**A/N: So yes... there was no update last week. Not sure how many of you guys noticed. Work has been very draining- I'm working on two very competitive hiring processes for my department and it's taking up all my time - and when I get home, I just want to sleep. This almost didn't get uploaded today... But it's here. I have 4 chapters ( I think ) already lined up so I can continue to relax during my down time, I just need to force myself to actual upload them :P

BUT THERE'S SMUT HERE. The majority of it is smut. I believe there's smut in chapter 53 too.

Chapter 52- Picking Up The Broken Pieces

"Now you only bring me black roses, under your spell. And I'm done trying to be one picking up the broken pieces. And I'm done trying to be the one who says 'I love you dear but I'm leaving'. Now you only bring me black roses and they crumble into dust when they're held. Now you only bring me black roses but I'm not under your spell."

~Black Roses, Clare Bowen


"I don't know…" Natasha was the first to say it, but Bethany was fully expecting hesitation from each of the girls when she pitched the idea of getting away for the weekend. She had even liquored them all up—well, all except Kiley. That wasn't a road they were ready to travel down yet. While she didn't seem to have an alcohol addiction, no one really wanted to test anything, especially when her recovery was starting to really make a difference.

"Oh come on," Bethany insisted. "You're all young, we're hot and I have a Gold card. It would be so much fun just to cram into a car and ride down the highways with the music blaring, not giving a damn about life. Going shopping and to clubs and just living. Not being who we're expected to be in our everyday lives. Leave it all behind just for a few days."

"It could have consequences," Wanda reminded Bethany.

"Okay, you're the youngest," Bethany pointed out. "And I'm the oldest. You let me worry about the consequences. C'mon, I promise nothing bad will happen! It's not like I can get drunk. I'll keep an eye out on all of you. We'll just have fun."

"If this is some way to get us out of our self-pity-" Kiley began, but Bethany quickly interrupted her.

"I was running errands by myself the other day and saw a duck. Do you know what I said? 'There's a duckie. Quack, quack!'" She waited to see the women's responses, nodding as she saw their sympathy. "I need a break. I need out of this motherhood mind frame for just a day or so. You'd all be really doing me a favor."

"That is really sad," Jen allowed.

"It's pathetic," Bethany corrected. "I just… I need a break. I haven't had one in what feels like forever. Please?"
"You promise you'll be making sure we don't do anything stupid?" Wanda asked.

"I'll make sure no one does anything that I would have done when I was your age," Bethany countered, knowing that her youth was filled of stories with hefty consequences.

"How are we going to get Wanda into clubs?" Kiley asked. "She's underage and doesn't have any valid ID."

"It's like you don't know who I am at all," Bethany replied with flare. "And I won't let her drink more than… what? Four drinks? Or is that too much? I don't know what the drinking age in Sokovia is, it could be like Italy for all I know."

"Umm, Beth?" Steve's voice interrupted as the sliding door opened, Jamie's cries erupting through the backyard.

"Hey, what happened?" Bethany asked with concern, getting out of the hot tub, putting her wine glass on the patio table and wrapping her towel around her tightly before taking Jamie into her arms.

"The end battle in the movie scared him," Steve admitted sheepishly. "I tried to calm him down, but he was calling for you specifically."

"Aww, did you want Momma?" Bethany cooed, bouncing him softly. "Do you want Momma to sing to you? Huh?"
Jamie's cries began to soften as Bethany started the melody, the entire backyard falling silent and watching carefully as Bethany soothed her son. "I know you're tired. I see your eyes cry again. I see you fall, and I will down with you. Hold on."

For people like Wanda and Kiley, they had been introduced to Bethany as a mother. They had been included in the chapter of her life where Bethany's light and love was her son and she filled the label of mother so easily. But despite that, they both knew how different Bethany could be and had been. Her agent side and her mother side were two completely different people, but in an amazing turn of events, she was strong as both. Just in different ways. When Kiley would see her working at the compound, it was like she made the shift so easy and natural. Moments ago, she was having a blast with the girls, no doubt thinking about all the fun they could get into when they were away and now she had transitioned back into motherhood with a blink of an eye.

"Shine like the rivers that sent you. Baby, we'll run so far away from here. I've loved you so long that I can hardly remember what it was like without you here." Jamie's eyes were still glistening, but his crying had ceased. As usual, his hiccupping took the wailing's place, but he was listening to his mother's voice lulling him to peace and sleep.


