8 : Straight in a straight line

A followed up chapter from a lovely one shot by sleeplessinbudapest. You Are My Once Upon A Time, Chapter #2: Dancing away with my heart

Okay…He never thought it would be this nervous. Well, it was their first date since…ages ago and everything about Natasha only make him nervous. His mind was running on high gear and he thought about every possibility about their date tonight.

"Steve, you can do this, pal." Steve said to his reflection in the mirror and adjusted his tie.

To be honest, everything that he did for Natasha, he wanted it to be as perfect as it could be because she deserved it. She was one of the kind and someone that you shouldn't let go.

He will not let her go again.

He didn't want to let her go in the first place but it was the choice that made in order for her to pursue her career, to pursue her dream, to have the life that she always wants rather than stuck here in this quiet simple life with him. He couldn't do that to her, after all, all he wanted was the best thing for her.

They had a very long history together and every memory of them only made him smile. She was his high school sweetheart, his first kiss, and his first time.

They parted away. He was enlisted with the US army and had been on three tours. He risked his life in the line of fire many time but he had something that held his sanity together, the only thing that help him through hell, the picture of him and Natasha. Well, Natasha did help him a lot.

He heard news about her and not exactly tried to contact her. From what he heard she became a Broadway superstar. He was just a poor soldier, a soldier that lost his way home. The second tour was more bearable than the first one. Maybe because of he got used to it. He found himself looking at her picture less but every time he looked at her picture, he felt the weight on his shoulders was gone for a little while.

And here he was, asking her out after ten years of not seeing each other. They just met again last night at the reunion. He was surprised that she say yes to him. Not really that surprised because he still could notice the connection between them.

10 years didn't do anything to their feelings toward one another, to be honest. Yeah, first love always tended to stick that way. She was his first love and only love.

Steve stopped himself from thinking and finished dressing up. He will attend her play and he brought a bouquet of roses for her. Natasha got him a front row seat. He couldn't be more excited to see her performance because this was her dream since they were very young. She loved to sing. She loved to dance and she is very good at it.

The show was terrific. Natasha did her job fantastically and received a standing ovation from everyone. She looked at him and smiled when he waved for her.

Steve met her back stage for their date after the show. Natasha came back twenty minutes later. Dressing in her red dress making her look even more beautiful. She went to him and gave him a hug.

"This is for you." He said with a proud smile, "Your performance is wonderful and you are really beautiful tonight."

"Just tonight?" She asked teasingly

"No, you are the most beautiful woman I ever see in my entire life." He replied, "Even I travel the globe and meet a lot of people"

A faint blush on her face had Steve took a mental note how cute she is. They walked along the street to the place where they would have their dessert. It was their favorite pizza joint since they were in high school and, well, this place was their first date.

"I can't believe they still open after all this year." Nat exclaimed

"How can the restaurant that serve the best tiramisu and Margarita pizza shut down?"

"I guess we have to find out that they're still the best in town?"

Steve didn't argue with that as he wanted to spend as much time as he could with Natasha before he got ship off again in 12 days.

The restaurant owner came to their table and his eyes went wide when he saw the couple.

"Oh my goodness!" He exclaimed loudly in his thick Italian accent, "I remember the two of you just like it is yesterday!"

"Oh..." They both had a faint blush on their faces.

"I know that you two are soulmate made especially for each other. My wife always knew when she looks at ones."

"Sir, we are..." Steve was trying to explain.

"Everything is on the house, my lovely children."

Then he proceeded to hug them and leave them to the menu.

"I can't believe he's still remember us." Nat said

"Yeah, it's twelve years since I asked you out and came here for our first date."

And just like that, all of her feeling overwhelming her in the matters of seconds. When he left her to join the army, it was the most heartbreaking thing for her handle. Everyone thought that they were done for good but the fact was that things between her and Steve will never ever be permanently done.

Here he was, trying to reminisce the good old days and confuse her with all of this. She thought she can handle this but she clearly can't. She missed him so much that to let him leave her again would be too much.

"Steve, what are you trying to do?"

Steve was confused and he didn't fake it, "To have a nice dinner and catch up with you. Is it wrong that I want to spend my time with you."

That's it. She admitted it. She had and always had this weaknesses forever. Her weakness was Steve Rogers, his charm, and his sweet words.

"It's not a coincidence that you pick this place. It's not a coincidence if you asked me out after 10 years of hearing nothing from you. It's not a coincidence for the man that couldn't wait a day to be enlisted to ask the girl he left on a date."

"Natasha, it's not a coincidence because I want to be with you. I left for a reason and it's all because of you, I want you to have a chance to live the life that you want, to follow your dream because i cannot take that away from you, from the love of my life. It's selfish to do that to the one you love."

That explained everything. He was the same Steve Rogers that left her. Always thinking about everyone else more than himself

But the loving look in his eyes got her again. She missed how he always look at her. She missed him.

Steve placed his hand on her and gently held it.

"Natasha, you're the only thing that important to me and only thing that I want. Ten years didn't change my feeling for you. I want you to know that."

Nat silenced for a second before look back into his eyes, "I guess my feeling didn't change too."

"So…what are we waiting for?"

"I don't know, Steve. I don't want to lose you again. You cannot just come back and play with my heart and then leave me again. I cannot do that anymore."

"I didn't go away forever, Natasha. It will be a year to shorted than that and after this tour, I will quit."

"Steve…"

"Nat…please, I don't want to let you go again when I miss you so badly. I know it in my heart I want only you."

The wall Natasha was trying to build was easily broke down by him. He always had his way to get through all of her defense. She couldn't lie to herself anymore. She needed him too.

