "That little phrase always gets you a free pass." He turned to face Maria. "So, Hill. What kind of surgery are you talking about?"

She looked at him for a moment, then smiled wickedly. "You see, when I get my periods, I get these really bad cramps and pass these huge, bloody clots."

Stark started shaking his head and waving his hands in a negating motion. "Never mind."

"And that," Bruce told him, "Is why we don't ask. Some of them might actually tell us."

"Let me know if you need anything," Pepper told the other woman. Maria nodded, turning her attention back to her mobile.

Noticing Steve watching her closely, she smiled reassuringly. "I think I'll head back to my place," she told the room at large. "Answer some e-mails, return some calls."

"I'll keep you company," Steve commented, jumping up to join her.

When they arrived back at her apartment, he sat her down in a chair and pulled up another to face her. "You want to tell me what kind of surgery you're having and why I'm just now hearing about it?" he asked, a slight edge to his voice.

She reached out to stroke his face. "I'm sorry, Steve. Honestly, I just finalized the details today and hadn't really gotten a chance to tell you. As far as what it's for, remember I told you I had been talking to my doctor about getting my tubes tied?" He nodded. "The timing just finally came together."

"Oh."

"You're having regrets about this, aren't you?" she asked.

"No," he assured her. "It's just...I've been doing some research on the internet. About sterilization? It seems like a vasectomy would be a better option. It's a much less invasive procedure so there's less down time and healing is faster."

"One problem, though," she told him. "I can't have a vasectomy. I don't have a vas."

He gave her a mock glare. "I meant me."

"I know." She kissed him. "You'd do that for me?"

"For us," he corrected. "This was a mutual decision, remember? Birth control is as much my responsibility as it is yours. Like I said, the procedure is quicker, less invasive. Recovery time is shorter,. With the serum, I'd probably be fine in no time."

"That's really sweet of you to offer, Steve, but it's because of the serum that I don't think it would be a good idea. I think it's likely that if they go in and clip or clamp or do whatever, your body would probably react as it would to any other injury and 'heal' it."

"Hadn't thought about that," he admitted.

"It'll be fine," she assured him. "And you get to take care of me again," she reminded him.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I really hate this," she groused as she gingerly lowered herself onto the sofa in her living area.

The procedure had gone as it should and, after a few hours of observation at the surgery center, the doctor had released he into Steve's very tender care. She had some minor discomfort and orders to take it easy to the next couple of days.

"You haven't even tried it yet," Steve answered, looking down at the cup of soup he was holding. "It's not as good as what my mom used to make, but I think it edible." He had spent the night before trying to match his mother's recipe for chicken soup, the best part of his sickly childhood, he had told her.

"Not the soup," she told him. "Between the military and SHIELD, I can and will eat almost anything."

"Thanks. I think."

"And I'm sure it's much better than any of that," she told him. "No, I hate that you are taking care of me. Again. It seems like you're doing that a lot. When I got shot. When I had oral surgery. Now."

"I've told you I don't mind," he reassured her, handing her the soup and grabbing Cat who seemed to be preparing to leap onto her. He sat next to her, stroking the animal on the chin. "I don't like that you're in pain, but I like that you trust me enough to let me know and help you out."

"But it's so one sided," she complained. "You help me out so much, but I never get to take care of you."

"So, you're saying that you want me to get sick or hurt so that you can take care of me?" he asked, eyebrow raised.

"No. Of course not. It's just that you do so much and I don't feel like you're getting back."

"But you do, Maria. You do take care of me." He turned to face her, taking her hands in his as he hunted for the right words.

"You are my rock, Maria. My anchor. When I first woke up...when I realized what had happened to me, I felt so lost and adrift. Alone. Angry, even. I couldn't understand why God would do this to me. Everyone and everything that mattered to me was either gone or radically changed. The invasion distracted me for a while, gave me a purpose and a focus, but when it ended, I was lost again."

He reached over, tucking a tendril of dark hair behind her ear.

"Then, I saw you, and things started to make sense again. I watched you during the battle. How you handled yourself and the situation. You always seemed to know exactly what to do no matter what was thrown at you. You stayed calm and focused and helped everyone around you do the same."

She started to shake her head, but he put a finger over her lips before she could speak.

"When I was a kid and sick so much, my mother told me that there was a reason for what I was going through, even if I didn't understand it. I realized later that that time helped me to develop my determination, my compassion, my way of looking at things. The very things that led to my selection for the super soldier program."

"Your mom sounds like a wise woman."

"She was. And her wisdom proved again. I have never felt as connected to another person as I do to you. If I hadn't spent 70 years in the ice, I probably wouldn't have ever met you. Or if I had, I seriously doubt you would have considered a relationship with a man 60 years your senior."

"Probably not. I have always had a thing for older men, but not that much older. Until you," she confessed with a smile.

"Your my touchstone, Maria. My center. On those days when it all gets a little overwhelming, I just close my eyes and thing about you. About us. Your strength and your courage and your beauty. You get me through those days. Those moments. You don't get tired of all my questions. I know I ask a lot of them, but you just patiently answer them, explain all the things I missed. Baby boomers. The polio epidemic. Hippies. The space program. Disco. AIDS. Computers. MP3 players. Smart phones. You explained all that to me."

She held up a finger. "To be fair, I didn't explain disco. To the best of my knowledge, there is no explanation for disco."

"You've gotten me through so much, Maria," he continued. "You not only got me back up in a small plane, but got me to fly it. And thoroughly enjoy it. You went back to my old neighborhood with me. Visited the cemetery with me. There's no way I would or could have done that by myself."

"But it's not like I'm taking care of you, Steve. Not like you've had to take care of me," she protested.

"You make it sound like I'm doing something difficult. The difficult part is seeing you hurting. I'm happy to do whatever I can to ease that for you. Because I love you. And I want to spend time with you. See you smile. Hold you. What you do is exactly the same. You see my hurt and you do what you can to ease that for me."

"It's not the same," she repeated.

"No, it's better," he answered, "Because it's exactly what I need."


And that's all for now. Thank you for your time. I certainly hope that you enjoyed. When I started this chapter, I thought it would be just a couple of short filler bits while I figure out where to go next with this. I apologize if it feels a little disjointed. My Muse is playing with me. She presented me with another odd little idea. I told her that I'm not real sure about it. Timing is a bit off and it relies on little twists more than I really like. Besides, I already have 5 stories I'm currently working on and at least one other one shot percolating. She doesn't care. I had to write some of that so she would let me focus on this. Don't know what I'll do with it, but she's making me write.

Anyway. It's late here and I'm rambling. I just wanted to get this finished and up. I'd really love to know what you thought about it. Thanks again for reading. You're the cheese on my nachos!

Now. Alternative? Risks? Complications? Courtship? or 'New Story'? Hmmm