Bethany was surprised to see Steve sitting in bed, reading a book when she finally came up the stairs. She and the girls had stayed up five hours after Jamie had fallen asleep and Bethany knew it was better to clean up then opposed to the next morning. "Babe, it's late," Bethany said as she moved to the dresser and pulled out a clean nightgown. "You didn't need to stay up."

"I wanted to," Steve replied, watching as she took off her suit and pulled her tight gown on.

"My hair is a little wet, is that okay?" She asked before crawling into bed.

"Yeah, I just don't like it when it's soaking," he replied, pulling the sheet back for her. He was resting on top of it, the summer air keeping him warm through the night with no blankets, but Bethany still liked to have something, even it was just a thin blanket, wrapped around her.

"Enjoying your book?" She asked as she shimmied over beside him, resting her head against his shoulder.

"It's good," Steve nodded, but closed it and put it on the bedside table.

"Don't stop on my account," Bethany stated, but he shook his head, cupping her cheek and kissing her softly. "Oh, you have ulterior motives."

"Maybe," Steve murmured, Bethany feeling his smile against her lips. "It's been a while."

"It's been two days," Bethany chuckled as Steve's lips moved to kiss her jaw.

"It's after midnight," Steve replied. "Three days."

Bethany couldn't hold her laughter back and Steve used her moment of weakness to maneuver her body downwards. He hovered over her, placing the softest of kisses along her neck and butterfly touches up and down her sides. She closed her eyes, throwing her arms around his neck and playing with the tips of his hair. Bethany shifted her hips a little, trying to get comfortable, Steve taking a quick nip at her skin as a response.

"You enjoyed your Daddy-Jamie night?" Bethany asked quietly, her smile still gracing her face.

"You really want to talk about Jamie right now?" Steve mumbled against her skin lightly.

"Well, there's nothing sexier than you being a good father," Bethany revealed. "Well, okay, watching you workout with no clothes on is pretty damn sexy, but it's a close second."

"He still didn't say it," Steve whispered, halting his kisses and leaning his head in the crook of her neck.

She ran her finger up his cropped hair lightly before letting her hands move downwards to roam his back. "Babe, he will. Give him time."

"I've been spending as much time as possible with him-"

"I know," Bethany quickly intervened. "And he loves it. I know he does. He loves you so much. I'm beginning to think he prefers you over me. Which I'm okay with because I love to see you two together."

"When he was crying, you were the only one who could get him to calm down," Steve reminded her.

"True, but that doesn't mean he loves you any less. He'll say it one day. Now, can we get back to the kissing and the hugging?"

Steve's head rose from her neck, his lips grazing hers. Their kisses were feather light, as if they had never kissed each other before. They were soft and exploring each other, but the lightness of their lips was so different from how their love life had been recently, it truly felt like they were kissing each other for the first time again.

"Wanda says he's biggest fear is not having you or me around," Bethany told Steve when his lips moved to her jaw once more. "He holds us on the same pedestal."

"Is it bad that I like that that's his fear?" Steve asked.

"No, because it solidifies the assumption that he cares about us like we care about him," Bethany promised, kissing his lips softly before nudging him over with her knees and hips, switching their position, giving him a not-so-innocent smile as she grinded her hips against his. "Having kids is rewarding in that way."

"I thought you weren't going to bring up us trying for kids yet," Steve replied, an eyebrow raised to show his humoring mood.

"I said nothing," Bethany reminded him, leaning down to kiss down his neck. "You can interpret it any way you want though."

Steve leaned his head back, smiling in content as Bethany's lips, tongue and teeth played with his skin. Her hands were busy running up and down his arms, gripping onto them every so often and most importantly, the sweet smooth dance of her hips. It was slow, not in a rush at all to start and finish their love making. Sex always seemed rushed between them, even if it didn't need to be. They were just used to something urging them to finish. Usually it was the fear of Jamie interrupting them with his needs. Sometimes it was work.

But tonight, neither of them cared at all. It was nice to take their time exploring each other, finding each other's weaknesses just like it was the first time and enjoying the hitches in their breathing when they touched something right. Bethany sat up on Steve's hips, tugging at the bottom of her nightgown and pulling it off her head. Steve's hands connected with hers and they gripped each other tightly as Steve studied her body.