"How long will I have you before you leave again?"
"12 days. There is many things we can do together in those 12 days."

"I guess we have to make the most of those 12 days."

That night Steve and Natasha ended up at her apartment, in her bed and in each other's arms for the first time in 10 years. Nat knew she wanted him as much as he needed her. They were making love that night. He was sweet and gentle to her as always.

Nat called the show manager to inform that she will take 2 weeks off because her boyfriend just came back from his tour and she wanted to spend some time with him after so many years of not seeing each other.

They spent their day walking around town or sitting in the cafe or picnic in the park, exchanged their stories. There was so many stories to catch up. They spent their night in bed, making love, held each other tightly and kissed passionately.

The time had come when Steve will leave for his last tour. The morning before a day of his leave Natasha woke up first to watch him sleep soundly in her bed. She had been noticed the scars he acquired from war. He had big brutal scar on his torso and back. Her fingers gently traced over those scars every morning she woke up and found him in her bed.

He told her he didn't get much sleep in the front line of war. But when he was with her, he felt like home and he didn't have to carry all the burden with him anymore.

"You are my home, Natasha." He said to her with a sad smile, knowing he would have to leave her tomorrow.

"Then stay" She replied and kissed his lips, "I don't want you to go either."

"You know I can't but I promise you. I will return to you in one piece and I will not leave you ever again."

"Promise."

"I promise." He smiled and kissed her hand.

The last night before Steve leaving the country again, Steve was making love to her all night, kissing her at every inch of her body as if he was trying to remember her in every single way and his reverence touch only made her wanted to cry.

"Will you be there to send me off?" He asked and looked into her beautiful green eyes.

"You know, if I be there, I will never ever let you get on those plane."

"Nat…"

"Steve…I couldn't watch you leave me again."

Steve didn't say anything anymore. He kissed her again and made love to her all night until Natasha drifted back to sleep and held on to him tight.

The morning came and Natasha woke up to see Steve dressing up in his military uniform and moving on to packing his bag. Nat watched him with sadness on her beautiful features. She didn't say anything until her turned back to her.

"Morning" He said

"Morning"

They didn't say anything after that but Nat got up and took a shower before they headed out from town. They were at the army airport within two hours and there was still time before he had to board the plane.

Nat didn't know what she should say to him except from wishing the best for him and that he had to come home to her or else she will hint him down and followed him.

"I will come back, Natasha." He said again "I love you and always will be that way."

"Just come back to me." She pleaded

"You never tell me you love me."

"I will tell you when you come back to me.

"I will, Tasha."

She gave him a good luck kiss before let him go but Steve held on to her.

"Damn it, Nat. You make it very hard to leave."

"Then don't."

He smiled against her lips before letting go of her.

"I love you, sweetheart. I will come back to you in one year."

1 Years Later

It was a rough year for them. Long distance relationship was the hardest thing for any couple around the world. They tried to talk as much as they could but Steve always been on a mission. Sometime it took him two weeks or sometime it took him a month and Natasha was worried that something might happened to him.

The stress was too high for both of them. She was worried and he was trying his best to calm her down. Sometime they fought but they made up as fight as the fight ended. He ensured her every time they talked that he will return to her and that he loved her.

But there was something Natasha hid from him very perfectly and Steve didn't even notice anything.

She wanted to keep it a surprise but she wasn't sure how he will react to this news.

Natasha was at the army airport in New Jersey to welcome Steve home. She was there with the family of other soldiers who came back along with Steve. The plane landed and the soldiers slowly walked off the plane to meet up with their families. They all ran to their love one and hugged, kissed and cried.

Natasha tiptoed to look for her soldier until she noticed the familiar blond hair and her favorite smile. Steve noticed her in the crowd and quickly ran to her, swept her up and whirled her around before kissing her lovingly.

"I love you." He said.

Nat smiled against his lips, "I have someone that want you to meet."

Steve's face went blank, "Don't tell me you bring your fiancé here with you."

"Nooo, you idiot" She punched his arm before took him to see someone.

That someone was in a blue stroller and it took Steve off guard. He didn't know what to say until he felt tear fell from his eyes. He looked down to see the little baby with red hair and blue eyes smiled at him

"Is that?" He lost his words, "Is that…our baby?"

"Yes, soldier. It's your little baby boy. You knocked me up before you went on the tour."

Steve broke out the pure happiest smile she really missed, "Ooh my god." He exclaimed, "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

"What's his name? Why didn't you tell me? When did you know about the baby? Tell me everything!"

"His name is James Rogers." She told, "I knew it three weeks after you gone. I didn't tell you because I think this news might distract you so I keep this a secret. I'm lucky that Tony and Pepper help me a lot."

Steve swiped her up again and kissed her deeply. She was the best thing he ever had in his entire life. He let her back on her feet again before get down on his kneel, pulling his necklace out and disconnecting the ring from the necklace.

"Natasha Romanoff, the love of my life. I don't want to waste anymore year living without you again. I love you so much. Will you marry me?"

Nat smiled down at him, "Yes, baby. I will marry you."

Steve smiled and slid the ring on his finger. Loud cheer erupted around them. Steve kissed her again and held Nat by her waist before taking their son back home together. Steve went inside her penthouse and slowly put his kid in the crib and came back to found Natasha still waiting for him outside of the door.

"What are you doing, Nat?"

"Waiting for my husband to carry me inside" She replied with a playful smirk.

"Of course, Mrs. Rogers." He said and carried her inside to their bedroom.

Steve gently placed her down on their bed, looking into her beautiful eyes and said,

"I'm home, honey."