They both knew the truth now, however they didn't talk about it. The ball was in Maria's court and she wasn't planning on doing anything with it.
Work got on top of them both, saving the world and saving themselves took a front seat in their lives, pushing their past together to the back of their minds.
It was after the battle of New York when finally everything in the world seemed right. No big threat hanging over them, not yet anyway. It was then when their past rushed forward, now having the front seat in their lives.
It was after Stark's welcome back party. He had fixed his tower up and invited everyone back for a little get-together to see how everyone was. Maria had been busy at the Triskinol but Fury had forced her to have a night off.
After New York, she had been pushing herself into her work and Fury, he wasn't worried, he just felt she needed a night off.
She had been sat at the bar, a glass of scotch in her hand and eyes scanning the room. He had been stood at the other side of the room, surrounded by people he was half listening to. He then glanced up from his beer, feeling her presence, and their eyes caught each other, locking for only a second. It felt like a thousand silent words where spoken between them.
She drew her eyes away and down her drinks. She then headed home early, not wanting to stay any longer than she had to. She was here on work business anyway, making sure that everything went smoothly, even though it was her "night off".
Steve had followed her down to the lobby of stark tower, taking the stairs to catch up with her.
"Maria," Steve called and she turned her head slightly to look back at him.
"Rogers," Maria greeted, pushing the door open and holding it for him, knowing he was going to follow.
Steve pushed down the urge to tell her to call him Steve, she never did now... Not anymore.
"I was wondering is I could walk you home?" Steve asked, walking out the door. Maria pulled her coat further over her chest as the cold air hit them harshly.
"I'm guessing whatever I say you're still going to walk with me," Maria said as Steve fell into step next to her.
"Well we do live close together," Steve said and Maria hummed as they paused to cross the road.
It was cold in New York especially at night, the wind blowing Maria's hair back and white puffs of air forming as they breathed out.
"Can I ask you a question?" Steve said as they passed a little Irish bar at the end of the block, the music echoing into the street.
"Depends on the question," Maria stated simply. Steve took his time to ask her, wondering if he wanted to know the answer or not.
"Do you think everything happens for a reason?" He asked after a few minutes silence, diverting from his originally question. Maria took a deep breath, trying to arrange the answer in her head.
"Not everything," Maria said and Steve ran a hand through his hair.
"But you think something's do?" He asked and Maria shrugged.
"It's hard to say really," she said.
"So do you think me freezing in the ice was worth something?" Steve asked.
"Is this a game of 21 questions?" Maria asked and he smiled down at the ground. "But yes, you saved a lot of people," Maria said and Steve shook his head.
"No I mean... in a way that it brought us back together," Steve said as they crossed the road.
"We're not together," she reminded him harshly.
He had only come to walk her home, to get everything clear and out on the table.
Yet after that, one thing had lead to another and the door ended up being slammed in his face. He had got side tracked, didn't know how it had ended up like this.
"I can't go through it again Steve," Maria said, moving into her apartment building. Steve put his foot in the door before it could slam shut and followed her up the stairs.
"It's not like it was back then," Steve told her which only caused her to roll her eyes.
"Of course it is," Maria said as she walked up the stairs, Steve following her. "When you died in the ice it nearly killed me. To then find you 70 years later... I just can't risk going through it again. I swore I wouldn't," Maria told him even though her heart was aching for his touch. "I spent years getting over you and when they found you in the ice I... I just couldn't think, it seemed like a dream, possibly a nightmare. I can't just open the door that I closed years ago," Maria said.
"Maria please," Steve began but she didn't listen. She got to her apartment and unlocked the door, stepping inside. "I'm not leaving until I ask you-"
"Just stop Rogers," Maria said, calling him by Rogers to put up a professional barrier. She turned to face him, taking the ring from around her neck and giving it to him.
"I should have given you this back ages ago," she simply said. He looked down at it before looking back up at her, a look of confusion and hurt appeared on his face.
He quickly regained himself and continued to talk, going to pull something out of his right pocket.
"Maria look, I need to-"
However, Maria slammed the door in his face before he could continue. She didn't know why she had done it, she just did.
He stood there shocked for a couple of seconds, taking in what had just happened. He placed both hands on the door, leaning his forehead onto the wood. His right hand held onto the chain, the engagement ring hanging down in the corner of his eye. He could hear her on the other side of the door, so close but so far away.
"Just say it, please... So I know," Steve said and Maria took a deep breath, tears running down her face. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. It didn't work.
"I don't love you," Maria said, keeping her voice strong and loud enough for him to hear through the wood.
He nodded, mostly to himself and pushed back off of the door.
Maria listened to his footsteps echo down the corridor, fading away as he went down the stairs. She turned and leant her back against the door.
It was finally over.