She was utterly perfect. The serum had etched perfection in every single curve. An artist could not paint anything more perfect than she was, but he knew that she could be severely overweight, covered in wrinkles or her skin marked with ugly scars and burns, truly showing her history with combat, and he would still think she was perfect. Steve wasn't even sure what he would have done if he returned from the ice and she had been her true age. Could he just forget his feelings? Their history? Would he have to? He was lucky that hadn't been laid in front of him.

Bethany leaned forward, their intertwined hands raising above his head as they deepened their kiss. Bethany's erected nipples dragged shuddering marks against his bare skin. He could feel himself harden and the deep arousal and lust starting to swirl within him. Bethany, feeling him against her, began to slip down his body, her hands leaving his as they hooked onto the band of his sleeping pants. She brought them down as she continued her trek down the bed, stripping him to nothing. Her head popped up over the edge, a look of excitement on her face. She held out her hands and Steve took them, an eyebrow raised slightly in curiosity. Bethany pulled him into a sitting position before moving her hands up and down his thighs slowly. Her eyes glanced up at him, connecting with his own eyes as she lowered her mouth. Her lips slipped around the head, her tongue swirling around slowly.

Steve let out a shuddering breath, one of his hands moving to cradle the back of her neck, his thumb moving up and down softly against it. She was taking her sweet time, building up the anticipation. When she first performed oral on him, it felt like it was degrading her to nothing more than a common street whore. It was like only his pleasure was important. But when he saw how much satisfaction she took from it, he realized that she took a different type of pleasure from the experience. Now, he just saw her as a loving partner who was mutually taking pleasure in the act.

Whenever her eyes connected with his, he felt a shudder go up his spine. She would lower herself and then flick her eyes up towards him, looking at his expression before lowering herself even more. Her hands didn't leave his upper thighs once, still moving up and down carefully, only building a stronger lust. He all but fell apart when she started to hollow her cheeks, holding him tightly within her mouth.

The hand on her neck moved up, closing carefully around some hair before giving her a firm tug. She knew what that meant, rising and straddling him carefully. His thick member was wedged between them as she kissed him again, Steve wrapping his arms around her tightly. She was soaked, her centre leaving a trail of wetness on his legs. Carefully, he flipped them so that Bethany laid on her back before reaching for his bedside table. As he took out a condom and rolled it onto himself, he reached farther into the bedside table for the small but powerful bullet Bethany loved. They had originally agreed that sex toys would be something they used every once in a while, but Steve couldn't deny her the extra pleasure. He was physically unable to process the fact of her not getting those strong and steady vibrations on her clit to make the entire experience that much more pleasurable for her.

"Sit against the headboard," Steve instructed. Bethany rose an eyebrow but followed his instructions. Steve shifted her hips downwards a little, spreading her legs wide. He ran the unpowered bullet up and down her bare center, watching as she let out a breath of satisfaction. It took a little bit of maneuvering, but he finally found a comfortable position for both of them so that Bethany could be sitting while he pushed in and out of her. With the position, he always hit something that made her jolt and made her orgasms that much powerful. He wanted to go slow, watch how every single movement affected her body.

He handed her the bullet and she turned it on, spreading her lips even more so that her clit was bare before firmly pressing the toy against it. Her legs quivered at the sensation and Steve knew by now that she needed a few moments to get used to the pulsing before he could even think about touching her. If he ignored that, it became too overwhelming and she'd have to drop the bullet. He waited patiently until her face read that she was taking pleasure from the device but not about to explode before he took a firm grip on her hips and slid into her very, very slowly. She clenched around him, a deep sound of distress slipping through her until she let out a breath and unclenched her muscles. Throwing her head back to bring her body to relaxation, Steve pulled out slowly. At two very separate parts in her body, one half way to the entrance and one at the very rim of it, Bethany let out moans of pleasure. He got the same response when he slipped back into her.

She was wet and tight but he knew that he could get so much more from her. Steve took a harder grab on her thighs, making his thrusts deeper, but not picking up the pace. He wanted to maintain their slow passion. Leaning down, he started kissing her again. Her free hand gripped his arm tightly, her legs wrapping around him. He could feel her hand moving the bullet against the clit. Her breathing would hitch and soft, content moans would echo in her throat, but just as it seemed after long minutes of her pleasure building she was ready to fall, Jamie's cries broke through the baby monitor.

Bethany's head fell against the bedframe and she couldn't help but laugh. "It's been an hour," Bethany mused, turning off the bullet before reaching out to turn the baby monitor off. "I'll go."

