Maria could only smile at him. The look on his face made her heart swell. She had stayed around, allowing Steve to unlock her heart. She had decided after a heartbeat that she wanted to stay. Her mind wasn't thinking correctly and clearly wasn't thinking about the future. Her and Steve would never have a future, not proper one, not one where they would grow old together. She never knew what was in front of her. Love had blinded her and... To be honest she didn't care.
After a few rough shows he had finally gotten into the hang of it, each time knocking Hitler out with a clearly fake punch.
She was happy that he was happy but also disappointed. Steve didn't want to fight the fake actor bullies, she knew that. He wanted to fight the real bullies like the ones Bucky and the rest of the brave soldiers were fighting. This wasn't Steve. Not her Steve anyway.
She had gone to his first show to see him and to support him. He had stumbled onto the stage and then stood, scanning the audience. Maria sat up a bit more to get his attention and he smiled at her before continuing, seeing her gave him more confidence... Well just enough to get through the show.
It was after the massive New York City show when Maria finally told Steve her opinion about the whole thing.
"It's just a few shows Maria, I don't see why you're so angry about it," Steve told her behind stage after the show. Maria sighed, sitting down on his chair at the mirror.
"Clearly I'm not angry about it Steve. You're having fun, I can tell but don't you want to actually fight? You joined the army for that reason, not for this," Maria stated, waving a hand at the costume and Steve growled.
"I know Maria, do you think I want this? Bucky's out there risking his life and here I am, on stage acting like a fool," Steve said, his voice low and never once shouting. "But at the moment... I have to do this ok," Steve said and Maria just shrugged.
"Fine by me. But remember this, going to Italy to perform in front of soldier's is not going to go the way you plan," she said before standing up. "You're suppose to be more than this Steve," Maria told him and Steve looked down at the ground. "Not just their..." Maria paused, causing Steve to look up at her, a frown on his face. She looked away from him, not wanting to tell him what she truly thought.
"Not their what?" Steve questioned her. She took a deep breath, hands on her hips. She looked back at him, catching his eyes.
"Not just their little showgirl," Maria said and she could tell she had hit a nerve. Steve clenched his jaw but when he saw Maria turn and walk to the door to leave he took a deep breath. He allowed it to calm him down before he moved.
"Wait," Steve said, grabbing her by the arm and spinning her around. "I don't want to leave us on an argument before I leave for Italy," Steve said and Maria pulled her arm from his.
"Maybe you should have thought about that before," Maria said and then walked out of the room, leaving him stood there in silence.
It was easier this way. At least now she didn't have to officially say goodbye. She wasn't the one running away this time, he was.
She kicked herself for letting their relationship get this far. So stupid. She knew she would regret it, causing not only her pain but Steve too. She remembered that decision, the decision to walk up to the lonely man at the bar. She would never go back on that decision, she just wished that he hadn't been so kind and caring towards her, it would have made this so much easier.
Fear, panic, guilt. It all rolled over her, like a wave across the sand, when Agent Carter called her up and said Barnes had been killed in action. She knew she shouldn't have gone, she shouldn't have flown out there but she did. Bucky was her friend too and Steve needed the support and comfort right now.
So she took a deep breath and walked into the bar, tired and miserable she put on a brave face. He had been here a while, hours even. After landing down in England in one of the SSI's aircrafts, one of the hollowing commandos had picked her up and drove her here.
Steve sat at the last table standing, tears in his eyes and a bottle in his hand.
She couldn't help but think what she would have been like if it had been Steve that had fallen not Bucky. She still grieved for the fallen soldier but she knew if it had been Steve, the guilt of how they left their relationship would have eaten away at her.
She paused, studying him. She knew that he knew she was stood there watching him. A heartbeat later she walked forward, coming to a stand next to the table.
"Dr. Erskine said that the serum wouldn't just affect my muscles, it would affect my cells. Create a protective system of regeneration and healing. Which means, um, I can't get drunk. Did you know that?" Steve asked her after a moment of intense silence.
"Your metabolism burns four times faster than the average person. Didn't he think it could be one of the side effects," Maria said and Steve gave her a questioning glance. "Bucky told me," she added in response, commenting on the letters and Steve gave a small nod. Maria moved, picking up an unturned chair and place it upright to sit down next to him. "It wasn't your fault," Maria told him.
"If you had read the report, you would know that's not true," Steve replied back.
"I guess. But I know you... I bet you did everything you could," Maria said, pausing. She could see Steve was beating himself up about it so she continued on. "Did you believe in your friend? Did you respect him?" She asked him. Steve glanced up at Maria, her questions having caught his attention. He gave her a small nod. "Then stop blaming yourself," Maria told him. "Allow Bucky the dignity of his choice. He damn well most have thought you were worth it," Maria told. It took Steve a while to take in her words and then understand them. He looked back down at the table and with a drop breath, he replied.
"I'm going after the guy who did this. I'm not gunna stop until all of HYDRA are captured," Steve told her.
"I know you won't be alone," Maria said, knowing there will be many men that will follow him. He nodded in understanding, seeing her acceptance from her in her words.
"I've missed you," Maria told him.
"Me too," he replied, looking up to her and into her greyish blue eyes. "I'm sorry by the way," Steve said, commenting on how they had left things.
"It's me who should be apologising," Maria said and Steve shook his head at her words. "You got somewhere, the place you wanted to be," she paused. "And I doubted you for how you got there, which I shouldn't have done. I believe in you Steve and I should have told you that before you left," she said and Steve listened to her every word.
"I know you did, you didn't have to tell me it," Steve told her and Maria nodded. Steve took her hand in his and gently kisses the top of it. He took a deep breath, sniffing slightly.
"I love you," Steve then told her and Maria's heart stopped, literally. All sorts of emotions bubbled up inside.
Fear, love, passion.
She calmed herself and managed a reply.
"I love you too."
She reached up and wiped away a tear that had managed to fall down his cheek. Steve gave her a weak smile before finally taking her in.
"Did you fly all the way over here to see me?" Steve asked and Maria smiled slightly.
"A woman called Agent Carter called me up, told me the news of what had happened... They allowed me to fly in one of their private aircrafts," Maria told him.
"Benefits of having Captain America as your boyfriend," Steve said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Actually, my boyfriend is Steve Rogers. That's the man I fell in love with. The little guy, skinny Steve from Brooklyn," Maria said and Steve smiled, letting out a little laugh.
"I really do love you," Steve told her, as if she didn't under how much she meant to him.
"Me too," Maria replied and kissed him gently on the cheek. She stood up, moving to the bar and came back with a glass. She poured the alcohol into her glass before lifting it up.
"To Bucky," Maria said and Steve lifted his own.
"To Bucky," he repeated and they took a sip of their drinks, well Maria did while Steve down his.
So yeah, I changed a scene from the film slightly. It wasn't Peggy that went to see him in the bar but Maria. Yeah it's slightly far fetch but hey, what can you do. Tell me what you thought :)