"You sure?" Steve asked carefully.

"I won't risk losing my erection," Bethany teased, giving him a wink and a quick kiss. It had happened more times than Steve was willing to admit. Putting his boxers back on and going to take care of their son was a little bit of a mood killer. Bethany was right; whenever she went, she would return just as ready as when she left.

Steve pulled himself off of her, flopping onto the bed as Bethany crawled off. He watched as she walked over to their dresser, picked up the polaroid camera, stood in front of the mirror and took a picture of her bare body. She put the camera down, picked up her house robe and handed Steve the photo before slipping out to take care of Jamie.

Steve could barely register what she had just done, but when he looked down at the photo in his hand, he knew that it was to keep him in the mood. The photo was snapped from the neck down, her breasts swollen with lust, her nipples pink and erect. Her thighs were slightly parted and he could see a trail of her juices running down her supple skin. Steve slipped the condom off and expertly tossed it into the trash bin across the room before taking himself firmly in his grasp. Focusing on the photo, he circled his thumb across his slit, using Bethany's wetness that had been coating the condom as a lubricant and ensuring that he kept himself ready for when she returned. He knew she'd be ready. It was his duty to be as well.


"What's wrong baby?" Bethany cooed to Jamie as she slipped into his room, collecting him into her arms. His face was red from crying, tear stains down his face. She paced the room slowly, rubbing his back and shushing him. It was clear from his crying that he was upset from a nightmare, not because he needed a diaper change or because he was hungry.

"Did you have a bad dream?" Bethany asked, bouncing him rhythmically. "Huh? I have those too some days, Munchkin. So does your Daddy. But when we wake up, we hold each other and make sure we feel safe. And you, Mr. will always be safe. Okay? Nothing can harm you. You have Earth's Mightiest Heroes keeping you happy and safe. We all love you."

She continued to lull him to sleep with her comforting words and when his lashes fluttered shut and his breathing evened out, she carefully placed him back into his crib before making her way to the bedroom. She tossed the night robe off her body at the front of the door and smiled at Steve from across the bed. She watched him reach into the nightstand, taking out another condom before sitting back against the frame, ready for what was about to come next. Bethany straddled him, biting her lip seductively as she raised her hips, grabbing his member and carefully lowered down onto his body. His hands instinctively gripped her hips but once Bethany started their pace, a tad quicker than before, his right hand raised to her neck, grabbing the hair that rested there and pulling her forcefully down to kiss her.

With the ability to create the pace, Bethany found a rhythm that temporarily made her go blind. The movement of her hips only added to all the pleasure she currently felt. Steve only intensified everything as he pressed the bullet in between them, pushing it against her clit. She broke from their kiss with a gasp, throwing her head back and increasing her tempo. She could feel her blood pulsing, her toes tingling and mind hazing over. She could feel herself, with every thrust, being pushed closer and closer to the edge, hanging over the cliff, waiting for the final push over.

Her thighs began to quiver and her core began to contract strongly. Steve, sensing her end, allowed himself to finally give into his body's need, but just as he was beginning his trail down, Bethany felt herself let go of everything she had built up. It was only when Steve was spent, Bethany stopping her movements and waiting patiently for him to recover that Steve realized what had happened. "You-you didn't-"
"It just disappeared," Bethany said with a shrug. This wasn't the first time it had happened, but every single time, it bothered Steve more than Bethany. It made Steve feel like he didn't do a good job pleasuring his wife, but Bethany knew that it had nothing to do with him or what he did. It was just something that happened. "It's not you, babe. It happens to almost every woman."

"But you're not every woman," Steve whispered. "You're my wife."

Bethany gave him a soft smile, leaning forward to kiss him softly before getting off of him. Steve watched as she pulled out the vaginal wipes and cleaned herself off before grabbing her nightgown and pulling it on. When she was ready for bed, she crawled back under the sheets, looking at him. "You just going to stay naked, with a condom on, all night?"

She was teasing him, that much he knew. But it was a little discouraging to see her give up so easily. "It's late," Bethany explained to him. "Jamie will be up before we know it and we'll spend all day slugging around, exhausted. Or at least, I know I will. I'm happy. Steve, the build-up pleasure is amazing. Just because there's no end doesn't mean that it wasn't amazing. Okay?"

"Okay," Steve replied, but it sounded like a child accepting the inevitable. Bethany sat back and watched him clean himself before redressing.

"Don't forget to turn the baby monitor back on," Bethany said with a yawn, sliding down in the bed, curling up to her pillow. Steve followed her orders before lying on top of the sheet. Despite their large bed, they both usually slept in the middle, curled up to each other. Steve was always hot, but he would rather be sweaty and curled next to his blonde-haired beauty than on the edge of the bed, enjoying the cool air.


Around seven, Steve began to stir as usual. Despite his late night, he felt like he was refreshed and ready for the day. Bethany was still sound asleep, her mouth open slightly, her breathing steady. Steve could hear Jamie's soft babblings in his room. This was something that happened every morning. Jamie was always awake before Steve was, quietly waiting for him to pick him up. Steve kissed Bethany's head softly before beginning his daily routine.

Jamie would smile when Steve came into the room, pulling himself up onto his legs and reaching over the bars of his crib for his father. Steve would pick him up, kiss him, wish him good morning before changing him. Then, father and son would go downstairs. Steve would get a small bowl of berries ready, with a sippy cup of milk or juice before they would go in the basement. Jamie had a corner set up in Steve's gym and would sit in his baby chair patiently as Steve did his morning workout, enjoying his snack.

Afterwards, they would go up to take a shower, Steve encouraging Jamie to keep quiet so as not to wake Bethany. When they were done, Steve would wipe Jamie's wet body down before putting him on the bed with Bethany. The baby would quietly watch Bethany sleep, something Steve thought was incredible. He never woke her once, only going as far as to lie down next to her or lay cute little kisses on her head, but always making sure to stay quiet. Whenever Steve would make noise while getting dressed, Jamie would look at him, his face mad as he put his finger to his lips in the universal signal for 'quiet'.

After getting himself and Jamie dressed, they'd head downstairs for breakfast. Sometimes Bethany would meet them there, sometimes they'd go up with a hot cup of coffee to wake her up. It was the same every single day, but it was the things that Jamie did and said that kept it interesting. Like today, for instance, as he rambled on about something, his eyes wide and arms wailing as he explained something that sounded horrific.

Steve leaned forward to kiss his head softly. "Well, everything's fine now," he told his boy before hearing the stairs creak, Bethany coming down the stairs with Molly in her arms. "Good morning Beautiful. Sleep well?"

"I did," she nodded before yawning, Molly jumping from her arms. "You still upset about what happened earlier?"
"I forgot about it actually," Steve admitted. Bethany sat beside him, putting her hand on his arm.

"Please get it through your thick skull that it's okay," Bethany said lovingly. "Steve, you did everything right. Please stop stressing about it. Okay?"

Steve looked at her, seeing that it really didn't bug her. It bothered him, but she was okay with it. She always was. "I owe you."

She laughed, shaking her head. "No, you don't. Trust me. But if you do want to help me with some chores today, that'd be amazing."

"Your wish is my command," Steve promised before leaning forward to kiss her.


**A/N: The poll has been very successful thusfar! The majority of people believe that Bethany would and should side with Steve, not necessarily because she agrees with the Accords but because they love each other. I'm excited to start writing that, but like I've said before, it'll be a few months before that happens.

Adela: Sorry for making you wait! I'll try to force myself to update oppose to watching junk TV next week ;)

Jo: Bethany is definitely still struggle with secrets, but it's getting easier. And at least this time, Steve understood why she kept it a secret.

anonymouscsifan: Jamie and Steve's connection is going to be very important to what happens in Civil War and afterwards. It adds extra drama for everyone. Kiley and Sam are definitely an interesting duo, but I feel like she needs someone like Sam in her life after everything she went through. He's just full of infectious energy that she could definitely take a dose or two of.

Pulchritudo in omnia: They definitely have come a long way since the beginning. It's growth on both of their part and learning how to live together as a couple opposed to individuals. Yes, Bethany kept Steve in the dark for a little while, but now he's starting to understand why she does it just as she's understanding why it's important just to tell him. Most of the girls' weekend stuff will come up in casual conversations and a possible Civil War flashback, but their time together is fairly short. There is Wanda/Bethany development that's important however!

Guest: ... well... I was at work when I read that and instantly went red. I feel like Steve would be VERY uncomfortable with that idea. Bethany would probably go for it... if it wasn't green. That would probably weird her out a lil bit.